Slytherin's Potter
by Animeaddict56
Summary: Lily Potter dreamed of going to Hogwarts and being in Gryffindor. But the time comes for her to go to Hogwarts, and her dreams change. What will happen when she becomes a Slytherin, befriends a Malfoy, and turns against her family? Everything falls apart.
1. A Potter? In Slytherin? No Way!

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One: A Potter? In Slytherin? No Way!

Lily took in deep breath as she watched her family disappear from her compartment window. She'd been dreaming about going to Hogwarts since Teddy started, and now she was going. But she couldn't quell the nerves that were fluttering through her stomach. She wasn't used to being away from home for very long.

"So are you guys excited to join Gryffindor?" James asked happily. He and Fred had been the ones to find an empty compartment for the family. Lily sat by the window, and Hugo sat between her and Rose, and across from her were James, Fred, and Albus. The rest of the family had gone off with friends. Honestly, Lily wished that Louis had stayed around. Being the calmest one of the family, she always felt at ease with him.

Hugo looked a little green as well. "Yeah, I guess," he mumbled. He took in a gulp. "What happens if I don't make it into Gryffindor?" he asked hesitantly.

"Then we disown you," James answered seriously. But then him and Fred looked at each other and laughed. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Quit teasing them!" Rose scolded. She turned toward her brother. "If you don't make it, then you don't make it. It doesn't matter. You're still are family."

"Yeah, we'll still love you," James assured with a smile.

"Besides," Albus told them, "I was afraid of the same thing. And I'm a Gryffindor."

"And you two are the most Gryffindor-like of us all," Rose told her brother.

"Yeah, every Potter has been a Gryffindor, and only a few Weasleys have ever been in any house other than Gryffindor. Even Teddy was a Gryffindor!" James bragged.

"And while we're on the subject of newcomers," Fred spoke, "Rose and Albus, how excited are you about finally being able to go to Hogsmeade?"

Albus grinned. "It's going to be awesome!"

"You're only so excited because you two never snuck out there with us," James teased.

Rose gave him a stern look. "You two could have been caught."

Lily sighed and looked out the window next to her. The argument droned on, but she ignored it. Before she ever got her letter, Lily always gushed and imaged how she was going to be a Gryffindor, just like her parents. She had dreamed about planning pranks with her brother in the Gryffindor common room. But she started to worry once she received her letter. Lily started to think about her own traits and personality, and now she was no longer sure if she would be a Gryffindor. She liked to think she was smart, that she was fair, and that she was resourceful. Those were all traits of different houses. But when she had told Hugo her fear, he pointed out that she was more brave and loyal than anything else. Sadly, this didn't completely quiet her fears.

The trolley came to their compartment around noon. Lily bought a few Chocolate Frogs. She ate the frogs, and threw the cards to Hugo. He was a faithful collector, so any card Lily got, she gave it to him. But soon Lily grew restless, and had to leave the compartment to stretch her legs. She rejected the offers of others to go with her. She wanted to just walk, and to maybe find Louis.

Louis was one of the rare Weasleys to not make it into Gryffindor. Last year he was sorted into Ravenclaw, but he seemed very proud of it. He didn't care at all that he wasn't in Gryffindor like the rest of the others. From what Lily was told, he was very popular in his house, so she wasn't surprised to find him in a compartment that was full of other Ravenclaws. Some were even older than he was, but he seemed to be the center of the group. She started to turn, but the door opened behind her, and Louis stood there.

"Hey, Lil!" he greeted. She could see the others all peering out to see her. She could also hear whispers about the 'youngest Potter'. "What's up?" Louis asked. He ignored the whispers, and everyone else behind him.

Lily shrugged. "Nothing, I thought I'd see what you were doing, but you're talking with your friends, so . . ."

"It's ok," he interrupted. "Just wait one moment, and I'll walk with you." He turned around, and said something she couldn't hear to his friends. Then with a smile he turned around, and closed the compartment door behind him. "Let's walk."

They walked up the train, making their way around other kids that were out of their compartments as well. They didn't speak, but then Louis pulled them into an empty compartment. When he closed the door, he sat down next to her, and was silent.

Lily looked at him. "Louis, were you scared when you were put in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor?"

Louis shook his head. "No. I knew that it wouldn't make a difference to the others. I mean, Victoire was a Hufflepuff, and we all love her."

"But, everyone else around your age was put into Gryffindor," Lily commented. "You weren't afraid that you wouldn't be able to see them as much? Or that you would lose touch with them?"

Once again, he shook his head. "Victoire told me that she hung out with a lot of kids from other houses. And as we both know, she moved in with a Gryffindor last year. I just figured that if she could do it, then so could I."

"So you just sucked it up and went for it?" Lily clarified.

Louis gave a smile. "That's one way to put it. Having doubts?"

Lily sighed. "Kind of. It's just that I'm not sure if I'm Gryffindor material anymore. What if I end up in another House?"

"Well, then we'll have to work around our schedules to have talks like this one," Louis replied. He put a hand on her shoulder and smiled brightly. "Look, Lil, if you end up in a different House then me, or than the others, then it won't matter. I know that I'll still make time to hang out with you."

"Really?" Lily asked hesitantly.

He gave a chuckle. "Of course I will. You're the only one I know that prefers Crystallized Pineapple to any type of chocolate," he teased.

Lily finally laughed.

* * *

The train ride to Hogwarts was a long one. Lily talked with Louis for quite a while, but she eventually wandered back to the other compartment. She and Rose kicked the boys out so that they could change into their robes, and when they got off the train. Lily finally saw someone that made her forget all about being sorted.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years this way! Over here!" Hagrid called. He held a lantern in one hand, and his other giant hand was waving the newcomers over to him and the boats. Lily and Hugo ran over toward him.

"Hiya, Hagrid!" they both greeted excitedly. Standing next to him, they just brushed the height of his waist.

Hagrid looked down and smiled at them. "Well, hey there! Great to finally see you two here. You'll have ter come down ter me hut sometimes."

"Totally!" Hugo agreed with a smile.

"Well, hop in. We got ter get goin'. A lot ter do tonight," Hagrid told them with a smile.

They both smiled widely as they joined two other kids in a boat. All the first years were silent during the ride, until they could see the castle. Then whispers and gasps and murmurs erupted from them.

"Woah," Hugo murmured.

"It's beautiful," the other girl in their boat whispered.

"And big," Lily mumbled.

When they finally reached the dock, Hagrid led them up to the marvelous castle. But then he led them to someone that Lily recognized easily. Her 'uncle', Neville Longbottom.

"Here they are, Professor Longbottom," Hagrid told him. "Ready ter follow yeh."

Lily grinned. It would be hard getting used to calling him Professor Longbottom instead of Uncle.

Neville grinned. "Good then. Please, follow me, first years."

He led them away from Hagrid and into the grande entrance hall. Lily marveled at the size of it. He led them past a large, closed door, where Lily could hear a loud murmur of voices. She imagined that it was the Great Hall the others had talked about. Neville led them into a small room off the hall, where they all crowded in.

Neville stood in front of them. "Welcome, first years, to Hogwarts. My name is Professor Longbottom. Now, I will soon take you into the Great Hall, but before you sit down, you have to be sorted into your houses. Now, the sorting is important. Houses are like family. You sleep in the same dorms, eat at the same table, and have classes with them.

"The houses are named Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff. While here, all houses will be competing for what is known as the House Cup. To win, each house collects House points, and the one with the most points is the winner. Good deeds will earn you points, and trouble making will lose you points." He paused to look at them all.

"Now, I'm going to leave for a moment, and I will come back once we're ready. Now, take this time to maybe clean up or socialize. It's your time," he ended. Then he moved toward the doors, the kids parting for him to move easily through them. Once the door closed after him, a tension covered them.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to calling him Professor Longbottom," Hugo muttered into Lily's ear.

Lily smiled and nodded. "I like Uncle Neville much better."

"Maybe he'll let us get away with it," Hugo said quietly.

The two were quiet after that, and no one else spoke either. It was a relief when Neville came back to get them.

"We're ready now," he said with a smile, and he led them back out into the entrance hall. Then he pushed open those grand doors, and led them through the Great Hall. The older students were all murmuring and watching them. Lily ignored them, and looked around. This room was just as grande, and its ceiling was amazing. It looked like the actual night sky. She was sure it was magic, but she knew it had to be powerful. They were stopped just before a long table where the staff was sitting. In front of the table was a stool with an ugly looking hat on it.

Lily, and the other first years, jumped when it started to sing. Lily listened carefully, but all the hat seemed to sing about was the difference of the houses. She had heard enough about that from her brothers and cousins. But when it finished, all the older kids and staff clapped. Then Neville stepped forward with a long scroll.

"When I call your name, you put on the hat and sit on the stool," he explained. "Angel, Clay."

A boy with dirty blonde hair stepped forward, and sat up on the stool. His cheeks were a deep red color, and his hands were fidgeting with his collar. Neville placed the hat on his head. There was a moment of silence, followed by the hat's shout of,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Claps followed, and a lot cheers from what had to be the Gryffindor table. Lily could see most of her family sitting there. Neville took the hat off the boy's head, and the boy stumbled his way over to the table to sit down.

"Avery, Xavier!" Neville called next.

This boy had a sharp face with inky black hair. The only nervousness Lily could see in him was his eyes. His eyes flitted around the room, not stopping on anything in particular. When the hat was placed on his head, his eyes disappeared behind the fabric.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat yelled.

Now the loud cheers came from the other end of the room. There claps from the other tables seemed much quieter for this kid. After this kid sat down, the routine went the same.

"Baddock, Hunter."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Belle, Hannah."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Bones, Izzy."

"SLYTHERIN!"

Lily started getting bored, and they were only on the B's. But when "Carmichael, Ginger" became the first new Ravenclaw, Lily looked for the loudest table cheering. There she found Louis, clapping for their new housemate. He caught his cousin's eyes staring at him, and he smiled. A little of her fear disappeared.

More names were called, and soon Hugo was as bored as she was. The only person they recognized was Stacy Finnigan, who went to Gryffindor. They had no interest in anyone else. But soon the P's came, and Lily and Hugo were a bit more alert.

"Page, Jon." This was a tiny boy, who seemed very uncoordinated as he walked up to the stool.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Lily didn't move her eyes from the hat as she waited for her name. She didn't have to wait long.

"Potter, Lily," Neville called.

Whispers broke out among the other students. As Lily walked by some of the older ones, she caught a few.

"Another Potter."

"Another Gryffindor, you mean."

"Gryffindor gets another star."

Lily ignored the whispers then. She was determined to not be compared to her family. When she hopped onto the stool, Neville gave her a small smile before placing the hat on her own head. Then her vision was blocked by the musty fabric.

"Ah, another Potter, eh?" the hat mumbled. Lily did her best not to jump at the sound. "Well, I must say you are different from your brothers. Your mind isn't plagued with the word 'Gryffindor'. You seem very . . . hesitant about what house you want to be in. So where to put you?"

Closed her eyes, trying to keep her mind blank. She didn't want to give the hat any ideas. She wanted to be placed based on who she really was.

"Very bright, no doubt. Very witty. But also very courageous and loyal. Famous Gryffindor qualities. Very ambitious, resourceful, and a bit cunning. You know how to get things you want. But you work hard, you play fair. Where to put you?" it repeated.

Lily was starting to lose patience as this thing decided. The nerves in her stomach felt like they were going to explode out.

"Hmm . . . well you don't want to be compared to your brothers and cousins. You want to be different. Unexpected. I know just where to put you for you to achieve that. SLYTHERIN!"

A stunned silence fell from the room. And as the hat was pulled from her head, Lily kept her face expressionless. She was thankful to receive her mother's acting skills. Once she dropped from the stool, claps and cheers came from only one table. The Slytherin table. Not to mention jeers.

"Take that, Gryffindor!" one boy shouted.

"We got a Potter!" one girl trilled.

Lily ignored it, and didn't look at Neville, or any other table but her own. She sat down next to a calm girl who took no notice of her. And she was silent. But a tall boy with smooth brown hair leaned over another new first year, and held out his hand to her.

"Welcome to Slytherin, Potter. I'm Tyson Derrick, the seventh year prefect," he introduced.

Keeping her face neutral, Lily shook his hand. "Hello, Tyson. Thank you for the welcome," she told him. She wasn't sure if she was happy to meet him, so she kept out of her reply. But Tyson didn't seem to mind. Instead he leaned back into his chair with a smug smile. Lily turned back to the sorting. Another P was sorted into Slytherin, Lola Pritchard. She sat across from Lily, and didn't say a word.

"Pucey, Jace."

A short and skinny boy stood forward. Lily bit her lip. He had to be the shortest boy there, but that wasn't what stood out about him. It was his ears. His bright blonde hair was shaggy, and both of his ears poked out. And when the hat was placed on his head, his ears kept it from falling over his eyes.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat called.

Among the claps, Lily noticed the girl sitting next to her leaning across the table, and whispering to Lola Pritchard. "Great, we get him of all people."

"It looks like he could fly away with those ears," Pritchard giggled. The other girls giggled as well, but it all stopped when Jace Pucey sat down on the chair to Lily's right. Lily wanted to glare at the other girls. The boy hadn't even sat down and he was already being mocked.

Lily watched the rest of the sorting with an impassive face. When Hugo was called and sorted into Gryffindor, she caught his eyes. He gave her an apologetic look as he went and sat down at the Gryffindor table, where he belonged. It was then that Lily noticed that the cheers from her own family members had quieted down after her sorting.

The sorting ended with "Wood, Connie," joining Gryffindor. Lily knew her a little, and wasn't surprised at where she was put. Neville then took the stool and hat away, and the man in the middle of the staff table, most likely the headmaster, stood up.

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I am of course the headmaster, Professor Brown," he said, his voice booming across the hall. "Now, let me just say one thing before we eat. Enjoy!"

Lily finally cracked a smile at the man, and then the food appeared, and talking began. Lily started to fill her plate. Now that her nerves had calmed a bit, she had a lot of room to be hungry. As she ate, she listened to the conversations around her.

"I knew I would be a Slytherin," the girl next to her said. Her expression was very superior, and her head seemed to automatically be raised high. "Every one of my family has been a Slytherin. It was only expected."

Lily wanted to scoff at her reasoning. She herself was proof that family didn't matter when it came to choosing houses.

"Well, my family's been a bit scattered," one girl mentioned. Lily had seen her before, but just couldn't place her. "My mother was a Hufflepuff. And I don't know him personally, but I was told that my father was a Ravenclaw."

"I don't think family matters," Lola Pritchard told them. She looked at Lily. "I think Lily here is proof."

The girls seemed to expect her to talk, so Lily swallowed the food she was eating. "Actually, my cousin Victoire was proof first. She was a Hufflepuff."

"Well you're the first when it comes to the Potter family," the huffy girl next to her pointed out.

Lily gave a nod. "True. But what does it matter?"

She kept her head high. "Nothing, just pointing out facts."

Lily raised a brow. She had the feeling that this girl was trying to get a rise out of her, so she ignored her, and turned back to her food. But Lola Pritchard continued to talk.

"It doesn't matter," Lola told her. "We're just doing our best to get to know each other." She looked at the girl next to Lily, and then back at her. "We might be failing on getting along though."

Lily grinned. "Just a little."

She and Lola didn't talk after that, but were silent for the rest of the feast. When everyone had finished eating, the booming man stood up again.

"Now that we are all fed, I would like to make a few announcements. First, I want to welcome the new students to Hogwarts, and to welcome the older students to a new year. Also, first years should note that the forest is strictly forbidden. Also, Mr. Goyle, our caretaker, wants me to remind everyone that magic is not allowed in between classes. And that he has a list of forbidden items, and he would like you to check for any new items.

"Also, Quidditch tryouts will be soon, and you should contact your House captain if you want to try out. Now, finally off to bed. First years, follow your prefects. They will show you the way," Professor Brown finished.

Everyone stood up, and the older students all rushed out of the Great Hall. The first years stayed behind to follow their prefects. Lily noticed that Tyson was not the one that was showing them around. Instead it was a bulky boy with short, greasy black hair.

"I'm your fifth year prefect," he told them in a bored voice. "My name's Adrian Flint. So if you ever have questions, then I guess you can ask me, or one of the other prefects. Now come along."

He waved them forward, and out of the Great Hall. Lily caught the Gryffindor first years being led up the stairs. Unlike them, Adrian Flint led them downwards. It was silent as they walked through the dim dungeons.

"Now, as a note, portraits talk, so don't let them mislead you if you get lost. Our Head of House is Professor Slughorn. He teaches Potions," Adrian listed off. "Don't worry about Goyle's list. He never cares if a Slytherin is caught with something they shouldn't have."

Lily raised a brow. She had only heard a story or two about Goyle from her parents. But from her brothers, they told her that he was a git who favored Slytherin House.

Finally, Adrian stopped at a flat, stone wall. "This wall leads to our common room. Our password is 'Salazar'."

At the word, the stone wall slid out of the way, and Adrian Flint led them inside of the Slytherin common room. It was a low underground room. It was lit up by hanging green lamps, and a fireplace. The walls were the only rough thing about it. The furniture was plush, and in a weird way the room was elegant. Once they were all in, the wall slid shut.

"Now, the dormitories are just up there. The boys on the right, and the girls on your left. Now, your things are in your rooms, and just remember this. As Slytherins, we are better than the others, and we take pride in that. So winning the House and Quidditch Cups are important, and we all will work hard to win them. Now go to bed," Adrian told them.

Lily rolled her eyes at the words of Slytherin superiority, but she followed the other girls up to the girls' dorms, and found the door that read "First Year Girls". They all went inside and found that their things were by their new beds. They were all feeling a little tired, so they started to change for bed.

"So, Potter," one of the girls addressed, "how are you taking to being in Slytherin?"

Lily let out a breath through her nose as she climbed up onto her bed. Her sleep clothes differed from the other girls'. Unlike prim and proper clothing with dark colors, Lily was wearing a pair of shorts and one of James's bright red shirts.

"Call me Lily," she told the girl. "And as to your question, ask me in the morning." With that, Lily closed the hanging of her bed, and settled down to sleep. She sighed as she closed her eyes. She herself wasn't sure how she felt about being a Slytherin yet. Mainly, she was wondering what her family thought of her now. Hugo at least seemed the same, if only a bit sorry for her.

She was praying that Louis meant what he said.


	2. Everything's Changing

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Two: Everything's Changing

When Lily awoke, she felt fear creep up on her. She knew she was going to have to see her family today, and she still wasn't sure how they were taking her being in Slytherin. But she forced herself to get up, and throw open her bed hangings. The other girls were all starting to awake as well, and Lola Pritchard was already getting dressed. Lily followed her example, and dressed into her robes. Each one had her house symbol, and was lined with green. It was almost taunting her as she put it on. She tied up her hair, and then she was ready. It seemed as if Lola Pritchard had been waiting for her, because once Lily left the dorm, she had followed.

"Mind if I walk with you?" she asked.

Lily shrugged. "Not at all. May I ask why?"

Lola smiled. "Well, you seem very interesting to me. You didn't seem very surprised or anything when you were put in Slytherin."

Lily sighed. "Well, I'm glad my shock didn't show. It's not that I expected to be in Gryffindor. I didn't know where I would be put, so it was going to be a shock no matter what."

Lola nodded. "Well, I was expecting to be in Slytherin. Everyone in my family has."

"I thought you said family didn't matter," Lily quipped.

She shrugged. "Oh, I know. But I wanted to be here. I wanted to be the same place as my family. Didn't you?"

Lily looked at her before they entered the Great Hall. "I wanted to be put in the House I fit best in."

With those words, the two girls entered the Great Hall, and moved to sit close to the middle of the Slytherin table. Soon, Jace Pucey sat next to him. Again, his ears were poking through his hair, and Lily tried not to notice.

"Hey! I'm Jace," he greeted happily. Now that the sorting was over, he seemed very cheerful and happy.

Lily gave him a smile. "I'm Lily."

"I know," Jace told her. "After your sorting, we all know." Then he laughed.

Lily laughed too. "Yeah, I make shocking impressions."

Jace waved it off. "I thought it was cool. I wished I could have started an upset like that. Maybe I should have told the hat to put me in Hufflepuff."

Again, Lily laughed. This Jace kid was funny.

Lola grinned. "Your humor's as big as your ears."

Lily was surprised at Lola's words. She had seemed like such a nice girl.

But Jace didn't seem offended. He just grinned back at her. "Ah, Lola, my dear old friend. By sitting here I guess that means I have to deal with your charming remarks and hideously dirty hair," he shot back.

Lily looked at Lola's hair. It was a weird shade, hard to tell if was meant to be brown or blonde, but she wouldn't have called it dirty. But by the way the two spoke, Lily had a feeling that they already knew each other.

"And I have to deal with the fact that I can never whisper something without you hearing it," Lola replied.

Their debate was broken by Neville coming by and handing them all schedules. Lily scanned hers. She had Potions with Gryffindors to start. And after that she had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. She placed her schedule on the table. Her classes didn't seem too bad.

"Wow, so we really do have a Potter in the Slytherin house?"

They all looked to where an older girl was standing beside them. Her hair was long, and a pretty reddish-brown color. Her eyes were piercing and green. But she was smiling, and nothing about her posture seemed hostile.

"And?" Lily asked.

The girl smiled and sat down next to her. "Just surprised. You must admit that it's a shock."

Lily sighed. "Yes, but how many times will it be brought up is what I'm wondering."

The girl grinned this time. "Face it. This is a major upset. A lot of people will be talking about it. I can't imagine how your brothers are taking it."

"That makes two of us," Lily told her.

The girl eyed her a moment before holding out her hand. "I'm Amanda Baddock. I'm a fourth year."

Lily shook her hand. "Nice to know," she told her.

She shook Lola's hand too. "I'm Lola Pritchard."

"I figured," Amanda commented. "You look an awful lot like your sister."

"Except her hair looks normal," Jace joked. Then he smiled at Amanda. "I'm Jace Pucey."

"The one with the big ears," Lola pointed out.

Amanda laughed. "Well, I see an amazing friendship growing between the two of you."

"It will be swimming!" Jace said with a high voice that made the rest of them laugh.

"Associating with a Potter, Amanda?"

The voice was impassive yet amused. Lily turned to see that a boy was coming toward them. He had platinum-blonde hair that was smooth, reaching the middle of his forehead. His eyes were a dark grey color. He stood tall, and his fame was strong. This was another person that Lily had seen before, but again, she couldn't remember where.

Lola and Jace quieted as he came closer, and stopped just across the table from Lily, next to Lola. But Amanda didn't seem at all shaken.

"No, I'm associating with Lily, a new Slytherin, Scorpius," Amanda retorted.

Lily didn't know where she had seen him, but she knew where she had heard that name before. Scorpius Malfoy, the person that James and Albus hated the most. Actually, not many of her cousins liked him either. Lily had heard stories about many fights him and her brothers had gotten into.

Scorpius sat down next to Lola. "Well, then I guess I should be a bit nicer. To our new housemate, that is."

Amanda rolled her eyes. She looked at Lily. "Don't mind him. He's always a git."

Scorpius grinned as he looked at Lily. "I'm Scorpius Malfoy." Unlike the other older kids that had introduced themselves, Scorpius didn't hold out his hand in greeting.

Lily gave him a nod. "I'm Lily Potter."

Scorpius's grin grew. "So, how are your brothers taking this news?"

Lily shrugged. "No idea."

"We should find out," Scorpius told her, and he turned around to look at the Gryffindor table. Lily wanted to smack him, but she couldn't help but scan the table for her family as well. She found them all sitting together. Their heads were close together as they talked to each other. Lily had a dreadful feeling that she knew what they were talking about.

Scorpius turned back to her. "Well, _Lily_, would you like to accompany me over to your family's meeting?"

Lily raised a brow. "What are you talking about?"

He kept grinning. "Well, I'm going over there, and I was wondering if you would like to join me?"

"Why are you going to the Gryffindor table?" Lily asked.

His grin grew smug. "Well, I want to brag that Slytherin has something they don't. As payback for when they bragged that Albus Potter supposedly has a brain."

Lily bit her lip. She didn't want to laugh at his joke about her brother. At least not in front of him. "No, I think I'll stay here."

Scorpius shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'm sure I'll see you later."

With that, he left Lola's side and walked off.

Amanda sighed. "I don't understand the hatred him and your brothers share. Well, I guess I do. Your brothers seem to hate Slytherins."

Lily's brow furrowed. She hadn't heard either of her brothers make any remarks about the house, just about a few people, but they hadn't even specified what houses those kids were in.

But she didn't want to comment on it. "Well then I'm curious on how they'll take to me," she joked.

Amanda gave a small smile. "Every Slytherin is wondering the same thing."

The topic dropped after that, and soon there was just talk about classes. Soon Lily, Jace, and Lola left to get their things for Potions. As they walked to the classroom, Hugo had caught up with them.

"Lily! Hey," he greeted. "How you holding up?"

Lily smiled at him. "I'm fine, Hugo. You?"

Hugo shrugged. "I'm doing fine. Can't say the same for the others."

Lily raised a brow. "Yeah, how are they taking my being sorted into Slytherin?" she asked.

Hugo gave a sigh. "Well, they aren't really happy, but . . . I wouldn't say that they hate you or anything. It's hard to describe."

Lily laughed, but then noticed Jace and Lola's expecting faces. "Hugo, this is Jace Pucey and Lola Pritchard. Guys, this is Hugo, my cousin."

Hugo gave a smile and a nod. "Hey."

"Hi," Lola greeted with a smile.

"Great to meet ya!" Jace greeted with a big smile. Then he laughed. Surprisingly, Hugo laughed with him.

"So, Lil," Hugo spoke, "did you really talk with Scorpius Malfoy at breakfast?"

Lily eyed her cousin carefully. "Yeah, why?"

He shrugged. "Just wondering. He mentioned it when he came by this morning. He tried starting trouble with Al and James. Let's just say that he succeeded."

Lily gave a scoff and shook her head. "With their tempers, I'm not surprised. The Potter temper isn't a patient one."

They all laughed as they walked into the Potion classroom. Hugo separated to sit by a few boys from Gryffindor, so Lily sat with Jace and Lola. When the class started, Professor Slughorn came in with a big smile on his face.

"Hello, first years! I'm glad to see you all today! Potions is an excellent subject, one for brilliant minds," he told them all.

"So get out, Jace," Lola muttered.

Lily bit back a giggle.

"Now, let's start with a roll call," Slughorn continued. He went on to call everyone's name. When he said Lily's, she raised her hand.

"Here," she announced.

But Slughorn didn't go on to the next name. Instead he smiled. "Harry Potter's daughter?"

Lily sighed. "Yeah, that's me."

"Well, I'm glad to have you here, and in Slytherin. Though it was quite a surprise. I thought both your parents, and your grandparents," he told her. "You look a lot like your mother, and your father's mother, for whom you were obviously named," he rambled.

Lily smiled politely. "Thank you, sir."

"Have you ever been interested in the subject of Potions, Miss Potter?" he asked.

Lily tried not to roll her eyes. "Kind of. It's always sounded interesting, at least." Really, she didn't care.

But Slughorn's smile got even bigger. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. Now, Lola Pritchard," he said, continuing the roll call.

When the class started, Lily found that she really did like Potions. It was very simple, so when Slughorn insisted on talking to her while she worked, she had no problem keeping on task while she talked. And Slughorn loved her. She already seemed to be his favorite student. When he started to go around and check everyone else's potions, he awarded her ten points three times, just for doing the simplest things right. At the end of the class, Lily had been one of the few kids to get the potion right.

"I don't see how you made the potion right," Hugo said as he walked out with her. "The class was terrible!"

Lily chuckled. "I thought it was really easy."

"Lucky you," Hugo muttered. But then he sigh. "Well, I've got to head off to Charms now. I'll see you later, Lil."

"Bye, Hugo," Lily said as he walked away. She walked with the others out to the greenhouses.

Herbology proved to be easy as well. She only slipped and called Professor Longbottom Uncle Neville once, and luckily for her, it was when she was talking to him privately. She received five points for answering a question right, and the whole class was easy. Professor Longbottom was a very unbiased teacher, and he didn't seem to have a favorite student like Slughorn.

After Herbology they had a break. Lily stayed in the common room with Jace and Lola. They were joined by Amanda Baddock once again, and they sat there and conversed. Then they had Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. This class was taught by Professor Bell, an old Quidditch teammate of her fathers. Transfiguration was definitely the hardest subject so far, but still Lily didn't have too big of problems. At least not like the boy who turned his hand into a paw.

When Lily and the others finally sat down to lunch, Scorpius Malfoy graced them with his presence once again.

"Why hello, fellow Slytherins," he said in that amused voice.

"Scorpius," Lily said shortly.

"Hello, Scorpius," the other two said more warmly.

"Well, Lily, I must say that your brothers weren't very happy when I brought up your house this morning," Scorpius mentioned.

Lily finally looked up at him. "Really?" she asked dryly. "My cousin already told me."

Scorpius kept grinning. "Dear Albus has been shooting me dirty looks all day. I've even gotten a few from Miss Rose."

"What did they say when you brought it up?" Lily asked delicately.

Now his grin turned smug. "They got very upset. Why, James even threatened to hex me."

Lily finally couldn't bite back a grin. "I can't imagine him doing that."

"Why he did. He said he'd hex my hair off," Scorpius said with a mocking serious face.

"And what did you say?" Lily asked. Her own tone was amused now.

Now Scorpius's eyes grew mischievous. "I told him I'd hex his off so that we could look alike. But then I thought about and said that it wouldn't work. I'm much too handsome to look anything like him."

Lily finally gave a laugh. And Scorpius seemed satisfied. "Finally. It's hard to make you laugh."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Perhaps I just don't like you insulting my family."

"Perhaps, but I know that siblings make fun of each other, so I was sure you would enjoy my comments," he replied. He started to fill his own plate.

"Perhaps I just like it when I do it," Lily suggested.

He stopped and grinned directly at her. "Well, point for you. I hadn't known if that was the truth or not. But, I've proved that it's not true, so case closed."

Lily gave a teasing sigh. "I guess you have. My cover is blown."

"Hey, Lil," everyone turned to see Hugo walking toward him. Lily noticed that almost all of the Slytherins were watching with hostile eyes, and a few others from different houses were watching as well.

"Hello, Hugo. What are you doing on this side of the Great Hall?" Lily asked.

Hugo didn't sit down, but instead just stood to the side of Lily with his hands in his pockets. He looked rather uncomfortable at where he was. "Well, James and Al sent me over here. They wanna talk to you."

Lily's stomach clenched, and she had the distinct idea that she might be sick. But she swallowed thickly and raised an impassive brow. "Really? Why didn't they come get me themselves?"

Hugo gave a small and quiet scoff that Lily barely heard. But Hugo ignored her retort. "They're waiting for you outside the Great Hall." Then he waited. Lily had the idea that he wasn't supposed to leave until she went to talk to them.

Lily sighed heavily as she stood up. She looked at the other three. "I should be back soon. I doubt this will take long. Those two aren't ones for having well-thought out talks."

She heard Scorpius laughing when she turned and started walking with Hugo. But Hugo didn't follow her out. Lily went out alone, and found her brothers standing alone in the entrance hall. They didn't say anything either, but waved her over to the tapestry they were standing by. When she came over, James pulled it back to reveal a long hallway. Lily stepped in, and they both followed. James let the tapestry fall, and the remains of the filtering light were tinted red.

Before Lily could demand to know what they wanted, James had wrapped her into a tight hug. "I am so sorry, Lily."

Lily squirmed out of his grip. She brushed off her robe. "Sorry for what?" she asked.

"About you being put in Slytherin. We really didn't expect it would happen," James apologized.

Albus nodded, his face just as guilty. "We wouldn't have joked about you being in another House that much. You're the most Gryffindor-like out of all of us," he explained.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well, apparently you were all wrong. I'm more Slytherin than anything," she quipped. "Besides, guys, it's just a House. It doesn't matter."

James's brow furrowed. "It matters, Lil. I don't want my sister growing up around a bunch of filthy snakes! But don't worry, because you've got Hugo, and Stacy Finnigan and Connie Wood this year too, and you have the rest of the family as well."

"And Louis, and you can always talk to us," Albus put in.

Lily's eyes became glaring. "Look, whether you like it or not, I'm one of those snakes now! And for your information, I surprisingly already have friends. Friends that if they wanted to talk to me, they wouldn't have sent out a lapdog to come and get me!" she hissed.

"You're better than those snakes!" James argued, his voice getting louder.

"No, I'm just better than you!" Lily retorted.

"Don't freak out on us," Albus warned. "We're just trying to help you."

"Well I don't have a problem, so I don't need help," Lily seethed. "Besides, I'm starting to learn that I'd rather be filthy and smart than dumb and brawny."

Her brothers were silent for a moment as they glared at her. Then through clenched teeth, James continued. "It hasn't even been a day, and you've already changed."

"Nothing about me changed," Lily replied. "You only think I have because you can't stand my House."

She brushed past both of her brothers, and pushed away the tapestry. She left both of her brothers without looking back at them. She reentered the Great Hall, and walked back to the others. Amanda Baddock was now sitting with them. Lily gave a small smile as she sat back down.

"Welcome back," Scorpius said with a grin. "It was dreadfully quiet here when you left. Until Amanda joined us that is."

"What did your brothers want?" Lola asked carefully.

Lily sighed. "They're just being prats about where I was sorted. They said they wanted to help me, and that they didn't want me growing up around a bunch of 'snakes'."

Amanda and Scorpius's eyes darkened. "What did you say?" Scorpius asked.

Lily grinned wider at him this time. "I told them that I was a snake now too, and that I'd rather be filthy and smart than dumb and brawny."

They all laughed, and Scorpius almost fell out of his chair.

"That was brilliant!" Jace told her, patting her on the back.

"And now the kings are coming back in," Scorpius mocked. Lily followed his eyes to see that James and Albus were walking back toward the rest of the family. She watched as they spoke to each other. Hugo caught her eye, and then quickly looked at his food.

Scorpius looked back at Lily, and he raised his glass. "Well, I think we should have a toast. To our newly inducted snake!"

The others laughed, but held up their glasses as well, taking a drink afterwards.

* * *

The rest of the day had passed by fast. Lily had no problems with any of the classes so far. And so far, she liked all of her teachers. But there had been a moment where time had slowed, and that was after Defense Against the Dark Arts, her last class, which happened to be when Hugo ran into her.

"Hello, Hugo," Lily had greeted.

Hugo didn't greet her back at all. He just furrowed his brow and stared at her. And when he spoke, his voice was hesitant. "I heard about your fight with James and Al."

Now Lily was just as hesitant. Lola and Jace politely excused themselves, and walked off to the common room. "And?" Lily asked.

"Did you really call me a lapdog? And say that Gryffindors are dumb and brawny?" he asked.

Lily sighed at Albus's memory for argument details. She looked at her cousin, the one who had been her best friend forever. "I'm sorry, Hugo. I was angry at them."

Hugo seemed to relax a little. "So, when do you think you three will make up and apologize?"

Lily tensed up again. "If you think they're going to apologize, then you don't know them that well. And I'm not going to apologize at all."

Hugo sighed. "This is stupid, Lil."

Lily glared at him. "What's stupid is that you think they're right."

Hugo kicked at the ground. "They just want to help."

"You don't like Slytherins either," Lily accused.

"You've heard the stories," Hugo argued. "You've heard what they did to our parents, what side they were on."

"Not every Slytherin is a death eater," Lily whispered scathingly. Then she shoved past him, and stormed off to the common room, ignoring his voice as he called her back.

Lily took in deep breaths as she slowed her walk and relaxed her shoulders. She dropped her hostile face, trying to rid herself of any anger. As she did, a bit of sadness crawled through her. She had the distinct feeling that by the end of the day, she would no longer have her best friend.

When she walked into the common room, Lily found Lola and Jace sitting at a table with two other. Lily recognized the others as Christian Vaisey and Hunter Baddock, two other first years.

"Hey, Lily," Jace greeted.

"Thank Merlin you're back!" Lola sighed happily. "I've been having to deal with talks of Quidditch and players, and everything else associated with the stupid sport!"

Lily giggled. "Well, as much as I hate to trouble you more, I happen to love the sport as well. But I'll save you and stay away from the topic."

"Thank you," she told her.

"Man, I can't wait until Friday. I'm so glad we get those afternoons off!" Jace exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's our first day, and we've already got homework for Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts," Christian Vaisey groaned.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Our homework for Charms is to simply practice an easy spell."

"Yeah, well you're the only one that finds it easy," Christian argued.

Lily shook her head and looked at Lola. Lola rolled her eyes this time. "Boys," she muttered.

Lily nodded as she pulled out her Defense Against the Dark Arts book. The homework was to read the first two chapters. "I've been living with them all my life."

"I feel so bad for you," Lola replied.

* * *

The next two weeks went by in a blur. And Lily was right. She had lost her best friend. Hugo had turned his back on her, and ignored her in every class they had together. And soon Lily was fighting with other Gryffindors, dueling in the halls. She was glaring at her brothers, and ignoring the other members of her family. She was always walking with Lola and Jace, and she could sometimes be seen with Amanda Baddock, and Scorpius and some of his friends.

But September fourteenth brought around a good, yet bad occasion. It was the day of their first flying lesson. The bad part was that it was with Gryffindors. There were no spells or fights during the class, but Hugo confronted Lily afterwards.

"What do you want?" Lily demanded with a glare.

Hugo and his friends glared right back at her. "You should write your parents. They're worried," he muttered. And then he and the other Gryffindors stormed off. Lily just sent scathing looks at their backs, trying to ignore the guilt. She had forgotten about writing her parents the whole time she'd been at Hogwarts. She could only imagine what the others had said about her.

More days past, and Lily was getting restless. Everything was slowly becoming a routine, and she was getting bored. Fridays could be the worst. She had the whole afternoon off, and really nothing to do. She had taken to exploring the castle, but once she started re-finding secrets she knew, it became boring.

"We should do something fun!" Lily told the others. They were all sitting out on the grounds, on a Friday of course. Lily and Lola were sitting around while Jace and Christian threw around a Fanged-Frisbee.

"Well, we suggested walking around the castle and trying to find the kitchens, but you didn't want to," Christian reminded.

"I've already found the kitchens. It's not that big a deal," Lily replied.

"We could go mess with the Gryffindors," Jace offered. Lily wasn't the only one who had started to hate the Gryffindors.

Lily considered that one. "Hmm . . . maybe. But something new!" she insisted. She rolled over onto her back and then onto her side. In her vision, she could see the shape of the Whomping Willow, and she could see the Quidditch Pitch. Then she was struck with an idea. "How about we go for a fly?" she asked excitedly.

"We don't have brooms," Lola reminded.

Lily sat back up. "Yeah, but Madam Hooch probably keeps the brooms she uses for classes in her office. I bet we could break in there."

"And then get suspended," Lola argued.

"I think it's worth a try!" Jace said with a smile. He tied up the frisbee so it wouldn't chew up his bag, and then placed it back inside.

"Yeah, it'll be fun!" Christian agreed.

"Are you in, Lola?" Lily asked.

Lola bit her lip. "I'll go with, but I'm not flying. I hate flying."

Lily wasn't surprised. Lola had refused to get on a broom during their lessons for the past two weeks. The first class she took a detention, the second class she faked sick in the hospital wing.

"Well let's go then!" Lily said with excitement.

The four got up and ran off to the Quidditch Pitch. It was empty, and after placing her ear on Madam Hooch's office door, she could hear that it was empty. She pulled out her wand, and unlocked the door. She snuck inside, and found a locked closet. After unlocking that as well, she found the brooms.

"Here we are!" Lily cheered. She pulled out three brooms, and handed one to each other the boys. When they left the office, Lola was sitting in the stands. "Ok, just don't fly high to where we can be seen," Lily warned. But then she was up in the air, and was zooming around the pitch. This was when she felt free. Flying was one of the greatest things Lily knew.

"Hey, Lil, catch!" Jace yelled. And then he threw a small object toward Lily. The momentum wasn't very big, and it wasn't even near her when it started to fall down. Lily leaned forward and zoomed toward the ground. She caught it easily in the palm of her hand. It was a tiny, red, dusty ball. But Lily knew better. This was one of her uncle George's fireworks. It was undetectable to teachers, who would never suspect such a tiny thing providing a huge explosion.

"That was awesome!" Christian cheered, and Lily could hear Lola clapping from the stands. Christian flew up close to her. "Here, give it me, and I'll throw it. I wanna see how good you are at catching it."

Lily smirked, and she placed it into his palm. "Just don't drop it, or it'll explode."

Christian grinned as she flew away. The next hour consisted of the two boys throwing the small firework for Lily to catch. They started to make it harder, throwing it lighter, farther away, up higher, but Lily didn't miss one.

"You're really good, Lil," Christian complimented as she handed him the firework again.

Lily grinned. "I should be. I've been raised around Quidditch players my whole life."

"Lucky," Christian laughed.

"What are you three doing?"

Lily, Christian, and Jace all jumped with a start. Lily's head whipped toward the ground to see a group of older kids standing on the grass, their brooms in their hands. Lily could recognize the Slytherin Quidditch captain, Aaron Goyle. His brutish face was one that seemed to be repressed fury.

"Get down here!" he yelled to them.

Jace and Christian started to descend to the ground, but Lily didn't move. She flew down lower, but made sure to stay above the ground. She moved closer to the group of boys. "Why should we? What are we doing wrong?" she demanded.

Goyle's eyes glared into hers. "First years aren't allowed brooms."

"These aren't ours," Lily told him airily. "They're Hooch's brooms. So no rule-breaking has taken place."

"This pitch is booked for Slytherin today," he argued. "Our possible teammates need to practice for the tryouts this Sunday."

"We are Slytherins," she quipped. "Once again, no rule-breaking."

"Come on, Lil," Lola spoke shakily, "let's just go. Let 'em practice."

But Lily was stubborn and just stared into the eyes of Goyle.

Goyle sneered. "You wanna play that game, Potter?" he seethed. He snatched the firework out of Christian's hands. Lily had a feeling that he had no idea what it was. "Then play this!" He launched the tiny ball, and it hurled across the pitch.

"You idiot!" Christian yelled.

Lily flipped around and sped toward the falling ball. Lily didn't know what firework it was, how big the explosion was, but with Christian's reaction, she didn't think it was good. She kept her eyes on it as she got closer and closer. But the ball was proving to be faster, and was reaching the ground at a fast pace. Lily placed her body flat against the broom, but the ball was now below her. In a last ditch effort, she threw herself off of the broom and over the firework. She felt her hand close around it, but seconds later she was crashing onto the grass, and pain racked through her body. The air left her as she finally stopped moving. She was on her side, and she wasn't sure how well she was going to move. But she rolled over onto her back and then held up the firework to show the boys and Lola that she had caught it.

Lily didn't feel like moving. Mainly because she couldn't really feel her back or her left knee. But then a hand was in front of her face, so Lily gingerly took it. Instead of being pulled up gently, she was yanked up off the ground. She swayed a little on her feet, but Aaron Goyle steadied her. Lily stared at him dizzily.

"What? You gunna hit me?" Lily taunted. She placed a hand against her head. A throb was starting in her forehead.

Goyle was quiet for a moment as he looked at her. He looked at the large group of boys. "Go on with practice. I'm gunna take Potter here to the hospital wing," he told them.

Lily glared. "I can get there myself. Besides, I'm fine." To prove her point, Lily moved to take a step, but her knee trembled, and she staggered.

Goyle caught her. Then he knocked both knees out and had her in his arms. "Do what I said. And you three first years go on to the common room or something. Leave the brooms out. These guys will put them back."

Lily was confused by his nice attitude. Aaron Goyle was known to be an ass around Slytherin. She didn't trust him not to drop her. He started to walk, and Lily bit back a groan. With every step he took, his arm brushed against her back, sending a jolt of pain through her veins. But she wasn't going to show him that. So he jostled her all the way back to the castle, and all the way to the hospital wing. Lily rolled her eyes when she heard the whispers of other people. She knew rumors would start soon.

"What happened here?" Madam Pomfrey asked as Goyle laid her down on a bed.

"There was an accident on the Quidditch pitch. One of the guys ran into her while she was bringing the brooms out to us," Goyle told her. Lily was impressed at his lie. He didn't even give a sign that he was lying like a lot of people did.

"What's hurting?" Pomfrey asked her.

"My head, back, and left knee," Lily told her. Pomfrey left her side to go and get something from a shelf.

Goyle rapped his knuckles on the table next to her bed. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Potter. Stay here if you will," he told her. Than without another look, he left the room. Lily watched him leave, but then Madam Pomfrey was shoving a potion under her nose, telling her to take a big gulp. She took three nasty concoctions, and then had at least five different spells cast on her. But to her relief, Lily felt fine, and her back and knee were back to normal. She didn't want to sit around and wait for Goyle, so she left the room, and paced up and down the hallway. It seemed to be forever before he finally showed up.

"Took you long enough," Lily said with a small glare.

Goyle held up his hand. "Relax. I had a long conversation with the headmaster."

Lily tensed. Had he ratted them out? "And?"

Goyle didn't answer her, but instead he waved her over, and then led her down the hall. He was then leading her outside of the castle, and to the edge of Black Lake. There was no one else around, so Lily was careful. She had no idea what he wanted her to follow him for. It could just be a nasty prank, and he just wanted to shove her in the lake.

"Look, Potter," he finally said, "you were really on that broom."

Lily raised a brow. "Thanks. But I'm sure we're not out here just so you can compliment me."

He grinned. "I talked to the headmaster about bending the first years having brooms rule."

Now Lily was confused. "What for?"

"Because I want you to try out for Seeker on Sunday," Goyle told her.

Lily stopped walking. She was dumbfounded. Aaron Goyle, a total sexist and asshole, wanted her, a girl and first year, to try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team?

"What?" she asked.

"I told you. You were good. Look, for the last two years we've had Tyson Derrick as a Seeker. He's a cocky idiot who hates getting himself dirty. He doesn't have the guts to jump off a broom like you did out there. So I want you to come and try out. I want to see who's better," Goyle explained. "So will you be there?"

Lily sighed, but she couldn't help the grin that surfaced. "Yeah, I'll be out there."

"You know that if you make that you'd be up against your brother during our match against Gryffindor," Goyle warned.

Lily's grin became more smug. "That make it even better."

Goyle grinned, as if he liked her attitude. But then he grew a little more serious. "Look, Potter, we haven't had a girl on the Slytherin team for years and years. I'm going to get crap for this, and so are you. Don't let me regret this."


	3. Gryffindor's Version of Slytherins

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Three: Gryffindor's Version of Slytherins

At Hogwarts, if there was something that was top secret, everyone knew what it was within an hour. So Lily was surprised when no one knew what she and Aaron Goyle had talked about. Goyle had kept his mouth shut, and so Lily didn't feel a need to tell anyone either. She didn't even mention it to Lola, Jace, or Christian. She decided to keep it a surprise.

So when Lily woke up that Sunday, she didn't get out bed. She kept her eyes closed and blocked out any sounds the other girls made. But soon someone was shaking her shoulder.

"Lily? Lily, wake up. Jace and Christian want us to go watch the tryouts with them. You said that you would go," Lola said as she attempted to wake her up.

Lily didn't acknowledge her, and after another minute, the shaking stopped, and Lola seemed to give up. "Fine, but you better be there. If you leave me with them alone, I will kill you," she threatened.

Lily grinned into her pillow. Soon the other girls had all left, and silence reigned throughout the room. It was relaxing. Lily just wanted to be completely rested, and she also knew that if she went to breakfast, she would hear constant talk about the coming tryouts. She didn't want butterflies like when she was sorted. She wanted to show Goyle that he wasn't going to regret a thing. She wanted to prove that she could play, and that she was better than the rest.

Lily was almost back to sleep when suddenly her curtains were ripped open and light finally reached her eyes.

"Get up, Lily!"

Lily groaned and opened one eye. In front of her bed was a girl with a slim face. Her hair was long and brown, and her eyes were a glaring blue. Lana Goyle, the younger sister of Aaron, and one of Scorpius's best friends. Lily hadn't talked to her very often, but they were on first name base at least.

Lily re-closed her eyes. "What do you want, Lana?" Lily muttered.

"Aaron wanted me to come and wake you up. He said that he suggests that you eat something, and I suggest that you get to the locker room early. My brother hates when people are late," Lana warned.

Lily opened her eyes fully. "When did Aaron tell you about me?"

"This morning," Lana answered. She sat down on the edge of the bed. "And just so you know, I hope you make it. We need a girl on the team, so I'll be cheering for you in the stands."

Lily sighed as she sat up. "Thanks. I'm just going to get something from the kitchens. Do you want to join me?"

Lana shook her head. "Nah. I told Scorp I'd meet him in Great Hall before breakfast ended. I'm supposed to give him the same pep talk I gave him last year before Quidditch tryouts." She rolled her eyes.

Lily chuckled. "Ok then. I'll see you out there then."

"Yup. Later, Lil." Without another look, Lana left the room.

Lily yawned once, but still got up and dressed. She left the common room and stopped by the kitchens. The elves tried to pile her arms with food, but she only took a little, not wanting to throw up or something later. She was munching on an apple as she was walking out of the castle. She headed toward the pitch, examining the weather conditions. It was only a little windy, and the sun was shining brightly. Perfect conditions, and the sun could prove an ally when it came to the glinting material of the Snitch.

Lily walked into the Slytherin locker room just in time to see the door to the captain's office open. Aaron Goyle walked out with a clipboard in his hands. At the sight of her he grinned.

"You're early," he commented.

Lily shrugged. She wasn't going to mention that she was early on his sister's advice. "Yeah. I thought I'd check the weather and get dressed early."

He nodded. "Well, just pick a locker and change. And here," he tossed her a bundle. "That's a practice outfit. It took a while to get one that would fit your size."

Lily tried not to scowl as she pulled the bundle apart. She hated being small.

"And you're using Lana's broom," Aaron told her. He handed her a Nimbus 4000. It was an older model, but still a great model. Lily missed her broom. One her last birthday, she had gotten Firebolt 200. It was the perfect model. It was fast, easy to control, and beautiful.

"Thanks," Lily told him. She set the broom down by a locker, and slipped off her shoes. Then she reached for the hem of her shirt.

Aaron cleared his throat. "Well, I'm going to go out and wait for the others. It's almost time." Lily noticed a little pink on his cheeks. She tried not to laugh. He was embarrassed? They really weren't used to having girls on the team.

Lily dressed into the practice uniform and sighed. It was still just a little bit big on her, but she had to admit that it wasn't too bad. She picked up the broom and walked out of the locker room. A bench had been placed on the edge of the field, so Lily took a seat and laced up her shoes.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" a voice demanded.

Lily looked up to see Tyson Derrick and a group of boys coming toward the locker room. They all had brooms in their hands, and each looked at her with confused looks.

"I'm trying out for Seeker," Lily said casually. She continued to lace her shoes.

But some of the boys scoffed or laughed. "You're trying out for Seeker?" Tyson said with amusement. "First years aren't even allowed brooms."

"Well that rule is being bent for her." They all looked to see Aaron approaching the group. "The headmaster is allowing her to try out with my recommendation."

"Are you out of your mind, Aaron?" Tyson chuckled. "Her? A first year and a girl? Is there anything about those qualities that can be better than me?"

"I hope," Goyle muttered.

Tyson's face darkened a little and gained a scowl. "Whatever. You're the captain. I'll just have to let you see that you wasted your time with her."

The boys all marched off to the locker room. At some point Scorpius had joined the group of boys, and he smirked at her as he passed. Goyle let out a breath and sat down next to Lily.

"Told you that they'd make jokes," he told her.

Lily shrugged. "I don't care. Just let him eat crow after I beat him."

Goyle grinned. "That's the attitude I like to see."

Soon the tryouts were starting, and there was a large crowd of people in the stands. Lily saw some of her family, and she knew that it wasn't just Slytherins that were watching. The other teams were scouting. There were whispers when people saw her in the line with the others.

Aaron Goyle had turned out to be a good and fair captain. When he finally sent out the Seekers, Lily was confident that she could do it, and that he would be fair about it. Their goal was to see who could catch the Snitch in the fastest time, along with the Bludgers being loose. Tyson Derrick went before Lily did, and she now knew what Aaron had been talking about. Tyson avoided any mud, and wouldn't go for the Snitch when it was too close to the grass. Lily saw two times that he could have had it, but completely avoided it because of the mud it was hovering over.

"Ok, Lily, you're up," Aaron told her as he wrote down a time on his clipboard.

Lily took in a deep breath as she rose off the ground. Right away, she flipped to dodge a Bludger. She flew high above the pitch and looked down. She just needed to find a small glint. After a moment, she found it, hovering by the stands. Lily sped toward it. The Snitch moved quickly away, and people parted as Lily flew between them, her hand outstretched. The Snitch left the stands, and it started to fall toward the ground. Lily nosedived after it, keeping her hand out for it. The Snitch pulled up and floated a foot off the ground. Lily quickly pulled her broom up to avoid crashing into the ground. She made it, but her feet dragged across the grass and mud. But she kept her pace, getting closer and closer to the elusive Snitch. Finally, she felt a cool metal against her palm, and she closed her fingers around it. The Snitch's wing fluttered uselessly through her fingers. Lily landed to a chorus of cheers and applause from the stand. When she made her way back to Aaron, he was grinning like an idiot.

"Good run," he complimented.

Lily grinned back at him and handed him the struggling Snitch. "It was easy," she said with a shrug. She moved back to the bench and took a seat next to Scorpius.

Scorpius nudged her with his shoulder. "Hey, good job out there."

Lily smiled. "Thanks."

"I hope you get put on the team," Scorpius told her. He was the first of the guys to say. "Tyson is too prissy for this game. You're much better."

Lily felt her cheeks heat up a bit. But she ignored it. "I hope you make it too. You did really good out there."

He grinned. "My chances are a bit higher. After all, there are two Chaser openings."

"Aaron's a Chaser?" Lily asked.

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. With his strength you'd think he'd be a Beater, but he likes being a Chaser apparently." He looked at her broom. "Is that Lana's?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, it's hers. I'm just using it for the tryout."

"And when you make the team?" Scorpius asked with a grin.

Lily smiled. "Then I send for my broom."

"That reminds me," Scorpius said, "did you ever write to your parents?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I wrote to 'em. They said that they're proud of me no matter what, and to ignore my brothers. They said that the other will come around." Lily rolled her eyes.

Scorpius scoffed. "I can't see that happening."

Lily gave a laugh. "Neither can I."

They continued talking as the rest of the tryouts went on. When they had finished, Aaron had them all change and then come out and line up once again.

"Alright, you all did good, but we only need six players. And after careful consideration, I have a team already planned out after watching everyone try out. First, as a Keeper, I've chosen to have Dante Montague retake his position."

A lean fourth year stepped out of the line and stood next to Aaron. His face was smug and handsome, Lily had to admit. He had coal black eyes and wavy dark hair.

"For Chasers, there is myself, Adrian Flint, and Scorpius Malfoy will take his position from last year as well."

Scorpius and a tall boy moved to stand next to Aaron. The other boy was as tall as Aaron, but his face was still babyish, so he had to be younger by a few years. Lily recognized him as the fifth year prefect.

"As for Beaters, Raven Bole and Lars Goyle will retake their positions," Aaron said proudly.

Raven Bole was a burly sixth year with a scowl that seemed permanent on his lips. Lars was Lana's twin brother. He was well-built but Lily knew that his brain wasn't.

"And our Seeker will be Lily Potter," Aaron finished.

Lily grinned as she went to stand next to Scorpius. Scorpius grinned at her and patted her shoulder. The others that hadn't made the team complained at the news, even though most of them hadn't even tried out for Seeker.

"Are you kidding me?" Tyson demanded. "You're picking her over me? Are you out of your mind?"

"She caught it faster and better than you did," Aaron stated.

"Plus she's not some priss," Scorpius taunted.

Lily expected Tyson to at least glare at Scorpius, but he didn't even look at Scorpius. But his scowl toward Aaron deepened. "I can't believe this!"

"Believe it," Aaron said with a scowl of his own. "Unlike you, she's not afraid of getting a little dirty. As long as we win."

Tyson turned his glare to Lily and then stormed off. The rest of the guys all slowly trailed away as well. Aaron ignored them and turned to face the team. "Alright, our first practice will be after classes next Wednesday. By then I'll have a team jersey for each of you. So I expect to see you all then."

It was a clear dismissal to Lily, so she turned and started to leave. She had left Lana's broom in Aaron's office, so she made her way to the edge of the pitch. Scorpius had caught up with her.

"I told you that you'd make the team," he bragged with a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Thank you for the confidence."

He grinned. "Any time, Lily. Any time."

* * *

Later that day, Lily had written a letter to her parents, telling her that she had made the Quidditch team, and then asked if they would send her broom as soon as they could. Lola accompanied Lily up to the Owlery.

"Hey, Lily, can I ask you a question?" Lola asked. "One that might seem a little weird."

Lily sighed. "Go ahead."

"Well . . . I was wondering . . . how are you able to be so casual around Scorpius Malfoy? I mean, I'm not afraid of him or anything, but he's older and . . . he's almost like a king among Slytherins, what with his family's name."

Lily raised a brow. Was that why the older kids seemed to always show respect to him when he badmouthed them to their faces? So she shrugged. "I just am. I see no reason to treat him any different from anyone else. He's just a person."

Lola looked at her with wide eyes. Slowly she relaxed. "Hm. Maybe it's because you don't have a family of Slytherins like the rest of us do."

Lily almost rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Maybe."

When they entered the Owlery, Lily whistled, and her owl, Regal, flew down to rest on her shoulder. Her father had bought him before she came to Hogwarts. He took the letter in his beak, and after Lily briefed him on where to go, he took off, flying out to the distance.

* * *

As the days passed, Lily started to feel a little less restless. With classes, homework, and Quidditch practices, Lily found herself always busy. Aaron had been right. Most of the guys on the team seemed hesitant about having a girl on the team. Aaron and Scorpius were the only relaxed ones about it. Her parents had sent her broom, and Lily was thankful to have it. It was much faster, and it made practices easier.

October had really gone by in a flash, and soon it was Halloween. Everyone was excited for the feast and the decorations, but Lily was more tense than anything. Because today was James's birthday.

"What are you going to do?" Lola asked at breakfast when Lily had explained her downcast attitude.

Lily sighed. "I don't know. Honestly, I completely forgot that his birthday was coming up. I haven't talked to him since the first day of classes."

"You should get him a gift," Jace told her. "You may be fighting, but he's still your brother, and it's his birthday."

Lily hummed quietly. "Yeah, that's where my mind's been lately." But Lily's only problem was that she had nothing to give to James as a present. But later that day, Lily had decided that she would at least say 'Happy Birthday' to him.

"This place looks awesome!" Jace said as they entered the Great Hall for the feast the night. Bats were fluttering around near the ceiling, and some were a bit lower, and there were pumpkins that a group of first years could sit in.

The three took seats near the middle of the Slytherin table, and were soon joined by Scorpius and Lana.

"Nice of you to join us," Lily said to Scorpius with a grin. "Getting tired of listening to the other third year boys grunts?"

Lana hid her laugh behind her hand, but Scorpius didn't hide his. "Actually, Lana here was tired of it, so I suggested sitting here. What place could be better than by our own Lily Potter?" Then he paused, his brow scrunching as he took a bit of his food. Then he asked, "What is your middle name?"

Lily raised a brow. "Why?"

Scorpius grinned. "Well, I think you should have a nickname, but I can't think of one. So perhaps your middle name will help me think of one."

"Why do I need a nickname?" Lily asked with a sigh.

"He gives one to everyone," Lana said with a roll of her eyes.

Lily looked at Scorpius's pleading look, so she gave up. "It's Luna. Lily Luna Potter."

Scorpius's brow furrowed again. "Hmm . . ." he hummed as he thought. "Lily Luna. Lily Luna. I kind of like that."

"Like what?" Lily asked.

"Lily Luna. Does anyone ever call you that?" Scorpius asked.

Lily grinned. "Only when I'm in trouble." Scorpius laughed, but Lily continued. "What's your middle name?"

Scorpius sobered a bit, and his eyes strayed to his plate. "It's stupid. I don't really like it."

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy." Lana squealed with laughter.

Scorpius glared. "Shut it, Lana Crabbe Goyle."

Lana stopped laughing, and her cheeks flushed red. "Not funny. It's not my fault my dad thought he had twin boys."

Jace busted into laughter, and Scorpius joined him. Lola bit back a smile, and kicked Jace under the table. Lily let her grin show, but she didn't laugh. "So, you got your middle name from your dad's friend that died, right?" Lily was sure she had heard stories about someone named Crabbe.

Lana nodded. "Yeah, and I love it," she said, sarcasm thick in her voice.

Lily chuckled. "I got my name from my parents' friend. Actually, her sons are in your year."

"Who are they?" Scorpius asked.

"Lorcan and Lysander Scamander," Lily told them.

"Those two weirdos?" Scorpius said bluntly. Lily giggled, and Scorpius looked apologetic. "Oh, sorry."

Lily shook her head. "No, I know they're weird. Everyone does. But I still love them. They are my god brothers."

"How'd they take to your new house?" Lola asked.

Lily shrugged. "Actually, I haven't talked to them since before school started."

"Yeah, aren't they like Hufflepuffs or something?" Lana asked.

"Ravenclaws," Scorpius corrected. He looked at Lily. "They're both the Ravenclaw Beaters."

Lily looked at the Ravenclaw table, and soon she spotted the two boys amongst a group of friends. "No surprise. They both have so much energy." As she started to look away, she caught sight of James and the others at the Gryffindor table. Some girl patted James's shoulder, and another boy was leaning toward the group, saying something to James. Lily noticed that James was wearing a necklace, something she'd never seen him wear before. She assumed that it was a birthday gift.

Scorpius seemed to know where she was looking. "Have you talked to your brother? I've heard too many times today about how it's his birthday."

Lily shook her head. "No, I haven't. I've decided to at least tell him happy birthday"

"You're brave," Lana murmured.

Lily thought the same thing as she left the Great Hall after the feast had ended. She had lost sight of James and the others, and she had no idea how to get to the Gryffindor common room. But she spotted two older kids with Gryffindor ties, so she followed their steps. They kept going up and up, something Lily wasn't used too. It seemed like forever until the two kids stopped walking. They stood in front of a portrait with a fat lady in a pink dress. One of them said something, and the portrait moved to show a hole in the wall. Lily assumed this was the entrance to their common room.

"Hey!" Lily called.

The two kids stopped and looked at her. The boy pulled his foot out of the hole. They looked curious at first, but when they noticed her Slytherin tie, their eyes became hostile. "What are you doing spying on us?" the girl hissed.

Lily didn't show the nerves that were fluttering through her skin. Instead, she looked the girl in the eye. "I need you to tell James Potter to come out here for me. I have to talk to him."

The boy was still hostile, but now also looked hesitant. "What would a Slytherin want with James, besides to try and hex him?"

Lily was about to speak when another voice joined them. "What's going on here?"

Lily turned around to see something that she actually recognized. It was Zack Creevey, one of the Creevey twins. They were a year older than she was. He had dirty blonde hair that swam around his ears, and his eyes were a shocking blue color.

"This Slytherin wants to talk to James," the girl sneered.

Zack finally came up next to Lily, and then he smiled. "Oh, hey, Lily," he greeted. "I haven't talked to you in what seems like forever. Here to wish your bro a happy birthday?"

Lily looked back at the other two and grinned. "Yes, actually. I haven't talked to him yet today." She almost laughed when she saw the horror-stricken looks on the other twos' faces.

"I'll get him for you," Zack told her.

Lily grinned at him. "Thank you, Zack."

Zack smiled at her, and then moved past the other two to enter their common room. The other two Gryffindors shook out their stupor and followed him. The portrait closed, but opened again moments later, and James came out. His body was tense, and his face was hesitant. Lily suddenly felt very stupid for coming here. He was probably still mad at her. Not that Lily was happy with him yet either.

"What do you want?" James mumbled.

Lily bit her lip before letting out a sigh. "Well, I thought I would wish you a happy birthday. I do every year, why break the habit." Lily almost smacked herself. The least she could have done was keep the sarcasm out of her words.

James didn't look at her. "Thanks. And I um . . . didn't tell you that you did a good job, making the Slytherin team. I've never seen a girl on their team."

Lily nodded. "Thanks. Aaron Goyle wanted me to try out, so I did. Apparently Tyson was too prissy and hated getting dirty."

"Yeah, well Derrick is the typical Slytherin. Hates getting his hands dirty," James muttered.

Lily drew in a slow breath, not wanting to get furious over the dig at her House. She wasn't sure if James even remembered that it was her House now too. "Actually, I was referring to how he hated getting mud on his clothes."

James shrugged. "So he's both. Whatever."

"So, it's not just a few of them. You really do hate anyone who's a Slytherin," Lily accused quietly.

James finally looked at her. "I don't hate you."

"Do you like my friends? Do you hate them? I hang out with Lola Pritchard and Jace Pucey," Lily demanded, the fury rising.

James looked disgusted. "You're hanging out with a Pritchard?"

"She's one of the nicest girls I know, and she's my best friend!" Lily defended.

James gave a groan. "Have you met her sister?"

"Yeah, and I thought she was perfectly lovely," Lily retorted. She wouldn't say it out loud, but Lily did think she was a bit too bossy.

"Are you out of your mind?" he demanded.

Lily scoffed. "What if I said I spend time with Scorpius Malfoy?" Lily knew she had pushed a forbidden button as she spoke, but she lost any care.

James looked angry and horrified. "What!" he roared. "Are you crazy? You're hanging out with that git! He's a complete ass! He picks on little kids, and always plays dirty! Of all the people . . . !"

"At least he can accept that I'm a Slytherin!" Lily scathed. "He doesn't rip on me for being a Potter or a Weasley!"

"That's it!" James said with finality. "I'm writing Mum and Dad. You've got to be out of your mind! Being in that House has completely changed you, Lily!"

Lily glared at him. "No, you changed! You changed your mind about me when I became a Slytherin! That's what's changed. You think you've lost your sister to a dirty House, but you just won't say it out loud!"

"Fine! I've lost my sister! She got put in the worst House possible! I'd rather her be a Squib! And now, I don't think I have a sister at all anymore!" James yelled.

Lily glared at him defiantly. She wasn't going to let him see how his words had hurt her. Lily pulled in a breath. "Well fine then, Potter. Happy birthday, and I hope that you live after we crush you in our upcoming match."

Lily spun on her heel and marched away, not giving him a chance to speak. She heard him retreat into his common room before she had turned the corner. His words had hurt her immensely. No matter how mad she was at him, she would have never denied that he was her brother, and she would have never imagined that he would do such a thing. He had been her favorite, the one she always ran too when she was scared and their dad wasn't home. It looked like that was no longer an option.

When Lily entered the Slytherin common room, she scanned the room. She found Scorpius sitting with a few other third years, including Lana and her twin. Lily made her way over to them, and Scorpius smirked when he saw her coming.

"Hey there, Lily Luna. How'd it go with your brother?" he asked. There was no malice in his voice, no amusement. But Lily had a feeling that he knew exactly how it went.

Lily took in a small breath, happy that it wasn't shaky. "What brother?" she asked him innocently.

Scorpius's smirk never left as he stood up and held out his hand. "Welcome, Lily, to the Gryffindors' version of Slytherins," he welcomed.

Lily grinned and shook his hand.


	4. Playing Dirty

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Four: Playing Dirty

The time for the match of Slytherin versus Gryffindor had snuck up on both teams, making them constantly fight on who got to practice on what days. No one knew exactly what was said during Lily and James's fight, but everyone was aware of the tension between the two. Lily had taken to not acknowledging her brother, or most of her family in fact. The only one she seemed to talk to was Hugo, and that was when one was trying to get a rise out of the other. It usually ended in one of them hexing the other.

To Lily's surprise, she hadn't gotten a letter from her parents concerning Scorpius, so Lily had the feeling that James had been bluffing. He couldn't tell them much without telling them about the whole fight.

"What a pansy," Scorpius had laughed when Lily told him of her suspicion.

Lily had taken to hanging around Scorpius Malfoy more often, partly because it annoyed her brothers, which she knew Scorpius enjoyed as well, but mainly because he was a good guy. He made her laugh, and she never dwelled on what her brother had said. And his calling her Lily Luna actually had spread, and now most of the Slytherins called her that, except for Jace and Lola. Lana didn't call her that either, just to go against Scorpius.

When the day of the match actually came, Lily chose to eat a full meal, but not enough to where she would end up throwing up. Part of her was a bit afraid. Aaron had briefed the team on the Gryffindor players, and told her that she would be going up against Albus. Lily had gulped. She knew Albus was a good Seeker. She had seen him play at home. She didn't know if she could actually beat him.

Lola seemed to read her mind. "Don't worry about Albus," she told Lily. "You're smaller, so you might be faster."

"Yeah," Jace agreed. "And if you're not, just tackle him off his broom."

Finally, Lily cracked a smile.

Later that afternoon, Lily was sitting with the rest of the team in the locker room. Aaron was pacing in front of them, trying to find the words he wanted to say. "Alright, team. This is the biggest game for us. We've lost the past few years, but this time I think we can do it. We actually have a good Seeker." He grinned at Lily. "And from what I hear, little Albus is a little shook up about having to go against his sister. Any hesitation he shows could be the key. But James Potter's been pretty aggressive the past few days, so I need the other Chasers to watch out and be careful."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Lily joked. The others laughed.

Aaron finally smiled. "Alright. Let's head out."

They all walked out into the stadium and toward the middle. The Gryffindor team had already come out and had been announced.

"And on the Slytherin team, Captain Aaron Goyle, Adrian Flint, and Scorpius Malfoy are playing as Chasers. Dante Montague is back as Keeper, just as Raven Bole and Lars Goyle are back as the Beaters. And the new popular player is their Seeker, Lily Potter. The first girl on the Slytherin team in a long time." Meredith Macmillan, an older Gryffindor, was commentating the games.

The teams made it to the middle, and Madam Hooch stood in the middle, the ball crate at her feet, and the Quaffle in her hands. The teams glared at each other. Lily caught Albus's eye, and Aaron had been right. He seemed hesitant.

"I want a clean game," Madam Hooch told them. "Captains shake hands."

Aaron and a burly sixth year Gryffindor that Lily was sure was Corbin Wood, walked forward and tensely shook hands. When they parted, they were both flexing their fingers.

"Mount your brooms," Madam Hooch called when the captains rejoined their lines. Lily mounted hers as she scanned the Gryffindor team. It consisted mainly of her family members. James and Rose were both Chasers, Lucy the Keeper, Fred was a Beater, and Albus of course was their Seeker.

Suddenly, Madam Hooch gave a loud shrill with her whistle, and they all rose in the air. The Bludgers and Snitch were released, and the Quaffle was in the air. The game had begun.

"And James Potter had grabbed the Quaffle, and he's making a beeline for the goals. But Aaron Goyle is on his tail," Meredith spoke.

Lily flew up above the other players. Albus had done the same, but they stayed far away from each other. But Lily let her eyes stray toward her brother every so often. If he saw it, Lily was going to do her best to catch it first. But after a few minutes, Lily noticed that he was looking at her too, and when she caught his eye, he quickly looked away.

"The score is ten to ten, and Slytherin is in possession," Meredith said as the game continued. "It's a rough game so far. Malfoy's taking the Quaffle up the middle, but Rose Weasley steals the ball, but oh! She takes a Bludger to the shoulder, shot by Lars Goyle. Flint catches the ball and shoots off toward the Gryffindor goals. He makes it there, throws the Quaffle and . . . he scores," Meredith didn't sound all too happy. "Twenty to ten, Slytherin in the lead."

Suddenly, a glint of gold caught her eye, and Lily zoomed off toward it. But Albus had seen it too, and they were soon neck and neck, and both had a hand stretched out. But then James was in front of them, and they both ran into him. Albus wobbled, and Lily almost fell off her broom completely. The Snitch was gone.

"You can do better than her, Al!" James yelled as he flew away. The Slytherin team was yelling complaints, but Madam Hooch didn't call a foul, for they had both hit him. Lily was fuming. James was complaining about Scorpius playing dirty, but then he pulls this? Albus nodded at his brother, and then threw his shoulder into Lily as he went past her. Lily bit back the urge to take Jace's advice and tackle him. But both of them flew back up to resume their search from above.

"After a brief interruption by James Potter," the Slytherin crowd started to chant 'cheater', "we're back in the game, with Rose Weasley in possession."

The game continued for another hour and a half, and neither Lily nor Albus had caught sight of the Snitch again. The game was proving to be an even match.

"Goyle scores another ten points for Slytherin," Meredith said glumly. "That makes the score one hundred and forty to one hundred and ten, with Gryffindor in the lead." Those words seemed to cheer her up.

Lily was getting worried. The Gryffindor was stepping up their game, and Albus seemed much more alert. Words from the others started to come into her mind. _"Just tackle him off his broom." "Any hesitation he shows could be the key." ". . . always plays dirty."_ Suddenly, Lily knew how she could make sure Albus wouldn't get the Snitch, but it would be a dirty tactic. She looked at her brother and thought back to the stunt James had pulled earlier, and how Albus had reacted toward her afterward. She didn't care anymore. She turned toward Albus and flashed through the air, she went past him and then went down into a dive. She carefully looked back, and just like she thought, Albus was following her.

"And it seems as if Lily Potter has seen the Snitch!" Meredith practically screamed. "Come on, Albus!" She wasn't the only one yelling. Most of the crowd was. Some of the other players had forgotten about their positions, and the Slytherin Chasers made three goals before the Gryffindor team was shaken back into the game. The game had tied now.

Quickly, Lily was getting closer to the ground, and Albus was still following her. Lily was starting to lose her nerves the closer the ground got, but she kept going. And when she was barely a foot above the ground, she pulled up sharply. Albus wasn't as lucky, and he crashed into the ground, rolling off his broom and skidding across the grass. There was a collective gasp among the crowd and the players. The voices that spoke became hysterical when Albus didn't get up. Lily ignored it all and flew back up into the air.

"Albus Potter is down after a dirty trick from the Slytherin Seeker," Meredith seethed. The Slytherin team cheered happily as Lily flew a lap past them. She caught Scorpius's eye, and he had his famous smirk on his lips.

"Good job," he said as she flew past him.

Lily smiled as she rose above the players. The game had started back to its fast pace, but Lily watched as Albus was levitated out of the pitch. Lily sighed as she lazily flew around the pitch. They didn't bring out another Seeker, and Lily wasn't surprised. In her mind, she thought that they had assumed Albus would be the best. They didn't think that he'd fall for a trick she played. So now, she had all the time and relaxation she wanted.

As the game went on, Lily saw the Snitch three or four times, but she didn't pursue it. She just kept above the air, and dodge a few Bludgers that went her way. A few times Lars Goyle had come up to bat them away.

"Way to go, Lily Luna," he told her once.

Lily grinned. "Just playing like a Gryffindor's Slytherin." Over the weeks since her and James's fight, Lily had learned what a Gryffindor's Slytherin was. Basically, it was just when you acted like what Gryffindors thought a Slytherin was. Sneaky, cunning, or 'dirty'. It was a common term among the older students.

Currently the game was a hundred and forty to a hundred and ninety. In their excitement about Albus's fall, the rest of the Slytherin team had started to overwhelm the Gryffindors. And Lily noticed that the Gryffindor team looked a bit panicky after their Seeker was knocked out.

After what seemed like forever, Aaron finally left the other Chasers, and flew next to Lily. "Hey, next time you see the Snitch, just go for it. We've got this in the bag," he said with a laugh.

Lily laughed too. "Alright. I'll get easy."

Aaron was laughing as he flew back into the game. Lily went back to actually looking for the Snitch. After a while, she laughed again. Find the Snitch was much harder when you weren't actually trying. But she finally caught a glint of gold hovering above the stands. Lily took off for it. Meredith didn't comment on it, but people had noticed, and the Slytherin team was cheering loudly. Lily followed the Snitch as it zoomed over the crowd, and then turned off onto the field. Lily stretched out her hand and snatched it out of the air on her turn. The Slytherin cheers seemed to deafen her.

"And Lily Potter catches the Snitch. The game ends with Gryffindor with one hundred and forty, and Slytherin three hundred and forty. Slytherin wins," Meredith said with a pout in her tone.

Lily landed on the ground, the Snitch still clutched in her hand. The rest of the team landed, and instantly surrounded her. Lars and Scorpius had hoisted her onto their shoulders. Lily grinned as she noticed the Gryffindor team landing.

"Hey, Potter!" she yelled across the field. The field seemed to quiet a little as she yelled. James looked back at her, his eyes full of anger. Lily grinned. "Thanks for congratulating about making the team. I couldn't have done it without your confidence!" she told him loudly.

The Slytherin team and crowd had bursted into laughter. Scorpius and Lars almost dropped her they laughed so hard. James glared furiously at her, and had to be herded into their locker room by Fred.

The two boys carried Lily to the locker room, but put her down so that she could go into the girls' room and change. Lily felt as if she were on an adrenaline high as she changed back into her clothes. She had never felt so giddy in her life. Winning that game had been exhilarating! She left the locker room to see that Scorpius was waiting for her with a smirk.

"That was a brilliant play," he told her.

Lily laughed. "Yes, I thought so too. But I wasn't sure if Potter would be stupid enough to follow after me."

Scorpius chuckled. "I'm not sure if I've ever seen anything so satisfying as him crashing to the ground. Are you going to go visit him?" he mocked.

Lily scoffed. "If the wounded kitty wants me to visit, he'll ask for me."

Scorpius laughed at the shot against Albus. Soon Jace, Lola, and Lana found them.

"That was an amazing game!" Jace cheered.

"And of course they're throwing a party in the common room," Lana told them.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Scorpius said with a grin.

* * *

Lily was exhausted the next day. The party was fun, but Lily spent a lot time talking with other Slytherins who wanted to congratulate her on catching the Snitch and, most of all, for knocking out Albus. Lily had accepted it, but she didn't get to bed until late, and she was trying her best not to fall asleep at breakfast.

For the next few weeks, an older Slytherin accompanied Lily in the halls. The Gryffindors were proving to be sore losers, and they tried to send most of their anger and hexes toward Lily. Even James had confronted her before one of her classes. He didn't say a word, but had just loomed over her, glaring. After a moment, he walked away. Lily expected to see a teacher, something to explain why he just walked away, but there was nobody else there.

Albus was let out of the Hospital Wing two days after the game. Lily didn't actually talk to him, but rumors had reached her that he was furious with what she did. As he had apparently worded it, "she was just another dirty snake." Lily had laughed when Lars Goyle told her this.

December came up on them quick, and also passed in a cold blur, and soon they were all getting ready to leave for the holidays. Lily and the other first years were relieved. Teachers seemed to love adding on extra homework before the holidays came, and they needed the break. But Lily almost considered not going home at all. She wasn't sure if it was worth it to go home, knowing that she would have to face her brothers practically every day, and she knew that trouble would brew. But when Professor Longbottom came around with the sign-up sheet for those staying for the holidays, Lily let it pass over her.

"So, Lily Luna," Scorpius asked one day at breakfast, "what does your family do at Christmas?"

"Well, we all go to my grandparents' house on Christmas Eve, we stay the night, and then spend Christmas there as well," Lily explained. "It's always really crowded, because sometimes other come over as well."

"Like?" he prodded.

"The Scamanders come over a lot. The Finnigans have joined us a few times, and so have Cody Thomas and his parents," Lily listed. "And there's already a lot of us, so you add more, and it gets kinda hectic." She looked at him. "What does your family do?"

"Well, on Christmas morning, I wake up and open presents with my parents and grandparents, and then my aunt, uncle, and cousins. Then we open more presents there, and have a big formal dinner that night. A little boring really," Scorpius mused.

"At least you get to hang around your cousins," Lily said. "Or are they younger?"

"Younger, but Tanner's only a year younger, so I mostly talk with him," Scorpius told her.

Lily bit her lip in thought. "Wait, Tanner Zabini?"

Scorpius grinned. "Yeah, that's my cousin. He's got three younger siblings, but they're really little."

"At least you have one person to be around," Lily replied.

"Well, more come over," Scorpius told her. "It's not just the Malfoys and Zabinis that have dinner together."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Well, the Goyles come over as do the Flints, the Averys, and the Montagues," Scorpius said as he ticked them off his fingers. "So the dinner gets a little crowded, but it's pretty quiet otherwise."

"Well at least you're not related to them all. I have to put with them all for two days, and still see them afterwards," Lily reminded him.

Scorpius gave her a mock sympathetic look. "I hope you make it through the den of lions."

Lily gave a fake shudder. "I just hope lions don't eat snakes."

* * *

The train ride back to King's Cross was much more fun than the ride to Hogwarts had been, mainly because she didn't have to listen to her brothers gush about Houses and Hogsmeade. Instead she was sitting in a compartment with Lola and Jace, and a huge pile of sweets in the middle of the compartment.

"Finally, a long break with no homework!" Jace groaned as he stretched across the seat. He was sitting across the girls, and no had his legs stretched out along the seat.

The girls giggled. Lily sighed as she picked up a Chocolate Frog. She took a bite out of the frog, but out of habit, she took a look at the card. She wasn't a collector, but Hugo was, and she always gave the cards to him. What was she going to do with Falco Aesalon now? Could she force herself to give it to Hugo? She doubted he would take it anyway. He had been particularly furious with her about the Quidditch match.

"Are you going to keep that card?" Lola asked.

Lily raised a brow. "You collect them?"

Lola laughed. "No, but some of my brothers do. I like seeing them argue over who gets what card. Sometimes they end up in fist fights." She rolled her eyes.

Lily laughed. But she kept onto the card. "Actually, I think I'm going to keep this one."

Lola only shrugged as she opened her own Chocolate Frog. Lily shoved the card into her pocket.

Upon reaching King's Cross, Lola grabbed Lily in a tight hug. "You'd better write. I don't think I can handle having to deal with my brothers again. I'll need help to get through it," she told her.

Lily laughed as she pulled back from the hug. "Right back at you."

Lola looked toward Jace, and her face was a bit tighter. "Have a good Christmas, big ears," she taunted.

Lily rolled her eyes, but Jace smiled widely. "And you, dirty." Then he turned to Lily and gave her a quick hug. "I'll probably flood your house with letters. As an only child I tend to get very bored."

Lily smiled. "Don't worry, I'll just throw a few of them in the fireplace," she teased.

Jace grinned. "As long as you write one back. Goodbye, you two." And with a nod, he turned and walked away.

Lily looked back at Lola. "Perhaps I can get my parents to let you stay over. Have a good Christmas."

"Hurry up, Lola!" Lola's sister yelled from behind them.

Lola ignored her. "You too, Lily. Bye."

"Bye." Lily watched as Lola walked off toward her older sister. Lily sighed and made her way through the crowd and looked for her family. But soon it wasn't hard to see her uncle Ron's red hair over the top of the crowd. But before she could get there, someone had grabbed her wrist. Lily turned around to see the handsome face of Scorpius Malfoy. On his lips was his usual smirk.

"Glad I caught you, Lily Luna," he said with amusement.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Caught me is right." He let go, and she started walking, but Scorpius kept pace with her. "So what did you want?" she asked.

"I just wanted to wish you a happy Christmas, and to ask you what you want me to send you? I have no idea what to get you," Scorpius replied.

Soon Lily's family came into sight, so Lily stopped walking. She wanted to avoid a fight. Scorpius stopped as well, but she knew that he noticed her family as well.

"How about you don't get me anything," Lily suggested. "It's not necessary."

Scorpius waved off the idea. "I guess I'll just have to surprise you. Have a happy Christmas," he told her. And then, probably to spite her brothers, Scorpius Malfoy wrapped her into a hug. Lily felt her cheeks heat up a bit, but she hugged him back. When he pulled away, Lily noticed that his cheeks were a little pink as well. He handed her a small box.

"Happy Christmas, Lily Luna," he said once again.

Lily smiled. "Happy Christmas, Scorpius," she murmured.

With one last smirk, Scorpius turned around and walked away. Lily watched until he was lost in the crowd, and then she looked back at the box. She flipped it over and read the label. 'Crystalized Pineapple'. How had he known she liked it? But she only grinned and shook her head. She shoved the small box into her jacket pocket. It stuck out a little, but it didn't fall as she walked toward her family once again.

"Looks like Lily's got a little boyfriend," Hugo mocked, his brow furrowed.

"Like Hell she does!" James growled.

Lily ignored him, but she looked toward Hugo. "Don't worry, Hugo. I'm sure you'll get one as well someday."

She heard a few sniggers, and Hugo's ears turned a bright red. He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by his mother.

"Children, enough," Hermione told them, setting a hand on Hugo's shoulder. He looked as if a hundred pounds had been placed on him, and he shut his mouth.

"Besides, Lily does not have a boyfriend, " Harry muttered.

Lily bit back a smile. "Of course, Dad. I'm only eleven, and no one's that lucky."

"I would put anything past a Slytherin, Dad," Albus seethed calmly.

This time Lily had to bite back hurt along with anger.

* * *

Lily was tense the entire ride home, and as soon as she had entered the house she took her things to her room and stayed there. After everything that Albus had said, Lily didn't want to see her brothers at all.

And she stayed in her room for almost two days, only leaving to use the bathroom. She had Kreacher bring her meals to her, and to take them back. Lily wrote to the others, giving brief note on how she was herself. The only person who came up to see her was Teddy. He never spoke of te others, or about how she was her House. He asked about classes and her friends. Lily told him everything, happy to have someone in her family to talk to. There was someone in her family that she could still trust.

"You should write me more often," he told her on the second day.

Lily decided to tease him. "And why is that?"

Teddy smiled. "Because then you won't have to bottle it up, and then bottle yourself up here until you explode," he replied.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to explode."

But Teddy just shrugged. "I worry." His tone let Lilt know that the words were a lie. It wasn't him that was worried. It was everyone else. Her parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and probably Victoire. Teddy never worried about her. He knew she'd talk to him about anything.

He didn't say anything else on the matter. He changed the subject to Quidditch, but then soon excused himself.

On the third day back, Lily finally left her room. She just wanted to act as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't spent almost forty-eight hours in her room. But as soon as she came down for lunch, her mother was immediately fussing over her. She tried to get Lily to talk about it, but Lily didn't want to. She didn't think her mum would understand.

Her father came home an hour or so after lunch, and he was happy to see his daughter out and about. He too tried to talk to her about everything, but Lily kept silent.

At dinner, Lily decided to risk her refusal to talk.

"Mum, Dad," she addressed.

"Yes?" Harry asked.

Lily momentarily bit her lip, but then she steeled her nerves. "I've been writing to a friend of mine the last two days," she started. "Her name's Lola Pritchard. I was wondering if she could stay over for a day or two?"

Lily noticed that her brothers looked cross at the idea, but both of her parents smiled. "I don't have a problem with that," Harry told her with a smile.

So the next day, Lily waited in the living room for Lola to come. Her brothers hung around too, but with sullen looks. They didn't say a word to her. When a knock finally sounded, Lily hurried to the door. Upon opening it she found Lola standing there with a bag, her cheeks pink.

"My father Apparated me a few blocks away," she told her. "He walked back after we found the house."

Lily grinned and shook her head. "Well come into the kitchen. My mum wants to meet you."

Lily led her into the kitchen to introduce Lola, but then both girls quickly stole off to Lily's room.

"So, how have the last few days been for you?" Lola asked.

Lily sighed. "I'm ignored by both of my brothers, and fussed over by my parents. It's been great!" she mocked.

Both girls laughed. "My little siblings haven't left me alone. They repeatedly ask questions about Hogwarts. Especially Johnny," Lola complained.

"Why does he ask a lot?" Lily asked curiously.

Lola hesitated. "Well, . . . he really wants to go to Hogwarts too."

Lily wasn't surprised. She had been like that too. But she didn't understand why Lola seemed so guarded about the subject. But she didn't want to keep the thick air. "So, how many siblings do you have?"

"Ten."

"Are you serious?" Lily said in astonishment. Her own grandmother had only seven children.

Lola nodded grimly. "Yeah, seven boys and four girls including me. It's a mess."

"I'd imagine," Lily agreed. "This place is a mess with just two boys!"

"Well, my mum said that she wanted a big family since she was an only child. I have no cousins at all, so all the siblings make up for it, I guess."

"Well, I have nine cousins, I think," Lily said, trying to count in her head. "So I think that there's thirteen of us, counting Teddy of course."

"Ever wish you were an only child too?" Lola asked.

Lily sighed again. "Not until recently."


	5. Family Advice

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Five: Family Advice

Having Lola over had been the best part of Lily's Christmas break so far, and she was disappointed that she had to leave the day before Christmas Eve. Lola had written a letter to her parents, asking if she could stay with the Potter for Christmas, but as Lola sulkily said, "they think it's better if I am with family."

So when Lily watched Lola leave with her father, she felt the urge to run back to her room and hide until the break was over. She didn't want to deal with her brothers alone. When Lola was here, they were forced by their mother to be absolutely nice, but now that she was gone, Lily felt like she was free game. She soon found that she was right.

When she walked through the living room to get to the stairs, James was flipping through a magazine on the couch. He saw her, and sneered. "So what's next, Lil? You gunna pollute our house by inviting over Malfoy?"

Lily ignored his comment, and continued toward the stairs. She made it up the hall without hearing another comment, but as Albus walked by her, she slammed her shoulder with his, making her stumble briefly. She bit back the urge to jump him, and continued on to her room. When she got to her room, she couldn't help but to slam her door behind her in anger.

The next few days before Christmas Eve were tense among the three siblings. At every dinner, Lily ate quickly and excused herself before the rest of the family was even halfway done with their own plates. When her parents tried to coax her into talking, Lily kept quite and politely shot them down. She didn't feel like discussing it with them. They wouldn't understand how it felt to be an outcast in the family.

When Christmas Eve came around, Lily packed a bag with enough things to last her two days with her family at her grandparents' house. Inside, she was dreading the nights. The children all slept downstairs on the floor together, while one got the couch, and another got the armchair. Usually, they settled who got what by some sort of game. Lily was just going to keep to the floor. She didn't want to start any fights.

When someone knocked on her door, Lily almost stayed silent. But instead she invited them in, and her mother stepped inside her room, closing the door behind her.

"Got your things ready, sweetheart?" Ginny asked. She moved around to sit on the edge of Lily's bed, watching as Lily put more things into her bag.

"Pretty much. I've got all of my clothes, and I've got a few things to keep myself entertained," Lily said casually.

"Entertained? Isn't that why we bring your brothers?" Ginny joked. "You've never had to bring something, you and Hugo always find ways to be entertained, or you and James tease your brother."

Lily sighed. This was the first hint that her mother was trying to get her to talk. So Lily shrugged. "Things are a bit different this year. I suspect it'll be a bit boring on my end."

Ginny nodded. "So, I hear you've become friends with the Malfoy boy. What's his name?"

Lily took at a look at her mother, who was grinning. "Scorpius. And yeah, he's a friend. We've gotten to know each other, what with being in the same House, and on the Quidditch team."

"Will I get to meet him sometime?" her mother asked.

Lily scoffed. "Not unless you want to give Dad a heart attack. You know how he is, and not to mention how both James and Albus hate Slytherins."

"Not all of them, I'm sure," Ginny protested.

"I haven't met one they like," Lily mumbled.

"I think I'm looking at one," Ginny murmured.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Mum, have you not . . ." Lily paused, trailing off. She wanted to kick herself. She almost started to talk. She looked at her mother dully. "Haha. You almost got me."

"So why stop?" Ginny questioned lightly. Her eyes were serious though as she looked at her daughter. "What's going on with you, Lily?"

Lily sighed, frustrated. "Nothing is wrong with me!" She threw another book into her bag. "It's the others. Once I became a Slytherin, it's like everything's different! Practically all of them have changed, just because I'm a Slytherin. James and Albus can't stand the sight of me, and Hugo and I are always yelling and sending hexes at each other. The rest of them don't even talk to me!" she ranted. Once she had finished, Lily hated to admit it, but she felt a little better. Like a weight had lifted.

"You just have to let them get used to it. And from what I've gathered, you said a few hurtful things as well. I think both sides are even," Ginny replied.

Lily blew out a breath. "Well they started it, so they can finish it," she grumbled. She kept her mouth shut after that.

Her mum smiled softly. "Come down when you're ready then, sweetie. We'll leave soon." Ginny kissed her daughter's forehead, and then left the room. The door shut behind her with a finality.

Lily pulled in a breath as she zipped up her bag. Inside, she wasn't sure if she wanted to be with the family yet. She wasn't sure exactly what the others thought, what Rose, or Lucy, or Molly, or Dominique thought. Lily chewed on her bottom lip with worry. To be honest and fair, she'd been avoiding Rose. Rose was always hanging around Albus, and Lily didn't want to start anything.

But soon Lily couldn't act like she was packing, so she took her bag downstairs, and sat on the couch. Her brothers were there as well, but they stayed on the other side of the room, and they all ignored each other.

"You kids ready?" Harry asked with a smile as he and Ginny walked in. He seemed to notice the tension in the air between his kids, but he paid no mind to it, and made the decision to talk to his daughter.

"Yeah," all three kids mumbled.

"Are we Flooing in?" James asked.

"Yep, it's a bit more comfortable," Harry commented.

"Can I go first?" Lily asked her father.

Harry smiled, and ruffled her hair. "Go ahead, princess."

Lily smiled, glad that something seemed to be the same. She stood up and brought her bag over to the fireplace. She grabbed a bit of the powder, and moved into the fireplace. "The Burrow!" She threw the powder, and then she was spinning.

Once she reached her grandparents' fireplace, she stumbled out, almost tripping on her own feet as her head spun a little. But two hands caught her shoulders.

"Careful, little Lily." Lily looked to see that her uncle George had been the one to catch her.

Lily cleared her throat and straightened up. "Thank you," she muttered, her cheeks turning pink.

George laughed. "No problem. So, little Lily's a Slytherin? How's that going?"

Lily's cheeks didn't cool, but she felt her insides tense. "Yeah. It's going really well actually. I like it."

As expected, George laughed, but Lily waited for him to speak. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you like it. I'd be upset to hear that you were miserable."

Lily raised a brow. "You're not going to make a crack about me being a Slytherin?" From the stories she'd heard from her uncle himself, he hadn't been too fond of Slytherins during his school years.

George smiled. "No, because then I'd be making a crack about you." At Lily's surprised look, he laughed again. Then, like her father, he ruffled her hair. "We can't all be Gryffindors, little Lily." Then he moved to where her mother had come in through the fireplace, and gave her a hug.

Lily looked at her uncle's back, but then moved to put her bag in the corner. Some of the other kids must have already been there, for there were quite a few bags there already. She dropped her own bag, and then left to the kitchen. Her grandmother was the only one in there, which Lily was a little grateful for.

"Hello, Grandma," Lily greeted with a tentative smile.

Grandma Weasley turned and smiled widely at her youngest grandchild. Then she pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh, Lily! It's so good to have you back!" She let go of her tight grip, and air rushed into Lily's lungs. "How are you liking Hogwarts?"

Lily shrugged as her grandmother went back to the counter. "It's pretty fun actually. I've made a lot of friends."

"That's great! I also heard that you made the Quidditch team. Your father hasn't stopped talking about it since he heard. He's so proud," Molly mentioned.

Lily blushed, but couldn't help but smile. He was proud of her? "Yeah, I did. We won the game against Gryffindor last month," she told her.

"You're Seeker, aren't you? That's a great thing then," her grandmother congratulated. Lily almost laughed. She knew her grandmother wasn't a big Quidditch fan, and didn't know all that much, even though most of her kids had played the game.

"Where's Grandpa?" Lily asked.

"He's out in the shed," Molly said with a smile and a roll of her eyes. "He's out playing with his Muggle contraptions."

Lily smiled, and walked over to the back door. "Well, I think I'm going to go out and say hi."

"He'll be glad to see you, dear," Molly commented.

Lily smiled as she walked outside into the cold. She hurriedly trudged through the snow, and out to her grandfather's shed. Lily loved her grandfather, and they had a great relationship. Lily could always trust her grandfather with anything, which Lily truly loved. She also loved to sit and play around with all his Muggle things with him.

Lily pushed open the shed's door, and saw that her grandfather was kneeling on the floor, fiddling with something that was under a blanket.

"Hey, Grandpa," Lily greeted.

Arthur turned his head, and a big smile spread across his face. "Lily! It's good to see you!" He stood up, wiping his hands on his pants, which were already stained. Even though his hands were still black, Lily hugged him tightly. Out of everyone, Lily had missed him the most.

"How are you, Grandpa?" Lily asked as she pulled out of the hug.

Arthur smiled at his granddaughter. "I'm doing good, Lily. Just fixing something." At those words, he was moving back toward the pile under the blanket.

"What is it?" Lily asked.

Arthur had a mischievous smile, and he picked up his wand. He gave it a flick, and the shed door closed, and Lily heard it lock. Then he grabbed the hem of the blanket, and with a flourish, he pulled the blanket off. Under it was something that Lily vaguely recognized as a Muggle vehicle . . . something called a bike?

"Is this a bike?" Lily asked.

Arthur smiled as he went back to his kneeling position. "It's called a motorcycle. It's like the adult version of a bike."

"Where did you get it?" Lily murmured. She walked toward it and ran her hand over part of the metal. The whole thing was a little dingy, but Lily couldn't help but appreciate it.

"It's your father's. It was given to him by hid godfather, but it hasn't been working since before your father turned seventeen. I've been trying to fix it for years, but to no avail. So now, I'm going to try and fix it the Muggle way, and see if that makes a difference," Arthur explained.

Lily kneeled down next to him. "Can I help?" she asked.

Arthur smiled. "I'd take off the jacket, and I would remember that you're going to get dirty."

Lily shrugged and took off her jacket. "It's ok. What do I do?"

Arthur led her on what to do, giving careful and detailed instructions. Lily did as he said, and soon caught on herself, able to do a few things without being told how. They only spoke a little about things that weren't the bike, but through this, Arthur seemed to pick up on her reason for silence.

"So, how are you taking being a Slytherin?" he asked, finally talking about school.

Lily took in a quiet gulp as she handed him a Muggle tool. "I like it actually. It's great, and I'm glad that I was put there," she said firmly, not showing a bit of weakness.

Arthur gave a chuckle. "I'm glad to hear that. But then what's wrong?"

Lily tried to feign ignorance. "What do you mean?"

"Don't even try, Lily Luna," he chided. "I know something's wrong. What is it?"

Lily fidgeted. "Everything changed," she mumbled. "Well, it's not that every_thing_ changed, but that every_one_ changed. It was the first day, and suddenly was a dirty snake. Like every Slytherin is a death eater, or that their parents were. They think I've changed, but I don't really feel any different," she rambled.

Arthur hummed in thought. "Well, that is a problem. And I've heard stories about you, to be honest. About your fight with your brothers, with Hugo, and I've heard about how you knocked out Albus during your Quidditch match."

"I didn't start any of that!" Lily defended. "James and Albus were prejudice against my House before we even talked, and Hugo agreed with them! And James and Albus were playing dirty before I did!"

Arthur held up a hand in defense. "I'm not blaming you. But I know at least what happened, if not the details behind them."

Lily let out a sigh, feeling a little bad for snapping so quickly. She seemed much more defensive lately. She picked up another tool, and started back on the bike. "James said that he didn't have a sister," she admitted quietly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her grandpa looking at her. "He said that?" he asked.

Lily swallowed thickly. "Yeah. We'd had a fight on his birthday, and he said that he didn't have a sister. We haven't said each other's names since. And Albus seems to agree with them." Lily paused, hating how her eyes were starting to burn a little, as if she were about to cry. "I know I was mad at him. Really mad, but . . . I wouldn't have ever thought about denying that James was my brother. I didn't think it'd crossed his either, but . . . I guess I was wrong," she murmured.

This time, he gave a large sigh. "You know, Lily, years ago, your mother and uncles went through something like that. Percy started denying being a Weasley, and the rest denied that he was their brother. They were so angry. And do you know why?"

Lily stopped what she was doing and looked at him. He looked at her too. Lily shook her head. She hadn't heard this story. "No. Why?"

"Because they felt betrayed. At that time, the ministry was almost like an enemy to us, and he was siding with it. They felt like he was betraying them. He didn't come home for Christmas, and when I had my accident, he didn't come then. We didn't even really exchange words at work. I know how you feel about this," he empathized.

Lily felt that burn around her eyes go up a bit. "What did you do?" she asked.

He sighed again. "Sadly, there wasn't anything I could do. He was so set in his ways. And I'm not sure that there's anything you can do. Every one of you kids are stubborn. And I'm not condoning how James feels, but to him, Slytherins are the enemy, and not only has his baby sister joined them, but she also is siding with them. How else could he feel?"

"I just don't get it!" Lily exclaimed intensely. "I mean, I didn't choose to be a Slytherin, but that's what I am! And I've been around the Slytherins, and I haven't found a reason to hate them all! James just doesn't like them because of the past!"

Arthur shrugged as he wiped off his hands and picked up a different gadget. "That may be true. James is very loyal, so loyal that he'll hold a grudge for something that happened before he was even thought of. But look at it this way. If James became best friends with someone that you hated, someone that you know he hated, how would you feel?"

Lily didn't answer that. She wanted to say that she'd accept it, and after everything that had happened, maybe she would have. But if she hadn't been outcast by them all, if she hadn't been rejected, would she have been able to feel betrayed about it? Would she be able to hate her own brother for something like that?

When Lily and her grandpa left the shed, she would agree that she was filthy. Her hands were almost completely black, and her jeans and shirt were beyond stained. And once she entered the kitchen, Lily concluded the rest of the family had arrived, because every one of her aunts and uncles were sitting around the kitchen. She started to wonder how long they'd been out there.

"What is on your hands?" Hermione asked once she saw her niece.

Lily gave a sheepish grin. "I was helping Grandpa."

"And she did wonderfully," Arthur complimented.

Molly rolled her eyes. "Well go on and wash your hands then. And change your clothes as well," she commanded.

Lily bit back a laugh. "Ok. I'll do that." She left the kitchen, and entered the living room. The only person that was in there was Molly, and she was reading. Lily didn't want to disturb her, so she didn't speak. She almost grabbed her bag, but then saw her hands again and decided that picking up her bag would not be a good idea. So she moved toward the stairs, and ascended to the next floor. She could hear a lot of voices as she passed her uncle George's old room, and assumed that the rest of the kids were in there. Lily moved passed it, and went into the bathroom.

Lily washed her hands thoroughly, getting all of the black off of them. She dried her hands, and left the bathroom, planning to get some clothes out of her bag to change into. But before she could make it to the stairs, someone was pulling her into another room. Lily turned around quickly to see Rose closing the door.

"What are you doing?" Lily demanded, her heart pounding with shock.

Rose gave a sheepish grin. "I wanted to talk to you, and this way, you can't run."

Lily sighed as her heart calmed. She was glad to see that there was no anger or hostility in Rose's eyes. That was a good thing. Right?

"What did you want then?" Lily asked calmly. She didn't want Rose to hear that she was worried. The whole thought of this upcoming conversation worried her.

Rose gave a sigh of her own. "Well, I just wanted to talk to you. I never get to at school. It's like you're avoiding me."

Lily shrugged, deciding not to lie. "I was. You hang out with Albus all the time. And I get it, he's your best friend, but I don't want to speak to Albus."

Rose gave her a sympathetic look. A look that Lily didn't want to see. "They're just upset, Lily. They'll get over it."

Lily snorted. "I doubt that. I can't imagine the boys apologizing and admitting they were wrong."

Rose rolled her eyes. "It's something all three of you need to do."

Lily shrugged again. "Maybe, but they deserve to have to do it first. They started it."

"Probably, but why can't you be the bigger person and let it go?" Rose questioned.

"I do. I only get into fights with them when they start with me," Lily defended.

"Look, I know that James and Albus have problems with the Slytherin House," Rose stated.

"They hate it," Lily interrupted.

"But," Rose continued, "that doesn't mean you have to ignore all of us."

"I've never gotten on with Molly and Dominique anyway," Lily said, avoiding what Rose was getting at.

"But you did with me, and Roxy, and Lucy, and Louis. Why has that changed?" Rose murmured.

Lily shrugged. "I have classes, and I have new friends. You guys always hang out with each other, and I can't be anywhere near Albus, James, or Hugo without fighting. They won't let it happen."

"Lily, we're family. You're going to throw it away just because you can't ignore your brothers' comments? You're just going to abandon us for your new friends that you've known for a few months?" Rose said incredulously.

Lily looked at the floor. "They accept that I'm a Slytherin."

"So do I! So do Louis, and Roxy and Lucy! We grew up together, and you'll abandon us for them?" Rose demanded.

"You want me to just abandon them?" Lily retorted. "I hang out with them. I like to hang out with them. They're my best friends! And funny enough," Lily said with spite, "you haven't even considered that I bring them around you guys with me!"

"You know the problems that would cause," Rose argued.

"Do you know the problems that bringing me there would cause?" Lily demanded. "Let's face it, Rose, things are different now!"

"Apparently," Rose murmured. "Lily, you were like my own sister."

Lily felt a pang of guilt, but she didn't let it show. Instead she gave a sneer. "We were never really sisters anyway."

Lily watched at a bit of that hostility entered Rose's eyes. "I guess so."

Lily brushed past her, not wanting to see anymore of that hostility. She hurried down the stairs, wanting to change her clothes. Wanting to change everything.

* * *

A dinner at The Burrow on Christmas Eve was never quiet, and even with all the tension between the cousin, it still wasn't quiet. Lily was just excluded from the conversations between the kids. Until Louis took a seat next to her.

"How have you been, Lil?" he asked, taking a bite of potatoes.

Lily took a drink from her glass before answering. "I've been better. You?"

"Not bad actually. I didn't get to tell you that you did a nice job during that Quidditch match," he mentioned.

Lily smiled. "Thanks. I actually hadn't expected to win."

"Confidence is the key," Louis retorted. "So, you're friends with Lola Pritchard and Jake Pucey?" he asked.

Lily chuckled, but hesitating. She wasn't sure what Louis thought about them. "It's Jace, and yeah, I hang with them a lot. They're my best friends."

Louis only gave a nod. "Glad to hear that. I haven't seen much of you, and I was a little worried at first that you were hiding out somewhere," he said with a laugh. Lily joined him.

Lily continued to talk with only Louis for the rest of the night. He tried to teach her how to play chess, although she was still miserable at it, so they switched to Exploding Snap. When the night started to come to a close, Lily and Louis stayed out of the game for the couch and armchair. They didn't really care who slept where. But they did watch the game the others played, laughing to themselves when James beat Molly, and Molly threw a fit about cheating. It was even better when Lucy had won the couch, making James sleep on the armchair.

Lily and Louis chose spots on the floor next to each other, both still whispering quietly to each other. Lily was feeling her spirts lift immensely. She did have a friend among her cousins, one that didn't judge anything about her or what she did.


	6. The Quidditch Cup Tension

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Six: The Quidditch Cup Tension

Lily sighed as she sat in a compartment with Lola and Jace. They were all on their way back to Hogwarts. The rest of Christmas Break had been relatively quiet for Lily. No fights had been started, and Lily mostly just hung around Louis during Christmas. Lily had gone back to her grandparents' house more often so that she could help her grandpa fix the bike. It was turning out to be a lot of fun, even if they hardly knew what they were doing.

But Lily was happy to be back on the train, and was very happy to see both of her friends again. She'd sent them both a gift, sending Lola a set of potions for her hair, since she always complained about it in the morning, and then she sent Jace a big box of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products. The gifts she got back were fantastic. Lola had sent her a green journal, which Lily had taken to using several times a week. And Jace had sent her a new portable wireless, and Lily had taken to listening to it every chance she got. They had it playing in their compartment as soon as the train had left.

But Lily's favorite gift she'd gotten from a friend was what she was wearing now. It was a headband with a lily attached to the side. The lily was a pale white, and the headband color changed every few minutes. But that wasn't all. With the headband, she'd also gotten a little stuffed, silver snake. Lily loved them, and had sent Scorpius Malfoy something great in return. She'd sent him a very elegant, forest green silk jacket. And as a bonus, she had gone to Madam Malkin's, and had her stitch a silver snake on the back.

"I'm not sure if I wanna go back to school," Jace mumbled. "You know they're just going to pack homework onto us before the exams."

"I doubt it will be that hard," Lola said with a roll of her eyes.

"For smart people," Jace countered. "But I'm practically failing half of my classes."

"Don't worry, Jace," Lily assured, "we'll make sure you get through it."

"Speak for yourself," Lola muttered, flipping to the next page of her magazine.

Lily bit back a laugh at the glare Jace sent toward Lola. But an argument was saved as Christian walked into the compartment.

"Hello, you three. How were your Christmases?" he asked, taking a seat next to Jace.

"Boring," Jace replied.

"Normal," Lola mumbled.

"Awkward," Lily answered. Then they all laughed. "How about you, Christian?"

Christian shrugged. "Not too bad. My little brother followed me around, I got a lot of presents, and I was forced to go to a bunch of adult parties so that I could hang out with a bunch of younger kids."

Jace whistled. "Sucks to be you."

"How'd it turn out with your family, Lil?" Christian asked.

Lily hummed a moment before explaining. "Well, my brothers and Hugo still hate me, Rose doesn't want to see me anymore, the others ignored me, and the only person on my side is Louis. So . . . better than expected I guess," she laughed.

"Sounds like it went well enough," Christian joked.

The compartment door slid open again, and two older Gryffindor boys walked in. "Well, Todd, it looks like we did find a compartment," one of the boys commented.

"Yeah, we just gotta clean the trash out of it," the other replied with a grin. Both boys laughed.

All four Slytherins glared at the Gryffindors. Lola closed her magazine, sitting up, Jace straightened up, and Lily stood from her seat. Her glare was the meanest. "Get out," she hissed.

Both boys grinned wider, looking as if they would soon begin to laugh. The one who had spoken first stepped closer, a swagger in his stance. "And are four little first years gunna make us?" he taunted.

Even though she was still glaring, Lily grinned. She'd been raised around older boys, and knew how to handle them in a fight, whether it was verbal or physical. She stepped closer too, her head just reaching his chest. To other girls, he would have been intimidating, but to Lily, he was just another arrogant jerk.

"Do I have to?" she asked, keeping her tone calm.

She could see a bit of surprise in the boy's eyes, but he was still more cocky than anything. "You really think that you can?" he laughed.

Lily thought back to the one piece of advice her Aunt Audrey had given her when fighting boys, and had decided to take it. With quick precision, Lily slammed her knee up, smashing into the older boy's groin. Said boy let out a high-pitched moan, his hands moving to protect himself as he fell to his knees.

"You crazy bitch!" the other boy exclaimed angrily. He began to pull out his wand.

"What are you all doing in here?" a voice from behind the other boy demanded. They all turned to see Ginger Pritchard standing at the door to the compartment.

"Sis," Lola sighed in relief.

Ginger was glaring at the two Gryffindor boys. "I said, what is going on?" she demanded again.

The boy still standing sneered as he nodded toward Lily. "She kneed him in the dick," he growled, not bothering to be modest.

Ginger's face was twisted in disgust as she looked at the boy kneeling on the floor. Then she looked at Lily. "Good job." She looked back at the boy. "Well, I'll tell you what I saw. I saw two older boys coming in here, thinking that they could kick out four kids that were already in there. So how about I give you both detentions for the next week?"

"That's bull!" the boy argued.

"Well, Kirke, when I care, I'll let you know," Ginger retorted. "Now both of you have ten seconds to get about before it's two weeks."

The Kirke boy lifted his friend, and with harsh glares, the boys left the compartment, the other boy groaning painfully. Ginger watched after them.

"Thanks, sis," Lola thanked.

Ginger looked back at her sister. In no way did they look like sisters. Ginger was tall for a girl, and her hair was a coppery color. Her narrow eyes were a forest green, and her skin wasn't as pale as Lola's, but instead was quite a bit tan.

Ginger shrugged. "It was no problem. Kirke and Sloper are known to be asses toward younger Slytherins. It's really unattractive, I've been wanting to knee Sloper for a while now, so I'm glad that someone did."

Lily moved to sit back down. "I wasn't going to let two dumb Gryffindors try to intimidate me," she replied.

Ginger smirked. "Glad to hear it, Lily Luna." Lily rolled her eyes at the nickname. She's pretty much forgotten about it over the holidays. "You kiddies behave now," Ginger teased. She closed the compartment door, and they could hear her heels click as she walked away.

"Thank Merlin your sister came," Christian said to Lola. "That could have been very ugly."

"Just like you, huh, Lola?" Jace teased.

Lola kicked his knee, making him nurse it for the rest of the train ride to school.

* * *

Within the next few days the news about Lily kneeing Harper Sloper in the groin had spread through the whole student body. The Slytherins were the only ones that seemed to tell the real stories, while kids from the other Houses had twisted the story, talking of how she had brutally attacked him, or how she had knocked him out. Now some kids seemed a bit terrified around her, but Lily ignored them. What Lily didn't ignore though were the praises that she was constantly getting from other Slytherins, especially the older ones. She'd even been invited to an older Slytherins' party.

"You should go!" Lola had insisted. "No one but fifth years and up are allowed to go, with the occasional fourth year! A first year has never gone!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "There's no point in going. I'm just going to end up hanging around a bunch of older kids, who are intent on getting smashed, and then I'll get to watch one or perhaps two of them throw up their vital organs because they can't handle firewhiskey. It's pointless. I'd rather spend time with people I actually like," she remarked.

Jace laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders. "And we love you for that fact."

But on the night of the Slytherin party, Lily didn't go straight to sleep. Instead, she journeyed to the kitchens, and got a few snacks to eat. Then she sat in front of the fireplace alone in the common room. She had brought down a book as well. It was one that Lily had recently grown to appreciate. It was all about a pureblood wizard falling in love with a Muggle girl. And how because of that one thing, his entire family turned against him and hated him. Lily could empathize with that part.

"Out for a bit of midnight reading?" Lily jumped, startled. She turned around to see Scorpius Malfoy descending the stairs. "Can't sleep?" he asked.

Lily grinned, marking her place in the book as she closed it. "No, I just didn't want to. I'm not really tired. You?"

Scorpius came around to sit next to her. "Same I guess. I just didn't feel like going to sleep." They were silent for a moment, but then Scorpius looked at her. "So, I never got to ask, how was your Christmas?"

Lily shrugged. "I guess it wasn't terrible. I talked with Louis, hung out with my grandpa, and did my best to avoid the rest of my cousins, since they pretty much all hate me." Lily smiled wryly at him. "And yours?"

Scorpius grinned. "Well, it was ok, at least when other were there. Otherwise, I mainly just fought with my grandfather."

Lily raised a brow. "Really? Why?"

"We always fight," he replied. "He thinks that I don't represent the Malfoy name well, because I don't spout out pureblood supremacy, and he thinks that I don't respect him. But I'll honestly tell him that I don't respect him."

Lily chuckled. "You don't like him?"

"No. I can't stand him. And now he hates that I've accepted a Potter into Slytherin," Scorpius teased.

"He doesn't like me?" Lily asked with a grin.

"Nope, so I wore the jacket you gave me for the rest of the break," Scorpius laughed. Lily laughed with him.

"So you'll do anything to annoy him?" Lily questioned.

He nodded. "Yup. You wanna help?" he asked.

Lily smiled. "What would I have to do?"

Scorpius shrugged. "You wanna come over during summer break?" he asked.

Lily's smile grew. "Sure. Why not."

Scorpius smirked. "Great." He looked at her face, and then glanced up. "So you like the gift I sent?" he asked.

My hand involuntarily, and I touched the lily on her headband. Then she looked back at him. "I love it. It was my favorite gift this year."

"I'm glad, because I had a hard time picking something out, so I decided to make something," he mentioned.

Lily's eyes widened. "You made this?"

He chuckled. "Well, I bought the headband and the lily. I had my mum help me attach the lily to the headband, and my dad suggested a spell that would make it change colors. So I guess my parents made it really. But it was my idea if that helps."

Lily leaned forward and hugged him, her cheeks turning pink. She felt Scorpius tense a bit, but then he relaxed and hugged her back. Lily pulled back and smiled at him. "Thank you. It's the best gift I've ever gotten."

Scorpius actually smiled this time, his own cheeks turning pink as well. He ruffled her hair a little. "No problem, Lily. You deserve nothing less than something great," he murmured.

* * *

Days kept passing, and Lily was soon growing accustom to ignoring her family around the halls, Louis being the exception. When the game against Ravenclaw came around, Slytherin crushed them, 510-180. The more times Lily caught the Snitch, the more popular she became among the Slytherins, and the more hated she became to kids from other Houses.

When the time for Easter Break came around, Lily stayed at school. And once she heard that most of her family was going home, she was relieved that she wouldn't have to work to avoid people. All of her friends stayed too, so they were practically free from fights. But since the exams were approaching, teachers had packed homework on their students, and half of the break was spent doing their work. And for Lily, a fourth of her time was put into Quidditch practice. Aaron had demanded that all the players stay at school, and they practiced almost every day of the break. Every night, Lily went to bed exhausted.

When the break ended, Aaron stepped the practices up. They had them even more often, and they lasted two hours longer. Their last game against Hufflepuff was coming close, and Aaron wanted a big lead against them. Gryffindor and Slytherin were top candidates for the cup, but Aaron had confidence, because Gryffindor killed Hufflepuff, and Slytherin had beaten Gryffindor earlier that year. But the problem was that Gryffindor still had one match left against Ravenclaw, and even Aaron couldn't believe that Gryffindor would lose the game. But what matter was how much they won by.

When the whole team sat, dressed and ready, in the locker room before the game, Aaron paced around them.

"What's the game plan, Captain?" Raven Bole asked.

Aaron sighed. "Ok. I want us to play like never before. Once we'd knocked out Potter in our first match, we got cocky. With Ravenclaw, we were lazy. For this game, I want us to be intense every second of the match. And, Potter," he addressed, "I don't want you to catch the Snitch until we have at least 500 hundred points. Until then, just keep the other Seeker from catching the Snitch. I don't care if you have to play dirty to do it."

Lily nodded. "You got it."

"Bole, Goyle," both boys looked at Aaron, "ever so often, try and take out their Keeper and Seeker. Bole, you go for the Keeper. Your aim is better, and I want the Keeper out more. Goyle, you take the Seeker. Now, don't make that your main priority, but ever now and then, take a shot at them. Got it."

"No problem."

"You got it, bro."

"Good. Now, Chasers, I want an impressive amount of teamwork. And, Montague, as Keeper, I want you at the top of your game. I want you to be so good that they get no more than ten goals past you," Aaron stated. "Am I clear?"

"Totally."

"Let's do this!"

"We'll crush them!"

"Hufflepuff's no match for us!"

Aaron smiled at the enthusiasm. "Then let's get out there!"

They all got up, shuffling into a line. Aaron led them out onto the field. They ignored the boos from other teams, keeping their composure. Lily scanned the Hufflepuff Seeker. She was tiny and thin, the usual Seeker build. She looked like maybe a second year. Lily worried a bit, wondering how fast she was.

But once Lily was in the air and playing the game, she didn't focus on how big he was, just on how good his vision was. She kept her eyes on him, yet also searched the area around him for the Snitch. She wasn't going to get caught in the same trick she'd played on Albus.

"Bole takes a shot at the Hufflepuff Keeper, Paxton Smith . . . and he dodges the Bludger, but can't make the save against Goyle's shot. The score is now ten to zero, with Slytherin in the lead," Meredith announced. "Paxton throws the Quaffle to Grace Macmillan, who swerves past Adrian Flint and makes her way down the field. But she's intercepted by Aaron Goyle, who quickly loses the Quaffle to Natalya Whitby. Whitby zooms down the field with Scorpius Malfoy on her tail."

Lily did her best to listen as she watched out for the Snitch and the other Seeker. She groaned when she heard Whitby score a goal. The game kept going, and luckily, Slytherin starting pulling farther and farther away with the lead. Lily had seen the Snitch a couple of times, and had led the other Seeker away from it. She'd dodged a few Bludgers that Lars had hit when she was too close to the Hufflepuff Seeker. Bole and Lars were very intent on their given goals, along with knocking the Chasers. Already, Bole had knocked one of the Hufflepuff Chasers, Gary Fleet, off of his broom, and he was carried off of the field. But then the moment Aaron had wanted came.

"And Malfoy has the Quaffle, and he passes it to Flint, and Flint passes it to Goyle. Goyle throws it back to Flint, and Flint tosses it to Malfoy, who kicks it at the goal. Paxton is there all ready to catch it . . . but a Bludger knocks him off the broom and toward the ground, and Malfoy makes the shot! Two hundred and thirty to eighty, Slytherin in the lead!" Meredith called.

Lily stopped flying to watch as Paxton Smith crashed to the ground, out cold. She cheered with the rest of the team as he was carried away.

"The game looks bleak for Hufflepuff. But wait! Has Rickett seen the Snitch?" Meredith almost screamed.

Lily flipped around to look at tiny Kimberly Rickett, and saw that she was swiftly moving toward a glint of gold. Lily flew after her, thankful that her broom was one of the fastest models. But no matter what, she could only catch up to the tail of Rickett's broom. Then Lily heard the wind whistling even louder. Then something hit her shoulder.

Lily hissed angrily as the Bludger connected with her shoulder, muttering curses. But the Bludger continued on its path, and knocked into the back of to Rickett's head. She went limp, and slowly, Lily watched her start to fall. Going on instinct, Lily sped up close to Rickett's slowing broom, and caught her Quidditch robe's sleeve, and held on tight, pulling her back up. Slowly, Lily led her back down to the ground, where Professors Macmillan and Bell were rushing over to help. When Lily got off of her broom, she kept Rickett propped up.

"Is she ok?" Professor Macmillan asked.

"Just knocked out," Lily replied. Professor Bell conjured up a stretcher, and Professor Macmillan and Lily loaded her onto it.

"Thank you, Miss Potter," Professor Bell said.

Lily ignored her blush. "It's no problem. Something any decent person would do." Without another comment, Lily remounted her broom and took off back into the air. She got back into the game, listening for a score.

"Malfoy's got the Quaffle, he passes it to Flint, but it's intercepted by Whitby. She's flanked by Flint and Goyle, Goyle knocks it out of her hand, and throws it back to Malfoy, who takes the shot and makes it," Meredith commented. "The score is now 340 to 80, Slytherin dominating the game."

The game kept going, and Hufflepuff was in bad shape. They had lost their Keeper, Seeker, and one of their Chasers. Lily circled above the game, watching every goal Slytherin scored as Hufflepuff to just get the ball in their possession. When they got 500, Lily decided to wait until they had a perfect 500 ahead of the Hufflepuff team. Once they hit 580, Lily started to search. She saw the small glint of gold down below, and Lily dove down after it. The Snitch continued down, not going up or turning, but just straight down. When Lily got close to a foot above the ground, the Snitch kept close to the ground, as if it was trying to hide in the grass. Lily reached her hand out for it, her knuckles scraping across the ground. She felt the Snitch in her hand, and her foot caught the ground, and she spun off the broom.

Lily crashed to the ground, a deja-vu of catching the firework earlier in the year. She kept her fist clenched, keeping a hold of the Snitch. The pain she felt was pretty dull, a lot less than the last time she crashed. As she lay on her back, she held her fist up for everyone to see.

"Potter has the Snitch! Slytherin beats Hufflepuff, 760 to 80!" Meredith groaned.

As Lily got up, the rest of the team started to descend and land around her. Scorpius helped her stand back up, and Aaron was congratulating the two Beaters. Then he turned to the rest of them.

"You guys did awesome. Exactly what I said." Aaron grinned. "I think we've got the Quidditch Cup in the bag."

* * *

The next day, Aaron had posted a score sheet on the bulletin board in the Slytherin common room. So far Slytherin had a major lead after their big win against Hufflepuff. They were beating second place by 1030 points. They were beating Gryffindor by 1150. No one could see Gryffindor getting that many points in one game. And to be sure, Aaron had demanded that every Slytherin player attend the game next week.

For that entire week, it was extremely tense. The violence between some Houses, Slytherin and Gryffindor, increased by the second. Lily and Hugo exploded at each other at least once a day. There was news of a fight between the Houses every day. And for the first, Slytherin had Ravenclaw on its side.

The day before the match, both Lily and Scorpius had walked into dinner late after a detention. They sat down by the others, who had waited for them, and started to eat.

"Gryffindor?" Lana asked.

"They're poor losers. They know they can't win," Scorpius muttered.

"It was a poor argument, so they turned it into a fight," Lily explained.

Scorpius started to laugh. "They even tried to attack how Lily helped Rickett down to the ground after she got knocked out!"

Lola looked astonished. "How could they attack that? That was really honorable!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "They thought I was being a suck up. And how I didn't talk to Rickett after the game supposedly proved it." She gave an unladylike snort. "As if that was why. I didn't talk to her because I don't know her. What the heck would I even say?"

"She should have thanked you though," Jace remarked.

Lily shrugged. "That's her business. I really don't care."

"It makes you feel uncomfortable, doesn't it?" Scorpius teased.

Lily glared at him, her cheeks turning pink. "Shut up, Scorpius," she hissed.

Scorpius only smiled and laughed.

* * *

When the day of the last match of the season came around, the tension was at an all time high. Lily walked to the game with the team, which was joined by Lana, Lola, and Jace. When they got to the stands, Gryffindor seemed to be doing everything they could to encourage their team. They had signs and banners for each player. Scorpius had scoffed and rolled his eyes at the signs, calling them unneeded.

When the game actually started, Lily forgot all about the rivalry. Instead, she was focused on actually watching her family and their friends play. The only time she'd ever watched them, and not played herself, was when she was younger, and they all said she was too little. She'd forgotten how amazing they were. Like Rose, who wasn't a big fan, was barely intercepted by the other players. Or how Lucy, so thin and tiny, could play as an excellent Keeper, and could bat away a Quaffle in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, Lily felt a pang of longing and envy. For the first time since she was a little girl, Lily wanted to play with her family again. She wanted to play alongside her brothers and cousins. She wanted to have that family teamwork. But inside she knew that she would never have that again.

"That was a foul!" Scorpius groaned. "Both Weasley and Potter were near the goals! That's Stooging! You can't do that!"

"Calm down, the Keeper blocked the shot," Raven Bole replied.

Hours later, the game was still going, and neither team had more than three hundred points. Both teams had practiced their defenses very well.

"They need to just give up," Lars commented with a yawn.

"Well, Davies is looking a little more alert, so I think he's given it up," Adrian commented.

Lily looked up at the Seekers, and Davies was looking for the Snitch a little harder than he had been. And Albus was keeping his eye on him.

"I'm not surprised. They can't catch us, and they are in the lead," Lana remarked.

"Wait! Looks like Potter gave up too!" Jace exclaimed, pointing toward the sky. Albus was zooming through the air, and Lily caught sight of the gold glint he was after. Within seconds, he caught it, signaling the end of the game, Gryffindor winning.

"Gryffindor wins!" Meredith cheers. "The score ends with four hundred and seventy points for Gryffindor, and three hundred and fifty points for Ravenclaw!"

It was the Slytherins that cheered the loudest. The headmaster came over the megaphone. "Well, I know that the Slytherin team is here, so will the team come down to the field please?" Professor Brown asked.

The rowdy team made their way down to the pitch, celebrating the entire way. Once they were on the field, Professor Brown was on the pitch, the cup in his hands. Professor Slughorn was standing next to him, beaming proudly. The team lined up in front of him.

"I proudly pronounce Slytherin the winners of the Quidditch Cup," Professor Brown announced loudly.

He handed the cup to Aaron, who held it proudly above his head. Then with a grin, he passed it down the line of the team. Lily was the last one to have it in her hands, and Aaron boosted her up onto his shoulders. Lily held the cup up high. And suddenly, she remembered the story her dad had told the three kids about when he first won the Quidditch Cup at school, and of how great it felt.

She finally understood that feeling.


	7. The End of the Beginning

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seven: The End of the Beginning

Lily never had troubles with classes or homework, in fact it was quite easy for her. But she hadn't expected the workload they'd get two weeks before exams. In her eyes, the only class that was taking it easy was Charms. There were barely any essays, but mainly just practice on the spells they'd learned. It soon became almost every first year's favorite class.

"I hate school!" Jace groaned into his open Potions book. "This sucks! This sucks!" he hissed.

"Don't be a baby, big ears," Lola snapped with a roll of her eyes. Although she would never admit it, the pressure of all the homework had started to stress her out as well.

"We're first years!" Jace moaned. "We shouldn't have this much homework!"

"Well we do, so suck it up!" Lola retorted.

"Ok, children," Lily intervened. "Let's just finish these essays." Lily looked over Jace's work. "The potion turns green after adding the nettles," she instructed.

Jace looked at what he'd written. His head fell to the table in defeat. "I give up," he muttered.

Lily laughed. "Just fix that, and then finish the essay. I'll help you go over it to make sure it's right."

"You're a lifesaver, Lil," he said in relief.

Lily grinned. "It's in the blood."

* * *

When the day for exams came, you went in the order of your class schedule for the day. That meant that Slytherin and Gryffindor had their Potions exam first. Professor Slughorn had them make a Forgetfulness Potion. Lily found it to be very easy, and each step was easy to follow. Toward the end, she found that she still had time, so she let it simmer a little longer to produce a better effect when someone would drink it. This was something that Professor Slughorn had bragged about.

"Miss Potter here has made the best I've seen in years. She even remembered that if you let it heat a little longer, the color will change, showing that the effect is more potent. Well done, Miss Potter. Twenty-five points to Slytherin!" Slughorn cheered.

Lily grinned smugly over at Hugo, whose potion had turned into a sickly yellow. When they all left the classroom, Jace hugged Lily tightly.

"Thank you! Thank you for going over potions with me yesterday!" he thanked.

Lily laughed as he pulled away. "How'd you do?"

He grinned. "Not perfect, but much better than I would have. Mine actually turned close to the right color!" he exclaimed. Then he looked over at Lola. "Hey, dirty, how'd you do?"

Lola grinned smugly at him. "Mine turned exactly the right color. Not a shade different."

Jace rolled his eyes. "And she'll probably never let me forget," he muttered to Lily.

Herbology was next, and the first years had to write a very detailed paper on what Devil's Snare was and what it could do, and then how to pot it correctly. For bonus points, Professor Longbottom said that if you could recite the poem that explained how to kill the plant, and then explain what the poem said, he'd add up to five points to your total score.

Transfiguration followed, and Lily found this one to be the toughest so far. You had to turn a hamster into a deck of cards, and then turn it back. Points got taken off if there were any hamster-like qualities left on the deck, and points were added if every card was there. Lily held her breath as Professor Bell counted the cards. She let out a relieved sigh when Professor Bell reached fifty-two. Then Lily countered her curse, and turned the cards back into a hamster. Professor Bell smiled, congratulating her, and then let her leave. Lily was thankful that the professor didn't seem to notice the small red heart on the hamster's belly.

"That sucked!" Jace complained as they sat at lunch. "Professor Bell must hate us! My cards had feet and started running across the table."

Lily and Lola hid their laughs behind their hands. Christian patted Jace's shoulder. "Don't worry, dude, mine blew up when I tried to change it back."

Lily and Lola couldn't hide it anymore.

After lunch they had History of Magic, which was what everyone was dreading. For an hour, they all had to sit in silence and answer a thousand questions on things that no one found necessary. Things like the Self-Stirring Cauldron, Magic Carpets, and who made the first broom. Lily rushed through it, and then when she found she had too much time to just sit there, she started going over her answers, but found no mistake to fix. So she started to make her quill float around the paper. Then for fun, she tried to make the ink in her bottle float. She got it to float, but for only a few seconds before it sloshed back into the bottle.

"I hate history!" Lola seethed. They were leaving the classroom, and making their way through the crowd.

"What happened?" Lily asked. Lola had never complained about it before.

"I had a complete blank!" she groaned. "Like all of that studying flew away!"

Jace laughed. "Don't worry. I didn't do much better. I left a lot of them blank."

Lily rolled her eyes at Jace. "I'll be surprised if you pass to second year."

Jace laughed. "Second time's the charm."

Lola scoffed. "That's third time, moron."

Next was Charms, and as the past weeks had shown, the exam was easy. All you had to do was make a vase float around the room. Lily ended up having fun with it, making a book float as well, and making a quill write on a piece of parchment. Professor Flitwick had laughed with her, and exclaimed about how she was going to be an excellent Charms student for her whole school career.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was their last exam before dinner. Lily found this one to be fun too. Professor Creevey had things float around you, and you had to repel them with a Knockback Jinx. All that was left was Astronomy, and then they would be done.

When the exams were done, and they all went to dinner, Jace practically danced as they walked.

"I can't believe that it's almost finally over!" he cheered. "All is right in the world!"

"You are such a drama queen," Lola mocked.

Jace ignored her. It seemed nothing could put a damper on his mood. "I can finally eat and not feel like I'm swallowing rocks or something!"

The three sat down at the Slytherin table, and immediately started to eat, relieved that the stress of the exams was lifted. Everyone was more relaxed, except for the fifth and seventh years who still had another day of exams.

"I am not looking forward to that," Jace muttered.

Later that night before bed, the first years took their Astronomy exam. Lily found this one boring. All they did was name constellations and moons. It was a dull hour. But no matter how dull it was, every first year had a good sleep that night.

* * *

The time leading up to getting back their results was met with a quiet week. There were no fights, not even between Gryffindor and Slytherin. A few times Lily had taken the time to hang out with Louis. She usually brought Lola and Jace with her, and Louis never seemed to mind. In fact, he got along great with them, and he would sometimes bring his friend Paul Bradley.

When Lily got her exams back, she was very surprised. She got a perfect score on everything. She got a hundred and thirteen percent on Herbology, and a hundred and five percent on Charms. She even had a hundred and two percent on Transfiguration. Lily stared at the paper in shock as they sat in the common room.

"Well, at least I'm going to my second year," Jace sighed, dropping his scores on the table in front of them. "My highest was a ninety-eight. And that was in Charms. I got a seventy-two in History of Magic. I'm surprised I passed it."

"At least I beat your score in History of Magic," Lola teased.

"What did you get?" Lily asked.

"Seventy-three," Lola said with a laugh. "I did really good otherwise. I got a one hundred in Potions."

"How about you, Lil?" Jace asked, laying back on the chair, his legs stretching over his chair's arm.

Lily looked back at her scores. Then she shrugged. "I did pretty good I guess," she said, waving the scores off. "I'm going to join you for second year," she teased.

Jace laughed. "Welcome to the pack!"

* * *

On the last day of school, Lily found herself packing the rest of her things. She'd procrastinated doing it for the last week. She put her books in, then all her other little knickknacks and such. She filed her score sheet into her Potions book. She knew her parents would want to see it. They'd always had the boys keep theirs so they could see them. Inside, Lily felt a little smug at the thought. Her brothers had never received the scores that she had.

But then her insides dropped. She was going home, to brothers and cousins that couldn't stand her. At Hogwarts it was easy to avoid them, but at home . . . it would be impossible. And this wasn't going to be like Christmas break. She would be stuck with them for months, and to add even more onto it, her uncle Ron and aunt Hermione visited often, bringing Rose and Hugo with them.

On the train the next day, Lily sat in a compartment with Lola, Jace, Lana, Scorpius, and Mitch Avery, another Slytherin in Scorpius's year.

"I can't believe the year's already over," Lola sighed, resting her head against the class of the window.

"It kinda sucks. It means that we're one year closer to O.W.L.s, and Rose Weasley loves to point that out," Mitch groaned.

Lily chuckled. "Just wait until you get to your fifth year. I doubt she'll ever shut up."

Scorpius laughed with her. "So, when can you come over, Lily Lu?"

Lily rolled her eyes at the name. "I don't know. Whenever I guess."

"She's going to your house?" Mitch asked.

"Trying to annoy your grandfather again?" Lana asked knowingly.

Scorpius grinned. "Hey, it would bug her brothers too. Kill two birds with one stone."

"What if your parents don't let you?" Jace teased.

Lily shrugged. "Then I'll just lie and say I'm going over to Teddy's or something. Anything to get out of the house."

"We should all get together sometime this summer," Lana suggested. "Like, we could meet up in Diagon Alley or something."

"How about next week on Tuesday?" Mitch suggested. "My parents are taking my siblings to see a crappy Quidditch game. They oddly want to see the Chudley Cannons lose another match. I'm skipping out."

"That sounds fine for me," Lana nodded. "Should I tell Lars?"

"Yeah, bring him too. He'll be pissy if he knows we didn't invite him," Scorpius laughed.

"I'll be there," Jace told them.

"My parents won't care," Lily said with a shrug.

"Lola?" Mitch asked.

Lola nodded. "Yeah, I'll be able to get out. I just hope my parents don't make me take one of my siblings." She looked disgusted at the thought.

"We can pawn them off at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, if you do," Mitch assured.

"Yeah, it's easy to spend hours in there," Jace agreed.

"I've spent more time there than you could imagine," Lily muttered.

For the rest of the train ride, the six stayed in the compartment, enjoying each other's company. Lily felt relaxed, until the time came to get off the train. She waited for the others, and Scorpius brought down her trunk. The six walked through the crowd together, searching for their families. Lily, Lana, and Scorpius were the last ones together. They decided to look for Lily's family, since Lana and Scorpius's parents would most likely be together. Lily grimaced when they did find them.

"Well, good luck, Lil," Lana said, hugging Lily tightly.

Lily sighed. "Thanks. I might need a lot of luck."

Scorpius laughed. "Well you've got mine." He wrapped her in a hug, and lifted her off her feet. Lily laughed, kicking at his legs. Scorpius put her down, still laughing. Lily looked at her family from the corner of her eye, and could see quite a few sour or unsure faces.

Lily smiled. "And I get the feeling that you just made the ride home much more relaxed," she mocked.

Scorpius laughed again. "No problem, Lily Luna. I'll beat 'em next time I see them," he joked.

Lily shook her head, and grabbed her trunk and Regal's cage again. "I'll see you two on Tuesday. And I'll find out when I can go to your house," Lily told them.

"Alright. Bye, Lil."

"Later, Lily Lu."

Lily turned around and walked back toward her family. Teddy came up and grabbed Regal's cage and her trunk. "I'll take this. You're riding with me and Victoire."

Lily felt elated at the news. "You two are coming over?"

Teddy nodded as they walked to the family. "Yep, us and Ron and Hermione. Plus Rose and Hugo."

Lily hid her distaste.

"Hello, sweetheart," Ginny said, hugging her daughter tightly.

Lily gave a small smile. "Hey, Mum. How was the rest of your time without us?"

"The house is painfully boring without three kids to tear it apart," Ginny said with a smile.

Harry stepped forward and hugged his daughter. "How are you, princess?"

"I'm doing pretty good," Lily answered.

The entire Weasley-Potter clan made their way off of the platform, and to the parking lot. Teddy packed Lily's things into his car's trunk, and Lily slid into the backseat with Regal. Victoire got into the front and turned around to smile at Lily. "How was your first year?"

Lily smiled. Victoire could never hate anyone, no matter what House they were in. Hate wasn't in her nature. "It was pretty good. It went kind of fast."

"They slow down as you get closer to O.W.L.s," Teddy teased as he got in.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Thanks, I'll try to remember that."

Unlike the car ride home for Christmas, this ride was full of jokes and laughter. Lily loved Teddy and Victoire. They were probably two of her most favorite people.

When they reached the Potter house, Teddy brought in Lily's things, and brought them to her room. He didn't hover, and left Lily so that she could unpack. Lily did so slowly, but knew that she would have to go down there sooner or later. After all, she had to give them her score sheet. But she took her time nonetheless. She took out her books and stacked them in a bookcase, she put away her clothes, and took out everything else and placed things around the room.

Once Lily felt she couldn't avoid it any longer, she pulled her scores out of her Potions book, and made her way downstairs. She could hear voices from the kitchen, but it wasn't just the adults. Lily mustered up her courage, and walked into the kitchen. She was right, and they were all in there, the adults and the kids.

"There you are, Lily," Ginny said with a smile.

Lily gave a grin. "Yeah, I knew you and Dad would want this." Lily handed her scores to her mother.

"Oh, your exam scores!" Ginny said. Harry moved to look over her shoulder.

"Wow, princess! These are excellent!" Harry congratulated with a smile. "I don't think Hermione even got scores like some of these."

"Let me see," Ron said, eager to see someone be smarter than his wife had been at eleven. Hermione rolled her eyes, but looked at the paper Ron held. "Wow," Ron mumbled, his eyes wide.

Hermione looked impressed as well. "You must have studied hard, Lily."

Lily shrugged. "I studied a little I guess. Really I just helped a friend of mine study."

Rose went over and looked at the paper, and her jaw dropped. "How is that possible?" she practically shrieked.

Ginny smiled at her daughter. "I think you deserve something special. How about you chose what we have for dinner? Your favorite?"

Lily's face brightened. "Yeah, that sounds perfect!"

Ginny laughed. "Then that's what we'll have."

Lily smiled as her mum started to get things out to make her favorite.

"Not even your brothers have done that. Good job, sweetheart. I'm proud of you," Harry complimented.

Lily smiled brighter. "Thanks. Actually, since you guys seem to think I should get something special, I have an idea."

Harry laughed. "Really? What do you want?"

"Well . . ." Lily trailed, "it's more like what I want to do."

"Well what do you want to do?" Ginny asked.

Lily took in a small breath. "I want to stay at a friend's house sometime this summer," she answered.

"What friend?" Harry asked.

Lily let out that breath. "Scorpius Malfoy."

A silence. And then . . .

"No way!" James exclaimed.

"James!" Harry warned. James glared, but kept quiet. "Why Scorpius's house?"

Lily didn't think she should tell them the real reason. That it was to bug his grandfather. That wasn't her fact to tell. So she shrugged. "He's a really good friend, and he invited me to come over."

"Is he the one that sent that headband?" Ron asked wearily, looking at Lily's hair.

Lily touched the headband. She hadn't told her family who sent it. "Oh, yeah. He said he made it. So can I?" she pleaded, looking directly at her dad. She gave her best innocent look.

Harry seemed unsure, but eventually softened. He never said no when Lily looked at him like that. "When should I take you?"

Lily squealed happily. "Well, I'm not sure, but I've already got an idea."

"Which is?" Ginny asked.

"Well, we've all agreed to meet in Diagon Alley next Tuesday, so I could just go home with him then," Lily suggested.

"What about your things?" Ginny asked.

Lily shrugged. "We could stop by a moment, and I could grab it. Please?"

Harry shrugged this time. "I don't see a problem with that. Who's all going to Diagon Alley?"

"Me, Lola, Jace Pucey, Scorpius, Mitch Avery, and Lana Goyle. Oh! And Lars Goyle," Lily listed. She noticed that her uncle Ron's brows furrowed with every name, and her cousins' faces each turned darker. Only Teddy, Victoire, and Hermione seemed relaxed.

But her own parents ignored it all. "Well we have no problem with you going to Scorpius's house," Ginny told her.

"Oh, Lil, I was going to ask you something," Teddy mentioned. "Would you like to stay at my flat a few days?"

Lily was starting to feel hopeful. Perhaps this summer wouldn't be terrible after all. "Sure! When?"

"I'm off of work the day after tomorrow for the next three days. I was thinking then. That ok?" he asked.

"Perfect!" Lily enthused. She looked at her parents. "I'm going to write Scorpius and tell him that I can come over. Ok?"

"I'll call you when dinner's ready," Ginny told her.

Lily practically skipped up to her room. She wrote a letter to Scorpius, her joy filtering through her writing. She tied the letter to Regal's leg, and let him out the window. As she watched him fly off, she felt as if she would explode with excitement.

* * *

On her second day at Teddy and Victoire's flat, Lily finally got a response from Scorpius. His letter made her laugh.

_Dear Lily Luna,_

_Sorry this took so long, my parents(mum) has barely let me have time to myself. She's been intent on spending time with her growing boy. But I've told my parents and grandparents that you will be visiting us on Tuesday. My grandfather threw an enormous fit. It was probably one of the greatest moments in my life! My mum and grandmother are very excited to meet you, while my father's a bit hesitant. I was glad to hear that your brothers weren't happy as well. Maybe next time I can stay at your house. Haha._

_I'll see you on Tuesday. I guess the others think we're all meeting up at the Leaky Cauldron at two o'clock. See you then._

_Sincerely,_

_Scorpius Malfoy._

"What have you got there, Lil?" Teddy asked as he walked into the living room.

Lily smiled. "A letter from Scorpius. He just wanted to tell me that he's told his family that I'm coming over on Tuesday."

Teddy chuckled. "You should have a good time. It's a pretty big house."

Lily had almost forgotten that Teddy and Scorpius were related. "You've been there?" she asked.

Teddy nodded as he searched through his kitchen cabinets. "A few times with my grandma, but I actually don't really know Scorpius that well."

"He's a good guy," Lily told him as she refolded her letter.

Teddy smiled. "I trust your judgement. You're not stupid." Then he gave a sigh. "So, are you excited for your second year?"

"Yeah, kind of. Mainly I'm just excited to get back to school. I like it at Hogwarts," she replied.

Teddy nodded. "Yeah, so did I. It's a great place."

"I can't wait for Tuesday. Hanging out with the others is sure to be fun," Lily commented.

"So, you said you were hanging with Mitch Avery in Diagon Alley too, right?" Teddy asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Teddy shrugged. "I know his older brother, Brandon. He's not a real close friend, but we have . . . mutual friends I guess, so I see him from time to time."

"I don't hang out with Mitch a lot, but he's one of Scorpius's friends, so he hangs around sometimes. He's pretty cool," Lily replied.

"Yeah, Brandon's a pretty cool guy too," Teddy commented. "Oh, and congrats on winning the Quidditch Cup this year. Did you guys win the House Cup too?"

Lily could help the smug smile. "Yeah, we crushed the other Houses. Our big Quidditch lead was what really helped though."

Teddy chuckled. "So, what are you doing after Tuesday?"

Lily tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're not really going to be home until after Tuesday. I was just wondering what you're doing after everything on Tuesday," he inquired.

Lily bit her lip. What would she do? Most likely she'd hide out in her room, rarely leaving, and locking the door when Rose and Hugo visited with their parents. Locking the door when any of the cousins visited. Then again, she had Louis.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll stay with Louis for a while, or see if he wants to stay," Lily suggested.

"You two seem to be getting along lately," Teddy hinted.

Lily shrugged. "He's the only cousin at school that likes me. I tend to take advantage of that."

Teddy didn't look upset or disappointed. He only nodded. "I don't blame you. I would too."

Lily raised a brow. "You're not going to tell me I should be the bigger person and apologize? That me and the others shouldn't be fighting like this?"

Teddy smiled wryly. "Honestly, I'm staying neutral. I don't want to get involved and have some of my cousins hate me. Because if I had to get involved and chose the side I agreed with, I'd have to agree with you."

Lily's eyes widened in shock. "You agree with me?" Teddy? A former Gryffindor going against his House?

Teddy chuckled. "I never cared about Houses when I was in school. I mean, I may have cared about my House when it came to Quidditch, but otherwise they never mattered. My options and friends would have been very limited if I'd felt like that. All that I care about now is my family, not what House they're in. And if they make it into a different House than I did, then I think that the House must be pretty good."

Lily got up from her place on the couch, and hugged her brother tight.

* * *

When Tuesday came Lily was taken home, but she didn't stay long, which she was thankful for because Rose and Hugo were visiting with their parents again. She quickly packed a bag, left it by the fireplace, and then when it was almost two o'clock, she said goodbye to the adults and Flooed to The Leaky Cauldron.

"Lily!" Lily looked to her left to see that Lola, Lana, and Lars were already there. Lola pulled Lily into a tight hug. "How are you?" she asked.

Lily laughed as she pulled away from the embrace. "It barely been a week, Lola."

Lola rolled her eyes as the other two laughed. "Yeah, but you have brothers that can't stand you, so I have a right to ask. So?"

Lily chuckled. "I only had to put up with them for a few days. Then I was at Teddy's, and now I'm here. I wrote this stuff to you already." Lily continued to laugh when Lola rolled her eyes.

The fireplace behind them roared high, and then Mitch stepped out. "The party already here?" he asked loudly.

"Almost," Lana answered. "We're just waiting for Scorpius and Jace now."

"What's the plan for today anyways?" Lars asked.

"We'll decide when everyone's here," Mitch told him.

The fire roared again. "Am I the last one?" Jace asked as he walked through the fire.

"Close, but no. You beat Scorpius," Lily replied.

"By a second," Scorpius countered as he stepped out from the fireplace. He grinned at them all. "Are we all here?"

"Now we are," Mitch answered.

"So what's on the agenda?" Jace asked.

"Can we stay and get something to eat?" Lana asked. "We've yet to eat lunch, and I'm starved."

"Me too. Anyone else hungry?" Mitch asked.

All the others but Lily agreed.

Lily shook her head. "My mother made me eat something first. I swear she's becoming more like my grandmother every day."

The other chuckled. "Ok, should I order, and you guys find a table?" Mitch asked.

"Why don't I order?" Lily suggested. She could see her aunt Hannah at the counter. "My aunt owns the place, and she always drops the price for me."

"Perfect!" Mitch cheered.

Lily laughed, but mentally took down what everyone wanted. After catching everything, she left them to find a table, and went to the counter.

"Hello, Lily," Hannah greeted. "What are you doing here?"

Lily shrugged. "I'm here with a few friends. I needed away from the house."

Hannah laughed. "Well what can I get you?"

Lily relayed the list to her aunt. "Oh, and seven butterbeers," she finished. "How much will this be?"

Hannah looked at her niece as she started to pull out the butterbeers. "On the house."

Lily raised a brow. "Are you sure?"

"We're busy today. It won't hurt anything," Hannah said with a smile. "I'll get it to your table when it's all done."

Lily smiled widely. "Thanks, Aunt Hannah."

"You're welcome, sweetie," she replied.

Lily made her way through the packed room, and over to the table of Slytherins. She took a seat between Lola and Scorpius. "It's on the way."

"How much is it costing us?" Mitch asked as he pulled out his wallet.

"It's on the house," Lily replied. "I told you she loves me."

Mitch stared at Lily in silence for a moment before reaching over the table and grabbing her hand. "I freaking love you!"

They all laughed. Lily flicked his hand.

"I'm sure Miley would love to hear that," Lana teased.

"Miley Flint?" Jace asked. "What do you mean?"

Lana grinned teasingly. "They've been dating since the middle of June."

"You're dating Miley Flint?" Jace said with a laugh.

"I think that's cute," Lola defended.

"Thank you, Lola," Mitch thanked.

"What's funny is that his mommy thinks he's too young to date," Lars laughed.

Mitch scoffed. "Crazy witch. I'm fourteen, that's not too young. My sister was fourteen, and hell my brother was fourteen when he lost his virginity."

"But Brandon's your mum's little angel," Scorpius argued.

Mitch rolled his eyes. "Angel my ass."

"Your brother was only fourteen?" Lana asked in surprise.

"That is a bit young," Lola agreed.

"Don't worry," Mitch assured, "he was drunk and barely remembers it."

Lily and the boys laughed. The other girls rolled their eyes. But it was all forgotten as their food and drinks floated over to their table. Lily just took sips of her butterbeer as the others all started to eat.

"So, what are we doing after this?" Lola asked.

"I figured we'd go into Twillfit and Tatting's and bug and mess with the employees and management," Mitch suggested.

"Yeah, until they get pissed and throw us out," Lana scoffed.

Mitch smiled smugly. "They'd never throw me out. My mum owns most of the store. She's the biggest and richest partner they've got. They have to respect me or risk getting fired. That's what makes annoying them so fun," he explained.

"I think we should do it!" Jace agreed with a laugh.

"Well how about the boys be children and mess with the employees, and us girls can act our ages?" Lana suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Lola agreed.

So the first thing Mitch did as they entered Twillfit and Tatting's was hurry over to an employee, and set off a small firework. As angry as the employee had looked, he did nothing but glare.

"What an ass," Lana muttered as she walked in.

Lily chuckled and followed her in. Lars and Jace immediately ran over to join Mitch in terrorizing three employees. Scorpius stood back with Lily and watched.

"Their energy is amazing," Scorpius joked.

Lily smiled. "Eventually one of those employees is going to snap."

"Well, hopefully we are far away when that happens," Scorpius replied. They both started walking to a display of different dress robes. "So, are we going straight to my house after the others leave?"

"Almost," Lily replied. "I just have to go home and pick up my bag. It's sitting right by the fireplace, so it shouldn't take even a minute."

"Am I Flooing home with you?" Scorpius asked.

Lily raised a brow, but smirked. "You really want to take a chance and step into the lion's den?"

Scorpius chuckled. "I'm sure I can make it out alive. It sounds fun."

Lily shook her head. "Ok, if you want to come with then you can."

"So how was staying at Teddy's flat?" he asked as he examined a set of dress robes.

"It was fun. He took me to the Stonewall Stormers and Appleby Arrows game," Lily answered.

"So you got to see the Arrows's Seeker get taken out up close then?" Scorpius laughed.

Lily laughed too. "Yeah, it was a serious injury, but the way he fell was actually pretty comical."

"Yeah I saw a picture of it in the _Daily Prophet_," Scorpius replied. He took the robe and they walked over to a full-length mirror. Scorpius slipped the robes over his shoulders, sliding his arms through the sleeves. Lily watched as he fastened it up, and flipped up the collar.

"That looks good on you," she complimented.

Scorpius nodded, his face focused on his appearance. "Yes, I think so too. I like the feel of silk, and the color of it is perfect."

"You do look good in black," she agreed.

Scorpius pulled off the robes and folded them over his arm. "I think I'll buy it. I'll have to thank my dad for the money he gave me." He looked back at Lily. "Is there something here you want?"

Lily shook her head. "Nah. I've got enough clothes."

"I don't think Lola and Lana are having the same thoughts," Scorpius said, pointing to the girls. They were both holding up different things, giggling and giving compliments.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm surprised Lana is like that."

"She hides it well, but at times like these, she's just as girly as anyone," he remarked.

"And we all know about Lola," Lily joked.

"She's your best friend," Scorpius teased.

Lily smiled. "Yeah, she is. Despite the girly part of her, you have to love her."

Scorpius smirked. "Like how even despite your smartass attitude she still loves you."

Lily hit his shoulder. "Shut up," she laughed. Scorpius laughed too.


	8. Malfoy Manor

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eight: Malfoy Manor

The group explored practically every shop in Diagon Alley, and had caused trouble in at least half of them. They decided to call it a night at a quarter to ten. For the last few hours they'd been running around, climbing building, and even delving into Knockturn Alley. But Lola was first to suggest going home.

"My parents told me to be home at nine. They're going to kill me," she had said, but she still smiling.

"Yeah, I'm supposed to home soon too," Jace reluctantly agreed.

"You kids and your curfews," Mitch teased.

Lana flicked him on the cheek. "Me and Lars have to be home by ten," she defended.

Mitch looked at Lily. "What about you?"

Lily shook her head. "No curfew, but I have to grab my bag from home before I go to his house," she said, nodding toward Scorpius.

"Well I don't have a curfew," Scorpius told him. "But since I'm bringing Lily over, my mum will probably want me home soon so she can meet her."

Mitch groaned, but he finally conceded to call it a night. They went back to the Leaky Cauldron, which was now practically empty. Lily and Scorpius let the others Floo home first, and then Lily threw the powder into the fire. She held out her hand. "Watch your step," she warned.

Scorpius took her hand. "Thanks for the warning."

They stepped in, and Lily stated her address. Then they were spinning, and Lily pulled him roughly when she saw her house. They stumbled out, and Lily landed on the floor. She pulled Scorpius with her, and landed with a 'thud' next to her.

"Ow," Lily muttered.

"What a landing," Scorpius agreed.

"Lily?"

Lily sat up at the sound of her mother's distant voice. "Yeah, Mum?" she called.

There were footsteps as the two started to stand, and then Ginny entered the room. "Are you ok?"

Lily laughed. "Yeah, we just had a bumpy landing."

"Yeah, sorry, Mrs. Potter. And, sorry for coming so late. We all lost track of time," Scorpius apologized.

Ginny then noticed the blonde boy with her daughter. She was a little surprised at how much the boy looked like Draco Malfoy. The only difference was that his hair wasn't slicked back, but fell just above his eyes. "Oh! You must be Scorpius."

Scorpius grinned. "Yes, that's me. It's a pleasure to meet you," he greeted, holding out his hand.

Ginny shook it with a smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Scorpius. Lily has been very excited about staying at your house for the night."

Lily rolled her eyes but blushed. Scorpius's grin grew. "Well, we're excited to have her. My mother is very excited to meet her as well."

"Well, I'll let you two go. Your bag is right you left it, Lily," Ginny told her, nodding toward her bag.

"Thanks, Mum," Lily said. She picked up the bag. Then she hugged her mother. "I'll be home tomorrow."

"Good, I feel like I've barely seen you," Ginny teased.

Lily smiled, holding back the little bit of guilt she felt. "Bye, Mum."

"Bye, sweetheart," Ginny said, pulling back from the hug.

This time, Scorpius led her to the fireplace. "Let me lead. Maybe we won't fall," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes again. "Shut up."

Scorpius just shrugged innocently. "Malfoy Manor!"

They were spinning again, but this time Scorpius pulled them out. Lily stumbled a bit, but they didn't fall.

"A much better landing, don't you think?" Scorpius teased.

Lily laughed. "Just shut your mouth, Scorpius."

Scorpius laughed and took her bag. He placed it on a couch. Lily looked around the room. It was very posh and elegant. The carpet was a smooth gray color, the walls a silvery white. A few pictures decorated the walls, like any other home. Every bit of furniture was a silky green color, and looked very rich.

Scorpius grabbed her hand again. "Come on. My family is probably in the parlor."

Lily raised a brow, wondering how big the house was, but she let him lead her away. Lily looked at the houses as they walked through it. It seemed that every room and hallway was practically the same. Elegant, graceful, and very aristocracy.

"Your house is huge," she mumbled.

Scorpius chuckled. "Yeah, I'm told that a lot. It's been in the family for generations. So, even though my dad is called the 'master of the house' my grandfather still owns it. And when they both pass on, it'll be mine," he explained. He looked back at her. "Any house like that in your family?"

Lily shook her head. "Not really. I mean, my dad inherited a house from his godfather, Sirius Black. Apparently that house had been in their family for beyond generations. We don't live there, but my dad still keeps it clean and sturdy. Apparently, he and my mum lived there when they were out of school. But once they started a family they decided to move to Godric's Hollow."

"Why Godric's Hollow?" he asked. They stopped walking, a lone door to their right.

Lily shrugged. "I'm not sure. I mean, my dad said that his parents lived there during the war, but it's not there anymore. I mean, it's just a mess of rubble now. I'm not sure if that's why he chose to live there, just to be where his parents were."

"So, do you think it was a good idea?" Scorpius asked.

She sighed. "Well, I like it there. Why ever my dad chose to live there is personal, so I've never really asked. But every year on James's birthday, he, my mum, my aunt Hermione, and my uncle Ron always go to the cemetery. That's where they were buried."

Scorpius's brow furrowed. "Why on your brother's birthday? Shouldn't they be celebrating that dark event of your brother's birth?" he teased.

Lily smiled grimly. "They do. But it's not just his birthday. It's the also the anniversary of their deaths."

Scorpius's face sobered a bit, but there was no pity. Lily was thankful for that. "I'm sorry."

Lily shrugged. "I never knew them, so it doesn't really bother me."

Scorpius leaned up against the wall. "My ancestors are buried here. It's where my grandfather plans to be buried, and he thinks that every Malfoy should follow the tradition."

"Do you want to?"

"No. Frankly, I think it's a little creepy, having dead people buried in the backyard. I mean, the backyard's huge, but still. But I shouldn't complain. I don't even plan to live here when I'm older. Once I turn seventeen, I'm out," he replied.

"Is that wise?" Lily asked.

He shrugged. "I've got enough money now to support myself. I am a Malfoy. I'm insanely spoiled and rich," he teased. "I think I can handle it." He gave a sigh, and he looked at the door next to him. "Well, shall we enter the snake pit?"

Lily laughed. "We shall."

Scorpius pushed off the wall, and knocked once on the door.

"Come in, Scorpius," a deep voice called from the other side.

Scorpius looked back at me once and gave her a smirk. Then he turned and opened the door. He waved her in. Lily stepped in hesitantly. The room was just as beautiful as she had expected it to be, but she still felt nervous. Four adults sat in the room, each blonde and elegant, and they were all looking at the two kids. Mainly at her. She noticed the older man's eyes held a burning glare.

"Mother, father, grandfather, and grandmother, this is Lily Luna," Scorpius introduced with a smirk. He looked at Lily. "These are my parents and grandparents. I'm sure you can tell which is which."

Lily gave a short and small laughed. She noticed the middle-aged man looking at her with hesitant eyes. He looked so much like Scorpius, excluding the receding hairline and the fact that the hair was slicked back.

"You look so much like your father," Lily commented aloud.

The middle-aged woman gave a laugh as she stood up. She walked toward them both. She gave Scorpius a hug, and then smiled at Lily. "Hello, Lily. I'm Scorpius's mother, Astoria."

Lily couldn't help but smile back. This woman seemed so sweet. "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm very happy to meet you."

"Likewise. Ever since my son came home for Christmas saying he had a new friend, I've been anxious to meet you. Come and sit down," she said, ushering both kids over to the couches in the middle of the room.

Scorpius's father stood up, and he held his hand out to her. "Hello, Lily. I'm Draco, Scorpius's father. And thank you for the reminder of our similarities," he teased.

Lily grinned as she shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Malfoy. Don't worry. If you ever see me and my mum together, you'll most likely comment as well."

He smirked, the same as his son. "I don't have to see you side by side to see the large amount of similarities."

Lily gave a laugh as she and Scorpius sat down. The older woman, his grandmother smiled widely at her. Lily vaguely recognized her from pictures at Teddy's grandma's house.

"Hello, Lily. I'm Narcissa," she greeted.

"Teddy's grandma's sister," Lily acknowledged.

Her smile grew. "That's right. We've all been very anxious to meet you," she replied.

"Please speak for yourself, Narcissa." The voice was cold, and Lily noticed Scorpius tense sharply next to her. She looked over to the older man who had been burning holes through her since she'd walked in. You could see that time and age had taken its toll on him. His long hair wasn't really blonde, but more white. His eyes were haunted as they tried to burn through her.

"Father," Draco groaned dully.

"Calm yourself, Draco," Lucius Malfoy retorted.

Scorpius sighed through his clenched teeth. "Lily, this is my grandfather, Lucius Malfoy. The one who just loved the jacket you sent me," he mocked.

"Yes, I must say I was quite surprised to hear of a Potter being in Slytherin," Lucius remarked with a sneer.

Lily didn't let him goad her, but instead only raised a brow. "Yes, I'm a very rare case. But I've found that I enjoy being in the Slytherin House more than I enjoy just being around Gryffindors."

Now Lucius raised a brow. "Is that so? I find it hard to wrap my head around the idea of a Potter being in Slytherin. It's not right really."

Lily knew what he was hinting at. That he didn't accept her, and that he pretty much hated her. But Lily still wasn't bothered. "Well if it wasn't right, then I don't think the Sorting Hat would have put me in Slytherin. That hat's been around for years, I think I'll trust it." Lucius Malfoy's face seemed to darken just a bit, and Lil heard Scorpius give a snicker.

"Really? I heard your brothers are Gryffindor Golden boys. Not normal for a Slytherin," he scathed.

"I heard you tried to kill my mother when she was twelve. Not normal for a man with morals." Lily almost slapped herself as the words slipped out. But she watched Lucius Malfoy carefully. His face was glaring, and he stood up. With a wordless flourish, he left the room. Lily looked over at a grinning Scorpius. "Sorry."

He was obviously trying not to laugh. "Don't be! That was awesome!"

"Scorpius," Astoria chided, although she didn't at all look angry. She looked at Lily apologetically. "I'm sorry about him. He's a bit old fashioned."

Lily sighed. "Don't worry. My uncle Ron is similar, but Scorpius just wasn't exposed to him today."

Scorpius snapped his fingers in mock disappointment. "Damn."

"Language, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy," Astoria scolded, serious this time.

Lily bit her lip, hiding a laugh as Scorpius's cheeks turned red.

As the night continued, Lily found that she very much liked Scorpius's parents and grandmother. They were very nice, although his father was oddly quiet. Lily felt very comfortably with the Malfoy family, even if there was one who wanted her gone.

When they all decided to retire for the night, Scorpius escorted Lily up to the next floor. "My room is on the second floor. I've made up a makeshift bed for you in my room. This way my grandfather won't try to strangle you," he teased.

They stopped at a door that had "Scorpius Malfoy" written on it in an elegant silver script. Scorpius opened the door, and Lily stepped in. The room inside was only a little messy, which really surprised her. Her brothers and male cousins' rooms were always very messy. His carpet was a pale white, and his walls were a light green. But his walls were practically completely covered. There were band posters, pictures of Quidditch stars and teams. A large Slytherin banner was over his bed. The comforter was a silky black, and his pillows were a Slytherin green. In one corner there was a desk that had papers cluttered on it. An empty owl cage sat at the end. Next to the desk was a bookcase, which was almost full with a large assortment of books and papers. Across the room was a silver dresser, and on top were a few items. His broom was leaning against it. And then across from his bed was a makeshift bed that looked similar to his actual bed.

"So, this is my room," he mumbled, his cheeks red. "It's not the greatest, I mean the posters and stuff are pretty old."

Lily waved him off. "I like it. It's very . . . comfortable. It's got a nice lived-in feeling to it."

He blushed again. "I did my best to make a comfortable bed for you. Just say something if you can't sleep on it. I'll switch ya."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm not stealing your bed."

He laughed. "I figured you'd say something like that. But my mum thinks you're sleeping on my bed, so don't say anything to her. She expects me to be a gentleman, even if you won't let me."

Lily laughed too. "Ok. I'll keep your secret."

He gave a small sigh. "Ok, the house elf put your bag by the bed. That door leads to the bathroom. You can go ahead and change in there, or take a shower if you want."

Lily's cheeks flushed a little. "Thanks." She grabbed her bag, and then walked into his bathroom. Lily was surprised at its size. It was bigger than her room at home. The bath was huge, and there was a shower that was separate from the bath. The floor was an emerald green tile, and the walls were a pale black.

Lily went through her normal nighttime routine. She changed into a shirt she'd taken from Teddy. She'd given all of James's shirts back to him. After cutting holes in them while angry. She put on a pair of shorts, and then walked back into Scorpius's room. He was standing in front of a mirror, wearing a grey shirt and black sweat pants. He was running a comb through his blonde locks.

"What are you doing?" she asked, trying not to laugh.

"Get my hair to smooth out. If I don't it sticks up everywhere and never combs nicely in the morning," he defended.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Scorp."

He gave me a mock glare as he looked at me in the mirror. "Don't you roll your eyes at me, Lily Lu. I'll come after ya."

Knowing he was watching, she rolled her eyes again. "I'm not afraid of you."

He put down the comb, and turned to grin at her deviously. "Oh, you shouldn't have said that."

Slowly he stepped toward her, and Lily sensed the devilish intent. "Scorpius, back up," she warned. "I'm serious." But he kept his pace. When Lily tried to move to the side, he pounced, wrapping his arms around her, and lifting her off the ground. Lily kicked at him. "Scorpius Malfoy, put me down!" she squealed.

"Are you scared of me yet?" he asked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm mortally terrified of you. Now put me down!"

"You better be. I'm a very scary person," he teased, but he put her back onto her feet.

Lily smacked his shoulder. But she still smiled at him. "Goodnight, Scorpius."

He smirked. "Goodnight, Lily Lu."

* * *

Lily woke up, and was oddly relaxed. It took a moment for yesterdays events to hit her, and when they did she smiled. She rolled onto her stomach. No matter how uncomfortable Scorpius had thought the makeshift bed would be, it was actually very nice. It was soft, and Lily sunk right into it. The covers were warm and silk against her skin. It had been a wonderful night of sleep.

Lily sat up, pushing the covers off of her. She could see Scorpius still sleeping, so she grabbed her bag and went into his bathroom. She took a quick shower, not wanting to take too long incase he woke up. But he was turning out to be just like her brothers were, because he slept on as she went through her normal morning routine. When she was dressed and ready, she walked over to his bed. He was sleeping on his side, his arms splayed out in front of him. His lips were parted as he pulled in quiet breaths. Lily thought he looked very peaceful.

She stood up, and started to jump. "Wake up, Scorpius!" she yelled next to him.

Scorpius shot up in shock. Lily stopped jumping and began to laugh. Scorpius took in small pants as he looked up at her. Then he groaned and dropped back down onto his bed. "You are insane," he chuckled.

Lily laughed. "I know. But your clock says that it's almost noon. We've slept through the morning."

Scorpius opened one eye to look at the clock on the wall across from him. "Well I'll be damned. Alright," he sighed, "I'm up." Slowly, he sat up. He kicked off the blankets. "Just give me a few minutes. Feel free to explore." He grabbed a few things, and then moved on to the bathroom. Within the minute, she could hear his shower running.

Lily got off the bed, and she took his offer, and started to look around his room even more. She moved to his bookshelf, looking at the different books. There were a few that she could tell had been textbooks from previous school years, but others were different. She pulled out a book on potions, and began to flip through it. There were tons of complicated potions in the pages, each of them high-class potions. Interested in Potions herself, she began to read some of the pages. She didn't notice how much time was passing.

"What are you reading?"

Lily jumped, startled. She turned to see Scorpius coming out of the bathroom. His hair was still a little damp, but he had dressed in black shorts and a white T-shirt. "What?" she asked, a little breathless. Her heart was still pounding from shock.

He chuckled, noticing her surprise. "I asked, what are you reading?"

Lily's cheeks flushed. "Oh. Just one of your potions books." He made a sound of understanding as he combed his hair. "Tell me, why do you have such an advanced book?"

Lily watched as he shrugged. "I like Potions class. It's a very easy and fascinating subject. So every now and then, I'll buy a book and read a little more on more advanced things."

Lily hummed in thought as she put the book back. "So, is there a plan for today?" She turned back and moved to sit on his bed.

Scorpius grinned at her in the mirror. "Of course. I thought I'd give you a small tour around the outside. There are a million things to do out there. There's even a space where we can fly."

Lily smiled. "Sounds great."

Scorpius put down his comb, and turned to face her. "Yes, it does. But first, I'm starved, so we're going to eat."

Lily laughed. "That sounds even better."

Scorpius lead her out of his room, and through the large house. Finally, he brought her to a large dining room. With a 'crack' a house elf appeared.

"What does young master need?" she squeaked.

Scorpius grinned. "Morning, Pitch. Could you get us breakfast, please?"

"Young master need not ask," she said with a bow. Then she was gone.

Scorpius looked back at Lily and grinned sheepishly. "You're not a big house elf rights fanatic?"

Lily shook her head. "I'm not as bad as my aunt, but I've been raised to respect them. My father has one as well, and he pays him. Even thought Kreacher doesn't always like it."

Scorpius nodded as they sat down. "Yes, my father does too, much to my grandfather's distaste. So I always treat Pitch with the utmost respect," he said with a grin.

Lily smiled. "You'll do anything to bug your grandfather, won't you?"

His grin grew. "Yeah. Our . . . distaste for each other is deeply rooted."

Then Pitch was back, and she set down a plate in front of them both. "Here you are, young master, and young master's friend. Enjoy."

Scorpius smirked. "Thank you, Pitch. Tell me, where is the rest of the family?"

"Master and Mistress ate earlier this morning. They've gone to the study. Your grandparents are somewhere else in the manor," Pitch answered.

Scorpius gave a nod. "Thank you, Pitch."

Pitch took that as a dismissal, and Apparated out of the room. The two kids ate, talking about various things. When they had finished, Scorpius had taken her to the backyard. Lily was dumbstruck.

"Wow," was all she could say.

The 'backyard' was acres long. From where she stood, she could see a very large garden, and large hedges that seemed to form a maze of sorts. In the distance, she could see the space that Scorpius had mentioned they could fly around.

Scorpius had laughed at her dumbfounded look. "Yes, it is quite big. And it goes beyond that big hill over there. But I barely go over there."

"Why not?" she asked. Why wouldn't he want to explore every bit of this yard?

"That's the graveyard of my ancestors. The one place that creeps me out," he explained. "I've been there maybe two times. Once on purpose, the second because I was just wandering around." Then he gave a sigh. "So, what shall we do? Take a fly, wander? Personally, I'm up for the first idea."

Lily nodded eagerly. "I think an afternoon fly is in order."

Scorpius grinned. "Perfect. I've even got an extra broom you can use. And it's fast, so no worries about being slow," he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I could beat you in a race, no matter what broom I had," she retorted.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Is that a challenge?"

"What if it is?" she taunted.

He chuckled. "Oh, it's on, Lily Luna. Let's go."

Scorpius had moved to a broom cupboard, and pulled out two brooms. He handed one to Lily, and as soon as they were both holding a broom, they were up in the air, and racing around the large area. One race turned into two, and two became a hundred. They soon turned it into other competitions. A game of catch to see who would drop the ball first, seeing who could pull out of a dive closest to the ground without crashing, but no matter how much they razzed each other, the competition was friendly, and they both were laughing. They soon gathered the attention of Scorpius's parents, who had taken to watching the two from the ground. They soon began to act as referees for their games. But the night sky started to descend upon them, and the games had to end.

"Lily, won't your parents want you home soon?" Astoria called up.

Lily grimaced, but she knew that Mrs. Malfoy was right. She was only staying for the night before. She was supposed to be home today.

Scorpius seemed to think the same. "Really? It's not that late," he complained.

"I'm sure her parents will want to have her home for a while before school starts up again," Draco said with a grin. "I'm sure you'll see her again, son."

Both kids muttered small obscenities as they conceded, and lowered down to the ground. They hopped off their brooms, their faces a bit glum. Both adults laughed.

"Be sure to invite Lily over again, son. You two seem to have a lot of fun," Astoria hinted.

Scorpius's cheeks flushed a little. But before he could speak, his father spoke up again. "Well, Miss Potter, we're having a few friends over next month, and they're all bringing their kids. The house is usually packed. But I'm sure we'd all be delighted if you joined us that night," Draco invited.

Scorpius's face lit up. "Yeah, it's a bunch of Slytherin families. Jace and Lola's families, the Goyles, Flints. You should come!"

Lily lit up at the thought too. "Sure! I'm sure my parents won't mind!"

Draco gave a small smirk. "I'm glad to hear that. We never have a permanent day set, so I'll have Scorpius send you a letter when we have the date picked."

Lily smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."

"It's my pleasure, Miss Potter," he said with a nod.

"Why don't you escort Lily to the fireplace, Scorpius," Astoria urged with a smile.

Scorpius's cheeks flushed again, but he smirked over at Lily. "Well, I love being a gentleman. Shall we?"

Lily bit back a laugh as they started to walk back toward the large manor. "She does expect you to be a gentleman," Lily teased.

Scorpius gave a sigh as he grinned. "Yep. That's what she's raised me to be. I think I am a gentleman when it matters."

"But not full time," Lily replied.

He chuckled. "No. Not all the time. Just when it counts."

* * *

Lily had been a little disappointed when she got home. Staying at the Malfoys' was a lot of fun, and she honestly loved their backyard. But her parents were happy to have her home once she'd Flooed in. The bad part was that her aunt Hermione and uncle Ron were there once again, then again, she wasn't too surprised. They visited quite often.

"How was your night?" Ginny asked when her daughter had brushed off all the ash she received after Flooing in.

Lily smiled. "It was a lot of fun. Sorry I got home so late. We were flying around his backyard."

Ginny smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you had fun."

"I had a blast. In fact, Mr. Malfoy invited me to visit them again. They have a big dinner with a bunch of friends and their kids, and he asked me to come," Lily hinted.

"Are you going to go?" Harry asked.

"I really want to, so if you'll let me," Lily mumbled.

Harry smiled. "Well, I see no problem. Besides, it sounds like you had fun yesterday. What did you do in Diagon Alley?"

Lily launched into a story of her day, keeping some details to a minimum. She didn't want her parents to know about some of the mayhem they all had caused. But soon her night turned a bit sour. She hadn't stopped talking with her parents and aunt and uncle until dinner was ready. Conversation continued during dinner, but Lily had kept silence. She felt even more like an outsider compared to her brothers and cousins, and a tension had pressed on her shoulders. It was as if her staying at the Malfoys' confirmed that she was no longer a part of them. No longer a friend. She felt miles away from them.

Lily hurried through dinner, and then ran to her room. She couldn't stand the feeling she was getting around them. Once her door was closed and she was in her room, Lily felt a little better. The mean and angry looks were gone. There were no betrayed looks thrown at her. The glaring eyes had stayed behind. Quickly, Lily moved to her desk, and pulled out some paper and a quill.

_Dear, Louis_

_Hey, cuz. I hope you've been having fun since you got home. I know I have. But I had a genius idea. You should stay over for a night or two over here. That way I won't have to sit and try not to kill my idiot brothers. How 'bout it?_

_Write me soon,_

_Lily_

Lily handed the note to Regal, directing him on who to take it to. Regal flew off into the night, leaving Lily alone again. Lily began to take her things out of the bag she had taken to Scorpius's house. She pulled out a shirt, when something fell out, thumping as it hit her floor. Lily bent over to pick it up, and was surprised at what it was. It was the potions book from Scorpius's bookshelf. Lily flipped it open, and found a piece of paper under the cover.

_Here's something to entertain yourself with while staying in the lions' den. Happy reading, Lily Lu. I'll see you at the dinner. -Scorpius_


	9. A Slytherin Dinner

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Nine: A Slytherin Dinner

Lily had started to do anything she could to not have to be alone with her brothers in the house. But she was lucky. James had started working for their uncle George at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Diagon Alley, so he was gone for most of the day. Albus was either going to his best friend, Tyler Creevey's house, or he was somewhere else. Lily barely paid attention. Louis did stay for practically a week, but then he and his sisters went with their parents to see their relatives in France. Then she was constantly writing to her friends, and Lola would visit every few days.

August turned out to be a dreadful month for Lily though. Not really dreadful, but she could see how it would lead to dreadful times at school. Midway through the month, all the Potters sat at the table for breakfast, when an elegant owl came in with three letters, each baring the Hogwarts seal. Harry had passed one to each of his children.

"Here you are. Looks like we'll have to go shopping soon," he commented to Ginny.

Lily opened her letter, and looked over her list. She had an owl and a broom, but she would need the books obviously, and her potion kit was running low.

"Now way!" James exclaimed from his seat at the table. Like the rest of her family, Lily looked over at her brother. He was reading his letter with a look of shock.

"What's up, bro?" Albus asked.

James dropped his letter and scrambled for his envelope. He pulled a badge out of it. There was a bold P on it. Lily stared in shock at the prefect's badge in her brother's hand. James looked at his parents happily and smugly. "I made prefect!"

Lily bit back a groan as her family congratulated him. James being a prefect would be a nightmare. She could easily see him cornering any Slytherin he could find. He'd give major punishments for minor things. She could already feel the dread that her second year could easily become.

"Your grandma will be very happy to hear about this," Ginny said happily. "She always got excited when one of us made it."

James didn't lose the smug smile for days. A few days later, the entire family met up at the Burrow, and Grandma Weasley had insisted on making a big deal about it. But for Lily it just got worse, because Molly had made prefect as well. Not that she wouldn't take advantage of it like James, but she would never shut up and be annoyingly superior about it. And Lily was right.

"I knew I'd be prefect," Molly said to the other girls, brushing her red curls off of her shoulder. They were all sitting in Ginny's old room. Their grandmother had stuck them in together, even though they didn't all get along, and Lily could see prospects of a fight breaking out, because Dominique had a bad attitude toward everyone in the family, and she would start arguments at the simplest things.

"I mean, out of my year of Gryffindor girls, who else would they choose?" Molly questioned snobbishly. "I mean, the other girls are so . . . childish sometimes. They probably wouldn't be able to handle the responsibilities."

"Perhaps," Dominique seethed, finally looking up from her magazine, "but they might at least shut up about it, and spare us from hearing it!"

Molly just gave Dominique a nasty look. Rose intervened, probably not wanting a fight. Lily was a bit disappointed. She was wanting to see who would have won that one. "I'm glad you and James made it, Molly. You two will do great."

Molly sniffed huffily. "Well, I know I will, but I worry about James." Lily rolled her eyes. So she wasn't alone? "I mean, he can be a child, and I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to take advantage of his new position. That would be just like him."

"Just shut your mouth, Molly!" Dominique snapped. "We don't freaking care!"

"Don't be such a brat, Dominique!" Molly retorted.

"Well you're being an annoying bitch!" Dominique hissed. Molly seemed affronted at her language. "No one here cares what you think of being a prefect, or about the other girls in your year, or about how stupid James is. We don't care about your opinions, and we didn't ask! So just shut up!"

"Amen," Lily said with a laugh. She looked at Dominique. She was only two years older, but Dominique had never really liked any of her cousins. But Lily couldn't help but think that she was the only girl cousin that Lily would ever really get along with.

"Thank you," Dominique said with a sigh, apparently happy to have someone openly on her side. Lily knew that even if they didn't say it, the other girls wanted Molly to shut up. Back when they all got along, they'd often talked about how Molly could be annoying.

Lily gave another laugh. "Well, before a hair pulling fight starts, I'm going to leave. I'd really rather not get sucked into it." Lily stood from her spot next to the bed, and she started for the door.

"Yeah, I'm gone too. I'd rather catch dragonpox then stay in a room with Molly," Dominique muttered, and she followed Lily out of the room. Lily stopped walked just outside the room, but Dominique continued down the hallway. Lily watched as her cousin's red locks shined as she left. Lily stared at the door that held the other girls. She couldn't go downstairs with the others, because the adults would ask why she wasn't with the other girls. And an honest answer would not help. So without any other options, Lily followed Dominique down the hall.

"Why are you following me?" Dominique asked, not turning to look at Lily.

Despite her not being able to see it, Lily shrugged. "I can't go downstairs, and I'm not staying in room with Molly. I'm just taking my only option."

"You can just stand in the hall?" Dominique grumbled.

Lily gave a small laugh. "No, I thought we could sit in a room and ignore each other."

Dominique stopped at the door to their uncle Charlie's old room. She looked at Lily. Her blue eyes were cold and untrusting, but Dominique gave a dry grin. "Sounds like fun," she replied. She pushed open the door, and both girls walked in, Lily closing the door behind them. Dominique went to lie on the bed, and she went back to her magazine. Lily went over the desk, and started rummaging for a piece of paper. When she found one, she began to write a letter to Lola.

"What are you doing?" Dominique asked her.

Lily didn't turn to look at her. "I'm writing a letter to a friend."

Dominique scoffed. "Why? You'll be seeing her in a few weeks anyway."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know, but she wrote me a letter, and I haven't had a chance to write one back. You don't write back to your friends?"

Dominique scoffed again. "I tell them not to write me. It's pointless to just rant back and forth. I write if I want to hang out, but otherwise, no."

"Ah, so you write so that you can use them to get out of the house and pass time," Lily commented honestly.

"Pretty much," Dominique said back, just as honest.

"Hm," Lily hummed, but the girls said nothing more to each other.

For hours, the girls sat in silence. Dominique read her magazine, while Lily wrote letters to friends that she hadn't been able to reply back to. After writing one to Lola, she wrote for Jace, remembering that he had written to her a few days ago. She had planned to write back that day, but her family ended up going to Diagon Alley, and she forgot.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Leave!" Dominique yelled back.

But the door opened anyway, and Louis stepped in. Lily laughed, wondering what would have happened if it had been an adult behind the door. Louis ignored his sister. "Hey, Lil, you've got a letter."

Lily turned and raised a brow. "What?"

"Some owl came and dropped this off. It's got your name, so I offered to bring it up to you. And you're lucky I grabbed it first before one of the other cousins," he commented.

"Why is that?" Lily asked.

"Because it's from Scorpius Malfoy, and chances are they would have read it," Louis replied, handing the envelope to Lily.

Lily shook her head, but smiled at her cousin. "Thanks, Louis."

He patted her shoulder. "No problem, cuz."

Lily turned back in her chair and looked at the fancy looking envelope. Lily felt her insides shaking with excitement as she hoped that this was the letter of the date when she would go back to the Malfoys' manor. The envelope looked too official to be a casual letter. She opened it, and pulled out what oddly did look like a casual letter.

_Dear Lily Lu,_

_Sorry about the envelope, but my mum thinks I sent you a fancy and unnecessary invitation to the dinner. Really, it would tell you the same thing I'm about to tell you. The dinner is on the 26__th__. You should probably come over at about . . . five o'clock maybe. The dinner is at six, but us 'kids' always hang around for an hour or so while the parents go off and be boring. Also, it's dumb formal dinner every year, so keep that in mind. But if you were to wear jeans and a shirt, you would be my hero. I've asked my friends to do that, but they all chicken out. I don't because my mum would kill me._

_Here's hoping you have the guts,_

_Scorpius Malfoy_

Lily rolled her eyes. He always tried to do what he wasn't supposed to. But it made her laugh. The idea of it being formal did suck, because she hated wearing dresses.

"What's with the disgusted look?" Dominique mocked.

"I'm going to a big dinner at Malfoy Manor, and I have to wear a dress," Lily replied.

Dominique laughed. Lily sent a small and halfhearted glare at her cousin. "You're going to wear a dress?" she asked, laughing even more.

Lily scowled. "Shove off. I have to. It's a formal dinner. And it's better than just sitting at home."

Dominique finally began to calm. "Well, you've got me there. But do you even have a dress? I can't imagine you having one."

Lily sighed. "I'm sure I've got one."

"I've probably got one you can borrow," Dominique offered.

Lily looked back at her cousin and raised a confused brow. Dominique was offering to lend her something? Dominique, who hated all of her cousins? The ice queen being nice? "What's in it for you?" Lily demanded.

Dominique rolled her eyes. "Nothing, just more room in my closet. If you don't want one, that's fine."

"But why are you offering to lend me anything?" Lily asked. "It's not like we're friends."

Dominique shrugged. "I know that. But out of all the cousins, I get alone best with you, even if that isn't say much. So do you want one?"

Lily stared at her cousin with surprised eyes. "Um . . . sure. Thank you, Dom."

Dominique looked back at her magazine. "It's fine. I'll send you a green one. I imagine you'd look good in that color."

Lily didn't reply, but instead turned back to the desk. She felt like a miracle had just happened. Dominique was being nice to someone in her family? That never happened. The only person that she was even remotely nice to in their family was her sister Victoire. Lily was quite surprised at the change. She and Dominique had gotten into fights often, yet she was offering her a dress to wear? It baffled Lily.

When it came time for everyone to gather at the enlarged dinner table, Lily couldn't help but to try and break her brother's proud and annoyingly smug grin.

"Mum, Dad, I got a letter from Scorpius today," Lily mentioned. She caught practically everyone's attention, even if they tried not to show it. But she had caught James's attention openly, and that smile left, and was replaced by a scowl.

"Really? Is that who that letter was from earlier?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, he wanted to tell me when that big dinner is. It's on the twenty-sixth. Can I go?" Lily asked nicely.

"Sounds fine to me," Harry told her with a smile.

James had sent glares at Lily for the rest of the night.

* * *

Two days before the dinner at the Malfoys', Lily received a box from Dominique.

"What's Dom sending you a box for?" Ginny asked casually, glancing with curiosity at the box on the table.

Lily hesitated. Her brothers were there, and she didn't want to hear any sarcastic remarks about it. But her mother and father were both looking curious as to what was in it. She didn't think they'd let her play it off. Everyone knew about Dominique's attitude toward her cousins.

"Um, that dinner I'm going to is a formal one, so she offered to lend me a dress. I'm assuming that's what it is," Lily mumbled.

Her mother looked at her in surprise. "Dominique is lending you a dress? And you're going to wear it?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, I am. Um . . . I'm going to take this upstairs." Lily picked up the box, and started toward her room. She ignored the confused and angry looks her brother threw at her. When she closed her door, she placed the box on her bed, and took off the lid. She picked up the dress, taking a look at it.

She had chosen a green one, and Lily laughed at it. It was what she and the others called a Slytherin green. The fabric was like silk, but Lily couldn't imagine that Dominique would lend her a silk one. The straps were thin, and it tightened around the middle, and the skirt flared out. Lily placed it carefully on her bed, and then noticed a pair of green shoes in the box as well. Lily pulled them out as well, and found a note in the box as well. Lily pulled it out, surprised to even get shoes with the dress, let alone a note.

_Here's that dress. I'm sure you'll like it. Don't worry about sending it back, just keep it. I don't ever wear it, and I really don't want it back. I don't think I look good in green. So if you send it back then I'll kill you._

_Dom_

Lily rolled her eyes at the note. Only Dominique could be an ice queen while being nice. Lily carefully hung the dress up, and placed the shoes in her closet. She moved to her desk, and pulled out a piece of parchment. Then with hesitant fingers, she wrote back to Dominique.

_Thanks for the dress. It's really pretty. I didn't think you were serious about the whole green thing. And since sending the dress back isn't worth dying over, I guess I'll keep it. I owe you, Dom, but don't think much of it._

_Lily_

Lily hated that last thought. She did owe Dominique after this. But then again school was almost here, and Dominique would probably go back to ignoring her and the rest of the cousins. And hopefully, she'd forget all about it by the time they saw each other again. So Lily gave the note to Regal to deliver, no longer thinking anything of it.

* * *

When the 26th came along, Lily felt nerves invade her veins again. She hated dresses, and she hated formal things. She had dreaded every formal dinner and parties the ministry had that her father had taken her to. They were always terribly boring, and once again, she hated dresses. She'd really rather wear jeans and a T-shirt or something. Lily blamed it on being around too many boys, not to mention that her mother wasn't very 'girly'. And it didn't help that some of her cousins had decided to visit. Lily was starting to wonder if James had asked them to come over because it bugged her, or if they were begging their parents to visit so they could bug her. Either way, Lily had the feeling it was just to make her uncomfortable.

There was a knock on her door, making Lily jump. It was only four, but she had been staring at the dress on her bed for the past ten minutes. "Who is it?" she demanded, fearful of one of her brothers barging in.

"Your mother. May I come in?" her mother's witty reply came back.

Lily almost laughed. "Yeah, go ahead." Her mother stepped in, closing the door behind her. "Sorry, I thought you were one of the boys."

"It's fine." She looked over the bed. "Is this the dress Dominique sent you?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. She thought green would be a good color for me."

Ginny moved to sit next to the dress. "It does. You're like your father in that way." Lily smiled, but rolled her eyes. "So, are you going to get dressed? You have a little less than an hour."

Lily raised a brow. "It doesn't take me that long to get ready, Mum," she assured.

Ginny chuckled. "I didn't think it would actually. What are you going to do with your hair?" she asked, brushing some of it away from her daughter's face.

Lily ran a hand through her hair as well. "Nothing. I thought I'd just leave it down."

Ginny hummed for a moment. "Well, you should find some way to keep it out of your face."

Lily smiled, trying not to laugh. That was something her mum told both her and her brothers. Albus got it the worse, mainly because his hair was so messy that it was almost impossible to get away from his eyes. "I'll try, Mum," Lily told her.

"Your cousins are downstairs. Are you going to come down and spend time with us before you go?" Ginny asked.

Lily hesitated. She knew her mum didn't like the fighting that was going on between her and her cousins, but Lily wasn't sure if she wanted to be glared at, or stared at distrustfully.

Ginny seemed to sense that, and she sighed. "Ok. But at least come down when the Scamanders get here. Aunt Luna loves talking with you." She started for the door.

"Wait! Aunt Luna's coming over?" Lily asked, excitement in her voice. She loved her godmother. She was so fun, and the twins were just as fun, if not overly energetic. And Uncle Rolf told the coolest stories.

Ginny smiled. "Yes, I invited them over. And I think the boys might be staying the night, along with the others. So please come down." Then Ginny stepped out of the room.

Lily couldn't stop smiling. Sure, the fact that Hugo and Rose were staying wasn't the greatest, but the fact that Lorcan and Lysander were was good. She loved the twins. They were so fun. But Lily did stay up in her room until she heard the arrival of the Scamanders. Then she was racing down the stairs. And luckily, she caught her godmother walking toward the kitchen.

"Aunt Luna!" Lily cheered, hugging her tightly. Sure, she wasn't really an aunt, but she might as well have been. All the cousins called her that.

Luna hugged her goddaughter back. "How are you, Lily?" she asked.

Lily smiled. "I'm ok, I guess." She was happy to hear that dreamlike quality to her aunt's voice. It was just an Aunt Luna thing that Lily liked.

Luna patted Lily's head. Normally, Lily would have been irritated, but not with Luna. "That's good. I was glad to hear about you being in a different House."

Lily raised a brow. "Really? Why?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Well, it makes you the most interesting, which really suits you," Luna replied honestly.

Lily couldn't help but laugh. Her aunt had some of the strangest logic. "Are the twins in the living room?" Lily hadn't talked to them in forever, since before the last year. She wanted to see them.

Luna nodded. "Yes, I believe that's where they ran off to."

Lily smiled. "Ok. I'll go find them."

"Good luck," Luna told her with a smile of her own.

Lily turned and walked toward the living room. All of the kids were in there, and they really paid no attention to Lily. Except one.

"Hello, Lily." Lily turned to see Lysander sitting on the arm of a chair. "How are you?"

Lily smiled. Lysander hadn't changed a bit. He was still really skinny, even though he was a Beater. His blonde hair was unruly, falling to his eyes. Those eyes were a light blue color, and always seemed as if he was daydreaming, even when he had all of his attention focused on you.

"Hey, Ly. I'm pretty good. You?" Lily asked.

He smiled, his teeth pearly white. "I'm doing good." Then he gave a sigh. "I feel like I haven't talk to you in forever."

Lily nodded. "Tell me about. I didn't really see you at all last year, except when my team whipped yours at Quidditch," she teased.

Lysander rolled his eyes, but still smiled. "Haha. Although I have to admit, you play very well. I was happy that you beat Al."

Lily almost laughed. "Really? Why?"

"Because he got a really big head after winning every game in our second year, and it was annoying. It was nice to see him be knocked down," Lysander replied.

Lily couldn't help but laugh. "So was I. It was a wonderful feeling."

"It was wonderful to watch," Lysander agreed. He tilted his head, cracking his neck. "So, what are you doing tonight? I hear you're going to Malfoy's?"

Lily nodded. "Yep. I'm going to . . . well, I guess you'd call it a Slytherin dinner at the Malfoys' manor. It's a big formal dinner with a bunch of Slytherin families."

"Is that how they put it on the invitation?" Lysander joked.

Lily giggled. "Not exactly, but that's how I've perceived it."

Lysander fell back, laying across the chair. "I hope you have fun. My brother and I are staying the night, so we can talk more when you get back."

Lily smiled at the idea. She was glad that at least one of the others was going to be happy when she got home. That one of them was going to want to be around her. Because inside she knew that once she left to the Malfoys', she would be a traitor. And once she got home, they would probably avoid being around her at all. That, or they'd throw remarks at her as soon as she walked in the house. Not to mentioned the possibility of both happening.

But apparently, the others could hear the conversation. "That's right, Lily. When are you leaving for the snake's house?" James sneered. "Also, try not to stink when you come home. After all, the snake you're hanging around with is dirty."

Lily ignored her brothers' comments, something she taken to doing lately. She didn't like fighting at home. It bothered their parents, and Lily wanted to avoid upsetting them.

"Of course she hangs out with a dirty snake. They're two of kind, they've got to stick together," Albus agreed.

Once again, Lily kept quiet. Not turning to look at her brothers, not even acknowledging that they had spoken. She kept her eyes on Lysander, who was looking back at her. Then he smiled. "You are something else, Lil," he told her.

Lily raised a brow. "Why do you say that?"

"Because you can let them ridicule you, and not say a thing back. You have got some willpower," he explained.

Lily just smirked, and looked back at Rose. "No, I'm just being the bigger person." Rose just gave her a disapproving look. Both she and Lily knew that her attitude would change once they were at school.

Lysander patted her shoulder. "Glad to hear it, but I hope it doesn't last. It's not as fun to watch," he teased.

Lily sighed, smiling at him. "Don't worry. It's not as fun for me either."

When it was almost five o'clock, Lily had left to go and get dressed. She slipped the green fabric over her body, and the looked at herself in the mirror. She guesses that she did look ok in green, but she still didn't really like wearing a dress. It didn't matter what the color was. She slipped on the shoes, and decided to wear the headband Scorpius had made. It did what her mother had asked, and helped keep her hair away from her face.

Lily watched herself in the mirror. She still had time before she had to Floo over to the Malfoys'. But she was the only one with that thought apparently.

"Lily, hurry up! Scorpius is waiting!" her mother called up.

Lily almost fell to the floor in shock. Her head whipped toward the door, even though there was no one there. Scorpius was here? In the house? With her brothers? Oh, Merlin! Lily hurried out of her room, quickly slamming her door shut behind her. She practically ran down the stairs, thankful Dominique had sent her flats to go with the dress. When she got to the livingroom, she found Scorpius standing by the fireplace, and everyone else was in there as well. Her brothers and Hugo were glaring at him, and her uncle Ron eyed him uneasily.

Scorpius looked very elegant as he stood quietly by the fireplace. He wore a black button-up shirt, with black pants and shoes. His hair wasn't slicked back, but instead his bangs were combed to the side, and away from his eyes. What made Lily's smile was that he was wearing the jacket she'd sent him for Christmas.

When Scorpius saw her, he grinned. "Hey, Lily Lu," he greeted, finally bringing it to everyone's attention that she was in the room.

Lily felt her cheeks heat up a little. "Hello, Scorpius. What are you doing here?"

His grin got bigger. "Well, I thought I would be a gentleman and come and get you. Plus, I quite like it here," he complimented.

Lily almost laughed. She knew why he 'like it'. It bugged her brothers that he was here. "I'm not surprised," she commented.

"When can I expect my daughter to be home, Scorpius?" Ginny asked with a smile.

Scorpius gave her a grin as well. "Well, dinner is at six, and I think the earliest anyone has ever left was . . . half past eight o'clock? But if there's a certain time that you want her home, I'll make sure she's here by then."

Lily rolled her eyes as she walked toward him. "Suck up," she muttered. Scorpius gave her a smirk.

Ginny shook her head. "Just have her home at a decent time."

Scorpius gave a nod. "I can do that. Have a good evening," he said with a grin.

Lily grabbed his arm. "Let's go," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Once they had Flooed over, Scorpius laughed. "So I'm a suck up for trying to make peace in the Potter household?"

Lily shook her head. "No, you're just trying to get my mum to like you, because you think it'll bug my brothers."

He snapped his finger. "Ah! My secret's out. So, I'm a suck up when I'm trying to get your mum to like me?"

"Yep," Lily said with a smile. "But I guess that's not a bad thing. She usually has the final word in our house, so that might get you places," she teased.

Scorpius grinned. "Alright! I'm glad to hear that."

Lily shook her head and laughed. But then she noticed that they were alone. "Where are the others?" she asked.

"Oh! The adults stick us kids in the upstairs study. That's where the others are. Come on," he told her.

"Who's all here?" Lily asked as they walked through the large house.

"Um . . . Lola and some of her siblings. Jace, Lana and Lars, Mitch and all of his siblings. My cousins, the Boles, the Flints, the Vaiseys and the Montagues."

Lily raised a brow. "That's a lot of people."

"A lot of kids. It's like . . . more than twenty at the least. Although the older ones are usually with adults, since they feel that they're too mature for us," Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Marty, Ginger, and Brandon are all with the adults now."

"Marty?" Lily questioned.

"Lola's oldest brother. The oldest Pritchard. He's a cool guy, not stuck up like Ginger. But he's working in my dad's department of the Ministry, so they're talking business. That's what most of the older men do at this dinner? Discuss business, our grades, and on the odd occasion, Quidditch teams," Scorpius explained.

"What do the kids talk about?" Lily asked with a grin.

"Quidditch, the opposite sex, school, and how dumb the older kids look trying to be adults," he listed. They stopped at a door, and Scorpius pushed it open, revealing a room that was packed with kids of all ages, each broken into groups around the room. Lily was surprised to see a bunch of kids she knew looked so elegant. Especially Mitch. She never thought she'd see him look so formal.

"Hey, Scorp's back!" Mitch announced.

"And Lily Luna's with him!" Raven Bole added with a grin. "It's nice to see our star player joining us!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Nice to see you without dirt stains on your face," she retorted.

The other guys laughed, while Raven just chuckled. "Be careful, Lily Luna. I'm the new Quidditch Captain, so I'm your chance getting back on the team."

Lily raised a brow. "Congratulations, on becoming captain. But do you really think that you can get someone better than me?"

"Oh, arrogant are we?" he joked.

"Just right," Lily threw back with a grin.

Scorpius chuckled. "Face it, Rave, she's got ya beat on that one," he replied.

Raven picked up a glass from the table next to his seat on the couch. "True. It makes me wonder if I should even hold tryouts. I mean, I have to have a tryout for Aaron's old position, but I don't think any little second year is going to beat what we've already got."

"What if one of the fifth years or someone else tries out though?" Lily asked.

Raven shrugged. "They better be good. At least better than some of the pathetic tryouts we had last year."

"Don't be too hard on them. Besides, Tyson Derrick's not going to be trying out anymore, so we won't have a priss throwing a fit when he doesn't make it," Dante Montague laughed.

"Yeah, I don't think I'll be as nice as Aaron when someone throws a fit," Raven replied.

"I was a captain for three years. You learn to keep your temper in check," Aaron told him.

"I'll be one for a year. They won't be that lucky," Raven reminded him. "I don't think I'll have Seeker tryouts. It's not like anyone's going to beat Lily here, so that'd be a waste of time. And I'll probably let Lars here keep his position. I'm too used to teaming with him as a Beater."

"Awesome!" Lars cheered happily.

"Well, Adrian, Dante, looks like we're going through tryouts," Scorpius joked.

"Oh, don't bitch," Raven told them. "I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to hold the tryouts for you guys."

"You should tryout, Mitch," Dante remarked.

Mitch shook his head. "Nah. I don't do Quidditch. I mean, it's fun to watch and cheer for, but I'm not a big fan of playing the actual game."

"Wuss," Lars jeered with a grin.

Mitch chuckled. "Quick survey. How many upcoming fourth years here with a girlfriend?" Mitch raised his hand, while Lars and Scorpius kept their hands down. "No, come on. Up high, I while I count."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Same guys, how many of us aren't whipped." Scorpius and Lars raised their hands. Mitch started to raise his, but Lars smacked it down. The rest of them laughed.

Mitch just gave Scorpius a mock glare. "Hey, hey . . . shut up." Then he too laughed.

"You boys giving Mitch a hard time again?" Lily turned to see that Lana had joined their group.

"It's too fun to pass up," Scorpius said with a laugh.

"What do you want, sis?" Lars asked.

Lana rolled her eyes. "I'm here to save Lil from this large group of stupidity." Lana grabbed her arm. "Come on. I'll help you save a few brain cells."

Lily laughed, but let herself be pulled away from the boys. Lana dragged her toward a smaller group of girls. Some of them were from Lily's year. Lola, Megan Montague, and Shannon Flint were all in Lily's year. There was Amanda Baddock, and the other girl was who Lily recognized as Miley Montague, a girl in Lana's year, and as she now knew, Mitch's girlfriend. But surprisingly, there were two other girls there too. But they were older, one was a sixth year, and another a seventh year. Lily vaguely knew them as Stacy West and Scarlet Glass. Why were they here?

"What are Scarlet and Stacy doing here?" Lily asked.

"They're Raven and Adrian's dates. They didn't want to be paired with one of the little ones," Lana explained.

Lily raised a confused brow. "What?"

But Lana didn't seem to hear her. "Hey, girls, I've saved her!" Lana joked as they approached the group.

Lola gave an excited squeal. "Lily, you came!" She pulled Lily in a tight hug. Lily had expected it. Lola seemed to hug every time they saw each other after a brief period apart. "And you look so pretty! I never thought you'd actually wear a dress," Lola replied.

"Neither did I, actually," Lana agreed teasingly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Shove off. It's not even mine. It's my cousin's."

"Which one?" Lola asked.

"The bitchy one," Lily teased.

"Oh, Dominique," Lana said with a nod. Lily laughed at the fact that Lana knew who she meant, but then again they were in the same year.

"I'm surprised you came, Lily," Shannon Flint told her. "From the stories Scorpius has told, his grandfather doesn't really like you."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well if I was afraid of him, then that would be a different story. But I'm not, so I don't care."

Lana laughed. "Oh, wow. Scorpius found the perfect friend." Lily gave a laugh too. "How was meeting Lucius Malfoy for you?"

"Well, it was much like standing right outside the line of reach of the Whomping Willow. It tries to hit you, but it's just not close enough," Lily compared.

Lana laughed. "Well just wait, he'll probably try to take another shot at dinner tonight."

Lily sighed. "Oh, joy."

"Lily!" Before Lily could turn to see who had said her name, arms wrapped tightly around her from behind. She was lifted off her feet for a moment before being let go. She whipped around to see that it was Jace standing behind her. He was dressed formally as well, but the aristocrat look was ruined by his ears poking out of his hair.

Jace looked her over as well. "You look nice, Lil."

Lily grinned. "You look very handsome as well. Just one problem." She reached out and touched the tip of one ear. The other girls laughed, Lola laughing the loudest.

Jace rolled his eyes. "I thought they looked handsome as well. I did my best to groom them nicely," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes, and ruffled his hair. Jace waved her hand off. "Don't worry. They look dashing," Lily assured with a smile.

Jace grinned. "Why thank you, my dear Lily."

"Way to say hi to the rest of us, big ears," Lola said with a roll of her eyes.

Jace looked over at her. "Sorry. I would have hugged you too, but I didn't want to take a chance of accidently touching your hair and getting my hands dirty," he apologized with a fake smile.

Stacy grinned at Lola. "Aren't you lucky? You two will spend the next six years together," she joked. Lola gave a small groan.

Jace groaned louder. "Man, don't remind me of school! We have very few days of freedom left!"

Lily laughed. "It's not that bad."

"For smart people," Jace disagreed. "For dumb people like me, it sucks."

Lola raised a brow. "Well, I can understand how you would hate it then."

Jace gave her a wry grin. "Coming from the girl who got just a little more than a seventy on one of her exams?"

"Better than you," Lola argued.

Lily turned to the other four girls. "I'd just ignore them. The fight's not going to end for another hour," she said with a grin.

Lana laughed. "Yeah, I've started to realize that."

"So, Lily, how's living with two Gryffindors?" Miley Flint asked.

Lily almost rolled her eyes. She was getting used to other Slytherins asking that question. "They're barely home anymore. James works, and Albus hangs around some other dumb Gryffindor," she answered.

"James Potter got a job?" Scarlet asked with a laugh. The others looked just as surprised and amused.

Lily grinned too. "Yeah, he's working for my uncle at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. He and Fred work together. A deathtrap really."

"Wow, that makes me want to visit the store all the more," Jace joked.

"Oh, Lily," Megan addressed, "when are you leaving?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. My mum just wants me home sometime tonight. My cousins and the Scamander twins are staying over, so I have to be home tonight," she explained. It wasn't terrible, unless she had to interact with someone other than an adult of the twins when she got home.

"The Scamanders are staying at your house?" Lana giggled. "How's that going to turn out?"

"Well, I haven't personally talked to Lorcan, but Lysander seems ok with me. He actually congratulated me for beating down Albus during our match against Gryffindor," Lily laughed.

The others laughed too. "Isn't Lysander the one with the longer hair?" Miley asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, Lorcan's hair's shorter. It's really the only way to tell them apart just looking at them. But when you talk to them, Lysander is much more relaxed."

"I've only talked to Lysander, so what do you mean by Lorcan not being as relaxed?" Miley asked.

Lily chuckled. "He is much more intense. Like, Quidditch is his life! He has to win! But Lysander isn't really bothered if they don't win. Lorcan will fight back in an argument, and he'll get in your face. I've never seen Lysander yell before," Lily compared.

"Surely you're exaggerating," Shannon insisted.

But Lily shook her head. "No, I can never remember him yelling. He's always so calm."

"Hey, girls!" Raven yelled from across the room. "We gotta pair up soon. Scorp says that dinner will probably start soon. So get over here!"

The girls all started to walk toward them, but Lily looked at Lana in confusion. "What does he mean?" she asked.

Dawning reached Lana's eyes. "Oh! I forgot that this is your first time coming to this. Us older kids pair off, boy-girl. It's the adults' way of keeping the dinner dignified and classy." She rolled her eyes. "So we pair off, and we each go in with each other. It's why some of the older ones bring dates, that way they aren't stuck with one of the really young girls."

Lily looked back at the littler kids playing. "And them?"

"Too young. They'll join when they're older and are a bit more mature. Now they'd just make fun of each other," Lana explained.

"And the older boys won't?" Lily asked skeptically.

Lana smiled with her. "They will, but they will be much quieter about it."

The older kids all came together, and Raven seemed to be the leader. Lily couldn't see Aaron anywhere, and wondered where he had gone.

"Ok, now obviously if you have a date, then that's who you're pairing with. That means, me and Stacy, and Adrian and Scarlet. Ok, the next oldest guy is Dante . . . so how about you and Miley?"

"Miley's Mitch's date," Scorpius said as he shook his head.

"Oh! Right, I forgot. Ok, so Mitch and Miley," Raven amended. "So, Dante and . . . Lana?"

Lana shrugged. "Sounds fine with me."

Raven gave a nod. "Ok. By the way, remember this, guys. Because I won't. Ok, now . . . next is Lars, and you're with Amanda, right?"

Lars nodded. "Yep, that's the plan."

Lana looked toward Lily and whispered in her ear. "Last year he was stuck with Dante's younger sister, and he was really embarrassed since she's a lot younger than him." Both girls bit back a laugh.

"Ok, so next would be Scorpius," Raven listed.

"I call Lily Luna!" Scorpius announced.

Lily felt her cheeks flush a little, but she still rolled her eyes. "Lucky me," she teased. Scorpius only smirked.

Raven was trying not to laugh. "Ok, so we'll all get to see Lucius Malfoy explode. Awesome!" They all laughed at that. "But, anyway. Next is Tanner, and you and Lindsey are going together as you planned. So that brings us to Derek." Raven blew out a breath as he looked at the rest. "Um . . . how about Megan? That cool?"

Derek just gave a grunt and shrug. Megan rolled her eyes, but she nodded. "I guess so."

Raven gave a nod. "Ok. Um . . . I think Xavier is next."

"Me and Shannon," Xavier suggested. Shannon's cheeks turned a deep pink.

"Perfect," Raven told him. "Ok . . . Jace, you and Lola?"

Jace raised a brow and looked over at Lola, who looked disgusted. Lily could already see the disaster happening. "How about I go down with Emily? I don't care if she's a few years younger."

"You sure?" Raven asked.

Jace nodded quickly. "I'm sure. I'd rather light myself on fire then go in with her," he said with a nod toward Lola.

"Really, because I'd rather just die?" Lola mocked.

Raven cut in. "Ok, ok. So that means it's Christian and Lola. Everyone got that?"

There was a chorus of agreement and understanding.

"I'll tell Emily that she's in," Megan told them, and walked toward the younger kids.

Lily looked over at Jace and Lola. "You two are such children."

Jace just stuck out his tongue.

When Pitch had come to tell them that dinner was ready, and they were to head to the dining room, Lily had moved over to Scorpius. Scorpius grinned, and explained the process.

"Ok, so basically, we stop by just a bit away from the dining room. Then Raven and Stacy will interlink arms, and they will walk to the room, and then enter. Then they will take the two seats on the right. Then Adrian and Scarlet go, and they will take the two seats on the left. And it goes on and on," Scorpius explained.

"And what is the point to this?" Lily asked.

Scorpius shrugged. "I have no idea, really. They say it adds a bit of class to the dinner. I think it's just a bunch of old-fashioned Slytherin families trying to act like aristocrats and superiors."

Lily rolled her eyes. "What about the little kids?"

"They are at a separate table across the room. I don't know why they're brought," Scorpius muttered. "They can be a bit annoying."

"When do they join the 'big people'?" Lily joked.

"If the adults think they're mature. Usually when they're old enough to go to Hogwarts. Unless we're uneven on boys and girls, then like with Emily, we invite one to sit at the table with us," he answered.

When they had all reached the bottom floor, they stopped, and Raven and Stacy took the lead. Lily had to admit that they looked very much like aristocrats. Raven's dark hair was slicked back, with a very small fringe on his forehead, contrasting greatly with his pale skin. And his dark blue eyes fit his features very well. He wore dress robes of a silky green color, shouting what House he belonged to. And Stacy was very beautiful. Her long curls were a light blonde, her eyes a pretty green. She was so different from Raven in looks. Her hair and eyes, her small height, and her baby blue dress. But they fit together so well it seemed.

The two locked arms and walked toward the diningroom. As they entered, they could all hear the voices of the adults rise as they caught sight of the two teens. Once Raven and Stacy were out of sight, Adrian and Scarlet started. The procession was slow, but the others all treated it as an important tradition, so Lily didn't want to mock it. When she and Scorpius were up, she ignored the heat in her cheeks as they interlocked arms. Then they started walking toward the dining room. Lily was a bit nervous as they got closer. Once they reached the doors, the voices rose again, although much louder now that they were in the room. There were compliments and comments, but the one Lily was watching was Lucius Malfoy, just as she knew Scorpius was. His face was angry, furious really. Lily could practically see the disgust in his sneer. Lily couldn't hold back a smug smirk at irritating him. She glanced at Scorpius, and saw that he too looked pleased with himself.

They both took their seats, and watched as the others all came in, pair by pair. Lily and Scorpius tried not to laugh at Derek Bole and Megan Montague. Derek looked annoyed to have Megan on his arm, and Megan just looked disgusted. Lily didn't really understand Megan's annoyance. Lily didn't really talk to Derek, but he never really talked at all to anyone. He was always with the rest of the Slytherins in his year, but he never really talked. Apparently, he sometimes wouldn't even talk to teachers. Lily couldn't imagine being _that_ quiet.

When everyone was there, and the dinner finally started, Lily laughed as Scorpius immediately jumped on Mitch and Miley.

"You two are just so adorable!" he teased. "So sugarcoated. Despite Mitch being an idiot, and you . . . well I'd better be quiet. This is a polite dinner."

Miley just gave him a snide look before it dropped. Mitch just shrugged. "At least I've got a girl. Unlike you," he mocked.

Scorpius shrugged. "Too much of a hassle. Plus it saves me from having to spend money on the useless things a lot of girls in our year want," he retorted.

"You're just not as devilishly handsome as I am," Mitch countered with a laugh.

"Oh, I am the hottest of our year," Scorpius bragged with a laugh as well. "And anyone would agree."

Mitch raised a brow at the challenge. "Is that so? Well, Lola," he called down to her, "who is the hottest guy in Scorp's and I's year?"

Lola looked confused at the question. "Um . . . Scorpius, I guess?"

Mitch snapped his fingers in defeat while Scorpius smiled smugly. "Drat," Mitch muttered.

"You two are such children," Miley said with a roll of her eyes.

Lily, Scorpius, and Mitch looked at her with a look of amusement.

"Coming from the girl dating one of the said 'children'?" Scorpius mocked.

Mitch grinned at her. "Does this mean you'll spoonfeed me?"

Again, Miley rolled her eyes, but Scorpius and Lily did their best to bite back their laughter.


	10. A New Year

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ten: A New Year

When the dinner ended, Lily couldn't name a time that she'd had more fun. Although the dinner was meant to be formal, the teens had practically had a party on their end of the table. A food fight had almost broken out among them twice. Of course both incidents were started by Mitch and Jace.

But when the dinner did end, Lily ended up staying a little longer, but soon Scorpius deemed it time to follow her mother's request, and take her home.

"I'm sure she won't care if I come home a little late," Lily insisted as they walked back into the living room.

"Perhaps, but I did tell her that I'd have you home," Scorpius countered. "I would like to be a man of my word. It'll help her like me more." He smirked at her.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You try too hard."

They got to the fireplace, and Scorpius handed her the powder. "Well, I'll see you on the train, Lily Luna."

Lily grinned. "Yeah, I'll see you then, Scorp."

When Lily stepped back into her own house, she was glad that the living room was empty of people.

"I'm back!" Lily called.

"Glad to have you back, princess!" her father called from the other room. "The other kids are upstairs!"

Lily walked up the stairs, and she could easily hear the noise coming from one of the boys' rooms down the hall. But she didn't dare join them, and instead went to her room to change. She was dying to get out of her dress. She changed into one of Teddy's old shirts, and into a comfy pair of shorts. She was thankful for the wardrobe change.

Having nothing else to really do, Lily picked up the book that Scorpius had lent her and laid on her bed. She was almost through with the book, only two or three chapters left. It was a fabulous book, and Lily had begun to want to try quite a few of the potions in the book.

She had finished another chapter and more when a knock came at her door. "Come in," she called, not taking her eyes off of her book. She heard the door open, and then close.

"You know, you and Rose may not be sisters, but you two have a lot of similarities. Every time I see Rose she has a book in hand, and now you do to." Lily finally looked away to see Lorcan standing in her room. He seemed just like he did when she last saw him. He was skinny, and kinda tall, but last she remembered, he wasn't much taller than she was. He had the same light blue eyes as his twin, but there was one big difference between Lorcan and Lysander. Their hair. They were the same color, obviously, but the style. While Lysander had longer and unruly blonde hair, Lorcan had short hair. The fringe just barely touched the top of his forehead.

Lily couldn't help but smile. "Hey, Lorcan! What are you doing in here? Why aren't you with the others?"

He gave a shrug as he plopped down onto her bed. "I went downstairs and heard that you had come home and were probably hiding up in your room, so I thought I'd come see ya. I haven't talked to ya in forever it seems," he explained.

Lily marked her page and set the book on her bedside table. "Yeah, the first year was a bit hectic. Friends, enemies, getting used to classes, and Quidditch."

"Yeah, the first year is a bit frantic. But they get mellower. And Quidditch makes it all the better," Lorcan said with a grin. Lily wasn't surprised with his excitement. Lorcan was a big Quidditch fan, and loved the game. Anything about it excited him.

"Yeah, because all the classes weren't enough. I had to add practices to my days as well, and kill the idea of sleep all together," Lily teased.

Lorcan just shook his head. "Who cares about classes and homework, and all that junk? If I couldn't play Quidditch, I'd drop as soon as I could."

Lil raised a brow. "You would really quit school?"

"Absolutely. I already know that I wanna play Quidditch when I graduate, so why stay if I'm not going to do anything else with my life?" he asked rhetorically with a smile.

Lily laughed. "You are so weird. I don't think I could play Quidditch for the rest of my life, every day and night."

"I love Quidditch," Lorcan said simply. "I think flying is one of the best things ever, and Quidditch follows a millimeter below it." He let out a sigh. "The rush, the danger, the fun. Quidditch is the greatest game ever."

"You know that sounds a lot like . . . an obsession," Lily hinted.

This time, he raised a brow. "And your point would be?"

* * *

Between the next few days Lily spent her time getting herself and things ready for the upcoming school year. Her talk with Lorcan had been fun, and he'd spent another hour or two in her room before they both decided to go to bed. Lily had found that she had actually missed talking to Lorcan. Plus, he was the one person not in Slytherin that would talk to her about Quidditch and not sound sour about her winning streak.

But finally the day came for the Potter children to be taken to King's Cross to start a new school year. Lily had been anticipating this day for a while. She concluded that avoiding cousins and siblings that hate you was simpler in a large castle than in a small house. And not thinking about how they hate you was easier if your thoughts were occupied by lessons and friends.

Lily awoke and let out Regal, letting him fly to Hogwarts on his own. And when the Potter family arrived on platform nine and three-quarters, Lily immediately scanned the crowd for her friends. In the distance, Lily could see a very large family, and she could see Lola amongst them. She could even identify a few of them, now that she had seen some of them in person. And just a meter or so away, she could see Jace and what must have been his parents. His mother seemed to be coddling him, and Jace's face seemed a bit annoyed. But honestly, they weren't the ones she was looking for. But she couldn't see the blonde heads of the Malfoy family.

"Who are you looking for, princess?" Harry asked as the family walked toward Hugo's family.

Lily looked everywhere but her cousins. "Just a few friends. I've seen a few, but some seem to be missing," she mumbled.

Harry gave her a reassuring grin. "I'm sure they're on their way, hun."

Lily looked up at her dad, and she couldn't help but smile. She really loved her daddy. He was the bravest man she knew, and she never felt safer with anyone than how she did with him.

"Hey, Potters!" Ron greeted. "What's new?"

"It hasn't been that long, Ronald," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.

Lily slowed her walk and tuned them out. She stayed at the edge of the family group, not wanting to hear her brothers' and cousins' snide remarks. Besides, her eyes still searching for the platinum-blonde hair she was waiting for. The one that she really wanted to see.

"Looking for someone?" she heard a whisper in her ear.

Lily jumped, but turned around to see Scorpius standing behind her. He smirked at her, holding out his arms. Lily laughed and hugged him, surely gaining the attention of her family, even if they weren't addressed.

"Scorpius! It's about time! I thought you weren't going to show," Lily teased.

Scorpius scoffed. "Oh, please! I was here before you were. You just didn't see me."

Lily raised a mocking brow. "Are you sure? That hair is hard to miss?"

Scorpius only smirked as she laughed. "Ha, ha. So tell me, how were the last few days in the lion den?" he said with a laugh of his own. They both knew that they were annoying the Gryffindor teens behind Lily.

Lily shrugged. "Not bad. Surprisingly quiet for me. And the rest of your days?"

"Same. No fights, no arguments, no nothing," he complained, the smirk never leaving.

"Why don't you just get outta here, Malfoy!" James sneered.

"James Sirius Potter!" Ginny scolded. James shut his mouth, but his glare never left.

Scorpius gave a mocking sigh. "If you insist. Shall we, Lily?" he asked, holding out his hand for her trunk.

Lily bit back a laugh, but she couldn't hide her grin. She moved to hug her mother and Ginny kissed her cheek. "Bye, Mum."

"Bye, sweetie. Behave, and make sure to write," Ginny told her daughter.

Lily nodded. "I will." Then she moved to her father. This time when she hugged him, Lily kissed his cheek. "Bye, Daddy."

"Bye, princess. I might be up for a lecture, so hopefully I'll get to see you," Harry told her.

Lily pulled back and smiled. "Bye, guys." She received goodbyes from the adults. The kids only glared and sneered. Lily handed Scorpius her trunk, and they both got onto a train, and Scorpius picked a compartment.

"Here we are," he said as he packed her trunk into the overhead compartment. Lily noticed that there were already things packed up there.

"Who's all been here?" Lily asked as she sat down.

"Me, Lana, Mitch, and Jace. Now we're just waiting for Lola," he said, plopping down onto the seat across from her.

"Last I saw her, she was with her family," Lily told him.

"Yeah, the big ass Pritchard family," he muttered, stretching his legs across the seat. "I'm not sure if one of them starts Hogwarts this year . . . I think there's one that's only a year younger than her."

"I don't know. Family is something me and Lola don't really discuss," Lily said quietly, her eyes closing as she rested her head on the window.

"No surprise. You both have big ass families," he joked.

"Hey, you found Lily Lu!" Lily opened her eyes to see Mitch coming into the compartment with Lana.

Lily grinned. "Hey, Mitch, Lana."

"Hey, Lil," Lana greeted taking that seat next to her. Mitch knocked Scorpius's feet down from the seat, and sat next to him. Scorpius punched his shoulder, and Mitch grinned and hit back.

"Where's Miley?" Scorpius asked. "You know, your owner?" Scorpius let out a laugh, and Lana joined him. Lily only giggled, trying not to fully laugh.

Mitch just waved him off. "With her friends. Like I was gunna sit with them the whole ride! I'd eventually AK myself," he joked. Then he took on a girly voice. "You'll never guess what happened this summer! It was like, so awesome! But I totally missed you! Did you hear about that girl? Merlin, what a whore!" he mocked. This time they all laughed.

"What are we laughing about?" Jace asked. He took the seat next to Mitch. Up close, Lily could see that he looked no different, except for his hair. It had been cut short, which really showed his ears off, which he had in no way grown into.

"About what Mitch's airheaded girlfriend," Lana joked.

Jace laughed. "I'm sure that brings around easy laughs."

"You guys are asses," Mitch muttered with a chuckle of his own.

"Where's dirty at?" Jace asked. He leaned back, resting his head on the back of his seat.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Last time I saw Lola, she was with her family. She'll probably come and find us soon."

"You two bicker like a married couple," Lana said with sarcasm.

Jace gave her a halfhearted glare. "That's disgusting," he muttered.

"What's disgusting?" Lola asked as she came into the compartment. She shut the door once she was in.

"Your face," Jace said childishly.

Lola glared at him. "You know, your face matches your jokes. Dumb."

"Ok, you kids, quit," Mitch told them as he laughed. Lola just glared at Jace as she sat down across from him.

"I think we're in for a long ride," Scorpius joked.

* * *

Lily was happy to take the carriages with the rest of the older students this time. She found it much more enjoyable than the boats. She had looked at the carriage oddly at first, confused at the lack of a horse. Until she remembered the stories about the Threstrals that pulled them. Luckily, she'd never seen anyone die, and they were still invisible to her. Jace had been confused as well.

"Why isn't there anything pulling this thing?" Jace asked as they all climbed in.

Mitch gave a shrug. "Who knows? They've always been like that."

Lily tried not to laugh. It seemed that no one else's parents had found it fit to tell them what was really taking them to the castle.

And this year, she got to watch the sorting, instead of actually having to stand around and wait to find what House she would be placed in. In reality, it was also a big relief. Lily sat with the others, listening to them talk as they all waited for the new first years to be brought in.

"Here they come," Lola whispered as the hall hushed. Professor Longbottom was leading in a long line of tiny first years, each looking scared, sick, or both. Lily couldn't see a confidant one in the bunch.

"There's Rex's little sister," Mitch muttered, pointing to a small girl with brown hair. Her face was practically green, and she looked as if she was going to throw up soon.

They reached the sorting hat, which then begin to sing. Lily paid little attention, and clapped when it had finished. Then she half listened as Professor Longbottom explained the sorting to the newcomers. But once he called the first name, Lily's attention was caught.

"Ackerly, Brian."

A gangly boy with pale hair staggered to the stool, and hopped up to take a seat. The hat was placed over his head, falling to the bottom of his nose.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Lily clapped dully as the boy walked toward his new table.

"Adams, Connie."

Connie Adams became a Hufflepuff, and the next two were Gryffindors. It wasn't until Terrence Bletchley put on the hat that Slytherin gained a new member. As the list went on, Lily wasn't surprised at the kids who became Slytherins. Most had older siblings in the House. The only other kid that Lily paid attention to was Miley Jordan, the daughter of her uncle George's friend. Lily wasn't surprised to see her sorted into Gryffindor, just like her parents had been.

"Man, we didn't get any new blood," Dante said once the feast had started.

"Yeah, most of the first years we got are from Slytherin families, except for that Flair kid, but his brother's in our House too," Lars agreed.

"As long as they're not annoying, then I don't care," Mitch said with a shrug.

"Who's leading them around this year?" Lana asked.

"Me and Amanda," Dante replied with a grim look. "A waste of time. I've only been a prefect for a day and I already hate it!"

"You're just being lazy," Lana argued.

"You should be nicer, Dante," Lily mocked. Dante just rolled his eyes at them.

Once the feast was over, Headmaster Brown gave his normal speech of rules and restrictions, and then sent them all off to bed. Dante and Amanda left to go and lead the way for the first years. Lily, Lola, and Jace made their way through the crowd and started for the dungeons.

"Man, classes start tomorrow. I can already feel my spirit being stomped on," Jace mumbled.

Lola gave an irritable sigh. "Let it go, big ears. It won't kill you."

"And if it does?" Jace demanded.

"Then you won't hit me with your big ear every time you turn your head," Lily teased.

Jace rolled his eyes as the two girls laughed. "You two are so funny."

* * *

The next morning, Lily received her schedule at breakfast, and she was hating the idea of classes along with Jace. They started off with History of Magic, a terrible way to start the morning. And then they had Charms with the Gryffindors, which would kill all the fun of the class. And sadly, Lily would only have Potions every other day. That, and they had lost their Friday afternoons off. Lily's one bright side was that she only had one class with Gryffindor, which meant less time of having to see and fight with Hugo.

"Aren't you guys lucky," Scorpius said after Lily had mentioned that bright fact. His mouth was in a grim line. "I've got about four classes with at least a few Gryffindors in them. Sometimes I regret taking Care of Magical Creatures."

After a few days, things fell back into place for Lily. She had fewer run-ins with her family, and when she did they ended with arguments or fights. Slughorn complimented her potion skills, and always took time to talk to her in the halls. She took time to study and do her homework, but mostly goofed off with Jace and Christian Vaisey. Before bed, she was usually seen talking with Scorpius, and sometimes Mitch and Lana. She also sat with them at meals.

Raven held the Slytherin Quidditch tryouts in the middle of September. He only had tryouts for the open Chaser position though, ignoring people's protests. Will Nott, a husky fifth year, was chosen. Lily had to admit that he wasn't bad. He had worked well with Scorpius and Adrian, and made only the occasional bad pass.

"So, guess what," Scorpius said as he and Lily walked toward the locker room after practice.

"Um . . . you've decided that Lucius Malfoy is the nicest person you know?" Lily mocked.

Scorpius gave a chuckle and shook his head. "Nope, try again."

Lily gave a sigh. "Hm . . . I don't know. What?"

Scorpius smirked. "I've got a date for the Hogsmeade visit this weekend."

Lily raised a brow. "Really? With who?" She couldn't remember ever seeing Scorpius show an interest in someone.

"Layla Reeser. She asked me out yesterday, and I figured why not. Mitch is being dragged to Madam Puttifoot's by Miley, and Dante's taking Lana out, so it's not like I had anything to do," he explained.

"Lana is going out with Dante?" Lily asked in surprise.

Scorpius laughed. "Yeah, he asked her out the other day. You missed it, her face was bright red, and she kept stumbling over her answer."

Lily shook her head, but she couldn't help but smile. "You are so mean."

They separated as Lily went to the girls' shower. She was still a bit surprised that Scorpius was going on a date. At the dinner at the Malfoys', Scorpius had said that girls in his year were too much of a hassle for him. When had he changed his mind?

Lily and Scorpius walked back to the castle together, the previous conversation forgotten. "So, would you do Mitch a favor?" Scorpius asked.

Lily raised a brow. "Sure, but why doesn't he ask me?"

"Embarrassed," he said with a shrug. "Just don't tell him I said that."

Lily laughed. "So what is it?"

Scorpius smirked. "Well, he's been playing the guitar for a few years now, but he's not sure if he's any good. So he wants a few people to listen, so he asked me and Lana, but he thinks we'll be a bit biased and too nice. So will you come listen to him with us?"

Lily smiled. "Sure. When?"

"Be in our dorm room straight after dinner tonight. It'll be us guys, and then you and Lana. He's going to play a song that he actually wrote I guess," Scorpius replied as they entered the castle.

"Well, if he can write song, then I'm guessing that he's going to be pretty good," Lily said.

But Scorpius shrugged. "Maybe. But he's skeptical. So just come and listen, and we'll all decide if he's good or not."

So once dinner was done, and all the Slytherins had gone back to their common room, Lily walked up to the fourth year boys' dorm room. As expected, Scorpius, Mitch, and Lana were already up there. But the other three fourth years were there as well, Rex Derrick, Lars, and Justin Warrington.

"Good, I know Lily Lu won't be too gentle. She's always bluntly honest," Mitch said with a sigh of relief.

Lily rolled her eyes, but took a seat next to Lars. "You better be good," she teased.

Mitch gave her a grin, but it didn't reach his eyes. He really was nervous. "Alright, then. Since we're all here." He picked up a guitar that had been resting behind him on the bed, and then adjusted a piece of paper that was laying next to him. He stared at it once, and then started to play.

Lily was silent in her amazement. She hadn't expected Mitch to suck, be she hadn't expected him to be as excellent! His fingers didn't stumble, notes didn't stutter, and the sounds wove together seamlessly. It was slow, but not at all depressing. In a way, Lily found the song to be uplifting, as if it were a song from the Muggle church in Godric's Hollow. It was . . . beautiful. When the song ended, Lily clapped with the rest of them.

"That was really good, Mitch! What were you worrying about?" Lana asked in awe.

"It was awesome," Rex told him with a grin.

The others gave other approving words while Lily stayed silent. So Mitch soon looked at her. "And what do you say, Lily Lu? What do you think, and don't worry about being blunt and harsh? I can take it," he said dramatically, obviously trying not to grin.

Lily smiled at him. "That was the best I've ever heard someone play."

Mitch made a sound that was a mix of a scoff and a laugh. "Well, then I'm either really good, or you don't listen to much music."

"So is this what you're going to do for a career?" Scorpius asked with a smirk. "You gunna be a rocker?"

Mitch laughed. "Yeah, I think I might even dye my hair blue."


	11. A Snake in the Lions' Den

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eleven: A Snake in the Lions' Den

The days of the second year all seemed to blend together for Lily, with only a few moments standing out. Like how Mitch _really_ did dye his hair an electric blue, making him stand out in a crowd. It was more noticeable than the Weasley hair. But Lily had to admit that some how, he made that hair color work.

And then there was a game against Gryffindor. It had been very close. Gryffindor had started off and pretty much ended dominating Slytherin. When things looked bleak, Lily started to hunt intently for the Snitch. She had made no show when she saw it, and caught it, much to everyone's shock, for no one had seen her chasing it. The game ended three hundred and sixty to three hundred and forty, with Slytherin barely winning. Raven had been furious, and had increased their practices, and upped how brutal they were.

But otherwise, things were the same. She went to classes, played Quidditch, hung out with her friends, and fought with Gryffindors. Her life was beginning to get dull. But a few days before Christmas break came, things looked a bit brighter. Well . . . she found something to entertain her that is.

Lily had been asked by Professor Slughorn to come and see him after dinner in his office. She took her time eating, but could no longer prolong it. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk him, in fact Professor Slughorn was probably her favorite teacher. It was just that Lily knew he would ramble if given the chance and time. But if she came in later, she wouldn't be able to stay there long before curfew. Lily had reached the floor where Slughorn's office was when she found them.

"So, we've got only one last Hogsmeade visit before Christmas break." Lily stopped walking. That was Albus's voice. Lily looked around the corner to see him talking to . . . a girl! She was about his height, maybe a little shorter, with light blonde hair and dark eyes. Lily knew who she was. She knew her name was Emma, but couldn't remember her last name. But Lily was positive that she was a Ravenclaw.

"Yeah, but I am excited for Christmas. Some of my cousins are coming to our house for this one. It'll be the first time I'll have seen them in a long time," Emma said with a happy smile.

"You don't see them often?" Albus said with a furrowed brow, an interested look in his eyes.

"No, they go to Beauxbatons. I really like seeing them," Emma replied. "I love my family."

Albus smiled. "As do I. They're the most important people to me."

Lily bit back a loud laugh. What a lie! He was the most important person in his life! In fact, he hated his sister! But this was something Lily just had to take advantage of.

Lily stepped out from behind the corner, but the two flirting teens didn't notice her. "Oh! Al, I've been looking for you everywhere!" Lily exclaimed.

Both fourth years looked at her, Albus trying to hold back an angry look, and failing. "Yes?" he asked, his teeth clenched.

Lily stepped so that she was just in front of them. "Well, perhaps you could come with me, and we can talk?"

Just like Lily expected, Albus didn't move. "Just tell me, Lily. I see no reason why we can't talk in front of Emma."

Lily smiled. She knew what he was trying to do. In his mind, she could do or say nothing bad in front of Emma without him seeming like an innocent victim. At least, that's what he thought.

"Well, I just got a letter from Mum. She said that she would send your potion for that um . . . problem you've got, ya know?" Lily said, mumbling a bit at the end, trying to appear meek.

Emma looked at Albus curiously. Albus himself looked horrified and furious. "What problem, Al?"

Lily bit her lip, hoping that she didn't seem like she was going to laugh. "Well, I should be going. Professor Slughorn needs to speak with me. Bye, big bro. Bye, Emma."

"Goodbye, Lily," Emma said with a sincere smile.

Lily knew Albus wasn't going to speak, so she skipped off, not laughing until she'd turned the corner. Even though she probably should have felt bad, Lily didn't. Emma seemed like a very nice girl, someone Albus needed around him. But Albus wasn't someone that Emma needed around her.

When Lily came to the door to Slughorn's door, she gave a knock before opening it. She'd been called to his classroom too many times, and no longer felt the need to be 'allowed' in. She was too . . . familiar with him.

It seemed that Professor Slughorn felt the same way, for he didn't look at all upset at her quick entrance. "Ah, Miss Potter! I'm glad to see you!" He was sitting on a couch, papers around him. To Lily, it seemed like papers that he was grading.

Lily smiled at him. "Right back at ya, Professor. So, what did you need me for?" She moved about the room, not yet taking a seat.

"Well, I've been thinking about your excellent potions work. You have very high marks. In fact, you are probably the best student I've had, and I've had many. You probably beat your father . . . even your grandmother for whom you were named after," Slughorn told her. "So, I wanted to give you something."

Lily finally moved over toward him, and took a seat on the couch opposite of him. He handed her a book. The cover was nice, excluding a few burn marks. But once Lily opened it, she saw that it was old. Very old. Words were written in it, paragraphs crossed out. A potions book.

"What is this, Professor?" Lily asked.

Slughorn smiled. "Well, one day, your father confessed to me how he did so well in potions his sixth year. He said it was thanks to this book, which an excellent potions master had owned. He had written better instructions in it, making the potions even more potent. He told me where it was, so I went searching for it to see if I could find it. And I did. I never knew what to do with it, but I've been thinking that you might like it."

Lily looked at the book in wonder. Her father had owned this book at a time, and before him a master at potions had owned it, and written notes? But who . . . "Who was the other owner of the book?"

"His name was Severus Snape."

Now Lily looked at it in awe. Severus Snape. Her father had said that he had known no braver man. In fact, her father had given her brother his name! This was his book? "Thank you, Professor. Thank you so much!"

Professor Slughorn looked proud. "I knew you would like it. Sometimes, you're more excited about potions than your grandmother Lily. She was an excellent student."

Lily glanced up at him. He often mentioned her grandmother. Lily wondered what she was like at times. He always compared her to her grandmother, so perhaps they were alike? And like herself, her grandmother was apart of the Slug Club.

"Professor Slughorn," Lily addressed.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Well . . . my father once mentioned that you had a wall dedicated to your favorite students and members of the Slug Club. I was wondering if I could see it," Lily asked.

Slughorn smiled. "Of course. It's just behind you."

Lily turned her head, and saw a wall with shelves, and a table pressed against it. It was covered with pictures. Lily put down the book and went over to it. Some of these people she even knew, while some were a mystery. She saw her father, Hermione, Ron. She almost laughed. She remembered how her uncle Ron had often complained about how long it took for Professor Slughorn to remember his name. Her mother was there, and Gwenog Jones. But she couldn't find who she was looking for. Until she had thought that she was looking at a mirror. She knew that she had found Lily Evans.

Lily picked up the moderate sized picture frame. She was young, and very pretty. She could see why her grandfather had loved her. She had long, flowing red hair, but it was a darker shade than the Weasley color. She had green almond-shaped eyes, just like her father and brother. Fair skin, and Lily guessed that she wasn't very tall, but not very short. She was smiling at the camera, her eyes gleaming. And every now and then, she would seem to laugh. It was as if she knew a funny joke, but one that Lily wouldn't understand. Like a secret. This was the woman that saved her father's life. The one that she had been named after. This was the woman that she was constantly compared too. Lily suddenly felt inadequate. She would never be that pretty, she would never compare to the wonderful things that Lily Evans had done.

But Lily loved this picture.

"I think she looks a lot like you," Slughorn commented.

Lily jumped. She hadn't heard him come up behind her. "Oh! Um . . . I don't think so, sir. She's much too pretty."

"You have her eyes," he commented.

"My eyes are brown."

Slughorn laughed. "I mean the shape. You have almond-shaped eyes. And even though you're a Weasley, you don't have many freckles, and the ones you have are hardly noticeable. And that smile. It's the exact same."

"I look more like my mother," Lily told him, glancing at the picture of her mother.

"I disagree. I think that you are a wonderful blend of Lily Evans and Ginny Weasley," Slughorn told her. "You're both headstrong, intelligent, brave, and very loyal."

Lily snorted. "I'm not that loyal. I've practically turned my back on my brothers and cousins. That's not loyalty."

"They weren't exactly loyal to you," he reminded.

Lily kept looking at the picture. She loved it, and she found it hard to stop looking at the picture of the beautiful young girl.

"Would you like a picture?" Slughorn asked suddenly.

Lily looked back at him quickly. "Really?" She carefully set down the picture frame.

Slughorn smiled, and moved over to a closet. He started rummaging through a box. "Of course. I have dozens of pictures of my favorite students, the members of the Slug Club. Every year I put one a different one, one that I find to be my favorite. I'd be glad to give you one." He pulled out a picture, and handed it to her.

Lily grabbed it carefully, not wanting to tear it with her eager hands. This picture was different. It was taken during the spring, out by the Black Lake. She looked much more relaxed. Her tie was loosened, jumper off, and she had kicked off her shoes. She looked a bit older as well. Her hair was longer, her skin a little more tan. And once again, she was smiling, and would give a laugh. And her eyes, they seemed to be laughing as well.

"She's a bit older in that picture. That was during her seventh year, some time in May. Her friend, Alice took the picture, and was kind enough to give it to me," Slughorn told her.

Lily looked up happily. "Thank you, Professor!"

Slughorn chuckled. "It's no problem at all, Miss Potter. Anything for my favorite and best student." Then he seemed to notice the time. "Well, I should be letting you go. Your curfew is almost up. Once you're older and your curfew gets longer, perhaps we can have some prolonged talks."

Lily smiled, and picked up the book. She placed the picture between two pages. Then she looked back at Slughorn. "Well, thank you again, and good night, Professor."

"Good night, Miss Potter," he said politely.

When Lily got back to the common room, it was practically empty, excluding a few older students who seemed to be cramming information into their brains. Fifth and seventh years probably. So Lily moved to take a seat on the empty couch across from the fireplace, and she delved into the book.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Lily looked behind the couch to see Scorpius coming toward her. He was in loose pants and a thin shirt.

"Shouldn't you?" she quipped.

He gave a smirk. "I'm hungry, so I'm going to go off to the kitchen. What's your excuse?"

"Reading a book that Slughorn gave me," she replied.

He gave a small hum. "Well, would you like to join me for a late snack?"

Lily closed the book, the picture acting as her bookmark. "Sure, why not."

The two left the common room quietly, and walked in silence toward the kitchens. Lily's thoughts were whirling around her new book and picture. Severus Snape, the man her father called the bravest man he knew. Lily had never seen a picture of him, but she remembered stories.

**Flashback**

"_Severus Snape was the bravest man I knew," Harry had told his tiny daughter. She was laying in bed, her father trying to get her to go to sleep with a story. "But I didn't really like him as a teacher. He was mean sometimes."_

"_Why was he mean?" Lily had asked, her childish eyes wide with wonder._

"_Well, he was in love with a beautiful girl a long time ago, and he never stopped loving her," Harry started, moving to lay beside his daughter. "But, this girl was in love with someone else, and it was someone he hated."_

"_You mean Grandpa James?" Lily asked, remembering vague stories about him._

"_Yep. So, he and Grandma Lily stopped being friends. But he still loved her. Even after she got married, even after she had a child, and even after she died. His love never stopped," Harry finished with a whisper._

_Lily smiled at the romantic, yet sad story. Her daddy's life had been so full of adventure, so eventful. It had everything!_

"_How come he never visits?" Lily mumbled through a large yawn._

_Her father had given her a smile that seemed a little sad. "He can't. So all we can do is remember him."_

**End of Flashback**

Lily hadn't understood at that time that Severus Snape was dead, and even after that story, she'd pretty much forgotten about it the next morning.

"Deep thoughts?" Scorpius asked suddenly.

Lily was happy that she didn't jump. He really had startled her. Then she realized that they were at the portrait that hid the kitchens. "What?" she whispered as they stepped inside.

"You seemed very spaced out," Scorpius said with a shrug.

The house elves swarmed around them, and they each said what they wanted. The house elves had it made in a minute, and the two sat down to eat.

"I was just thinking about that book," Lily told him, remembering what he'd said just a moment ago.

"Is it any good?" he asked, taking a bite of the piece of cake on his plate.

Lily couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, it's really good."

"Could I borrow it when you've finished it?" he asked, a brow raised in question.

"Sure, doesn't bother me," Lily told him. She took a drink of water. "So, how are you and Layla?"

Scorpius smirked. "Done."

Lily raised a brow this time. The two had been seeing since their first date two months ago, and Lily had never seen them fight. "What happened?" she inquired.

Scorpius gave a shrug. "She was annoying. Clingy, whining, and flaky. Not to mention an airhead. It was hard to keep up a conversation with her."

Lily tried not to laugh. "Well, I'm sorry it didn't work out."

"I'm not," Scorpius said with a chuckle.

Now Lily laughed. "So, how did Layla take it?"

"She threw a big hissy fit, and now she refuses to talk to me." Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Our whole relationship, she never shuts up. Now that we're done, she's quiet. Just my luck."

* * *

Days kept going, and Lily soon found herself back at home for Christmas break. She also found herself to be very bored. And she knew only one way to bring about some excitement.

"Daddy," Lily said as she stepped into his study.

Harry looked up from his desk with a smile. "What is it, princess?"

"Well, I was wondering if Scorpius could come over for a day or two this week? You know, since he invited me over during the summer?" Lily pleaded.

She watched as her father slightly tensed. Lily knew he was hesitant about her friendship with Scorpius, but he never argued about it. Mainly because Lily always talked about him when her mother was with them, and her mother liked him. But this was the first time Lily had come to her father alone with something about Scorpius. She wanted to know what he thought without her mum giving him a stern gaze.

"Oh, well . . . have you talked to your mother?" Harry asked, clearing his throat.

"No, I thought I should come to you first," Lily told him.

"Why not Lola?" Harry questioned, a bit of pleading look in his own eyes.

Lily almost laughed. "I invited her last year. Besides, I thought it would be nice for you to meet Scorpius. And he's never been to a house that had Muggle things in it. He's curious."

Harry sighed. "You know that your brothers are going to kick up a fuss when they find out?"

Lily almost squealed. "They always have a problem with something. So, can he?" she asked again, even though she already knew his answer.

He sighed again. "I guess. Just give me a heads up a day early."

Lily smiled brightly. "Well, he might be here tomorrow."

Harry shook his head and gazed at her with fondness in his eyes. "Thanks for the warning, sweetheart."

Lily raced out his study, and up to her room. She started to write a quick letter. She and Scorpius had been discussing having him over for a few days through letters. They both were bored, and they knew it would be fun to hang out, especially when they knew it would irritate her brothers. What better way to entertain them?

The next morning, Lily sat at the breakfast table, waiting for the mail. But then her father dropped the news.

"Oh, Ginny, I forgot to mention, I told Lily that she could have Scorpius over for a few days," Harry stated.

"What?" James and Albus exclaimed angrily.

Ginny ignored her two furious sons. "I think that's a fine idea. He's such a nice boy."

"He's an arse!" James argued.

"James Sirius Potter!" Ginny scolded. "You will be nice while he's here, young man!"

James glared balefully at his sister.

An owl came with the mail, and Harry handed Lily a letter as he unfolded the paper. Lily quickly read the letter.

"_Dear Lily Lu,_

_I'm glad that I can come over. What fun we will have! Ha, ha. I just can't wait to see your brothers. I've told my parents that I'll be staying at your house for a day or so, and they don't mind. So, I'll probably Floo over to your house this afternoon, or tomorrow, depending if you get this before you go to sleep, although I doubt that. Sorry if that was confusing. Either way, I'll see you on the 20__th__. _

_Sincerely,_

_Scorpius"_

Lily bit back a few giggles. When she refolded the letter, she noticed her father looking at her questioningly. "Scorpius will be here this afternoon."

Harry gave a nod, but said nothing else. The boys, not allowed to say anything, glared. Ginny smiled. "Good to know. I'll have to make a bigger lunch."

"Oh, Mum," Albus said quickly, "Rose is coming over later. She's going to help me clean my room."

"You can't do that alone yet, Albus?" Ginny said with an exasperated look.

Albus shrugged. "There's a lot to clean."

"You should clean it more often. Like, more than once every two years," Harry teased.

Albus rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

"Are you working today, James?" Ginny asked.

James nodded, but didn't look too happy. "Yeah, it's gunna be rough. I'm working with Cecilia today, and she talks too much."

Both adults laughed. "Why isn't Fred working with you today?" Harry asked.

Lily was curious when both boys looked a little annoyed. "He's mad at me," James replied. "But he'll get over it."

"What happened?" Ginny asked worriedly.

James waved it off. "Nothing, just a tiff. Like I said, he'll get over it."

"I'm sure you two will get past it," Harry told him. "You've been best friends for too long."

James looked like he wanted to say something else, but he kept his mouth shut.

* * *

Later, after James had gone to work, and Albus had disappeared to his room to clean with Rose, Lily was waiting in the living room. She was waiting for Scorpius to show up. He finally did, not even tripping. Lily envied his graceful steps. She always tripped or at least stumbled.

"Why hello, Lily Lu," Scorpius greeted with a smile.

Lily smiled too. "Welcome to the Potter house. And be ready. James has left, but Rose has joined us."

Scorpius chuckled. "What fun!" He placed a bag down next to the couch. Then he moved over to the tv. "So, this is a . . . televisable?"

It took all of Lily's restraint to not laugh. "A television. It uses electricity, and it lets us watch Muggle shows and sports," Lily explained. "Do you know what shows are?"

Scorpius nodded as he examined the tv. "Yeah, I remember that from Muggle Studies. They don't really make sense to me, but I know what they are."

Lily grinned. "Would you like to watch one?"

Scorpius raised a brow. "Can we?"

Lily pointed to the couch. "Sit down. I'll give you a better lesson than Professor Fleet can."

For the next few hours, Lily and Scorpius watched tv shows, cartoons, and a few sports. Watching sports led Lily to having to explain the rules to Scorpius, who kept calling fouls for things that didn't exist in the Muggle world.

"You can't hit someone for the ball in soccer," Lily said with a roll of her eyes.

"That's stupid!" Scorpius exclaimed. "First, you can't use your hands, and then you can't hit someone? What good are hands then?"

Lily laughed. "It's a good thing you don't play Muggle sports, then."

Scorpius just waved her comments off as he leaned back. "Alright, so I've seen a 'tv', what else is there?"

"Grab your bag. I'll show you my room. There are a few other Muggle things in there I can show you," Lily told him.

Scorpius did as she asked, and followed her up the stairs. And they were lucky enough to reach the second floor just as Albus and Rose were leaving Albus's room. Both faces twisted into disgust when they saw them. Lily and Scorpius just stared on innocently.

"Go get a shovel, Rose. I see a snake we should cut in half," Albus mocked.

Scorpius just smiled politely. "Why hello, Al. May I call you that? After all, we'll be in the same house for a few days."

Lily tried not to laugh as she saw the anger swirl in her brother's eyes. "Well, Scorp, we should continue. Albus's face here looks like it might explode, and I don't want to dirty my shirt." Ignoring the two's sour looks, Lily led Scorpius to the door that led to her room. She let him in, and smiled at her brother and cousin before closing the door. Scorpius was looking around.

"For being a girl, you have an awesome room . . . except for one thing," he said with a grin.

Lily raised a brow as she sat on her bed. "And what would that be?"

"I don't see a Slytherin banner, or even a poster," he said with mock offense.

Lily grinned. "Well, you're right. I'll have to fix that."

Scorpius held up a hand. "No worries. I know just how to get one."

Lily fell back to stare at her ceiling. "How is that?"

"Lana. Her dad's got a few that graduating kids have left in the dorms. That's how I got mine," he replied. He plopped down on the bed next to her, jolting her entire body.

Lily laughed. "Moocher."

"Your point?" he quipped. He gave a sigh. "So, where am I sleeping?"

"You are getting the most comfortable bed ever! We call it a couch," Lily joked.

Scorpius laughed. "That is awesome! Just the place I wanted to sleep!"

Lily smiled and turned to look at him. "I'll make sure that my brothers cause no trouble."

"And I'll pray that I live through the night," he teased. Lily giggled and stared back up at her ceiling. "So, is this the book Slughorn gave you?" Lily glanced over to the Severus Snape's book in his hands.

"Yeah, that's the one," she told him.

He hummed for a moment as he thumbed through it. "Who's this?"

Lily sat up to see that he had her picture of her grandmother in his hands. "That's my grandma. The one that died."

Scorpius hummed shortly again. "You look a lot like her. Around the eyes and such."

"You're not the first person to tell me that," Lily murmured.

"How many other people told you that?" he asked.

"Only one other," she said with a small laugh. "Slughorn gave me that as well. He said he has a lot of pictures of his favorite past students and Slug Club members, so he gave it to me."

Lily watched as Scorpius stared at the picture, seeming to want to speak. Finally he looked at her. "Can I see where your grandparents are buried?"

Lily raised a brow. "Why would you want to see that?"

His cheeks turned pink. "Well, don't laugh, but I've never seen a graveyard beyond the creepy one in my own backyard."

Lily laughed. "Um, sure. I'll show you. Come on."

They both stood up, and left Lily's room. They both went to the front door, and began to slip on their shoes and coats.

"Mum, Scorpius and I are going to take a walk!" Lily called.

"Be back before dark," her mother called back.

"Kay," Lily yelled. Then she looked at Scorpius. "Well, shall we?"

Scorpius smirked and nodded. "Lead the way."

They walked outside, and Lily immediately started toward the cemetery. As they walked, Scorpius asked about the village, so Lily told him about living in Godric's Hollow. Festivities, past, and the Muggles that lived there. And as they went, she explained certain Muggle things, like cars and Christmas lights, and how they are put up without magic.

"That sounds like a lot of work," Scorpius muttered after her explanation. Lily just shook her head. He really hadn't seen many Muggle things.

"Hello, Lily!"

Lily looked to see an elderly woman waving at her as she was stepping into her home. She smiled and waved back. "Hello, Mrs. Dempsey! Having a nice holiday?"

"I know I'm having a cold one," the woman said with a laugh. "Come over sometime this week, I haven't seen you for over a year it seems."

Lily gave a laugh. "I will. Goodbye, Mrs. Dempsey."

"Happy Christmas, Lily!" And with that, the woman closed her front door.

Scorpius instantly looked at Lily. "Who was that?"

Lily smiled as they started to walk again. "Mrs. Dempsey, and elderly woman that adored my parents when they were young and first moved here. Now she adores us kids. When my parents' work schedules get hectic, she offers to watch us. She's really nice."

"She a Muggle?" Scorpius asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. So, she's how I really know a lot about Muggles. Her, my father, my aunt Hermione, and my grandfather all contribute to my knowledge of Muggles."

"Remind me to meet your grandfather sometime then," Scorpius said with a smile.

They came to the cemetery, and Lily led him past the gate. "Here is where we bury the dearly departed. Ignotus Peverell is buried here, as is Godric Gryffindor, and the Dumbledore family," she told him. Then she led them over to where her father had taken her once on Halloween. "And here is where James and Lily Potter are buried."

Scorpius looked down at the joint grave. He moved forward to brush away a bit of snow. "It's bare," he noted.

"My father usually waits until Christmas to put flowers here again. He said that on Christmas during the war was the first time he'd come here. So he does it every year," Lily explained.

Scorpius walked away, and Lily watched him. She watched as he went over to a rose bush, and carefully plucked off a rose. He started to walk back to her. "I'm surprised these still grow," he commented.

"Magic. There's a lot of it in this village, even if the Muggles don't ever notice it," Lily replied. "They just make up their own reasons for the odd things around here."

Scorpius gave a nod as he placed the flower before the grave. He smiled when he looked back at her. "Just so they know that it's not just their son thinking about them this Christmas."

Lily smiled softly, and she went and carefully picked a rose of her own. Then she came back, and kneeled down in front of the grave. She placed the rose next to Scorpius's. "Happy Christmas, Grandma and Grandpa," Lily whispered, looking at the grave.

Scorpius kneeled down next to her. "Happy Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Potter."


	12. Win, or Die Trying

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Short Note - Ok, so I've been thinking that maybe I could write a story on each of the second generation kids, but I'm still not sure if I should. Maybe tell me what you guys think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twelve: Win, or Die Trying

When Lily and Scorpius finally found their way back to the Potter house, Lily could hear that James was home. And she could also hear that he wasn't alone.

"It seems we've been joined by a few more lions," Lily murmured to Scorpius.

Scorpius smirked. "This should be an interesting evening then." Then he took a sniff of the air. "What's that smell?"

Lily took in a breath. Instantly, she could smell her mother's cooking. A mouth-watering smell. "My mum is making dinner."

"Well, shall we venture into the kitchen? You can show me any Muggle devices in there?" Scorpius suggested.

Lily grinned. "Why not." She took his wrist and led him to the kitchen. Sure enough, her mother was directing the kitchen with a few wand movements. She smiled when she saw them.

"It's about time you two got back. Dinner will be done soon," Ginny told them.

Scorpius gave a smile. "Hello, Mrs. Potter. Having a nice day so far?"

Ginny smiled at his manners. "It's been pretty good. And yours?"

His smile turned into a smirk once again. "It's been fun. I've been drilling your daughter for any and every bit of information about Muggle things."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, any little thing."

Ginny chuckled. "Well considering how often she hangs around her grandfather, Lily would be the perfect one to ask about Muggles."

Scorpius looked at her with a raised brow. Lily just shrugged. "What can I say? He's one of the greatest guys alive."

"I hope you're talking about me." Lily turned to see her father come into the kitchen.

Lily smiled. "Of course, Daddy."

Harry smiled. "How's your day been, princess?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.

"Fine," she answered simply. Then her father moved and kissed her mother. That never bothered Lily . . . until it got to be a bit much. "Hey, people are in the room," she groaned.

Harry looked back at her, and Ginny just laughed as she continued with dinner. "Ha, ha." Then he seemed to notice Scorpius. "So, this must be Scorpius, the young man staying with us. It's nice to meet you."

Scorpius gave him a nod. "Right back at ya, Mr. P. How was work?"

Harry took a seat at the table as well. "Same as always. Full of paperwork." There was a loud bang from up above, and then loud laughs. "Who all is here?"

"James brought home a few friends. And Tyler came over too," Ginny listed.

Scorpius looked toward Lily. "Tyler Creevey?"

Lily nodded. "Al's best friend. He comes over every so often."

"Your house always full of kids?" Scorpius asked with a laugh.

Lily grinned. "Pretty much. You should come to my grandparents' house during holidays. There's barely enough room to breathe."

He smirked. "Well then, perhaps I should see that sometime."

"So, who did James bring over?" Harry asked.

"Kyle and Eric. They met up at George's," Ginny explained.

Lily tried not to grimace. Kyle Matlock and Eric Kirke were friends of James that Lily didn't really like when she and James got along. Tyler Creevey was ok, but they never spoke. Tyler was a faithful friend, so if Albus was on bad terms with someone, Tyler stayed away from them. And that included Lily.

There was a loud 'CRACK', and Kreacher was standing next to Ginny. "Does Mistress need Kreacher's help?"

Ginny smiled down at the house elf. "Could you tell the boys upstairs that dinner will be ready in a minute?"

"Of course," Kreacher croaked. With another 'CRACK', Kreacher was gone.

There was a clear hostility in the air at dinner. Five Gryffindor boys, two Slytherins, and two parents. That meant the boys could say no hateful remarks, but it didn't stop the occasional glare that was sent at Lily and Scorpius. But what seemed to anger James and Albus the most was how Scorpius didn't react, but continued to talk to their parents.

"So, is it just the Aurors that are under your order, or do you also control the Hit Wizards?" Scorpius asked Harry.

"I talk with their commander from time to time, but no, I have no real control over them. But we never really clash, we usually get along," Harry explained.

"Well I can't see them wanting to go against The-Boy-Who-Lived's suggestions," Scorpius joked.

Harry chuckled around his bite of food. "Well, you have a point." He cleared his throat. "So, Scorpius, do you have any ideas of what you want to do after school?"

Scorpius gave a nod. "Well, I've actually thought about being an Auror or Hit Wizard," he told him.

Harry raised a surprised brow. "Really? Why is that?"

Scorpius gave a shrug. "It just seems like a very interesting line of work to me. I doubt I'd have a stale life in that line of work."

Harry chuckled. "No. Life is never stale when you're an Auror."

After dinner, Lily and Scorpius practically camped out in the living room. They sat around, talking, playing Exploding Snap, and listening to music. And then Scorpius convinced Lily to play chess.

"I hate this game," Lily muttered as one of Scorpius's bishops smashed one of her knights to pieces.

Scorpius smirked. "You know, when you said you sucked, I didn't really imagine how badly you sucked at this," he teased.

Lily made a face, and stuck her tongue out childishly. "Bite me."

Scorpius jokingly snapped his teeth at her, and then crushed her last knight. "So, I'm guessing that you don't play often," he mentioned.

"I used to actually. Hugo and I used to always play. It's his favorite game, and he's a brilliant player. But . . ." Lily trailed off. "Well, I've never been good at it."

"My father taught me how to play," Scorpius told her. "So he and I play together every now and then. And he plays the game with Lucius a lot too."

"Wow. You were serious when you said you had Malfoy staying at your house." Both Lily and Scorpius turned their heads to see James, Kyle, Eric, and Albus walking into the living room. Already uninterested, Lily and Scorpius went back to their game.

"Yeah, it sure stinks up the house," Albus sneered.

"So, Lily Lu, Mitch says he needs help with something, and since you know Muggles, I referred him to you," Scorpius mentioned.

Lily raised a brow. "Really? What does he need help with?"

"He wants to pierce his ear."

Lily almost laughed. "What? He wants to pierce his ear?"

Scorpius smirked. "Yeah, he wants to look like a 'rocker' so he wants to get a piercing. He just doesn't know where to go."

Lily gave a shrug. "Well, I guess I could find a place for him to go."

"Thanks. He'll appreciate it," Scorpius told her.

"Hey guys, do you hear that? It sounds like a hissing snake," Eric murmured mockingly.

"Mitch told me and Lars that we should dye our hair blue as well," Scorpius told Lily with a laugh.

Lily laughed too. "I don't think blue matches you very well," she teased.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "Really? I was thinking green though, though maybe not all of my hair."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Always the rebel," she mocked. From the corner of her eyes, Lily could see that the other boys were getting frustrated at not getting a response out of the Slytherins. She tried not to grin and laugh at them.

The boys tried to bother them for another twenty minutes before finding it useless. Lily and Scorpius had laughed once they were out of the room. Nothing was funnier than the angry and disappointed faces of four Gryffindors.

And surprisingly, they did nothing to Scorpius during the night. It made Lily assume that her mother had given them a mean look and stern command. Her brothers could try to be as cool as they wanted, but they were all afraid of their mother.

Scorpius had left that afternoon after receiving a note from his father. Scorpius had rolled his eyes, and almost scoffed.

"My grandfather wants to have a day of just us Malfoy men," he'd muttered. "Which basically means that he just doesn't want me here."

Lily bit back a laugh, but when he did leave, she found herself bored again.

* * *

When Christmas Eve came around, Lily was a little happier to go to the Burrow. But when she learned that Louis and his family had yet to arrive, Lily made a beeline for her grandpa's shed. She wasn't at all surprised to find him working on the bike.

"Hello, flower," Arthur greeted with a smile. "Here to help?"

Lily smiled. "You bet." Immediately, she went to work. "So, how have you been, Grandpa?"

"Pretty good, Lily Flower." He looked at her carefully. "Well, can I tell you something a bit . . . shocking?"

Lily looked at him in surprise. "What is it?"

He gave a small sigh. "Well, I'm thinking about retiring in a few years."

Lily dropped the tool she was holding. "What?"

He gave a soft smile when he looked at her. "I'm getting older, flower. And it won't be this year. But eventually, I'll have to."

"You're not that old," Lily muttered. "Remember how long Dumbledore lived? And he worked until his death."

Arthur just patted her hair. Lily didn't care about the black smudges on his hands. "Dumbledore never dealt with seven kids, and grandchildren from five of them. I've been through two wars, the death of a son, and many more. I think that in a few years, I'm just going to choose to spend the rest of my life relaxing."

Lily picked the tool back up and stared at it for a moment. Then she looked back up and gave her grandfather a small smile. "If you're sure, Grandpa."

He gave a chuckle. "I'm sure. But I think we can get this bike done before that."

Lily smiled as they both started to work with it again. Once they heard Molly calling them in for dinner, Arthur was getting rid of the grease and oil on their skin and clothes.

"So, what are you going to do with this bike when we're done?" Lily asked.

"Well, I'll give it back to your father, though I doubt he'll use it much." Arthur eyed Lily with a smile. "I'm sure I could convince him that he's got a young girl in his house that would love to have it."

Lily's face lit up in excitement. "Really? You think he'd let me have it?"

Arthur gave a shrug. "I'm sure he could be persuaded. Out you three kids, you'd probably be the best one to give it to."

Lily couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the night.

* * *

Soon, they were all back at school, and Lily's days began to blur. And soon came the day of the Slytherin game against Ravenclaw. Raven had pretty much punished them during practices, and Lily had stumbled up to her dorm room to fall onto her bed and sleep every night.

When the day finally came, Raven had them all eat a good breakfast, but then forced them all to the pitch early. Soon they were dressed and ready for the game, and people were just arriving to the pitch.

"What was the need for getting here early?" Dante demanded grumpily.

"Yeah, I mean, you've been busting our asses for the past three weeks!" Will Nott groaned, falling back onto the bench.

Raven's brow furrowed. "The next person that whines can _run_ the laps at the next practice!" he growled. They all became quiet at the threat. The smallest amount of laps they ever did was fifty around the pitch. "And I wanted you all in here to give a speech." Raven pulled in a deep breath. "Now, we almost got whooped by Gryffindor in our last match, and if it wasn't for Lily Lu, we would have lost and been smoked out of the running for the Cup. I don't want that happening again! We can't afford that! We need to dominate Ravenclaw today! They're ahead of us on overall points! And I'm not Aaron, so I won't rely on Potter to help with the big lead! I kept you guys on the team, and I brought you in, Will, so you all damn well better play good!" Raven yelled furiously.

The team was quiet, silenced by his angry words. Raven scanned them all carefully, and then he seemed to calm. "Alright, now that all of that's off my chest, let's get down to business. Now, their new Chaser is Hayden Stretton. He's a good player, but he's not near as good as Angel Goldstein was. And now that little Davies is their new captain, and he's made a few changes. He's put more focus on their defense, so the Scamander twins have been pretty ruthless as of late. And they've been targeting Seekers." Raven looked at Lily. "So you need to be very careful, and you have to watch for Bludgers."

Lily nodded. "Got it, Rave."

"Now, from what I hear, Tad Davies hasn't really improved much on being a Keeper, and since we smoked them last him last year, I think we can do the same if we get past their Beaters and Chasers. Any questions?"

"So most of the game is on us Chasers?" Scorpius asked mockingly.

Raven gave a small nod. "Like I said, I'm not relying completely on Lu here," he said, patting Lily on the shoulder.

"Alright, well you said that the Scamanders have been targeting Seekers," Adrian recapped, "so shouldn't we have one of our Beaters keeping close to her?"

Raven gave another nod. "Yes, valid point." Raven's brow furrowed in thought. "Well . . . Lars, you stay by Lily. My aim is better, and aim isn't important in beating away a Bludger. So keep close."

"If you say so," Lars muttered.

Raven gave a smirk. "Alright. If you've all got it straight, then grab your brooms, and let's get out there and kill a few Ravenclaws!"

There were cheers of agreement among the team as they all grabbed their brooms and headed toward the pitch.

* * *

The game was going in Slytherin's favor this time. After an hour, the score was three hundred and ten to two hundred and forty with Slytherin in the lead. Lily hadn't seen the Snitch since Madam Hooch had held it in her hand, no matter how hard she looked for it. The Chasers had stepped up their game, and Lars was always within reach to bat Bludgers away from Lily. One seemed to fly toward her every five or so minutes.

And Lily was worried. Mark Kimball was the Ravenclaw Seeker, and he was much bigger than Lily was. Sure, size and strength never really mattered when you were a Seeker, but Lily didn't doubt that he couldn't knock her off her broom.

"Any sight of it yet, Lily Lu?" Lars asked as he came to knock away another Bludger.

"Not yet," Lily mumbled. Lars gave a small groan as he flew a little away. She took a moment to listen to the game below.

"Malfoy brings the Quaffle up the middle," Meredith commented. "He passes it off to Flint, who throws it over Stretton's head. Malfoy throws it back, like it's a child's game. But now Flint throws it to Nott. Nott shoots and . . . he scores! Another ten points for Slytherin."

Suddenly, Lars was flying toward her. Lily looked over and saw a Bludger hurdling toward her. Lily froze, but Lars made it, and knocked it away.

"That was quicker than usual," Lars said with a few pants.

"Move, Lu!" Raven yelled.

Lily barely had time to look at Raven in confusion before something slammed against her upper back and right shoulder, throwing her forward and off of her broom. Lars reached out his hand, but he didn't catch her. Lily heard the gasps and cries, she heard her name being called, but everything seemed so slow as she fell. The sky slowly got farther away, the Bludger moved slowly above her, and the Snitch slowly moved across her line of sight. With clumsy hands, Lily lifted her left hand, and made a grab for it. She felt the feel of the cool metal before it slipped away from her. Then it was gone, and she landed with a painful thud that made her ears ring.

Lily knew the game was still going, but she couldn't get up. She couldn't even feel the right side of her back and shoulder. She heard her name muffled by the ringing in her ears, but then Professors Longbottom and Slughorn were above her.

"Are you ok?" she barely heard Professor Longbottom speak, and had to watch his lips for help.

Lily could only blink, and give a small nod. The biggest lie she'd ever told. Soon there was a hand curling around her left arm, and she was being helped as she tried to sit up. Then something touched her right side, and Lily gave out a pained cry. A fire seared through her veins.

"I think her right side has taken most of the damage," she heard someone speak.

"We'll have to get her to the Hospital Wing," someone else said.

Lily's eyes snapped open wide, and everything seemed to quicken up again. But the pain was still there, and the ringing didn't stop.

"I'm fine!" Lily told them quickly as she tried to get up. She did her best to put no weight on her right side, and she didn't use her right arm at all.

"Lily, you're hurt. You have to go to the Hospital Wing! You can't keep playing!" someone, Professor Longbottom perhaps, argued. But Lily ignored him, and picked up her broom. And before she could be stopped, she was in the air.

"And it seems Potter is back in the game after her terrible fall," Meredith announced.

Lily went back above the players, noticing the concerned glances she got from her teammates. She ignored them, and went back to looking for the Snitch. But this time, she kept her gaze low. Her entire body was aching, and her right was burning with an agonizing pain. She had to end this game quickly. She was their only Seeker, so she had to stay in the game.

"Are you alright, Lil?" Lars asked worriedly as he came over, keeping right next to her now.

Lily gave a small nod. Her ears were still ringing, her head was spinning, and the pain was making her eyesight blurry. She couldn't put too much focus on what he was saying. And out of the corner of her eye, Lily saw a glint of gold. Near the grass in the middle of the pitch. Lily started her dive, but it seemed that Kimball had also noticed it.

"And the race for the Snitch begins!" Meredith said with hushed excitement as the crowd began to chant for the Seekers.

Kimball looked at Lily with a glare in his eyes. "You're losing this one, Potter," he hissed. Then he smashed into her right side.

Lily bit her lip roughly, keeping back the pained cry she wanted to let out. She then tasted the metallic tang of blood on her tongue. It dripped down her chin. But she couldn't feel that small pain against the much larger pain in her back and shoulder. The next time he tried to hit her, Lily dodged it, moving him to her left side. Something she could handle.

They were getting closer to the ground, and the Snitch evaded them. They both pulled up, their feet skidding across the ground. They flew above the grass, both of their hands outstretched for the Snitch. It swerved to the right, and out of Kimball's reach. Lily put down her left hand, and shakily reached out with her right. It screamed in protest, but Lily felt a small relief as she once again felt that cool metal in her hand as her fingers closed around the Snitch. And at that moment, Kimball proved Lily right, and rocked her off of her broom.

Cheers sounded, a whistle blew, and Lily tumbled to the ground, rolling across the grass. Her entire body seemed to lite on fire when she stopped, her face in the grass. Lily closed her eyes. She had lost all will to try to beat away the ringing, and to keep her strength. Instead she went limp, her body deadweight. She felt the footsteps coming toward her this time. There were small brushes against her body, but it was enough to make her skin burn.

"Lily, don't move. This is going to hurt," someone said in her ear. It was surprisingly loud against the ringing.

Air whooshed under her, bringing a sting to her skin as she was levitated up in the air. Then she was gently brought down on what Lily assumed was a stretcher. And then it was gliding along. Lily hadn't opened her eyes, but she could feel the tiny wind scrapping across her.

Now it seemed that time was speeding up for her, because soon she was in the castle, and she was painfully moved to what felt like a bed. Slowly, Lily went in and out of focus, until finally, she was out.

* * *

When Lily awoke, the Hospital Wing was dimly lit. Her body was still stinging, but it didn't make her want to cry. Her throat and lips were dry. She ran her tongue over her lips, and found that where she had bitten herself too hard had been healed.

"I was starting to think that you wouldn't be waking up until tomorrow, Miss Potter."

Lily slowly turned her head to see the headmaster, Professor Brown, in the seat next to her bed. "Professor? What are you doing here?"

Professor Brown smiled at her. "Why, I thought I'd come see how Slytherin's star athlete was doing," he said. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen a student take a fall like that and get up and continue playing the game."

Lily smirked. "Yeah, I'm pretty crazy."

"I was going to say stubborn," he said with a laugh.

Lily sighed. "So, is that all you came here for?"

"Well, Miss Potter, one day, I decided that I wanted to be the type of headmaster that students could talk to. One that got along with his students. I didn't want to be just another headmaster that handed out punishments and sent students on their way," he told her. "But you see . . . I don't see you very often."

Lily raised a brow. "Isn't good that I'm never sent to your office?"

He grinned. "In a way, yes. But that means that I hardly know you. So, I thought this was a great time to do so, without rumors spreading about you being in trouble. I figured this way I could learn more than I know about you, which isn't at all much."

She looked at him curiously. "If we never talk, then how do you know much of anything about me?"

"Well, I've talked to your teachers, I've seen your games, and lesson grades. Plus, I've often talked to Professor Slughorn, who talks about you quite a bit," he told her. "But I find myself wanting to know more."

Lily brought in a breath as she closed her eyes for a moment. She was wondering if there was an ulterior motive. No teacher had wanted to know things about her, besides Slughorn. And that was because he thought she had a bright future that could benefit him. So could Professor Brown really want to know her just to know her?

She opened her eyes. "Well, the first thing to learn about me is that I hate formalities, so just call me Lily."

Professor Brown gave a small hum. "Well, then I'll make you a deal. If you promise to not do it in front of other students, I'll allow you to drop the formalities with me."

Lily tried to hide her surprise. A professor, a headmaster, would let her call him by his name? "As long as I only do it in private?"

He nodded. "Then I won't mind."

Lily smiled. "Thanks." Then after a quick thought, she threw out a question. "What is your first name?"

"It's Jacob. Jacob Brown," he told her.

Lily tried not to laugh. "Can I call you 'Jake'?"

Professor Brown did laugh. "I suppose so. Whatever makes you comfortable. May I ask you a question, Lily?"

Lily gave a small shrug, ignoring the tiny prick of pain she felt. "Shoot."

His brow scrunched as he thought. Then he looked back at her. "What do you think you want to do after school?"

Lily raised a brow at the odd question. It wasn't something that most second years were asked. "Um . . . I'm not really sure. I don't even know what classes I'm going to add next year."

Professor Brown grinned. "Well, if I could make a suggestion, I would suggest taking Care of Magical Creatures. It's quite a fun class, no matter what you're going into."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I thought I might take that class anyways. Despite that fact that he's the gamekeeper, I hardly see or talk to Hagrid. I figure if I take his class, I'll get to see him more." She looked at him slyly. "So, do I get to ask you a question now?"

She didn't get a quick response, but finally he nodded. "Of course. Let's be fair."

Lily thought for a moment. "So . . . what House were you in?"

"I was a Hufflepuff," he told her. "Something I was very proud of."

Lily almost laughed. "Hence the fairness bit. Did you play Quidditch?"

"No, I'm a fan, but not a player. I was a Slug Club member, a Chess Club member, and a member of the Charms Club. I was more academic than I was athletic. Hmm . . . what is your favorite thing about being a Slytherin?" he asked.

Lily hesitated. She hadn't expected such a deep and personal question. Not this quick. Professor Brown seemed to sense her hesitance. "I know it's a loaded question, but if you can, would you please answer?"

"Why this question?" Lily demanded softly.

"I told you I want to know you. I want to know how to handle you, what to do and what not to do. So I try to get answers that will help me figure a person out. And I think I've found the question," he said quietly.

Lily still didn't answer right away. "Well, . . . before I start Hogwarts, I dreamed about coming to this school and being a Gryffindor. Just like every other Potter. It was like I was . . . stuck and drawn into it. But, now that I'm a Slytherin . . . I guess that I've got a chance to be different. To be . . . Lily, not Lily Potter," she murmured, trailing off near the end.

Professor Brown stared at her with an open gaze, before he finally clicked his tongue and spoke. "Well, Lily, I think that Slytherin is the perfect House for you. Because, I think that out of any Potter to walk through these halls, you will be the one we all remember. And _not_ because you are a Potter. But because you are you."

Lily felt her cheeks blush at his words. She doubted his words, because she knew that she wasn't important. Perhaps the Gryffindors would remember her as another filthy Slytherin, but everyone else would remember her because she was Potter. It was a reality that she accepted, yet hated with a passion.

"That's very kind of," Lily murmured, "but I'm not that lucky."

Professor Brown smiled. "Says the girl who has made friends in a House that distrusted you before you were even sorted."


	13. Tensions Rising

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Short Note - Ok, so I've been thinking that maybe I could write a story on each of the second generation kids, but I'm still not sure if I should. Maybe tell me what you guys think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirteen: Tensions Rising

The day after the game, Lily awoke to find a mountain of treats and gifts on the table next to her bed.

"They're from admirers, classmates, the team, and your friends," Madam Pomfrey had told her. So Lily spent the morning eating Chocolate Frogs, pastries, and many different kinds of candy.

But then Madam Pomfrey gave her the bad news. "Well, I still have a few things to mend, and some of the potions take time to kick in, so I think I'll have you stay here for at least one more night."

Lily groaned with dismay. It was a Monday, so the others couldn't visit her. Not while they were in class. But she did finally get a visitor a few hours before lunch. Raven Bole came into the room.

Lily raised a brow at his appearance. "Shouldn't you be in class, captain?" she taunted with a smile.

He smirked. "I have a free period, so I thought I should come and see my Seeker. Now that she's on the disabled list," Raven told her. He took the seat next to her bed. "When are you being let outta here?"

"Tomorrow at the least," she told him. "Pomfrey still has things to fix. I'm pretty broken up."

Raven's smirk turned into a grin. "I'm not surprised. But I was proud that you got up and kept playing after that fall. I thought we were done for when you fell."

Lily gave a small shrug. "You've gotta be tougher than the game."

"That's what I like to hear!" Raven said with a laugh. "The rest of the team is coming over around dinner, but I wanted to show you this first." He pulled a folded piece of paper from his robe. "I just got a copy from Madam Hooch."

Lily took the paper and looked at it. It was a score sheet of the Quidditch teams. Gryffindor had three hundred and forty, Ravenclaw seven hundred and thirty, Hufflepuff two hundred and fifty, and . . .

"We're in the lead!" Lily squealed in delight. Slytherin had eight hundred and eighty points!

Raven gave a smile too. "Now, let's not get too excited. There are still three matches left in the season, and the points can change easily. But I thought you'd be happy to know that your injuries weren't for nothing."

"Oh, Mr. Bole, please tell me that you aren't in here for another injury." Both Slytherins looked to see Madam Pomfrey coming toward them.

Raven gave a grin. "Nah, I'm just here to visit."

"Well I'm sure your next class will be starting soon, so you two might want to finish up," she told them.

Raven gave an uninterested nod. He stood up, walking backwards. "Sure. I'll see you around dinner, Lu. Oh, and be ready, because Lars feels really guilty about not hitting that Bludger that took ya out."

Lily shook her head and laughed.

* * *

Lily's next visitors were Lola and Jace, who came during lunch.

"You are crazy!" Lola told her once they saw that she was awake.

Lily smiled. "It's nice to see you too, Lola."

Lola gave a small smile as well. "Are you ok? Are you still hurt or . . .?"

"I'm a little sore still, but that should be gone around tomorrow, I guess," Lily explained.

Jace grinned. "That's good. Classes have been pretty boring this morning. But I guess it was worth it. That was an awesome game."

Lola smacked his arm. "That was not worth it! She could have been really hurt!" she protested. "That was a really big fall!"

Jace just rolled his eyes. "You just don't understand the sport, and the intense feel for the game."

"No, I'm not an idiot! I like being sensible, and if I fall more than fifty feet from the ground, and break almost every bone in one side, then I don't get up and risk doing it again!" Lola argued.

Jace glared. "Give her credit for being strong and committed! She did it for our team and our House!"

"There's a difference between commitment and stupidity!" Lola yelled back. "Not that you would be able to tell the difference. You've been living in stupidity all your life!"

"Well at least I . . ."

"Knock it off!" Lily intervened. She had to stop 'em now, because she knew that Jace was probably ready to cross the line completely. "Look, I was stupid and committed. I walked the line, so if neither of you two can agree to that, then agree to disagree, and shut up!"

Both Lola and Jace looked cross at each other, but they each gave a small nod. Jace moved and grabbed a Chocolate Frog, and Lola looked toward Lily.

"So, when are they letting you out? I imagine that you're pretty bored in here," Lola teased.

Lily sighed. "Oh, you know me too well."

"Don't blame you," Jace said through a mouthful of chocolate. "I'd die in here if they stuck me here for over a day."

"It's very boring, but I've had some visitors. The headmaster came in, Raven came in earlier, and I guess the team is coming around dinner," Lily listed.

"Well, then at least it won't be quiet," Jace laughed.

Lily smiled. "So, what's going on out in the big world of Hogwarts?" Now Jace and Lola looked hesitant. Lily raised a brow. "What is it?"

Lola bit her lip, so Jace spoke. "Well, the Gryffindors are all talking about how you won't be able to play for the next game. And Tad Davies is bragging about how his team knocked down the 'invincible Potter'," he explained,

Lily rolled her eyes. She wasn't surprised, especially with Davies. He was an egotistical big-mouth. Everyone knew that. "How's that going for him?"

Jace grinned. "Well, be ready to see him, cause at breakfast the team was talking about jumping him later tonight."

Lily just shook her head. "Morons," she muttered. Then she sighed. "Well, Tad Davies doesn't matter any. I could care less what he thinks."

"Are you sure it's just him?" Lola asked. "Because some of his team was agreeing with him."

"But not all," Lily told her. She pointed to a big box of Crystallized Pineapple. "That's from Lysander and Lorcan. It's their usual way of apologizing."

"I'm surprised you haven't torn into that yet," Jace teased.

Lily chuckled. "I'm saving the best for last."

Jace laughed and nodded, taking another Chocolate Frog.

* * *

After Jace and Lola left, it seemed like forever before dinner finally came around. The team trudged in, all in their practice robes.

"Hard day?" Lily teased.

Scorpius gave a smirk as he plopped down into one of the chairs next to her bed. "You could say that. How ya doing, Lily Luna?" he asked.

"I'm so bored I considered dying," she mocked.

"I'm really sorry, Lil," Lars said guiltily. "I didn't even see that other Bludger coming at ya."

Lily waved him off. "It's fine. We still won."

"That we did," Adrian said with a grin. "And now we are in the lead!"

"But we have to be carful not to get too cocky," Raven warned. "I don't want to end up like Gryffindor last year. I wanna take home both the Quidditch and House Cups this year again."

Will Nott grinned and waved it off. "Come on, it's in the bag! We rocked Ravenclaw's world! Plus, we've got the other teams scared."

Lily raised a brow. "Scared?"

Raven pulled up a seat as well. "Yeah, little Davies has been talking a big game, but truth is, all of the other teams are shaking in their robes."

Dante grinned. "Yeah, everyone's been whispering about 'the unstoppable Potter', and how nothing can take her down. They all think that since you took a Bludger to the back and fell from like more than fifty feet and kept playing, nothing can stop you," he told her with a laugh.

"Yeah, the Hufflepuff Seeker is apparently petrified to go up against you in our match together. And that's all the way in May!" Scorpius said with a laugh.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well, what happened to Rickett last time we went against each other, I'm not surprised. I'm sure my supposed 'invincibility' doesn't help her worries any."

Scorpius sighed as he slightly tipped his chair back. "So, how are you feeling, Lily Lu?"

"Fine. I really just wanna get the hell outta here," she muttered.

"Just one more night, Lu" Raven assured. "You'll be out of here tomorrow. I'm going to demand it."

Lily laughed. "Yeah, I hope I'm awake to see Madam Pomfrey throw you around when you say that to her."

* * *

Lucky for Lily's sanity, she was let out the next morning. She received a small bottle of a potion, and was instructed to take it every meal. It was supposed to curb the stinging feeling that she was constantly feeling. There were whispers that floated around her, about her injuries, how she was crazy, and such. Lily ignored him and kept her head high. She went though her classes, made sure she was caught up, and went about her day. She continued with the team practices, although she had to take frequent breaks. Thankfully, the boys were patient with her.

"It's not your fault, red," Dante told her. "You were hurt, so you're allowed to take a few breaks to catch your breath."

But Lily hated it. She hated not being able to play to her full extent, and she prayed that she'd be good as new before their next game. Especially once she'd run into James again.

Over a few days, Lily had noticed James strutting around more than usual, and with more arrogance than usual. She tried to pay no attention to it, but she couldn't stop her mind from growing curious as to why there was now a difference. She wasn't going to ask, but she found out a few days after the match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.

Lily was walking with Lola and Jace out of Transfiguration, when that stinging pain suddenly racked through Lily's body, causing her to drop her things and hiss loudly in pain. Lola moved to Lily's side, and Jace began to grab her things.

"Are you ok?" Lola whispered.

Lily tried to nod, but her pained face didn't make it very convincing.

"Having trouble, kid?"

Lily looked up to see James standing a few feet from her. His friends were with him, and his arm around some snobby-looking girl. Lily scanned the others, and was surprised to see Fred was missing.

She collected herself and glared at her brother. "What do you want, Potter?" she sneered. She didn't want to fight right now. She was hurting, and all James would do was brag about his recent match win. Gryffindor had beat Hufflepuff, four hundred to two hundred and sixty points.

James held up his free arm in mock defense. "Wow, chill, kid," he said patronizingly. "Just asking how Slytherin's handicap is doing."

Lily kept her glare, and gritted her teeth as the pain racked through her again. "You know, _Jamie_, your head's looking a little bigger. More air finding its way in there?"

James surprisingly didn't get mad. Instead, he just smirked. "Wow, you didn't mature at all, did you?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Coming from the boy that's picking on his little sister because he has no life?"

The older Gryffindors laughed. "I don't have a life?" James said amused. "You know, you're telling this to a future pro Quidditch player, right? Everyone knows it, even the teachers."

Lily gave him a sneering grin. "You do remember that you lost to my team, right? You lost last year to your _little_ sister's team, and you lost the Cup to them as well," she taunted.

James glared now. "I have never lost to _you_. Al lost to you."

Lily kept her grin. "He's _your_ teammate. What kind of leader are you if you can't whip him into shape? And what are scouts going to think of you if they see _your_ team lose to Slytherin's?"

Now James was slowly becoming furious. His fists were clenching and unclenching, and Lily watched as his face slowly became red. "Watch yourself, snake!" he hissed.

Lily kept a mocking face. "Oh, are you gunna hit me? Is big bad _Jamie_ gunna hit a girl? What? Can't think of anything to say? No witty comeback? You can't win an argument against a second year? Really?"

James took a step forward, but was interrupted.

"Back away from my player, Potter!"

Everyone looked to see Raven walking toward the scene with two others. A deadly look was on his face. Lily grinned at James. James was big, but Raven was much bigger. He wouldn't win a physical fight against him.

James gave a snide look at Raven, refusing to back down. But his friends seem much less sure about themselves now. The girl placed her hand on James's chest. "Come on, James. Let's just go." But James didn't budge.

Raven finally reached the group. The two that were accompanying him were Bret Reeser and Mark Dimitrov, two other seventh years. "Potter, I'd hate to have to throw you out of a window, but if you don't back away from my Seeker, I'll have to."

"Is that a challenge?" James snarled.

"Let's just go, James. We'll go calm you down," the girl insisted.

Raven gave a short laugh. "Yeah, Jamie-boy. Go, so she blow your tiny dick, and then you can tell her she's not a whore for doing it," he mocked.

Lily sighed in disgust. Even though she didn't like James, that was not something she wanted to hear about her brother. It was still disgusting.

The girl gasped, her face hurt and offended. James's cheeks turned even more red in his anger. "Is that what you and that slut Stacy West do?" he barked back.

Every Slytherin in sight tensed, waiting for an explosion. Raven's face turned dangerous. He reached out and grabbed the collar to James's jumper. His friends tried to intervene, but Mark and Bret kept them back.

Raven glared hard at James. "If you _ever_ say anything like that about Stacy again, I promise that I will drown you in the lake." He dropped James, and with his legs unsteady, he fell to the floor. "And there's no need to be jealous just because I have a dick big enough for a girl to blow, unlike some little _boys_ on the floor."

James glared up at Raven as he started to get up, but Raven pushed him back down, and then turned his gaze toward the three second years. "Come on, you three. Let's go to lunch."

* * *

Days following that fight, Lily noticed that the animosity between Gryffindor and Slytherin had increased tenfold. And the hatred between her and her Gryffindor brothers and cousins had gone up. Well, excluding Dominique, but she hardly ever counted.

"They're glaring at you again," Lola muttered to Lily at breakfast one morning. Lily glanced up from her plate to see James and Albus glaring at her from across the room. But she was used to it now. They did that at least once a day.

"Just ignore them," Lily told her.

Mail came a few minutes later, and a large and dark owl swooped down in front of Lily, neatly avoiding her plate. Lily recognized Victoire's owl immediately. She noticed that there were quite a few letters held in his beak, and the top one had her name on it. Lily held out her hand, and the owl dropped the top one into her palm, and then flew off toward the Gryffindor table. Lily read the letter.

"_Dear, Lily,_

_Hey, how are you doing? I heard about your accident during your Quidditch match. I hope you're ok. Well, I know you and I don't write each other very often, so this letter is probably a bit surprising, but Teddy is being lazy and doesn't want to do this. Anyway, we're writing you to ask if you could please come home for Easter break? We need you and the others to all come back. I can't really say why, so just please do. You'll learn why at the Easter dinner at grandma and grandpa's. Write me back and tell me how you're doing. I really want to hear about how your second year's been._

_Love,_

_Victoire"_

Lily raised a curious brow at the question of the letter, but just put the paper back into the envelope, and continued to eat.

"Who's owl was that?" Jace asked.

"My cousin, Victoire's. She wants me and the others to come home for Easter break," Lily told them.

"Are you going to?" Lola asked.

Lily gave a small nod. "Yeah. Vic's the nicest one in the family, so it's really hard to say no when she asks you to do something. Especially when it's really simple like this."

"What do you think she wants you home for?" Lola asked.

Lily just shrugged. "I have no idea. It's hard to guess."

Jace gave a laugh. "Well, she's living with Teddy right? Maybe she's knocked up."

Lola rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. Lily gave a laugh though. "I'm sure it's not that."

"And why is that?" Jace challenged teasingly.

Lily smiled. "Because she's abstinent."

* * *

Lily found herself dreading the train ride back home for Easter. Not many kids went back for Easter, because they'd rather finish the overload of homework they seemed to get. So Lily feared a run-in with her brothers or cousins. That was what lead her to waiting outside the headmaster's office.

She had asked Professor Slughorn for the password, and then had raced to the gargoyle blocking her way. Once she'd made her way up the stairs, she knocked firmly on his door.

"Just a moment," Professor Brown's voice boomed out to her. So Lily waited, and waited . . . and waited. She began to tap her foot impatiently, when the door finally opened, and Professor Creevey walked out.

He gave her a grin. "Go on in, Miss Potter."

Lily smiled. "Thanks," she mumbled, and then walked into Professor Brown's office. He was sitting behind his desk, as if waiting for her. When the door shut behind her, Lily finally spoke. "How's your day been, Jacob?" It was odd to call a teacher by his first name, but Lily actually like it more.

Professor Brown smiled. "It's not too bad so far, Lily. So, what can I do for you?"

Lily laughed as she sat down. "Well, I was wondering if I could just Floo home for Easter break. I really don't want to ride the train. I fear boredom."

"I think you fear your family," he countered.

"That too," Lily said casually, avoiding any other kind of expression than the one she had on, which was practically blank.

He gave a small sound, which was a mix of a chuckle and a scoff. Then he cleared his throat. "Well, I suppose we could arrange that. May I ask what you kids are all going home for?" he asked.

"Victoire and Teddy wants us to come back. They have some big announcement," she told him.

He gave a nod. "Yes, Ted Lupin and Victoire Weasley. Well, I'm assuming that it's still Weasley."

Lily nodded this time. "Yeah, it's still Weasley. But they do live together."

"Miss Weasley still abstinent?" he asked bluntly.

Lily raised a brow, wondering how he knew about that. "Yeah, she is."

He gave a hum. "I remember her always cautioning her friends while she was in school. A sweet girl though. Never brash or . . . forceful, I guess you could say."

Lily laughed. "I know what you meant."

Professor Brown looked at her. "Are you abstinent?"

Lily felt her cheeks heat up. "I'm twelve, Jacob."

He laughed. "No, no. I mean, do you also believe in that?"

Lily momentarily bit her lip. "Um . . . well, I guess I'm not sure."

"You're not sure."

Lily felt her cheeks get even hotter. "Well, right now, I don't really have an opinion on it. I mean, when I'm older I probably will. But for now . . . I guess that I don't really care about it enough," she explained.

Professor Brown stared at her with a curious gaze for a while. Then he grinned. "I'm sure that your father would love to hear that."


	14. The Good, Bad, or Shocking News?

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Short Note - Ok, so I've been thinking that maybe I could write a story on each of the second generation kids, but I'm still not sure if I should. Maybe tell me what you guys think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fourteen: The Good, Bad, or Shocking News?

Lily sent a quick letter to her parents, telling them that she would be Flooing home instead of taking the train back. Not wanting to get a letter asking why, Lily sent it a day before she would be leaving. She packed a small bag of things to take home the night before, and then made her way down to the common room. She found Lola, Jace, and Christian sitting at a table. Lola was revising an essay, while Jace and Christian were playing chess. Lily took the other seat at the table.

"Who's winning?" she asked.

"Tie," Jace said quickly.

"Christian," Lola corrected. "He's been dominating the game since the beginning."

Jace threw a small glare over at Lola. "So I'm not the best chess player. At least I'm putting up a fight."

Lily laughed. "Don't worry, Jace. I can't even put up a fight when I play."

Jace smiled and gave a small bow of his head. "Thank you, Lil. At least someone knows my pain."

"So, Lily, you're leaving tomorrow, right?" Christian asked, after moving a knight.

"Tomorrow morning," Lily replied. "I've got a bag packed already. What are you three doing?"

"Staying here, avoiding homework, breaking rules," Jace listed.

"So, the usual?" Lily mocked with a laugh.

Christian laughed as well. "Basically."

Lola rolled her eyes. "Well, I planned on actually doing the homework we got. That way I'm not rushing through it the morning it's due."

"Either way, you'll probably fail History of Magic," Jace taunted lightly.

"Not as bad as you," Lola retorted, her tone just as light. But Lily could see the tension in Lola's skin.

Lily gave Christian an apologetic look. "I'm sorry that I'm leaving you here with them."

Christian laughed. "Yeah, you owe me."

* * *

It was quiet when Lily stepped out of the fireplace and into her home. There wasn't even a sound from the kitchen. She set her bag down, and then began to move through the house. Her mother wasn't in her study working, and her father wasn't in his.

She made her way back to the living room. "Kreacher," she called.

There was the normal 'CRACK', and then Kreacher was right beside her. "Yes, Mistress Lily?"

Lily tried not to roll her eyes at the title. "Where are Mum and Dad?"

"Your father has a quick meeting with the minister, and your mother is at your aunt's house. They weren't expecting you home so early," Kreacher explained.

"Oh." Lily gave a sigh, and moved to sit on the couch. "Ok then. When are they supposed to be back?"

"Kreacher does not know," he told her. "Is Mistress hungry?"

Lily gave only a shrug. "Just a little."

"Then Kreacher will make you something," he said. Then with a snap of his fingers, he was gone. Lily pulled out the music player that Jace had gotten her last year, and also a book. After finding a good song, Lily settled on the couch and began to read. Kreacher came back and set down a sandwich and drink, so Lily began to eat as well. She was comfortable, and at ease. But she knew not to get used to it. Eventually her brothers would be home as well, and all of this would disappear.

After what could have been forever to Lily, or just a few seconds, she heard the front door open and close. Footsteps followed, along with a loud sigh. Lily almost giggled. It was her father, and that sigh usually meant that he'd had a hard day, or too long of a meeting. When he walked into the living room, Lily watched as his eyes went wide as he caught sight of her.

"Lily! You're home?" it came out as a question, making her laugh.

Lily got up and hugged her father. "I came early. I forgot to tell you and Mum what time I'd be getting here."

Harry smiled as he broke the hug. "Well I'm happy either way. It's great to have you home."

Lily smiled too. "Yeah. So, do you know why we were all asked to come home?"

Now he was grinning, as if holding a secret. "Yes, I do. But I'm not allowed to say anything. Victoire would scratch my eyes out, and over the years, I've learned to fear Weasley women."

Lily rolled her eyes. She turned off the music, and closed the book.

"Have you eaten yet, Lily?" Harry asked.

"A little, but I'm still kind of hungry. Why?" she asked.

Harry smiled at his daughter. "Well, would you like to go get an ice cream with me?"

Lily's smile got brighter. "Sure!"

Even though old Florean Fortescue was dead, Harry still took his children there. It had been placed under a new owner, and to Harry, the place didn't really seem to change. It was still cheerful, still bright, and still made the best ice-cream.

As the two made their way through Diagon Alley, Lily noticed the stares again. She and her family never went anywhere public without being stared at. The price of being Harry Potter, or his family. But Lily was surprised that her father seemed to easily ignore the stares. But perhaps after being stared at for years and years, you maybe got used to it. He was calm and relaxed as he ordered two sundaes, and chose an outside table for them to sit at. Lily delved into her sundae. She loved Florean Fortescue's ice-cream, but it was rare for her father to take only her, and not her brothers too.

"So, Lily, how are you enjoying your second year?" Harry asked, trying not to laugh at how she was getting chocolate smeared on her lips and chin.

Lily grinned. "It's fun. I think we have a chance to win the Cup again this year."

Harry gave an impressed nod. "I'm happy to hear that. How are you after your fall?" Lily knew he wasn't exactly worried. After all, he had told them about all the falls and injuries he'd taken while he played at school, so he was sure they knew the risks.

"I'm a lot better. I don't even feel any pain in my side or shoulder anymore," she told him.

"Your last game is against . . . Hufflepuff, right?" he asked, taking a very big bite of his own sundae.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, we plan on dominating them. We killed them last year, and their game against Ravenclaw they ended up losing by like two hundred points."

"Not their greatest year, huh?" he asked with a smile.

"I think they have a bad captain," Lily told him.

"Who's their captain?" Harry asked.

"Paxton Smith, a pompous git," she muttered.

Harry laughed. He took another bite, and waited until his daughter seemed relaxed. "So, why did you Floo home? Not like the long train rides?"

Lily looked up at her father, but then cast her eyes down at her ice-cream. She wasn't sure if she should admit to not wanting to be around her brothers and cousins, or just deny it. "It is long," she agreed. "There's just less trouble this way." Lily prayed that he would drop the topic.

"You know, princess," Harry said, "when I was younger, I always compared Dudley to having a sibling. And I knew that if that was what it was like, I never wanted one. But, when I met your uncle Ron, and I met his family, I saw what being a sibling was always about."

Lily knew this was his way of bringing up the dislike between her and her brothers, but she couldn't help but be curious of what her father thought. After all, he was one person that she thought had some of the best insights.

"What do you think it's about?" Lily asked, finally relenting.

"It's about being there for them, protecting them, and caring for them. Each siblings' way of being there, protecting, and caring for each other may be different, but their love for each other will be the same. And they will fight, and those fights can last a short time, or a long time. But then the day will come that the fight's beginning will be forgotten, as will the entire fight. And the siblings will go back to being there, protecting, and caring for each other," he stated, seeming to stare off into a distant memory.

Lily was quiet at his words, taking them all in. Was that really the truth? Were Albus and James trying their best to take care of her? Was she really doing her best? And would their fight end? Would they really one day forget it? Would they get past it?

"How can you be sure?" Lily asked quietly.

"I have two examples," Harry told her. "One, the fighting. When Percy left, all of the others were furious with him. A few even thought that they hated him. But when the war started, their fight seemed so small and unimportant. And they welcomed him right back in.

"Second, being different. When it came to your mother, Ron was very protective of her. Whether it was me or someone else, he never liked the idea of her dating. It was his way of making sure she didn't get hurt. But Fred and George were a little more relaxed. They were concerned, and they cared, but they also knew that she was strong, and that your mother could easily take care of herself."

Lily thought about that too. In her case, she was the one abandoning the family. So . . . would they really take her back in? Would their fight seem small in the future? And when James and Albus had approached her when she was sorted, had she let herself get too worked up? Perhaps, but they still hated Slytherins and that was her House now too. And she wasn't the one that had turned Hugo against her. She had done her best to apologize to him, but he still hated Slytherins. He hated things that were part of her. Then there was Rose. Lily knew that she had blown up on Rose, but Rose was expecting things to just be ok. Rose didn't want to have to be around her Slytherin friends. So, if it wasn't just her fault, how did she end the fight? Could she?

Even though Lily knew that she could probably apologize first, she knew she wouldn't. She was a Potter, and she had gained the stubbornness and pride. And she _was_ a Slytherin. And since she hadn't started it, why should she apologize first?

"What do you think siblings are about?" Harry asked her suddenly.

Lily looked at him, actually feeling a little ashamed for her inability to just try and stop the fight. "I don't really know, Daddy. I guess I haven't figured that out yet."

Harry reached over and ruffled her hair. "And I don't expect you to figure it out for a while yet, princess."

* * *

When the two Potters had finally finished their sundaes, Harry Apparated them to Godric's Hollow's park, and they began to walk. But when they approached the walkway to their house, Lily was confused as her father kept walking.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked as she jogged to catch up to him.

"To Ron and Hermione's," Harry told her. "I'm sure your mother will be happy to know that you're home earlier than expected."

"Why is Mum over there?" Lily asked.

Harry raised a brow. "Perhaps to visit her brother, and her best friend and sister-in-law?" He chuckled. "With you kids gone, life is pretty quiet for us adults."

Lily nodded, showing she understood. "So, what was your meeting with the minister about?" she asked.

"Well, we were talking about the security of Azkaban. We've been keeping quite a few Aurors there for patrol, but we need a few more out on the field as of late, so we need to figure out how to keep security of the prison up," he explained vaguely.

"Why do you need more on the field?" Lily asked, curiosity in her voice.

He gave a half-grin. "We aren't getting as many recruits as we need lately is all," he told her. "People are thinking that the training is too tough. And I guess it is, but it's nothing impossible."

"How did you get through it?" Lily asked as they walked toward the front door of her aunt and uncle's house.

"Lily, I was doing things an Auror does when I was your age," he joked. Lily smiled as her father knocked on the door, announcing their presence, before he opened the door.

"How was the meeting, mate?" Ron called from the other room, already knowing who had entered.

Harry and Lily kicked off their shoes. "Long," Harry called back. He walked off toward the kitchen, where Lily assumed the other adults were. She closed the door, and made her way there as well. Her mum, aunt Hermione, and uncle Ron were sitting at the table. Her father was taking something from the fridge.

"Lily!" her mother said happily, seeing her walk in. She got up and hugged her daughter tightly.

"Yes, look who I found waiting at home," Harry teased.

"Why are you here so early?" Ginny asked. "We weren't expecting you until later."

Lily pulled back from the hug. "I left a little earlier. Sorry I didn't tell you what time I was leaving."

"Good to have ya back, Lil," Ron said, taking a drink of whatever was in his glass. "Have a seat, kid."

Lily grinned and took a seat at the table as well. "Thank you, but shouldn't you be at work?" she teased.

Ron grinned slyly. "My boss gave me the day off so I could have dinner with my family," he taunted back.

Lily bit back a laugh, but Hermione rolled her eyes. Lily could tell that she was biting back a comment. So she saved her. "So, we're having dinner at grandma's tonight?"

"That's the plan," her mother told her. "Victoire thinks that they should tell us as soon as possible."

"That must mean that it's good, otherwise it would just give us more time to attack," Ron said with a laugh. Harry began to laugh too.

"Ronald," Hermione chided.

Ron ignored her scornful look. "So, when are the other kids expected to arrive?"

"Late afternoon, like always, Ron," Hermione told him. Then she looked at her niece. "Are you hungry at all, Lily?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I had a sandwich at home, and then Dad and I had ice-cream."

Harry looked away as Ginny gave him a sly look. "So, how long have you been back then?"

Lily shrugged and smiled. "A couple of hours, I guess."

"And you couldn't even tell me, Harry?" Ginny demanded with mock anger.

Harry gave a small smile. "Surprise."

Ginny rolled her eyes and laughed. "Lily's been a surprise since before she was born."

The adults laughed, while Lily's brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to understand the joke. And when she did, she wanted to gag.

* * *

Boredom caught up with Lily very quickly as the adults continued their previous conversation. She quickly gave the excuse that she was going to her grandparents' house, and then Flooed over there. She knew she couldn't work on the bike, because her grandfather was probably at work. But she knew her grandmother would be there. She was right, and was pulled into a tight hug immediately.

"What are you doing here so early?" Molly asked.

Lily shrugged. "I was bored, so I decided I'd come over here. The others won't be around for a while."

"Well, I was just cleaning up a bit for the get-together. Care to help?" Molly asked.

Lily smiled. "Sure."

For hours, Lily helped her grandmother in any way she could. She cleaned, and then she started to help cook when it got later in the day. When it began to grow dim outside, Lily could hear the sounds of Apparition from the kitchen, and she knew other were arriving.

"Oh, they're here!" her grandmother squealed in excitement. She left the kitchen to greet them all. Lily stayed where she was, stirring a bowl of chocolate for a dessert her grandmother was making. She could hear the voices greeting each other, and tried to ignore the sadness creeping in on her. Her brothers and the others were never happy to see her anymore. Only Louis.

"Hey, Little L." Lily didn't turn around. She knew who it was. Only her uncle Charlie ever called her that.

"Hey, Uncle Charlie. How's it going?" she asked, finally turning away from the chocolate to look at him.

"Pretty good. Thankfully I got time to come and listen to the supposed big announcement," Charlie said with a smile. "And you?"

"Not too bad, I guess. Just bored," she replied.

Then her grandmother finally came back in. "Oh, Lily, let me finish this up. Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes. Charlie, help her set the tables up outside," she told them.

"Aye, aye, Mum," Charlie said with a laugh.

Lily didn't really do anything. With a flick of his wand, Charlie had the tables set up outside, and with another flick all the dinnerware flew out and set themselves.

"I wish I was of age," Lily muttered, sitting down at a chair.

Charlie laughed and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry, Little L. You will be eventually."

Soon dinner had started, and everyone was settled and eating all the food Lily and her grandmother had made. Lily was seated between Louis and Teddy. It helped her ignore the tension between her and the others. After her thoughts over ice-cream earlier, the tension seemed thick enough to choke her. Had it always been like that?

Teddy and Victoire were oddly quiet during dinner, not really saying anything. It made Lily suspicious, and made her much more curious on what their announcement was. But she wasn't the only one.

Once dinner was finished, Bill cleared his throat before the dessert could be brought out. "So, are you two going to tell us what this is about?" he demanded of his daughter and Teddy.

Lily watched Teddy take in a small gulp, and saw that Victoire was blushing. "Shouldn't we have dessert first?" Victoire asked timidly.

But Bill was firm. "No, I think now is a good time. And I'll tell you one thing, boy, my daughter better not be pregnant."

"William!" Molly and Fleur scolded.

Lily bit her lip, trying not to laugh at Teddy and Victoire's panicked looks. The others, however, laughed.

Teddy and Victoire both stood up, looking a little shaky. "Well, that's not what we wanted to tell you," Victoire assured.

Teddy grabbed her hand and took a deep breath. "Victoire and I are getting married in July."

The table seemed to explode with cheers and congratulations. Lily only smiled happily up at her brother, who looked very relieved. She was glad he was happy, and she was glad that those two were finally getting married. Lily laughed as the women started to think up plans for the wedding, and she laughed as she saw Teddy's exasperated look. He looked down at her.

"What do you think, sis?" he asked.

Lily just smiled. "I'm thinking that you'd better come to terms with the fact that you won't be planning your own wedding."

Teddy laughed and ruffled her hair. "Yeah, I didn't think I would be. Like Dom says, what man has style?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's not like she's wrong. Have you seen how our brothers dress?"

* * *

Over the next few days, all Lily heard was talk of the upcoming wedding. Victoire seemed to now be living at their house, because Lily seemed to never see her leave. All through the day Victoire, her mum, her aunt Fleur, and her grandmother, and usually her aunt Hermione, all sat around the kitchen and made plans for the wedding. Teddy was usually working, but when he was dragged along with her, he usually stayed away from the kitchen, instead choosing to spend time with his siblings.

Lily tried not to grimace when she found that Victoire was determined to have Lily as a bridesmaid. Her _and_ Rose. She almost had to beg Dominique to be her maid of honor. It wasn't that Lily didn't want to be part of their wedding. In fact, she felt honored that they asked. But it was the idea of having to wear a dress again. One that Victoire would pick out. Something frilly and cute. It made Lily shudder. Inside, she felt that if she was just watching the wedding, she'd have been able to convince her mother to let her wear something subtle. But if she was taking part in the ceremony . . . she was screwed.

She was happy to be going back to school. She Flooed back, having approval from Professor Brown. She didn't let her brothers know, so she went back to Teddy and Victoire's place to stay there one night, and the boys thought that they were dropping her off. But actually, she Flooed back from their flat.

"Welcome back, Lily," Professor Brown greeted when she stumbled into her office.

Lily smiled as she wiped the soot off of her clothes and skin. "Hey, Jacob. How's life?"

He smiled. "Very well. And how was your time at home?"

"Teddy and Victoire are getting married during the summer," Lily told him, moving to stand by his desk. She moved to sit on it.

"Really? How exciting."

Lily shrugged. "Yeah, they seem really happy, that's what matters."

Professor Brown nodded. "So, you have one last free day. What will you do?"

Lily sighed and hopped down from his desk. "I think I'll go see my friends, and spend the day with them. Plus, I need to make sure Jace and Lola haven't killed each other."

Professor Brown gave a laugh. "Well, good luck with that, Lily. I'll see you around."

"Later, Jake," she said with a wave, and then left his office.

Lily trudged her way down the stone steps, and meandered down the halls. There were a few kids around the halls, but as she passed a window, she saw that a lot of kids were outside. Lily tossed her bag over her shoulder, and headed down to the dungeons. When she reached the 'dead end', Lily gave the password, and walked into her common room when the wall slid apart. Only a few older kids were in the common room, studying hard as their tests came closer and closer.

Lily waved to a few older kids as she passed them on her way to the second year dorm room. It was empty when she walked in, so she threw her bag onto her bed, and began to take everything out of it. She was just putting the last thing away when the door opened again. Lily looked to see Lola walking in, smiling and reading a letter.

Lola finally noticed Lily was in the room, and her smile faltered. But it came back just as quick, and she stuffed the letter in her pocket. "Lily!" She gave Lily a quick hug. "When did you get back?"

Lily smiled. "Just a bit ago. Who's the letter from?"

Lily watched as Lola seemed to hesitate. "Um . . . it was from Johnny. But," she gave a wave, "anyway, how was Easter?"

"Teddy and Victoire are getting married," Lily told her, nicely leaving the topic of the letter alone.

Lola smiled brightly. "Really? That's great!"

Lily smiled too. "Yeah, I get to be a bridesmaid."

"Aw! You're so lucky!" Lola squealed.

Lily did her best not to roll her eyes. "So, how were things here?"

"Mitch pierced his own ear, three times," Lola said, her face twisted in disgust.

Lily raised a brow. "What? I gave him a place he could go to this summer! Why didn't he wait?"

Lola _did_ roll her eyes. "He's impatient. He said that he couldn't wait, so he did it. And his ear was a bloody mess!"

"Is he ok?" Lily asked. She moved to sit on the bed.

"His ear's fine. He just didn't clean it after, so the bloody got all dried and gross," Lola said in disgust.

Lily laughed. "Sounds like him."

Lola grinned. "Oh, but he doesn't want you to worry. He's still going to use that place you gave him to pierce something else. He thinks it might hurt less."

When Lily saw Mitch later that day, she tried not to laugh. There was still dried blood around the holes in his ears, and his earrings looked like key-rings. He gave a mock glare at her smile.

"Don't you dare laugh at me, Lily Luna. I did my best," he grumbled. But he ended up smiling. "You think that place can fix this?"

Lily finally let out a laugh and nodded. "Yeah, just take out the key rings and let the holes close up first. And one more piece of advice: Never do that again."

Mitch rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."


	15. Guilty Cheaters Can't Handle the Truth

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter**

**Note - Ok, so I've decided to do other stories about the other second generation kids. I'm not sure who to start with, so if there is someone you want to read about first, let me know. I'll finish this one first, then start another.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifteen: Guilty Cheaters Can't Handle the Truth

Lily sighed as she laid back on the grass. It was a beautiful day near the end of April, and she was laying in the grass next to Louis. She rolled her shoulders, wanting to just relax. Her game against Hufflepuff was coming up, and Raven had been working them hard again. Time to relax became rare, so Lily took the time she could to see Louis.

"So, did you hear about James and Fred?" Louis asked suddenly.

Lily turned her head toward him and raised a brow. "What, did the lovers have another tiff?" she asked snidely. Lately she couldn't help it. After coming to terms with the fact that her brothers would never accept her House, she couldn't handle talking about them without hiding her sadness with anger.

Louis ignored her tone. "They got into a huge fight a while back. They aren't even friends anymore. They pretty much hate each other," he told her.

Lily sat up in surprise. Fred and James? They weren't friends? Lily remembered back to when James had told their parents of a small tiff. Had it been worse than he'd made it seem? Ever since Lily could remember, James and Fred had been glued at the hips. They were the best of friends. But then again, Lily thought sadly, she and James had been close, and look at them now.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice calm now.

Louis shrugged. "No idea. They've been pretty tight lipped about it."

Lily laid back onto her back again, her mind reeling from this shocking news. "Wow. I never thought that Fred and James would split."

"Yeah. Lately, Fred has been studying for his O.W.L.s, and James is hanging with a different crowd of people and strutting around the halls," Louis told her.

Lily had seen that. She was always surprised to see Fred in the library, and it was hard to miss James arrogantly walking through the castle. "Why is Fred studying so much?" she wondered aloud.

"No clue. Probably the only way that he could avoid James. James has barely cracked open a book apparently," he relied.

Lily hesitated, but then finally relented. "What about the others?" she muttered.

"Well, Molly has practically been living in the library. I swear she has a room in there." Lily laughed. "And, Lucy and Roxy have been normal. Albus has been a bit different. He's still hanging around James, so he's starting to act just like him. Rose has still been trying to keep everyone in line. And Dominique's been going through boys like Chocolate Frogs. And it's never anyone that the others like."

"Do you like the ones she picks?" Lily asked.

"Well, I won't say I approve, but I have no problems with who she dates. It's her business," Louis mumbled.

"Is there a reason she's acting like a . . . ?" Lily trailed off, not wanting to upset Louis with a rude name to his sister.

Louis snorted. "No idea. I think she's just trying to rebel."

Lily gave a nod. "And what about you? Anyone interest you?"

Now he laughed. "Nah. I like when it's just me. Girls are still icky," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Boys," she teased.

Louis scoffed. "Girls," he retorted with a smile.

Lily found herself in the library just an hour before curfew. She was browsing through the shelves, looking for a good potion book. She'd decided to find a book to entertain her, and a potion book seemed like the best idea. Better than reading about goblin rebellions, she thought as she passed another book on the subject.

"Potions, potions," she mumbled quietly.

"Wrong section," a dull voice said from behind her.

Lily jumped, startled, and turned around. She was surprised to find Fred standing behind her, a book in his hand as well. "Fred! You scared me half to death!" Lily chided, ignoring the fact that they no longer liked each other.

Fred didn't seem to really care. "My bad," he muttered.

Lily shook her head. "What did you say, though?"

"I said that you are in the wrong section," he repeated. "Potion books are two bookshelves down."

"Oh," Lily mumbled, feeling a little dumb. "Well, . . . thanks."

Fred shrugged. "No problem. If I may ask, what are you getting a book for?"

Lily felt uncomfortable. She and Fred had never gotten into a verbal fight like her and James, but she knew that Fred used to be on James's side. "Um, entertainment, I guess."

Fred nodded. "Well, then, if I may, I'd suggest Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions. It's a book on healing, but it does give some interesting potions."

Lily raised a brow, confused at his seemingly nice offer. "Um, thanks, Fred."

Fred moved to put his book back. He didn't even look at her. "Yeah. It's on the bookshelf behind us."

He didn't look back at her. Instead, Fred kept his eyes on the books in front of them, searching. Lily felt a little awkward, so she walked away, moving to find the recommended book. It only took a few moments before Lily found the book he was talking about. She flipped it open, and skimmed through the potions. She saw what he meant. There were some potions, some that seemed like they could be of use. After all, injuries were becoming popular during Slytherin's Quidditch practice. It could be useful. So Lily checked out the book.

As she walked out of the library, Lily caught sight of Fred sitting at a table, his nose buried in a book. But his eyes seemed glassy. She began to wonder how the fight had affected Fred. Not long after leaving the library, she caught sight of James laughing with a rowdy group of Gryffindors. She felt even more anger toward him than usual. Fred had become so different and detached, yet James didn't seem at all affected by their fight. How heartless had he become?

* * *

Lily couldn't separate herself from her book that night. She sat curled on one of the couches in the common room, reading the book faithfully. It was late, but thankfully she didn't have lessons tomorrow. Lily was loving weekends.

"Good book?"

Lily turned her head to see Scorpius coming to sit next to her feet on the couch. "What are you doing up still?" Lily asked.

"Lars is snoring. Loudly. Sadly, he fell asleep before I did," Scorpius joked.

Lily smirked. "Poor you," she teased.

He grinned. "So, is that a good book? You've been reading it since I went up to go to bed."

"It's really interesting actually," Lily said with a smile. "For being a book on healing, it's not bad."

"You wanting to be a healer?" Scorpius asked.

She shook her head. "No, I just like potions. I'm actually good at it."

Scorpius scoffed. "You are good at a lot of things, and you don't focus on them as much as you do with potions."

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I just really like potions."

"I'm not knocking it. I love potions. Just pointing out your . . . passion for it, I guess."

Lily gave a small laugh. But then she sobered. Thoughts of where she got the book brought her to memories of James and Fred. "Scorpius, can I ask you something?"

He smirked. "Yeah, go for it."

"If you and Mitch were to ever get into a fight and stop being friends, would you immediately start hanging out with others, be happy, and just ignore him?" Lily asked, all of her words coming out in a rush. She felt a little of her earlier anger coming back. She still didn't get how James could just bounce back. After all, even she was sad when she lost Hugo.

Scorpius dropped his smirk and looked at her seriously. "Well, not right away. I wouldn't be able to do that for a long time. He is my best friend, almost a brother. And I mean it when I say something like that. If I were to act like that, then I'd just be stomping on every memory I share with him."

Lily felt a little relieved. It was what she wanted to hear. She wanted to hear that someone would be sad. But . . . she wanted to know that James was sad. Even though she didn't like him, she wanted to know that he was human.

"Why the serious question, Lil?" Scorpius asked quietly.

Lily was quiet for a moment, before finally letting it all spill out. "Fred and James had a fight, and Fred seems really different. Like he's upset about it. And James is off hanging out with other friends, and doesn't seem at all upset about it! Like he doesn't even care! Like it doesn't matter that he lost his best friend!"

Scorpius raised a brow at her rant. Then he gave a small grin. "Feel better?" he joked.

Lily gave a small smile back, but they both knew it wasn't sincere.

"Look, Lily Lu, I can't tell you why James does what he does. I'm thankfully not him. But, . . . you don't know what happened during the fight. Honestly, I doubt that James was innocent, but maybe there's a reason for why he's acting like nothing happened," Scorpius thought out.

Lily stared at him, thinking over his words. "Well, maybe. But I still think he's just being a total ass."

Scorpius laughed. "Well no doubt that fact started their fight!"

Lily laughed too. "I agree completely."

Scorpius died down to a chuckle. "So, was that Hugo boy your best friend?"

Lily cleared her throat, a hesitation coming into her. "Yeah. Yeah, he was. We'd been best friends since we were born. We grew up together after all."

"Were you sad when you two stopped being friends?"

Lily smirked at him now. "That's a dumb question. Of course I was. In a way, I'm still a little sad about it. We were great friends. I mean . . . I know I was wrong. We both were, but . . . he says he doesn't like Slytherin, and I'm a Slytherin. I can't change that."

"Do you hope that you'll be friends again?" he asked.

Lily sighed. "I hope, but . . . I'm not sure if we will be. It might take a lot to fix what we've said and done to each other."

Scorpius was silent for a long moment. "You know, I don't hate Gryffindors. They hate me. They hate me because I'm a Slytherin, and because I'm a Malfoy. That's what makes me hate them. It wouldn't seem like I was hating an entire group if there was at least one Gryffindor that didn't try to act like a mighty saint."

Lily looked at his somber face. "They don't hate you. They hate your father and our House, and what they used to stand for. They didn't change, so they don't believe that we could have. Every Malfoy is evil, and every Slytherin is a death eater."

"My mother wasn't a death eater," he said softly.

"I know," she said just as softly. "I couldn't imagine Astoria Malfoy being a death eater. She's way too . . . accepting."

Scorpius gave a small smile. "Yeah. I'd like to think that I can be like that at times."

Lily patted his shoulder gently. "You are, Scorpius. I think our friendship is proof of that."

* * *

Lily sat by Scorpius as the Quidditch team waited for Raven to come out of the captain's office. Today was their last match of the season. Their match against Hufflepuff. Last year, they'd butchered the Hufflepuff team, and they were hoping for a repeat.

Raven came out and examined the team silently. "Well," he finally spoke, "I don't think we need a speech this time. The only new thing is their new Beater, Mark Summerby, and they still haven't won a game. They haven't won a game for over two and a half years, and I'll be damned if their first win is against us. So, let's get out there, and let's kick some ass, alright?"

The entire team was rowdy as they made their way to the field. And when the game began, Lily made sure she was high above the teams. She watched as Kimberly Rickett stayed a little lower. From what she'd heard, Rickett was a little shaky since her hit last year. Personally, Lily thought the Hufflepuffs need a better Seeker.

"And Hufflepuff has the Quaffle," Meredith announced. "Macmillan goes up the field, she passes it to Whitby, and Whitby goes up a few yards and then passes it to Fleet. Fleet passes it back to Macmillan, who throws it back to him. The three Chasers are throwing the Quaffle back-and-forth, and the Slytherin team can't seem to keep up. Macmillan throws the Quaffle, . . . and Hufflepuff makes the first goal! Ten points to Hufflepuff!"

Lily sighed as she heard the announcement. Had they gotten too cocky?

"Montague throws the Quaffle to Nott, but it's intercepted by Whitby, who tosses it for another ten points!"

"Watch your back, Nott!" Lily heard Raven yell loudly.

Lily sucked in a breath as a Bludger whizzed by her head. She glanced back to see Jason Smith staring at her intently, his Beater bat on his shoulder.

"Watch Lu, Goyle!" Raven bellowed.

Lily sighed. She could tell that this was going to be a long game.

* * *

"And that makes the score two hundred and sixty to one hundred and forty, with Hufflepuff in the lead!" Meredith cheered, probably happy her sister's team was winning, and that Slytherin was losing. As the game continued, Raven was getting angrier and angrier. There wasn't one player that hadn't been yelled at by him in the course of the game. And the worst had happened. Adrian had been knocked out, leaving only two Chasers. Raven had called a timeout, and then ranted forever when he found that his reserve Chaser wasn't on the pitch, because he was studying for his N.E.W.T.s. Lily was waiting for him to throw something.

The whistle was blown, and Lily looked over at Madam Hooch. "Slytherin calls a timeout!" she announced.

"And it looks like Bole needs time to yell at his team once again," Meredith joked, making everyone but the Slytherins laugh.

Lily flew over with the rest of the team. Raven was pacing on the ground, steam practically coming out of his ears.

"What's up, Rave?" Lars asked.

Raven was glaring, but Lily wasn't alarmed. He'd been glaring since Hufflepuff had gained a fifty-point lead half and hour ago. "Ok," he said, seemingly calm, "we need a new strategy."

"Did our reserve show up?" Will Nott asked.

"No," Raven growled.

"Well we need someone!" Scorpius muttered. "Me and Will can't do this alone. They're killing us!"

Raven rubbed his temples. "Scorpius, can your cousin play?"

"He's a better Beater," Scorpius told him.

"Well he'll have to do. Go get him," Raven commanded.

Scorpius mounted his broom, and flew off to the stands. Lars looked back at Raven. "So, what should we do?"

Raven sighed, his eyes closing. "Ok, who here wants to win this game? A raise of hands." They all raised their hands, and Raven opened his eyes to count. "Ok, now who will do whatever it takes to win this game?" Once again they all raised their hands. "Ok, so here is our strategy . . . "

"I got him," Scorpius said as he flew back down. "Tanner is getting changed now. So, what are we doing?"

"We're playing dirty," Raven said. "I don't care about stereotypes right now. So, I want us playing rough and dirty. Just do what you have to so that we can win!"

"Dirty players unite!" Dante said with a laugh.

It was then that Tanner came running out onto the field. "Is this your reserve?" Madam Hooch asked as she came over to the team.

"Yes, he's replacing Adrian," Raven told her.

"Well, are you ready?" she asked him.

"We are. Scorpius, fill Tanner in on what we just talked about," Raven told him as they all flew into the air. Lily rose high to the sky again, but this time she stayed close enough to Rickett. If she had to play dirty, she would.

"And it seems as if Tanner Zabini is filling in for Adrian Flint!" Meredith announced. "And Macmillan has the Quaffle, but she's taken out by Malfoy, who passes it to Nott!"

Lily looked to where Scorpius was being reprimanded by Madam Hooch, but then she heard the Slytherins cheer.

"And Nott scores ten points for Slytherin!"

The next hour consisted of the Slytherin team cheating and being rough. Hufflepuff had taken at least twenty foul shots. But it was to Slytherin's benefit. Only two of the foul shots made it, they'd taken out one of their Beaters and two of their Chasers, and the score was now three hundred to two hundred ninety, Slytherin in the lead. Hufflepuff had been able to replace their Chasers, but both reserves were young and small, making them easy targets for the Slytherin team. Rickett had been hit by two Bludgers, but was still riding high on her broom. Lily gave her credit for her endurance.

"Potter, keep your eyes out for the Snitch!" Raven yelled to Lily.

Lily didn't look at him, but she gave a small nod to show that she understood. She began to circle the pitch, her eyes scanning the pitch carefully. They couldn't lose the game.

"And the Slytherin team gets ten more points after that total show of Cobbing from Zabini!" Meredith complained.

A flash of gold passed through Lily's sight, moving toward the crowd. It seemed that Rickett saw it too, because she began moving toward Lily. But being ahead already, Lily zoomed off, flying barely above the crowd. She was above the Gryffindors, and could hear their boos and jeers, and cheers for Rickett. Lily glanced back to see Rickett on her tail. The Snitch was zigzagging over the crowd, dodging Lily at every turn. Lily kept her hand out, fingers ready to close around it at first chance.

But then there was a hand next to her, also outstretched, fingers poised. Lily looked to see the shaky eyes of Kimberly Rickett. Lily sped up, reaching out a little farther. Rickett followed suit. The Snitch was close, just in front of their hands. Then their hands overlapped, the Snitch hidden by the shadows they cast.

"The Snitch has been caught!" Meredith yelled. "The winner is . . ."

* * *

Lily sighed as she washed the sweat off of her. It had been close, and they had barely won the game. And they had won because Lily had followed Raven's order. She had played dirty. The Snitch had been Rickett's hand, just before Lily slipped it into her own hand. No one but Rickett had noticed, and Rickett hadn't said a thing. The game had ended with four hundred and sixty points for Slytherin.

Lily dried off with a towel and dressed into a normal shirt and jeans. She threw the towel and game clothes into the basket, and made her way into the main part of the locker room. Only Dante and Will were there, pulling on their shirts.

"Good game, Lu!" Dante said with a grin.

Lily gave a small smile back as she changed her shoes. "Thanks, Dante. Nice job toward the end of the match."

Dante gave a proud sniff. "Thanks. I thought the same."

Lily chuckled at his ego. She shut her locker and sat down on the bench. Scorpius and Lars walked in too, throwing their gear into their lockers.

"Nice catch, Lil," Lars complimented.

"Just a Slytherin," Lily joked. She leaned back against the locker and closed her eyes.

"You made Jamie proud out there," Scorpius joked.

"Going to the victory party tonight, Lily?" she heard Tanner asked.

"Nah," she replied. "I think I'll just relax up in the dorms."

"I know what I'm doing tonight," Will joked. The other guys all laughed. Lily tried not to scowl.

"Alright, team, listen up!"

Lily opened her eyes. Raven was standing in front of the team, a towel around his shoulders, his hair damp.

"Ok, that was a shitty game," Raven said bluntly. "And I know we can do better than that!" he paused, and looked at them all. "But, it doesn't matter. The game's over, we won, and the season is over for us. This wasn't our best year . . . so you'd all better be better next year. I won't be hearing of my House's team sucking ass after I've graduated. Got it?"

"Any idea of who'll be captain, Rave?" Lars asked.

Rave sighed as he sat on the bench next to his own locker. "Not yet. But from my understanding, the Headmaster and Head of House usually talk to the current captain and take their suggestion into consideration."

"Who would you consider?" Dante asked, suppressed eagerness in his voice.

Raven chuckled. "I'm not standing in front of that Bludger. No, you guys will just have to see who becomes captain next year."

"You suck," Lars said with a laugh. The team had all shut their lockers, and headed out onto the pitch. It was a thrilling day for them, but Lily still felt a little guilt for her actions. She had cheated, and nothing had happened to her. Could she really get away with things like that? Did the world work like that?

Outside, Lily noticed the Hufflepuff captain, Paxton Smith, apparently lecturing Kimberly Rickett. Lily slowed her walk, knowing that the boys wouldn't notice in the mist of their conversations of girls, Quidditch, and Merlin knows what else. Then she stopped walking altogether. Smith looked furious, while Rickett seemed subdued. Eventually Smith stomped away, while Rickett just watched him. Lily hurried over to where the girl was standing.

"Hey, Rickett!" Lily called.

Rickett turned to look at Lily. She became a bit annoyed. "Look, Potter, if you're here to gloat, I don't want to hear it. I've got enough crap from my captain."

Lily flushed a bit. "No, that's not it."

Any hostility in Rickett's eyes left. "Then what did you want?"

"Well, . . . it's just . . . why didn't you rat me out? I took the Snitch from your hands. If you had said something, I'd have been in trouble, and we'd probably would have gotten some big foul. I mean, Hooch would have believed your word over mine," Lily rambled.

Rickett threw a bag over her shoulder. "And what good would that have done? Paxton would be up in Bole's face, and Bole would have screamed his head off saying it wasn't true. Both of them don't understand that it's just a game. So, it doesn't matter to me who wins. I mean, I'm just playing because I needed to fill my time, and because I can actually play. So, take your win, and just keep your mouth shut that you cheated to do it, and everything will be fine."

Lily stared at the third year in surprise. "So, you're not even mad that I cheated?"

She shrugged. "I guess I was a little annoyed during the rush of the game. But it's over, and I can't do anything about it now. So, don't let it bother you, Potter. After all, a heavy life is a life of regrets." Rickett moved past Lily and made her way down the pitch. Lily didn't move, but instead she stared at the grass below her.

"Good job out there, Miss Potter."

Lily whirled around to see Professor Brown walking toward her. "Oh. Thanks, Professor."

"And it's nice to see you taking responsibility for your actions," he said with a smile.

Lily's eyes went wide. "You . . . you heard that?"

Professor Brown nodded. "Yes, I heard."

Lily sighed. "So, what happens to me and the team?"

"Nothing," he told her, to Lily's surprise. "What's done is done. Plus, I don't think Miss Rickett wants anything to happen. I think I'll respect that."

Lily gave a small smile. "Thanks, sir."

Professor Brown smiled. "Well, it's no problem at all, Miss Potter. Now, I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to the Three Broomsticks?"

Lily's eyes went wide again. "What? You . . . you mean now?"

He chuckled. "Yes. I was wondering if we could have a talk?"

Lily felt a little hesitant, and a little afraid. Had she done something? Or was he really wanting to just talk? After all, he was odd enough for his suggestion to be truthful. "Um, sure."

"Wonderful," he said with a chuckle. "Follow me, Miss Potter."

* * *

Lily felt odd walking into the Three Broomsticks with the Headmaster of her school, as a second year, and since it wasn't a Hogsmeade weekend. But the crowded pub didn't seem to pay any attention to her. So she followed Professor Brown up to the counter of the bar.

"Ah, hello there, Jacob. What can I do for ya?" the barmaid asked.

Professor Brown smiled. "Hello to you as well, Rosmerta. Could I get two butterbeers?"

"Or course," she told him. She pulled out two bottles and began to take off the caps. "So, who's the little lady next to ya?"

Professor Brown put a hand on Lily's shoulder. "This here is one of my students. Her name's Lily."

Rosmerta examined Lily, as if trying to figure something out. Lily was sure that she was trying to relate her to her mother or father. But she gave up, and handed both bottles to Professor Brown. "Well, it's great to meet ya, Lily. Don't let Jacob here talk your ear off about philosophies."

Lily only chuckled, while Professor Brown laughed. "Yeah, I'll just lie and say I need the bathroom."

Professor Brown handed Rosmerta the money. "And here you are. Thank you very much."

"Anytime," Rosmerta told him.

Professor Brown led her to an empty table. Once she had sat down, he handed Lily a butterbeer. "Here you go, Lily."

Lily gave a smile. "Thank you, Jacob." She took a big drink, her throat dry after that game. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Professor Brown took a drink of his own. Then he sighed. "Tell me, why do you hang around Miss Pritchard and Mr. Pucey?"

Lily raised a brow at the question. "Well, they're my best friends."

"But why?" he inquired.

Lily took another drink. "Well, Lola was the only girl that didn't care about my family after I was sorted. And Jace was at first just the funny boy that sat next to me at breakfast. I guess we just kind of clicked."

"Who was your best friend before them? Surely you had one?" Professor Brown questioned.

"Hugo," Lily told him. "Before Hogwarts, Hugo and I did everything together. We caused trouble around Godric's Hollow, we played pranks, and we listened to our grandfather talk about Muggle things all day."

Professor Brown laughed. "Do you do those things without him now?"

She gave a shrug. "Some. I mean, Godric's Hollow is boring when it's just you, so now I usually go to Diagon Alley." Lily took another quick drink. "So, what was your favorite part about being a Hufflepuff?"

Professor Brown hummed for a moment. "Well, I really liked my housemates. I loved interacting with them, talking and getting to know each of them."

Lily laughed. "You're just the social butterfly, aren't you, Jake?"

Professor Brown laughed too. "Yes, I have been. It's what made me become a teacher." He took a drink. "So, your brother had his Career Advice a few months ago."

Lily raised a brow, wondering what his point was. "And?"

"Well, I was told that he said that he wanted to be a professional Quidditch player. Preferably for the Chudley Cannons." He paused and looked her in the eye. "What do you think?"

Lily took a drink, still wondering why he was asking her opinion. "Well, I'm not surprised. He's always been a fan of the Cannons. And, he'll probably end up being a great player in the leagues," she answered. "So, you tell me, what did you think when I got sorted into Slytherin?"

"Well, I was honestly surprised when the hat sorted you. But then I thought that I had found a very interesting student to . . . well, 'pick apart', you could say," he answered.

"You like picking people's brains, huh?" Lily asked, taking a big gulp.

"It's very fun," he said with a smile. "Something I picked up from being a 'social butterfly' and being a very curious person. Aren't you ever curious about people, and why they do what they do?"

She shrugged. "Sometimes, I wonder. But, things happen, and no matter how much I pick apart why it happened, it won't change anything. It still happened, and I can't change that."

"But you can change the outcome!" Professor Brown said excitedly. "I mean, if you found out that there was another reason that your brother James hates Slytherins besides the last war, wouldn't your opinion about him change? Perhaps it would make you even angrier, or it could make you want to stop fighting with him, or you might start respecting him and his hatred. It may not change what happened, but it could change part of the future!"

Lily looked at her excited professor, the eagerness in his eyes shining brightly. She was waiting for him to begin bouncing in his seat. But she did not laugh at this idea. His words were swirling around in her head. Changing outcomes . . . was that possible? Probably. But . . . was it worth it to try? If it just made it angrier, was that better? In her heart, Lily knew that she didn't want to know. She couldn't handle the truth.


	16. And The Year Drags On and On

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Ok, so I've decided to do other stories about the other second generation kids. I'm not sure who to start with, so if there is someone you want to read about first, let me know. I'll finish this one first, then start another.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixteen: And The Year Drags On and On

Lily read over her Potions essay once more. It was her last essay before her exams. She sat at breakfast, reading it as she ate her toast. She had a lot on her mind though, what with the last Quidditch match of the season.

"Potter!"

Lily jumped, knocking over her orange juice. Jace picked up his book before the juice could reach it, and Lola hurried to throw a napkin over it. Raven was rushing over to her.

"Was yelling necessary?" Lily demanded, making sure her irritation showed as she scowled.

Raven placed his hands on the table next to her. "Yes, to show the importance. You're not going to Potions class today."

Lily's brow furrowed. "What, why?"

"We have Quidditch practice," Raven told her.

"You're taking her out of Potions just to play Quidditch?" Lola exclaimed.

Raven nodded. "Yeah, I've even got a note from Slughorn, letting you out of class. We have to practice as much as we can before our final game!" he insisted.

Lily sighed, a headache already forming. The Ravenclaw team had killed the Gryffindor team in their match. The game had ended with six hundred and ten points for Ravenclaw, and four hundred and ninety for Gryffindor. Albus had caught the Snitch, ending the game and Gryffindor's humiliation. The whole Slytherin team had gotten a laugh out of the loss, until they were told that Slytherin and Ravenclaw were tied for points for the Quidditch Cup, which meant they had to have a deciding match. Raven had been brutal.

"I don't think you should be taking her out classes though," Lola retorted carefully.

Jace rolled his eyes. "This is important, dirty. They have to practice!"

Lola glared at him. "Her education is much more important! Besides, exams are coming up!"

"So what? Lily's smart, she'll do good no matter what," Jace assured.

"Unlike you, who can't even barely tie his shoes," Lola said scathingly.

Jace glared back at her now. "Or you, who can't even wash your hair!"

"It's my natural color, jerk!"

"Well it looks like you rubbed dirt in it!"

"Your ears look ready to take off in flight!"

"I'll grow into them!"

"Too bad you can't grow a brain!"

"Too bad you can't be as pretty as your sister!"

Lola glared once more at him, then she gathered her things and stormed off. Jace turned back to his plate and stabbed at his sausage. Lily and Raven had been watching with uninterested eyes at first, but then they were watching with surprise. When Lola was gone, Raven looked at Jace.

"Smooth move, kid," he mocked.

Jace didn't say anything, but instead just gnawed on his food.

Lily shook her head and looked at Raven. "I'll be there, ok. Don't worry. We'll win the game, Rave."

"We better," Raven muttered. He patted her shoulder. "Later, Lu."

Jace stood and gathered his bag. "Come on, Lil. Let's go to class."

Lily nodded, and put her things away, and threw her bag over her shoulder. "Yeah, let's go then."

Their walk to the History of Magic classroom was silent. Jace was still scowling, glaring as he walked. Lily just kept silent, not wanting to set his seemingly short fuse off again. When they both entered the classroom, Lily saw Lola sitting with Shannon and Izzy, two other Slytherin girls. Lily saw Jace quickly look somewhere else.

"Let's sit with Hunter and Monty, Lil," Jace suggested, pointing at the two Slytherins.

Lily glanced back at Lola, but then sighed. "Alright, sounds good." The two moved over and sat down next to Hunter Baddock and Monty Urquhart.

"No Lola today?" Monty asked, blowing his brown hair out of his face.

Jace scoffed. "Why would we sit with some stuck-up priss?" he muttered.

"I heard that," Hunter agreed.

Lily rolled her eyes. She could feel her headache growing with each moment.

* * *

Lily laid back on the bench and closed her eyes. The boys were still all showering, and she was already dressed and ready to leave. But she didn't want to. The last thing she wanted to do was go into the middle of the tense atmosphere that Lola and Jace had created. The five-hour Quidditch practice had been enough for her. Raven had gotten all the younger teammates passes to be out after curfew, just for the sake of practice. Inside, they all wanted to strangle him. But it was eight o'clock, which was too late to strangle someone. Not to mention, they were all dead tired. Lily just wanted to sleep there, and never get up.

"Um . . . hello?"

Lily groaned, but she opened her eyes. Stacy West was standing at the open door of the locker room. "Raven's still showering, Stacy," she told her.

"Oh," Stacy said, biting her lip. "Well, may I come in here and wait?"

Lily shrugged and laid her head back down. "I don't care. Just be ready for the hoard of boys that run in here to change."

She heard Stacy laugh, and then the close of the door. Tiny footsteps came closer, and then she felt something near her feet. "So, how was practice."

"Most of the team is conspiring to kill your boyfriend in his sleep," Lily grumbled.

She heard a sigh. "He's really dedicated to this game."

"I'd call it a sport around him," Lily warned.

"Oh, I do. I just wish he wouldn't put so much time into it," Stacy mumbled.

Lily cracked open one eye to look at the girl sitting next to her feet. "What's wrong with that?"

Stacy looked a little guilty. "Well . . . nothing I guess. It's just . . . he spends so much time playing this dumb game that I feel like I haven't seen him in forever. I mean, I'd rather a romantic moment actually be romantic, not just strip and . . ."

"Woah!" Lily interrupted. She held up a hand. "Just stop that sentence right there. That is more than I need to hear."

Stacy giggled. "Sorry, I forget that you're only twelve. You act so mature."

"Well thanks, but, if you could get onto the main point," Lily hinted.

"Well, it's just that we haven't had a date in forever because Quidditch Season hasn't ended. Some . . . 'moments' have just become dull . . ."

"Eww, Stacy," Lily groaned.

",and he talks about nothing else when we do talk! I mean . . . I knew that it practically ran his life, but now it's almost running mine!" Stacy exclaimed.

Lily's face twisted into confusion. She sat up and looked at Stacy. "You're not a player, why is it running your life?"

"Well, since I've been dating Rave . . . it kind of has."

"Why are you letting it? I mean, you don't have to spend every waking hour with him. Take time for yourself," Lily told her, laying back down.

"It's different when you're older, Lu," Stacy retorted.

"No, you make it different. Look, my god brother and my cousin are getting married. They are madly in love, and I know for a fact that they don't spend every second together. Auror talk doesn't run my cousin's life, and St. Mungo's doesn't run my god brother's life. So, just hang out with your friends. A girls' night or something," Lily suggested.

"But . . . I like spending time with him."

"And I'm sure that he likes spending time with you too. But I also know that he enjoys hanging out with his guy friends, and I know that is something he does. So you need to take time to hang out with your friends," Lily told her.

"Woah! Stace, welcome!" Dante said with a laugh.

Lily rolled her eyes, and she was sure that it was Stacy that scoffed. "Hello, Dante," Stacy greeted dryly.

"Don't be an ass, Danny," Scorpius said as he walked in as well. He pulled the towel from around his shoulders, and whipped Dante with it.

"Ow! You son of a bitch!" Dante exclaimed, and whipped him back. Scorpius dodged the attack, and sent his own again.

Lily looked at Stacy as the battle continued. "As he said, welcome, Stacy."

Stacy looked ready to laugh. "Yeah, I'm glad to be here."

* * *

"And Stretton scores another ten points for Ravenclaw!" Meredith cheered. "That makes the score six hundred and eighty to eight hundred, with Slytherin still in the lead."

Lily barely heard a word as rain poured and thunder roared in her ears. They had prepared for everything . . . except for this kind of weather. But with the way the game was going, it seemed the Seekers were having the most trouble. Lily could barely see, and Kimball was no where in sight. There hadn't even been a sighting of the Snitch.

"Oh! And it looks like . . . yes. Goyle has been knocked out of the air! Looks like a few teachers are taking him off the pitch," Meredith called.

Lily sighed. That had been the second player they'd lost. Will had been knocked out of the sky half an hour ago. The only player that Ravenclaw had lost was Nadia Belby, a Chaser. And it hadn't seemed to hurt them yet. Thankfully, they had the lead. All she needed was to find the Snitch and end it. And really, it wasn't for the team. She wanted to end it for herself. She was cold, wet, numb practically, and she really felt like killing Raven. Not to mention sore. She'd already take two hits from Bludgers.

"You're not winning this game, Potter," she heard. Lily looked back to see Mark Kimball not far from her, just in sight.

Lily gave him a mocking look. "You know, you've told me that before. Just before I caught the Snitch last time we went against each other."

Kimball glared. "I mean it this time. No little disappointment is going to beat me twice."

Lily raised a brow. "What are you talking about?" she yelled back.

She heard a loud laugh. "Surely you know," Kimball yelled. "I mean, how could you not know that everyone in your family hates you?"

Lily turned and glared at him. "You mean like how can't get a girlfriend? I mean, how could you not know that every girl hates you?" she mocked.

Kimball glided closer, swaying a little with the wind. "Hey, at least my daddy loves me."

Lily felt an anger rush through her blood, and then she felt her fist smash into Mark Kimball's face. Then before Kimball could blink, or before she could hit him again, Lily flew off, getting far away from Kimball and his fat mouth.

"The Snitch, Lu! Get the Snitch!"

Lily turned her head to see the blurry figures of two players in green waving and pointing. Lily turned back around, and saw what they were barely seeing. That blurry smidgen of gold ahead of her. Lily zoomed after it, leaning close against her broom, going as fast as she could. She held her hand out, ready to snatch the little bit gold as soon as she got close enough.

"Is . . ., is that the Snitch?" Lily heard Meredith announce over the pounding rain.

Lily held her breath, hoping that Kimball wasn't close by. She soon felt a cool metal sliding across her palm. Lily closed her fingers, feeling a light wing fluttering against her fingers. Lily pulled her hand back to her and looked at the rapid wings of the Snitch.

A whistle blew, and the entire crowd grew silent. Unable to see what had happened, they waited in suspense to know what had happened.

"Slytherin wins!" Madam Hooch's voice rang out above the rain and thunder.

* * *

Lily tapped her quill against the desk softly. She was sitting in the History of Magic classroom, trying to take her end of the year exam. But a lot was on her mind, and it was hard to focus on the creation of the Knockback Jinx. She glanced to her left where Lola sat two seats away. Then to her right, Christian sat two seats away. Jace was two seats away from him. He was refusing to sit anywhere near Lola, and Lola refused to have him sitting anywhere near her.

Lily sneezed lightly. After winning the game, she had developed a slight cold. In her head, it was nothing to really worry about, so she never went to the Hospital Wing for it. But Lily didn't want to be questioned by Madam Pomfrey. Kimball had been herded to the Hospital Wing, and he had tried to pin his bloodied nose on Lily. Thankfully for her, no one had believed him. No one had seen her hit him, not with the fog and stormy weather. When she had said this to Lola, she had replied with, "That's what happens when you play games in the cold and rain."

Lily tried to spend an equal amount of time with Lola and Jace during their 'separation'. And they understood and handled it well. When Lily was with Lola, Jace hung out with the other boys, just as when Lily was with Jace, Lola hung out with the other girls. But it was still an unspoken agreement that Lola and Jace be no where near each other. Not at meals, not during class, and not during breaks. They didn't say a word to each other, and when Lily was with them, they didn't say a thing about the other. She found it a bit aggravating, and she was waiting for it all to stop.

"Time is up," Professor Binns said dully. "Please bring your papers to the desk in the front, and leave in an orderly fashion."

Lily sighed, looking quickly over her answers as she walked to the front. They were all answered, and she prayed that they were all correct. She thought she was right. She placed her paper up front, and then went back to her seat, grabbing her things. She walked out, not stopping to wait for Jace or Lola. She didn't want to hear Jace complain at the moment, or hear Lola worry about her answers. She wasn't in the mood. She still had a load of tests to do, and it would be helpful if she could keep her eye on the prize . . . whatever the end prize was.

When Lily's last break came around, she was thrilled. Only one exam left, and it was potions. Plus she had time to rest her mind, which was aching terribly. Lily now felt pity for the fifth and seventh years. They had been taking tests for days now, not even halfway through the two week-long O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. tests. Yesterday, Lily had laughed when she heard that Molly had practically had a breakdown during a test, but now she felt a little bad for laughing. She was only taking a few tests, which were easy, while Molly was taking her O.W.L.s.

"How's it going, Lily Lu?"

Lily opened her eyes to see Scorpius coming to sit next to her on the couch. Lily was sitting backwards, her head laying off the couch. "It sucks," she muttered.

He laughed. "Tell me about it. As a fourth year they slam you with things to prep us for when the O.W.L.s plan to murder us."

Lily chuckled. "Imagine how the actual fifth years are feeling."

Scorpius grinned. "Yeah, Candice had a breakdown this morning."

Lily raised a brow. "Really? She's always so calm."

"Apparently not when it comes to Potions," he joked. Then Scorpius sighed. "So, are Jace and Lola still giving each other the cold shoulder?"

"Their shoulders are practically ice cubes now," Lily muttered dryly.

"When do you think it'll all be over?" Scorpius asked.

Lily sighed. "No idea, but I hope it's soon. This whole sharing time between them is getting tiring."

"Yeah. And it's odd not seeing you three together," he muttered.

"Scorpius!"

Both Lily and Scorpius jumped at the loud squeal. Lily cringed at the sound alone. Nikki Montana, a fourth year girl, plopped down on the couch next to Scorpius. Her dark hair fluttered around her shoulders in a whirlwind, and her grey eyes were bright. "I've been looking for you every where!"

Lily tried not to laugh at how irritated Scorpius looked at Nikki's presence. "And you didn't think to check our own common room?" he asked dryly. Lily held back another laugh.

Nikki didn't seem to notice the insult at her intelligence. "Don't you think the exams are really hard this year? I mean, it's not like we're fifth years or anything!"

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Yeah, what sense does it make to be prepared for fifth year?"

Lily raised a brow. "Weren't you complaining that they were hard?"

"That it sucks, not that it wasn't necessary," Scorpius retorted with a grin.

Lily smiled, but didn't argue back.

"So, Scorpius, are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend? It's our last one of the year?" Nikki asked, practically bouncing in excitement.

Scorpius looked at her wearily. "Um . . . I haven't decided yet. Why do you ask?"

"Well . . . I was just wondering if you would like to go with me and my friends? It'll be a lot of fun," Nikki asked, her cheeks flushing a light pink.

Scorpius sighed and closed his eyes. Lily bit her lip, trying not to smile. Scorpius opened his eyes and looked at Nikki. "Sorry, but Lars asked me to stay and help with some Transfiguration practice. He said he didn't do very good on his exams."

Nikki looked a little upset. "Oh," she said, her voice quiet. "Well, maybe we can plan something for the summer."

Scorpius gulped. "Um . . . maybe. I'll see you later, Nikki."

"Bye, Scorpius!" she said, almost squealing, though she still looked unhappy. She stood up and left the two alone.

Lily finally laughed. "Well, aren't you the popular one!"

Scorpius ruffled his hair. "I'm sure she's a nice girl and all, but . . . Merlin, she's annoying!"

Lily giggled. "Give her a break. She can't control her loud and high voice, or her overly annoying personality," she mocked.

Scorpius grinned. "Well, she's a fellow Slytherin, so we've got to tolerate her."

"We may be snakes, but we know how to stick together," Lily said with a grin.

* * *

"I'm so nervous!" Lola said as she and Lily sat with the other girls at breakfast. "I can't believe we're getting our exam results today."

"I'm kind of worried," Shannon agreed. "I think I got pretty close to failing History of Magic. I hate that subject!"

"How do you think you did, Lily?" Izzy Bones asked.

Lily shrugged. "I think I did ok."

"Please, last time you got a perfect on every one," Lola retorted. Lily only shrugged back.

Suddenly rowdy laughter sounded close by. All the girls turned to see Jace, Christian, and Hunter walked by. Lola turned away quickly, staring cooly at her plate.

Megan sighed. "Are you still avoiding Jace?" she asked Lola.

"I'm not avoiding him. I just don't want to talk to him," Lola replied.

"Do you even remember what the stupid fight was about?" Shannon asked helplessly.

Lily watched as Lola looked up and thought and bit her lip.

"See, you can't!" Megan told her. "So why don't you just let it go?"

"Why do I have to end it? Why not him?" Lola argued.

"How about you both just quit!" Lily snapped back. "If I force him to let it go too, will you both just stop being difficult?"

Lola sniffed at Lily's mean tone. "I will if he will."

"Good!" Lily replied, getting up and storming over to where Jace was now sitting with the other boys. "Hey!" she greeted, a little forcefully.

Jace looked back at her. He grinned. "Oh, hey, Lil. You gunna sit with us?"

"Drop the fight with Lola," Lily demanded.

"What?" Jace questioned.

"I said, drop the fight with Lola. If you quit, she'll quit. So just say hi to her when you see her in class. Otherwise, I'll have to kill you. Now, see you in History of Magic." She turned and left the boys, and the left the Great Hall altogether. She really didn't want to go to class. It was their last day of classes really. And it was always boring. The professors talked about next year, how the tests were, and such and such. It sucked the year before, and Lily doubted that there would be a change.

"Hey, Lily Lu!"

Lily turned her head to see Mitch coming up from the dungeons.

"Hey, Mitch. Sleep in?" Lily asked with a laugh.

Mitch laughed too, running a hand through his blue locks. "Yeah, you could say that. Leaving early?"

"Yeah, I'm not that hungry," Lily replied.

"There you are, Mitch!"

Both Slytherins turned to see Miley coming out of the Great Hall.

Mitch grinned at her. "Oh, hey, Miley!"

"Where have you been? We were supposed to eat breakfast!" Miley complained.

Mitch sighed. "I was sleeping. My bad. How about you just watch me eat then, and I'll listen to you talk?"

Miley glared at him. "Why do I always have to be the one to talk? Why is it that when I ask you something, all I get is a grunt or one answer response?"

Lily looked at Mitch, but Mitch looked a little confused as well. "Umm . . . because I have nothing to really say about what you asked me?"

"Well maybe I have nothing to say then!" she snapped.

Mitch just raised a brow. "Well, then I can eat, and we'll sit in silence?"

"Why don't you just sit by yourself?" Miley exclaimed. She turned on her heel and stormed away.

Lily looked over at Mitch again. Mitch was staring at where Miley had been in confusion. Lily almost laughed. "Mitch, she wants you to chase after her."

Mitch looked at her. He sighed. "Man, I'm too tired for this." He started walking again, toward the Great Hall. He patted Lily's shoulder. "Later, Lil."

"Good luck, Mitch," Lily told him, walking toward the stairs. She made it to the History of Magic room without being stopped this time. She took a seat near the back.

"Good morning, Miss Putter," Professor Binns greeted.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Good morning, Professor."

Soon the room began to fill with Slytherins and Ravenclaws. Lola soon came in and took a seat next to Lily. A few minutes later, Jace sauntered in. He took a seat on her other side. "Hey, Lily." He looked over at Lola. "Hey, di– um . . . Lola."

Lily commended him for not calling her dirty this time.

Lola looked at him, as if she knew what he had wanted to say. "Good morning, Jace."

Lily sighed and smiled. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

* * *

"Once again, I passed every class," Jace said with a grin. The three were sitting in the Jace's dorm room. The others were all probably down in the common room, talking about their own results.

"You barely passed History of Magic. Again," Lola reminded.

"As did you," Jace retorted with another grin. "Besides, last time I got a seventy-two. This time you and I tied with seventy-fives."

"At least you're getting better," Lily encouraged.

"Coming from the girl who aced every one of them again, and got a hundred and twenty on Potions," Lola teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Just because I'm Slughorn's favorite."

"But you actually did the potion right," Lola replied.

"I'm proud of myself with that potion," Jace told them. "I actually did good. I got a ninety overall."

"That is good for you," Lily teased.

"Third year, here we come," Lola stated.

"We should celebrate!" Jace told them.

"How?" Lily asked.

Jace hummed in thought. "How about we go to the kitchens?"

"I am hungry," Lola agreed.

"Kitchens it is!" Lily laughed.

All three got up and left the dorm. But they were stopped by Raven.

"Hey, you three. Where are you going?" he asked.

"Kitchens," Lily told him.

"Celebrating your results?" Raven joked.

"You bet," Jace replied.

"How did your N.E.W.T.s go?" Lily asked. Today had been the last day of O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s.

"They weren't too bad," he told them. "I did good enough to do what I want."

"Which is?" Lola asked.

"I'm gunna be a Curse-Breaker. My chances are pretty good," Raven answered.

Lily smiled. "Well, hope you're right."

Raven grinned. "So do I. But, I'll let you three sneak out. If you think about it, bring me back something," he joked.

The three laughed as they went down into the common room. "I never knew that Raven would want to be a Curse-Breaker. I figured he'd want to be a Quidditch player," Lola said, still laughing a little.

Lily thought about the talk she'd had with Stacy in the locker room. "Yeah, but maybe it's better if he goes into Curse-Breaking. He might end up happier."


	17. A Slytherin in Gryffindor Colors

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Ok, so this chapter is kind of just a filler. I needed things to happen before the wedding, and I didn't want to overload one chapter by throwing the wedding in it as well. I threw in a few new characters, none overly important though. But I hope you enjoy the chapter, most of it is toward humor after all. Read and love.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventeen: A Slytherin in Gryffindor Colors

Lily stretched as she waited for Lola to get dressed. The three had brought a bunch of food and drinks back to the common room, and back up to the boys' dorm room. They'd stayed in there until the other boys came to sleep, and then they moved back to the practically empty common room. They'd stayed up all night, celebrating their results, and unspokenly celebrating the end of Jace and Lola's fight. At the end of their night, they'd all stumbled up to bed, getting a total of one and a half-hour of sleep. Now, both girls were extremely tired, and almost wished to skip breakfast.

"Remind me, Lily. Why did we decide to stay up until the sun rose?" Lola mumbled tiredly.

"Because we were stupid enough to be proud of being smart," Lily said, a large yawn following.

"Think big ears got up?" Lola asked.

Lily shrugged. "Maybe, though Christian would have had to probably drag Jace out of his bed."

Lola scoffed. "Sounds like something he'd do."

Lola straightened up her robes, and then two girls trudged down the stairs, and down into the common room.

"Hey, wait up!" a groggy voice called out to them. Both girls turned to see Jace stumbling over to them. "I see I'm not the only tired one."

"You are. We're exhausted," Lily retorted. And to prove her point, she yawned again.

"Well, actually I think I'm almost dead," Lola replied, and the three began walking toward the door again.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Jace asked with a large yawn of his own.

"Well, after we wake up a bit, I say that we hang outside. It looks to be a beautiful day, and I think we could use the fresh air," Lily suggested.

"Sounds fantastic," Lola said with a sigh. The three sat down at the Slytherin table, and immediately they all went toward coffee.

"You know, that stunts your growth, and you kids might need that."

Lily turned her head to see Lana and Scorpius coming to sit by them. "All I care about right now is staying awake," she replied.

"Long night?" Scorpius teased.

"And a short morning," Lola added.

"Ah! Here is Slytherin's famous trio of second years!" Professor Slughorn said cheerfully as he made his way toward them.

"Good morning, Professor," they all chimed.

Lily noticed the papers in his hands. "What have you got there, Professor?"

Professor Slughorn's lips stretched into a big smile. "These are for each of you second years. One for each." He handed them each a paper. "They're so you can pick out your electives for next year. And then there is your permission slip for Hogsmeade next year. Be sure to have your parents sign them."

"Thank you, Professor," Lily said, looking over her paper.

"So, what are you gunna take, Lil?" Jace asked as Slughorn walked away. He dropped his paper onto the table and began to pile food onto his plate.

Lily looked over her list. "Care of Magical Creatures for sure. But I'm not sure about my second one."

"Well, Muggle Studies isn't bad," Scorpius suggested.

"I think my grandfather is a better teacher," Lily joked.

"I've been taking Arithmacy and Ancient Ruins, and I haven't regretted," Lana contributed.

"If you want an easy elective," Lars said as he joined them, "I'd take Divination. If you know how to lie and make up gruesome stories, then you can easily pass. I've been doing it for two years now."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Lily murmured. Otherwise, her choices were Muggle Studies, Arithmacy, or Ancient Ruins. And none of those sounded too appealing.

"I might do that," Jace mumbled around a mouthful of food.

"What about you, Lola?" Scorpius asked.

"I think I'll take Arithmacy and Ancient Ruins. They sound more worthwhile," she answered.

"Way to be smart," Lana said with a laugh.

"Bite me," Lily and Jace muttered.

* * *

Lily stretched, sighing happily as she laid down on the grass. She was sitting in her grandparents' yard, just relaxing under the sun, her broom by her side. She was alone, and quite happy that way. Her father was at work, and Lily was sure that all the women in the family were at Shell Cottage, planning the upcoming wedding. So Lily had chosen to go to her grandparents' house. She knew her grandpa would be at work, and that she would be alone in their house, which sounded lovely. Regal was flying around the sky above, keeping close. Now, he was flying low, and landed next to her.

Lily stroked his feathers. "Oh, Regal, what a beautiful day."

Regal nipped cutely at her fingers. Lily had learned that it was a sign of his happiness.

"I can't wait for next year. New classes, and trips to Hogsmeade. You are going to get your new treats a lot faster," she teased. In honesty, Lily no longer felt odd talking to her owl, who couldn't really talk back. But he always seemed to know when she was happy or upset. He was better than any dog.

"I was told that I'd find you here."

Lily sat up quickly and turned her head to see Teddy walking toward her. Regal became startled, and fluttered up to rest on Lily's shoulder. Lily tried not to laugh. Teddy's hair was a reddish-pink, a sign of embarrassment.

"Hey, bro. What's up?" Lily asked. She didn't lay back down, not wanting to ruffle Regal.

"Well, we are at the guest list stage in the wedding preparations, so I wanted to talk to you," he answered. He sat down, and stroked Regal's head.

"Why me?" Lily asked, plucking out a few blades of grass.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like me to put anyone down? A few friends to keep you company?" Teddy suggested.

Lily raised a brow. "You would really risk a fight at your wedding by inviting my friends?"

"No worries, the others would be killed on the spot if they started trouble," Teddy assured. "So, would you like me too?"

Lily smiled humbly. "Well, I would appreciate it."

Teddy laughed. "Ok, well, I plan on inviting the whole Malfoy family. After all, they are my family as well, no matter how distant. Now . . . you said you were friends with Mitch Avery, right?"

Lily nodded. "Yup, that I am."

Teddy nodded as well. "And I remember Lola . . . Pritchard?" Lily nodded. "Thought so. And . . . one of the Goyles? Right?"

"Lana and Lars actually," Lily told him. "And of course you can't forget Jace Pucey."

Teddy snapped his fingers. "That's what the other kid's name was."

Lily giggled. "Yeah, that's him. And he has no older siblings that you would know," she told him.

"Alright, so if you would please, make a list for me so I can give it to our personal planners, also known as your mother and aunts," Teddy told her. "That way they can send out the invites and set up the seating arrangement." He laid back and sighed, his hair turning purple. "I never thought a wedding would kill me."

"It's not going to kill you," Lily assured. "It's just going to tie you down and slap you around a bit."

Teddy gave a great big, fake smile. "Really? Oh! That's makes me feel so much better!" he said cheerfully.

Lily laughed, her shoulders shaking. Regal launched off her trembling shoulders, and began to circle above them. Now free, Lily laid back as well. She sighed in contentment. "I am glad that you're happy, Ted."

Teddy turned his head to look at her. He reached over and ruffled her hair. "Thanks. So, do I get to be glad that you're happy?"

Lily looked at him from the corner of her eye. Then she looked back at the sky, watching as a puffy white cloud floated over her. Then she looked at Teddy fully.

"You can be glad that I'm ok."

* * *

Lily stood in Madam Malkin's with distaste. All the girls who were taking part in the wedding were there, along with their mothers. That meant that it was Victoire, Dominique, Fleur, Rose, Hermione, Grandma Weasley, Lily's own mum, and herself. And they were trying on dresses. Something Lily really detested.

"So, what are the wedding colors?" Rose asked excitedly.

"We've decided with gold and silver. Gold for the girls and silver for the boys," Victoire answered. She was holding out a dress toward Dominique. "Here, sis. Try this one."

"Joy," Dominique said with a roll of her eyes. She took the gold colored dress and moved toward the changing room.

Lily grimaced. "Gold? Umm . . . how about something less . . . demoralizing on my part?"

Victoire tilted her head in curiosity. "What do you mean? What's wrong with that color?"

"Nothing really. I'd just rather wear something . . . less Gryffindor," Lily finally mumbled.

"Oh," Victoire murmured, biting her lip.

"Lily," Ginny whispered sternly.

Lily sighed. "But, whatever, it's fine. I'll live through it."

Victoire gave her a hesitant smile. "Well . . . if you're sure. Umm . . . why don't you try on this one?"

She handed Lily a dress. Lily took it, and moved toward the changing room. She chose a stall and locked it. Now, she looked at the dress.

It was a true Gryffindor gold, one that made her want to instinctively puke. The fabric was soft, comfy even she had to admit. The sleeves were short, and frilled, and it looked as if the skirt would end somewhere below her knees. It would have been pretty . . . if it weren't for the color. But Lily bared through it, and changed into it. Slowly, she opened the stall door, and looked out to where the other girls were.

"Aw, Dom, you look so pretty!" she heard Rose squealed.

"You do look beautiful, sweetie," her mum complimented.

Lily glanced out at Dominique. She did look pretty. Her gold dress was a bit darker, with a ribbon around the waist, thin straps, and the skirt was a little puffy. But all-in-all, it _was_ pretty. Especially on Dom. Lily pulled in a deep breath, and stepped out into their sight.

"Oh! Lily, you look beautiful!" Victoire exclaimed.

Lily tried to smile, but it came out a bit forced.

"Well, now I'll let them fawn over you," Dominique said with a mocking grin. She walked back to the changing room.

"Now, we'll probably put your hair up," Fleur mentioned, sweeping Lily's hair up with her hands.

"That will looked perfect," Hermione agreed.

"Do you like it?" Victoire asked.

Lily glanced at her mother, who was giving her a pleading look, already knowing how her daughter felt. Lily then looked at Victoire's hopeful face. She sighed, trying to seem as sincere as she could. "I like it, Victoire. It's perfect."

* * *

"It does look pretty, despite the horrid color," Lola commented, sitting on the bed next to the dress. Lily had invited her over a day after receiving the dress.

"I didn't say the style sucked," Lily muttered, sitting at her desk. "It's just . . . the color is so . . ."

"Gryffindor?"

"So everything that I'm not! I mean, I'm not a Gryffindor, but . . . that dress really makes it look like I am . . . and, maybe I'm being childish about it, but . . ."

"It's not childish, it's you, something this dress is not," Lola assured. "Why don't you just tell your cousin that you don't like it?"

"Because you didn't see how happy they all were!" Lily replied, dropping her head onto her desk. "They all looked so happy just to see me in that freaking dress! How can I tell them that I don't like it?"

"You just be honest, and tell them that you don't think the dress suits you," Lola replied. "And it that doesn't work you can spill something on it and blame it on one of your brothers. Kill two birds with one stone, as they say."

Lily grinned, and both girls had a sparkle in their eyes. "You know, you took the idea right out of my head."

Lola giggled. "Great Slytherins think alike."

But days later, Lily couldn't bring herself to ruin the dress. Not because she didn't want to discredit her brothers, but she didn't want to see the disappointed look that Victoire might give.

"You've got a letter, princess," Harry said, holding a letter out to Lily at the breakfast table. Lily took the letter and opened it. It was from Scorpius.

"_Hey, Lily Luna,_

_Tell Teddy thanks for the personal invite to his wedding. My parents were really happy to receive theirs. My grandmother was ecstatic. Honestly, I can't wait to go either. From what I hear, it's a chance to hang out with you, Mitch, and Lana and Lars. I was told they were also invited. So, my guess is that Lola and Jace will be there as well, and my other guess is that you have something to do with that._

_I was also told that you will be taking part in the wedding ceremony. I can't wait to see that. No offense, Lu. _

_Anyways, a few of us are going to hang out at Diagon Alley on the third, and we were wondering if you'd like to join us? If so, send a letter, or just meet us at the Leaky Cauldron. Hope come._

_Sincerely,_

_Scorpius._"

Lily smiled at the letter. The idea of getting away from her family and the wedding plans sounded fantastic.

"What's the snake got to say?" James said with a sneer.

"James," Ginny warned, her voice stern.

But Lily ignored him. "Dad, may I go hang out with a few friends in Diagon Alley on the third?"

"What friends?" he asked.

"Scorpius, Lana, and Mitch," Lily answered. She knew that Lana and Mitch hadn't been mentioned, but she was sure they would be there.

"It's fine with me. I'm sure you need a break from the wedding plans anyways," Harry joked.

Lily smiled, loving how her father always understood. "Thanks, Daddy."

"So, are we going to see Scorpius at the wedding? Teddy told us that he invited the Malfoys?" Ginny asked.

"What?" Albus and James exclaimed.

Lily looked at her brother from the corner of her eye, and bit back a smug grin. Then she looked back at her mother. "Yeah, they'll be there."

"And the others that Teddy put on the guest list? The ones that were invited without their families?" Ginny asked teasingly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Teddy offered, and I took the chance. That way I won't be completely bored at the reception. But, Lola is going, Lana, Lars, and Mitch are going, and I'm pretty sure that Jace wouldn't miss it."

"Teddy invited the Goyles?" Albus protested.

"An Avery and a Pritchard?" James said with disgust.

Lily gave her brothers a dry look. "I heard he invited Elisa Ogbourne. I could gag," she retorted. James glared fiercely.

"Children," Ginny warned again.

But Lily didn't back down from the glaring contest. She had learned that the girl that had been with James during their last fight was Elisa, who was a year above James. And Lily had also learned that she was nothing more than an attention whore. And when you want attention, you go for a Potter, who gathered all the attention. And James was one to grab all the attention he could. Two of a kind, Lily thought.

* * *

Lily sat in at the Leaky Cauldron counter, drinking a butterbeer. She was earlier than when Scorpius said they were all meeting there, but she needed to get out of the house. James wasn't working, so he had a few friends over, and Albus had brought over Tyler. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in a house with them longer than she needed to be.

"So, Lily, can I get you something to eat?" Hannah asked, stopping to stand in front of her behind the counter.

"Nah., I'm just waiting for a few people," Lily told her.

"Like me?"

Lily turned her head to see Scorpius walking toward her. He sat on the stool next to her. Lily smiled at him. "Hey, Scorp. What's up?"

He smirked. "Nothing much. I needed to get outta the house, so I helped plan a day to hang out." His smirk grew as he eyed her. "And what kinda fun would we have without Slytherin's own princess?"

Lily rolled her eyes, but she didn't hide her smile. "Well, thanks for the invite. So, who's all coming?"

"The Goyles, Mitch, Dante, Adrian, Will, Raven, Melina, Stacy, Wade, Amanda, and Tamara," Scorpius listed.

Lily pictured the faces of every name. "So . . . that means I'm the youngest one?"

He grinned. "Yep, that would be correct. Um . . . hey, miss?"

Hannah came back over to the two of them. "Yes?" she asked, a small smile on her face. Lily was sure she was flattered by the title 'miss'.

"Um, could I get a butterbeer please?" Scorpius asked kindly.

Hannah smiled and pulled a bottle out from under the counter. She took off the cap and set it on the counter. "Here you are. On me."

Scorpius raised a brow. "Really?"

"For any friend of Lily's," Hannah said with another smile as she turned to a different customer.

Lily smiled at Scorpius's victorious grin. He looked back at her. "Man, I love you."

She laughed. "Anything for a friend of mine." Lily took a drink of her own. "So, why did you want out of the house?"

"My grandfather is all over me, trying to get me to skip the wedding, to take a summer job that one of his friends offered me," he muttered.

"You gunna take the job at least?" Lily asked.

Scorpius shook his head. "No. The money's not even worth it. Besides, I have enough of my own money. I don't need to work this summer."

"Trust fund baby?" Lily teased.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess you could say that. My parents set something up to keep me settled for life. But I don't wanna dip into it after I graduate, so I figured that I would just use it while I'm in school."

"Why not save it for after school?" Lily asked.

"I wanna be able to support myself after school," he replied, taking a sip of his drink. "Be independent and all that jazz."

Lily gave a shrug. "I guess that makes sense."

"Hey, looks like the best part of the party is already here!" Lily grinned at the sound of Mitch's voice. She turned and received a shock.

It was Mitch, but quite a bit different. He had his left ear pierced three times, a stud, and then two small hoops near the top. And his lip was pierced as well. And coming out from his sleeve seemed to be a tattoo of some figure she couldn't completely see.

Lily grinned at him. "Oh my, Mitch, what did you do?"

Mitch laughed. "You like?" He pulled his sleeve up for her to see. "I got a snake too."

* * *

Soon the three were joined by all the others. The two Nott siblings arrived arguing, not that anyone was surprised. Lily never saw Tamera and Will together without them arguing. The Goyle twins came, and Lars looked dead tired. They all decided to grab a table and eat before they left.

"So, what your guys' plan now that you've graduated?" Dante asked Stacy and Raven with a grin.

"What do you mean?" Raven asked, taking a bite from his plate.

"You gunna live together?" Adrian hinted.

Raven raised a brow. "We already do. Since almost two weeks ago."

"Woo! Go, Rave!" Dante joked, and he and Adrian high-fived. The rest of the guys laughed, while the girls rolled their eyes. Stacy just gave the boys a disgruntled look, while Raven looked as if he were suppressing a smug look.

Lily decided to save him. "So, while we're on this subject, do you have a girlfriend yet, Dante? Or are girls still running for the hills?"

The others laughed, but Dante just gave a dry laugh. "Oh, yes, that was just so funny!"

Then Mitch slammed his hand down on the table. "I have a romance announcement!" he exclaimed.

"For the last time, Mitch, I will not go out with you!" Scorpius joked. Again, they all laughed.

Mitch gave a pout. "Don't you love me, Scor? After all the nights we've shared?" Lily almost choked on her drink as she laughed.

"Just go on, Mitch," Lana prodded.

Both Scorpius and Mitch laughed. But Mitch sat up proudly. "I just want to say, that I, am now a man!"

The girls all groaned, in disgust and annoyance. The guys all cheered and hooted.

Raven raised his butterbeer. "A toast. To the loss of Mitch's virginity!"

"To the loss of Mitch's virginity!" the guys cheered.

Lana looked over at Lily. "I feel bad for the girl who pitied him." Lily bit back a laugh.

Adrian seemed to have heard them. "Yeah, who was the girl, Mitch?"

Mitch's already smug grin grew twice its normal size. "Trixie Kimball, Marky's little sister!"

To that, they all cheered.


	18. Boys Are Gross! Right?

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Ok, so I have a poll up on my profile, completely for which character I should write about next. Granted, I won't be writing it until I've finished this one, but I just wanted to give people time to choose which character they would to read about next. So if you think about it, vote. (Also, sorry this took so long. I've been having a few medical problems, so I haven't had much time to write. Sorry for the wait.) Anyways, read and love.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighteen: Boys Are Gross . . . Right?

Lily yawned, her eyes drooping as she laid face down on the couch at the Burrow. This was it. The day Lily had been waiting to pass. Teddy and Victoire's wedding. It had finally come, and Lily couldn't have been more thankful. She was tired of listening to wedding plans, and now that the day had come, all that was left was fussing over the wedding, the actual ceremony, and then the reception. Then it would all be over.

The adults were setting the last few things up in the backyard. Her aunt Fleur's parents had arrived, along with her sister's family. Lily didn't talk to her distant cousins, mainly because they rarely spoke English, and Lily knew very little French. But they were all pretty, the veela genes in them prominent, although Lily thought that they couldn't hold a candle to Victoire, Dominique, or Louis.

Lily sighed. She knew that soon her mum would usher her upstairs with the rest of the girls so that they could all change, and then they would fix her up. After all, since she was part of the ceremony, she had to be 'presentable' as her mother had said. The guests were expected to arrive in a few hours, and the boys would be seating them. All of Lily's better friends were coming. She'd received letters from each of them, as did Teddy. Jace had written that he was glad to be out of the house. Apparently he thought that being an only child was dreadfully boring.

"Tired, Little L?"

Lily turned her head so that she could see her uncle Charlie sitting in the chair across from her.

"Dead tired. Aren't you supposed to help set things up outside?" Lily asked, trying to suppress another oncoming yawn. She failed.

"We're practically done. The others are just fixing up a few things. Also, it's a bit hot outside, and I wanted to get out of the heat," he explained. "Thankfully it's supposed to cool by the time the reception starts."

Lily closed her eyes and rolled onto her back. "Yeah, if I'm wearing gold, I'd rather not die in it."

She heard him give a laugh. "You don't like gold?"

"I'm not its biggest fan," she admitted. "But Victoire likes it, and it's her wedding."

"Oh, you are a saint, Little L," Charlie complimented. Lily almost scoffed aloud. She was no where near a saint.

"Lily? Come on, you girls need to get ready," she heard her mother call from upstairs.

Lily bit her lip to keep from groaning out loud. She opened her eyes and looked at her uncle, who was grinning broadly. "Well, good luck, Little L."

Lily sighed as she slowly got up from the couch. "Yeah, thanks." She left the living room and trudged up the stairs, not at all enthusiastic about getting ready. She felt like she was on her way to Azkaban. But as she made her way to her uncle Percy's old room, where the three girls were supposed to change, she saw Teddy making his way down the hall.

"Hey, sis, you're wearing a different dress today," he commented.

Lily looked at him, hoping rising inside her. "Really? Why?"

"Well, Vic and I decided to go with a different dress design. Something more you," Teddy told her. And then he ruffled her hair as he stood next to her. "So, go get dressed. Then your mum and aunts can torture you with all kinds of hair and makeup devices." Then he continued to make his way down the hall.

Lily rolled her eyes at her retreating brother's back, but she turned into her uncle's room. Rose and Dominique were already in there, each unzipping the bag with their dress in it. They both looked up at Lily's entrance. Rose said nothing and looked back down at her own dress. But Dominique spoke.

"Your dress is hanging in the closet still. The shoes are in the box"

"Thanks," Lily said quietly. There was a tension in the room, and she felt that something would snap if she spoke too loud. She moved over to the closet and pulled out the bag. She dropped in onto the bed, and unzipped it. She was shocked by what she saw.

Inside was a vibrant green, thin strapped dress made of a silky material. There was a silvery sash near the waist, and the skirt looked as if it would simply fall around her legs, probably ending near her knees. When Lily opened the box, she found small heels, also an emerald green color. The dress had attracted the attention of the other girls as well.

"Teddy must have grabbed the wrong dress. We're supposed to be wearing gold," Rose said matter-of-factly.

"He said that he and Vic picked out a new one for me," Lily said, not able to contain her happy smile.

"But that's not even the right color for the wedding!" Rose protested.

"Silver is part of the wedding," Dominique argued.

"The boys are wearing silver!"

"How about you just shut your mouth for once, Rose!" Lily snapped. "It's Victoire's wedding, so how about we let her freaking choose!"

"She had picked out a different dress at the shop!" Rose snapped back.

Lily gritted her teeth. She zipped the bag up and picked up, and then headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Rose demanded.

"Away from your overly loud mouth!" Lily sneered. She stormed out of the room, and made her way up to the next flight, and went into her uncle Ron's room. In there she started to change. There was thankfully no zipper to this dress, and no fastenings. All she had to do was slip it over her head, put on the shoes and then get herself settled. The shoes, she was happy to see, fit well and didn't make her feel like she'd fall. Once she felt satisfied, Lily left the room, and went back down the stairs and into her mother's old room. There, the women were all helping Victoire get ready. Lily looked at her cousin before announcing her arrival. Victoire looked beautiful. Her dress was pure white, and the style was old-fashioned. It all made her seem so . . . elegant and regal. Fleur was helping her work on her hair, along with the help of Hermione.

Lily got ready to speak, but then Victoire saw her in the mirror.

"Oh, Lily, that looks perfect!" Victoire squealed.

This caught the attention of all the women in the room, who immediately looked toward Lily. They all began talking of the dress.

"Oh, Lily, that looks stunning on you!"

"You look so grown up!"

"It's beautiful, sweetheart."

Victoire got up from her chair and walked toward Lily, being careful with her own dress. "Teddy was right, green does look much better on you."

Lily gave a sheepish smile. "You didn't have to change the dress. It does kinda screw up your whole color scheme."

Victoire smiled. "I'd rather have you be comfortable and beautiful than have a perfect colored wedding. Besides, you _do_ have some silver, which is one of the colors."

Lily did her best not to laugh, thinking of Rose's protests.

"Alright, Lily, come over here, and me and Angelina will fix you up," her mother told her, herding her toward a different chair. Lily bit back her disgust as her mum and aunt Angeline began speaking of different makeup ideas. Although, she was thankful when she heard the words 'not a lot' and 'minimal'. Then she felt her mother's fingers in her hair, and she saw her aunt coming at her face with something. She did her best not to flinch at their touches. Soon Dominique and Rose came in, and soon they each had people fussing over them as well. Lily caught Rose glaring at her twice, and each time Lily just grinned smugly at her. It only made Rose's glare darker.

Lily was finished first. "Alright, we're done, Lily," her mum announced. She took Lily's hand and pulled her up from the chair. Then she led her to the large mirror they had bought for this particular day. Lily looked at herself, and wondered what they had done to make her seem this way.

She looked older than twelve, older than thirteen even. Her hair was up with a silver ribbon, yet not childishly like she would have thought. The dress flowed gently down to the bottom of her knees, the color radiant against her pale and fair skin. Her eyelashes were darker it seemed, and her lips were a light red. And to put it all together, there was a pink tint on her cheeks, and she knew that it wasn't makeup.

"You looked beautiful, hun," her mum whispered.

Lily felt and watched as her cheeks got even hotter. "Thanks, Mum." Lily took in a gulp. "So, how is this whole thing going to work out?"

"We've decided that you'll go out in pairs, boy and girl," Victoire told her.

Lily felt her muscles tense and her nerves go numb. Boy and girl. That meant she had to go with one of the groomsmen. And that meant that she was walking with James or Albus. It took all of her strength to ask, "So, who am I walking with?"

"We've decided to go oldest to youngest, so that puts you with Albus," Hermione told her.

Now Lily felt even sicker. She'd have rather had James than Albus. She and James may be more verbal in their fight, but the tension was always thicker and sharper with Albus. "Sounds good," Lily mumbled. "Um, I'm going to go get a drink of water." Lily left the room before she could hear another word, and moved quickly down the stairs. Thankfully the shoes didn't hinder her steps. She met no one in the sitting room, but her father and uncle Ron were in the kitchen. Her uncle Ron teasingly whistled.

Lily felt her cheeks heat again. "Very nice, Uncle Ron."

Ron chuckled. Harry went over and placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Well, you sound like my daughter, but you don't look a thing like her. She's only twelve."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Very funny, Daddy."

Harry grinned. Then he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You're beautiful, princess."

"Thanks," Lily whispered.

"Are the girls almost done?" Ron asked, taking a drink from his glass. The liquid seemed amber, making Lily wonder what it was.

"I think so. It seemed like all Victoire had left was a bit of makeup, and same with Rose and Dominique," Lily answered, getting herself a glass of water.

She saw her uncle grimace out of the corner of her eye. "I'd better be able to recognize my daughter," he muttered. Lily bit her lip to keep from giggling.

"Oh, Ron, you worry," Harry laughed.

"Yeah, but I'm right to. Rose is fifteen now, and we both know how fifteen-year-old boys think," Ron insisted.

Lily turned and looked at her father, waiting to see his response. Harry shook his head and laughed. "Ron, neither you nor Hermione dated when you were fifteen," he assured.

Ron seemed to look a little subdued at his words. Lily couldn't help it. "But, didn't Aunt Hermione date that Quidditch player in her fourth year?" she asked innocently.

"See!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry rolled his eyes, and smiled at his daughter. "Thank you for reminding us, princess."

Lily smiled. "It was no problem, Daddy." She finished her drink and put her cup in the sink, leaving the room afterwards.

All too soon, the time came for the ceremony to begin. The girls and the boys all waited around the door. Lily looked to see Teddy and her father, his best man, waiting. Lily glanced sideways at Albus, who looked disgruntled. The two were standing side-by-side, yet they did not touch at all. Not even one skin tissue touched one another. But when it was their turn to follow James and Rose, they both smiled slightly, trying to ignore the large amount of tension in the air around them. It was like they were inside a bubble, the tension only touching them, and they both waited for it to pop. But they made it to the altar with no glares or muttered words. But when they turned to each other, Lily saw the hostility inside his eyes, and she could feel his urge to glare. Lily in turn felt sick and angry. She wanted to throw up and glare at the same time. But she didn't. She kept smiling as they turned away from each other and took their places.

Lily looked out into the crowd, thankfully finding very familiar faces. When she found the Malfoys in the audience, she locked eyes with Scorpius. He was smirking at her, and Lily tried not to giggle. She watched as his shoulders shook with a silent chuckle of his own. His stormy eyes were alight, pretty even. And Lily liked that he hadn't slicked his hair back to look formal, but instead allowed his blonde fringe touched his eyebrows in a mess. His robes were very nice, deep green with a sliver lining and cuffs. He looked very . . . handsome, Lily thought. Then she blushed, and hurriedly looked away.

* * *

The ceremony ended beautifully, with no problems at all. Victoire had looked absolutely beautiful, and Teddy hadn't taken his eyes off of her. Lily smiled honestly as the ceremony went on, and she clapped and cheered just as everyone else did when they ended it with a kiss. The reception started, and Lily immediately moved to a table, sitting down, no longer wanting to stand.

Hands soon covered her vision. "Guess who."

Lily grinned at the sound of Scorpius's voice. "Hmm . . . well, that nasally sound makes me think that it's . . . Albus?" she teased.

There was a gasp of dismay behind her. The hands retracted, and Scorpius came to sit in front of her. He moved his hand over his heart. "Ow, Lily Lu. I think you've broken it."

Lily giggled and rolled her eyes. "Oh, my apologies. Do you need your mommy to kiss it better?"

"Well, she's not here right now, so would you do it instead?" he teased back. Lily knew it was a joke, but she still blushed lightly.

"How did you like the wedding?" Lily asked.

"It was nice, normal," Scorpius answered. "I think the best part was seeing you standing up there awkwardly."

Lily nudged roughly at his foot. "Shut up," she muttered.

Scorpius smiled slightly. "They look happy." Lily raised a brow, and he nodded toward the dance floor. Lily looked back to see that Teddy and Victoire were dancing while everyone else watched.

"Yeah, they are," she replied. She sighed and looked back at her table companion. "So, how was Lucius when your family left?"

"Very furious, threw a major tantrum. It was quite funny, actually," Scorpius laughed. "And, how were your brothers when they realized that my family would be here?"

"Pissy, and the also threw a fit. And that too was pretty funny," Lily said. "So, who seated you and your family?"

Scorpius smirked. "Alas, it was not one of your brothers. Your cousin Louis did it. Nice kid, by the way."

"No doubt. Louis doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He's always been the nice and humble one of us all," Lily replied.

"Makes me wonder why he's not a Hufflepuff," Scorpius joked.

"His sister was," Lily said, referring to Victoire.

"With how sweet she is, that is no surprise," he told her. "I mean, I've only met her once, but she was very nice, polite, and such."

"Surprise, surprise," Lily mumbled. But she still smiled.

"Ah, Lily! You looked beautiful up there!"

Both Lily and Scorpius looked over to see Lana, Lola, Lars, and Jace coming toward them. Lily stood up and hugged Lola.

"So, you did trash the dress?" Lola asked.

Lily giggled. "No, Teddy and Victoire got me a different one. One that suits me better."

"Well it's a lot better than that gold crap that the other girls were wearing," Lars complimented.

Lana rolled her eyes at her brother. "What a way to say she was pretty." She looked at Lily. "You do look great in green, though."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I think so too."

"Don't those shoes kill your feet?" Jace asked with an unsure look toward her feet.

Lily looked at her shoes. "Actually, they aren't bad. They're actually kinda comfortable."

"Ah, children, you are here!"

They all turned to see Teddy coming over. Lily smiled at him. "Hey, Teddy. Happy it's over?"

"Immensely," he said with a laugh. "But I have some bad news for you."

Lily looked at him hesitantly. "What is it?"

"Well, all the women, and Victoire, want to have all of the cousins dancing at the same time for a picture, or hundred of them. And of course for their amusement," Teddy told her.

Lily groaned. "What? Why would they do that to me?"

Teddy shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, sis. You've got less than twenty minutes before they start hunting for us all." He reached his hand up, but stopped. Then he grinned. "If I touched your hair, I might be maimed."

They all laughed. Teddy gave a small word of leaving before he walked off. Jace looked at Lily. "I like him."

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's hard not too." Then something dawned on her. "Hey, where's Mitch?"

"I was just thinking that," Lana spoke.

"I saw him in the crowd," Lily replied.

"And he arrived with us," Scorpius threw in. They all began looking around the large backyard for electric blue hair.

"Oh, wait. I think I see him," Lars said, pointing over to a far table.

They all looked, and Lily immediately recognized him . . . talking with Dominique. "Oh, boy. That's a disaster waiting to happen," she muttered. "Two dangerous forces are talking."

"Looks like Dominique's got her dance partner picked," Lana said with a laugh. They all watched at the obvious flirting going on between the two in the distance.

"Oh, Lily, you look absolutely beautiful!" Astoria gushed as she and Draco approached the group of teens.

Lily's cheeks flushed a little. "Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Hello, Miss Potter," Draco greeted with a nod.

Lily grinned. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Enjoy the wedding?"

"It's not bad actually. In fact I never knew how much I missed your uncle Ron throwing glares my way," he commented.

Lily laughed. "Just ignore him. He's just being difficult and old-fashioned."

"Well to be fair, I sent a few back at him," Draco joked. Then he looked out at where Teddy and Victoire were standing. "So, I'm assuming by the gathering of the younger generation that they'll be looking for you soon, Lily?"

Lily looked over too and saw the other cousins moving toward Victoire and Teddy, each with a partner. She grimaced. "Yeah, the women in my family are demanding that all of us young ones have a dance so that they can take pictures to scar us for years to come," she explained.

Draco laughed. "So, who are you going to be dancing with?"

"Nobody, if I can get away with it," she muttered.

"Well, Scorpius, why don't you be Lily's dance partner?" Astoria suggested.

Lily blushed a little at the thought, and Scorpius cleared his throat. The others all giggled and smirked. But Scorpius smirked as well. "Well, I don't see why not. I would love to be a gentleman and dance with Lily Lu."

Lily watched as he glanced at where she was sure her brothers were standing. She grinned as well. "I'd be honored as well," Lily told him.

Scorpius's smirk turned smug as he held his arm out. Lily took it, trying to fight back a blush, and they both started toward where the rest of the cousins were gathering. Teddy caught sight of them first, thankfully.

"Ah, here's Lil. I told you she'd show up willingly," Teddy told them. The rest of them turned to see her and Scorpius coming their way. No one there seemed at all happy except for Teddy, Victoire, Dominique, . . . and Mitch!

"Ah, Mitch, you've been chosen to die a little on the inside too," Lily commented with a laugh.

Mitch grinned and ran a hand through his blue locks. "Yeah. Dominique asked me, and how could I refuse such a pretty girl?" he said, grinning toward Dominique, who only looked smug and elated.

Scorpius smirked. "I'm sure that the others will thoroughly enjoy having us dance with the girls," he joked.

"Oh course, how could they not?" Mitch laughed. Lily and Scorpius laughed as well.

"Ok, you three, come on over," Teddy said with a wave. As the three approached, Teddy spoke again. "Alright, the adults want a nice dance with us all, so let's keep it appropriate," he teased.

"Yeah, Teddy," Lily accused with a grin.

Teddy chuckled. "Alright, so spread out, and let's do this," he told them Lily and Scorpius moved farther to the left, away from the others, yet not far from Mitch and Dominique.

"You know how to dance, Lily Luna?" Scorpius asked with a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know the basics, yes," she retorted.

His grin got bigger. "Well, then this will be the perfect time to learn even more." He took her hand, and placed on at her waist. Lily put her other hand on his shoulder. The music started, thankfully an even paced song, and each pair began to move. Lily had to give Scorpius credit. He was good, not even looking a bit worried.

"Ok, I'm going to twirl you," he muttered softly. Before Lily could protest, he was raising her arm, and she was spinning in a slow and graceful circle. Then she was facing him again, and her head only spinning slightly.

"That was unnecessary," she muttered to him.

Scorpius smirked. "Please, it was flawless, and you looked beautiful doing it, so don't complain."

Lily felt her cheeks flare with heat at his words, and she adverted her eyes briefly from his. But then she looked back, noticing that his eyes were much prettier up close. And she liked the way his hair felt just above them. It was a nice contrast.

"You know, Lil," Lily almost jumped at the sound of his voice, "I think that your brothers are having troubles focusing on their dancing," he mumbled.

Lily only slightly glanced at her brothers, who were throwing glares in their direction. She found herself endlessly embarrassed. She had been admiring one of her best friends! She had been checking out Scorpius! Lily felt her cheeks flush again. There was a flash of light, and both Lily and Scorpius looked to see Lily's grandma holding a camera and smiling at the two. Scorpius chuckled, but Lily felt her cheeks turn even pinker.

"Is that your grandmother?" Scorpius asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, that's her. And now that she had a camera, none of us are safe," she joked. Scorpius chuckled, and Lily felt the rumble of his laugh through her hand on his shoulder. She noticed then how much deeper his voice was than it had been before. Had she really not noticed until now? Lily mentally shook herself. Why would she care? He was only her friend . . . and it would always be that way.

* * *

Lily had been right. No cute moment was safe from her grandmother with a camera. Every moment was captured, even after the dance. Lily, Scorpius, and Mitch had all been razzed by the others when the dance had ended, but they only laughed and joked with the others. Soon night began to fall, and candles began to float and light up the entire backyard. A few of her friends had to leave, Jace and Lola, and then the twins. But Mitch stayed, preoccupied with Dominique, and Scorpius and his family had of course stayed.

Lily found that she had a moment to escape the large crowd of people, and took it, making her way into the living room of the Burrow. She laid back on the couch, not caring about her dress at the moment. She kicked off her shoes and closed her eyes.

"Hiding in the dark?"

Lily jumped. She sat up and looked at the source of the voice. By the light from the candles coming through the windows, she could see the dim features of Lysander standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"I saw you sneak out, so I thought I'd follow ya. Unless you just wanna be alone?" he hesitated, waiting for an answer before he moved.

Lily couldn't help but smile. "No, it's alright. Come in."

Lysander walked closer, and sat on the arm of the couch. "So, hiding out?"

"Pretty much. Just getting away from the noise," she sighed. She looked up at him. He looked so much different from when she had last talked to him. He looked much taller, at least a head taller than her. And his was no longer skinny, but leaned and toned. His blonde hair was just as unruly, but it was shorter, no longer falling into his eyes. The only thing that was the same were his eyes, with that dreamy look to them. Noticing all these changes, Lily kind of wished that she had paid more attention to Lysander, then this wouldn't have been such a shock.

"Yeah, I can understand that. They are getting kinda crazy out there," he chuckled.

"Is that why you came in here?" Lily asked.

Lysander looked at her with a small grin. "No. I just thought I'd come and talk to you. I haven't in a while. I kinda wish that I had."

A blush spread across Lily's cheeks. "Yeah, I wish I had too."

A silence formed around them, and Lily wished desperately to fill it. But she didn't know what to say.

"Say, Lily," Lysander spoke. Lily detected a blush of his own on his cheeks, "um, I was wondering something . . ."

Lily raised a brow as he trailed off. "Yes? What?"

Lysander cleared his throat, and then scratched at the back of his head. "Well, I was wondering if you'd want to go to Diagon Alley with me sometime?" Lily blushed heavily. "You, k-know, to catch up," Lysander finished, his own cheeks a deep red.

Lily found herself speechless, and her face very flushed and warm. But finally she was able to smile and stutter out a response. "Y-y-yeah! Sure, I'd love that, Ly," she assured.

Lysander's face had relief written all over it. He smiled too. "Oh, good. I'm glad. Um, how about the day after tomorrow?"

Lily made a sound that seemed like a mix of a sigh and a giggle. She tried not to blush. "That's sounds perfect!" Lily mentally slapped herself. She sounded like an idiot!

"Hey, you two!"

Both Lily and Lysander jumped in surprise, and their heads whipped toward the doorway. Harry was standing in the dim lighting, looking at the two kids with a smile. "Come on, out. Grandma Weasley's been picture hunting, and you know she'll want some of you two." He turned and began to walk out. But when he heard no one following, he looked back at them. "Don't make me go get little Molly."

Both of them popped out of their seats, and made their way toward the door. Lily slipped on her shoes, and Lysander waited. Harry chuckled as he kept walking.

"That's a dirty trick," Lily muttered at her father's back.

"He knows how to torture," Lysander agreed.

They both stepped back out into the bright light of the reception, blinking a few times. "Hey, Lil!" They both turned to see Louis coming toward them.

Lily smiled, hoping she wasn't still blushing. "Hey, Louis. What's up?"

"The Malfoy's are getting ready to leave, so if you wanna say goodbye to your friend, I'd hurry."

Lily scanned the crowd, and easily found the family of blondes standing, talking to her father and Teddy. "Yeah, I'll do that now." She looked at Lysander. "I'll see ya in a bit."

Lysander nodded with a smile. "Yeah, and if not, then at the Leaky Cauldron."

Lily smiled back. "Yeah, for sure." With a simple wave, Lily left the boys, and began to make her way over to the Malfoys. She took a glance back at where she had left Lysander. She blushed when she saw that Lysander's eyes were on her as well.

She had never been so excited to go to Diagon Alley.


	19. Who Said Summer School Wasn't Fun?

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Ok, so I have a poll up on my profile, completely for which character I should write about next. Granted, I won't be writing it until I've finished this one, but I just wanted to give people time to choose which character they would to read about next. So if you think about it, vote. **

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Nineteen: Who Said Summer School Wasn't Fun?

Lily blinked as the sunlight poured in through her window. She sat up in her bed and stretched out her arms. Then she smiled. It had just begun, but it already felt like a wonderful morning. She threw off her covers, and skipped into her bathroom to get ready for her day.

The wedding had been almost a week ago, and ever since her day with Lysander two days later, Lily couldn't stop smiling. It had been the best day of her summer. They'd had so much fun, and ever since, Lysander had been sending letters to her, and she sent letters back. She would never admit it, but her heart fluttered with every letter. She couldn't wait to see him again!

"Good morning, princess," Harry greeted when Lily sat at the kitchen table.

"Morning, Daddy," Lily greeted back. She grabbed the cereal box on the table, noticing the absence of her mother. "Where's Mum?"

"She's in the study. She's working on an emergency article for the _Prophet_," Harry replied, reading his own morning copy of the paper. "Your brothers are out as well. James had to work, and I guess that Albus is going to see if George can give him a job."

Lily almost rolled her eyes. Like she cared about her brothers. She poured milk into her cereal, and then took her first bite. "So, what have you got planned for today?" she asked.

"Oh, same as always. Work, filing, paperwork, reading reports, so on and so on," Harry said with a smile. "How about you, sweetheart?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I'll figure out something to do with my day."

"Well you could always go do work for me," Harry joked.

Lily giggled. "Yeah, I love paperwork," she said with sarcasm. Harry laughed too. Lily sighed. What would she do? She could always go upstairs and fiddle around with her potion kit. That was always fun. In fact, that sounded perfect for a quiet day. So she finished her bowl, put it in the sink, and then hurried upstairs. She pulled the potion book that Slughorn had given her out from her bookshelf. She closed her eyes, and then randomly opened a page. _Elixir to Induce Euphoria_. Lily looked over the needed ingredients. She had some, but she was missing the wormwood. She didn't have enough, not to mention she was missing the castor beans.

Lily sighed and closed the book. She wrote down a list of what she needed, and then stuck it in the book. Then she grabbed the tiny bag off of her desk, and stuck the book inside. Just incase she decided to make another potion she could then look up what she'd need. Then she grabbed the small case with her money in it, and put it in the bag as well. She ran down the stairs, checking to see if her father was still in the kitchen. Thankfully, he was still reading the paper.

"Hey, Daddy, I'm going to go to Diagon Alley. I need to buy a few things," Lily told him.

Harry glanced up at her. "Ok, sweetheart. I'll tell your mum."

"Thanks, Dad," Lily said as she hurried to the fireplace.

* * *

Lily bit her lip as she scanned the shelves at Slug & Jigger's Apothecary. She'd found the wormwood and castor beans, now she was just searching for things she didn't have.

"Ah! Miss Potter! How wonderful to see you here."

Lily turned around to see Professor Slughorn standing behind her, a bag in his hand. "Oh. Professor. What are you doing here?"

He held up his bag. "Oh, just buying a few items."

Lily grinned. "Same here. I thought I'd practice my potion work since I have nothing to do this summer."

Slughorn grinned. "Really? I'm glad to hear that. How is that going?"

Lily giggled. "Just started."

"What are you going to work on first?" he asked.

"Elixir to Induce Euphoria," Lily replied.

"Hmm. That's considered a bit advanced. Are you sure you can do it?" Slughorn questioned.

Lily smirked now. "Yeah. If not the first time, the second. I'll keep going until I get it right."

Slughorn laughed. "That sounds quite exciting. I wish I could see it." Slughorn paused in thought, and then snapped his fingers. "Ah! I've got it." He looked at Lily with shining eyes. "Miss Potter, how about you come to my home. You can practice and use my own ingredients, and I can examine and help if needed."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really? You would do that?"

He chuckled again. "Miss Potter, you are my favorite student. Of course I would. How about it?"

Lily smiled. "Yeah! Sure."

Slughorn smiled too. "Great! Well, let's get your things, and then we'll go."

Lily shrugged. "Perfect."

After buying her things, Slughorn and Lily left the apothecary, and Slughorn held out his arm. Just as Lily placed her hand on his forearm, they were being sucked through what felt like a tube, before dropping into a clean and posh sitting room.

"Here we are," Slughorn sighed. "Come along. We'll go to my own personal potion workstation." He led her out of the room, and down a hall. He pulled open the door at the very end, which contained stairs going down. "Ladies first," he insisted.

Lily moved past him and made her way down the stairs. It was dark, but once she'd reached the bottom, lights clicked on. Lily was amazed at the room she was in. It was like the potions classroom at Hogwarts, but much bigger. There were millions of ingredients upon millions of shelves, and bottles and bottles of different liquids of all shades.

"Amazing," she murmured.

"I'm glad you think so. Now, let's go to this table over here, and we can start," Slughorn suggested.

Lily followed his lead, but she couldn't stop looking at everything. "I love this room, Professor."

Slughorn laughed. "Well, if you would like, we could have sessions like this during the summer."

Lily whirled around to look at him in excitement. "Really? You mean that? I could come over, and we could practice potion making?"

He grinned. "I would love to have a summer pupil."

Lily was so giddy that she could barely stand it. "Thank you, professor!"

Slughorn smiled now. "It's no trouble at all. Now, let's get started!"

Later on, Lily couldn't help but smile. Sitting in the cauldron in front of her was a sunshine-colored potion. She was euphoric just looking at it. And she was right. It had only taken one try for her to get it right. The book and Severus Snape's written instructions were a big help.

"Perfect, Lily!" Slughorn complimented. Lily had gotten tired of him calling her 'Miss Potter'. "Right color, right odor. Complete perfection."

"Thank you, Professor," Lily said a little smugly.

"So, about these sessions. How about every other afternoon? You can Floo over at noon?" Slughorn suggested.

Lily nodded. "That sounds perfect, sir!"

"Excellent! Now, what should we start with next?"

Lily bit her lip. "Um, you pick something."

"Well, let's try something that's not normally attempted by just a third year. Let's try preparing antidotes," Slughorn replied.

Lily smiled brighter. "Sounds perfect."

"Yes, but first, you need to learn to prepare something in need of an antidote," Slughorn instructed. "Then, you can learn yourself how to make its antidote."

"Well, what would you suggest I learn how to make then?" Lily inquired.

"Let's try something easy first. Then we'll go on to something harder. So, let's try a simple and small love potion," Slughorn told her. He grabbed a book from his shelf, and flipped it open to the needed page. "Here are the instructions. Now, let's start."

Lily took a look at the instructions, and began to gather the needed ingredients. "Professor, I've got to ask, why are you doing this for me?" she asked.

She heard him sigh behind her. "Well, Lily, in all my years as a teacher, I've seen a lot of good potion students. Your grandmother and your father included. But I've never had a student as talented as you are. You're very advanced for your age," he explained.

Lily grinned. "Sir, I've only done second year level potions. I'm just now doing bigger things."

"I know, but you've always shown perfect potions. Never anything but great. And you've always done it with ease. You always seem so bored," Slughorn laughed.

Lily laughed too. "Yeah. You got me. I usually am bored during class, no offense."

"Well, Lily, if you would like, we could always continue these lessons during the school year," he suggested.

Lily looked back at him with excitement. "Really? That would be fantastic, Professor!"

"It would be my pleasure," he said with an amused chuckle.

* * *

Lily didn't get home until late that night. She was still giddy about the day she'd had. She'd made a perfect love potion, and followed with a wonderful antidote. Professor Slughorn had been so proud. And then he gave her three bottles, one for each of her potions, and let her take them home. As happy as was, Lily was a bit afraid of how her parents would react to her being home so late, but her mother had told her that Slughorn had sent a note telling where she was.

"So, princess," Harry addressed at dinner, "what where you doing at Professor Slughorn's all day?"

"He was teaching me more about potion making. He had so much to teach. It was a lot better than class. He even taught me how to make antidotes," Lily listed.

Her mother and father looked at her with surprise. "Really?" Harry said. "That's usually sixth year stuff." James looked at Lily with narrowed eyes.

"How did you do?" Ginny asked

Lily looked at James with a bit of a smug look. After all, he would be a sixth year this September. "He said he'd never seen one done with perfection."

Harry looked over at James as well. "Will you be taking Potions again this year, James?"

James looked a bit grim. "I don't think so. I don't really like it. Plus I won't need to if I'm going to play Quidditch professionally," he muttered.

"How did you do on the O.W.L.?" Ginny asked.

James ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know. I didn't really like it, so probably not very good." He let out a sigh. "Like I said, I don't like the subject."

Harry now looked to his other son. "How about you, Albus? Are you ready for your O.W.L. year?"

Albus gave a cocky grin that made Lily roll her eyes. "You bet. I've been ready all summer. I plan on passing all of my subjects."

Ginny smiled. "I'm sure you'll do great, son."

"Thanks, Mum," Albus said around a mouthful of food.

"So, Lily," Harry spoke up, "I'm surprised that you haven't gone to visit a friend, or haven't had someone over."

Lily smiled and shrugged. "I've been lazy I guess. Why? Wanting to meet someone?"

Harry chuckled. "I was just curious. Have I met all your friends then?"

Lily shook her head. "Nah. You've yet to meet Jace. He's an awesome guy though."

"Your age?" Ginny asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, he's my age. Although he acts like he six at times."

Ginny and Harry laughed a little. "Well, you should have him over sometime," Ginny told her. "I would love to meet him. He sounds like a joy to have around."

Lily tried to not roll her eyes at the thought. "Yeah, a real joy. But sure, I'll owl him a letter. I'm sure he'd love it. He says he's usually bored all summer."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"He says it's the one downfall of being an only child," Lily replied.

"Well, why don't you invite him over the day after tomorrow?" Ginny suggested.

Lily bit her lip. "Well, how about that day after that? Professor Slughorn offered to have me come over the day after tomorrow for another lesson."

Harry shrugged. "Sounds fine to me."

But Ginny was curious about the lessons. "You're going over there again?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. He offered to give me lessons every other day."

Ginny smiled. "Well he must expect you to do great if he's offering to teach you during the summer."

"And during school. He said we could continue during term," Lily added.

"You must be his favorite student," Harry said with a smile.

Lily nodded with a smug smile of her own. "Yep. His best and favorite." James and Albus sneered at her and her words. But Lily knew, and so did they, that she was right.

Three days later, Lily was reading a potion book that Slughorn had given her to study as she waited for Jace to Floo in. She had set herself in the living room to wait. Luckily, her brothers were both gone. James had to work, and Albus had run off to Diagon Alley again. Apparently their uncle George hadn't been able to give Albus a job, but offered to be a reference. Lily hadn't laughed that hard in a while when she'd heard. Honestly, she was surprised Albus was getting a job. He'd always expected things to be handed to him. She just couldn't see him willing to work for anyone but himself.

Green flames roared in the fireplace, and Jace stumbled out of the fire. His cheeks were a little smudged with soot, but besides that, he hadn't changed at all. He grinned when he saw Lily. "Hey, Lil! What's up?"

Lily set down her book and smiled back at him. "Nothing much. How you been?"

Jace plopped down on the cushion next to her. "Bored out of my mind. Your letter was like a lifesaver!"

Lily giggled. "Well, my parents thought that it would be nice to meet you, and I figured that we could both enjoy not being bored."

Jace grinned. "Totally. So tell me, what have you been up to since the wedding?"

"Well, Slughorn's been giving me potion lessons," Lily replied.

Jace raised a surprised brow. "Really? You're taking potion lessons over the summer?"

Lily laughed at his face. "Yeah. And since I like Potions, it's fun. I'll be going over to his house every other day. And then we'll continue our lessons during school."

He shuddered. "Ugh! I couldn't do it!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm not surprised. But, what about you? What have you been doing?"

Jace let out a sigh. "Nothing really. Christian came over last week, along with Hunter. That was the shining moment of my week. Besides that, I've been sitting around and doing basically nothing," he replied. He looked at Lily. "So, have you been hanging out with any of the others?"

Lily tried not to blush. "Last person I hung out with was Lysander."

Jace looked at her with interest. "Really? How did that go?"

Lily couldn't help but smile. "It was a lot of fun, actually."

"Miss Lily?" Lily and Jace looked toward the hall entrance to see Kreacher standing there. "Would you and your friend like something to eat?"

Lily looked at Jace. "Are you hungry?"

Jace gave her a sheepish grin. "Kinda, yeah."

Lily laughed. "Yes, Kreacher, thank you." She stood up, and Jace followed suit.

"Hey, Lil, after we eat, you wanna go out for a fly?" Jace asked.

Lily looked back at him and nodded. "Sounds like an awesome plan."

So when they finished up their lunch, Lily told Kreacher to tell her mother that her and Jace were going to go the Burrow. The field outside the house was perfect for flying. Her grandmother seemed to be gone when they Flooed in, so they went out the backyard. Lily opened up the broom shed, and handed Jace one of the brooms that used to be one of her uncles'. Then they both mounted their brooms, and shot up into the air, and off and away from any sign of Muggles. Lily had to slow herself down a little, seeing how the broom Jace was using was no where near as good as hers. Soon the two were lazily floating through the sky.

"So, Lil, who do you think will be the Quidditch Captain this year?" Jace asked.

Lily let out a sigh. "I don't know. Adrian will be the oldest player, but he hasn't been on the team as long as some of the others. Will and Dante are only a year younger, and Dante's been on the team since like his third year or something," she replied.

"So, you think Dante will get it then?" Jace questioned.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. What I'm wondering is who we're going to get to replace Raven. He was a fantastic Beater, and a great captain." Now Lily looked at him. "Do ya think you'll try out for the team this year?"

Jace shook his head. "Nah, probably not. I like watching it more than playing it. Besides, I'm not built big enough to be a Beater, and I'm not good enough to do better than the others at tryouts," he explained.

"What position do you prefer?" Lily asked.

She noticed a faint blush on Jace's cheeks. "Well, I'm not very good at it, but I like Seekers."

Lily didn't understand his embarrassment. She loved being a Seeker. Maybe it was because he thought he wasn't good at it. Lily let it go, not wanting to possibly embarrass him even more.

* * *

Days slowly passed by, but Lily was thankful for it. It gave her more time to practice potions with Slughorn. But soon August came, and it too began to pass. The day finally came for the Potter kids to receive letters from Hogwarts.

Harry picked up a pile of letters, finding that there was more than usual. "Well, the Hogwarts letters are here," he commented at breakfast. He flipped through them. "Oh! James, your O.W.L. results are here as well."

"Oh, open them, James!" Ginny squealed in excitement.

Harry handed James the envelope. James tore it open, and scanned it. He grinned some, and then gave a few sighs. But he finally put their parents out of suspense. "Well, I got three O's."

"That's great, hun!" Ginny said with a smile.

"What classes, bro?" Albus asked.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Care of Magical Creatures," James replied.

"What else did you get?" Harry asked.

Lily couldn't help but almost smiled at James's discomfort. "Well, I got an E in Charms. An A in Herbology and Astronomy," he said with a slight smile.

Harry raised a brow. "And?"

James gave a sound that was a mix between a sign and a groan. "I got a D in Potions and Divination, and a T in History of Magic. But in my defense, those classes suck!"

Lily rolled her eyes. Typical. If James wasn't good at something, it was because it sucked, not because _he_ sucked.

"Don't worry, James. Your grandmother will be proud just hearing that you got more than one O. That's all it takes for her," Ginny told him.

"What classes are you going to take?" Albus asked.

James looked over his grades again. "Defense Against the Dark Arts, definitely. And Transfiguration. Charms, I guess. And Care of Magical Creatures."

Lily looked at her father. "Dad, can I have my letter?"

Harry looked surprised, as if he'd forgotten about the others. "Oh, yeah. Here you go, princess." He handed all the kids their letters.

Lily looked at her book and supply list. She'd expected what she saw. The only new thing was that the classes Divination and Care of Magical Creatures had been added to her book list.

"Yes!" James cheered. "I got Quidditch Captain!"

Albus grinned at his brother. "No surprise. You're our best player. There's no way we can lose now."

Lily bit back her sigh. Saying something now would not end well.

"Good job, sweetheart," Ginny told her son.

"Dude, I got Prefect!" Albus exclaimed in excitement.

Lily tried not to drop her head on the table in front of her. Hadn't it been bad enough when James was made Prefect?

"Way to go, son!" Harry said proudly.

"Gryffindor is going to rock this year!" James cheered. Lily noticed the smug look he threw her way. Lily ignored him.

There was a distant roar, and it made them all look at the door. Ginny looked at her husband. "Are you expecting someone, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "Kids?" None of them answered.

"Hello? I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Lily smiled at the voice.

"Scorpius?" she asked, practically jumping off of her chair. "What are you doing here?"

Before she could leave the room, Scorpius stepped in the doorway. He was grinning like mad, his hair ruffled so bad it looked like he'd been running through wind. "Hey," he greeted. Then he looked at her parents. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. I'm not interrupting anything am I?" he asked again.

Harry gave a small grin and shook his head. But Ginny gave him a full smile. "Of course not. We were just having breakfast and reading over Hogwarts letters," she replied. "Would you like to join us?"

Scorpius chuckled. "Thank you for the invitation, but I really just came to tell Lily here something."

Lily raised a brow. "What's so important?"

Scorpius's grin got even bigger. "Well, first of all, I made Prefect."

"That's great, Scorpius," Ginny told him.

Scorpius smiled at her. "Thank you, Mrs. Potter."

"But what's the big news?" Lily asked. She knew that Prefect was not on his mind. He was just trying to be exciting.

Scorpius began to look smug. "Well, I thought I'd let you know, that you are looking at the new Slytherin Quidditch Captain!"

Lily's eyes grew wide and a smile almost tore apart her lips. She squealed happily, and hugged him tightly. Scorpius picked her up off the floor. "Really? That's great, Scor!" Scorpius put her down, and Lily pulled back. "We can't lose now! The cup's in the bag now!"

Scorpius grinned even wider. "I know! I've already got a plan, and I promise that it won't fail."

"How much do you think we'll win by?" Lily asked curiously.

Now Lily noticed Scorpius's eyes travel to her brothers. Then he was looking back at her. "No one will stand a chance against us."

* * *

Hours later, Lily found herself at Malfoy Manor, with only Scorpius as company. But not for long apparently.

"So, what's the plan here?" Lily asked again.

"I want to perfect our team, and my plan. To do this, we've got to have practice. So why not get ahead, and practice during the summer?" Scorpius explained. "The others are on their way."

"One problem there, Captain," Lily said with a sigh. "We're missing a Beater."

But Scorpius didn't look bothered. "No problem at all. Tanner wants to try out this year, and I'm confident that he'll make the team. So, I'm having him come over."

"So, you're only having Beater tryouts?" Lily questioned.

"That's right. What we need is teamwork. Mixing up the team and getting new players will not help out our teamwork," he explained.

"So, you'll be looking for a Beater with good teamwork skills?" Lily inquired.

"That's right."

"So, won't that make it hard for others to try out? Since Tanner will have already learned our plans, and will have had time to become part of the team, and get the feel for teamwork?" Lily mapped out.

Scorpius's brow scrunched in thought. "Hmm. Perhaps. But if he ends up being an amazing player, then why worry? It just means that we won't have to take the time for some other kid to get used to the feel of the team."

Lily thought about it, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." She sighed. "So, what's your plan for me?"

"Well, I was wondering if you'd be able to get a new broom? Your's is great, but there are some better models. And with you, I want to see if we can work on your speed. I mean, you've got aim, you can take a hit, and you are fast. But I want to see if we can get you even faster," he told her.

Lily looked at her broom. It was beautiful, and fast, but she had to agree that there was better out there. Perhaps it was time for a new one. But she knew that if she asked her parents for one, then her brothers would demand new ones as well. That would not help.

"Problem," Lily told him. "If I ask for one, then so will my brothers. My win will be their win."

Scorpius scowled. "Yeah, you're right. They would take the chance to capitalize. Hmm . . ." Suddenly his eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands. "I've got it! I'll buy you one."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "What? No. No, I couldn't ask you for that."

"You're not asking. And I'd be delighted. A gift for a friend and a teammate," he said with a smile.

Lily felt herself blush a little. "Thank you, then," she mumbled quietly. She glanced at her friend from the corner of her eye. She just couldn't stop thinking of how hot her friend and teammate was. Lily felt embarrassed at the thought alone. Scorpius was one of her best friends, not to mention two years older than her. Nothing would ever happen between them. And Lily could live with that. Very easily . . . hopefully.


	20. People Changing With Time

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Ok, so I have a poll up on my profile, completely for which character I should write about next. Granted, I won't be writing it until I've finished this one, but I just wanted to give people time to choose which character they would to read about next. So if you think about it, vote. **

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty: People Changing With Time

Lily couldn't hold back her smile as she closed her trunk, having finally packed her bags for school, the morning before they would be leaving. After Scorpius gave the news that he would be the new Quidditch Captain, time had passed even quicker. It was almost like being at Hogwarts all over again, which didn't really bother her. Every other day she had lessons with Slughorn, which were going great, and the other days the whole team had agreed to meet up and practice. Scorpius had been right, Tanner was a great addition to the team, and they were all sure that he would beat all of the other kids that tried out for the Beater position.

But now it was time for Lily to start her third year, and she was so excited for it! Hogsmeade trips, Quidditch, classes, and her extra lessons with Slughorn. But best of all, she'd be back with her friends, and away from her annoying siblings and cousins. It was perfect!

There was a knock at Lily's door. "Lily?" Lily turned her head to see her mum pop her head into the room. "Are you ready?"

Lily looked at her things. She had her trunk, and she'd already let Regal out so that he could fly to Hogwarts himself. And next to her trunk laid her brand-new broom. It was a Wood 100 Model, made by famous Quidditch player, Oliver Wood. After retiring a few years ago, there had been rumors everywhere that he was planning on starting up his own line of brooms. That had become true when he'd made his first broom two years ago, named the Wood Model. Now, thanks to Scorpius, Lily owned his brand-new model. It was sleek, and Lily knew for a fact it was fast, and had perfect turning. She fell in love as soon as she'd held it in her hand.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Lily told her mum with another smile.

Ginny closed the door. "Well, it seems that your brothers are going to be a bit longer. Albus isn't done packing, and James just started. I'm glad I woke you all up early."

Lily tried not to roll her eyes. Since they had all received their letters, James and Albus had been strutting around the house even more arrogantly. Albus never shut up about how he was going to be the best Prefect ever, and James never shut up about how Gryffindor could never lose a game with him as captain. Lily was itching to prove him wrong this November.

"Surprise, surprise," was all Lily muttered.

Ginny chuckled and sat down on the bed, next to Lily's trunk. "Have you already sent Regal out?"

"'Bout an hour ago," Lily assured.

"You have everything you need?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, Mum."

"Your uniforms, other clothes, your books, supplies . . ."

"Yes, Mum," Lily laughed. "No worries. I'm not the boys. I won't forget anything."

Ginny smiled fondly at her daughter. "I know. I just can't believe how big you're getting. I didn't know how small your robes from last year were until we got you refitted."

Lily sat down next to her. It was true. Their mum had made all of the Potter children try on their robes to see if they needed to get bigger ones. Only Lily and James had needed new ones this year. Lily remembered laughing at Albus's pouting face. Once they were away from their parents, Lily couldn't help but poke fun at how Albus wasn't growing at all, and would always be a little boy.

"Also, I wanted to ask you something, sweetheart," Ginny told her. She began playing with her daughter's hair absentmindedly.

Lily wasn't at all bothered by her mother's touch. "What is it?"

"Well, I noticed that when we got book shopping, you had a list of books that were separate from your school list. Your father bought them for you, but I was curious as to what they are, and what they are for?" Ginny asked.

Lily turned a little so that her mother could play with her hair more easily. "Oh, Professor Slughorn gave me the list, and asked if I could pick them up. They're for our lessons."

"Oh. And how are those lessons going, hun?"

Lily gave a contented sigh. "They're going really great. I love potion making. It's so interesting and fun."

"Well I'm glad you like it, honey. Really, I think you're the first one in the family to really enjoy it. Although Horace has constantly told your father and me about how much your father's mother was an expert at the subject," Ginny replied. She was no longer just playing with Lily's hair, but styling it. Mostly for fun.

"It's fascinating. You can do so many things with a simple liquid. From love to hate, from life to death, and from calmness to complete hysterics. It's an amazing concept," Lily told her.

Ginny giggled at her daughter's enthusiasm. "I also noticed that you and Lysander have been writing to each other a lot this summer."

Lily blushed. Of course her mother would notice. Lily rarely got to the mail before someone else did. But the thought of Lysander made her smile. "Yeah, we've been talking more. It's a bit of a shame to think that we barely talked at all once I started school. I think it's the age and House differences."

"I'm glad you're getting along with him so well, Lily," Ginny told her with a secret smile. Using the small bit of wandless magic she had, she summoned a brush and a hair-tie, and began to finish up her work on Lily's hair. "So, have you and Lorcan been writing as well?"

Lily let out a silent breath. "Um . . . no, I haven't. But Lysander mentions that he's doing good in all his letters, so I tell him to say hi for me," she explained.

Ginny put down the brush, now finished with her daughter's hair. "Sounds like things are going well for you."

Lily turned to smile at her mother fully. "Yeah, it feels that way. I'm just hoping that it lasts."

"Are you excited for Hogsmeade?" Ginny questioned.

Lily really smiled now. "Yeah. It should be fun."

"Ginny! Lily! The boys are ready now! Can we shove off now?" Harry yelled from downstairs.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Just a minute, Harry!" She smiled at Lily. "Shall we join the boys?"

Lily gave a sigh and a forced smile. "Yep. Let's go." Lily shoved her wand into her pocket, and then grabbed her broom. She was eager for the boys to see it. She'd been hiding it from her brothers, and she couldn't wait to see their reactions. Her mother pulled out her own wand, and with a simple flick, her trunk was floating out the door. Lily followed her mum down the stairs. Ginny dropped the trunk in front of the door, where Harry stood.

"Are you girls ready?" he asked.

"I know I am," Lily told him with a smile.

Harry smiled at her as well. "Glad to hear it." He picked up her trunk. "The boys insisted on taking their own to the car, so let me take yours, princess."

The girls followed Harry out of the house, Ginny locking up as they left. James and Albus were standing by the open trunk.

"I told you we could get it ourselves," James told their father.

Harry just grinned at his sons as he threw in Lily's trunk. He looked back at Lily. "Any thing else, princess?"

Lily grinned, and held out her broom. "Just be careful with it. It's my baby." Harry chuckled, and took it with care.

James and Albus looked at the broom in shock. "What!" they both exclaimed indignantly.

"She's got a Wood 100! I asked you to buy me a new Firebolt and you said no!" James cried.

"Why does she get the brand-new model? You said it was too expensive!" Albus argued.

Harry raised a brow at his two sons. "Your mother and I didn't buy this broom. And since you both insisted on being adults and grown men all summer, I thought that you'd be saving up to buy your own things. Especially you, James, since you _do_ have a job."

Both boys flushed, and glared at the ground. It took all of Lily's restraint to keep from laughing at them. To keep the peace, Lily hurried and got into the car. It was a silent ride to King's Cross. Lily could tell that both boys were still fuming over the fact that she had a new broom, and that they were curious as to how she got it. When they arrived at the station, Lily went first through the passageway. What she hated now was that her parents dragged her along with them and her brothers to find their cousins. Sadly, it was never hard to miss the tall form of Ron Weasley. Not to mention his flaming red hair.

"Lily Lu!"

"Lil!"

"Lily!"

All of their heads turned at the call of Lily's name. Lily turned to see Scorpius, Lars, and Mitch running toward her. She could help but smile. Mitch had changed the most. He was much taller, towering over his friends now. His hair was still the same electric blue that they'd all grown used to, only he now had a beanie over it. Along with his ear and his lip, his eyebrow was now pierced as well. And Lily could see more tattoos than she had before.

Mitch reached her first, and pulled her into a tight hug, lifting her off her feet. "So, where's your hot cousin?" he whispered into her ear.

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "No clue. She might be on the train already." Mitch put her down, smiling even more. The other two boys finally caught up, both grinning.

"Ready for a new year, Lily Lu?" Lars asked.

She grinned back at him. "You bet."

Scorpius grabbed her trunk. "Come on. We already got a compartment picked out."

Lily smiled, happy to finally be away from her brothers and cousins. Lily turned to her parents, and hugged her mother. "Bye, Mum."

Ginny kissed her cheek. "Bye, sweetheart. Be good, and be sure to write often."

"Will do, Mum," Lily assured. Then she hugged her father. "Bye, Daddy."

Harry hugged his daughter tightly. "Bye, princess. Have fun at school this year," he told her.

Lily nodded, and gave him a smile when she pulled back from the hug. She looked at her aunt and uncle. "Bye, Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron."

Hermione smiled at her. "Bye, sweetie."

"Later, Lily," Ron said with a smile.

Lily turned back to the boys, and the four began walking toward the train. Lars looked at Lily. "Just so you know, Scorpius and Lana are ditching us for a while."

Lily looked at Scorpius in confusion. "What does that mean?"

Scorpius just waved it off. "Prefect meeting. Lana got the Prefect position for the girls in our year," he explained.

Lily gave a nod in understanding. They boarded the train, and the boys led her to a compartment. Scorpius and Lars lifted her trunk in the storage compartment, then the four of them plopped into their seats.

Lily looked at Mitch. "So, how was your summer, Mitchie?"

Mitch shrugged. "It wasn't bad. I rocked out with Will, Rex, and Justin. Sat around, messed with my siblings, just the usual. How come you weren't at the Slytherin dinner?" he demanded.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I was busy, so I sadly could not make it." Honestly, Lily had scheduled a lesson with Slughorn before learning what day it was. And she hadn't wanted to break off the plans with Slughorn. So she'd sent a letter back to Scorpius telling him her situation, and that she wouldn't be going this year. He'd just told her that she was lucky, and he wished that he didn't have to go as well.

"Well, we missed you," Mitch replied, swinging his arm to rest over Lily's shoulders.

"I missed her more. Hanging around you boys is not the greatest time." Lily smiled as she watched Lana entered the compartment. She was looking a little taller as well, but her usually long hair was shorter, only reaching the tops of her shoulders.

"Wow, Lana, nice hair," Lily told her.

Lana brushed a hand through her locks as she sat down. "Yeah, my mum attacked me. She said my hair was getting ridiculously long. I felt like crying afterwards."

"I've honestly been thinking about doing something with my hair. Like maybe dyeing it pitch black," Scorpius joked.

Mitch laughed. "Dude, that would be awesome!"

"You should do it, man!" Lars agreed.

Lana rolled her eyes, as did Lily. Lana sighed. "Oh great, they've reached the rebel stage of boyhood."

"And we have to put up with it," Lily sighed.

"What do you have to put up with?"

Lily squealed, and got up and hugged Lola, who hugged her back just as tightly. "Merlin, it feels like forever since I've seen you," Lily told her.

Lola smiled. "I know. Not since the wedding. My parents took us on that dumb family trip I told you about in my letter, and then they extended it. It was so boring!" Both of the girls sat back down, only now they sat next to Lana. "So, what were you guys talking about."

Lana grinned at the boys. "About how we're going to have to deal with these idiots another year, basically."

Lola giggled. "But, we're missing the biggest idiot of them all. I don't see big ears."

"I'm right here, dirty." They all looked to see Jace standing in the opening of the compartment with a smile. "Miss me?"

Lola rolled her eyes. "Hardly."

The boys loaded everything up, and then they all took a seat. Jace offered to sit on the floor since there were too many of them in the compartment. He laid out along the floor, and the others all tried to not kick or step on him. Mitch nudged and kicked him every so often just to be annoying.

"So, are you three going to join us on the first Hogsmeade trip this year? It's usually a riot," Lars asked.

Lola looked at him with interest. "Really? How so?"

"Just a minute," Lana told him. She stood up, and pulled Scorpius up as well. "We've got to head to the Prefect compartment. We've got a meeting, remember?"

Scorpius just rolled his eyes. "That's not until we leave the station."

Lana cocked an eyebrow at him, and pointed at the window. Outside, not a single kid stood, but just parents and younger siblings. "That's usually the sign that we're about to leave. Come on."

Scorpius groaned. But he relented. "Alright, we'll be back in a little while. Later."

"I hope you make it back," Mitch joked.

Once Lana and Scorpius had left, Jace hopped up to take Scorpius's spot, and Lars leaned forward a little. "Ok," Lars said with a grin, "our Hogsmeade trip is awesome. First of all, we cause major trouble."

"I'm in," Jace assured with a grin.

Mitch laughed, but Lars went on. "And we usually have a way to get a few drinks."

"Which is always fun!" Mitch contributed.

Jace was grinning even more now. "Oh, I'm totally in."

Lola bit her lip. "Are you sure that's smart?"

Lars and Mitch shrugged. "We've been doing it the last two years," Mitch told her.

"And we've never been caught," Lars assured.

Mitch looked at Lily. "Are you in, Lily Lu?"

Lily shrugged. "Sure. Why not."

Mitch grinned. "Bitchin'."

Lars looked at Lola with a raised brow. "So, Lola, are you in?"

Lola sighed. "Alright, I'm in."

Lars grinned victoriously. "Perfect!" Then he paused and looked at Mitch. "Hey, not counting Lana, are the other girls in our year coming? I know the guys are."

Mitch was obviously biting back a grin. "Well, I know Miley isn't. But I know that Tamara agreed to go, and last I knew was that Layla was still unsure."

Lily looked at Mitch in amusement. "I can't imagine why Miley doesn't want to go."

Mitch laughed. "Well, she found out that I had sex with Trixie, so she refuses to talk to me. I guess that she'd expected me to chase her and try to get her back."

"What a bitch," Lars muttered.

"Sounds like it," Lola agreed.

Mitch raised a brow at Lola. "Really? You agree with that? I thought you liked Miley."

Lola shrugged. "I know when someone's being a bitch."

Mitch and Lars looked at Lola with astonishment. "Wow," Lars mumbled.

"I know!" Mitch agreed. "Little Lola's cursing! She's all grown up!"

Lily and Jace began to laugh, but Lola just sent the two fifth years a small glare, and kicked at Mitch's shin.

It was a while before Lana and Scorpius finally came back in. Scorpius let out a big yawn, and plopped down on Lana's previous seat, resting his arm on Lily shoulder, and dropping his head on his arm.

Lily patted his hair. "That meeting tire you out?"

"No, it was just really boring. I think I almost died," Scorpius muttered.

Lana shook her head. "It wasn't bad."

Scorpius brought his head back up. "All we did was learn a bunch of crap we all knew by common sense. The only important thing we learned was our patrol schedules for the train and for when we get to school."

"When do you guys patrol on the train?" Lola asked.

Lana kicked Lars off of his seat, moving him to the floor. "We're supposed to go in an hour."

Scorpius groaned. "I'm not going. I never asked to be a Prefect. I just wanted to be Quidditch Captain."

"So, you're just going to leave the train in ruins?" Jace asked.

Scorpius shrugged. "Why not. I'm in here, not out there."

"Sounds good to me," Jace told him.

"Oh, Scorpius, Lars," Lily addressed, remembering something.

Both boys looked at her with interest. "What?" Scorpius asked.

Lily grinned. "Well, I thought I'd let you two know that James and Albus finally saw my broom."

The boys were both grinning widely now. "Really?" Lars asked.

"What'd they say?" Scorpius asked eagerly.

Lily laughed a little. "They threw a big fit that I had a new one, and whined about how Dad didn't buy them one. And when Dad told them he hadn't bought it, he laid into them about how they'd both tried to be big boys all summer. They fumed and glared the whole way to the station!"

It wasn't just the boys that laughed, but the entire compartment. "I wish I could have seen that!" Scorpius got out between laughs.

"I can't wait to see the teams' expressions when they realize that our entire team has one of those models," Lars laughed. It was true. With a few dropped hints and nudging from Scorpius, Draco had let his son dip into his trust fund at Gringotts to buy the whole team a Wood 100 broom.

"Money says that Gryffindors throw fits, and Ravenclaws crap themselves," Mitch joked.

"What about Hufflepuff?" Lars asked.

"Who gives a crap about Hufflepuff?" Mitch laughed. They all began to laugh again.

"All I know is that Slytherin is going to dominate this year," Scorpius said cockily.

"Even more so since Adrian Flint made Head Boy," Lana told them.

"No way!" Lily said with a laugh.

"Seriously. Not that he led the meeting we had. He just let Meredith talk, and didn't even pay attention himself," Lana replied.

"That is awesome!" Jace exclaimed.

"Hopefully he'll strip James and Albus of their titles," Lily told them.

"I can't believe that Albus and Rose made it as Prefects," Lana groaned.

"The fact that Rose did doesn't surprise me, but I can't believe that Albus was selected," Lily groaned.

"This should be one hell of a year at least," Lars assured.

* * *

Lily yawned as she and the rest of the school waited for Professor Longbottom to bring in the new first years. Jace kept grumbling about being hungry, Lola was yawning as well, and Nikki Montana wouldn't shut up next to Scorpius, who she seemed to be talking to. But Scorpius was only staring at his empty plate, not really paying attention to her.

"Finally!" Jace grumbled as the doors opened, and Professor Longbottom led in a line of tiny and scared first years.

"I think I see my brother," Lola told them quietly.

"It's about time another Pritchard joined the ranks of Slytherin," Lana replied as she also scanned the crowd of kids.

The hat sang its song, and finally Professor Longbottom pulled out his list of names. "Adams, Camille," he called out. A tiny, and pale girl stumbled up to the stool. The hat fell past her chin.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Lily and the others lazily clapped as the girl made her way over to the Hufflepuff table. But they all began laughing when she tripped.

"Anderson, Violet."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

While everyone clapped, Mitch cupped his hands around his mouth. "Boo!" he called. The Slytherin table all began to laugh.

"Quiet! Everyone!" Professor Longbottom commanded. The Slytherins all bit their lips, but didn't hide their smiles. It wasn't long before they all became really excited.

"Avery, Alec."

Mitch's little brother looked a lot like him, at least before he'd dyed his hair. Alec's hair was sleek and black. His bangs were elegantly swept across his forehead. His eyes were dark, practically black. He didn't look at all nervous as he made his way up to the stool. That hat had barely touched his head.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Every Slytherin stood up, yelling, clapping, and cheering loudly. Alec was smirking broadly as he made his way over to the Slytherin table. Mitch yelled out again. "Alright, Alec!" he called. Alec looked toward his brother and smiled this time.

With every new addition Slytherin gained, they all got rowdy, and soon an unspoken contest started between Houses to see who could cheer the loudest. But when the name "Pritchard, Robert" was called, all the Slytherins waited in silent suspense.

"Come on, Bobby," Lola whispered.

Robert, or 'Bobby', looked a lot like Ginger did, with copper hair and green eyes. But he was pale, like Lola. He looked a little green in the face as he sat on the stool. But his nerves were unneeded.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The entire table jumped up again, and Mitch even jumped onto a chair. Not a single Slytherin was refraining from cheering their loudest. Bobby's face turned pink, but he still looked a little proud as he took his seat at his new table.

The sorting finished with "Urquhart, Eve" joining Slytherin, and the Slytherin House getting the last and loudest cheer of the night. When the feast started, Jace instantly started stuffing his mouth full of food.

"I thought this moment would never come!" he groaned in appreciation.

"You are such a pig," Lola complained.

Jace ignored her, and took a bigger bite of his food, despite his mouth already being full.

"I feel so bad for poor Scorpius over there," Lana whispered to the others. They all looked to see that Nikki was once again talking, and didn't look as if she'd be stopping any time soon.

"Does she ever shut up?" Jace asked.

"Not around Scorpius," Mitch muttered.

"I've got a few Sickles that say he doesn't even know that she likes him," Lars joked.

"He is a bit dense on the subject," Lana agreed.

"With how many girls he has after him, you'd think he'd be a bit smoother with girls," Mitch remarked.

"You wouldn't expect someone like Scorpius to be romantically awkward," Jace joked.

Lily looked at Scorpius, feeling a bit bad for him. He looked as if he was getting ready to stab Nikki with his fork. So she cleared her throat. "Um, Scorpius, can I ask you an important question?"

Scorpius looked away from his food, his eyes giving a thousand 'thank you's. "Of course. What is it?"

"When do you think you'll be holding tryouts for a new Beater?" Lily asked.

Scorpius took the question seriously. "Hmm . . . I haven't really thought about it. I guess I'll hold them in a week or so. I'm really in no hurry. I mean, it's not like we can lose."

"You're very confident," Lana commented.

"We had summer practices," Scorpius told her. "I had Tanner fill in as Beater, and we're all a hundred percent sure that he'll beat all the competition at tryouts."

"I'm sure you'll win," Nikki cooed. "I don't see how anyone with your skill could lose, Scorpius."

Scorpius raised a brow at Nikki. "Um, thanks."

Lars snorted into his drink, and Mitch almost choked on his potatoes. The others all hid back their laughs at Scorpius's oblivion toward Nikki.

"So, um, Nikki," Lana addressed, "have you decided what you're going to do on the first Hogsmeade trip?"

Nikki glanced at Scorpius repeatedly. "Not yet, but I'm hoping that I'll find _someone_ to go with."

Scorpius looked over at the three third years. "Oh, so I forgot to ask, are you three going with us this year?"

Lana shook her head in disbelief at how dense Scorpius seemed to be. Lily just smiled. "Yeah, we're going."

"Oh, what are you guys doing?" Nikki asked, sounding quite disappointed.

When no one else answered, Scorpius finally did. "Whatever we feel like, really"

Nikki giggled lightly. "That sounds like it might be fun."

Lars nodded. "It usually is."

"So, Lil," Jace said as he filled his plate again, this time with deserts, "did you hang out with Lysander again?"

Lily shook her head. "No, but we kept writing. Now that I think about it, perhaps I should have looked for him on the train." It would have been nice to talk to him. But what if he had been sitting with one of her cousins? Or the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, who all practically hated her. Especially Mark Kimball.

"I didn't know you were talking to the Scamanders again," Scorpius commented.

"Yeah," Lana agreed.

Lily shrugged. "Well, mainly just Lysander. We started talking at the wedding, and then we hung out a few days later. But since that, it's just been letters."

Scorpius grinned. "Well I'm glad that they're not bitter 'bout us beating them, or about our House."

Lily grinned too. "Yeah, so was I."

"So, which one's Lysander?" Lana asked, glancing over at the Ravenclaw table. "Is he the burly one, or the one with the longer hair?"

Lily looked over at the table as well, and caught sight of the twins sitting together. She looked at Lorcan in surprise. Where had the small Lorcan gone? Sure, Lily could tell that he wasn't as tall as Lysander was, but he had really filled out! How had he gone from scrawny to built in such a short time?

"He's the taller one. The one with the longer hair," Lily told her.

"When did Lorcan get that big?" Nikki asked in surprise.

"Shit," Lars muttered. Lily understood his distress. After all, Lorcan was another Beater, and now he looked to be bigger than Lars. Lily hadn't thought that possible, with how big Lars looked.

"He's looking to be a bit of a stud," Lana said, agreeing with Nikki.

Lily tried not to laugh. "Well, if you're going to take a shot at dating him, don't be coy. Lorcan wouldn't know what flirting was unless you hit him with a brick. He's a bit dense about anything that isn't Quidditch," she told them.

"Count me out," Lana said with a laugh.

"The other one's pretty cute too," Nikki murmured.

Lily looked at the twins again, and this time her eyes locked onto Lysander. He was a head taller than Lorcan, his hair shaggy, his bangs wavy as they fell onto his forehead, not yet reaching his eyes. Said eyes were that dreamy blue color. His face was thin, and his smile was oddly cute. She had to agree with Nikki, which Lily was sure would never happen again. But to the others, Lily just shrugged and said, "I guess."


	21. Don't Mess With Slytherin's Girl

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty-One: Don't Mess With Slytherin's Girl

"So, what are we doing here again?" Lola asked as she looked out at the pitch. The entire Slytherin Quidditch team, plus quite a few other Slytherins, was sitting in the stands of the pitch as the Gryffindor tryouts got ready to start. They, along with a few other kids, were all waiting to watch.

"The team decided that we'd scope out the other teams' tryouts this year," Lily told her. "Scor's new and first decision as captain." Lily looked over at her. "And you just decided to tag along."

"There's Potter down there, looking like a jackass," Dante muttered as he sipped from a bottled water.

Lily looked down to see James standing on the grass in a practice uniform, with a clipboard in hand. His brow was furrowed as he looked at the paper. A whistle laid around his neck.

"This is going to be good," Lily muttered as the ones trying out came onto the field.

"Dude! Hugo Boy is trying out!" Jace said with a laugh.

Lily looked out again, and saw that it was true. Hugo was coming out onto the field. All of the Slytherin third years called him Hugo Boy, and treated him like a dog. It caught on after Lily had said in front of all of them that he was the Potter boys' puppy.

Christian and Jace both stood up on their seats. Jace cupped his mouth. "Sit, Hugo, sit!" he called out. Then the rest of the third year boys stood up and cupped their hands as well, and woofed and howled. The rest of the Slytherins began to laugh, while Hugo glared up at the stands, his face turning cherry red.

"And here's the rest of the Weasley lineup," Mitch said while he laughed. The rest of the family trying out had come out as well, and they all began to glare also. Except Lucy of course. Always the pacifist.

"Alright," Scorpius quieted down the Slytherins. "So, it looks like all Potter is going to do is add little Huey to the team. So it'll be the same thing with one new person."

"I thought Potter was having them all try out again?" Lana asked.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Like Potter's going to pick anyone over his family. In his fat head they're all better Quidditch players than anyone."

Lily snorted. "Yeah, that's why Molly fell off her broom that was a centimeter off the ground," she joked, much to the amusement of the others around her.

Keeper tryouts went first, and everything got a bit more interesting when they all learned that Hugo would be challenging Lucy for the Keeper position.

"Ooo! Tension in the family!" Lars laughed.

Scorpius almost fell off his seat. "Oh, man! How is Potter going to get out of this one?"

Lily watched as the tryout went on. Lucy did very good, worthy of the Keeper position on the Gryffindor team. But Hugo's tryout was worthy of something close to a reserve on a professional Quidditch team. That was no surprise though. It was all Hugo ever played as, and he practiced all the time as a kid.

"That Lucy kid is out," Mitch muttered.

"No chance is she coming back in as a Keeper," Dante laughed.

When Hugo's tryout was done, all of the third year Slytherins stood up. "Woof, woof!" they barked. James gave them a nasty look, and Lily gave him a small wave and a smile.

When the tryouts had ended, and the Gryffindors had all gone to shower before being told who made the team. Scorpius had the team huddle closer to listen to him.

"Ok, now, from the looks of it, everyone is the same, except that Potter will probably switch out Lucy for Hugo. And for their new Chaser, he'll probably pick that Tyler Creevey kid. So we have two new tactics to learn. And that Hugo kid is a much better Keeper, so we'll have to up our offense with Chasers," he told them.

When they finally came out from the locker room, James had them all line up so that he could call them out.

"Ok, Seeker, Albus Potter," James announced.

"Looks like we'll beat 'em again, huh, Lily?" Lars said loudly.

What was probably supposed to be Albus's proud stride was marred as the Slytherin's laughed, and he glared angrily at them as he looked back.

"Beaters, Fred Weasley and Marsha Finnigan."

Lily watched this carefully. Fred didn't look at James as he took his spot next to Albus. He didn't even look happy. It looked like he didn't even really care. James didn't look at him either. Marsha Finnigan looked happy though. She was very beautiful too. Tall, honey blonde hair, and pretty blue eyes. But she wasn't a stereotype. She wasn't a 'dumb blonde'. In fact, Lily remembered her as being quite smart.

"Our Keeper will be Hugo Weasley," James said with a smile.

As the Slytherin boys all woofed, Lily looked at Lucy. She looked accepting, but Lily could tell that she was disappointed. After all, Lucy loved flying, and loved Quidditch.

"And for our Chasers, we'll have me, Rose Weasley, and Lucy Weasley," James told them.

There was a great amount of surprise among everyone there, and there were quite a few angry looks from the kids that actually tried out for Chaser. But the Slytherins acted a bit differently. They laughed.

"Really, Potter? You saved your ass big time, huh?" Adrian said between laughs.

"Merlin, I'm tired of beating up girls on your team!" Lars joked.

"Looks like we'll have a few more broken nails on the field," Tamara Nott laughed.

Lily laughed too. It wasn't that she thought Lucy was too girly for the game. Actually, Lily knew that Lucy was a lot like her in the game of Quidditch. As long as she could fly and play, she didn't care how dirty she got. But what made her laugh was that James was still playing the elitist attitude. He never believed that anyone on his family that was in Gryffindor could be second in Quidditch to anyone else. He had often told her before she became a Slytherin that she would lead Gryffindor to victory in her second year.

"Way to piss off a chunk of your housemates, Potter!" Scorpius laughed.

James was obviously fuming, but he ignored the Slytherins as he kept talking to the team and the ones that had tried out. When he sent them off, Lily stretched.

"Well, shall we be on our way?" she asked. "I feel like I might throw up soon if I have to keep looking at Potter's face."

"Yeah, let's go," Scorpius told them. All the Slytherins stood up, and began to leave. But luck wasn't exactly with Lily once she'd stepped off the stands. She found Hugo waiting by the exit with a little group of other Gryffindor third years. And Hugo looked furious.

Lily grinned. "Hey, guys, look. It's the Gryffindor puppy! Woof!" she barked toward Hugo. The others all laughed.

Hugo gnashed his teeth. "Quit calling me that! I'm not a puppy!"

Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! I'm surprised you don't carry James's books to class for him." Hugo's face began to turn even redder. "Face it, Hugo Boy, that's all you are to them. Why don't you try manning up and taking a stand against them?"

Now Hugo scoffed. "Why? So I can be a total bitch, and everyone can hate me? So I can be like you?"

"Did you just call her a bitch?" Scorpius growled angrily.

"Because you might want to apologize if you did," Lars said with a glare. Both boys, plus the others of the Slytherin team came to stand around Lily. Hugo and the other Gryffindors now looked intimidated, although Hugo was hiding it a little.

Will Nott gave them a smirk through his glare. "Remember, kiddies, you're messing with the big boys here. If you can't back yourselves up and handle a fight, then you might not want to mess with Slytherin's favorite girl," he threatened.

Lily smirked at Hugo's now tinier form. "Wow, did you hear that? I heard the word 'favorite'. Now, how could I be people's favorite, yet be hated by everyone?" she mocked. "And, you say I'm a bitch? Well, I think you're a little mixed up. Because not only are you the Gryffindor puppy, but you're also James and Albus's bitch!" she spat.

Hugo glared at her, but he wasn't the one that fought back. It was a third year girl. Dark blonde hair, and snapping green eyes. If Lily remembered correctly, her name was Paige Wilde. "What a surprise. A Slytherin needing other and bigger people to fight her battles," she said snidely.

Lily glared at her now. "Oh, believe me, I don't need anyone fighting for me. I know for a fact that I can make sure you never talk again. And surprise, surprise, little Hugo needs a girl to stand up for him. No surprise that he isn't man enough to take care of himself. No, he needs Paige Wilde on his side. Tell me, does she hold your dick in her pocket too?" Lily sneered. The Slytherins all began to laugh and howl at the group of Gryffindors.

Hugo blushed furiously, but Paige just stepped closer. "Really? You think you can hurt me?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know I can hurt you. So why don't you go paint your nail and giggle somewhere else. I have better things to do than listen to you try and be witty."

Paige smirked at her. "Really? Because I think that you're just afraid."

Lily raised a brow at her. "Really? Afraid? Well, tell me, how afraid am I now?" Then without a thought, Lily swung, her fist connecting roughly with Paige Wilde's jaw. None of the Gryffindor's moved, too shocked at what they just saw. But the Slytherins all began to laugh and cheer again. Lily ignored them all, and jumped at Paige, knocking her onto the grass and dirt. She began to dig her nails into her cheek and dragging them down, and began yanking at her hair. She dug her knee into what was probably her stomach. Lily turned Paige's head, and rubbed her face and mouth into the dirt. When she let go of her face, she punched her again, this time hitting her eye.

"What is going on here!" Following the voice, Lily was being dragged off of Paige. Lily kept reaching out for her, and kicking her feet. But she was pulled up, and Lily saw that it was Madam Hooch. She was let go, and Madam Hooch went over to Paige, who was coughing and hacking on the ground. Lily pulled a few deep breaths, and looked back at the large group of Slytherins.

Scorpius was looking at Lily in wonder and pride. "Lil, that was amazing!"

Lars laughed as he looked at her too. "You kicked her ass!"

"Way to go, Lily Lu!" Tanner cheered.

"I don't think I've ever been prouder," Dante told her.

Lola and Lana pushed past the team, and looked at Lily carefully. "Are you ok?" Lana asked. "Did she hit you at all?"

Lily shrugged, still panting a little. Adrenaline was still running through her. "If she did, I don't feel it."

Lola began to wipe the grass off of her shirt and pants. "Our first weekend, and you start a fight. You are unbelievable, Lily." But then Lola smiled as she looked at Lily. "But I'm proud of you." The three girls began to laugh.

"Miss Potter!" Madam Hooch screeched.

Lily's shoulders tensed, and she turned slowly to see Madam Hooch glaring angrily at her. She could see the Gryffindors helping Paige limp away, most likely to the Hospital Wing. "Yes, Madam Hooch?" Lily asked, trying to sound as innocent as she could. Not that it would help at all.

"You are in big trouble!" she yelled furiously as she marched over to the Slytherins.

Lily sighed. "Yeah, yeah. How many detentions?" she asked.

"Well why don't we let the headmaster decide that?" Madam Hooch suggested with a glare. She grabbed Lily's wrist. "Come along, Miss Potter." She then began to drag Lily off.

Lily looked back at her friends. "Avenge me!" she called out to them, causing them all to laugh again. But once she lost sight of her fellow Slytherins, it was silent. Madam Hooch didn't say a word, but Lily could feel the anger radiating off of her. Lily suddenly had thoughts of Madam Hooch dragging her off to kill her in a hidden corner. Then Lily had to keep from laughing at the thought. When the pair reached the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office, they stopped.

"Thestral," Madam Hooch said clearly. The Gargoyle jumped out of the way, and Madam Hooch pulled Lily onto the stairs, which began to take them up to the next floor. Lily was now honestly a little worried. What would Professor Brown say? Would he be angry with her? Madam Hooch gave her no time to think or beg, and knocked on his door.

"Come in!" Professor Brown called out to them. Madam Hooch opened the door, and pulled Lily in. Professor Brown looked away from some papers on his desk to see them coming in. He looked at them with a little amusement, but a lot of confusion. "Well, this is unusual. Is there a problem?"

Madam Hooch forced Lily to sit in the chair in front of his desk. "After the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts, I found Miss Potter here physically and brutally attacking Miss Paige Wilde. Miss Wilde couldn't even defend herself. She needed six other students to get her to the Hospital Wing," Madam Hooch explained.

Professor Brown raised an eyebrow at Lily. "Is this true, Miss Potter?"

Lily sighed. "Sort of. There's more to it."

He nodded. "Alright. Madam Hooch, would you mind leaving me and Miss Potter alone. I need to speak to her privately."

Madam Hooch nodded. "Of course." She left without another word, shutting the door loudly behind her.

Lily watched her go. "I think old age has really done a number on her happy meter," she muttered.

Professor Brown gave a chuckle. "Well, Lily, this is a serious matter. Explain?"

Lily turned back to him and sighed. "Well, the Slytherin team decided to watch the Gryffindor tryouts this year, so a few others came with us. After the tryouts, we all left together, and Hugo and some other Gryffindor third years confronted us. Hugo was mad. So I kind of picked at him a little, and then he got even angrier."

"What did you pick at?" Professor Brown asked.

Lily rubbed at the back of her neck. "Well, I called him a puppy. And then I told him that he should man up and stand up against James and Albus. Then he retaliated and called me . . ." Lily trailed off, unsure if she should say it in front of the headmaster.

But Professor Brown just nodded. "Called you what?"

"He called me a bitch and said that everyone hated me. So the team all stepped up and got mad at him and in his face. Then Paige came forward and said that I couldn't fight my own battles. So I said that Hugo wasn't man enough and that he needed her to stand up for himself. So she started to get into my face, and doubted that I could hurt her. I said that I knew I could, but that I had better things to do then listen to her try to be witty. Then she said I was afraid. So I hit her," Lily explained. "But, in my defense, she asked for a fight. It's not my fault that she talked too much smack and couldn't hold her own."

Professor Brown closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Oh, Lily. She may have antagonized the fight, but you started it. And when you noticed that she couldn't even hurt you, you kept attacking. It's going to be hard to be lenient on you, and even lenient won't be nice," he told her.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Come on, Jacob. You know I'm not the only one in this school to get into a fight. And it was a fist fight. I didn't do anything that can't be fixed by a few potions or simple spells," she argued.

"I'm going to have to write your parents," he told her as he looked at her.

"And that's punishment enough, believe me," Lily told him. She propped her feet up at the edge of his desk. "Besides, teen girls fight. It happens all the time. This one just went past words. And that's her fault."

Professor Brown leaned forward a little on his desk. "Look, Lily. I know that kids fight. But the kids that get hurt tell their parents. And then I'm expected to do something. I can't promote this kind of behavior. I can't _not_ punish your actions."

Lily shrugged. "So what? Give me a couple of detentions. I'm cool with that."

Professor Brown sighed. "I'm afraid that it's going to have to be more than a couple, Lily. We're talking at least a couple of weeks."

* * *

"He gave you two and a half weeks?" Jace exclaimed. "Even after they started it, and she asked for it?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, but I think I got off easy. I don't care. It was worth it."

"It's still a little unfair. She was let out of the Hospital Wing quickly. And she's still only got a few bruises and a split lip," Lola replied.

But Lily only shrugged. "It's fine."

"Hey, Lily, can you help me with this Divination homework?" Jace asked as he looked at the paper in front of him.

Lily pushed away her boring Transfiguration paper, and looked at his. "Sure."

"How is Divination for you two?" Lola asked. She had been true to her word, and had taken Arithmacy and Ancient Ruins.

"Stupid," they both muttered.

"All lies," Lily told her. "But an easy pass."

"I just don't get it, and can't lie very well," Jace told her.

"I'll try to contain my amazement," Lola muttered as she looked at her Ancient Ruins book.

"Hey, Lily Lu!" The three looked over to where a couple of sixth years had called her name. A taller boy had been the one to call to her, and they were all grinning. "Nice job beating that Gryffindor's ass earlier."

Lily grinned. "Thanks," she told him. Then she looked back at Jace's essay.

"Dude, you're like a celebrity now," Jace joked. "Then again, you were before. What with your winning streak in Quidditch."

"Like Will said, she's Slytherin's favorite girl," Lola reminded.

* * *

Over the next few days, the word of Lily beating up Paige Wilde had spread like a forest fire. People twisted the story. Some making Paige look like a victim, and some making her look like the villain. Lily paid no attention to the stories, just laughing about it with the others when it was brought up. Since she was stuck with a new detention every night since, she was always reminded of what she did. And when she's gotten a very angry, but not a Howler, letter from her parents, Lily was very much reminded of what she'd done. She was honestly a little afraid when her mother threatened to come to the school if anything like that happened again. Paige had been a sight to see in class after that. Her lip was a little swollen, and split in the middle. Her eye was a little bruised, the potion she took apparently hadn't worked enough. And she had faint scars from where Lily had clawed at her cheek. And apparently Lily had yanked quite a bit of her hair actually _out_, and so Paige had cut her hair shorter. It didn't even reach her shoulders now.

Classes turned out to be a bit boring still. Divination was easy. Lily was an excellent liar. But she always fell asleep in that class, angering Professor Trelawney to no end. And Care of Magical Creatures was always a bit of a pain. Not the class. She loved the class work, and she found Hagrid to be a great teacher. But there were way too many Gryffindors in that class for Lily to handle.

But finally, the day came for the Slytherin team tryouts. Now, Gryffindor felt as if the tables had turned, for they had come to watch the Slytherin team. Scorpius had forbid the team from brining their new brooms, wanting to shock the entire school at the first game. He wanted to blow the Gryffindors away.

"Alright!" Scorpius told the ones trying out. "I posted in the common room that I was only going to fill in the Beater position. All the other players will be keeping their positions. After all, they've beaten all the other teams countless times, so I don't think I need to replace them. So, let's begin."

Lily watched with the rest of the team as numerous kids tried out for the position of Beater. But like the others, she wasn't surprised to see Tanner do the best out of all of them. And to make it fair, Scorpius held it to a vote of the team. They all voted for Tanner.

"Ok, you all did well, but Tanner is the winner here. But, the team and I will be posting a list of reserves later, so keep a look out," Scorpius assured them. "Otherwise, you can all go."

Lily stood up with the rest of the team, and stretched her legs. "So, Captain," Dante addressed, "when's our first practice."

"Tomorrow after dinner. Lily's worked it so that her detentions will be during breaks," Scorpius told them.

"Can we go then?" Adrian asked.

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah, let's go eat. I'm starved."

"We all are," Lars replied.

The team turned and began to walk. "Hey, Lily!"

They stopped, and Lily turned her head to see Lysander standing in the pitch, waving for her to come over. She smiled, and looked at the boys. "I'll meet you guys there," she told them. Then she was quickly making her way over to Lysander. She smiled even more when she was in front of him. "Hi there."

Lysander smiled. "Hey. I heard about the fight."

Lily's tried to keep her smile up, and did an ok job of it. "Really? Did I have horns in the story you heard?"

"Now, just wings," he joked. Lily laughed a little, but felt a little embarrassed. "I didn't really believe much of it, though. Just the part where you beat her up."

"Yeah, I believe that part too," Lily said with a forced laugh.

Lysander chuckled a little. "But, anyways, how have you been. I was a bit disappointed that we never had time to see each other again over the summer."

Lily blushed a little, her heart fluttering. "Oh, I've been good. I had a lot going on. If I wasn't practicing with the team, then I was working with Slughorn."

Lysander nodded, probably remembering her letters describing her practices and lessons. "Yeah, so are you still having those lessons?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. We've gone way past third year stuff. I go from working on stuff from fourth year, to fifth year, to sixth year. It's been a lot of hard work, but it's been really fun," she told him.

"Yeah, it is a cool class," he agreed. Without really thinking about it, the two began walking toward the castle. "All I did over the summer was help my mum and dad with different work things, which was fun. I love magical beasts. It's why I take the class."

Lily smiled. "It is a fun class. The only bad part is that I have too many enemies in that class."

Lysander laughed. "I don't understand how you could have enemies at all, Lily. You're so nice, and funny."

Lily blushed again, only now her heart was hammering. She gave a weak laugh. "Yeah, but I'm usually only funny when I'm hurting someone's feelings."

But Lysander shook his head. "I think you've always been funny. And you've always been nice. I think people just get so touchy when you defend yourself."

"That's because I usually go over the top," Lily replied. "And I do sometimes start it."

"So? It's part of growing up. I've started fights before."

"Never a fist fight though." Lily didn't know why she was practically bashing herself in front of him. Maybe because Lysander seemed to be thinking that she was something that she wasn't. Like a saint.

"A fight's a fight. Someone always gets hurt," he told her.

Lily stopped walking, so he did the same. She looked up at him, and locked eyes with him. "Why are you defending me?" she demanded. She didn't mean to snap, but she didn't get it. Why was Lysander, such a sweet and nice guy, sticking up for her? She knew she was mean, that she made fun of people, and hurt them. She knew that she wasn't always nice. So why did he act like she was?

Lysander shoved his hands into his pockets, and his cheeks turned a little pink. "Because I like you. I think that's reason enough."

Lily felt like her face had burst into flames, and she was sure that her heart had already beaten a hole through her chest. She brought in a shaky breath, hating how she felt so . . . girly. "You . . . like me?"

Lysander scratched at his chin, his face a bit sheepish. "Yeah. I know it might seem weird, what with the two year difference, but . . . you're just so funny, and nice, and smart, and not to mention very pretty. And yeah, I've always thought that about you, but . . . this feeling is different."

Lily felt her whole body begin to feel weightless, as if she was floating. She felt like the smile on her lips would tear her face in half. "Well, what if I told you that I think that _you're_ really sweet, and funny, and smart, and very talented, not to mention cute? What would you think then?" She didn't want to get ahead of herself. She didn't want to seem like some giggling idiot. So she was going to let him say if he wanted to be friends or . . . more than that.

Lysander's cheeks seemed permanently pink. "Well, then I would think that I should do this." And before Lily could ask what he meant, Lysander leaned down, and kissed her.

It was an innocent kiss, but Lily felt her heart soar. This kiss was so soft, so sweet . . . so perfect! Lily kissed him back just as softly and innocently, marveling in how soft his lips felt. But a little too soon, Lysander pulled away. His face was even more flushed, just like Lily was sure hers was.

Lysander cleared his throat. "Um, should I have done that?"

Lily smiled happily. "Yeah, you did the right thing."

"Well, then what do you think about me asking you to go with me on the first Hogsmeade trip?" he asked.

Lily's face almost fell. "I'd think that you're really sweet for asking, but I already made plans with the others."

Lysander's face did fall, and he bit the inside of his cheek. "Oh."

"But," Lily said quickly, "just know that if I hadn't already made plans, I would have totally said yes. I might have even squealed if didn't have plans already."

Lysander gave her a half smile. "It's ok. I understand. That's another thing I admire about you. You don't ditch people if you've already made plans with them." But what would he think of her plans if he knew? What would he think if he knew that she was going out to start trouble and probably drink a little? Would he still admire her? Would he kiss or ask her out again? But then again, why would he ever know?

Lily took his hand in hers. "How about you ask me that, but switch the part about the first trip to the second?"

Lysander smiled fully now. "Ok. Will you go with me to Hogsmeade on our second trip?"

Lily smiled back at him. "I'd love to."

* * *

"He asked you out?" Lola squealed. She and Lily were sitting alone in their dorm room, the other girls all enjoying their day outside.

Lily hadn't stopped smiling since she'd parted from Lysander. Lola had finally found the chance to drag her upstairs, and then drag the truth out of her. "Yes!" she squealed back. "I've never been so excited! I just wish that it was for the first trip to Hogsmeade instead of the second trip. I almost hate that I made plans with you guys."

"Just go with us next time!" Lola told her. "I think you should go on the date instead. The others would understand."

"Understand what?"

Both girls turned their heads to see Shannon Flint coming into the room. Shannon had changed a bit over the years as well. She was taller, the tallest girl in their year. Her once short and straight black hair was now long and quite curly. Lily never really talked to her much, at least not about personal things, but Lily found her to be very nice.

"Lily got asked out on a date by Lysander Scamander," Lola told her. Lily rolled her eyes at her best friend.

Shannon looked at Lily with happiness and surprise. "The fifth year? That cute Ravenclaw Prefect?" she squealed as she sat on Lola's bed. "What did you say?"

"Well I obviously said yes," Lily said with a laugh. "We're going on the second Hogsmeade trip."

"Why not the first? It's so much closer, and we'd get to hear the details sooner," Shannon asked with a grin.

Lily sighed. "I already promised the others that I'd go with them on the first trip."

Shannon sighed as well. "Well, you should probably go with them then, since you did say you'd go."

But Lola rolled her eyes. "But it's your first date, Lil! You know the others would understand if you didn't go."

"But even if they did understand, you did promise," Shannon reminded.

"What are you girls arguing about?" Megan Montague asked as her and Izzy Bones walked in. Megan was a nice girl . . . at times, but Lily was always able to get along with her. She was a little taller than Lily, with black hair that was always put up, and sharp green eyes.

Izzy Bones was the sweetest girl in their year, and the shortest. Lily got along with her easily, as did all the girls. In fact, they some times teased her that she should have been a Hufflepuff, good-heartedly that is. She had shortish light brown hair, and chocolate brown eyes.

Lola turned on her bed to face the girls, as did Shannon. Lily just rolled her eyes again. "Ok," Lola told them, "Lily has a date for the second Hogsmeade trip with Lysander Scamander. She wishes it could be the first trip, but she already promised to go with the others. I know the others wouldn't mind if she missed out on it for a date."

"But since she promised, I think she should stick with it," Shannon supplied.

Megan bit the inside of her cheek as she thought. "Lysander Scamander?"

"The Ravenclaw Prefect that's a fifth year," Shannon told her.

"He's one of their Beaters. The one with the longer hair," Lola added.

Megan looked understanding now. "Oh! Ok." She looked at Lily. "I think that if the others understand, you should go on the date. The guy's a total babe

"But, if she promised," Izzy said disagreeing.

Lily fell back onto her bed, laughing to herself as the other girls all debated about _her_ date.


	22. When September Ends

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I've got a longer chapter for you guys, mainly as a thanks for being so patient with me. Also a lot goes on in this chapter, and I couldn't really find a place to cut it in half. So, I hope you like it, and please pardon any errors I've made, and don't forget to check out the poll on my profile, and vote for which story you would like to read next. Or just drop me a review and let me know.**

Slytherin's Princess

Chapter Twenty-Two: When September Ends

Lily yawned as she trudged her way down the corridors of the dungeons. She was exhausted. She was thankful that tomorrow was the day of their first Hogsmeade trip. The weeks had been so long. Classes took too much time out of her day, and there was too much homework. Even if it was easy, it was tiring to do. And then she had a detention every day, and all the manual labor was making her sore. And Quidditch practices were turning out to be a brutal addition to her day. She never complained, because she thought Scorpius was turning out to be a great captain, but she was always so tired after practices. Normally, she would go to bed straight afterwards, but she then had to go to Professor Slughorn's classroom for her lessons. But, she thought, at least she was losing sleep over potions, and that she couldn't hate.

Lily knocked on the door to the classroom before walking in. Slughorn was setting up a table for their lessons. "Good evening, Miss Potter. How was your day?"

Lily sighed as she came over and dropped her bag and broomstick. "Exhausting. I hope I'm not late. I had to shower after practice."

"Nope, you're right on time," he complimented.

Lily grinned as she sat on a stool next to the table. "So, what are we working on today, sir?"

Slughorn grinned mischievously. "Well, I actually have two assignments for you today."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Two?" He never gave her more than one subject at a time.

"Yes," he said with a nod. "I have a project that you will continue outside of our lessons. I want to see how well you do without my help and direction."

Now Lily was even more intrigued. "What is it?"

Slughorn grabbed and open book from his desk, and placed it in front of her. The title said something that excited Lily. _Felix Felicis_.

Lily looked up at Slughorn with an eager smile. "Liquid Luck? You're letting me make that?"

Slughorn chuckled. "Yes. You will be making this by yourself, and after the six months are up, you'll bring it to me, and we'll see how you did. These instructions are also one of the books I gave you, so you'll have your own list of instructions."

Lily was wide awake now. "Thank you, sir!" she said, practically squealing.

Slughorn laughed fully now. "It's no problem, Miss Potter. But, moving on. In here, we will be working Everlasting Elixirs. This is something that my sixth years will be learning a little later this year. These potions all have effects that are forever. Some are good. Some are bad. We will do at least one of each."

Lily gave a shrug and a smile. "Let's get started then."

Slughorn started her on making a potion which would keep the drinker calm until the antidote was drunk. Then she made a potion that was supposed make the drinker repeatedly vomit. Luckily, she didn't have to test either one herself. Slughorn showed her other methods to test them.

Slughorn took a thick vial of each potion. "I'll save these with the other potions you've made. And I think I'll keep the cauldrons of these potions for when my sixth years begin practicing this," he told her.

Lily looked at the calming potion. Would she really always be calm? When Slughorn turned his back, Lily dug a vial out of her bag, and quickly took a small sample. She shoved it into her bag again, looking innocent when Slughorn turned back to her.

"Well, Miss Potter, you are looking very tired. So why don't you go back to the common room and sleep. You can start our little project tomorrow," Slughorn told her.

Lily smiled at him thankfully. "Thank you, sir." She cleaned up the station, and then put her thing back into her bag. She was careful not to break the vial of the potion she took. When she was through, she pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "Sir, can I ask you something?"

"Ask away, Miss Potter," Slughorn told her.

"How advanced is making the Felix Felicis?" she asked.

Slughorn smiled even more. "So advanced that it's difficult for me to make it."

When Lily was back into her dorm room, she didn't go straight to bed. Instead, she pulled out the book that held the instructions for making the liquid luck, and looked over the description. It was very difficult. You had to do everything just right, with no mistakes. It was easily explosive if you made a simple mistake. Lily cleared a space by her bedside table, and set up her cauldron and potion equipment. There was no better time to start than now.

* * *

Lily stretched her arms as she began to finally wake up. She looked over at Lola's bed, which was oddly empty. Lily fell back onto the pillow, staring at the canopy in surprise. Lola never left the dorm room without waking up Lily first. Wondering what was up, she got out of bed, and began to get ready for the day. They would all be going to Hogsmeade a little before lunch. Lily made sure that she had her permission slip in the pocket of the jeans she picked out. She pulled on a Holyhead Harpies shirt, and then pulled her hair up into a ponytail. Then after making sure she was ready for the day ahead, she left the room.

Upon descending the stairs to the common room, Lily saw Izzy sitting on the couch reading. She walked over to her. "Hey, Izzy, where's Lola?"

Izzy looked up from her book. "Oh, she went off to breakfast with the others. I'm just not that hungry," she told her.

Lily gave a small hum. "That's different. She usually wakes me up before she leaves," she murmured.

Izzy put in a bookmark, and closed the book. "Oh, she said that you've been really tired lately, so she thought that you'd need the sleep."

Lily smiled at the thought. "Oh. Well, do you want to go to breakfast with me?"

Izzy shrugged. "Sure, why not. See what the others are up to today."

The two girls left the common room, and made their way out of the dungeons. "So, what were you reading?"

"Studying Herbology," Izzy told her. "I hate that class. I'm so terrible at it. I don't see how you're good at everything."

Lily did her best not to scoff. "I'm not that smart."

"You've gotten perfect scores on everything! Every end of the year exam you've taken has been a perfect!" Izzy argued.

"They're easy," Lily retorted.

"Only to you. To the rest of us, they can be a challenge," Izzy told her.

Lily just shrugged. "Well, call me a freak then."

"I'll stick with smart," Izzy laughed. The two girls laughed together as they walked into the Great Hall. They made their way to the Slytherin table, ignoring the whispers and looks that Lily got. They found the other third years all sitting in a group together.

"Thanks for waking me up," Lily said teasingly to Lola.

Lola grinned at her. "You looked exhausted last night. You needed the little extra sleep."

"Here, Lil, sit," Jace told her, pulling out the chair next to him. "I saved ya a seat."

"Thank you," Lily told him. She sat between him and Shannon, and Izzy sat next to Christian.

"So, what are the plans for the morning?" Hunter questioned.

Lily shrugged as she began to pile food onto her plate. "No idea." Lily thought back to the potion brewing next to her bed. She'd have to check on it after breakfast.

"We should go outside," Monty suggested. "We can figure something out from there."

"It is a beautiful day," Megan agreed.

"Sounds good to me," Jace replied.

"I heard that Gryffindor was having their first practice this morning before they left for Hogsmeade," Christian told them. "We could always go and 'watch' them."

Shannon grinned toward Christian. "I think that's the best idea yet."

So after breakfast, and after Lily had checked and followed a couple more directions for her potion, the Slytherin third years were making their way to the Quidditch pitch.

"Think little Miss Wilde will be there?" Megan asked the others.

"I can only hope," Lily muttered.

"You gunna kick her ass if she is?" Xavier asked eagerly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because I love the detentions so much that I would love more."

"If she starts trouble, though?" Shannon asked.

"Then yes. I will definitely," Lily assured.

They made their way up into the stands, and sat down. A few other Gryffindors had apparently come to watch, and they each gave the Slytherins a glare.

"Look over there," Lola whispered to the others, pointing toward the top of the stands. Paige Wilde was sitting with a few other Gryffindors. It seemed as if she had noticed the Slytherins, but was trying to ignore them.

"Look at that!" Jace said eagerly, pointing in the opposite direction. They all looked to see the teachers' box, which was obviously empty.

"What about it?" Izzy asked.

"You think they've got the megaphone over there still?" Jace asked excitedly.

"Maybe," Christian said, now catching on. Without any other words, the boys started to make their way over to the box. The girls followed, but it wasn't without words.

"What are you idiots going to do?" Megan demanded.

"Something stupid," Lola muttered. But they all sat down in the box, while the boys looked down at the pitch.

"Found the megaphone!" Hunter cheered. He looked down at the pitch as well, and placed the megaphone to his mouth. "And now, coming out of the locker room is the famous Gryffindor Quidditch team!" he announced. The others watched as the team trailed out of the locker room. The entire team was looking up at the teachers' box, trying to see who it was that was talking.

Christian took the megaphone. "Their captain, James Potter, is a boy notorious for being a whore and a bully toward young girls."

There was a break out of whispers and mutters among the crowd. From the box, they could see James fuming on the ground. He looked up at the box, but was too far away to see who it was.

Now Jace took the megaphone. "And their Seeker, Albus Potter, a boy who is known for losing and falling for simple and stupid tricks. And then there's their new Keeper, chosen purely for his skill, and his relation to egotistical James Potter, who has a terrible superiority complex."

Lily got up from her seat, but kept bent down so that the team couldn't see her. She looked around the box, and saw a door that led to the back.

"And then we have Rose Weasley," Shannon announced. "She's smart, she's classy, and glued at the knees. Boys just eat her up." All of the girls began to snicker now.

"Oh shit!" Monty cursed.

"Language, Monty," Megan mocked with a laugh.

"No, guys, Potter's coming up here!" he hissed.

"Shit!" Shannon repeated.

"This way!" Lily told them, waving them toward the door. She pulled it open, and they all followed after her. Lily ran around a few support beams, and ran down a few stairs. She soon realized that they were under the stands, and she could see the feet of those sitting there.

Jace stopped by her, panting from the running. "You think he knew it was us?"

"I'll bet they knew it was a group of Slytherins," Lola told him, holding the stitch in her side.

"But that could still be any Slytherins," Megan reasoned.

"I can barely breathe," Hunter wheezed.

"Let's head back to the castle," Christian reasoned. "The farther away from here we are, the less likely the chance of us getting the snot kicked out of us."

"I'm not scared of James," Lily muttered, but she followed the others out from behind the stands. They ran over to the lake, and stopped. They dropped down onto the grass, catching their breath and relaxing.

"They are probably pissed off!" Jace laughed. Soon they all began to laugh.

"Potter will probably be trying to find out who it was for months," Megan said between laughs.

"That was so much fun!" Lola said while laughing.

"We've got to do that more often. I love messing with Gryffindors," Hunter joked.

They laughed about it for the rest of the morning, and couldn't help but tell the other Slytherins. Word went around the other Houses about how a group of kids had been calling out things about the Gryffindor team. Apparently Rose had been in a foul mood ever since.

"You guys are unbelievable," Lana told them as they all waited in line for Professor Longbottom to take their permission slips for Hogsmeade.

"But we are so proud," Scorpius told Lily quietly.

"I'm glad, because I was thinking of an even better prank for tonight," Lily whispered to him.

Scorpius looked at her, his face showing his interest. "Really? What is it?"

Lily smirked. "I say we break into the Gryffindor common room."

Scorpius looked at her with pride and glee. "That is brilliant!"

"We just have to figure out the password," Lily told him.

"Shh!" Lana hissed. "Longbottom!"

They both looked forward. Longbottom was only two people ahead of Lana. When he finally came to Lily, he held out his hand. "Permission slip, Miss Potter."

Lily always had to hold back a laugh when he was formal with her. It was like her uncle Ron calling her 'miss'. But she didn't laugh. She took the permission slip out of her pocket and held it out to him. "Here you go, sir," she said, not holding back a grin at her use of formal words. He ignored her grin, and went past her to Lola, who was behind her.

Soon, they were all allowed to go, and the group of Slytherins began to make their way to Hogsmeade.

"So, guys," Scorpius announced, "Lily Lu has an awesome idea for later tonight, that involves torturing a few Gryffindors."

"We're listening," Mitch said eagerly.

"I was thinking that we try and find out the Gryffindor password, and then sneak into their common room," Lily told them.

"But we'd have to find the common room first," Lana told her.

"I know where it is," Lily replied.

"Then let's do it!" Lars cheered.

"But how about we get a drink and some lunch first?" Tamara suggested.

Lily finally paid attention to their surroundings, and noticed that they had arrived at Hogsmeade. It was fabulous! People were everywhere, talking, going in and out of shops. Other kids were laughing as they entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"Well, the best place for that is The Three Broomsticks," Scorpius said. He went over and held the door open. "Ladies first," he told them, letting the girls go in first. Lily blushed a little when he smiled at her.

"Pick a table girls," Lars told them. "Anywhere you want."

"Let's take that one," Lana said, pointing to an empty table toward the back. The group of Slytherins made their way toward the table.

"So, what do we want?" Scorpius asked as they sat down. "My treat."

"Just get the usual, dude," Mitch told him.

"What's the usual?" Lola asked.

"A burger, with fries, and a butterbeer," Lars answered.

"Sounds fulfilling," Jace said with a grin.

"Then I'll get . . . ten orders of that sent over to us," Scorpius told them. Then he left to the bar.

"Oh, Lily, look who's here," Lola said with a smile.

Lily looked at her, confused, and then looked to where she was pointing. Across the room was Lysander . . . with his brother and her family. Lily blushed a little again.

"Oh great! A bunch of pains in the ass," Will Nott muttered.

"That's not who I mean," Lola told him. "Lysander's with them."

Lily bit her lip in silence as she looked at the group. Did they know about Lysander asking her out? Had they said anything to him? Lily hadn't been able to talk to him since he'd asked her out, only giving each other looks in the hall and at dinner. Would they try to stop him?

"What's the big deal about Lysander? You gotta crush on him?" Mitch teased.

Lola rolled her eyes. "Not me."

"So, Lana's got the crush?" Rex Derrick guessed.

"Try again," Lana told him.

"Surely Lily Lu's not the one with the crush?" Justin said in surprise.

"Lily Lu's got a crush?" Scorpius asked as he came back to the table. A look that seemed to be a mix of confusion and a scowl overcame his face.

Lily rolled her eyes this time, and she was hoping that her small blush didn't get any bigger. "It's not a crush. I just happen to have a date," she mumbled.

"What?" Lars exclaimed.

"Do we approve?" Mitch asked of the other boys.

"With who?" Scorpius demanded.

"Whoa!" Lily told them, holding out hands to stop them. "Ok, since when did I have six older brothers? I mean, I already have two that I hate. Do I need more?"

"Well us Slytherins have to protect our House's princess," Mitch told her.

"We can't let some creep snag a date with her," Lars confirmed.

"Who is it?" Scorpius demanded again.

Lily let out a groan, while the other girls rolled their eyes. "Ok, first of all," Lily told them, "it's with Lysander. And second, he's not a creep. He's actually a really sweet boy, and he's cute. And thirdly, I don't need a hoard of boys coming to my rescue. I can take care of myself."

"We're just protecting you," Will replied.

"We don't want you to get hurt," Rex told her.

"Because we care," Justin assured.

"Lysander Scamander?" Scorpius said in shock. "That twiggy little dork?"

Lily scowled at all of them. "He's not a twig! And what's wrong with Lysander? I mean, he's never hated anyone because of their House or their family. And he's not a jackass."

Mitch was still scowling a little. "Well, we still get to talk to him before this 'date'!" he told her.

Lily just rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say," she muttered.

Lana just patted her on the shoulder. "Consider yourself lucky. When Clete Parson asked me out last year, my dad followed him all around school, and Lars wouldn't leave him alone for a month," she told her.

Lily looked at her in confusion. "But, didn't you stop seeing him after one date?"

Lana nodded. "Yeah, I did. They apparently didn't get that memo." The girls all began to laugh when the food and drinks were brought to their table.

"So, who's coming to supply us this time?" Mitch asked, thankfully changing the subject.

"Aaron offered to come this time," Lars told him.

"What a great man," Mitch joked.

"So, where are we going after this?" Lola asked.

"Wherever we want," Will told her. He picked a fry off of his plate, and held it as if to throw it. "Ok, who thinks I can hit the back of Potter's head?" he asked.

"You better be able to if you want to stay as one of my Chasers," Scorpius joked.

"Ok, on the count of three," Will told them. "Someone count."

Rex leaned forward and started the count. "One . . . two . . . three!"

Will reared his hand back, and launched the fry across the room. It flew through the air, and hit the back of Rose's head, instead of James's. Rose's head whipped around, her hand going to her hair. The Slytherins had all quickly looked back at each other, and began to mutter random things, all while trying not to laugh. Lily was sure that she caught Rose glaring at them.

"She's not looking anymore," Justin told them. Then they all began to laugh.

"That was awesome!" Mitch cheered, high-fiving Will.

"Little bitch deserves to be hit with something harder than that," Tamara joked.

"I hear that," Rex agreed. "She bitched and whined at me yesterday because I told some Ravenclaw dick to suck one."

"Believe me, she never shuts up," Lily muttered. "I hear her every time she comes over to my house."

"How often does she come over?" Tamara asked.

"A lot. Our parents have dinner together a lot. At least during the summer," Lily replied.

The others all groaned. "Wow, you never escape them, huh?" Lana said sympathetically.

"No matter how hard I try, I never truly get away from them," Lily joked.

"Alas, a tragedy," Mitch murmured sadly. But then he broke his character and grinned.

* * *

"Remind me, where are we going?" Lola demanded as the group made their way through the crowded street of Hogsmeade.

"Somewhere. Quit asking," Rex told her. "Asking questions ruins surprises."

"This way," Scorpius told them. Lily looked at where they were turning. It was a narrow alley between two buildings. It was wide enough that they could all fit through it, but thin enough to make them walk in a line.

"Did I ever tell you guys that surprises make me paranoid?" Lola said dryly.

"Just chill, Lola," Justin told her.

"Hey, does Lola have a nickname?" Will asked.

"Dirty," Jace replied immediately.

Lily rolled her eyes, and Lola reached back and pinched Jace. Mitch laughed. "I think he meant a nickname that she won't kill us for saying."

"Not that I know of," Lily told him.

"Then she needs one," Scorpius muttered. "Guys! Brainstorm!"

"Well, the Muggles have this really popular character named Lola," Lily told them. "But, she's not human."

"What is she?" Lola asked curiously.

"A rabbit. She comes from a television show," Lily answered.

"What's a television?" Justin demanded.

"A Muggle contraption," Mitch told him. "Learned about it in Muggle Studies."

"A rabbit, huh?" Lars murmured.

"How about Bunny?" Will suggested.

"That's . . . not bad," Scorpius muttered.

"Kinda catchy," Mitch agreed.

"Hey!" Lana said, catching all of their attentions. "We're here!"

Lily looked forward to see that they were coming out of the alley. Once she'd stepped out from between the buildings, she looked around them. They were on a stretch of grass, and nothing else . . . except a small fence. Behind that fence was a large field of grass. And on that field was a tall and rickety house. Lily looked at it in confusion.

"Where are we?" Jace asked.

Rex rubbed his hands together in eagerness, and he gave an excited face. "This, kiddies, is the Shrieking Shack."

Jace and Lola gasped in surprise, but Lily looked at the house in excitement as well. She had heard stories about this place. Lily walked to the fence and leaned closer.

"Isn't that the most haunted house in all of Britain?" Lola asked shakily.

"Yeah," Justin told her.

"No one has ever gone inside it and come out," Mitch said mysteriously.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Are you scared?" she asked. She knew it wasn't haunted. Her dad had told her all about it.

Will scoffed. "Let's see you go in there!" he challenged.

Lily looked at him with a raised brow. "Fine. I will." Without hesitating, Lily climbed the fence.

Lola ran to the fenced panicked. "Lily, he was bluffing."

"Yeah, I wasn't serious," Will assured.

But Lily just shrugged, and kept walking toward the house, ignoring the others' warnings. She heard a muted thump behind her, and then running. She kept walking, and soon Scorpius was walking beside her.

Scorpius grinned down at her. "I couldn't let you go in there alone. Besides, I don't believe in that dumb legend anyway. I've never heard any ghostly sound coming from this place."

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's not haunted. My dad told me. It was a fake story, because there used to be a werewolf at Hogwarts. He came to his house on full moons. The story kept people away. It was Teddy's dad, actually," she told him quietly. The others had all climbed the fence as well, but Lily didn't want them to hear. It would ruin the fun.

Scorpius nod. "Ah. That does make sense. So, it's just an empty house?"

"Yep," Lily told him. She climbed the creaky steps, and moved to open the front door, but there was no knob. She pushed at it, but it did move. So Scorpius moved her aside, and kicked it. The door swung open, and creaked. Lily looked inside. It was dusty, and pretty dirty, but stable. She stepped inside, and Scorpius followed her.

"Ok, we've stepped inside," Lola said, "now let's go!"

"I'm with Lola," Tamara told them.

Lily rolled her eyes, not able to take it anymore. "It's not haunted, guys. My dad told me all about it. A werewolf used to stay here on full moons. It was a long time ago."

"How do you know he doesn't come back?" Lana asked carefully.

Lily blew out a breath, thinking of Teddy. "Because he's dead. He was Teddy's dad."

"Oh," Lana murmured.

"I didn't know that Teddy's dad was a werewolf," Jace commented.

"Yep. His mom was the Metamorphmagus," Lily replied.

"So, this place could just be an awesome place to hangout?" Rex wondered aloud.

"Pretty much," Lily said with a grin.

"Ok, this place is filthy, and I'm not hanging out here," Tamara argued.

Justin rolled his eyes. "So picky," he muttered. He pulled out his wand.

"Wait!" Lana stopped him. "Are you crazy? You can't use magic here?"

"Why not?" Justin asked. "It's part of Hogsmeade, and we use magic on these trips all of time." He pointed his wand at the dusty floor. "Scourgify!" The dust cleared off the floor. Will pulled his wand as well, and began to follow Justin's lead.

"When is Aaron coming?" Lana asked.

"Four o'clock. Gives us two hours before we have to head back to school," Lars told her.

"What time is it?" Scorpius asked.

Rex looked at the watch on his wrist "Thee-fifty."

"I'll head back and get the stuff," Mitch told them. "Be back soon." He left the house, shutting the door behind him.

"See, Tamara," Justin said, "this place isn't so bad once you clean all the crap off it."

Lily looked around. The two boys had gotten quite a bit of dirt and dust out of the room. It didn't look too bad.

"So, what's the plan?" Rex asked. He plopped down onto the old couch. A bit of dust flew up, but he ignored it.

"Well, we save the firewhiskey for later tonight," Lars told him.

"After we mess with the Gryffindors," Scorpius said with a grin.

"Definitely," Lily agreed.

"That means we'll have to sneak it into the school though," Lana pointed out.

Scorpius scowled. "She's got a point."

Lily bit her lip. "Well, Teddy once told me that there's a secret passageway in the school that leads to Hogsmeade. If we use that, then we could just leave the stuff here and then come back later tonight."

Everyone perked up and looked at her. "Really? Where?" Justin asked eagerly.

Lily shrugged. "I'm not sure." But then an idea struck her. "But I know how to find out. But we will _have_ to get into the Gryffindor common room."

"No problem," Will told her.

"This is going to rock!" Jace cheered.

"Guess who early!" Mitch exclaimed as he came back through the door. And following him was Aaron.

"Dude!" Justin said with a grin.

"Bro!" Lars cheered.

Aaron held up a bag. "I had a few extra minutes before practice."

"How is practice?" Lily asked. Aaron's work on the Appleby Arrows had become famous.

"Grueling," Aaron told her. "But worth it. I'm aiming for the World Cup this year."

"High standards," Lana scoffed. "That's why he doesn't have a girlfriend."

"Bite me," Aaron muttered.

Mitch took the bag from him, and set it down in the middle of the floor. He began to the bottles out. "You got some Muggle stuff?" he asked, holding a bottle. The liquid inside was a blue color.

Aaron shrugged. "I thought I'd make you all try something different. But the firewhiskey is still in there."

"Found it!" Mitch said with a grin. He pulled out two bottles of amber color.

"I threw in a few butterbeers as well. I wasn't sure what all to buy you guys," Aaron told them.

"No worries. Supplying minors is good enough for us," Lana teased.

Mitch pulled out a bottle with a clear liquid. "Alright, I say that our three newcomers go first."

Lola pulled in a deep breath and kept her distance. "I'm still not sure."

Mitch rolled his eyes, and looked at Lily. "How about you, Lily Lu? Will you go first?"

Lily shrugged and held out her hand. But as soon as she felt the neck of the bottle touch her palm, she felt butterflies. Was this really a smart thing to do? Should she even? Lily questioned the action in her mind, but she still took the bottle, and twisted off the lid. The smell of the liquid was almost foul. With her mind going a mile a minute, Lily wondered what her parents would say if they ever knew. Nothing, they'd probably kill her. Or just yell at her for hours on end. All the while, her brothers would probably try to act like fake little angels.

Lily pulled in a deep breath through her nose, and brought the bottle to her lips. She tilted the bottle, and the liquid poured into her mouth. Lily fought back a flinch at the taste. It was as bad as it smelled. But she kept her composure, and swallowed it. It was hot going down her throat, despite how cold the bottle was. Once it was all down, her chest began to burn. But Lily found that it wasn't unpleasant.

"So?" Mitch asked with a raised brow.

Lily licked her lips, tasting the remaining drops on her lips. "It's not bad actually."

"Hand it," Jace told her. Lily gave him the bottle, and laughed with the others when he did flinch. "Merlin, that's strong!" he choked out.

Now they all looked at Lola. "Well, Bunny? Are you going to try it?" Rex asked.

Lola stared at the bottle that Jace was holding out to her. Lily figured that she was probably deliberating like Lily had. But, like Lily, she seemed to have come to the same conclusion, as she grabbed the bottle, and took a drink. She spluttered a bit, but clamped a hand over her mouth. The others chuckled, and Rex quickly took the bottle out of her hand. Then he took his own drink.

"That was gross!" Lola complained.

"You get used to it," Lars assured her as he took the bottle from Rex.

But Aaron took it from him and took a quick drink before handing it back to his brother. "Well, kids, I've got to go. I'll talk to you later." Then he left the house, fixing the door on his way out.

* * *

"I feel really strange," Lola said with a giggle. They were all heading back to Hogwarts, and Lola was giggling and stumbling.

Mitch bit back a laugh, but not a smile. "Merlin, Bunny's a complete lightweight."

"We're going to have to get her to bed once we get there," Scorpius said with a laugh. "We can't let her go to dinner and have people see her acting like this."

"Yeah, us girls will take her to her dorm," Lana told them.

"Let's just hope that no teachers see us," Lars muttered.

"How do you other kids feel?" Justin asked with a laugh.

Lily looked over at Jace. He wasn't walking the straightest, but he was able to hold a decent conversation. Lily herself felt fine. A little lightheaded, and her chest was still burning a bit, but overall, she could still walk and talk with others.

"I'm fine," Jace said quietly. That was another odd thing Jace had started doing after three drinks. He was talking really quietly.

"I feel ok," Lily told him, her voice a normal level.

"That's good," Will told her. "Means you're not a lightweight. Not that being light is a bad thing." He glanced over at Lola.

"It's like I'm floating!" Lola said between giggles.

"Ok, we're getting close to the gate. Someone hold her straight and shut her up," Lars stated.

A thought struck Lily. "How about one of the guys gives her a piggyback ride? That would seem harmless enough to a teacher, right?"

"Great idea, Lily Lu!" Mitch complimented.

"I got her," Rex told them. He bent forward a bit. "Someone help her up." Lars grabbed Lola's waist, and hoisted her up onto Rex's back. Rex grabbed her legs, and Lars coaxed Lola into wrapping her arms around his neck gently.

"You got her?" Scorpius asked.

"Yeah, she's light and comfortable," Rex replied.

"How are you doing up there, Bunny?" Mitch asked.

There was no reply. They all looked over toward Rex, and looked at Lola. Her eyes were shut, and her face was peaceful.

"Is she sleeping?" Rex asked, trying to glance up at her.

"Yeah, she's out," Tamara said with a laugh.

"Poor girl," Lana murmured. "I just hope she doesn't end up throwing up tomorrow."

"So do I," Lily muttered.

They all changed the subject as they came near the gate into the school. Lana's dad was standing there, checking the list of all the kids coming back before the curfew. They did their best to seem casual, and Jace had done his best straighten his stance.

Mr. Goyle smiled at them as they came to the gate. "Hey, kids. How was your day?"

"Not to bad, Dad," Lars told him with a grin.

Mr. Goyle looked at Lola. "I see Lola passed out."

Mitch gave a small laugh. "Yeah. She was complaining all day about being tired, but we didn't believe her."

"When did she fall asleep?" Mr. Goyle asked as he chuckled.

"About ten minutes ago," Scorpius lied smoothly.

"We'd better get her to the dorms before Rex drops her," Lana joked.

Rex rolled his eyes. "Ha ha."

Mr. Goyle gave them a wave. "I'll see you kids around."

"Bye, Dad."

"Yeah, later, Mr. Goyle."

They all gave their quick goodbyes, and then upped their pace toward the castle.

"That's one obstacle out of the way," Scorpius said with a sigh.

"The easy one," Lana warned. "After all, our dad's not the brightest guy."

"Point taken," Mitch told her.

Once they were in the castle, they immediately made for the way to the dungeons, hoping to avoid any and all teachers. They took the stairs a little slow for Rex as he tried not to jostle, or worse, drop, Lola. When they got to the blank wall, they all gave a sigh of relief.

"Gaunt," Scorpius stated.

The wall slid to the side, allowing them all into the common room. Rex followed the girls to the stairs, but stopped just at the girls' stairs. He carefully lowered her down, but kept a hold of her.

Lana grabbed hold of her sides. Rex looked at Lana skeptically. "You think you can carry her up there, Lana?"

Lana shrugged. "We'll see. Just help me."

Rex nodded, and then leaned down, and knocked Lola off her knees, picking her up off the ground. He held her out to Lana, who held her arms out as well. Carefully, Rex placed her in Lana's arms. "You got her?"

Lana's arms dropped a little, but she stood up straighter, wobbling only a little. "Yeah, I can do this. She's light as hell."

"She ought to eat more," Rex muttered in agreement.

"Follow me," Lily told her. The girls all trailed up the stairs, Tamara keeping close to Lana incase Lola began to slip from her grip. Lily stopped at the door that read "_Third Year Girls_", and opened the door. The poked her head inside to see if any of the other girls were there. It was empty. "Bring her in," Lily told them.

The two fifth year girls stepped inside, and walked toward the middle of the room. "Isn't this cozy?" Tamara teased.

Lily looked around their room. There was an assortment of clothes laying around, mostly from the other girls trying to decide on what to wear. Books were piled by bedsides, small trinkets and objects littered bedside tables and the floor. Posters and pictures were taped to the walls. Lily shrugged. "We think so. Lola's bed is this one." She pointed to the one bed that had been made. She moved forward and pushed aside the blanket.

Lana moved forward and set her down, resting her head on the pillow. "Think we should change her into her bed clothes?"

"It'll probably be more comfortable. Besides, if she throws up, I don't think she'd want it to be on a pretty outfit like the one she's wearing," Tamara replied.

Lily moved to the dresser by Lola's bed, and pulled open the top drawer. Lily grabbed one of Lola's nightshirts and a pair of shorts. "Here we are," she told the other girls.

Lana carefully, with Tamara's help, began to pull Lola's shirt over her head. Lily handed her the nightshirt, and Lana pulled it over Lola's head. She straightened it over her upper body, and then slid her hand up Lola's back.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tamara asked in surprise.

"Unsnapping her bra. I know for a fact that it's bloody uncomfortable to wear one in your sleep," Lana replied. She slipped her hands out from her shirt, and carefully pulled the straps down Lola's arms. Then she slid her hands back up her back and slowly pulled the bra out from under her shirt.

"Here are her shorts," Lily said as she held them out.

Lana unsnapped Lola's jeans, and Tamara pulled them down as gently as she could. Lana took the shorts, and with Lily's help, pulled them over her legs. Then Tamara pulled the blanket over Lola's body.

"There," Tamara said in accomplishment. "That should do it."

"Let's go get the boys and go eat," Lana said.

"Great idea. I'm starved," Lily groaned.

The other girls laughed. "Is that a Weasley curse? I've never seen any of your family not hungry," Lana asked.

Lily laughed as well. "Perhaps some gypsy hated our family," she joked.

The girls left the room, closing the door behind them, and went down to collect the boys. At the sound of the girls approaching, the boys all stood from where they sat.

"Did you get her to bed?" Mitch asked.

"Completely. Now, let's go eat," Lily told them, ushering them toward the door.

Scorpius draped his arm around her shoulders. "Hungry, Lu?" he asked with a laugh.

"Extremely," Lily said with a smile. "I feel as if I haven't eaten anything all day."

"Same here actually," Scorpius said in agreement. The group entered the Great Hall, and automatically made their way to the Slytherin table. It was loud at dinner today. Most of the chatter was the left over excitement of the first Hogsmeade trip. Lily could hear people talking about Honeyduke's and her uncle George's shop. The group sat down together, and immediately began to fill their plates.

"So, what's the plan on getting into Gryffindor's common room?" Lars whispered.

Lily motioned for them all to lean in closer. "Ok, we'll have to sneak in there late at night, once everyone's asleep up there. But we'll have to watch out for prefects and teachers patrolling the halls."

"There are three groups patrolling tonight," Lana told her. "The Slytherin sixth years, Hufflepuff fifth years, and the Ravenclaw seventh years."

"So no worries about one of the groups, but we still have to avoid the other groups, and the teachers," Scorpius planned.

"Ok, one or two of us will have to hide near the entrance to the common room and wait to hear the password," Lily told them. "Then we'll go back later in the night."

"So what's the plan on how to get back to Hogsmeade?" Mitch asked.

Lily shifted a bit uncomfortable. "Just trust me on that part." She bit her lip. Her only wonder was how she would get the map back to James. She knew that James would suspect thievery, but then again, how would he be able to blame Slytherins?

"So, who's going to wait by the entrance to their common room?" Will asked.

"Well, obviously Lu has to be there," Justin told them.

"And not Jace," Tamara said, looking at the dazed looking boy.

"I'll go," Scorpius offered.

"Then we have our team. The rest of us will be waiting in the common room for your stunning return," Mitch said with a grin.

* * *

"Where are we off to now?" Scorpius asked Lily as the two began walking through the corridors. It wasn't far from the curfew for younger students, so there was no doubt that the two Slytherins would find a few first years coming back to their common room.

"The entrance to the Gryffindor common room," Lily teased.

"Which is where?" Scorpius asked. In order to be safe, he'd stuck his Prefect badge on his shirt.

Lily rolled her eyes with a sigh. His impatience never stopped surprising her. "Merlin's beard, it's on the seventh floor! Just be patient!"

Scorpius held his hands up in surrender. "I was just curious."

"You were just asking me a million times over," Lily retorted.

Scorpius laughed. "Well they say the millionth time's the charm."

Lily stopped them as they came to a hallway. At the very end there was a portrait that Lily remembered vaguely as the Fat Lady. She'd only been here once, and it ended in a screaming match between her and James.

"This is it," Lily whispered. "It's at the end of the hall."

Scorpius's brow furrowed as he looked down at the portrait. "You mean, it's behind that portrait?"

Lily nodded silently, looking for a place to hide. She moved to the left wall and placed her hand on it. Then she began walking, her hand sliding across the bricks as she did so.

"What are you doing?" Scorpius asked.

"I'm checking to see if there's a passageway around here. We need somewhere to hide," Lily told him.

"Nice thinking," she heard him say behind her. Lily placed her hand over a tapestry, pushing her hand on it. She didn't feel brick.

"I think I found a place," Lily called out. She pushed the tapestry aside to find an opening. Lily moved inside and looked down the long passageway. It was dark toward the end, which meant that it was either really long, there was something blocking the other exit, or a dead end.

"How quaint," Scorpius muttered as he stepped in beside Lily.

Lily dropped the tapestry, casting darkness around them. "It's perfect."

"But how are we going to hear people talk in here? That portrait is halfway down the hall," Scorpius pointed out.

"Light up your wand," Lily told him as she fumbled around in her pocket.

Scorpius pulled out his wand. "Lumos," he whispered. Light shone around them, helping Lily to see better.

Lily pulled out a long, thin, flesh colored string. She grinned up at Scorpius. "Despite being a Slytherin, what kind of Weasley would I be if I didn't have an Extendable Ear?"

Scorpius looked at the string, and then looked at Lily with a prideful grin. "You're so smart that you're almost scary."

Lily chuckled. "I'd like to say clever, but thanks for the compliment." Lily threw one end of the string out of the tapestry, and then handed Scorpius the other end. "Hold this." When he'd taken it from her hand, Lily pulled out her own wand. "Windgardium Leviosa," she murmured. The string rose in the air, and with her direction, the string continued to float down the hall. Lily dropped it just by the portrait. "Do you know a disillusionment charm?"

"One. But it's not very good," Scorpius replied.

"Whatever works. Just do it to the string once we're ready," Lily told him. She took the string end from him and placed it in her ear. Then she pulled another string out of her pocket and attached it to the main string. She handed it to him. "Put this in your ear, and then use the charm."

Scorpius did as she said, and placed the string in his ear. Then he pointed his wand toward the string on the floor and muttered a charm. Lily watched as the string disappeared from sight. But when she touched her ear, she could still feel the string.

"And now we wait?" Scorpius asked.

Lily sat down onto the floor. "And now we wait," she whispered. Scorpius gave a nod, and he sat down across from her. They waited in silence, making sure not to even breathe loudly. Scorpius stretched his legs out as well as he could, his feet pushing against the wall next to Lily. Lily's eyes traveled up his legs, noticing that his knees were bent. Lily looked at her own legs. They were straight, yet her feet didn't touch the wall next to Scorpius. He was getting taller, that was obvious. Lily wasn't very short, but yet not the tallest.

"_So, how are you and Elisa doing?"_

Both Lily and Scorpius sat up straight. They pressed onto the string into their ears, listening intently to the girl that was speaking.

"_Same as always. Just fine."_

Lily and Scorpius looked at each other in shock. That was James's voice!

"_Must get boring after awhile, same old, same old?"_ the girl replied. Lily couldn't place who the voice was, and Scorpius looked just as curious. What Lily did notice was the flirtatious tone of voice the girl used.

"_Eh, I guess. But I'm used to routine._" James replied.

"_Well, maybe sometime you and I could perhaps break that routine?"_ the girl suggested. Lily looked at the tapestry in surprise, as if she could see right through it. Surely, James wouldn't.

But she heard James chuckle. _"I thought you liked Elisa? I thought that you two were friends?"_

"_We are, and I do like her. That's why I think that we shouldn't tell her. Spare her the heartache. Besides, I happen to like you a lot more than I do her."_ Lily grit her teeth. She was no fan of Elisa Ogbourne, but to do something like this behind her back? Behind anybody's back was terrible.

Now James was laughing._ "You know, with your cunning, you could have been a Slytherin. But you're a bit more bolder than a slimy Slytherin."_

"_Is that a 'no' then?"_

Lily waited in suspense for his answer, but there was no response. Scorpius's brow furrowed, and carefully, he pulled back a bit of the tapestry. Then he let it drop. "They're snogging," he whispered quietly.

Lily looked at the tapestry, almost wishing that she could see through it even more. How low would James go?

"_It's known that James Potter has never said no to a pretty face. So how could he say no to such a gorgeous face as yours?"_ James finally said. Then they heard it. _"Babbling Botany."_

The two listened closely as they heard footsteps, and then a muted thud that Lily took for the portrait closing.

"Take off the charm," Lily whispered.

"Finite," he whispered. Lily watched as the string appeared in sight, and then she pulled it out of her ear. Scorpius followed suit, and began to pull the string into the tapestry. Lily pulled the strings apart, and stuck the smaller one into her pocket. Once Scorpius pulled the other string completely into the passageway, Lily took it and put it into her pocket as well.

"Let's get out of here," Lily told him.

Scorpius held up a hand, and pulled the tapestry to check to see if the hallway was empty. He looked back at her. "Hurry, come on."

The two hurried out from behind the tapestry, and then began to walk casually down the hall, and away from the Gryffindors' entrance. Scorpius killed the light coming from his wand, and the two turned the corner to the stairs.

"I can't believe James," Lily muttered. "I knew he was an ass, but that was . . ." she couldn't eve describe.

"And with Lyla Stretton. The girl is a complete idiot. And Elisa was much better looking," Scorpius told her.

Lily didn't know who Lyla was, and had no idea what she looked like, but that wasn't what mattered. "He'll take any attention he can get."

"James Potter doesn't care who gets hurt as long as he gets his dick wet. And if more than one girl will do it, then that's just icing on the cake," Scorpius said with a shrug.

"That's disgusting," Lily mumbled.

"Some guys are like that," Scorpius told her. "And some guys wish that they were cool enough that it would happen to them."

"Not all guys are like that. You aren't," Lily pointed out.

Scorpius chuckled. "Yeah, but I find most girls annoying, and not worth the time to date."

"But you're still a guy with hormones. So there's hope for your gender," Lily teased.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Because I happen to find most girls my age to be annoying?" he shook his head and laughed. "Whatever you say."

Lily just laughed with him.

* * *

"So, why isn't Jace coming with us?" Lana asked as the group moved through the dark corridors.

"The guy can't walk straight without falling down," Rex muttered.

"Shh!" Lars hissed.

The group was making their way to the seventh floor. Scorpius had taken point, his wand lit as they moved. Will had taken the back, his wand lit as well.

"Where are we?" Mitch asked.

"Seventh floor. It's just around this hallway," Lily told him.

"Lily, you give the password. You'll look a little more familiar to the portrait with your hair, so you'll seem less suspicious," Scorpius told her.

Lily touched her hair, hating how he was right. But she moved to the head to the group, walking next to Scorpius. When they'd reached the portrait, Lily stood up straight.

The Fat Lady looked at her expectantly. "Password?"

"Babbling Botany," Lily stated firmly.

The Fat Lady gave a gesture that a mix between a bow and a nod, and then the portrait moved to show a round opening, and darkness from within.

"Looks like it's empty," Lily whispered. She stepped inside, looking around as she came to the middle of the room. It was a large circle, with comfy-looking chairs, some tables, and a large fireplace with only a few embers left.

"How expectant," Rex muttered as he looked around.

Lily couldn't say anything. This was where she would have been staying if she'd been a Gryffindor. And she didn't like it. It was too . . . well it was _too_ cozy. It all seemed so weird.

Lars went to the stairs. "Which one leads to the girls?"

"The right," Lily said, mostly playing a hunch.

Lars took a step on the left staircase and waited. Nothing happened. "Lu's right. Ok, guys take the guys, and girls take the girls. Let's cause some damage," he said with a grin.

"Just remember the warnings," Scorpius reminded them.

"We know the code," Lana muttered. She, Lily, and Tamara moved up to the girls staircases.

"I've got the seventh year girls," Lily told them immediately. "I know how to cause major damage in there."

The other girls looked at each other, but shrugged. "Ok. Go ahead."

Lily pulled out her wand. "Lumos." She moved down the hall quietly, and finally found the door that marked the room she was looking for. Lily quietly pushed it open, and then looked inside. All the curtains to the bed were closed. Lily closed the door behind her. "Muffliato." Lily was loving Severus Snape's book more and more each day.

Now able to move a little more freely, Lily began to move toward one of the walls. "Flagrate," she whispered. Then she began to move her wand in simple motions, spelling out words that left spark-like letters on the wall.

"_SP ALWAYS WINS_"

Then Lily moved around to find a piece of paper. She found one, and a quill a one a bedside table. She began to write.

"_Don't trust Lyla. She's no friend. And be careful of James. He's never really _alone_!_" Lily hoped that Elisa would get the meaning of what she meant by 'alone'. Lily moved to each bed, and quietly checked behind each curtain until she found Elisa. When she did, she dropped the piece of paper onto her pillow, and then dropped the curtain. Then Lily began real havoc.

Eventually, Lana peaked her head in. "Hey, how's it going in here?" Then she got a real look at the room. "Wow. Way to go." Lana looked at Lily's message. "SP?"

"Slytherin Princess," Lily said with a laugh. "I got the idea from the boys."

"It's a perfect fit," Lana told her with pride. "Especially since there's a girl in Hufflepuff with those initials."

"Even better," Lily laughed quietly. "How did you girls do?"

"Great. We've hopefully scarred all of them," Lana told her.

"Good. Let's get out of here," Lily whispered. She cut off the Muffliato charm, and the two silently left the room.

Tamara was just waiting down the hall. "Now we've just got to wait for the boys."

"Actually, there's something I need to do in one of the boys' rooms," Lily told them. "I'll be back."

Ignoring the girls' looks of confusion, Lily walked to the boys' hallway, and stopped at the door that said _"Sixth Year Boys"_. She pulled it open and instantly cast the Muffliato. Then she closed the door behind her. The boys' didn't have their curtains closed, but Lily was sure that they were all hard sleepers. Lily looked around the room. The Slytherin boys had torn the room apart. But Lily was on a mission. She moved over to James's bed, and began to rummage through his things. She couldn't find it!

Then Lily had a hunch. She looked up at James's sleeping form. She stood up and looked at her brother. Then she glanced at his pillow. Slowly, she slid her hand under his pillow, making sure not to nudge his head. Then she felt it! Lily grabbed the paper, and slowly but firmly, slid it out from underneath the pillow and James's head. Lily looked at the paper with a smile.

The Marauders' Map was hers . . . at least for the time being.

Lily turned to leave, but when she saw a blank wall by the door, she couldn't help herself. She pulled out her wand once more. "Flagrate," she whispered. Then she began to write again.

"_CHEATERS SHOULDN'T TALK LOUDLY. THEY MIGHT GET CAUGHT! - SP"_ Lily couldn't help but to leave a mark that she'd been there, even if James didn't know who it was. Lily dropped the charm on the room and left it silently. Down the hall, she could see a light fading down the stairs. Lily followed it.

"Where's Lu?" she heard Mitch ask.

"She's not with you?" Lana asked. "She said she was going to one of the boys' rooms."

"I'm right here," Lily told them as she came down the stairs.

Scorpius looked at her in surprise. "What were you doing?"

Lily grinned and held up the map. "I was getting our way out of Hogwarts. Plus, I thought that I should leave James a little warning."

The others glanced at each other, but then began to grin. "Will it terrify him?" Justin asked.

Lily now looked smug. "He'll certainly watch himself. And if I did my job right, he'll soon be quite single."

Scorpius looked at her in understanding now. "You mean, you left a note for his little whore?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "That's a pretty general group," she muttered. The others laughed quietly, but Lily turned to the boys' staircase. "Glisseo," she muttered. Before their eyes, the boys' stairs turned into a steep slide.

"You are brilliant, Lily Lu," Mitch complimented as the group began to move toward the exit.

"I know," Lily sighed, but then she laughed with the others.

Once they were outside of the lions' den, they all let out a collective sigh of relief. Then they were moving down the hallway while Lily and Scorpius explained what they'd heard while getting the password.

"What a fucking dick!" Tamara said indignantly.

"Complete jackass," Mitch said in calm agreement.

"Surprise, surprise," Will muttered dully.

"Who's there?"

The Slytherins all tensed at the sound of the distant voice. It was no one that they recognized, so that excluded any Slytherin and teacher.

"Run!" Lars hissed. The group took off running down the halls, doing their best to make as little noise as they could. Which didn't really work.

As she ran, Lily pulled out her wand and tapped the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" she whispered. She was instantly greeted by the showing of the map. Once they'd turned onto a hall, she stopped running.

The others all looked back at her. "What the hell are you doing? We've got to go!" Rex urged.

Lily unfolded the map. Greg Belby's dot was running toward the hallway next to them. Lily quickly scanned the hall they were one for a passageway. She found one not far from them, and quickly memorized the way. She folded the map. "Follow me," she told them quickly, and began running again.

"What the hell was that paper?" Tamara asked.

"Just follow me! I'll explain later!" Lily told them. Lily led them down two hallways, and then down a set of stairs. She slowed to a stop. There were no tapestries on the walls. How could there be a passageway?

"What the hell are we doing?" Tamara demanded.

"Just trust her!" Scorpius hissed.

Lily looked at the left wall, and just like before, she placed her hand on, and began to move swiftly along the hall. Once she'd gotten close to where the map had shown the passageway to be, her hand slipped through the wall. Lily looked at where her hand had disappeared. But she could still flex and feel her fingers. She looked at the others.

"Come on! This way."

Lily stepped through the wall to find a hidden hallway that was lined with candles. She walked this time, seeing no need to run any longer. She soon heard the others walking behind her.

"Dude, a hidden wall? That's genius!" Rex exclaimed.

"Now what was that map you had?" Tamara demanded again. The others all looked interested now.

Lily pulled out the map and sat on the floor where she unfolded it for all to see. "This is called the Marauders' Map. My grandfather made it with his three best friends while they were in school. It shows all of Hogwarts, with very few exceptions. Such as ways to Hogsmeade, and secret passageways like this," Lily explained. "My uncles nicked it from the caretaker in their time, and then gave it to my father. James stole it out of my dad's desk the summer before his second year."

"Are these dots people?" Scorpius asked.

"That's another brilliant thing about it. It shows you everyone in the castle, and where they are. It's not fooled by anything," Lily told them.

"That's genius!" Lars cheered.

Lily sighed. "Problem is, we can't keep it. James is going to notice that it's missing. He'll be ready to blame anyone for it."

"How are you going to get it back to him without knowing it was you though?" Lana asked.

"Simple. During Christmas break. I'll slip it into his room while he's at work. Then he'll simply believe that he left it," Lily replied.

"Or suspect you even more," Mitch warned.

But Lily just grinned smugly. "Of which he'll have no proof. I'll be fine."

"So, how are we getting back to the Shrieking Shack?" Rex asked.

Lily examined the map. "As odd as it sounds, we'll have to go out through the Whomping Willow. All the other exits lead to inside of the shops. It looks like the Whomping Willow will take us somewhere different than a shop."

"But how do we get by a tree that attacks people within its radius?" Justin asked.

Lily folded up the map. "The map usually tells you secrets once you're close enough. So let's go get Jace."

* * *

"I can't believe Jace passed out on the couch," Lar laughed as the group snuck out of the castle.

"I can't believe you guys didn't take him to his bed," Lana said with a shake of her head.

"Oh, he's a big boy," Scorpius said flippantly.

The group approached the Whomping Willow with caution, staying out of its reach. "What now, Lu?" Will asked.

Lily opened the map and looked at where the tree and their dots were. A little bubble appeared over their dots. _"Hit the knot."_

"Hit the knot on the tree," Lily said, repeated the map.

"What knot?" Justin asked.

"Actually, I think I see what she's talking about," Rex told them. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at a large branch that had fallen to the ground. "Windgardium Leviosa." He directed the branch closer to the tree, which didn't move an inch. Then he pushed it against a large knot on the tree. "Ok, someone test it."

"You're crazy," Tamara told him.

Lily rolled her eyes, and walked closer to the tree. Nothing happened. "I'm sure that it's safe," she told them. The rest of them approached, and Lily stood next to the roots of the tree. Near the bottom, she found a hold. "Found the entrance. Come on."

Lily found out that it was actually a tunnel. Lana lit a small branch on fire to light the way. She held it out to Lily. "Here, Lu. You take this."

Lily nodded and took the branch. After a few minutes, she came to stairs that led up. When Lily reached the top, she found a trap door. She pushed up, and the door opened easily. She kept climbing up, and delighted to see that it had led them directly into the Shrieking Shack. She stepped off of the stairs and looked around the room.

"Awesome!" Scorpius exclaimed. "It leads right to the shack."

"Perfect!" Mitch cheered from below.

"Here's a few candles," Scorpius said from the other side of the room. Lily came over, and lit them with their makeshift torch. Then as she put out the larger fire, Scorpius placed the candle around the room, giving the room a dim and even lighting.

"Where did you stash the stuff, Mitch?" Lars asked as he sat down on the couch.

Mitch began to dig around a pile of broken boards and planks. Then he came back with the bags. "Game on, guys!"

* * *

Later that night, Lily found herself standing by one of the windows, leaning against the windowsill. There was a half-moon out, and it was surrounded by stars. Behind her, the others were partying on. Will had brought along his portable music player, so music was blaring behind her. And the others had all thrown a bunch of wood into the middle of the floor, and lit it on fire with the help of the candles. Now they were all laughing or talking loudly, nursing a bottle of their own. Lily had a bottle of some kind of Muggle drink. It was a bit sour in taste, but it was easy to get used to.

"Thinking hard, Lily?"

Lily turned her head to see Scorpius walking toward her. The others were paying no attention to them, caught up in their drunken minds. Lily sighed. "Well, as long as I can still think, I thought I'd better think while I can."

Scorpius chuckled. "Understandable. Knut for your thoughts?"

Lily shook her head. "No, you can just have them. I was thinking about what would have happened if I'd become a Gryffindor at the sorting."

"Hmm. And how are those thoughts going?" he asked as he leaned against the wall next to the window.

"I'm just thinking of how different my life would be. I mean, I wouldn't have become a Seeker my first year. In fact, I probably wouldn't be a Seeker at all. James always wanted me to be a Chaser. And I'd probably end up like Albus and Hugo, little clones of James. So I'd probably be an idiot, and I'd have no respect for a relationship," she listed.

"Not to mention you'd probably lose respect for yourself, eventually," Scorpius added.

"Exactly!" Lily exclaimed. "But, on the other hand . . . I'd still have my family. I'd like being at home, and . . ." Lily dropped her head against the window.

"So, do you regret being a Slytherin?" Scorpius asked.

Lily looked up at him. He didn't look angry, upset, or even sad. Just curious, and not at all judgmental. "No. I'm really glad that I'm a Slytherin."

Scorpius smiled. "We all are." The two laughed a little more, and then looked toward the moon again. Scorpius took a drink out of his bottle. "So, Lysander Scamander, huh?"

Lily blushed a little, but she smiled. "Yeah. Surprised?"

Scorpius gave a shrug. "A little. I guess I didn't expect you to go on a date with someone. At least not this young."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm thirteen, Scor. It's not overly young. Besides, it's just a date, not a honeymoon."

"He's older. My age. We don't have the purest thoughts," Scorpius warned.

"Yet I don't see you jumping every girl in sight because of your thoughts," Lily retorted.

"He's still fifteen. He might expect you to put out," Scorpius continued.

"And I promise you that I won't throw my panties at him," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. "Why are you so anti-date all of the sudden?"

Lily watched as Scorpius shifted uncomfortably where he stood. "I'm not anti-date," he muttered. He turned to look at her, his face showing his defeat. "I'm just . . . I . . . I just don't want you to get hurt," he murmured.

Lily blushed even more, and felt her heart flutter at his words. But she rolled her eyes at him. "Thank you, Scorpius, but I can take care of myself."

Scorpius took another drink from his bottle. "I know you can, Lily. Just know that I'll always be there to kick some ass for ya."


	23. Curiosity Never Killed The Snake

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Author's Note - I'm glad to hear that people are really liking the development of the characters. Also, a lot of people are wondering who Lily will eventually be pair with. That is a secret that we won't know until the time comes. Also, keep a look out on my profile, I'll be posting pictures on how I'm picturing each of these characters. So, read, enjoy, and don't forget to tell me what you think. (Also, don't forget about the poll on my profile as well.)**

Slytherin's Princess

Chapter Twenty-Three: Curiosity Never Killed The Snake

"Lily? Lily, wake up!"

Lily groaned as she was shaken roughly. She felt lightheaded, and very hungry. But she also felt as if she'd throw up if she ate. She opened her eyes and found Tamara shaking her. Lily blinked rapidly, trying to fully open her eyes. "What is it?" she muttered.

"We've all got to wake up and get back to the castle without anyone seeing us! Rex's watch says that it's a little past breakfast. That will make it seem as if we were all just taking a walk. Come on!" Tamara demanded.

Lily yawned as she sat up. Looking around, she could see the others all starting to awake as well. Bottles, each empty, were everywhere, and there was a bunch of ashes from where they had started a bonfire. The others all looked a bit tired and ragged, then again, they'd drunk more than she had.

"Merlin, it's too early for this!" Rex groaned loudly.

"Well get up anyway, before we get expelled," Lana said. Then she gave a loud yawn.

"Come on, guys. Let's get going," Scorpius muttered. He was up, and waiting by the tunnel.

Lily sighed and got up as well. She walked over and climbed into the tunnel. "Yeah, we should probably see how the other two are doing."

"I hope Lola's ok. She was a mess," Lana said.

"And she hadn't even had any of the hard stuff," Mitch laughed.

"Give her a break. After all, it was her first," Rex reminded them.

"True," Lars agreed as he entered the tunnel.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Justin asked.

"Quidditch practice after lunch," Scorpius replied.

"And detention for me before that," Lily said with a yawn.

"We've got band practice," Mitch reminded him.

"And us girls are smart enough to study for our O.W.L.S.," Lana added.

"So we've all got a full card," Will said with a laugh.

"I can't believe that you boys are actually starting a band," Tamara said with a sigh.

Mitch shrugged as the group came to the end of the tunnel. "I think it could turn out well."

"Who's playing what?" Lily asked. "I mean, Mitch is obviously playing the guitar, but the rest of you?"

"Rex is drumming, Justin's hitting base, and Will's taking up the vocals," Mitch told them.

"Pause in conversation," Scorpius told them. "What now?" He looked at Lily.

Lily just shrugged. "We climb out and run out of the tree's reach. I'll go first." Without hesitation, Lily climbed out and ran for it. She heard an almost silent 'whoosh' behind her, and with a quick look back, she could see a branch whipping past where she'd once been. It reared back, but froze. Lily stopped running, and the tree didn't move. She was out of reach. "Come on! Get out here!"

One by one, the others all came running out, panting once they'd finally gotten far enough away from the Whomping Willow.

Mitch held the stitch in his side. "Damn that's too much running for me! No way could I ever do sports."

"Yeah, maybe I'll shorten up practice today," Scorpius said after a short pant of his own.

* * *

After the Hogsmeade trip, September ended with nothing but drama. Word had quickly spread through all the Houses about the trashing of the Gryffindor dorm rooms, and teachers had been rough and brutal about finding out the culprit, or culprits. Not all people knew about the notes left from _SP_, but those who did were very curious as to find out who it was. James had taken a big hit from the whole incident. Everyone had noticed that James Potter had been very aggravated lately, and Lily had heard that he'd been ranting about being robbed. Plus, after the incident, Elisa had begun to constantly follow James around the castle. And the one time she left his sight, she had later found him snogging another girl. Lily hadn't been surprised until she found out that he hadn't been found with Lyla, but with Susan Williams, a different girl in James's year. Elisa had an awful fit, but word had it that once she'd left, James and Susan began snogging again.

Professor Slughorn had come to the Slytherin common room to talk to all the Slytherins, and gave them a long lecture about how he was sure that it wasn't any of them, but how he'd better not hear of them doing anything like that. They'd all just nodded and said, "Yes, sir."

When the first day of October came, Lily woke up with a smile. It was her last day of detention, and she was extremely thankful. The detentions were getting in the way of everything else in her life.

Lily sat down at lunch with a huge smile that baffled the others.

"What's with that smile? History of Magic wasn't that fun," Hunter muttered as he pushed food around on his plate.

"My last day of detentions. I have full rights to be completely joyful at the moment," Lily retaliated.

"Miss Potter!"

Lily's shoulders tensed at the sound of Professor Longbottom's voice. Slowly, she looked to where the Professor was coming toward her. Everyone was looking, actually. "Yes, sir?" she asked. In her head, she was trying to think of what she'd have done. All that came to mind was the Gryffindor dorms, but he couldn't know about that . . . right?

Professor Longbottom stopped just beside Lily, and gave her a stern gaze. "Headmaster Brown would like to see you after dinner tonight. He wishes to discuss your detention for tonight."

Lily gave him a small nod. "Um, sir . . . what is my detention tonight?" Lily asked curiously.

Professor Longbottom gave her hair a small ruffle. "I've no idea," he told her before walking off toward the staff's table.

"What do you think the headmaster wants?" Lola asked quietly.

Lily shrugged. "No idea. I'm sure it's nothing serious," she assured.

But when Lily found herself making her way toward the headmaster's office after dinner that night, she was no longer sure of her earlier thoughts. Perhaps they had figured out that it was some Slytherins that had trashed the Gryffindors' dorm rooms. She never should have left the name SP on those walls! What would happen if Professor Brown did know it was her? Would she be expelled? Suspended? Her parents would kill her!

"Come in, Miss Potter!" Lily jumped in surprised. She hadn't even realized that she was now standing at the headmaster's door. She opened the door and stepped inside. Professor Brown was sitting behind his desk, his quill moving quickly as he wrote. He didn't at all look up. "Sit down, Lily."

Lily was comforted by his use of her name, but his tone of voice unsettled her. It wasn't at all warm or friendly like she was used to. It was a bit stale. The door slammed shut behind her, making Lily jump once more. She moved quickly to the seat in front of his desk, and sat down quietly. "What did you want to talk to me about, sir?"

Professor Brown didn't say anything, but kept on writing, his face pulled into something close to a scowl. Lily tried not to gulp at his look and silent tone. Instead she occupied herself by looking around the office. Gadgets were everywhere, lights and sounds buzzing through the room. The portraits in the room, portraying all the previous headmasters and headmistresses, were all either looking at them or sleeping. An owl was sitting on a perch next to the desk. It was a beautiful creature, black with sliver markings decorating its feathers. It looked at Lily with large green eyes, its beak clicking twice. Lily felt an urge to reach out and stroke its feathers.

Professor Brown cleared his throat and began to mutter. "Problems, problems."

His words surprised Lily, making her relax back into her seat. "I'm sorry, sir, problems?"

Professor Brown set down his quill and folded up the paper he'd been writing on, and sealing it in an envelope. "Yes, problems, Lily. I've been swamped with them lately. More so than normal. I feel as if it'll be a long year this time around," he told her.

"As do I, sir," Lily muttered quietly. She glanced over at the magnificent bird once more.

Professor Brown noticed that her attention was adverted. "I see you've taken a liking to Hades." He did reach out to stroke the owl's feathers once. The owl's eyes closed momentarily, as if taking in the pleasure he felt from the touch.

"Yes," Lily replied. "He's very beautiful. What kind of owl is he?"

"He's a screech owl, actually. After seeing his color, I was surprised to learn that myself. I received him as a gift in my third year, and I've had him ever since. A bit old, but he's still a vital old creature," Professor Brown said with a small laugh.

Lily finally smiled as well. "Fond of him, are you?"

"One of my best friends," Professor Brown murmured.

Lily couldn't help it. She stood up, and moved to stroke the bird's great feathers. "I know the feeling. Even if they can't talk, they're bloody good listeners. You can tell them anything, have the worst day, but in the end they're still happy to see you," she said with a sigh.

"Sounds like you do know the feeling," he mused.

Lily nodded, and turned to look at him. "But I'm sure that you didn't ask for me so that we could talk about owls." She retook her seat.

Professor Brown sighed as he relaxed in his seat as well. "Yes, you're right. I asked you here to talk about your last detention. But I wonder if, as a friend, I could vent about something to you."

Lily's own brow furrowed this time. "About what, Jake?" she went casual with his name this time. After all, they were speaking as friends at the moment.

"As I've said, there have been loads of problems this year, and it's only the first day of October," he told her.

"What kind of problems are you talking about, Jacob?" she asked.

"There has been much more fighting this year. People sneaking out after curfew, not to mention the recent incident where the Gryffindor dorms were trashed. I'm sure you've heard," Professor Brown mentioned.

Lily released a very quiet sigh. "Yes, I've heard. How is that search going?" she asked with interest.

"Well, we've really no leads on who did it, and the Gryffindors are demanding that someone be found. James Potter has been very angry, claiming robbery of some personal possession. Sadly, with no evidence, I can give them no justice," Professor Brown replied. "Some are insisting that it is Miss Sammy Preece. The letters S and P were left on two walls, so people are assuming that they are meant as initials. Sammy Preece is the only one with those initials in school."

"What do you think, Jake?" Lily asked.

Lily watched as he sighed. "Personally, I think that Miss Preece had nothing at all to do with it. I also believe that it was a group of students, at least one of them a girl,"

"And if caught, what will happen to those students?" Lily questioned.

He sighed again. "That is question I've been wondering as well. Some of the staff has been stating suspension, some expulsion, and some a long period of detentions and loss of certain privileges." He scratched at his chin, which was starting to be consumed by black stubble. "I'm not exactly sure what I'll do, but it won't be pretty. It'll make your punishment for fighting look like a nice nap."

Lily's mind was racing, wondering if they'd ever be found out. She smoothly changed the subject. "On the note of my punishment, what is my detention for tonight?"

Professor Brown stretched out his fingers. "As you can see, my office is a bit of a mess, and I find myself very bad at organizing. So I thought that you detention tonight could be to organize my office," he told her.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really? But . . . how should I organize it?"

"However you want. Like I said, I'm terrible at it, so my advice wouldn't help at all. So, do so as you see fit," Professor Brown replied. Without a word, he looked at the watch on his wrist. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to have a meeting with the staff. I will return in a bit. Until then, Lily." He gave a nod, and then stood from his desk. Lily stood as well, but he didn't say anything else as he left the room. He shut the door behind him, leaving Lily alone in the room.

Lily looked at his desk and the mess that was left on it. Unsure of what to do, she began to neatly stack the papers, put away his quills, and bottle up his ink. She picked up the letter, planning to set it on the middle of the desk, when she noticed the address of where it was going.

"_Godric's Hollow_

_Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter."_

Lily stared at the letter, as if hoping she'd be able to see through the envelope. What was the headmaster writing to her parents for? Was it about her, or one of her brothers? She hadn't done anything to have him write to her parents, so it would have to be about one of her brothers . . . unless he suspected that she had something to do with the prank on the Gryffindors. Lily glanced up at the door, knowing in her head that Professor Brown would not be back so soon, then glanced at the portraits, who now all pretended to sleep.

"Bugger it," Lily muttered silently. She tore the seal, and pulled out the letter. She quickly unfolded it, and began to read.

"_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Potter,_

_It has come to my attention that there has been a bit of conflict among your children. I believe that this conflict is beginning to affect your daughter, Lily. In hopes of helping her, I would like your permission to take Lily on a daylong trip with me. I the day planned for the sixth of October, so please send me a reply before then. I know that she would have to have classes that day, but I have no doubts that she can easily be caught up, if she's not already years ahead of her year already._

_Your's truly,_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts: Jacob M. Brown."_

Lily scowled as she replaced the letter, fixing the seal. What the hell had he been talking about? Affecting her? She was fine! She no longer cared a bit about her brothers! But . . . then she began to wonder what this trip was about? Where did he want to take her?

"Don't the Muggles have a saying? Curiosity killed the cat, is it?"

Lily jumped. Her head shot up from her work, and her eyes locked with a man in a portrait. The eyes she was looking at were an odd blue, with a strange twinkle in them. Lily didn't have to think at all in order to recognize the man in the frame.

"Well, thankfully I'm a Slytherin and not a Gryffindor. You never hear about curiosity killing a snake," she retorted wittingly.

Albus Dumbledore smiled at her, and chuckled. "Quick-witted. Much like your mother. I assume that's where you get your looks. Yet every time I look at you, I can't help but think of your father. After all, you do have his eyes."

Lily did her best not to scowl, but her face did contort in confusion. "My father's eyes are green, sir. Mine aren't," she corrected.

"Not the color, Miss Potter." Lily's head snapped to another portrait. This one contained a man who had long, greasy black hair, and beetle black eyes. This man Lily didn't know, but the way he talked kind of irked her. It was slow, and a bit patronizing. "He's talking about the shape of your eyes. Almond-shaped. You got it from your father, who in turn got them from his own mother, of who you were named after."

"Lily Evans," Lily murmured. She stepped around the desk, and approached the two portraits. "But, how do you know about my dead grandmother's eyes?"

"I fail to see how that is any of your business, Miss Potter," he retorted.

"Now, now, Severus, there's no need for hostility. After all, Miss Potter here is of your own House," Dumbledore murmured.

Lily's eyes widened, and she looked back to the greasy haired man instantly. "Severus? Severus Snape?"

Severus Snape raised an indifferent brow at her. "Yes?"

"You're the Half Blood Prince. I have your old potion book. Professor Slughorn gave it to me. He said you were excellent potion master. It's why he gave me the book," Lily explained.

"Really? Am I to assume that _you_ are even exceptional at potions? If my memory is clear, which it is, your father was terrible at the subject, as was most of your family," Snape said with a small bit of a sneer.

"Slughorn mentions often that I'm the best student that he's ever had. I can make potions that no third year could ever dream of, let alone even attempt them. I work on the level of sixth year students without mistake," Lily said, her tone equally filled with a bit of contempt.

"Really? Such big talk for such a little girl," Snape sneered.

"You need big talk for an obvious truth," Lily said through gritted teeth. She turned away from the portraits, and began to clean around the office.

"You know, I too think of your father when I look at you. Like you, he had a severe disregard for the rules. Constantly looking for trouble and strutting around the castle, gathering all the attention you can get," Snape said condescendingly.

Lily turned her head and glared at him. "I think you've mistaken me for one of my brothers. They're the Golden Potters, the ones everyone loves. Just because my last name is Potter that doesn't mean that I enjoy the name. In fact, I find that it rather disappears among these walls. I'm happy to be known by nothing more than Lily. It's a bit refreshing, really." She returned to cleaning around the room.

"Miss Potter," she heard Dumbledore speak, "I must ask, how do you like being in Slytherin?"

Lily shrugged as she worked. "I love it, really. No one looks at me because I'm a Potter. People look at me because of my talents, my skills. They look at me for me," she explained.

"That's an excellent reason to love something. I trust you've made friends in a House that most would think to be your enemy," Dumbledore commented.

"Many. I've become quite popular in Slytherin House," she told him.

"Slytherin's princess, are you?" Dumbledore asked with a chuckle.

But Lily stopped, her blood running cold. Did Dumbledore know? Would he say anything to Professor Brown?

"I guess so," Lily muttered after a moment. She began to clean again.

* * *

Lily didn't say anything to her friends about her talk with the portraits or the letter she'd read. She only told them about her talk with Professor Brown, and even those details had been small and brief. But as the days continued, her mind often wandered to thoughts about this so called 'trip'. As the sixth came closer, Lily began to think that her parents had refused the idea of a trip. But then the fifth came, and Lily found herself being pulled out of Care of Magical Creatures by Professor Brown.

The two trekked out of ear shot of the rest of the class, who were surrounding Hagrid as he talked about hippogriffs. He would be showing the class a few next week, apparently.

"What is it, Professor?" Lily asked. She knew that they were out of hearing distance, but she kept up the formalities.

"I want to take you a trip tomorrow," he stated quickly. "Someplace that I feel may lift your spirits."

"Lift my spirits?" Lily said with a scoff. "I didn't know that I needed lifting."

He stuck his hands into the pockets of his robes. "It's not that. I've noticed a change in your behavior. You seem a bit more moody, more prone to anger and violence. Part of this, I believe to have to do with growing up. But I also feel that there's more to it."

"I read the letter on your desk," Lily admitted. "You think this all has to do with my fighting with my brothers and cousins," she accused.

Professor Brown didn't at all seem angry at her admitting to opening the letter. "I do, although I don't think it's purely because of the fighting. I think it also has to do with the changes you and your family are going through. So, to get you away from these changes, I'd like to take you somewhere to get your mind off of it."

Lily didn't get it. She was confused on the whole idea. There was nothing wrong with her, and she was not prone to violence . . . well, that was a little true. But even if he was right about how she'd changed, where could he take her that would help? A mental ward?

So she sighed. "Ok, Professor. I can't wait," she muttered.

"Wait for me in front of the castle doors after breakfast. And since you'll be missing your lessons, have a friend take notes for you. I'd advise you ask Miss Pritchard instead of Mr. Pucey," he told her. Then he began to walk away with nothing but a simple wave. Lily turned around, and made her way back to the class, who were all still listening to Hagrid.

"Now, who can tell me what you do before approaching a hippogriff?" Hagrid asked them. Lily raised her hand as she moved to stand by her friends. "Yes, Lily?"

"You bow to it, as a sign of respect. If it bows back, then you can approach. If it doesn't then you'll want to slowly back away from it," Lily answered.

Hagrid smiled and chuckled. "Correct. Ten points to Slytherin. Not surprised that you know about that."

Lily rolled her eyes. Was any teacher ever surprised that Harry Potter's daughter knew something?

"Now, if it bows, and you want to touch it, how do you approach it?" Hagrid asked.

Lily watched as Hugo raised his hand. Hagrid pointed at him. "You walked closer to it slowly, and then wait for it to come to you?"

"Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor. You're absolutely right. You don't want to come at them too quick and frighten or offend them. You need steady steps, and slow movements," Hagrid told them.

"Better not get too close to them then, Hugo Boy. Your lanky body and big feet are anything but steady. Knowing you, you'd trip right in front of it, and offend it," Christian mocked, making all the Slytherins in the class snicker. Hugo's ears turned bright red.

Hagrid, hearing only the snickering, spoke a little louder. "Alright, calm down now, let's be quiet. Now, since class is up, I'll leave you with this note. I want an essay on the proper etiquette you show around a hippogriff for our next class. Now, off you go," he dismissed.

They all began to close and lock their rambunctious books, and began to put their things into their bags. Lily stuffed her robe inside her bag as well, finding it too hot to keep wearing it. Jace did the same, and loosened his tie.

"So, what did Brown want?" Jace asked.

"He's taking me on a trip tomorrow," Lily muttered. "Some crap about how I'm becoming more angry and violent. I think it's his form of punishment."

"How could it be a punishment if he's taking you from classes?" Hunter asked with a laugh.

Lily laughed too, and they all began to walk to the castle, wanting to spend their break in the cool air of the castle. "I guess so. That reminds me, Jace, can you take notes for Divination for me?"

Jace groaned. "Man, you're ditching me in that class? Who's going to keep me awake?"

Lily rolled her eyes again. "I'm sure you'll make it through."

Jace sighed. "Alright. I'll do my best on taking note for you. Just remember that I've never done it before."

* * *

"He really said that to you?" Scorpius asked. They were all at dinner, and Lily had just told them all about what Professor Brown had said to her about the trip.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It still confuses me," she muttered.

"I wonder where he's going to take you," Lana said.

"As do I, but if it'll make me forget about the idiot Potters, then I'll be glad to go," Lily joked.

"How are you going to catch up on your work though?" Scorpius asked curiously.

"I'm taking notes for her tomorrow," Lola answered.

"I didn't trust Jace to do all of them," Lily muttered to Scorpius.

"Hey, princess," Mitch said in a hushed voice, "you've got some admirers at the Gryffindor table."

The others all looked toward the Gryffindor table, and Lily easily saw who Mitch was talking about. Hugo was staring intently at her, along with two other Gryffindors. One of them was Paige Wilde. Lily glared at her, and gave her a sneer. Wilde stood from her seat, and began to walk toward the door. All the while, she kept glancing at Lily. Once she was out, Lily didn't stop staring at the open doors of the Great Hall.

Lily stood up. "I'll see you guys in the common room."

Lola grabbed Lily's wrist. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Lily shook her head, and gently pulled her wrist free. "No. I'll be fine by myself," she told them. She pulled her wand out, but held it loosely. She didn't want to seem 'violent'. She walked away from the table, and made her way toward the doors. When she stepped out into the Entrance Hall, she noticed that it was practically empty. Only one person stood by the stairs. Wilde.

"What's got your wand in a knot, Wilde?" Lily sneered as she approached her.

Wilde glared at her as well. "I've got a problem with you, snake!"

"Get in line," Lily muttered. "You're not the first idiot to tell me that."

"An idiot? That's rich coming from you," she said snidely.

Lily scoffed. "I'm the top of our class, moron. Surely, only an idiot would mistake that." Lily gripped her wand tighter, waiting for a reason.

"You sound confident about that," Paige said through gritted teeth. "How about we prove who's the better witch?"

Lily narrowed her eyes. "What are you suggesting, Wilde?"

"A duel. In the trophy room at midnight," she suggested.

"You're on," Lily growled. "You and me, no seconds. But bring whoever you want. They can see me beat you." Lily turned her back and walked toward the dungeons.

* * *

"You're really going to go through with her challenge?" Shannon asked as the girls all sat in their dorm room. It would be midnight soon, but Lily was tending to her Felix Felicis first. "I mean, what if it's come kind of trap to get you into trouble."

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Lily told her dryly. "But I know that I am. I'm not afraid of anything little Miss Wilde has to throw at me."

"Plus, Lily's got that map. She can check to see if it's a trap or not," Lola reminded them.

"I know I'm going," Megan told them. "I can't wait to see you wipe that idiotic look off of her face."

"I've still got to do that Defense Against the Dark Arts paper for tomorrow," Izzy stated as she flipped through her text book.

"Your fault for putting it off until now," Lola teased.

"True, but I don't really care," Izzy said with a smile.

"I'm exhausted, so I'm staying behind," Shannon told them.

"Your loss," Megan replied.

"Are the boys going?" Izzy asked.

"Jace and Christian are, but the other boys still have homework to do as well," Lily answered as she carefully stirred the liquid in her cauldron. As days went, it was slowly turning a pale yellow, meaning that she was doing good. The closer it got to that golden color, the better.

"Are we leaving soon?" Megan asked eagerly.

"What time is it?" Lily asked.

"You've got a little more than ten minutes before midnight," Shannon told her as she dressed for bed.

Lily sighed as she slowly stopped stirring. "Yeah. We'd better get going. Lola, check the map and see where Wilde is."

Lily could hear Lola fumbling with the map as she began to put all of her potion equipment away. "She's on her way to the trophy room, it seems. Julie McLaggen, Stacy Finnigan, and Hugo Boy are with her."

"Perfect," Lily muttered. She grabbed her wand and put it in her front pocket. "Lola, you hold onto the map, but make sure that Hugo never sees it. He'll recognize it immediately."

"Mischief managed," Lola replied. Then she folded up the map and stuck it into her pocket.

"Let's go," Lily told them. She looked at Shannon and Izzy. "We'll see you two in the morning."

"Good luck," Izzy told her.

"Have fun," Shannon called from her bed.

The three girls left the room, and found Jace and Christian waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs.

"You ready, Lil?" Jace asked.

"Of course," Lily replied. "Ready to watch?"

"More like excited," Christian said with a grin. The group of five left the common room, and began their journey to the trophy room. They were silent, except for Lola who would quietly check the map every so often before clearing the parchment again.

Once they stood outside the trophy room, Lily looked back at Lola. "Is it safe to go in?"

Lola nodded. "I just check. Go on in. They're waiting."

Lily opened the door, and walked inside. As the others trailed in, she kept her eye on Paige Wilde, who glared at her in return. Lily walked to stand right in front of her in the middle of the room. "Are you ready, Wilde?"

"Of course," Paige said confidently. "Stacy silenced the room, so don't worry about whispering."

"Then let's begin," Lily told her. She raised her wand in front of her face, and Paige did the same. Then they both bowed, and took a few steps back. They held their wands at each other, ready to strike.

"Begin!" Jace announced.

"Expelli-"

"Impedimenta!" Lily casted. Paige flew off of her feet, flying back toward the wall.

Paige scrambled to get up. "Furnunculus!"

"Protego!" Lily kept her wand up as her shield kept her from Paige's spell. "Langlock!" Paige's eyes went wide, and when she opened her mouth, Lily could see that her tongue was sticking to the top of her mouth. Lily had never been happier to have Snape's book. Then she began to remember a story she'd heard from her uncle Ron. "Slugulus Eructo!"

Paige's mouth closed as she placed a hand on her stomach. She began to lurch forward a bit, like she was ready to fall.

"She looks like she's going to puke!" Christian said with a laugh.

Julie McLaggen held up her wand in defense as she moved over to Paige. But Lily didn't do a thing. "Paige?" Julie said quietly.

In response, Paige's mouth opened, and a slug slipped around her tongue and splattered onto the floor. There was a collective gasp of disgust, but Lily only grinned. "I wouldn't bother taking her to the Hospital Wing. From what I hear, you have to wait for it to stop on it's own. Hugo should know about that. It was his father that told us the story," she mocked. Slowly, she walked back toward her friends. "I told you Paige, I'm the top of our class, and you're no more than an idiot. But after this . . . you're not just an idiot. You're a disgrace." Lily looked at the other Slytherins, and motioned for them to follow her out.

"That was bloody brilliant, Lil!" Christian cheered quietly.

"That was quick too!" Jace laughed. "What a wimp!"

"But I don't think we've heard the last of her," Lola warned.

Lily shrugged. "I'd be even more disappointed in her if this was all she had."


	24. How Unfair Life Can Be

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty-Four: How Unfair Life Can Be

Lily paced in front of the doors in the Entrance Hall, waiting impatiently for Professor Brown to get there. She'd had a small breakfast, not really feeling up to eating. Her mind kept moving back to the fight last night. Every time she'd looked toward the Gryffindor table, she couldn't help but notice that Paige Wilde was missing from the table. She was waiting for one of the Professors to swoop down on her and hand her a thousand more detentions.

"Miss Potter!"

Lily jumped. She turned around to see Professor Brown was finally coming toward her. "Professor," she sighed.

"Are you ready? Someone to take notes? Homework taken care of?" Professor Brown asked.

Lily thought of everything. Lola was taking notes, she had taken care of her potion before breakfast, her homework was done the night before, and she'd shut Paige Wilde's mouth. That was all that came to her mind. "Yes. I'm ready."

Professor Brown opened the doors. "Then let's go." Lily followed him out of the castle and across the grounds. "My office looks very nice, by the way. Thank you."

Lily shrugged. "No problem at all, sir."

"And I hear that you had an interesting talk with Professors Dumbledore and Snape?" he inquired.

Lily tensed slightly behind him. What had they said? "Yes," she said carefully. "You could say that. It was more like witty banter though."

The headmaster laughed as he opened the gate, waving Lily through. "I'm not surprised. Albus Dumbledore has become famous for that while a portrait."

Once the gate had closed, Professor Brown led her a bit more up the trail toward Hogsmeade. But they didn't go the entire way. Halfway there, he held out his arm. Wordlessly, Lily took his arm. Quickly, she felt the twisted and sickening feeling of being sucked through a tight tube. When her feet touched back on the ground, Lily sucked in a deep and needed breath. "Bloody hell," she muttered.

"I quite agree. But I'm not a fan of Flooing," Professor Brown told her. "Wait here a moment."

As he walked away from her, Lily looked around. The room they were in was white, floors and walls both. There were seats everywhere, most of them filled with people, some normal, but some with obvious problems, such as distorted skin, strange appendages, and problems talking. But Lily recognized the place where she stood. She'd come here three times that she could remember. Once to visit Victoire once she'd begun working, once to visit George after a work accident, and once when she was little, and had accidently turned Albus purple, and no one could fix him at home.

"St. Mungo's," Lily murmured to herself. She looked around at all the people. She knew nobody here. She looked over to where Professor Brown had gone, and he was standing over by the reception desk. When he caught her eye, he waved her over. Lily approached him, and had to ask, "Why are we here?"

"You'll see," he told me. "Now come along. We're going to the second floor."

Lily scowled as she tried to think of what was on the second floor, but she couldn't remember what Victoire had told her. She didn't ask, somehow knowing he wouldn't tell her. They were silent as they walked, and Lily felt a bit squeamish as they went. She was never really comfortable in St. Mungo's. In her mind, if you had to go to the hospital, something was wrong. St. Mungo's was never accompanied with a good thing. When Victoire had begun work as a Healer on the third floor, which was Potions and Plant Poisoning, Lily hadn't even wanted to visit her at work. It made her a bit sick.

"You know, Professor, I've never mentioned it, but I sort of hate this hospital," Lily told him.

Professor Brown stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked at her in interest. "Really? Why?"

Lily gulped as she squinted a bit against the bright white walls. She hated how sterile everything seemed. "Because if you have to go to the hospital, something is wrong with you. People are sick here. People die here. I don't see how bringing me around a place that includes death can lift my spirits," she muttered.

Professor Brown smiled. "But that's only one part of the hospital. Along with sickness, people leave here after being healed, and they feel as if they can dance. And with death, the most healthy babies leave this hospital with mothers that can't stop smiling. You yourself left that same way," he told her.

Lily pulled in a breath through her nose, taking in the information. It was true. Babies were born here, such as herself. And this place had healed her uncle George. And Victoire was always talking about the people she helped here. "So, what are we doing here?" she asked quietly.

Professor Brown motioned her toward a door on the left. "On the second floor, we have magical bugs and diseases. These illnesses don't just infect adults, but also children. We have children here that will never go to Hogwarts. Not because they aren't magical, but because they are not well. Yet, these kids have some of the highest spirits, and the biggest smiles," he told her. "So, I've brought you here so that you can meet someone who rests inside this room as we speak. And I think that he'd like to meet you as well. So, go on in."

Lily looked at the door he brought her to. _234_. Lily brought in a deep breath again, and glanced at Professor Brown. But he only motioned for her to go in, and said nothing. So Lily sucked up her courage, and opened the door. She stepped in quietly, and closed the door behind her. The room was just as white and sterile looking as the rest of the hospital, but in this room there was a bed, and in this bed was a kid.

It was a boy. He looked to be younger than her, but surely not by much. His hair was cropped a bit short, but it was still thick. It was black, but it looked like silk. His eyes were a light blue color, and they didn't at all look sad or subdued. He was pale, but his skin looked unmarred. But then I saw his left arm. The arm was a sickly, grey color, like it was decaying. Lily felt her insides shake as she looked at it.

The boy then noticed that someone had joined him. He didn't smile big, but he gave a small one. His eyes lighted up a bit even. It all confused Lily. "Hi," he greeted. His voice was kind of high for a boy, but Lily found that it sounded angelic.

Lily cleared her throat, feeling that it was thick. "Hi," she mumbled.

The boy didn't at all seem upset by her awkward tone. "What's your name?" he asked.

Lily tried not to shake as she spoke. "My name's Lily. What's yours?" Hesitantly, she took a few steps closer to the boy's bed.

"I'm Duncan. Duncan Chapman," he said with a smile.

Lily let out a breath. "Well I'm Lily Potter," she told him.

Duncan smiled even more at her. "It's nice to meet you, Lily."

Lily gave him a small smile in return. "It's nice to meet you too, Duncan." She sat down in the chair next to his bed. "So, . . ." Lily wasn't sure what to say to him.

Duncan gave a small giggle. "You can ask, Lily. I don't mind."

Lily assumed that he meant his illness. "Why are you here, Duncan?"

"I have Vanishing Sickness. That's where the infected part of the body disappears. See?" He pulled back the blanket, which Lily noticed had been covering below his waist. Then she saw that there was no below the waist. His legs were gone, yet she had seen the shape of them while under the blanket. He recovered them. "My left leg disappeared two years ago. At first my mum and dad thought that it was just a bit of accidental magic. But then it never came back, so they brought me here. My right leg disappeared eight months ago," he explained.

Lily felt a little sick at the thought. How had his parents reacted to seeing their child walking around with seemingly only one leg? "What about your arm?" she asked.

Duncan looked at the grey arm as well. "Oh, it's been like that for about four months now. The Healers aren't sure if this means that it will disappear, or if it's something else," he told her. He looked at Lily, and despite the fact that he had just gotten done telling her something a bit horrific, he looked excited. "So, how old are you?"

Lily was a bit surprised at his question. "Um . . . I'm thirteen," she answered.

"So are you at Hogwarts then?" he asked eagerly.

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm in my third year now."

Duncan gave a happy sigh. "I wish I could go sometimes. I think it would be a lot of fun. Do you get to go to Hogsmeade?"

Lily felt a pang of sympathy for the poor boy. "Yeah, third years get to go. How old are you, Duncan?"

He beamed brightly. "I'm eleven. My birthday was last June."

Lily did her best to smile. "Did you have a fun birthday?" she asked.

"Oh yeah! My mum and dad came, and they brought my grandma and grandpa with them! My grandma even made me a little birthday cake! And my mum bought me a new drawing book, and my grandparents got me a new chess set, and my dad played five games with me!" he recounted.

Lily couldn't help but to actually smile at his story. "That sounds like a lot of fun. Did you get everything you wished for?"

"Almost. I really wanted to go to Hogwarts, but my Healer said that I was too sick," he replied.

Lily felt her chest tighten. Not allowed to go to Hogwarts the year you're eligible to go. Lily knew that she would have been crushed. "I'm sorry to hear that."

But Duncan shrugged and smiled. "It's ok. Do you like it there? Is it fun? I bet you have a lot friends there."

"It is fun. Classes are really fun," she told him.

And that's how Lily spent her day. She and Duncan talked, and she even ate lunch with him. Mostly, Lily told him all about Hogwarts, about the secret passageways, the moving staircases, the kitchens, the Quidditch pitch. Then she told him about her House, her friends, the Quidditch team, and about all of her classes. In return, Lily learned that Duncan was an only child, and had two cousins he'd never met before, because they lived all the way in America. He loved Chocolate Frogs, and loved to draw and play chess. He loved to play chess with his dad, but because his dad worked a lot, he never really came to visit Duncan. His mum came three times a week, every day she had off of work herself. He had made a lot of friends with the Healers that worked on him, and he was loved by a lot of them. She liked talking to Duncan. He was so happy and so upbeat that you'd have never thought that he was sick, or that you couldn't see his legs. You'd have never thought this kid was in a hospital, with an illness that could possibly kill him. He was so full of life.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Duncan asked.

Lily bit her lip, hoping that he wouldn't delve too much into this topic. "I have two big brothers. My oldest brother is a sixth year, and my other brother is a fifth year," she told him.

"What are their names?" he asked

"The biggest one is James, and the other one is Albus," Lily replied.

"Are they in Slytherin too?" Duncan asked innocently.

"No, they're Gryffindors. Most of my family is," she retorted. "They all wanted to be Gryffindors."

"I'd want to be a Slytherin," he told her, honesty showing in his eyes and voice.

Lily looked at him with a bit of surprise. "Really? Why?" Lily couldn't see Duncan, happy go-lucky, giggly boy, ever being a Slytherin. Not that she'd made it sound dreary to him, but she hadn't made it sound like a festival.

"Well, you're in Slytherin, and you're really nice. And you said you're friends with a lot of other Slytherins. So that means that they're all nice too," Duncan said with a smile.

Lily couldn't think of anything to say, but she was as the Muggles say "saved by the bell" when the door to the room opened and a Healer stepped inside. "Visiting hours are up, you two," he warned.

Duncan smiled at the sight of the Healer. "Hi, Gordon! This is my new friend, Lily! She came to visit me today!"

The Healer, Gordon, smiled as well. "Really? Well I'm glad to see that you've been having fun. But it's time for Lily to go back to school."

Duncan gave a nod. "Ok. Will you come visit me again, Lily?"

Lily looked at the little boy, not much younger than her, but so much smaller. This kind and sweet boy who had nothing, yet felt as if he had everything he could ever want. And Lily smiled. "Of course I'll come and see you again. As soon as I can."

"Promise?" Duncan asked quietly.

Gently, Lily took his hand. "I promise. Bye, Duncan."

"Bye, Lily! I'll see you soon then!" he said goodbye with a bright smile.

Lily smiled back to him as she left the room. The Healer left behind her. So Lily looked back at him. "Um, do you know where my headmaster is?" Lily asked him.

"He's up on the fifth floor having tea. He's waiting for you," he told her.

"Thank you," Lily said quickly, before turning and running toward the stairs. She went up three floors until she reached the fifth floor, which was just a large open area, with tables and chairs for people to sit and relax. A little gift shop was to the right. Professor Brown was sitting at one of these tables, alone, drinking something from a tiny mug.

"Professor?" Lily called out as she made her way to his table. She sat down across from him. "Have you been here the whole time?"

Professor Brown smiled at her from his mug. He swallowed the drink, which looked like tea, then spoke. "Yes, I was chatting with various Healers that were previous students of mine," he told her. "Don't worry, I was not alone until about five minutes before you walked in. So, how was your visit with Duncan?"

Lily gave a small smile. "It was nice. I like talking with him." Lily paused, hesitating on what she wanted to ask. She was afraid of the answer she'd get. "Sir, he'll get better, right?"

Professor Brown drained the rest of his mug. Then coughed a bit before he responded. "Well, people have known to get better after having Vanishing Sickness. But two years is an awful long time to have it, and the usual methods aren't working. Even though they are working and trying new things every day, the Healers are fearing the worst."

Lily gulped before asking her next question. "What's the longest time that someone's had Vanishing Sickness?"

Professor Brown's eyes were downcast when he answered. "Usually, a patient has four years to recover before they die."

Lily felt a rush of emotion at his answer, and she could only think of one thing to do. "Sir, when we get back to school, may I speak with Professor Dumbledore and Snape alone?"

* * *

Lily felt a little odd, being allowed to be alone in the headmaster's office alone. It was different not coming up here because she was punished, but because she requested it. When the stairs stopped moving, Lily quickly charged into the room, shutting the doors behind her. She whirled toward the two portraits, her eyes intense.

"People say that you two men are some of the bravest and smartest the wizarding world has seen," Lily stated. "So I want to ask you something, and I want an answer!"

Dumbledore didn't look angry at her demanding tone. Instead he looked merely curious. "And what is the question, Miss Potter?"

Lily brought in a shaky breath. "How can fate choose to give such a kind and sweet little boy such a dangerous illness? How can life just pick some innocent kid and give him a sickness that could kill him? How can it deny him from being like everyone else? How can it keep him from going to Hogwarts, the one place he's dreamed of going? How can fate and life do that to him?" she demanded angrily. She could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears, and she could feel her muscles shaking. She wouldn't cry. Lily Luna did not cry!

Professor Dumbledore looked at her soberly, as if he saw the way the world worked in his eyes. "Because life and fate are two very cruel forces. They don't necessarily care about who is sweet and kind, and who is angry and violent. A person is a person, there is no discrimination between fate and life's work," he said with sorrow.

"In other words, Miss Potter," Snape said in the cold and calculating tone, "life is not fair."

Lily glared at the portraits, not happy with either of their answers. She turned away from them and ran from the office. She didn't wait for the stairs to move, but descended them herself. She didn't run through the halls, not wanting to hear some teacher or prefect complain, but she did move quickly through the halls, taking the shortcuts she'd remembered from the map. When she reached the empty wall in the dungeons, she gave the password, and then entered the empty common room. Lily looked at the clock. It was probably midway or so through dinner. She didn't want to see the others. Not in her state. But luck wasn't on her side, as someone began to come down from the dormitories.

"Lil?" Scorpius said in surprise. "When did you get back? The others have all been waiting to hear about your day." But then he looked at Lily fully, and he stopped. "What's wrong?"

Lily froze, then adverted her eyes. It was then that she noticed the three small tears trailing down her cheeks. She flushed, embarrassed by her emotions, and quickly wiped away the tears. "Nothing's wrong," she muttered angrily.

Scorpius came closer and grabbed at her wrist, stopping her from wiping at her eyes. "I'm not dumb, Lily. I know something wrong. What is it?"

But Lily didn't answer. Instead she just focused on calming herself. Taking a deep breath in, and letting out a deep breath. Scorpius must have sensed that she wasn't going to answer. So he pulled her wrist a little. "Come with me," he whispered.

A little confused, Lily let him pull her toward the stairs. But instead of the girls' direction, he pulled her to the boys' rooms. He opened the door to his dormitory, and led her inside. He closed the door behind him, and then pulled her to one of the beds. "Get up here," he whispered. Lily obeyed, and got up on the bed. Scorpius pulled the curtains closed, and then pulled out his wand and whispered some spell that Lily couldn't make out. Lily looked around them, although it was pointless. It looked just like it did when she pulled her curtains closed. Dark, with a green tint to the darkness. But this time she wasn't alone, and she wasn't in her bed. She was with Scorpius, in his bed.

"Scorpius, I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled, her lips barely moving. She hated it, but she could feel more tears falling.

"That's fine," he said gently. "I understand. But even when I don't want to talk, I also hate to be alone at those times."

Lily reflected on that a little. It was nice to not be alone, to have someone nearby. "Thank you," she whispered in the middle of a sort of sob.

Scorpius reached out and wiped away a few of her tears. "It's ok, Lily. And if you want to talk, I'll listen," he assured.

Lily pulled in a few breaths as she tried to stop the tear flow. But she just couldn't stop. "Professor Brown took me to St. Mungo's to meet a little boy with Vanishing Sickness. He's eleven, yet he might never get to go to Hogwarts. And they can't fix him, and he might die! Why would that happen to such a nice boy? He didn't deserve it!" she cried. Lily buried her face into her arms, doing her best to hide the rest of her tears.

She felt Scorpius run a comforting hand through her hair. "Not everyone deserves the bad things that happen to them. I know. It sucks."

"He's just a little boy," she whispered.

Scorpius pulled her close so that he was hugging her. It was comforting and warm. "It'll be ok, Lily. Whatever happens, it'll all be ok. I promise," he assured.

* * *

Lily's eyelids flickered rapidly in the darkness. What had happened? She felt a warmth coming from her right. Lily turned her body to see somebody laying next to her, but she couldn't see their face. But Lily could see the blonde hair that she connected with Scorpius. Had she really cried herself to sleep? She felt her cheek flush in embarrassment. She can't believe that she did that in front of him. She never cried in front of anyone! At least he was nice about it though.

Lily's first instinct was to leave, but she didn't want to risk waking anyone up, especially Scorpius. But then again, did she really want to risk having to hear the boys' comments if they found that she'd slept in Scorpius's bed? Deciding to not want to put up with the boys, Lily pulled back the curtains and looked out. It was completely dark, so dark that she could barely see her hand in front of her. Quietly, Lily slipped out of the bed, and let the curtains fall back into place. She tiptoed her way to the door, and did her best to silently open the door. She stepped out and slowly closed their door. Then she moved quickly from the boys' stairs, and ascended the girls'. She was quiet again as she moved to step into her dorm, not wanting to wake any of the girls. She moved toward her bed, and pulled the curtains around her. She heard a crinkle, and lit up her wand. There was paper on her pillow. Lily looked at them to see extensive notes from all her classes. There was a tiny piece of paper on the top of them all.

"_Here are those notes. Jace said he did his best on taking notes in Divination, but admitted to sleeping through half of the class. - Lola"_

Lily giggled softly, and moved the papers to her bedside table. Then she put her wand away, and laid down on her bed, not bothering to dress for bed. Lily didn't really sleep, but just kind of laid there with her eyes closed. She felt like an idiot after last night. She knew life was unfair . . . but did it have to be like that to such a young and sweet boy? Lily felt her eyes burn a little again, so she quickly sat up and moved to the bathroom. She took a quick shower, hoping that it would calm her down. Thankfully, going through her morning routine seemed to help her forget about the injustice that had been thrust upon such a little boy.

She was just beginning to brush through her hair when the other girls began to wake up. They were all surprised, but Lola was the first one to ask. "Have you even been to sleep?" she demanded.

Lily smiled and raised a brow at her friend. "What do you mean?" She grabbed a green ribbon from her dresser.

"Well you never came in last night. When did you get back to school?" Shannon asked.

"I call bathroom first!" Megan announced, making her way to the bathroom.

"It was pretty late. You guys were already asleep," Lily lied. "But I slept a little."

"How long have you been up?" Lola asked as she brushed through her own hair.

Lily sighed as she tied her hair up with the ribbon, and swept her bangs behind her ear. "Maybe an hour or so, I guess. Not long really," she assured.

Lola looked at her with narrowed eyes. "If you're sure."

Lily nodded, and then moved to check on her potion, waiting for Lola to be ready. "Thanks for the notes, by the way. I'll finish up any homework at break," Lily told her.

"No problem. So, where did Professor Brown take you?" Lola questioned, gaining the attention of the other two girls in the room.

Lily grinned. "Let's wait until we're at breakfast. I'm sure the others will want to know, and this way I'll only have give the story once."

"Did it lift your spirits, though?" Izzy joked.

Lily laughed with the other girls. "It did, actually. It was a good day, yesterday."

When the other girls were all finally ready, they left the dorm room together. The other girls told Lily all about what she'd missed the day before, and they were laughing when Jace and Christian caught up with them.

"Lil!" Jace exclaimed. He hugged her tightly from behind, scaring the girls.

"Merlin, Jace!" Lily laughed. He let her go, and they all began to walk again.

"So what did you do yesterday?" Jace asked immediately.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Wait until we're with the others. I'll explain it then. But, more importantly, I heard that you fell asleep when you were supposed to be taking notes for me." She gave him an expectant look.

It didn't faze Jace. "Oh, please! Like you care!"

Lily laughed. "True. That is the dumbest, yet easy, class ever."

"Tell me about it," Jace said with a laugh.

The group sat down at the Slytherin table and immediately began to fill their plates. They were joined soon after.

"Hey, kiddies," Mitch greeted.

"Hey," Lana said with a smile.

"Hey, Lily Lu's back," Lars said cheerfully as he and Scorpius sat down as well.

"And she must have had either a good time or a good morning, because she is glowing," Scorpius commented.

Lily looked at him, hoping that she wasn't blushing. But he just looked at her curiously. "Both actually," she told them.

"So what did you do yesterday?" Lars asked.

So Lily told them about her day at St. Mungo's, excluding how she had come back earlier than they thought, and about how Duncan might not make it.

"That poor boy," Shannon said sympathetically.

"At least he had a visitor," Megan replied.

"He sounds cute," Lana assured.

"So, you said you were going to go see him again. When are you going to have time to go?" Scorpius asked.

Lily sighed. "Well, probably not until Christmas break," she answered.

"Mail's here," Lars announced. They all looked up as owls began to flood the room, dropping off letters and packages to kids.

Lily noticed her parents' owl, Fawkes, flying high. She was beginning to wonder who she was here for when he began to dive toward her table. He stopped short, landing neatly on her shoulder, two letters in his beak. Lily held out her hand, and he dropped the letters. He didn't stick around for a treat, but instead took off, disappearing among the other owls. Since her friends were distracted by their own letters or the paper, Lily looked at her two letters. One from her mum and one from her dad. Lily opened the one from her mum first.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I hope you're having fun, and I hope that you enjoyed your first Hogsmeade trip. Professor Brown wrote us, asking if it was ok for him to take you a trip. We said yes, so since it's the seventh, I'm guessing that you went. You'll have to tell me about it, such as where you went. Professor Brown wouldn't tell us. I swear, sometimes he's just as secretive as Dumbledore was. Haha. I got a letter from Hagrid the other day, telling how he loved having you as a student. I hope you enjoy having him as a teacher, I know I did._

_Well, I figured that I should be the one to tell you that your grandfather is planning on retiring this time next year. Apparently he's been thinking about this for a while now, and he sort of sprung it on us kids at a dinner last week. I know you and your grandfather are close, so this is just so you're not too shocked when he tells all you kids._

_Anyways, I'll be expecting a letter back soon. Otherwise, I'll just come to Hogwarts. You can choose to call me out or not, haha. I hope you're having fun, sweetheart._

_Love,_

_Mum_

_P.S. Don't think that I've forgotten about that fight you got into last month. Expect a talk when you come home."_

Lily sighed as she read the letter. She'd never expected her mum to forget the fight. And she laughed at the news about her grandfather. She'd already known that. He'd told her personally. She put the letter in her bag, deciding to write her back later. Then she pulled out her dad's letter.

"_Dear Princess,_

_I'm sure your mother's covered the subject of how we hope you're having fun, so I'll move on. Arthur talked to me about how you two have been fixing the bike, and he hinted about how there was a girl in the family who would really appreciate having it. My first thought was to discard the idea, but then I thought about it a bit more. I know that I won't have time to ride it, so I'll have no use for it. So, I've relented to let you have it. But! Know that there will be major rules, which we will talk about over break. So don't get too excited. Besides, you and your grandfather still have to fix it._

_Love,_

_Dad"_

Lily lit up in excitement. She was going to have the bike! It took all her efforts not to cheer in excitement. She didn't think her dad would give in so easily.

"Damn. The Falcons won their last game. That's going to put a dent in the Appleby Arrows chances of taking the lead in points for the World Cup," Lars grumbled as he read the _Daily Prophet_.

"Good. The Falcons are going to win this year," Lily said with a grin.

Lars scoffed, but still smirked. "You wish."

"I _know_ they'll win," Lily told him. "I _wish_ that an owl would knock of James's head."

"Too big. The owl would be so hurt it would never fly again," Scorpius replied.


	25. Taking A Stand

**Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's a long one for you. I wasn't sure where to cut it off, so I just made it one long chapter. I know that after this chapter, you might begin to hate certain characters or find them harsh, but just remember that they're all growing up, and with growing up comes conflict. So read, leave me a review on what you think of the characters' changes, and don't forget to vote on my profile who you would like to read about next.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty-Five: Taking A Stand

Lily sat in the potion classroom, waiting for Professor Slughorn to appear. It was time for their lessons, but he'd told her that he had a quick errand to run. That had been over twenty minutes ago. To occupy her time, she began to practice a few spells from Charms class.

Lily slid a book to the far end of the table, then pointed her wand at it. "Carpe Retractum," she stated. A purple rope came from her wand tip, wrapped around the book, and then pulled it back to her. Once the rope disappeared, Lily pushed the book away again. As she continued to do this, she soon became bored. So she reached into her bag, and pulled out the Marauders' Map.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," she said with a tap of her wand. The map began to appear as she began to unfold it. She looked around the castle, taking note of who was where. Lola and Jace were sitting with Marty and Izzy, probably doing homework. Mitch, Rex, Justin, and Will were all in a rarely used Charms classroom. They'd been given permission to use it for their band practice. Lana was sitting in the common room with Dante Montague, and Lily could only imagine the amount of flirting going on there.

Lily looked at the rest of the castle, and noticed that the halls were fairly empty. After all, it was past curfew for the younger students. Lily was only out because she had a note from Slughorn. It was because of the emptiness that Lily noticed a dot moving in what had to be a run. Another dot was right behind it. Her eyes followed them, and read the names.

_James Potter. Albus Potter._

Lily scowled at the sight of the dots. What the hell were they doing? They were running in an elaborate course. She looked a little further, and then saw something surprising. It was another dot, also moving in a run.

_Scorpius Malfoy._

They were chasing him! Lily looked at where they were, finding that they were on the second floor. She looked around for Slughorn's dot, finding him talking with the Professor Brown in the headmaster's office. She might have time.

"Mischief managed," Lily muttered quickly. She folded the map and stuck it into her potion book, and then ran out of the room. She hurried up the dungeon stairs, and then ran up the stairs to the second floor. She pulled out her wand, and began to move around the corridors, looking for the running group. But then she heard running feet coming her way, so she moved to hide behind a statue. It was just in time, because once she was hidden, Scorpius came running down the hallway. She had no time to call out to him, as James and Albus soon followed. She pointed her wand at the pair of them as they passed.

"Levicorpus," she whispered.

Albus shot up into the air, as if an invisible rope had snagged his ankle. "What the hell!" he exclaimed. Both James and Scorpius stopped running, looking at Albus in surprise.

"What the hell, Al?" James asked in shock.

"Get me down!" Albus demanded.

Scorpius began to laugh. "Wow, and I thought all the air was in your head, not your foot!"

Lily stifled her giggles, not wanting to get caught. She pointed her wand at James. "Tarantallegra," she muttered.

James's legs began to move around, as if locked in some kind of awkward dance. His upper body obviously couldn't keep up. "What the fuck!" he growled. He pointed his own wand at his legs. "Finite!" His legs calmed, and only shook from the shock. He whirled around, looking at the empty hall. "Who's there?" he yelled.

Lily pointed her wand again. "Calvorio," she whispered. Sadly, James moved his head, so her spell only caught his bangs. But it was still worth it when his bangs sliced off and fell to the floor.

James's eyes widened comically as his hands went to where his bangs used to be. "What the hell is going on?"

"That's not a good look on you, Potter. I can see more of your face," Scorpius joked.

Lily pointed her wand at Albus. "Liveracorpus."

Albus dropped onto the floor with a thud and a groan. "Who the hell is out there?" he groaned from the floor. He slowly began to stand up.

"Aguamenti," Lily whispered. A short jet of water shot from her wand and straight into Albus's face.

Albus began to splutter. "What the -!"

"Show yourself!" James snarled.

"Everte Statum!" Lily hissed.

James flew back several feet, landing on the floor. He jumped up, a slightly scared look on his face. Albus ran over to help James stand up straight. "Let's get out of here!" Albus suggested hysterically. Then he began to run out of the hall.

James began to follow. He pointed at Scorpius as he did. "You're still a dead man, Malfoy! I'll get you back!" Then he was turning the corner of the hall, chasing after Albus.

Scorpius began to laugh, and Lily joined him, coming out from behind the statue. Scorpius caught sight of her and stopped laughing, but he was broadly smirking. "The princess comes to my rescue," he commented as he walked closer to her.

Lily grinned. "Not all princesses turn out to be damsels in distress," she joked.

"How did you know where I was?" he asked.

"I was sitting alone in potions room looking at the map when I saw you running from the idiots. In fact, I should probably head back there," she told him.

"I'll walk you," Scorpius offered.

Lily smiled, and the two began to walk. "So, why were they chasing you?"

"Oh, I found the two of them surrounded by a group of other brain-dead Gryffindors, and I saw the chance to humiliate them and attack them with a few books. And I'm not one to pass up a great opportunity," Scorpius said with a laugh.

"Who could ever pass up the chance to humiliate the golden Potter boys?" Lily mocked. She rolled her eyes. "They're both annoying."

"Agreed," Scorpius murmured as the two descended back into the dungeons. "So, I must be a terrible knight, if the princess has to come save me."

Lily laughed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, let's ignore the macho image." She opened the door to the classroom, and he followed her in.

Scorpius laughed. "Ah, don't worry. I'm not upset about anything like that. In fact, I like that you came to my rescue. I think a girl with a smart and cunning attitude is hot," he teased.

Lily blushed slightly, but rolled her eyes again. "Thank you, I feel so complimented."

Scorpius chuckled. "You should. I rarely think that of girls."

"Why is that?" Lily questioned with a teasing tone. "I rarely see you interested in any girl since Layla. Some might begin to think things."

Scorpius rolled his eyes this time. "I'm just not interested. Most girls aren't very interesting people. I get bored listening to them talk. They have nothing good to say," he replied.

"Boring conversationalist, another thing I can add to my list of traits," she retorted.

"Believe me, you are never boring," Scorpius laughed. "I'm just saying that _most_ girls are. Not _all_ of them."

"Well not all boys are great with words," Lily remarked. "I think Derek Bole is a great example of that."

"Is that something you look for in a guy?" Scorpius teased.

"I find that the ability to speak is very attractive in a guy," she retorted.

"So you are you saying that I'm attractive?" he inquired with a smirk.

"Did you expect me to say that you were ugly?" Lily questioned.

Scorpius shrugged. "Well with your upcoming date with Scamander, I just thought that your sights would be on him," he commented.

"Just because you agree to go on a date with someone, doesn't mean that you can't notice that someone else is also attractive," Lily explained.

"So you've always thought that I was attractive?" he laughed.

"Kind of hard not to," Lily said with a sigh. "It's a bit obvious."

"Really?" he murmured interested.

"A lot of girls think the same. You just never notice," Lily pointed out.

Scorpius's brow creased in thought. "Really?" Then he sighed and shrugged. "Well, doesn't matter. I don't find most of those girls appealing. You're the exception."

Lily felt her insides rush, but she kept a calm face. "Are you calling me attractive?" she mocked, using his previous question.

He smirked. "I am actually. In fact, I find that you are one of the more appealing girls that are at the top of my list," he stated.

Lily raised a brow. Meanwhile, her heart was fluttering inside her chest. "Really? Who's at the top?"

"Haven't decided yet," he said with chuckle. But then he leaned closer to her, and Lily could feel his breath fan against her cheeks. It smelt as if he'd just been chewing gum. "But don't worry. You are a contender for the spot."

Lily gave a subtle gulp as blood rushed to her cheeks. They'd been close before, they'd gotten in each other's faces before during their previous witty banters, but this was somehow much different. It felt much different, even the air. Her heartbeat was quickening, and she could feel the tiny urge to close the gap. But shock and hesitancy kept her in place. Her eyes were unable to look away from his. Their normal grey color was cloudy, like an actual storm. And they were intense, which also locked her in place. She noticed his eyes flicker a little lower than her own eyes, but then quickly look back up. She began to think that maybe he felt the same urge.

"I'm sorry that took so long - Oh! Mr. Malfoy! How delightful to see you here!"

Both Lily and Scorpius quickly moved back into their seats fully, having a respectable distance between them. They both watched as Professor Slughorn walked toward the table.

"Thank you, sir. I heard that you had a meeting with the headmaster, so I thought I would come and keep Lily company while she waited," Scorpius lied smoothly.

"Well you are welcome to stay and observe if you would like," Slughorn offered.

Scorpius stood from his seat. "No, I'd better go actually. I have to patrol tonight, and if your clock is right, I have to start soon. Perhaps another time."

Slughorn gave a nod. "Well then, I'll see you in class tomorrow then."

"Of course," Scorpius assured. Then he looked at Lily. "I'll see you later, princess."

Lily tried to get rid of her remaining blush. "Later, Sir Malfoy," she teased back.

* * *

Lily yawned as she sat at the table with her fellow third years. She'd worked later than usual with Professor Slughorn, and when she got to bed she couldn't stop thinking of what Scorpius had said. She didn't get to sleep until late.

"Lil," Jace addressed, knocking her out of her stupor, "did you finish that Potion essay?"

"Yeah. Why, you need help?" Lily asked.

"If you don't mind," he said sheepishly.

Lily smiled at him. "You know I don't."

Owls began to fill the room again, making their deliveries. One dropped off a letter to Lola, and another gave her a paper, which she paid for. A familiar owl dropped down on Lily's shoulder. It was Victoire's. Lily took the letter from his beak, and handed him a piece of bread. As the owl took off from her shoulder, Lily took a look at the letter. It was from Teddy, not Victoire.

"_Dear Lil,_

_I've got some news for you, and I knew that I'd be able to tell you without the news spreading around the family. But I've got to tell someone. Victoire and I are having a baby! Vic found out a few days ago that she was pregnant, and we've been trying to figure out how to tell the rest of the family. Victoire says that she's around three months into the pregnancy, and should be due sometime in April. We've got a check up next week. I'll try to write to you on how it goes. Remember, don't tell any one of the cousins._

_Love,_

_Teddy"_

Lily smiled as she read over the letter. A baby! She was going to be an aunt! She almost couldn't believe it.

"Hey, Lil, you've got another letter," Christian warned.

Lily looked at her elbow to see another envelope resting on the table. She picked it up and saw that it was from Professor Slughorn. "Professor Slughorn sent me a letter?"

"He sent me one too," Lola murmured.

"What do they say?" Jace asked.

Lily glanced over the letter. "It's about a Halloween party he's throwing," she told them. "It's for the members of the Slug Club."

"I didn't know Lola was a member," Shannon commented.

"I was initiated after he found out I was third in our year," Lola muttered.

"Are you going to go?" Marty asked.

"Probably," Lily said with a sigh.

"Probably not," Lola replied. "Unlike Lily, I can't handle Professor Slughorn trying to collect me."

"I like Professor Slughorn. He's a great guy, and a great teacher," Lily retorted with a grin. "Plus, he loves me."

"Well who doesn't?" Megan mocked.

"Besides my family?" Lily joked.

"Hey, Princess!"

Heads turned at the call, but most turned away when they saw that it was Scorpius, who was hurrying over to the group of third years with Lars and Dante at his sides. They stopped just by the group. Lily felt her heart quicken a little, but was proud that she kept back a blush. Last night's conversation began to float around her mind again.

"Morning, Scorpius. What's up?" Lily asked.

"This!" Scorpius said, and he held up a piece of paper. "Move over," he told the ones sitting next to her. He took a seat beside her, and Dante and Lars took seats as well. Scorpius put down the paper for Lily to see. "This is the list of this year's players for each Quidditch team."

Lily took the list and looked at it. "And? The teams look pretty much the same, except for a few changes," she mentioned.

"But look at the Ravenclaw Keeper," Dante told her.

Lily looked at the name. "Sam Goldstein? Who is that?"

"A tiny and scrawny second year boy," Scorpius told her. "I could stomp on this kid. From what Dante said after seeing the tryouts, he was most likely picked because the captain thinks that this kid can improve over the year."

"But the kid can barely catch a Quaffle from one of his teammates. The shots we take will whiz right by him," Dante assured.

"That's great to hear, but one thing," Lily replied. "We have a match with Gryffindor before we have a match against Ravenclaw. So shouldn't be worrying about them? After all, their team is no pushover."

"I was just getting to that," Scorpius retorted. "Now, you used to be best friends with Hugo, so what do you know about him and his Keeper skills?"

Lily took a drink of her juice before answering. "He's good. It's the only position he's ever played, and he's been practicing at it since we were about five or six. That's at least seven years of practice. When we all used to play as kids, Hugo was the one that both teams fought to have as their Keeper."

"Pretty good, huh?" Scorpius muttered.

"That doesn't cover it," Lily sighed. "But, there is one thing that you could use against him."

"Really?" Scorpius asked, his attention fully on her.

"Hugo is like his dad, and he tends to get insanely nervous under pressure. So if you guys all rush him, he'll freak, and your chances of making a shot will increase," Lily explained.

"Perfect," Scorpius mumbled. "Now, what about that other cousin? The new Chaser?" he asked.

"Before coming to Hogwarts, Lucy usually played Chaser. She's much better at it than she is at the Keeper position. But I wouldn't say that she'd better than the other two," Lily answered.

"And she's small, so she'll be easy to take out," Lars pointed out.

"I'm thinking that we want to take out the Keeper first," Scorpius murmured. He grabbed the paper. "I'll see you guys later. I need to plan this out." He got up and made his way to the exit. After a quiet moment, Lars and Dante said their goodbyes and followed.

"What do you think the game plan will be?" Hunter asked.

Lily bit back another yawn. "I have no idea."

* * *

Lily ran down to the pitch, broom in hand, and trying desperately not to trip. Apparently, Scorpius had called for an emergency team meeting, and Lily had only just gotten the message ten minutes ago. She stepped onto the pitch, and stopped in surprise. Sitting in the stands was then entire Gryffindor team, a few Gryffindor strays, and a few kids from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff teams. Why were they here?

Lily entered the locker room to see that the others were all pretty much dressed. Scorpius stood at the head of the room, giving her a confused scowl at her entrance. "Why are you so late?"

Lily tried not to roll her eyes. "I just head about the meeting."

"Well hurry and dress. We're going to go out, talk, and the practice," Scorpius told her.

"We'd better talk in here," Lily replied. "The entire Gryffindor team is out there, and some from the other two teams."

Now Scorpius scowled angrily, but not at her. "How did they know about our practice? I just booked the pitch an hour ago."

"No idea, but somehow they found out," Lily retorted as she opened her locker. She pulled out her practice outfit and pulled off her shirt. Even though the boys had all finished dressing, they still had the decency to act like they were busy with their lockers as she changed. But Scorpius didn't seem to care who was doing what.

"All right, we'll talk in here. Now, I've decided on how we're going to play this season," he announced. "Our tactic will be to knock out James Potter."

Lily glanced at him as she pulled off her skirt. "James? What about taking out Hugo?" She pulled her practice pants over her legs.

"I thought about how you said he'd get nervous if we rushed him. I want to try that first. So then I thought about how Potter won't let that happen if he also knows about it. And since he is one of the best on their team, I want him taken out," Scorpius ordered.

"What about the other Potter?" Will asked.

"Don't worry about him," Lily said as she sat on the bench and laced her shoes. The boys all turned to the captain, now that Lily had finished dressing. "I can handle him easily."

"But what if he tries to play rough and knocks you off. No offense, Lu, but he's bigger than you," Tanner reasoned.

"I'm faster," Lily retorted as she put up her hair. "Not to mention how much faster I am with my new broom. I can easily out fly him."

"Speaking of brooms," Scorpius mentioned, "you all have your old brooms, right? I don't want the losers out there knowing about them until the game. Except for Princess here, of course. Her brothers already saw hers."

"Got 'em," Lars assured, holding up his old Nimbus model.

"Good," Scorpius sighed. "Now, I want to work with Lars and Tanner today, so we'll be practicing on aiming for those two, and the rest of you will be working on dodging Bludgers. Now let's head out there. Also, ignore anything they say. A fight won't help any of us at this point of time."

The team trailed out, brooms in hand as they made their way out onto the grass. There were boos and jeers that came from the stands. The team ignored them all, but Lily could see that most of the boys were now scowling. She had the feeling that a fight was bound to happen. Lily mounted her broom, and with the slightest push from her toes, she rocketed into the air, the broom steady in its rise. She felt content once she was high above the ground. She did a few laps around the pitch, everything blurring as she flew by quickly. This was real relaxation.

"Incoming, Lu!" she heard Lars yell.

Lily stopped instantly, looking toward the rest of the team, which were lower than she was. Looking down, she saw Scorpius's figure on the ground, letting loose the Bludgers. The first one shot straight into the air, aiming for her. Without a thought, Lily moved to the right, not even a second passing as she did.

"Damn that broom's quick!" Dante cheered as he made a few laps of his own.

Lars flew up next to Lily, and when the Bludger came back down, he shot it toward Dante, who barely moved past it.

"Nice shot, Lars!" Scorpius complimented from the ground. He mounted his broom and flew into the middle of the pitch. The others all flew to join him. "All right, guys. Be ready for a rough practice."

* * *

Lily groaned as she dragged her feet into the locker room. The others were all moaning and muttering as well. It was now dusk. They'd been practicing for hours on dodging Bludgers, and they'd all taken quite a few hits. Lily's back and shoulders were killing her, and were probably black and blue.

"I don't think I can even get my shirt off to shower," Dante groaned as he laid out on a bench. He was sweating hard, and there was an ugly looking bruise on his cheek and jaw, from where he'd taken a hit.

"Don't ask me to help," Lars muttered as he carefully tried to pull his own shirt off. His shoulders and arms had to be killing him after hours of swinging the bat around.

Lily leaned her head against the cool metal of the locker door, sighing as the metal met her sweaty skin. With clumsy and tired fingers, she opened her locker and grabbed her clothes and a towel.

"I feel as if I'm going to die," Adrian mumbled loudly.

"Quit bitching," Scorpius commanded. Lily glanced over at his locker. He was sweating as well, his blonde hair sticking to his forehead. He reached for the hem of his shirt and began to pull it up. Lily turned away quickly, blushing profusely. She took her things and made her way to the girls' shower. She peeled off her sweaty and sticky clothes and threw them into the hamper. Then she turned on the water, leaving it at a cool setting. The last thing she needed was hot water pouring down at her. She showered quickly, her legs aching just from holding her up. She dried off halfheartedly, not really caring if her clothes were a little damp when she put them on. She threw the towel into the hamper as well, and then made her way back to the lockers. Will and Tanner had seemed to have finished showering and were just shutting their lockers. Dante was still lying on the bench, his shirt lying on the floor.

"Are you dead, Dante?" Lily joked mildly as she sat onto the bench near her now closed locker.

"Practically," he groaned. "I don't think I can make it to the showers. My back is on fire."

Lily glanced at his back, which did look horrible. There were splotches of black, purple, and blue on his skin, showing all the hits he'd taken. It was a bit gruesome to look at. "I have something that can fix that back in the common room," she told him as she slipped on her shoes.

Dante turned his head to look at her with a raised brow. "Really? Is it good?"

"It works," Lily assured. "But you've got to promise to shower."

"Yeah, I can smell you from here," Adrian complained as he walked back into the locker room. He kicked his locker shut and began to put on his shoes.

"Kiss my ass," Dante muttered. Then he looked back at Lily. "Ok, princess. Once we get back to the castle, you fix me, then I'll shower."

Lily grinned. "Deal."

"Scor, you're a great captain in all, but I think you killed half of us," Lars joked as the two walked out of the showers.

Scorpius smirked. "Tough. Get used to it, too. Most of our practices will be like this."

Dante groaned as he sat up and slowly pulled his shirt back on. "I'm going to head back. I'll see you there, princess," he said as he began to slowly leave the locker room.

"He got his world rocked," Lars said sympathetically.

"He did take quite a few hits," Scorpius agreed. "I was pretty surprised." He closed his locker, and slipped on his shoes. "By the way, we're having practices every day after classes, and we should finish just before dinner. Sorry that this one ran over dinner," he apologized.

"No worries," Will told him. "You can just buy us lunch on the next Hogsmeade trip."

"Let's get out of here," Adrian insisted. "I just want to go and lay down in my bed."

"Our wish is your command, Head Boy," Scorpius teased. But Adrian only rolled his eyes.

The group left the locker room and found that it had grown darker outside. Stars were beginning to show in the night sky.

"So, what is happening on the second trip to Hogsmeade?" Lars asked as he kicked a rock through the grass.

"Well, Lil here has a date," Will teased.

Adrian looked at Lily in surprise. "Really? With who?"

"Lysander Scamander," Lily told him

Adrian gave a small nod. "Well if he hurts ya just let us know. We'll beat the shit outta him for ya."

Lily rolled her eyes. "No need, but thanks for the offer."

"Anytime, Lu," he assured.

"The rest of us will probably just hang out. Unless you've got a better idea," Scorpius told Lars.

"Fuck!"

The Slytherins stopped, listening to a distant groan of pain. "What the hell was that?" Tanner whispered.

"Came from over there," Scorpius said, pointing toward the path to the Black Lake. The group made their way down the path. Once they got to the lake, they stopped and listened to the black figures near the shore.

"Let's see how well he swims!" someone joked.

"Throw him in!" another laughed.

"Get the fuck off me!" someone growled.

The Slytherins froze. "Dante," Lars whispered.

Quicker than she thought possible, Lily watched as Adrian lit his wand, shining it on the group. It was an assembly of teen boys, mostly Gryffindors, surrounding Dante, who laid on the ground in a heap. A few girls were standing a few feet away from the group, looking unsure and out of place.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Adrian demanded, a snarl in his throat.

Lily felt her blood run hot with anger as she saw James stand up straight, dropping one of Dante's legs. "What the fuck are you doing here?" James sneered.

"I'm Head Boy, Potter!" Adrian growled. "Don't fuck with me! Now what the fuck are you doing!"

James backed off a little, but he still glared. "We're just taking Dante out for a swim. Right guys?"

There was a chorus of agreements among the other guys around.

Adrian glared harder. "Really? It looks like you're all being a bunch of dicks. So fifty points will be taken from each of you," he stated.

Now there was a roar. "What! You can't do that!" Lily watched as Albus came to stand next to James.

"I'm Head Boy," Adrian repeated, a little calmer this time. "I can do that, and I did. Fifty points from each of you. Now, I recognize a few of you, and you will each receive three weeks of detention and will be banned from the next Hogsmeade trip. I will report this to the headmaster, and I'm sure he will agree."

James glared hard and marched over and stood in front of Adrian. They were the same height almost, and their eyes locked. "You're a fucking bitch. You know that right? You just can't be a man and fight for yourself," he growled.

Adrian didn't glare, but he kept their eyes locked. "Actually, I'm just not a dumb fuck like you. I don't do things that will get me caught. But if you insist." He grabbed James's collar and dragged him to the water's edge. "Then perhaps you need a swim." Then he threw James into the water.

"Hey!" an older boy confronted.

"One more step Gills and that'll be another ten points!" Adrian hissed. He looked back at the group around Dante. "Will, Lars, help Dante up. We'll take him to the Hospital Wing."

"No, I've got something that can fix him," Lily told him. "Just take him to the common room. It's quicker."

"Just get him out of here," Adrian said. "You girls run off. I get the feeling that you were just brought along for the show. Now let's get Dante out of here."

The boys ran over to pick up Dante and get him on his feet. "I'm fine," Dante groaned, but he looked anything but. His lip was now split, and his left eye was beginning to swell. The boys began to gingerly move him across the grass.

"Lily, run ahead and get whatever you have ready," Scorpius told her. "Set it up in the sixth year dorm room. If the other guys ask just tell them it's an emergency and to get out."

Lily nodded, and without a word mounted her broom and sped back to the castle. She was there much quicker with the broom. She touched down to the ground and began to run inside. The halls were practically empty, just a few kids making their way out of the Great Hall. Lily turned to the dungeons and ran down the stairs. She hurried through the halls and turns until she got to the empty expanse of wall. "Salazar," she said quickly.

The wall opened, and she quickly walked inside. Many Slytherins were sitting around the common room, talking, reading, studying, or doing homework. She could see the other third years in a corner of their own. Apparently, Lola saw her as well.

"Hey, Lily! How was practice?" she asked from across the room.

"Tell you later!" Lily said hurriedly, and she ran up to her dorm room. She grabbed a box and ran from the room, and made her way to the sixth year boys' dorm room. She barged in to see Wade Macnair and Clete Parson sitting on one of the beds, looking closely at a magazine. They both looked up at her entrance, their faces confused.

"What are you doing in here?" Wade asked.

Lily shook her head. "Not now. Which is Dante's bed?"

"That one," Clete said, pointing to the bed across from them. "What are you doing?"

Lily moved to the bed, pushed back the blankets and set the box on the bedside table. "An emergency. We're going to need some space, so Scorpius wants you two to clear out," she told them.

The two boys looked even more confused, but they both stood up. "All right. Later then, Lily Lu," Wade muttered.

Lily just nodded as she opened the box to see a large assortment of tiny jars holding different potions. She pulled out one with a light blue liquid inside, and then pulled out the stopper. Next she grabbed one that was a deep orange color and was thick inside. She took off the cap and set it on the table. She was pulling her sixth jar when the door was opened, and the boys were dragging in Dante.

"He's not looking good," Scorpius told her quickly as the boys heaved him onto his bed.

"What happened to him?" Lana exclaimed as she followed them in.

"Those guys really beat the hell out of him," Will said as he closed the door.

"Merlin knows how long he was alone with them," Lars growled.

Scorpius came to stand next to Lily. "Adrian's talking with Professor Brown now," he told her.

"Someone get his shirt off," Lily commanded.

"I'm on it," Tanner assured. He pulled out his wand. "Diffindo." The shirt tore under the spell, and Lars began to pull it off.

"Shit," Dante groaned. "Fuck my body hurts."

Lily sighed and grabbed the bottle with the thin blue liquid. "Someone prop him up with a few pillows," she commanded.

Will took a few pillows from another bed and placed them on Dante's bed, propping him into an almost sitting position. "That good?" he asked.

"Good enough," Lily told him. She held the bottle up to Dante's lips. "Dante, this will taste really gross, but you need to take a small drink." She tipped the bottle, and a bit of the liquid poured into Dante's mouth. His lips twisted into a disgusted frown.

"What the hell is that?" Lana demanded.

"Something to get rid of the swelling in his eye," Lily replied. "Now, did you guys notice anything else besides bruises and cuts?"

"He couldn't bare to put any weight on his left leg," Scorpius mentioned.

"Someone cut off that pant leg then," Lily told them. Tanner immediately went to work on getting it off while Lily picked up the thick orange potion. "Ok, Dante, you need to drink a lot of this. Don't stop until I stop the flow. Just keep drinking," Lily ordered. She put the drink to his lips, and he began to drink it. Lily could tell that he wanted to spit out, but he kept drinking.

"Oh, gross!" Tanner exclaimed.

"What happened?" Lana cried.

Lily glanced over at the leg, and saw that it was bleeding badly, externally and internally. It was almost completely bruised, and it looked a little crooked. "Oh, boy," she muttered. She looked at the bottle to see that it was half empty. She pulled the bottle up straight, and Dante pulled his head back and hacked up a cough. "Someone press something to his leg to stop the bleeding," she stated.

"Won't that irritate the bruise?" Lars questioned.

"Yes, but it's better than bleeding to death," Lily retorted. "Just do it." She began to pick through the different bottles in the box. "Scorpius, take that pale yellow liquid and make sure that he drinks all of it. With the bruise on that leg he'll need it all," she muttered.

"Got it, princess," he replied.

Lily moved around the bed to his bad leg and pulled out her wand. She moved Will's hand, which was holding a shirt sleeve over the wound, and pulled off the cloth. The cut didn't look deep, but deep enough to continue bleeding. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the cut. "Vulnera sanentur," she murmured. Slowly, the wound began to close, the skin stitching back together. Then she moved back to the other side and looked through the box.

Scorpius set down an empty bottle. "That's all of it," he told her.

"Thank you," Lily told him. "Now, someone get him something to bite on."

"What for?" Tanner asked. She glanced up at the others in the room, and saw that they all looked worried and confused.

She sighed. "Look, I don't know how to fix bones with a wand. But I do have a potion that can easily do the trick. The thing is, it's painful. He might scream. So give him something to bite on as an alternative," she offered.

"Here's part of his shirt," Lars said hesitantly.

Lily picked up a mint green potion. "Open up, Dante."

He didn't question it, but opened his mouth. Lily put the bottle to his lips and tipped it. Dante took in a full gulp, and Lily pulled the bottle away quickly and stuffed the shirt into his mouth. No sooner than a second after the cloth was between his teeth did Dante clench his jaw and let out a muffled scream against the shirt.

"What the hell did you do?" Lana demanded.

"It'll heal the leg, but it won't be nice about, " Lily said calmly.

"But it's hurting him!" Lana argued.

"Sis!" Lars barked.

"It hurt to get the wound, and it's going to hurt to get rid of it," Lily replied just as calm. "Scorpius, can you cap all these bottles for me?"

"Sure," he muttered.

Lily began to dig through the box again and glanced at Dante. His eyes were closed tightly, his face contorted in pain. He was sweating again, and his face was turning red. "Damn," Lily muttered. She pulled out a lavender potion and set it on the other side of the table. Then she finally found a clear liquid. It looked like water. She moved over to Dante and placed a hand on his cheek to turn his head toward her. His skin was hot. "Dante, look at me." Slowly, Dante opened his eyes halfway. "Look, I'm going to pull out the cloth, and I need to you drink two more potions. They'll take the pain away, ok? Just bare with me, ok?" Dante nodded stiffly, and unclenched his jaw a little. Lily pulled the caps off of the two potions, and held up the lavender one. She took out the cloth and quickly put the potion at his lips. He quickly began to sip, his throat convulsing as he tried not to scream, but to swallowing instead. Lily pulled back the potion and set it down. She waited until he had completely swallowed it before putting the second potion to his lips. "Just a tiny bit," she assured.

Dante took a tiny sip before Lily pulled it away from him. His mouth closed and his eyes slowly began to close as well. His started to fall back onto the pillows, and his body began to relax.

"What the hell just happened?" Will asked curiously.

"I gave him something to put him to sleep. This way he won't feel any pain while his leg heals," Lily explained.

"Nice," Will complimented.

"Some of the bruises are starting to heal," Lars mentioned, watching as one of the dark bruises started to fade to a dull grey.

Lily nodded as she began to put everything back into the box. "It'll take a few hours before everything is healed, and he still might be sore tomorrow. But if he is, I might be able to help that as well," she told them.

"You ought to be a Healer, Lu," Tanner said with a dry laugh. "You handled this as calm as Pomfrey would have."

"Thanks, but I think not," Lily replied. "It's not all that interesting to me."

"Well you're very good at it," Scorpius complimented. "How do you know all of this stuff?"

"My cousin Victoire is the best Healer I know, and I talk to her a lot about her work. Plus, if you know which potions do what, it's easy to know how much of something to give and how little," she explained.

"That and you're insanely smart," Tanner added.

Lily sighed as she closed the box, trying not to roll her eyes. "Lana, could you do me a favor concerning Dante?"

"What?" Lana asked quickly.

"Can you stay with him for a while and make sure that he doesn't get a fever, and make sure that he doesn't sweat too much?" she asked.

"Of course," Lana assured. "What should I do if he does?"

"Come get me," Lily told her.

"What if he wakes up?" Lana questioned hesitantly.

"He won't wake up until morning. He drank just enough to keep him out for hours and hours," Lily told her. Then she looked at Will. "And warn the others that I'll be coming in here in the morning to check on him."

Will nodded. "You got it."

* * *

When Lily did wake up the next morning, she contemplated not getting up at all. She was sore all over, having not taken care of herself after taking care of Dante. She rolled onto her back. She couldn't believe her brothers would be that cruel. To think that they were low enough to jump a guy that was already sore and bruised. Lily got up from bed to see the other girls getting ready as well. She followed suit and got dressed into her uniform. Then she quickly checked her Felix Felicis, and then found something in her store to get rid of the sore feeling in her muscles.

"So, Lily, what happened to Dante?" Shannon asked with a worried look. "Everyone saw the other boys on the team bring him in. He looked horrible. Is he ok?"

"Yeah, why didn't they take him to the Hospital Wing?" Megan asked demanded. She had apparently wanted to follow te boys into the room to stay with her brother, but they hadn't let her.

"A group of guys jumped him after a really rough practice last night. He was already bruised and sore. There was no way he could defend himself. We brought him here because it was quicker and I had the potions to fix him up. He'll be fine," Lily assured.

"Who would attack a guy who's already in bad shape?" Izzy muttered in disgust.

Lily sighed as she moved to the door. "My brothers. Excuse me. I've got to check on Dante."

She grabbed her bag and left the room and made her way to the boys' stairs. She knocked on the door before entering, and was happy to find them all decent. Dante was sitting up on his bed. He looked relieved when she walked in.

"Finally! Lu, tell 'em I'm fine. They won't let me get off the bed," Dante complained.

"Well how do you feel?" Lily asked.

He shrugged. "I'm just a little sore, no big deal."

Lily pulled out a small vial and handed it to him. "Drink this. It should relax your muscles and take away that sore feeling."

Dante smirked as he took the vial. "You really ought to be a Healer." He knocked back the potion and then handed her the vial. "Can I get up now?"

"Just be careful with that leg," Lily warned.

Dante nodded and gingerly moved his feet off the side of the bed. And then he slowly stood up. Lily noticed that his face was grim, and then he put most of his weight onto his right side. "It still kind of hurts."

Lily sighed. "Yeah, I thought it would. Just be careful today. No running, just walking. And I think that when it comes to practice you need to be kept away from Bludgers. Your bones are still a bit fragile, so they'll break easier."

"Well how long until they're not overly breakable?" Dante asked.

Lily shrugged. "I'd say three days tops. Just take care of it, and it might not take that long," she told him as she made her way back to the door.

"All right. Thanks, Lu," Dante replied.

"No problem," she said as she left the room. She closed the door behind her and made her way down to the common room. She spotted Lola and Jace standing by the door, leaning against the stone wall. She smiled as she approached them. "Thanks for waiting."

"No problem," Jace assured.

"How's Dante?" Lola asked.

"He'll be fine," Lily told them. "He just has to be careful with his leg. It's still a little sore."

"I just hope that Adrian took care of those idiot Gryffindors," Jace muttered angrily.

"Believe me, he did," Lily replied.

"I'd say," Lola said as she stopped walking in the middle of the Entrance Hall. "Look," she said, pointing toward where the House Points were shown.

"Whoa," Jace mumbled.

"Damn," Lily muttered.

The Gryffindor house had taken a major drop in points. They had only a few gems left in their hourglass.

"They lost three hundred and fifty points last night."

The three turned to see Adrian looking at the points as well. "There were seven Gryffindors outside last night, and three Ravenclaws. We've got all of their names. They all have detentions for two weeks and are not allowed at the next Hogsmeade trip. Longbottom was furious," he explained.

"Couldn't get three weeks?" Lily asked with a laugh.

Adrian shrugged. "I tried, but Brown thought that two was enough."

"That sucks," Jace sighed.

"They deserve much more than that," Lola agreed sourly.

"They deserve to get their asses kicked," Adrian said as they began to walk to the Great Hall for breakfast. Adrian split away from the three as he moved to take a seat with a few other seventh years. The three ate breakfast, a few of the other third years later joining them, and then they made their way out of the Great Hall and started to walk to Potions class. Sadly they couldn't make it there without some kind of trouble.

"Hey, failure!"

The small group of third years kept walking, ignoring the yelling voice.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" Someone grabbed Lily shoulder and spun her around. It was James. Her friends stopped walking to turn and glare at James and his own small group of friends. James was holding onto Lily's shoulder tightly, keeping her in front of him.

Lily kept her calm, and raised a brow. "Oh, were you talking to me? I thought you might be talking to yourself seeing as how you failed your Potion O.W.L."

James clenched his jaw. "Tell your filthy friend Flint to fuck off and restore our points!" he commanded.

Lily grinned. "Not happy with the results? How many to do you have left now? Ten points?"

"We want our points back, and we want to be allowed to Hogsmeade," James growled.

"And I wanted a pony when I was six, but I didn't get one," Lily countered. "Life's not fair, so deal with it."

"I have a date," James seethed. "So you tell Flint to fix this!"

"How about you bite me first," Lily suggested dryly.

James's gripped tightened to a bruising hold. "Listen you little bitch! I don't give a fuck about you, so if I have to hurt you to understand, then I will. Now tell Flint to fix this!"

Her friends let out a chorus of anger and surprise at his language and threat, but Lily just fixed him with a glare. "No. I really don't feel like you deserve to go to Hogsmeade just so you can sleep with a girl and then forget her name. In fact, I think that you deserve to be banned from two Hogsmeade trips. And if don't let go, I will see that it happens. Professor Slughorn likes and trusts me, and he will not be happy if he hears about what you're doing. And from what I hear, Uncle Neville is very upset with you," Lily hissed.

James kept his glare, but Lily felt his grip loosen. She shrugged his hand off of his shoulder. "You think you scare me, Potter? You're as terrifying as unicorn, and as smart as a troll. You think you can intimidate me by bringing a bunch of other sixth and seventh years as back up? Remember that I have an entire House that hates you, and each of them will have no problem jumping you in a dark corridor. So how about you back the fuck off!" Lily snarled. She was a bit surprised at her own temper and language, but she didn't regret it. Especially when James even took a step away from her, his stance becoming less threatening and more _threatened_.

Lily didn't wait for him to leave or say something else. She instead turned on her heel and began to continue walking toward the classroom. The others caught up and began to walk beside her.

"That was awesome!" Jace complimented.

"Nice comeback, Lil," Christian said with a grin.

"I thought he was going to piss himself," Megan said with a laugh.

"Nice job," Lola told her casually.

Lily nodded. "Thanks, but I don't think that he's done with me," she told them. "As I said, he's not smart enough to back off."

"No surprise," Shannon agreed.

"Just be careful not to get hurt. He seemed very angry, and I think he meant it when he said he'd hurt you," Lola warned.

Lily sighed as they stepped into the classroom. "Yeah, I think so too."


	26. The Close To Perfect First Date

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Another quick update. I've been writing this one for a long time, so it finished sooner than usual. I hope you like it, and pardon any mistakes I missed. This is mostly about finding out more about Lily and about Lysander, especially his way of thinking. So, enjoy and drop a review to let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Close To Perfect First Date

Lily tried to push away the panic and nerves she felt creeping into her skin. It was almost noon, which meant that it was almost time for her to leave to Hogsmeade for the students' second trip. Which meant that it was almost time for her and Lysander's date. She was looking at herself in the mirror. She had chosen one of her own black skirts, one that she found much prettier than the uniform's. She had also picked out a pretty shirt that's color was a light purple. She had chosen to keep her hair down, but put in the color changing headband that Scorpius had given her a few years ago. Her bangs swept across her forehead and the tips stopped near her right ear.

"Hey, are you almost ready?"

Lily jumped, a little startled. She looked at the door to see Lola stepping in. Lily sighed and sat on the bed to put on her shoes. "Just my shoes," Lily told her.

"It's a bit windy, so I'd bring a jacket," Lola suggested as she grabbed her own grey jacket.

"Thanks for the tip," Lily said.

Lola sat next to Lily. "So are you excited?" she asked with an eager smile.

Lily gave a small smile. "That and a little nervous," Lily admitted.

Lola rolled her eyes. "Don't be. You look great, and Lysander likes you. Just relax. I'm sure you two will have fun," Lola assured.

Lily let out a small breath. "Yeah. You're right."

Lola smiled. "Now, come on. Let's go"

The two girls got up and left the room, pulling on their jackets as they walked. Lily looked toward Lola as she stuffed her hands into her pocket. "So, what are you doing today?" she'd failed to ask this over the past few weeks.

"The rest of us girls are going shopping at Gladrag's Wizardwear," she replied. "We've decided to ditch the boys and actually have a fun time."

Lily laughed with her. "Sorry I won't be there."

"Don't be," Lola told her. "You are going on a date with a very cute boy. I'd take your plans over mine anytime." The girls laughed again.

"Hey, Lil, dirty, wait up!"

Lola groaned, but the two girls stopped as Jace ran to catch up with them. "Hey," he greeted once he was next to them. They began to walk again, exiting the castle.

"Hey," Lily said with a smile.

"Was there a reason you stopped us?" Lola asked dryly.

Jace just shrugged. "I just decided that I wanted to walk with you and everyone's favorite girl. I'm meeting a few others at The Three Broomsticks," he told them.

Lola looked at Lily. "Where are you and Lysander meeting?"

"Honeydukes," Lily said with a small sigh. "I'm not sure where we're going after that."

"Maybe he'll take you to Madam Puttifoot's," Jace teased.

Lola thumped Jace on the shoulder, which then started an argument. Lily just ignored it. She actually sort of hoped that Lysander wouldn't take her there. She'd heard stories from her parents, and the place sounded a bit like a pink nightmare. She'd rather go anywhere but Madam Puttifoot's.

"Why can't you be smart for once?" Lola hissed at Jace, the argument breaking into Lily's head finally.

"Why can't you wash your hair?" Jace snapped back.

"You are so infuriating!" Lola exclaimed. "I'll see you later, Lily. Tell me about your date." Then Lola stomped off and away from the two, entering one of the shops.

Jace just scoffed. "Drama queen," he muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You both are drama queens," she retorted.

Jace chuckled. "You make that sound like a bad thing," he joked.

Lily laughed too. Then she saw that they were coming near Honeydukes. "Later, Jace. Have fun."

Jace smiled. "Later. You have fun too, just not too much. We don't need a crying baby around," he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes again as her cheeks turned a little pink. "What an ass," she mumbled with a smile. She walked into the store and out of the light wind, and instantly her smile grew. It was hard not to smile when you looked at all the delicious sweets the store held in sight. She moved over to one of the shelves and grabbed a small bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, then grabbed Droobles Best Blowing Bubblegum. She took them to the counter and paid for them. Then she popped one of the beans into her mouth as she waited to catch sight of Lysander. She found herself lucky when she tasted cherry.

Lily felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Lysander standing behind her. Her heart beat a little harder, and she smiled. "Hi," she greeted.

Lysander was smiling as well, his blue eyes shining. "Hi there." He glanced at the bag of beans in her hand. "Got everything you need?"

Lily giggled. "Yeah," she said as she put the bag into her jacket pocket.

"Good, because I'm going to take you somewhere." He took her hand and led her out of the shop. Lily felt her cheeks flush as he took her hand into his. They stepped out onto the street, and moved past a few kids staring through the window of Honeydukes.

"So, where are you taking me?" Lily asked as he led them past a dozen different shops.

"Well, I was told that the best place to take a great girl on a first date was Madam Puttifoot's. So I thought, why not?" he told her.

Lily felt her stomach tighten. It was just her luck. She wanted to say something, but she also didn't want to stomp on his attempt at a great date. So instead she showed him a fake smile. "Well, I've never actually been there," she said.

Lysander didn't seem to notice that the smile was fake, and he gave one of his own. "I've been in there once. A friend and I had to go look for our friend, and that's where we found him. It didn't look that bad."

Lily was hoping that he was right. "Did your friend like it?"

Lysander looked as if he was thinking. "He said that it wasn't bad. He just hates the color pink."

Lily gave a small nod. "Well, I'm not pink's biggest fan, but I don't hate it either."

"Agreed," Lysander said with a laugh. He stopped outside of a pale pink building with fogged up windows. He looked at Lily and smiled. "Here we are." He opened the door for, and she once again felt her heart stammer. She walked in, and bit back the dread she felt at the sight of the place. It was a lot pink and frills, two things that Lily wouldn't have chosen. But when Lysander pulled her over to a table in the corner, she smiled at him. "What do you think?" he asked as they sat down.

Lily glanced around the room again. Couples were at every table, talking, kissing, or whispering in the other's ear. Add in the lace and frills, and it was horrific. But when she looked back at Lysander, she shrugged. "It's not that bad."

Lysander smiled, and it made Lily smile again. "I'm glad to hear that. Stay here." He left the table, so Lily dug into her pocket and pulled out another bean. She didn't hesitate to pop it into her mouth, but after the first bite she groaned quietly at the taste of soap. She swallowed it quickly, but it didn't at all get rid of the left over taste. She was thankful when Lysander came back to the table and set down two cups, one in front of her.

Lily picked up the cup and sighed as she felt the warmth in her palm. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

"A coffee," he answered. "I remembered that you've always been more of a coffee drinker than a tea drinker."

Lily smiled at his memory. "Still am," she assured. She took a drink, happy that the delicious taste of the coffee washed away the taste of soap in her mouth. It was rich, and the liquid's heat felt good as it slid down her throat. "It's really good," she said once she'd swallowed it.

Lysander nodded as he took his own drink. "Yeah, the tea's not bad either."

Lily raised a brow. "You got a tea?"

Lysander grinned sheepishly. "I'm not a coffee fan."

Lily giggled. "I wasn't until I was seven. Then my dad let me take a drink of his one morning, and boom, I liked it."

He smiled. "The reason I don't like it was that I was never warned of how bitter it is black. Lorcan thought it would be funny to see my reaction to the taste before he told me."

Lily shook her head as she laughed. "That doesn't surprise me. How is Lorcan?"

Lysander sighed as he leaned back into his chair. "I've been trying to get his mind off of Quidditch and to get him to study for our O.W.L.s, but to no success."

"Head still full of Quaffles?" Lily joked.

Lysander chuckled. "It's gotten worse since he became Quidditch Captain."

"How is practice going for you?" Lily asked curiously.

He shrugged. "Same as always. The only difference is that Lorcan's scheduled a lot more practices than we're used to. You?"

"It's been rough, but to a bearable degree. You're sore at the end of them, but you've improved someway," Lily answered.

"What do you think your chances of beating Gryffindor are?" he asked.

Lily grinned. "We plan on crushing them. And I'm confident that I can beat Albus to the Snitch."

"I would never bet against you," Lysander replied. "You're one of the best Seekers I've ever seen."

Lily blushed a little. "Thank you. I take pride in my skills."

"You should," he told her.

Lily smiled a little. "So, how is it to be a prefect?"

He grinned. "I like it actually. The patrols can bite if you get one of the late ones, but overall it's not bad. My curfew extended, I've got a bit of authority, not to mention the Prefects' bathroom."

"I'm glad to hear that you like it."

"Yeah. And the late patrols aren't that bad even since we're given a partner to patrol with," he told her.

"Who's your partner?" Lily asked.

"Last month it was Kelly Epcot, the girl they chose for this year from my house, and this month it is Rose. But I think we're changing again that the end of the month," he mentioned.

Lily's insides tensed a little at the mention of Rose's name. She hadn't seen Rose lately, except for when she saw her with the rest of the Gryffindor team. But they hadn't said a thing to each other, not even one hateful word. It was probably one of the better relationships she had with any of her cousins that were in Gryffindor. Then a thought popped into her head. "Hey, have talked to Louis lately?" she asked.

Lysander looked thoughtful for a moment. "Um, not really. Why do you ask?"

She sighed. "Well, it's just that I haven't talked to him in awhile. Usually he comes and finds me so that we can hang out around the castle or something. But I haven't seen him all year actually."

"Hm. I actually haven't seen much of him either. Now that I think about it, it's kind of surprising. Louis's a pretty social guy, so I at least talk to him a few times by this time of the year," Lysander replied.

"I know what you mean," Lily said with a sigh. "He's never uncomfortable around people. That's something I envy."

"You get uncomfortable around people?" Lysander asked with surprise in his voice.

"Every time the adults stick me in a room with my cousins," Lily said automatically. When it came to talking about her family, her responses were almost instinctive now.

"How come you and your cousins and brothers don't get along anymore?" Lysander asked curiously.

"They're a bunch of idiotic gits," Lily muttered.

"With James that's understandable. Even I find him unbearable. And Albus is getting to be just as bad. But why not Rose, or Hugo, or Molly?" he asked.

"I've never really gotten along with Molly," Lily pointed out.

"But you and Rose used to be close. And Hugo was your best friend," Lysander retorted.

She sighed again. "When my brothers turned on me, Hugo agreed with them. And Rose doesn't actually accept my house or my friends."

"Does it bother you that you don't hang out with them anymore?" he asked gently.

Lily looked away from her cup and into his eyes. They were understanding, and his face was accepting and trusting. Lily knew that she could be honest with him . . . but . . . "Not really. I could really care less at this point."

But she lied anyways.

* * *

"Really? In the middle of the lecture?" Lysander asked as he laughed.

Lily laughed too. It was getting late, so the two were walking back to the castle. She had just told him about the time Lola and Jace had started stabbing each other with quills in the middle of Charms class after a verbal argument. "Yeah. Luckily Professor Flitwick was too busy showing someone the proper way to do a Cheering Charm," she replied.

Lysander shook his head, still laughing a little. "That's classic. It sounds like you've got your own Hermione and Ron."

Lily thought about that. About how her aunt and uncle were constantly bickering and fighting. When they were younger, Rose and Hugo often worried that they'd divorce. Yet the thought had apparently never occurred to the two adults. "I guess so. Only without the never-ending love part," she joked.

"Maybe they'll out grow it."

"But then they wouldn't be like Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron," Lily replied with a laugh.

Lysander laughed as well. "True." They grew silent as they walked past the gate and onto the path leading to the castle. The silence made her nervous. She was having so much fun, but for some reason this silence practically unhinged her.

"Lysander, what did you think when I was placed in Slytherin?" The question popped out of her mouth before she could stop it, and she immediately regretted it. Now her nerves rose even higher.

Lysander didn't look at her, but at the sky ahead of them. Lily wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. "I was kind of surprised. I mean, everyone that knew you personally expected that you would be put in Gryffindor. You fit the profile. But . . ."

"But?" Lily urged.

"Then I thought about what it takes to be a Slytherin. And you've always been ambitious. You know how to get what you want. You're always very determined, not to mention resourceful. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that perhaps Slytherin really was where you belonged," he explained. When he finished, he finally looked at her. "Why do you ask?"

Lily ignored his question. "Do you think I changed once I was placed in Slytherin?" she questioned.

Lysander shrugged as he placed his hands into his jacket pockets. "I think everyone changes a little once we're sorted into our houses. We think about what it takes to be in that house and then we focus on those traits we possess. But we're basically the same people."

"Do you think I've changed?" she inquired quickly. Now that she'd already brought around a tense air, she couldn't stop. Besides, what was wrong with knowing what he thought about her?

He looked at her carefully. "You're different from than how you were at eleven, yeah. You've grown up obviously." He paused, and Lily waited for him to continue. "So, why are you asking me this, if you don't mind my asking?"

Lily adverted her eyes away from him, so now she was the one looking at the path ahead of them. "My brothers and cousins said that I'd changed once I was put into Slytherin. I didn't think I had. I was just curious what you thought," Lily replied, giving a half truth. She didn't want to mention that she was scared of what he thought.

The two came to the castle, and they walked in without speaking. They stopped in the middle of the Entrance Hall, knowing that this would be where they'd have to part ways, Lily to the dungeons and him to one of the towers.

Lysander smiled as he looked at her. "Would you like me to walk you back to your common room?"

Lily finally smiled again, finding his gesture very sweet. "I would, but my friends already tease me about going on a date, and I know that you walking me would only fuel the fire. Besides, I'd hate to have to make you walk all the way down there just to walk all the way up to your common room," she told him.

"Are you sure? Because I don't mind," he replied.

Lily smiled softly. "I'm sure. Thank you though."

Lysander nodded, his eyes almost glowing. "All right then." He took one of his hands out of his pockets and grabbed her hand. "I had a lot of fun, Lil."

Her heart fluttered again. "So did I," she replied. "In fact, this was probably one of my better days of this month, thanks to you."

"Same here," he murmured. He closed his eyes and then sighed quietly. Then his eyes opened. "So, I'll see you around?" His eyes were hopeful.

Lily took in a nervous gulp, a little hesitant about what she was about to do. "Actually, I have a question to ask you."

He looked at her with interest. "What is it?"

Lily took in a deep breath. "Well, I don't know if you'd heard, but Slughorn is having a party on Halloween for the Slug Club."

Lysander nodded. "Yeah, I got the invite not too long ago."

Lily felt a little better knowing that he knew. "Well, since I happen to be Slughorn's absolute favorite student, I'm practically obligated to attend. But I was wondering if you would like to go with me?" Her heart hammered erratically beneath her ribs.

Lysander's face lifted, and his smile was the brightest it had been all day. "I think that I would love nothing more than to go with you."

Her nerves began to flutter off of her skin, leaving her smiling and her shoulders slumping a little as she relaxed. "Great," she said, not sure what else to really say.

Lysander chuckled, but then leaned down and, for the first time that day, finally kissed her. Her grip on his hand tightened a little as she kissed him back shyly. He pulled away, and a smile was gracing his lips. "Good night, Lily."

"Good night, Lysander."

* * *

"So did he kiss you good night?"

Lily sighed as fell back onto her bed. As soon as she'd stepped into the common room, the girls had instantly appeared and dragged her off to their dorm. They'd been asking questions about her date for at least twenty minutes now.

"Yes, he did," Lily told them. They all squealed and giggled as she rolled onto her stomach.

"That is so cute! I can't believe you two are going to Slughorn's together!" Shannon told her. "You are so lucky."

Lily raised a brow as she looked at her. "What do you mean, 'lucky'?"

Shannon returned the look. "How are you not lucky? I mean, you have a fifth year that is totally crazy about you! And he's so cute!"

"So are you two officially dating yet?" Lola asked.

Lily laid the side of her face onto her pillow. "I don't think so. No."

"Do you want to be official?" Megan asked cooly from her own bed.

Lily did her best to hide her blush. "Yeah."

"So then seal the deal at Slughorn's party. Tell him you want to be official, that you want a boyfriend. Don't be shy about it," Megan told her.

Lily closed her eyes, willing her blush to disappear. "I know that I shouldn't be, but I'm already beginning to regret asking him to the party."

"Why?" Izzy asked in shock. "I mean, you like each other. Why not take him as your date?"

"Some of my family will most likely be at the party," Lily pointed out. "I guess I'm afraid that James or Albs will interfere or try to ruin it."

"If they try, just punch them in the nose," Megan suggested.

"Or kick them where it'll matter," Lola added.

"Or just kill them," Shannon threw in. "It's not like they'll be missed."

"I think our house would throw a party," Izzy joked.

Lily smirked. "I know I would."

* * *

"So, why are we here?" Jace asked. He and Lily were in the library as Lily searched for a book on potions.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Slughorn asked me to pick up a book for our lesson later tonight. When I told you and Lola that I had something to do, you offered to go with me. That's why we're here," she explained for the fifth time.

Jace sighed as he examined the book titles. "I'm trying to remember now why I offered to come."

"So am I," Lily muttered. "Ah! Found it!" She pulled out the book and flipped through the pages quickly.

"Finally!" Jace said with relief. "Now let's get out of here. This place gives me the creeps."

"It's a library," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. She checked out the book, and the two left the library.

"It's still creepy," Jace said with a yawn.

"So, I never asked, but how was your trip to Hogsmeade?" Lily asked

Jace shrugged. "It wasn't bad. We ate a lot, caused a lot trouble, and bought a lot of sweets. Then we caused trouble for the girls."

Lily laughed and shook her head. "They're going to kill you guys one day."

Jace just grinned. "Nah, I'm a fast runner. I'd get away."

"Hey! Snakes!"

Lily and Jace both froze mid-step at the sound of the voice yelling to them. They both turned their bodies around to see Albus striding down the hall toward them. Lily's eyes narrowed with a glare as her eyes locked onto her brother. "What do you want?" she hissed.

Albus brought himself to his full height, which wasn't too impressive. He wasn't much taller than Lily was. Her head was just above his chin. But he seemed to be trying his best to look intimidating. "Why the hostility?" he mocked. "I was just going to ask where the big goons you carry around were? You gunna whistle for them since you can't fight your own battles?"

Lily sneered. "I think someone has forgotten about Paige Wilde. And I can't fight by myself? I wasn't the one hanging by my ankle while James's bang fell off," she retorted, admitting that she was the one who stopped them from chasing Scorpius.

Albus's eyes began to burn as he realized what she was talking about. "Oh yeah? But you're not hiding now. You're right in front of me," he growled.

Lily glared. "That's right, and you still don't scare me."

Albus grabbed the shoulder of her shirt. "Really? Too bad you aren't smarter, because you should be scared of me."

"If you were smarter, you'd let go of me now!" Lily growled.

"If you were smarter then you'd realize that you're a disappointment to our entire family, and you'd disappear," Albus snarled.

It was another one of those defensive instincts that she couldn't stop before it happened. Lily hadn't meant to pull back her fist and crush it into his nose. She hadn't meant to hit him hard enough to hear a disgusting crack. Albus's hand let go of her, and both hands went to his nose. Lily could see blood seeping through his fingers.

"You bitch!" Albus said through his hands as he tried to stop to blood flow.

"Stay away from!" Lily hissed. "Because next time it's not just your nose. And be careful about who you tell this story to. People would love to know that you got hit by a girl, and Mum and Dad would just love to hear why I punched you."

Lily felt a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Lil," Jace urged. He pulled her away from Albus, and Lily began to walk with him away from the scene. He patted her on the shoulder. "Just breathe, Lil." He paused for a moment, then he smiled. "Nice hit."


	27. The Omen Of A Bad Day

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's a long one for you guys! Again, I wasn't sure where to cut it off, so I just made it one big chapter. I thought that Lily needed to see a little more of Lorcan in her life, so I decided to add him to the bunch. Parts of this chapter are so that we can learn more about the other characters, and we get a little more romance thrown is as well. I hope you like it.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Omen Of A Bad Day

"So, Lily, will I be seeing you at my Halloween party tomorrow night?" Professor Slughorn asked. He was observing as she worked on a Draught of Peace. She was near the end, for the potion was only a couple of shades from its normal turquoise color, and it was giving off a white steam that was getting closer to silver every second.

"Of course, sir. I wouldn't miss it," Lily assured him with a smile. "I will be accompanying Lysander to your party."

"Mr. Scamander? A wonderful young man, very intelligent," Slughorn complimented.

Lily smiled to herself. "Yes, I think so too."

"It should be such a splendid night. I have quite the guest list, plus a few extra guests," Slughorn rambled.

Lily simply nodded, knowing that once he started rambling, he'd keep going. She nodded in the right places and gave the appropriate one worded responses when necessary as she continued to work on her potion. It was nearly finished now.

"Um, excuse me, Professor?" a deep voice asked over the sound of the door opening.

Professor Slughorn stopped talking and looked toward the door. "Ah, Mr. Scamander! What can I do for you this evening?"

Lily didn't stop stirring, but her eyes widened, and she quickly turned her head to see Lorcan standing in the classroom. That had been him talking? His voice was so much deeper than before. Much deeper than his brother's. And he was even bigger closer up. Lysander was still just a tad taller than him, but Lorcan looked as if he could pick Lily up and throw her. His body had really filled out, and he no longer looked scrawny. What had happened to him?

Lorcan noticed Lily's gaze, and he smiled at her, giving her a wave. "Hey, Lil." Then he looked at Slughorn. "Um, I had a question on the essay you gave to us about explaining the properties and effects of Polyjuice Potion," he said.

Professor Slughorn grinned. "Ah, yes. Well, I think your question would best be directed at Miss Potter here, my best student. I'm sure she could tell you, if she has a spare moment?"

Lily looked at her professor with surprise. "Um, sure. I guess I could tell him."

Professor Slughorn ushered Lorcan into a chair. "Ask her anything, Mr. Scamander." Then he took a seat opposite them, as if observing them.

Lily blushed a little as she sat down. She kind of felt like she was on a trial. She cleared her throat, hoping to get the lump out of it. "So, what's your question?" she asked.

Lorcan too looked a little bewildered, but he blinked rapidly and then pulled out his essay, a quill, and some ink. "Well, I was curious about the look and taste. The book said that it was different from person to person, but how are those things determined?"

Lily pushed her bangs out of her face. "Well, they say that when you add in the bit from the person you are transforming into the potion collects the essence of that person entirely. So, say there was someone that you would call a sweet person, and that their favorite color was purple. Chances are that when part of them was added to Polyjuice Potion, then the potion would turn purple and taste sweet," she explained.

"So, my favorite color is dark blue, and I've been told that I always smell like grass stains. So does that mean that if my hair was added to it, it would be dark blue and would taste like grass?" he asked.

She bit back a laugh, but Lily couldn't hold back the smile. "Hypothetically, yes."

Lorcan was scribbling down words furiously. "So, if someone perhaps had a heart of gold . . ."

"Then it might be gold in color," Lily finished.

"Awesome," Lorcan muttered with a smile. He stopped writing and smiled at me. "That was all really. Unless you know anything else about it?"

Lily grinned. "That's about all you'd need."

"I think your potion is done, Lily," Slughorn mentioned.

Lily turned her head back to her potion, and hurried to stand next to it. It had reached its correct color while it simmered, and the steam coming from the cauldron was a misty silver. She smiled at Slughorn. "And I think that it's perfect, Professor."

"Well no doubt. Wait here a moment," he told her. Then he disappeared into the storage room.

Lorcan came to stand next to her. "Is that a Draught of Peace?" he asked in surprise.

Lily nodded. "Yep. It was what Slughorn chose today."

"We did this last week. Mine was terrible, it looked all orange," Lorcan groaned. Then he looked at Lily in wonder. "I can't believe you can make this!"

Lily smiled. "Slughorn calls me a prodigy with this stuff. I've been doing stuff that sixth years have been doing since this summer," she told him.

Lorcan scratched the back of his hair. "I suck at this. I can't wait to drop it after O.W.L.s," he said with a laugh.

Lily giggled. "Don't tell Professor Slughorn that."

The two stood in silence as Lily looked at her potion. Then Lorcan spoke a little quieter. "You know, my brother is crazy about you."

Lily blushed as she glanced over at Lorcan. "Why do you say that?"

"You're all he talks about, at least to me. He hasn't stopped mention your date since it happened," Lorcan said with a chuckle.

Lily blushed even more. "Surely that's not all he talks about?"

Lorcan shook his head. "Face it, Lil. You make his heart go out of whack."

"Here we are!" Slughorn said as he waltzed back into the room. He held out two bottles, and walked over to the potion. With a wave of his wand, he filled them both. He capped them, and then handed one to Lily. "Here you are, Lily."

Lily smiled. "Thank you, sir."

With a wave of his wand, Slughorn vanished the rest of the potion. "Well, shall we continue this tomorrow evening?" he asked.

Lily nodded as she packed away her things. "Of course, sir. I'll be here right after Quidditch practice," she assured him. "I'll see you later, Professor."

"I'll walk with you," Lorcan told her. "Later, sir."

"Have a good night, you two," Slughorn told them.

The two left the classroom, and once the door had been closed, Lorcan began to talk again. "So, thanks for the help, Lil."

Lily smiled. "It was really no trouble."

Lorcan grinned. "I'm rubbish at school work. I just can't wait to get out of Hogwarts and play Quidditch professionally."

Lily rolled her eyes. Lorcan may have filled out, but his personality hadn't changed a bit. "Well, if you ever need help with Potions, just let me know. I don't mind helping."

Lorcan's eyes lit up. "Really?" He paused for a moment, and Lily sensed that he was thinking about something that he wasn't sure he should do. "Well, I'd hate to impose but do you think you could check this essay for me? I just kind of ran through it."

Lily smiled. "Sure. Let me see it."

Lorcan pulled it from his bag and handed it to her. Lily read it as they walked, noting errors as she read. "It's good, only a few mistakes. Want to know what they are?" she asked.

"What would I get if I didn't fix the mistakes?" he asked.

"Probably an A," she told him.

"Then I'll just leave it," he said with a grin. He took the bag and placed it back into his bag. "So, do you think you could help me with this class? Maybe help me with the assignments?" he asked hesitantly.

Lily shrugged. "Sure. What days do you have the class?"

"Tuesdays and Thursdays after lunch. Think you could help me after dinner?" Lorcan asked.

"Meet in the library?" Lily suggested.

He smiled. "Perfect. I'll see you then. Later, Lil!"

Lily waved as he began to jog down the hall. "Bye, Lorcan." As he left, Lily smiled and shook her head. That boy was so energetic, making him a handful. But she wouldn't mind helping him with Potions. She turned the corner, making her way to the common room. "Salazar." The wall slid aside, and Lily walked inside. It was kind of late, so only a few kids were still lazing about in the common room.

"Hey, Princess!"

Lily turned her head to see Scorpius laying across the couch. He was smirking as he waved her over. Lily strode over to him, and knocked his feet off the couch, taking a seat. Without a thought, he placed his feet on her lap. Lily let it go. "What's up?" she asked.

"I've got a date for Slughorn's party," he told her.

Lily looked at him in surprise, trying to ignore the bit of sadness she felt. "Really? This, coming from the guy who said he found most girls boring?"

Scorpius chuckled. "Well I found one that's not so bad."

"She asked you out, didn't she?" Lily assumed.

"Your point?" he laughed. Lily rolled her eyes. "Beth Crowley asked me a few hours ago, and she's not bad, so I said yeah. Then I got threatened by Amanda Baddock to not hurt her best friend."

"How is Amanda?" Lily asked. She hadn't talk to Amanda in awhile.

"Fine. She's been busy with her new classes and with Perfect duties," he told her. "Anyways, you going with Lysander?"

Lily nodded. "Yep."

"So, Lily's got a boyfriend. Hm . . . how do I feel about that?" he murmured teasingly.

She rolled her eyes. "I do not have a boyfriend."

Scorpius raised a brow. "I thought you said you were going with him to the party?"

"I am."

"But he's not your boyfriend?"

"Nope."

"So he didn't ask you to be his girlfriend?"

"Not yet."

"You want me to beat him up?"

Lily dropped her head back to rest on the couch. "No, I do not," she sighed.

"Well what kind of guy goes on a date with a great girl, and doesn't ask her to be his girlfriend?" Scorpius said in surprise.

"A lot of guys!" Lily defended. "Some people go on a few dates before making it official."

"Well if this guy knows what's good for him, he'll make it official by the end of the party," Scorpius assured.

She rolled her eyes again. "Whatever you say. I'm going to bed."

Scorpius smirked. "Kay. Night, Lily."

"Good night, Scorpius." Lily pushed his feet off of her lap, and made her way up into her dorm.

* * *

"Why won't you go to the party?" Lily asked Lola curiously. The two were on their way to Transfiguration. Jace had stuck around to eat a little more for lunch, promising to catch up with them.

"Because I'm not going to tag along with you and Lysander just to feel like a third wheel," Lola told her.

"There will be other people," Lily pointed out.

"None that I really hang out with," Lola retorted.

"Many different Slytherins. Mitch, Lars, Lana, Scorpius, Amanda, Dante, Adrian," Lily listed.

"Most of which have dates of their own," Lola said with a sigh.

"Then bring a date with you," Lily replied.

Lola's cheeks turned a little pink. "I'd rather stay back with the other girls."

"What's wrong with finding a date?" Lily asked.

"I'm really interested in any of the boys I know."

"How about Xavier? He's really cool," Lily suggested.

"Mitch's brother? I'd rather avoid the comments he would pitch when he found out," Lola muttered.

"Christian's really nice," Lily pitched.

"And is a Quidditch fanatic," Lola argued.

"Hunter's kind of cute."

"With a fiercely protective sister."

"Monty is . . ."

"An unattractive child."

"Well Jace is-,"

"Don't even finish that thought," Lola interrupted quickly.

Lily quietly groaned. "Well what kind of guy are you interested in?"

"None. Guys are way too much trouble. Plus, Bobby would just write to our older siblings, and then my brother Marty would just send a Howler to whoever my date was, and Ginger would just write about how I shouldn't throw myself at any boy. It's not worth the trouble," Lola explained with a sigh. "Besides, not every girl can get a sweet boy like Lysander."

Lily sighed. "I still wish that you would go. I'd like for Lysander to at least meet my friends. And I know he'd love to."

"Plenty of time for that, and it doesn't have to be at the party," Lola assured.

"It could be fun," Lily urged.

"So could a bath in fire, but I'm still not going to try either one," Lola retorted.

"Maybe if you bathed in fire, your looks would improve," Jace said as he ran up to them. Lola glared at him. "What are we talking about, girls?"

Lola ignored his question and shook her head. "Never finish that earlier thought, Lily. I have a galleon that says it's wrong anyways."

Lily sighed. "You may be right about that."

* * *

Lily closed her eyes as she lazily moved around the pitch on her broom. The other guys on the team were practicing shooting, so she was allowed a sort of break. Actually, Scorpius had released the Snitch for her to practice, but she'd already caught it a dozen times, so now she was just relaxing. The others hadn't seemed to mind. Dante was doing better now that he was refraining from kicking the Quaffle away from the goals. His left leg was still a little shaky, but he said that it was getting better every day, and that walking didn't hurt anymore.

There were a few people watching the practice, including Lana, Jace, Christian, Beth Crowley, Nikki Montana, and it looked like Lola had been dragged out to the pitch as well.

"Ok, guys, I want to practice on Chaser formations!" Scorpius called out. Then he looked at Lily. "Hey, Princess, how's practice going?"

Lily grinned. "Just perfect," she assured.

She heard him laugh. "Glad to hear it. Feel free to take a break," he joked.

Lily laughed too. She looked back at the stands, thinking that maybe she'd stop and talk to the others when she felt her heart beat faster at the sight she saw. Lysander was now sitting in the stands, just a bit away from the others. Without a thought, she flew toward where Lysander was sitting. At her approach, he smiled.

"Hey, Lily," he greeted.

"Hey, Ly," Lily greeted happily. She hopped off of her broom and onto the stands, where she dropped into the seat next to him. "What are you doing here?"

"I had some free time before dinner, and I have this thing for watching pretty girls fly during Slytherin practice," he told her, making her blush.

"Don't tell Tanner that, he might think you're stalking him," Lily joked.

Lysander laughed. "So, I heard that you talked to my brother the other day," he commented.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I told him that I would help him with his Potion work," she told him.

"Well I'm glad someone got through to him. I've been trying for ages," Lysander laughed.

Lily giggled as well. "Yeah, but I'm not really doing much. Just revising his work with him."

"That's a big step from where he used to be."

Lily laughed again. "So, is he going to Slughorn's party?"

Lysander nodded. "Yeah. Anything to get away from doing homework for a night."

"He got a date?"

Lysander shook his head. "Nope. He said that dating would get in the way of Quidditch practices. I don't see how that makes sense, but I leave it alone."

Lily smiled. "That sounds like him."

"I, on the other hand, am quite excited to be taking a date to the party," Lysander said with a smile and a blush.

Lily glanced down, feeling her face heat up a little. But when she looked back at him, she smiled. "So am I."

"I was wondering though, would you like me to wait for you outside your common room?" Lysander asked.

"Actually, I thought I'd just meet you in the Entrance Hall. We can walk up to Professor Slughorn's room together," Lily suggested.

Lysander shrugged. "Whatever you want. Shall we meet there at about eight then?"

She smiled. "Eight sounds perfect."

"Are any of your friends going?" he asked as he glanced over at the group watching the practice.

"The older ones are, but Lola and Jace aren't. Jace isn't a Slug Club member, and Lola doesn't want to go," Lily told him.

"So when will I get to meet the famous pair?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Soon," she assured. "When Lola isn't looking so bored."

"Can't wait," he said quietly.

"Hey, Princess! Catch the Snitch! We're almost done here!" Scorpius called out.

Lily sighed and picked up her broom. Lysander hurried to stand up as well. "Would you like me to wait for you?"

Lily smiled at the offer. "Nah, you go ahead to dinner. If I don't see you later, then I'll just see you tomorrow night at eight," she said. Her heart stuttered at the thought.

He smiled. "Ok. Then I'll see you there."

She'd hoped that he'd kiss her again, but he didn't. Instead he smiled once more before turning and trudging through the stands. Lily did her best to not look disappointed as she mounted her broom and flew across the pitch to grab the Snitch, which she'd seen dancing in the corner of her eye since she'd landed.

Since she hadn't done much at practice, she did most of the packing up, and brought the ball chest back to Madam Hooch's office while the boys began to shower. She trailed into the locker room, and changed out of her practice clothes. She hadn't been anywhere near sweating, so a shower wasn't needed. She slipped on her skirt and buttoned up her white shirt. Putting on the uniform after practice always sucked when your arms were sore. Thankfully it wasn't one of those days for her. She placed her robe into her bag, not up to wearing it. Then she slipped on her shoes and shut her locker. It was when she began to close up her bag that boys began to come trailing out.

"So, Adrian, who are you taking to Slughorn's party?" Will asked.

"Melina Stretton," Adrian replied. "One of the hotter girls of my year."

"And the easiest," Tanner joked. The other guys laughed.

But Adrian laughed with them. "And I find no reason to judge how a girl acts. I would rather embrace it."

"She'll be glad to hear that," Will laughed.

"And it'll bound to make Scarlet jealous," Lars pointed out. "No doubt she'll regret dumping you."

Adrian snapped a towel at Lars. "She didn't dump me! It was a mutual ending."

"Keep trying to convince yourself that, mate," Scorpius said with a grin.

"Well, I know that I've got the hottest date for the party," Dante bragged. "And I now know that she's crazy about me."

The guys all began to cheer and razz him. Lars grinned at his friend. "Who is it? A troll?"

The other guys laughed, but Dante just smirked. "No. It's your sister."

The rest of the team, including Lily began to laugh as Lars stared at Dante in muted shock.

"You're going out with Lana?" Tanner exclaimed.

Dante shrugged. "Hey, she's hot! Plus, she's cool and not annoying. And she did take care of my leg while I was put on a one night bed rest, so I'm hope she won't mind taking care of something else while I'm on my bed."

Lily did her best to hide her disgust while the other guys cheered. But his comment seemed to knock Lars out his stupor. Lars threw off the towel around his shoulders. "Dude, I will kill you!" And then promptly began to chase Dante around the locker room and into the showers.

"I was kidding!" they heard Dante yell.

Scorpius rolled his eyes as he slipped his tie around his neck. "What an idiot," he chuckled.

"They're your friends," Lily teased.

"And yours," he retorted. He scowled down at his tie. "Hey, Princess, can you tie this for me? I suck at it, and I forgot my wand in my bag."

"Where's your bag?" Lily asked.

"Dorm room," Scorpius told her.

Lily shook her head and smiled. "You are hopeless." But she got up and took a hold of his tie.

He smirked at her. "Why thank you, sweetheart," he said with sarcasm.

"No problem," Lily muttered as she finished the knot for his tie. She glanced up at him, finally noticing how close she was to him. She thankfully didn't blush, but she felt her blood pumping. "There you go," she said when she was finished. She moved back to her bag and put it over her shoulder, not looking at him.

"Thank you, Princess," he told her. "Need help with any of that?"

Lily looked at her bag and broom. She finally looked back at him and shook her head. "No, I've got it."

"So is Love Boy waiting outside for you?" Tanner asked her with a teasing grin.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she grinned at him too. "No, I told him to go on ahead. I'll see him tomorrow anyhow."

"Where are you two meeting up?" Will asked curiously.

"The Entrance Hall. I figured it would be easier," Lily replied.

"Are you going to introduce us?" Scorpius asked with a smirk.

"You know him," Lily retorted.

"Not officially," he said back.

"Doesn't matter. You know him," Lily insisted.

"But I think he should know," Tanner told her seriously.

Lily raised a brow. "Know about what?"

"About how you spend your lonely nights with Scor," Tanner joked.

The others began to laugh. Lily threw a towel at Tanner. "Eww, Tanner!" Inside, her body was a little warm, but she ignored it. "You are such a jerk! Now you're definitely not meeting him!"

"But what if _I_ promise to behave? Can I meet him then?" Scorpius asked with a smirk.

Lily rolled her eyes. "If you're a good boy." Then she reached up and patted his head. "But I doubt that's possible."

"Your lack of credit to me is appealing," Scorpius joked.

She just shook her head. "Anyways, I'm hungry. I'm going to drop my stuff off in the common room, and then I'll see you at dinner."

"All right. Later, Lu," Adrian said with a small wave as he pulled up his slacks.

"Yeah, see ya," Will said as he stretched.

"I'll bug you about this later," Scorpius teased.

Lily smiled. "I'll hold you to that. Later, guys."

She left the locker room, and trailed out of the pitch and up to the castle. Despite the cold breeze, it was nice outside. Even if it was the end of October. She could see smoke coming from Hagrid's hut, probably from a fire. Hagrid was probably relaxing after teaching classes all day. She walked inside the castle and immediately made her way to the dungeons to drop off her things. Then she quickly made her way to the Great Hall. She really was hungry, and she had to meet Lorcan in the library after dinner, so she wanted to eat a decent meal before going.

She found the other third years all sitting together, and noticed that there was a seat between Jace and Lola. She wondered if they'd left it there for her, or just so they wouldn't have to sit next to each other.

"Hey, Lil! Nice job at practice," Jace complimented.

"Despite that fact that I did nothing?" Lily said with a laugh.

"Even better," he joked.

Lily looked at Lola. "I was surprised that you were there," she commented.

"Lana asked me to go, so I went. She didn't want to go and watch the practice by herself, and she didn't think that Beth and Nikki would show up," Lola explained.

"Does Nikki know that Scorpius is taking Beth to Slughorn's party?" Lily asked curiously.

"Probably not," Megan replied. "Otherwise she would have made some kind of dramatic scene."

"Sounds like something she'd do," Shannon agreed.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Christian joked.

"So, since most of Slytherin House is going to Slughorn's party," Monty mentioned, "what are we going to do with ourselves?"

"Well, I'm going," Lily told him.

"Well you and Lola are the only ones of us that can," he pointed out.

"And I'm not going," Lola said.

"You should," Lily said casually.

"But I'm not," Lola said just as pleasantly.

"Either way," Izzy interrupted, "Monty's right. What are we going to do?"

Jace shrugged. "Whatever we want to."

"The sole ingredient for trouble," Lily muttered.

* * *

"Ok, so how long does it take to brew Polyjuice Potion?" Lily asked. She and Lorcan were sitting in the library, and with no assignment due, they had chosen that she would quiz him over things that were supposed to be on his O.W.L.s.

Lorcan let out a long breath, his eyes looking up, as if he was hoping he'd see the answer in his head that way. "Um . . . like two months?" His eyes were hopeful.

Lily gave him a sheepish look. "No, but close. It takes one month."

Lorcan snapped his fingers. "I knew it had something to do with the word 'month'"

Lily laughed. "All right. Now, name three examples of something about the person that you can put into the Polyjuice Potion," she told him. She kept her eyes on the book, waiting for an answer, but one never came. She looked up at him and saw that his attention was else where. "Lorcan?" she called gently. He didn't respond, so she shoved his shoulder. "Hey!"

Lorcan jumped, startled. He looked quickly at Lily. "Sorry, what?"

Lily looked at him, confused. "What were you looking at?"

"Nothing!" Lorcan said quickly.

Not believing him, Lily looked over to where his eyes had strayed. She was surprised when she saw Rose, sitting at a table with her nose in a book. She looked back at Lorcan. "Rose? I thought Lysander said that you weren't interested in dating?"

"I'm not!" Lorcan argued. "I was just spacing out."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know I don't like her, but it's ok if you do."

"I don't like Rose!" he disagreed.

"Really? So you find her repulsive?" Lily countered.

"No! I mean, she's pretty. Gorgeous, in fact. And she's a cool girl," Lorcan corrected.

"So you find her attractive, and fun to be around?" Lily questioned.

Lorcan nodded.

"That means you like her," Lily teased.

Now he rolled his eyes. "I do not."

"Really? So you've never imagined Rose more than just a friend?" she inquired.

"Exactly." But his blush and guilty look gave him away.

"You're lying," Lily accused. "I've known you long enough to tell when you're lying."

Lorcan glared. Not at her, but at the table. "I don't like her," he muttered.

"Why can't you like her? I mean, how would dating interfere with Quidditch?" Lily asked.

"Because then I'd have to make more time for her. And that would mean having a shorter practice!" Lorcan explained.

"Rose is a player too, so she knows the importance of practice," Lily told him. "I doubt she'd make you shorten your practice, especially since everyone knows how you are about Quidditch. And you could spend Hogsmeade visits together, sit with her in class, study together," Lily suggested. "Quidditch would not be affected."

"Until I have to take her out in a match," Lorcan argued.

Lily sighed as she looked back at the book. "Have Lysander do it."

"Lysander's too much of a gentleman. He'd never hit a girl player," Lorcan muttered.

"Then have one of the Chasers accidently knock her off her broom," Lily suggested.

Lorcan groaned and dropped his head into his hands. Then he lifted his head. "Hair, nails, and blood. Those are three things you can put into the potion to make it work," he muttered.

"Correct."

* * *

_"Why? So I can be a total bitch, and everyone can hate me? So I can be like you?"_

_"I don't want my sister growing up around a bunch of filthy snakes!"_

_"It hasn't even been a day, and you've already changed."_

_"You've heard the stories. You've heard what they did to our parents, what side they were on."_

_"You've got to be out of your mind! Being in that House has completely changed you, Lily!"_

_"Fine! I've lost my sister! She got put in the worst House possible! I'd rather her be a Squib! And now, I don't think I have a sister at all anymore!" _

_"Listen you little bitch! I don't give a fuck about you, so if I have to hurt you to understand, then I will."_

_"If you were smarter then you'd realize that you're a disappointment to our entire family."_

Lily awoke with a start, her eyes snapping open, and her throat tightening. She took in quick gasps of air, and felt chilled. She lifted a hand and placed it on her forehead to find a very thin sheen of cold sweat. Calming herself, Lily closed her eyes. "Damn," she muttered.

"Are you awake over there?"

Lily opened her eyes and turned her head to see Lola buttoning the last few buttons on her shirt. "Yeah, I'm up."

Lola grinned. "Good, then I won't have to throw water on you."

Lily laughed slightly, but then turned her head to look at the canopy of her bed. She let out a sigh.

"Are you all right?" Lola asked.

Lily nodded stiffly. "Yeah. Just a bad dream."

"They say bad dreams are the beginning to bad days," she heard Megan says.

Lily raised her head from her pillow to look at Megan. "Well good morning to you too, sunshine. I'm glad that you're spreading around happiness today." Megan only smirked at her. Lily just sighed again and got up from the bed.

"Sometimes it helps to talk about the dream," Lola told her.

But Lily shook her head. "Nah, don't worry. I actually don't remember anything about it." A lie. How could she forget the voices of her family, or the hatred in those voices? She just didn't want to talk about it.

"If you're sure," Lola said with hesitance.

"I am," Lily told her with a smile.

"So, moving on to a better subject, it's Halloween, which means that it's the day for Lily's second date," Megan reminded them.

"Which means that it's the day she and Lysander make it official," Shannon said with a giggle.

Lily rolled her eyes as she began to get dressed for the day. "Am I going to be bombarded when I get back to night?"

"Of course," Izzy assured her.

"What are you going to wear?" Shannon asked.

"Nothing special," Lily told her. "And I'm keeping it that way," she said before she could speak up and suggest an idea. "It's a simple party, which is supposed to be casual. I'd like to stick with that."

Shannon pouted. "Fine. But can I play with your hair before you leave?"

Lily sighed. "Fine, fine." Shannon squealed with excitement.

"I can't believe that Lana is going out with my brother. I mean, I love my brother, but he's a dork and an idiot," Megan said with distaste.

"All sisters think that," Lola told her.

"I don't," Shannon argued. "I think my brother is a great guy, and that he's way too good for Melina Stretton."

"What's wrong with Melina?" Izzy asked.

"Besides that fact that she's a whore?" Shannon asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah, besides that," Lily joked.

Shannon sighed. "Nothing. There's nothing more to her personality than that."

* * *

Lily sighed in boredom as she sat in Charms class. They were working on Hover Charm revisions, and Lily had already finished with her revisions. Lola was overworking on hers, and Jace was struggling through his, leaving her no one to talk to. And when you added in the Gryffindors in the room, it just made her bored and irritated. She pointed her wand at her quill.

"Wingardium Leviosa," Lily muttered. The quill lifted off of the table and floated above her. She placed a different paper in front of her, and then made the quill dip itself in ink, and then began to move it above the paper, making shapes and doing her best to write words.

"Bored?" Jace whispered.

"Completely," Lily muttered back. "Thank Merlin that this is the last class of the day."

"Eager for tonight?" Jace teased.

Lily smiled and rolled her eyes. "Yes, but it's not that. It's just not a good day today."

"It'll get better as the night goes on," Jace assured.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, you're right." But Megan's words from this morning kept popping into her head.

"_They say bad dreams are the beginning to bad days."_

Surely that was just a superstition. She'd had nightmares as a kid, and that never ended in a bad day. Then again, she had her father to chase those dreams away. Who did she have now? No one.

When class ended, Lily took her time getting her things together. Lola and Jace waited, a looking at her with careful curiosity. Catching their faces, Lily raised a brow. "What?" she asked.

"Are you ok?" Lola asked. "You seem kind of . . . off."

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm fine," she told them as she stepped around the table to leave the room.

"Are you sure?" Jace asked as they caught up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just been a boring day is all," Lily assured.

"Positive?" Lola checked.

Lily gave a small laugh. "I'm fine, really. Just waiting for dinner to end so that I can meet Lysander," she told them. But they both still looked unsure.

"If you say so," Jace said. After those words, they walked down to the Great Hall in silence. They took a spot near the middle of the table and sat down. Jace quickly began to pile food onto his plate, Lola filled her plate but not as eagerly, and Lily only barely added thing to her plate. Her stomach was feeling, as Lola had said, off. She just didn't feel really hungry.

"Hide me!" Lily turned to see Scorpius moving to take a seat next to her, and ducking his head.

"From what?" Jace asked.

"Beth," Scorpius muttered.

"What did you do?" Lola asked immediately.

"It's not me, it's her!" Scorpius argued.

"What did _she_ do?" Lily asked.

"She won't let me breathe!" Scorpius exclaimed. "I had to practically pry her lips off of me!"

The other three instantly began to laugh. "What?" Lily asked.

"How is that a bad thing?" Jace questioned.

Scorpius scratched the back of his neck. "I didn't say it was bad. I'd just like to be able to take a breath."

"Then why did you agree to go out with her?" Lola asked.

"I didn't know she planned on sucking my face down her throat," Scorpius replied as he began to make a plate of his own. He looked down at Lily's plate, which was practically empty. And she hadn't even taken a bite yet. "Aren't you hungry?"

Lily shrugged. "Not really. I figure that I will be by the time of the party, though."

"She's been weird all day," Lola told him.

Lightly, Lily kicked her leg under the table. But Lola didn't even flinch. Scorpius looked at Lily with interest. "Are you all right?"

"Just fine," Lily said with a sigh of her own.

"If you say so," Scorpius told her, leaving it at that. Lily was quite thankful.

Some of the others joined them soon, laughing when Scorpius told them about Beth practically attacking him. They all continued to talk, but Lily spoke rarely. Her mind kept playing back to the nightmare she'd had. Usually she forgot her dreams, but this one was still in her mind. The others didn't really seem to notice her unusual silence, except for Lola, who kept throwing her odd looks. But there was finally a topic that caught Lily's attention.

"So, has anyone else felt like hexing Potter today?" Scorpius asked. "He's been even more annoying than usual."

"I've been urged to do it a couple of times actually," Lana agreed.

"You'd think his freaking birthday was a national holiday," Lars grumbled.

Lily scoffed. "More like a worldwide disaster," she muttered, making all the others laughed. She had completely forgotten about today being James's birthday. Maybe that explains her dream. Perhaps it was just an omen to remind her of the tragedy that was known as her brother's birthday.

"What's worse is that we're going to have to deal with him tonight," Dante said with a groan, his arm thrown around Lana's shoulders. "Of course he has to go to Slughorn's party to flash around the reason for this dreadful day's bad weather."

"What a prick," Lana said with a sigh.

Lily tried not to show her internal nerves. James would be there tonight? On his birthday? What happened to those big parties that Gryffindor supposedly threw him? Maybe Megan was right. Maybe her dream had been the sign of a bad day.

Lily pushed her seat away from the table. "I'm full. I'll see you guys in the common room," she told them.

"Are you feeling ok?" Lola asked as Lily stood up.

"Yeah, you haven't said much at all, Lu," Dante added.

Lily just shook her head. "I'm fine. I'm just going to check on my potion before I get ready," she told them. Perhaps that would take her mind off of the dread she was feeling. She grabbed her bag and walked away from the table. She took a glance at the Ravenclaw table, trying to find Lysander, but he was lost in the sea of faces. So she left the Great Hall and made her way down the dungeons. But when she did check on her potion, she found that her potion didn't really need attending to. Nothing that would take more than a couple of minutes, five at the most. So she decided to grab her outfit, and walked into the bathroom. She took a shower, a longer one than usual. It relaxed her body, although her mind was still reeling. Once she had finished, she dried her hair with her wand, not in the mood for her damp hair making her skin cool. She dressed, choosing a skirt and a green top. She left her hair, remembering her promise to Shannon. But since she didn't hear the other girls come into the dorm room, she looked at herself in the mirror.

The others had been right. She did look a little off. Not really bored or upset . . . just . . . she didn't even know how to describe it to herself. It was her eyes that seemed really different. Her eyes showed how tense she was inside.

There was a knock at the bathroom door. "Lily? Can I do your hair now?"

Lily opened the door to see Shannon practically bouncing on her toes. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Shannon grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her bed. "Ok, sit here." Lily saw a few things on the bed already, so she made sure not to sit on anything. Shannon moved to sit behind her, and Lily soon felt fingers on her hair. "Your hair is really soft," Shannon commented.

Lily raised a brow, even though Shannon couldn't see it. "Um . . . thanks."

"You need to get used to taking compliments," Shannon told her. "After all, you're bound to get tons of them tonight. I'm sure Lysander will give you hundreds, and the others will throw them at you too."

"So, a bunch of people are going to come and tell me my hair is soft?" Lily joked.

She couldn't see, but she was sure that Shannon rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, yeah," Lily muttered. The other girls came in soon, all talking about their plans for the night. Lily stayed quiet and listened, not wanting to focus on the night ahead of her. She still felt odd about it. When Shannon finished with her hair, Lily didn't immediately leave. It was close to eight, but not to where she'd have to run. So she took her time putting on her shoes, and said a few goodbyes to the girls before she finally did leave the room. The common room was practically empty, only a few kids sitting around. Lily was sure that everyone else was already making their way to the party. Lily left the common room and walked through the dungeons, suddenly unsure if she should really go to the party. But she couldn't just ditch Lysander. When she ascended the stairs into the Entrance Hall, Lily saw that there were a few others milling about, but she also caught sight of Lysander for the first time that day. He was sitting on the stairs, wearing a blue button up shirt, and light grey pants. His normally messy blonde hair was smoothed down straight, reaching almost past his eyes. Lily quickly made her way over to him, her thoughts cleared of how bad this night could be.

Lysander saw her coming, and quickly stood up. He smiled brightly, his cheeks a little pink. "Hey, Lily. You look great," he complimented, his cheeks becoming even pinker.

Lily blushed a little as well. "So do you. I didn't know your hair was that long." She reached out and brushed a bit away from his eyes.

Lysander's own hand reached up to touch his hair. "Neither did I. But when Nadia found out that I was taking a date at practice yesterday, she demanded that I fix my hair," he said with a laugh.

Lily smiled. "It looks nice."

"Thank," he said. Then he sighed. "Well, shall we go?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Let's."

The two began to walk up the stairs in silence. Lily wished he'd say something. Now in the silence, her thoughts about the dream and James's birthday were coming back. But Lysander didn't say a thing. He seemed to enjoy their silence.

"Hey, Ly, Lil! Wait up!"

Lily almost sighed in relief. The two stopped to wait as Lorcan jogged to catch up to them. Lorcan was never one for silence. "Hey, Lorcan," Lily greeted.

Lorcan smiled. "Hey, Lil. How's it going?"

"It's been a good day," Lily lied.

"Glad to hear that. And, your tutoring has really helped me," Lorcan told her. "I actually got an E on my last assignment. So thanks!"

Lily laughed. "It's no problem."

"But Lorcan's never gotten an E in Potions before," Lysander joked.

But Lorcan didn't seem to care. "I know, it's a first. I never thought that studying for the class ahead of time would help me."

The three continued to talk as they made their way to Slughorn's quarters. They saw a few other students that were also making their way to the party. The door to his room was open, and Lily could see a bunch of people in there. Surely the room had to have been expanded to fit everyone.

Lorcan grinned when they walked in there. "Well, I'll see you two later. I see some delicious looking food to the left."

Lily rolled her eyes while Lysander chuckled. But Lorcan trotted off to the table. "Hey, Princess!" Lily turned her head to see who had yelled. She could see Scorpius, Beth, Lana, Dante, and Lars sitting at a table. Scorpius was waving her over.

Lily turned to look at Lysander. "Would you like to meet a couple of my friends?"

Lysander smiled. "I'd love to."

Lily grabbed his hand and led him over to the table. There were three chairs left at the table, so Lily had the feeling that they had expected her to introduce them from the beginning. She stopped at the table. "Lysander, this is Scorpius, Beth, Lana, Dante, and Lars. Guys, this is Lysander," Lily introduced as she took a seat next to Scorpius.

Lysander smiled at them all. "It's nice to meet you guys," he said as he took the seat on Lily's other side.

"Right back at ya, dude," Dante told him.

"Where's Mitch?" Lily asked curiously.

"Wooing your cousin over there," Lana said. Lily glanced at where she pointed and saw Mitch talking with Dominique again. "I don't know who to feel bad for in that situation," she muttered.

"That's what I said," Scorpius said with a laugh.

Lily looked at the seat next to Lars. "Who's that seat for?"

"Lars's date. She had to use the bathroom," Lana muttered.

Lars rolled his eyes. "She has a name," he told her.

"Who is it?" Lily asked.

"Victoria Martin," Lars told her.

"From Ravenclaw?" Lysander asked curiously.

"That's the one," Lars said with a grin.

"Sorry if she's a friend of yours, Lysander, but the girl's a twit!" Lana said to her brother.

Lysander only chuckled. Lars rolled his eyes. "Chill, sis. Just ignore her."

"Ah! My favorite student has finally arrived!" Slughorn exclaimed as he strode over to their table. "How are you, Lily?" he asked.

Lily turned in her chair and smiled at him. "Just fine, Professor. And yourself?"

"Just smashing," he said joyfully. "There's someone here I want to introduce you to. Come along."

Lily sighed and stood up. "I'll be back in a moment."

Scorpius grinned. "No worries. We'll keep Lysander company."

"Just keep Tanner away from him," Lily joked, thinking of what he'd said at practice. Then she turned to follow Slughorn through the crowd. He led her to two older men that were talking. They were probably her father's age, or at least close.

"Boys, this is the girl I was talking about," Slughorn told them when they came close to them. "This is Lily Potter. Lily, this is Michael Corner and Terry Boot. They are former students of mine. Both excellent at potions. You might know one of their kids," he introduced.

Lily smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"Lily Potter? Harry's daughter?" Michael asked.

Lily tried not to look annoyed. "Yes, that's me."

"Ah! I thought you looked familiar. We went to school with your parents. You look an awful lot like your mother," Terry told her.

Lily gave a forced smile. "Thank you."

"So, Horace here tells us that you're excellent at potions," Michael commented.

Lily shrugged. "I guess."

"She's been doing work that you two did in your sixth year," Slughorn bragged. "Best Potion student I've ever had."

Both men looked impressed. "Really?" Terry said. "That's quite shocking. You don't hear of that often. I don't think any of my colleagues could have even tried that at your age."

"Yes, Terry is a potioneer," Slughorn told her.

"Really?" Lily said with interest. "That must be fascinating work."

Now Terry shrugged. "It's not bad. Supports the family, that's what matters. I think Michael's got the better job."

Michael grinned. "I work as an Auror with your father. I'd thought I'd recognized you from somewhere when Slughorn was bringing you over."

Lily tried to think of when she'd seen this man, but she'd been to her father's office so many times that she couldn't really distinguish one Auror from the other. "I'm sorry, but I can't remember seeing you. I've seen so many faces when I visit him," she apologized.

The two men laughed. "That's all right," Michael told her. "It takes time to remember all of us. I had a hell of time trying to put names and faces together."

Lily smiled, and glanced back at where the others were sitting. "Well, it was lovely meeting you guys, but I think I might want to get back to my friends," she told them. She would have said date, but after learning that Michael was an Auror, she didn't want it getting back to her father.

"Of course. You go and have fun," the two men urged.

Lily smiled at Slughorn. "I'll see you around, Professor."

"Yes. Have a great night, Lily," he told her with a proud smiled.

Lily nodded and made her way back to the table. The others were all laughing, and it seemed that Lars's date had returned. She sat down between Scorpius and Lysander. "What have I missed?" she asked.

"Nothing much," Scorpius told her. "Just Dante bugging Lars."

"What did Slughorn want?" Dante asked.

"To introduce me to two of his former students that were very good at Potions," Lily told them.

"As good as you?" Lysander asked.

"No," Lily said with a laugh. "But one of them works for my father now."

"Oh, how fun!" Dante joked.

"Did you tell him you had a date?" Scorpius asked with a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't be an ass," she told him. "And no. I had the bad feeling that it would get back to my father."

"You think your dad wouldn't like you dating me?" Lysander asked with a small grin.

"No, I don't think my dad would like me dating anyone," she corrected. "I'm just trying to avoid an interrogation at Christmas."

"That's good, because I think my family is going to the Burrow for Christmas this year," Lysander told her.

"Really?" Lily asked.

He shrugged. "Well, that's what my parents have been suggesting. I think your mum and my mum have been talking about it for a while now."

"Well, at least Christmas won't suck as bad," Lily said with a laugh.

"At least you don't have to get all dressed up and go to the Malfoys' for a fancy Christmas dinner," Lars grumbled.

"Yeah, that dinner sucks," Scorpius agreed with a sigh.

"What's so bad about it?" Lily asked.

"Formal wear, adults being boring, and lack of fun," Lana listed.

"What are we talking about?" Mitch asked as he dragged a chair over to their table, making a spot between Dante and Lars.

"Christmas at Malfoy Manor," Dante told him.

"Oh, it sucks," Mitch said immediately.

Lily looked at Mitch, noting his goofy grin, messy hair, and wrinkled shirt. "Good evening so far, Mitch?"

Mitch grinned even more. "Your cousin is wild!"

Lily gagged. "I don't need to know that. That's the last thing I want to hear about Dominique."

"Yeah, if you're going to shag her, please don't tell us," Beth said with grossed out face.

Mitch shrugged. "I'll just brag when you girls aren't here."

"Thank you!" the girls exclaimed.

Mitch dropped his elbows onto the table and leaned toward Lily. "So, Lil, can you invite me over on Christmas Eve?"

Lily raised a brow. "Why? So you can have sex with my cousin?"

Mitch laughed. "Well I wasn't thinking that far ahead, but sounds good to me. Will ya?"

Lily scoffed. "Have Dominique invite you. And don't expect privacy. That word's not real in the Weasley family."

He laughed again. "I don't mind an audience."

"Mitch!" Beth scolded, reaching over to smack his arm.

"You're an idiot, man," Dante said with a chuckle.

"Oh, shit," Lars said with a sigh.

"What?" Scorpius asked.

"I see trouble coming in," Lars told them. They all looked toward the door to see James coming in with his arm around some girl, with Albus and a few of the other cousins following him in.

"Talk about oncoming disaster," Dante muttered as he glared at the group. "I ought to kill Potter."

"I already got dibs," Lily told him.

Lysander stood up. "I'll be back in a moment. I haven't told James happy birthday yet." Lily watched as he walked away and toward her family.

"I can't believe he's friends with that jackass," Lars muttered in disgust.

Lily sighed. "He knows James's an ass. He's just better at ignoring it," she said.

"He's got amazing abilities then," Dante replied.

"Think they know he's with you?" Lana asked.

Lily shrugged. "Hell if I know. They haven't said anything to me, but then again, we don't talk much."

"I doubt they know," Scorpius told them. "I don't think James would be smiling and laughing with Lysander if he knew about the two of you."

Lily glanced over at her family, who all seemed happy to have Lysander among them. "You've got a point."

* * *

As the night went on, Lily found herself able to relax more. It seemed that her family was avoiding her, which worked well for her. She was able to move around, talk with other, and able to be around Lysander without hearing a word from her family. She found Lorcan by the food again, but he was talking to Rose, so she stayed away from their conversation.

"So, I was thinking that on the next Hogsmeade trip, we could hang out with your other friends," Lysander suggested. He and Lily were standing near a corner of the room, talking to each other away from others.

Lily raised a brow. "Really? Because they're a handful."

Lysander shrugged. "It sounds fun to me. I mean, if I can put up with Lorcan, I think I can put up with anybody."

Lily laughed. "Well, you've got a point. Just be ready for a fight."

"You think they'd pick a fight with me?" he asked.

"No, but they'll pick one with each other," she joked.

"Hey, hey!" Scorpius said as he hurried over to the two of them. "Can I borrow Lily for a moment?"

Lily looked at him with a raised brow. "How about you asked _her_?"

Lysander laughed. "I was about to get a drink anyway. You want one, Lily?"

Lily smiled. "Sure."

"I'm taking her back to the table," Scorpius told him. He grabbed her wrist and began to pull her along.

"What is it?" Lily demanded.

"Just sit," Scorpius told her. Lily did as he said, and looked at him, expecting. He simply sighed. "I just wanted a moment where Beth wasn't clinging to me, so I told her I had to talk to you about something important, and I'm sure she's watching us now," he muttered.

Lily held back from laughing, but not from grinning. "Regretting agreeing to a date?"

"Hardly," he said sarcastically.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't two little snakes!"

Both Scorpius and Lily tensed. They both turned their heads to glare at James. His arm was still around that girl from earlier, and Albus was still trailing behind him. Rose was there as well, but she looked as if she longed to be with someone else.

"What the hell do you want?" Scorpius hissed.

James gave a look of mock disappointment. "What? Not going to wish me a happy birthday?"

"I would but that would contradict my personal wish," Lily snapped.

James only laughed patronizingly. "Well how unfortunate for me, because I don't think I can live with myself anymore," he mocked.

"What's going on here?"

Lily tensed even more when she turned her head to see that Lysander had come to join them, two cups in his hand. He handed one to Lily. James looked at the exchange in confusion. "What are you doing, Ly?"

Lysander sat down. "Getting a drink for my date. Why?"

James's face turned to one of surprise and mild horror. "This is your date? You're taking out a snake? You'd do better with Squib, dude!"

Lily froze, but Scorpius shot up from his chair, making it fall with a crash. "Take it back!" he hissed.

"What's the problem here?" Slughorn demanded. The scene had grabbed quite a bit of attention. Lily couldn't get herself to move.

"Nothing, Professor," Lysander assured.

"Nothing my foot!" Scorpius growled. He turned on Lysander. "Why aren't you defending her?"

"Wait, wait!" Slughorn intervened before Lysander could even open his mouth. "Let's either stop now or settle this somewhere else."

Lily finally moved, and stood up from her chair. "I think I'll go somewhere else," she mumbled. "I'll see you tomorrow, Professor." She didn't give anyone a chance to say anything before she'd stormed out of the room, walking quickly down the hall.

"Lily!" Lily didn't stop walking at the sound of Lysander's call. But she could still hear his footsteps. "Lily, wait!"

"Just go back to the party, Lysander," she told him between her teeth.

He must have caught up with her, because she felt a hand grab her arm and turn her around. Lysander was looking at her with a confused face. "What's wrong, Lily?"

"Just go!" she told him. "Just go back to the party and be around someone that won't make you a social pariah," she snapped.

"Lily, I don't care-,"

"Just stay away from me!" Lily shrieked. She tore her arm out of his grasp and jogged away from him. She didn't hear his footsteps this time, but she didn't stop jogging until she was two hallways away. From there she walked briskly through the corridors, trying to find a place to be alone. With a quick thought, she ran up to the Astronomy Tower, remembering that there were no Astronomy classes tonight. When she was there, she shivered. The air was warm, but the breeze that whipped by her was cold. She moved to the edge and sat down, throwing her feet over the ledge. Then she wrapped her arms around her, and looked out at the grounds below her.

She was right all along. She should have trusted her feelings and avoided the party. She should have avoided Lysander. How could she think that James wouldn't do something like that? Of course James would begin to hate Lysander too. He hated anyone associated with her. She couldn't be the reason Lysander lost some of his friends. She couldn't do that to him.

"Princess?"

Lily closed her eyes, letting out an annoyed sigh. "What are you doing here, Scorpius?" she snapped softly.

"Acting as your white knight," he replied from behind her.

"You're not wearing white," she mumbled.

"Then I'm coming as your black knight. Either way," he said as he moved to sit next to her, "I'm coming to make sure that you're ok."

Lily turned her head away from him. "I'm fine," she muttered.

"Then why'd you run out? Why not stay and defend yourself?"

"I didn't want to ostracize Lysander. I should have known that being with me would mean losing his friends," Lily sighed.

"He's a dick and a pushover for not defending you," Scorpius told her. "He should have told James to fuck off."

"He's too nice," Lily whispered.

"Then he doesn't care enough," Scorpius growled. "He's a crappy boyfriend."

"He was never my boyfriend. And it doesn't matter. I've told him to stay away from me," Lily replied.

"I didn't mean to stop being friends with him," Scorpius amended.

"Being around me just makes practically everyone hate you," Lily retorted. "I can't ruin his social life just because I have a crush on him."

She heard him sigh. "I hate other people."

"It doesn't matter," she repeated. "Besides, it's not like we would have lasted forever. Our relationship would have ended eventually."

"That's true. Mine only lasted to tonight," Scorpius replied.

"And he always made it about me," Lily replied. "I mean, that's sweet, but then it's a little annoying. I mean, he never even suggested introducing me to his friends."

"It does have to be equal."

"And to top it off, he took me to Madam Puttifoot's for a first date. That alone is a ridiculous idea if you're taking me out," Lily said with disgust.

"That's a dumb place to take any awesome girl," Scorpius agreed. "That place is dreadful."

"Awful," Lily said with a small laugh.

"It looks like cupid threw up in there," Scorpius joked.

Lily sighed as she finally turned her head to look at him. He was looking up at the sky, the moonlight making his eyes look more like silver. His hair hadn't fixed to look nicer. In fact, his hair was a mess with the wind. It was blown around his head, ruffled across his forehead. And he was so tall, at least a head taller than she was. Not even up to blushing, Lily only sighed again. She moved to lean her head against his shoulder, but he moved his arm around her comfortingly, letting head rest on his side.

"He's not worth the sadness, Princess," Scorpius whispered. "Not if he's not willing to fight for ya. Whether it's against James, or you."


	28. And Down Goes Potter, Broom And All

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, we're getting closer to the Christmas holidays, and there's sure to be a bit of drama. And, sadly, I'll be going back to school soon, so my updates may not be as quick. But, I promise to do my best to keep them coming as fast as I can. But, anyway, drop a review and vote on my poll, and enjoy the chapter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty-Eight: And Down Goes Potter, Broom And All

After the party and the 'breakup', if that's what it was, Lily and Scorpius had left the topic of Lysander alone. Lily only told the girls the basics, but refused to go into detail. Some of the girls had insisted on hearing the whole story, but Lola made them shut up. Jace had asked one question about her night, and had said nothing more about it.

"I can't believe that you are just doing that now!" Lola exclaimed. "Potions starts in less than twenty minutes, and that essay is due today!"

They were all at breakfast, and Jace was rushing to write a Potions essay that he'd been putting off. Lily was trying not to laugh as she drank her pumpkin juice.

"Just shut up, Dirty! I can do this!" Jace assured, talking as quickly as he was writing.

"Here comes the mail," Christian mentioned.

Lily didn't look up, but instead focused on eating. But since she didn't pay attention to the owls, she didn't see the three that dropped the letters in front of her. Lily ran a hand through her hair, paid the _Daily Prophet_ owl, and looked at the letters. One from Teddy, one from her dad, and one from . . .

"Again?" Lily sighed.

"Another note from Lysander?" Lola asked.

Lily nodded, and avoided looking at the Ravenclaw table. She knew Lysander was looking at her. He'd been sending her notes every day since the party. And like always, Lily tore the note in half and avoided his gaze. "I'm waiting for him to quit,"she said with a sigh.

"He will eventually," Jace assured.

"Who are the other letters from?" Lola asked.

"Teddy and my dad," Lily answered. But she didn't read the letters. Instead she picked up the _Daily Prophet_ and flipped through the pages. One caught her attention. "Hey, guys, look at this."

"_DEMENTORS IN AZKABAN AGAIN?_

_By Rita Skeeter_

_News has gotten out that problems have arisen inside the prison of Azkaban, and that security is getting shaky. An Auror on guard was attacked two days ago by a crazed inmate. No word was given as to how the man escaped his cell. Head Auror, Harry Potter, assures that the criminal was put into a tighter cell, and that nothing like this will happen again. But how can we trust this man when he couldn't even tell us that security was down? Now, rumor has it that there is talk of bringing back Dementors to keep the prisoners in line and in their cells. But shouldn't the people get a say in this? What do you think, faithful readers?"_

Lily folded up the paper and dropped it onto the table. "What a bitch," she muttered to herself.

"What's up?" Jace asked.

"Rita Skeeter's ramping up to another smear campaign," Lily explained.

"Who this time?" Lola inquired.

"My dad," Lily replied. She picked up the letter from her father.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I heard from a colleague of mine that a fight broke out between you and your brother James on Halloween. Honestly, I'm getting a bit tired of hearing about these fights. I'm sure I once told you that if you couldn't say something nice, then to say nothing at all. Please try to take this advice. I know your brother can be a bit proud, but you just have to ignore it. And if I hear about another fight between you and one of your brothers, then you are all in big trouble. Got it? I'm writing to your brothers too. Be good, Princess._

_Love,_

_Daddy"_

Lily crumpled up the letter in her fist and then dropped it into an empty class. Then she lit it on fire, which slowly died as the paper burnt.

"Who was that from?" Lola asked as she looked at the burning paper.

"Dad," Lily said shortly. She grabbed Teddy's letter.

"_Dear Lil,_

_Sorry I haven't written to you in awhile. The baby's fine, and so is Victoire. Her check up went well. We've decided to wait and just tell everyone at Christmas, so keep the secret until then, kay? Oh, and I asked Victoire about the kid that you mentioned in your last letter, Duncan Chapman. She said that she didn't know him, but she also doesn't work on that floor. But if you would like to visit him over Christmas break, she'd gladly take you to work with her. And speaking of Christmas, what do you want for a gift? With my mind so boggled by the whole baby thing, I can't really think of what to get as gifts for people. Please help me and let me know what you want._

_Love ya sis,_

_Teddy"_

Lily smiled at this letter. She'd have to write a reply during her break today. But, what did she want for Christmas?

"Done!" Jace exclaimed, holding his paper up high in pride. "My crappy explanation Girding Potions is complete! Time for a piece of victory toast."

"You've earned it," Lily said with a laugh, handing him hers.

"Thank you," he said with a laugh of his own.

"You are an idiot," Lola muttered toward him.

He just looked at her with raised brows. "I fail to see your point."

* * *

Lily sat Divination and tried not to fall asleep. The air in the room was heavy and thick, Trelawney's voice was droning, and she'd just drunk an entire cup of tea in two drinks. She glanced over at Jace to see his eyes closed.

"Ok, class, now look into your partner's cup, and look at what you see," Trelawney told them.

Lily kicked Jace's leg, waking him instantly. "What'd I miss?" he asked groggily.

"We're supposed to look into each other's cups and see whatever the hell it is we're supposed to see," she told him. "Page five for symbols."

Jace yawned as he opened his book. Lily switched cups and looked at the dregs in the bottom of Jace's. "What's gunna happen to me?" he asked.

Lily's brow furrowed in confusion. She just saw a clump of dregs. She looked at her book. "Well, it's just a big clump. Maybe that means a boulder will fall on your head and kill you," she joked.

Jace laughed too. "Your's is like a ring around the bottom. I can't even make something up about it," he told her.

"Let me see the cup, my dear," Trelawney said, taking the cup from Jace. Lily instantly tensed, getting herself ready to keep from laughing. "Oh, no, this is not good," Trelawney murmured.

Jace was holding his hand to his mouth, so Lily took charge. "What is it, Professor?" she asked shakily.

"I see great danger in this cup, dear girl," she warned.

"What kind of danger?" Lily questioned.

"It's a cycle of continual suffering. Just when you think it will stop, it will start up again. Never ending," Trelawney murmured.

Jace dropped his head onto the table, his shoulders shaking visibly. Lily momentarily bit her lip. "Well, don't I have just the worst luck?" she joked lightly.

Trelawney set down the cup, and left to bother one of the other tables. Finally, both Lily and Jace began to quietly laugh.

"What a bunch of crap!" Jace said between laughs.

Once the class ended, the two went down to the common room to take a few seats on the couch. Lola joined them soon, claiming that she wanted to get a start on an essay for Ancient Ruins. Lily started on a letter to Teddy.

"_Dear Teddy,_

_I'm glad to hear that Victoire and the baby are doing good. Tell Vic thanks, and that I'd be totally grateful if she would take me to work with her. As for a Christmas gift, I haven't really thought about what I would want as a gift. Just pick out clothes are something, I know Victoire loves doing that. Just stay away from socks._

_I was wondering if Dad has said anything to you about me and the idiots lately? I got a letter from him, and he didn't sound very happy. He's making this whole fight seem like it's my fault. Like I'm the one going up and saying things to James and Albus's faces. Has he said anything?_

_Love you tons,_

_Lily"_

Lily sighed and dropped her head back onto the couch. Jace looked over at her. "What's up, Lil?"

Lily glanced at him, but shook her head. "Nothing. Want to go to the Owlery with me?"

"Sure, let's go. Later, Dirty," Jace said with a smile.

"We'll see you in class, Lola," Lily told her.

"Later, Lily," Lola said, not looking up from her paper. Lily and Jace walked out of the common room.

"So who are writing?" Jace asked.

"Teddy. He wrote me this morning, so I decided to write back," Lily told him. "He wanted to know what I want for Christmas."

"Which is?" Jace inquired.

"I have no idea," Lily laughed. "I don't even really want to go home for Christmas."

"Well, I get why," Jace said, "but you usually still do. Why the hesitance now?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. My dad seems mad at me. I just don't want to deal with it. Especially when it's not really my fault."

"Understandable," Jace agreed. "So . . . does your dad know about Lysander?"

Lily bit her lip. "I don't think so. He hasn't said anything, and I haven't told anyone at home. Unless one of the others said something, I don't see why anyone would know."

"Are you gunna tell them?" Jace asked.

"Nope. Now that it's over, I don't see a reason to," she replied easily. She sighed. "So, what are you doing for Christmas?"

He shrugged. "Same as always, nothing. I wake up, get gifts, and then go to my grandparents' house and spend the rest of the day there," he explained.

"Sounds exciting," Lily joked.

"I've always thought so," Jace said with a laugh. "I've sometimes thought about staying here instead, but my grandparents are always looking forward to my visit, so I go home."

"That's nice of you," Lily said with a smile.

Jace blushed a little. "Well, they're old, so I figure it's the least I could do."

When the two reached the Owlery, Lily whistled softly. Regal immediately flew down, his wings still fluttering as he landed on Lily's shoulder. Lily folded up her letter and held it up to him. Regal took it in his beak. "Take this to Teddy. Make sure he gives you a snack before you fly back," she told him, stroking his wing.

Regal took off, flying out of the Owlery and disappearing in the distance. Lily turned and smiled at Jace, but when she looked at him, he was looking at the floor. "What's up?" she asked.

Jace let out a sigh as he scratched the back of his neck. "Um, there's something I've been wanting to do."

"What?" Lily asked hesitantly.

Jace's cheeks were turning completely pink. "Well, Lily, you're an awesome friend. Like, the coolest girl I know."

"Jace," Lily warned.

"And," he interrupted, "I like our friendship. In fact, I want it to stay that way."

Lily still wasn't trusting of where this was going. "But?"

"But . . . well, Lil, you're really . . . cute," he spit out.

Lily fidgeted where she stood, a little flattered, but also uncomfortable. "Thanks, Jace, but -,"

"So I've been wanting to kiss you for a few months now," Jace told her.

Now she really was uncomfortable. "Jace, you're a great friend too, and I don't want to ruin that. And after what I just went through romance is the last thing on my mind."

Jace shook his head. "No, no, I completely agree with you. That's why I was thinking we could just kiss, and I could get it out of my system. Then we can never do or speak of it again," he suggested.

Lily looked at him, unsure. "You really think that would help?"

He nodded. "If not, then I'll deal, but I do think it would help. Because, no offense, but I don't want anything romantic with you."

Lily sighed. "Well, I guess we could try that."

Jace looked at her with surprise. "Really? Great, thanks." Then he paused. "Um . . . well, I've never kissed a girl, so I'm not sure how to go about it," he trailed off.

Lily held back a giggle, not wanting to laugh at him. She stepped forward and pressed her lips against his in a simple kiss. She could feel his frozen surprise through her own lips, but then felt him slowly begin to kiss back. She pulled her lips away from his and looked at him. His face was dumbstruck, as if he couldn't believe what he'd done. Now Lily did giggle. "Feel better?"

Jace shook his head, his hair flowing around his face as he did. Then he cleared his throat. "Wow. That would have gone a lot better if you'd been bad at that," he muttered. Lily laughed again, and he grinned. "But, I do feel a bit better, yes. I think I can now focus on a conversation and not watch your lips when you talk."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well I'm glad that's all settled then."

Jace laughed. "Not as glad as I am."

* * *

"So, at tomorrow's practice, I think we're going to work on team formations again," Scorpius told the others as they sat down at dinner. Practice had just finished, and they were all showered, hungry, and ready to go to sleep.

"Guys!" Mitch exclaimed as he jogged down to the end of the table where they sat. "I've got awesome news!" He took a seat next to Adrian.

"What's up, Mitch?" Lars asked.

Mitch grinned. "You all are looking at a no longer single guy."

"The poor girl," Lily muttered.

Mitch didn't stop grinning. "Well that poor girl is your cousin."

Lily looked at Mitch with a raised brow. "Dominique?" Mitch nodded. "Oh. Well then poor you."

Mitch scoffed. "Your cousin is hot! And she's awesome!"

"So you are Dominique Weasley's boyfriend? You poor sap," Adrian laughed. The others laughed too. Dominique had gained a reputation for having very short relationships. And from the sound of it, they were always guys that the family would hate. The type of guys that her father would kill.

"You know, once she gets every good gift you have to offer, which isn't much, she's going to dump you," Dante pointed out.

Mitch shrugged. "Hey, at least I'm still getting some. More than you dicks get."

Adrian scoffed. "Really? I've gotten laid every night since that party," he bragged.

Lily tried not to groan. This was the downfall of being on a team full of boys. "Excuse me," she told them, "I'm going to throw up."

Tanner chuckled as she stood up. "Are we making you uncomfortable, Lu?"

Lily shook her head with a fake smile. "No, I just don't feel like listening to you guys talk about how much sex you have. Because that's a lot silence between you, virgin," she mocked.

The rest of the guys laughed and jeered as Tanner bowed his head in defeat. Lily laughed as well and walked away from them.

* * *

Lily pulled on her arm guards, the last part of her uniform to put on. Her broom was leaning against her open locker, and she was just itching to start the game. Today would be the day that the other teams would find out about the team's new addition. People were already worried about Lily's broom, but they would soon find that it wasn't just Lily with the new broom.

"All right, guys, remember," Scorpius told them. "Take out Potter, and rush Hugo Boy. Got it?"

"Got it, Captain," Lars assured.

"What you say goes, cuz," Tanner agreed.

"Got your brooms?" Scorpius asked.

"Got 'em," Adrian replied. "Just relax."

"And, Lil," Scorpius address, "I want to get a good lead first, so if you see the Snitch, don't go for it. But if you see Potter going for it, then just grab it, ok?"

"You got it, Scor," Lily told him.

"All right. Are we ready then?" Scorpius asked.

"Let me fix my laces, and then we are," Will told him.

"Hurry your ass up," Tanner joked.

"Only if you kiss it first," Will muttered.

"Excited for your first real game, Tanner?" Adrian asked with a grin.

Tanner grinned as well. "Totally. A few nerves, but I can't wait to play."

"Good attitude," Scorpius told him.

"All right," Will exclaimed, jumping up, "I'm ready! Let's do this!"

"All right, let's get out there!" Scorpius commanded.

* * *

"And Weasley scored again!" Meredith cheered to the crowd. "That makes the score seventy to ninety, Gryffindor in the lead!"

Lily tried no to groan. They'd been playing for almost an hour, and the game was going slow. And they were losing! James had really worked on their defense, and it was hard for the Slytherin Chasers to get past them. But Lily had been right about rushing Hugo. He caught a lot less attempts when all the Chasers flew at him.

When the team had come out, Lily had thought that the Gryffindor team was going to have a heart attack at the sight of their brooms. Albus almost forgot to mount his own broom he was so distracted. But even with the added speed, the Gryffindor Chasers were on their game, intercepting passes, making excellent scores, and showing great teamwork. They'd taken a few Bludgers, but it hadn't really hurt them at all.

"Malfoy has the Quaffle, but the Gryffindor Chasers are on his tail. Malfoy's now flanked by Flint and Nott, keeping guard. Rose Weasley comes up on the left, and . . . Oh! Flint kicks Weasley away, sending her and her broom spiraling down!"

Lily glanced down to see Rose, still on her broom, spinning toward the grass.

"Malfoy gets to the goals, he throws the Quaffle and . . . makes it! Weasley misses another attempt. Ten points to Slytherin."

"Lars!" Lily heard Scorpius yell. "Drastic measures! Use the last resort!"

Lily looked over at where Scorpius was in confusion. What was the last resort?

"Looks like Malfoy's getting a little irritated, and Goyle now looks as if he's on a mission. News is that Rose Weasley won't be returning for a few more minutes. Hugo Weasley throws the Quaffle to Lucy Weasley, who weaves through Nott and Malfoy. She passes it to Potter, who brushes past Flint. He's halfway down the field, and it looks like Goyle's gearing up to hit a Bludger . . . Foul play!" Meredith complained.

A whistle blew, but Lily let out a shocked laugh. Lars hadn't been aiming to hit a Bludger, but instead snapped his bat into the side of James's head. The Quaffle dropped, as did James.

"Payback for my leg, Potter!" Dante yelled from the goals.

"Gryffindor ball!" Madam Hooch called.

"And after that disgusting display, Lucy Weasley steps up to take the foul shot. Until Rose Weasley returns, she is the only remaining Chaser for the Gryffindor team," Meredith said with a groan.

Lily took the time to watch as Lucy zoomed toward the goals, and threw it at the goals. Dante swerved over, and kicked the ball away toward Scorpius, who in turn caught it and shot toward the opposite side of the pitch.

"It looks like the Gryffindor Beaters will need to really pick up the slack," Meredith announced. "And Rose Weasley seems to be returning to the game as James Potter is being taken off of it. But Malfoy passes the Quaffle to Flint, who in turn takes the shot . . . and he scores! That's another ten points to Slytherin."

The game continued, and Gryffindor started to lag without their captain. But they stayed strong. Marsha Finnigan took out Tanner, knocking him in the shoulder with a fast-moving Bludger. Apparently, she'd knocked loose quite a few of his arm bones, and he needed to be taken to Madam Pomfrey. Rose seemed to be ok, but Lily noticed that she was a bit slower. But as time kept going, there was no sight of the Snitch. Lily began to wonder if it really had been released. And when the game reached over two hours, she prayed that it would just come out into sight.

"And Nott makes the shot, making the game two hundred and forty to three hundred and sixty, Slytherin still in the lead," Meredith said with a sigh.

Lily ascended higher above the pitch, wanting to get a high perspective. Apparently Albus had watched her, because he was shooting up toward her . . . and the past her.

"Could it be? Albus Potter as seen the Snitch!" Meredith cheered.

Lily quickly flew up, seeing what Albus had seen once she'd turned. The small golden glint up in the clouds. She easily passed Albus, her broom surpassing his immensely. But as she got higher, the wind got rougher. It was strong enough that she could feel the strain on her broom as she kept herself straight. Looking back, Lily could see that Albus's broom wasn't having such luck. The Snitch was zigzagging across her sight, and the sun was blinding her. Lily reached out her hand, but then the Snitch dropped. Lily followed it, going into a nosedive.

"Lily Potter's getting close to the Snitch, and Albus Potter is behind her. The Snitch is diving at a fast pace."

Lily kept her hand out as she and the Snitch dropped. She feared that the Snitch would be going for the grass, but it leveled out, and began to zigzag again. Lily kept snatching at it, but only caught air. People in the stands were cheering and yelling as the two Seekers flew around the pitch. Lily kept on the Snitch, and noticed that it was heading for the stands, and she knew that she was going to crash if she kept going forward as the Snitch did. As the stands got closer, Lily leaned forward. Her palm touched the cool metal, and she closed her fingers around the Snitch. When it was safely in her hand, her body slammed into the wood paneling of the stands, sending a shockwave through her body. It stung, but she was glad to find that it was bearable.

"And Lily Potter has caught the Snitch! Slytherin wins with five hundred and ten points!" Meredith announced, not sounding very happy at all.

Lily smiled as she moved her broom to the ground. Her shoulder and head were aching from their collision with the wall. She stepped off her broom and was pulled into a hug by Scorpius. Lily felt herself blush against her will as she felt the muscles of his arm around her, and the strength in his chest.

"Great job, Princess," he whispered in her ear. She was thankful for the whisper, because the loud noise from the crowd was making her head throb. "How do you feel?"

"My head's killing me," she muttered.

"Let's get you out of this noise then," Scorpius urged. He kept his arm around her, his palm against her back as he led her toward the Slytherin locker room. She could see the rest of the guys going there as well, all of them cheering and jumping in excitement. "You took a bit of a nasty hit. Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"

She wanted to shake her head, but she was afraid it would hurt more than it already was, so she just sighed. "Maybe later. I feel gross, so I'd like to shower."

"Need help?" he teased.

Despite her blush, Lily rolled her eyes. "About as much as you do."

"Well, I don't need help, but I'd greatly appreciate it," he joked.

Lily couldn't help but smile. "Keep dreaming."

"There's the smile I was aiming for. You just won us the game, be happy!" he cheered quietly.

"I am happy. It's just taking awhile to sink in," Lily replied.

Scorpius opened the locker room door for her, so Lily quickly stepped in. Once the door was closed, the noise from the crowd disappeared . . . and was replaced with the noise from the other boys.

"That was an awesome catch, Lu!" Dante cheered.

"Amazing!"

"Nice job taking out Potter, Lars!"

"Hey!" Scorpius called loudly. Lily flinched, so he gave her an apologetic look. But the other boys quieted down. "Everyone shut up. Lily's head's hurting after that crash. Quiet down."

"Sorry, Lu," Dante whispered.

Lily just waved it off. "It's fine," she mumbled.

Scorpius moved to step around her. "I'll walk you to the Hospital Wing when you're ready," he told her.

Lily nodded, and then moved to her locker and grabbed her clothes. Her arm hurt as she moved it, but she'd had worse, so she grabbed a towel and made her way to the girls' showers. She put aside her clothes and towel and began to pull off her sweaty clothes, and threw them into the hamper. She kept the shower short, washing off the sweat and the smell that Quidditch left on her skin and in her hair. Then she dried off and redressed, taking extra care with her arm. She threw the towel into the hamper and then walked into the locker room. The boys weren't there, letting Lily believe that they were still showering. She slipped on her shoes and tied them, and then closed her locker. She sat on a bench, waiting for Scorpius to reappear.

"Nice job, Lil," Adrian whispered as he walked in. His hair was soaked, so he'd placed a towel around his neck and kept his shirt off.

"Thanks, Adrian," she said back.

"Scorp was the last in the shower, so he might be a bit longer," Adrian warned.

Lily closed her eyes and leaned back against the lockers. "Ok."

Adrian was right, as Scorpius was the last one out, and Will and Lars had already left to check on Tanner.

"Are you ready, Princess?" Scorpius asked.

Lily pushed away from the lockers gently to sit up. "Yeah."

Scorpius held out his hand, so Lily took it. He pulled her easily, not wanting to jostle her roughly. "Then let's get you out of here. We can see how Tanner's doing, too."

"We'll be there in a few," Dante told them.

"Come on, Princess," Scorpius urged. He placed his arm around her again, keeping his palm flat on her back. With her head making her groggy and unfocused, she couldn't muster up a blush. She just felt like falling. So she dropped her head onto his shoulder. To make it easier, Scorpius moved his arm to rest around her shoulders, letting her head rest on him.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Tired," Lily mumbled.

"Let's hope you feel better, because you know there's going to be a victory party," Scorpius told her.

"I know," she sighed.

The two walked in silence the rest of the way to the Hospital Wing. When they went inside, they saw that thanks to the game, there were quite a few people there. Most of the Gryffindor team, and five others, was sitting around one bed, and Lily could see Will and Lars talking with Tanner, whose arm was completely wrapped.

"Ah, Miss Potter, what's wrong with you?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she rushed over.

"She hit her head and shoulder pretty hard in a crash," Scorpius explained.

"Well, come on over, we'll take a look." Madam Pomfrey waved Lily and Scorpius to an unoccupied bed, and Lily moved to sit on it. "All right, now which arm?"

Lily moved her right one, flinching at the sting. "This one," she muttered.

"Take off your jacket then, let's get a look," Pomfrey instructed.

Carefully, Lily slid off the sleeves of her jacket, letting it fall back onto the bed. She took a look at her arm and flinched again. "That can't be good," she heard Scorpius mumble.

"Oh, yes, we'll need to take care of that," Pomfrey told them. She got up and went off to a cabinet.

Lily took a long look at her arm. From her shoulder to her elbow, the skin was almost completely bruised. It was quite nasty. "That's gross," she muttered.

"You've got some pain tolerance, Lil," Scorpius complimented. He grabbed a chair and pulled it to the bed and sat down.

"Here we go, Miss Potter." Madam Pomfrey came back over, holding a small cup with a pale green liquid. "Drink all of this, and that bruise will disappear. It will take time, but it will leave."

"What about my head?" Lily asked as she took the cup.

Madam Pomfrey grabbed her chin and turned her head to get a look at the left side. "Hmm. Well, there is a bit of discoloration. Probably the beginning of a bruise. That potion should also get rid of it. But if it doesn't leave by tomorrow night, then come back here."

"What about the throbbing inside my head?" Lily inquired.

"Stay here," Pomfrey told her, then she left again. Lily sighed, and brought the cup to her lips. Tilting her head, she gulped down the drink, trying not to gag at the taste.

"That's nasty," Lily complained.

"How long do you think that bruise will be there?" Scorpius asked.

"Probably through part of tomorrow. It is pretty bad," Lily said. She looked at him. "Looks like you've got a bruise as well." It was true. She could see a bruise forming on his cheek.

Scorpius scowled. "Really? Where?"

Lily reached out her hand and gently touched his cheek. "Right here." She pulled her hand back.

Scorpius touched it as well. "Does it look bad?"

"Nah. It's not that bad. Does it hurt?" Lily asked.

He shook his head. "No, I don't even feel it. I must have taken an elbow during the game," he replied.

"This should take away the headache," Madam Pomfrey told her as she held out a cup. "Drink up."

Lily took the cup and looked inside. It was a dark yellow color. Almost kind of orange. Lily quickly took the drink, and did gag. The liquid was thick and gooey, sticking in her mouth. It took her a few tries to get it down. Once her throat was empty, she began to cough. "What was that?" she demanded.

"I never said it would be good tasting," Pomfrey replied.

"Um, how is Tanner Zabini?" Scorpius asked, glancing over at his cousin.

"Mr. Zabini is fine. He'll be staying here, taking care of his arm. But he'll be just fine tomorrow," Madam Pomfrey told them. "Now, Miss Potter, just stay here a moment, until that throbbing goes away."

Scorpius stood up and looked at her. "I'm going to go talk to Tanner. I'll be back in a minute."

Lily grinned. "I'll meet you over there." Scorpius smirked and walked off to where Tanner's bed was. Lily sighed, and she looked around. From where she sat, she could see where James was. He seemed to be sleeping. Everyone around his was sitting, waiting for him to wake up probably. Around his forehead were bandages. "Um, Madam Pomfrey?"

Madam Pomfrey looked at Lily curiously. "What is it?"

Lily cleared her throat and spoke quietly. "How is James Potter?"

Madam Pomfrey glanced over at James's bed as well. "He took a nasty hit. A concussion at the least, a lot of bruising, and some external bleeding from the fall. He'll be in here for a couple of days probably," she explained. Then she was moving toward James's bed, leaving Lily sitting there. She began to take off the bandages, and once she had, everyone around his bed made some kind of noise of horror or despair. Lily wished she could see what had happened. But she turned her head and looked down at her hands. Gently, she tilted her head, but found that it wasn't painful. The throbbing seemed to have disappeared. So she slid of the bed, grabbed her jacket, and made her way over to where Tanner was. The rest of the team had shown up, so they were a bit loud.

"I can't believe you're going to miss the party," she heard Dante complain.

"I'll be at the next one," Tanner assured.

"You played an awesome game though, dude," Adrian complimented.

"Not as good as Lars," Tanner said with a laugh.

"Lars made the play of the day!" Will said with a laugh. Lily knew they were talking about taking out James.

"How are you feeling, Tanner?" Lily asked as she moved to stand between Dante and Lars.

Tanner grinned. "Not too bad." He turned his head to look at her, and then his eyes widened in surprise. "Damn, Lu! What happened?"

She soon gained the attention of the others, except for Scorpius. "Damn," Dante muttered.

"Oh, shit," Adrian whispered.

"She crashed into the stands when she caught the Snitch," Scorpius told him.

Tanner hissed in sympathy. "Damn, and I thought my arm looked bad."

"It does," Lily joked. "After all, I don't have to stay here tonight."

Tanner scoffed. "Now, that's crap. Your arm looks much worse than mine did. You couldn't even tell I had an injury."

"Yeah, you should totally be allowed out," Lars said with a roll of his eyes. "I mean, knocking some of your bones loose isn't that bad!" he said mockingly.

"Shut up," Tanner muttered with a laugh.


	29. Too Much Drama For One Break

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Ok, so I was able to fit all of the Christmas drama into one chapter. I hope you all like it. Leave a review and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Too Much Drama For One Break

The rest of November went by quickly, and without incident. Lily's arm healed nicely over the night, but the one on her face hadn't. But since it never hurt, she ignored it, and declined going to the Hospital Wing. Tanner had been let out the day after the game, his arm as good as new. James was kept in there for a week. Everyone had expected James to be after revenge against Lars, but he didn't even go near Lars. In fact, he stayed away from all Slytherins. It made Lily trust him even less.

Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had their match, which Lily couldn't help but go and watch. Hufflepuff had pulled out an amazing victory, winning the game with four hundred and ten points, leaving Ravenclaw with only two hundred and sixty. But the score wasn't Lily's main focus. She couldn't stop her eyes from following Lysander as he moved around in the sky.

December came, and as time went, Lily soon found herself packing to go home for Christmas. And she then found herself on the train, sitting with Jace and Lola.

"Man, I am so happy to be going home," Jace said with a sigh. "I mean, it'll be boring, but at least I won't have any homework." With another sigh, he took a big bite off of his Chocolate Frog.

"I'm not," Lola muttered. "My siblings are so annoying."

"Yours doesn't have crap on mine," Lily replied. "I'm just hoping that they'll continue to avoid me. And if my dad really did write to them too, then I'm sure they will."

"Hey, guys," Scorpius greeted as he stepped into their compartment. "How's it going?"

"Not bad," Jace said, holding out a Chocolate Frog. "Why aren't you with the others?"

"Mitch went off to snog Dominique, and Dante and Lana are being disgusting, and since she's practically my sister it's even worse. And the other guys are talking about Quidditch, so I thought it would be much more exciting to come and see my favorite girl," Scorpius said with a grin. He opened the frog and then tossed the card to Jace as he sat down.

"Well I'm flattered," Jace joked.

"As you should be," Scorpius said with a laugh.

The ride continued, and soon they found themselves at King's Cross. The four stood up to get their things. Scorpius grabbed Lily's bag, pulling it down from the overhead compartment. He held it out to her. "Here, Princess."

Lily gave him a small and thankful smile. "Thanks."

The four got off the train, and found themselves amongst the sea of reuniting families. Lola spotted hers immediately, giving Lily a hug and the boys a wave goodbye, before running off to greet them.

Scorpius smirked at the two third years. "Well, I see my family. I'll see you two later."

"Yeah, later, man," Jace told him.

Scorpius turned to Lily and gave her a hug. "Take care, Princess."

"You too," Lily said as she pulled away from the hug.

He walked away, leaving Lily and Jace standing there by themselves. Lily felt slightly awkward. They hadn't been alone together since the kiss. She wondered if he'd say anything.

But Jace only grinned. "Well, I guess I'll see you on the train ride back."

Lily nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I'll see you then."

Almost hesitantly, Jace gave her a short and slightly off, hug. Then he pulled back quickly, and gave a small wave goodbye. Lily stepped away and began walking to where her family usually waited for them all to get off. She found the mass of red hair and loud voices near the exit. Teddy was the first to see her.

"Lily!" he exclaimed. When she was close enough, he wrapped her into a hug, lifting her off the ground.

"Nice to see you too, Teddy," Lily said with a laugh.

Teddy put her back on the ground. Then he apparently got a good look at her face. "Wow! Look at that bruise!"

Lily looked at him in surprise. She'd forgotten all about it. "Oh! Yeah, I took a hit during the last Quidditch game. Nothing big."

Then her mother pulled her into a quick hug. "Are you sure you're ok, honey? It looks like it might hurt."

But Lily just smiled. "Really, it's fine. The only reason I haven't gone to Madam Pomfrey is because it doesn't hurt."

But Ginny didn't look completely assured. "If you're sure," she murmured.

Lily then hugged her dad. "Hi, Daddy," she whispered.

"Hey, princess. You listened to what I said in that letter?" Harry whispered.

Lily felt her stomach churn. She wanted to argue. To say that none of it was her fault. But instead she gulped back every angry word she had and choked out her reply. "Yeah."

Then the families were walking out off the platform, talking of how they would all see each other at the Burrow on Christmas Eve. Then Lily followed her parents to the Apparition point.

"You didn't take the car?" James asked.

"Your father and I were having lunch before we came to get you," Ginny told them, running a hand over James's hair.

"So, we'll be apparating you kids home," Harry said with a smile. "So, grab on." He held out his arm, which Albus grabbed. As he held out his other, Lily moved and took her mother's arm and avoided her father's eyes. James was the one to take their father's other arm. Without a word, Lily felt herself being sucked through the air. She landed on the carpeted floor of the living room, and stumbled forward, her hand letting go of her mother. Ginny grabbed Lily's shoulder, keeping her on her feet.

"Thanks, Mum," Lily said with a sigh.

"No problem, honey," Ginny told her. Lily pulled her shoulder away from her mother's grasp, and began to head for the stairs, pulling her bag with her. She made it upstairs quickly, and dropped her bag onto the floor of her room. She kicked the door shut and locked it. Then she began to take things out of her bag, putting things back where they should be. Then she dropped onto her bed, unsure of what to do. It was getting dark outside, so she was sure that dinner would be ready soon . . . but part of her really didn't want to go outside of her room. She didn't want deal with the glares from Albus, stern looks from her dad, and she didn't want to have to look at the pink scar on James's head that was taking forever to disappear. A knock soon sounded on her door.

"I'll come to dinner in a minute," Lily called out.

She heard the lock click, and the door opened. She turned around to see Teddy poke his head in. "I'm not here to discuss dinner. May I still come in?"

Lily grinned. She rolled onto her stomach, laying her face onto her pillow. "Lock the door once you're in."

She heard the door close and the lock sound. Then she felt weight on the edge of her bed. "Is locking doors a new habit of yours?"

Lily sat up on her bed and looked at her favorite brother. He'd reverted away from his usual look to his original look. His mousy brown hair fell into his eyes, which were a light grey. And his smile was warm as he looked at her. "Just a hobby," Lily joked.

Teddy sighed as he fell onto his back. Lily fell back onto her stomach. "What I came to talk about is your letter. Why do you ask if your father has mentioned anything?"

Lily let out a breath into her pillow. "Because, he sent a letter talking about how he was getting sick of my and the boys' fighting. He made it sound as if I go up to them and start talking trash in their faces. James started that fight on Halloween. I had planned to avoid him," Lily defended.

"And I believe you," Teddy assured. "But your dad hasn't said anything to me about it."

Lily closed her eyes and rested her cheek on her pillow. "Oh. Thanks anyway."

"Is that why you've locked yourself in here?" Teddy asked.

"No, I just don't want to risk being around the boys," Lily muttered.

"Well, if you're worrying about your dad hating how you three fight, I'm not sure this will help," Teddy told her.

"Sure it will. If I lock myself into my room, then we can't fight," Lily explained.

"I think what he wants is for you three to get along better."

"Well, life sucks. He should know that."

Teddy didn't say anything else, so the two laid in a silence. But Lily didn't like how their conversation had ended. "So, are you staying for dinner?"

"Yeah. Victoire's going to be eating at her parents' house with her brother and sister," Teddy told her. "But, how have you been?"

"Promise not to tell anyone?" Lily asked.

"You have my word."

"Well, I went on a date with Lysander."

"Scamander?" She could hear the surprise in his voice.

"Yeah. And we went to Slughorn's party, too," Lily told him.

"So, you two are dating?" he asked.

"No. I basically told him to stay away from me, and I've avoided him since." Lily felt a bit of sadness as she recounted the events in her head.

"Why would you do that?" Teddy questioned. She could feel him shift his position, and she was sure he was trying to get a look at her expression.

"He's too nice. He wants to be with me and be friends with the others. That's impossible. I wasn't going to have him end up being a social pariah just because of me. Besides, we wouldn't have lasted anyway. I'm only thirteen," Lily reasoned.

She heard him sigh. "Lily, you can't let other people's reactions choose what you do or how you live your life. You need to do what makes you happy."

"I am happy," she muttered, although she knew it wasn't completely true. She _was_ happy . . . when she wasn't around her family. When she wasn't around them, it was easier to forget about them.

"I think you just need to haul off and hit your brothers," Teddy told her. She could tell he was smiling.

Lily laughed lightly. "I already did hit Albus. And a friend of mine threw James into the lake."

Teddy laughed too. Then they heard a voice calling. "Kids! Dinner!"

He sighed. "Well, let's go eat." He patted her shoulder.

Lily moved to get up, and she saw him opening the door. "Yeah, I am a little hungry."

"Oh, and, Lily," Teddy spoke as they left her room, "Victoire says that if you want, she'll take you to work with her the day after tomorrow."

Lily smiled brightly as she turned to look at him. "That would be perfect!"

Looks like she was going shopping tomorrow.

* * *

Lily held on tightly to Victoire's arm as they apparated into St. Mungo's. But they were in a different room instead of the waiting room that Lily had been expecting. It looked like a locker room of sorts.

"Where . . .," Lily trailed off as she looked around.

"This is where us Healers dress and keep our things," Victoire explained. "I apparate in here because it's quicker. If you want, you can go to whatever level your friend is on."

Lily smiled. "Thanks, Vic. Oh, and I'm excited to hear about the baby."

Victoire smiled as well, only hers made her glow. "Teddy told you? I'm glad, because I've been dying to say this to someone. I am so excited!"

Lily laughed. "I like the idea of being an aunt."

"You think the others will be as happy?" Victoire asked, her teeth scraping along her bottom lip.

Lily gave her an assuring look. "They'll be so happy that they'll burst."

Victoire smiled again, and pulled Lily into a hug. "Thanks, Lily."

"No problem, Vic. I'll see you later," Lily told her.

"I'll come find you," Victoire told her.

Lily left the room, and immediately went to the lift. There was nobody else there, so she went to the second floor alone. She stepped off of the lift and moved down the hall, looking for a certain room number. Finally, she found it.

_234._

Looking down at the wrapped present in her hand, Lily took in a deep breath. Then she slowly opened the door and peaked her head in. Duncan didn't look at her, so she stepped in fully. She closed the door and then stepped closer to the bed. The blanket was pulled up to his chin, and his mouth was open, and Lily could hear him pulling in small breaths. He was asleep. Lily sighed, and placed the present onto the bedside table, and then pulled up a chair so she could sit down and wait.

The door opened again, and Lily turned to see a Healer walking in. It was the same from last time . . . what was his name?

The man smiled. "Hello. You're Lily, correct?"

Lily smiled lightly. "Yeah. I'm surprised you remember me."

The man laughed. "Duncan hasn't stopped talking about his new friend. He's told all of us about you, his family included. He was so excited that he had a new friend."

Lily felt a surge of emotion run through her veins. "Really?"

"Really. I'm Gordon, by the way, incase you don't remember," Gordon told her.

"Well, nice to meet you," Lily said. She watched as he came over to the bed, and picked up a few papers on the table the other side. Lily hesitated, but then took the risk. "How is he doing?"

Gordon sighed, which scared Lily. "Not good. His legs aren't reappearing, and his arm is getting worse."

Lily felt her heart pound harder in fear. "What do you mean?"

"See for yourself," he murmured. He pulled the blanket back gently, and Lily gasped. His arm, which had been so discolored the last time she came, was now translucent. She could see the bed through his arm.

"It's going to disappear soon, isn't it," she whispered.

Gordon tucked the blanket back into place. "That's what it looks like. We're estimating that it'll disappear within two weeks time." He looked over the papers, put them down, and gave Lily a half smile. "We're working every day. I'm sure we'll figure it out." But Lily didn't believe his words, and she was sure that he didn't either. Duncan was slowly disappearing from them.

* * *

After sitting alone in Duncan's room for almost twenty minutes, Lily felt that she had to get up and move. So she went to the fifth floor and got a cup of hot chocolate. It was hot down her throat, and the taste danced across her tongue. It was soothing, but it didn't make her stop thinking about the possibility of Duncan lacking a future. With her cup, she walked down the stairs to the second floor, taking her time. But when she opened his door, she found that he was sitting up, rubbing his eyes. So she smiled.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Lily teased.

Duncan blinked rapidly as he turned his head to look at her. When he caught sight of her, he smiled. "Lily! You really came!"

Lily giggled as she moved to sit down in the chair. "Of course I did! I promised I would."

Duncan giggled excitedly. "I'm really glad you came." The blanket fell, and Lily could see the translucent arm again. It made her glance down at the blanket that hid his legs, and Lily's stomach flopped at the thought of how they were no longer visible.

Lily pulled up a brave smile. "Well, the reason I came is because I have a surprise for you." Then she took the present off of the table and held it out to him. "Happy Christmas, Duncan."

Duncan gasped in surprise as he took the gift. "Wow! Thanks, Lily!"

"Open it," she urged.

Duncan quickly began to rip off the paper, his face bright with excitement. Then his eyes caught sight of what was beneath the paper. "Wow! Thanks, Lily!" He held up the book that Lily had picked out for, _Hogwarts, A History_. With his desire to go to Hogwarts, she was sure he'd love it. "It's perfect!"

Lily smiled. "I thought since you couldn't go there, I could bring part of it to you," she told him. "And, I also brought you this." She reached for her jacket and pulled a Chocolate Frog from the pocket. She held it out to him.

Duncan took it with an even brighter smile. "Thanks, Lily! These are the best gifts I've ever gotten!"

Lily blushed a little. "You're very welcome, Duncan. You are my friend, how could I not get you a gift."

Suddenly, Duncan looked a little upset when he looked at her. "Well, you're my friend, . . . but I didn't get you anything."

Lily felt a little tug at her heart. How could she expect this little boy to give her anything when he didn't have much at all? So she just kept smiling. "Duncan, as long as you smile when I visit, you're always giving me a gift."

Duncan looked down at the gifts Lily had given him. Then he looked up at her and smiled. "Ok. Then whenever you see me, I'll be smiling!"

* * *

"So, what are you getting me?" Lola asked with a grin. The two girls were in Diagon Alley, buying presents for their friends together. And to avoid getting the wrong gift, the girls decided to buy each others gifts together as well.

Lily smiled. "Whatever you want. Just tell me when you see it," she told her.

"Well, no worries while we're in this store," Lola muttered. The two girls had stopped in Quality Quidditch Supplies. "Why are we here?" she asked.

"Because Lars really needs some better arm guards. His are almost shredded. That, and he keeps horrible care of his broom, so I thought I'd get him a polishing kit," Lily told her.

"You buy the polishing kit, I'll get the arm guards," Lola suggested.

Lily shrugged. "Perfect. Know what kind to get."

"Ah . . . no. Help me?" Lola pleaded.

Lily laughed. "Sure, come on."

Ten minutes later, the two girls were leaving the store, another bag to add to their collection, which was resting with someone else.

"Teddy!" Lily called. Teddy turned his head from the store window he was looking into and walked over. He had several bags in hands.

"Got more for me to carry?" he asked with a chuckle. Remembering that it was Teddy's day off, she'd been able to rope him into coming shopping with the girls, mainly to carry their things. With one puppy dog look, Teddy couldn't say no.

Lily held out the bag. "Only one."

Teddy took it, placing it into another, bigger, bag. "No problem. Ok, we've been to like ten shops. Are we done?"

"Almost," Lola told him. "We just have to buy each other gifts, and Lily has to get one for Scorpius."

"You still haven't gotten him one?" Teddy asked incredulously.

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's got to be a good one. He always gets me something great, so I can't just get him _anything_!"

Teddy rolled his eyes this time. "Well I'm sure he's not picky."

"Let's just go," Lily urged.

Teddy nodded. "Where to?"

Lola looked at Lily. "Well, Lil, what do you want?"

Lily bit her lip as she thought. "Well, I do need a different potion book. The one I've got is good, but I've already gone through it a dozen times."

"So, Flourish and Blotts," Lola suggested.

Lily grinned. "Actually, why don't I meet you there? I think I have an idea for Scorpius's present."

Lola shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

"Wait!" Teddy interrupted. "Who am I going with?"

"Go with Lola," Lily told him. "You can help her pick out a book. You know me well enough."

Teddy nodded. "All right. And this way we can talk about you behind your back," he joked.

Lola giggled. "Sounds like a plan."

Lily rolled her eyes again. "Whatever. You both love me," she replied.

"Usually," Lola teased.

Lily just stuck her tongue out at them. "I'll see you two in a bit."

"See you then," Teddy told her.

Lily moved past the other two, and walked toward a store that had caught her eye. Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment. She pushed open the door to see that there weren't many people in the store, and only one man behind the counter. She moved further into the store and began to look at the different things on the shelves. There were many different things, telescopes, books, different quills, and various other things. Then she found something interesting. It was a studded bracelet, but the tag was what caught her attention.

"_A shield that fits on your wrist! This bracelet will protect you from any and all minor jinxes and hexes, insuring your absolute safety from those irritating foes."_

Lily picked the bracelet up. It was obviously something for a kid at school, but that's what Scorpius was. And since James and Albus had habits of picking fights with him . . .

Lily brought the bracelet to the counter. "I'll take it."

Lily had a very small bag this time as she walked into Flourish and Blotts. She could see Teddy's bright green hair on the second floor, so she began to walk up the stairs. They were both looking at a shelf, and Lola was running her fingers over a dozen book spines.

"Find one, yet?" Lily asked.

Lola and Teddy turned to look at her. Teddy grinned. "Yes, thanks to my knowledge of all that is you."

Lola rolled his eyes. "Teddy found one that only someone of age can buy, so he was sure that you would love it."

Lily smiled. "He's right. I would."

Lola laughed. "Good, because I already gave him the money, and he already bought it." She pulled a book out of a bag and held it out to her. "Happy Christmas, Lil."

Lily took the book and examined it. _Potions of Life and Death_. "Thank you, Lola," she said, placing the book back into the bag. Then she handed her new bag to Teddy.

"What did you find?" Lola asked.

"A bracelet that wards off hexes and jinks. I thought Scorpius would find some use of it," Lily replied.

"He does get into a lot of fights," Lola agreed.

"Decided what you want?" Lily asked as they began to leave the store.

"No," Lola muttered with a sigh.

"Well, you always talk about wanting to dye your hair so that it's one simple color," Lily suggested.

Lola looked as if she were really considering it. "That's not a bad idea. Maybe then the idiot will shut his mouth."

"So, is that what you want?" Lily asked.

Lola smiled. "Sure."

"Then off to find your present," Lily said with a smile.

* * *

Lily sat on the floor of the Burrow's sitting room, her back against the arm of the couch. It was Christmas Eve, and she was dreadfully bored. She'd sent her friends' gifts, and had received the gifts from them. But her grandmother had refused to let any of the kids open the presents their friends sent them. So she was sitting there, avoiding the others, who were all sitting around the room, talking loudly and laughing. She hated it when her grandmother demanded that they all 'play' together.

"Hey, Lil," Louis greeted with a sigh. Lily looked up at him. He was sitting on the couch, and he looked really spaced out.

"Hey, Louis. What's up? I haven't seen you all year practically," Lily asked.

Louis didn't look at her, but he shrugged. "Sorry. I've had a lot on my mind."

"Like what? Something wrong?" Lily wondered.

Louis scowled, but he didn't look angry. Just thoughtful. "Kind of . . . but I don't want to talk about it."

Lily sighed. "Are you sure? I mean, you always let me vent, so the least I could do is listen to you."

Louis's eyes scanned the people in the room. "Well, I don't want to talk about it here."

"Wanna go for a walk?" Lily suggested.

Louis finally looked at her, and gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Lil."

Lily smiled back. "No problem. Come on."

Louis stood up. "I'll tell the adults where we're going."

Lily nodded, and moved to slip on her shoes and coat. Louis soon came back into the room and put on his jacket and shoes as well. Lily wrapped her scarf around her neck, and Louis pulled on his hat. He opened the door. "Ladies first."

Lily giggled. "Why thank you." She walked out into the cold and the snow. Louis followed her, and the two began to trudge through the snow.

"So, I heard about you and Lysander," Louis mentioned.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really? How?"

Louis chuckled. "He's in my House, remember? He came to talk to me about you."

Lily tried not to scoff. "Well, don't let him bug you."

"He doesn't," Louis assured. "But, are you ok?"

Lily waved it off. "I'm fine. I'm a little sad that it's over, but I think that it's best." Then she looked at him. "But, enough trying to sidetrack me. What's up with you?"

Louis stopped walking, so Lily stopped as well. He looked out onto the horizon, that thoughtful scowl making a reappearance. "Lil, do you ever feel like . . . like there's something wrong with you?"

Lily looked at him weirdly. "What are you getting at, Louis?"

He closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. "I think that there's something . . . different about me. Not wrong, but . . . different."

"Like what?" Lily asked. She was beginning to get worried. Was he sick? Her thoughts traveled to Duncan. Surely . . . surely Louis would have said something earlier.

He opened his eyes, but he still didn't look at her. "Lil . . ." his voice trailed off.

"You're not . . . sick, are you?" Lily asked hesitantly.

Louis shook his head, and Lily felt relief flood through her. "No, I'm not sick."

"Then what is it?" Lily questioned gently.

Louis tilted his head back, a large gush of air leaving his lungs. "Lily, I'm gay."

Lily stared at Louis in a stunned silence. Gay? What did she say now? "Um, . . . wow," she muttered.

Louis nodded, finally looking at her. "Yeah, I know."

"Louis, are you sure?" Lily asked. "I mean, that's quite a statement for a fourteen-year-old."

"Fifteen," he corrected. "My birthday passed, remember?"

"Ok, fifteen," Lily replied. "I mean, that's still young. Are you sure?"

Louis blew out a breath. "Look, Lil, if you can't accept it-,"

"No!" Lily exclaimed. "No, it's not that! If you are, then I completely support you. I just want to make sure that you're positive about this."

He sighed. "Lily, there's a guy that I'm attracted to. Physically and romantically," he told her.

"Oh," Lily murmured. "Yeah, that would make you think that."

Louis scoffed. "Tell me about it."

Lily gulped. "Well, ok then. Have you told anyone else?"

Louis shook his head. "No, you're the first. It took me awhile to . . . figure it out for myself. But I'm pretty sure about this. I mean, this may sound personal, but I've never been attracted to a girl. Physically . . . there's nothing," he muttered.

Lily blushed. "Oh." Then she shivered. "Um, can we go to the shed, I'm freezing?"

Louis nodded. "Yeah, Grandpa's in the house anyway."

The two walked to the shed in silence. Lily's mind was spinning. Of all the things Louis could have told her, him being gay was the last thing she expected. Not that she'd expected him to be some player . . . but Louis was just Louis. She was starting to give herself a headache.

Louis closed the shed door behind them, and Lily shed her coat and scarf. Their grandpa always made sure that it was warm in the shed, but it felt hot now. Louis was doing the same.

"So, you've never found a girl pretty?" Lily asked. She sat on the old couch that was left in the shed.

Louis sat down next to her. "Well, I know that girls are pretty, but they hold no appeal. I like being friends with girls, but they don't hold any romantic or physical appeal. They're just . . . girls!" he told her.

"And you're attracted to someone?" Lily inquired.

Louis nodded. "Yeah. For a few months now."

Lily smiled. "Well, who is he?"

Louis grinned. "Don't get excited. It's Paul Bradley. My best friend, who is completely straight."

Lily tried to remember Paul. She'd met him a few times, from when she'd hung out with Louis. She remembered light brown hair and dark eyes. He was funny, and he was often smiling. "Well, maybe it's just because you know what kind of guy he is that you're attracted to him romantically," Lily suggested.

"Lil, I had a wet dream about him," Louis muttered with a blush.

Lily blushed harder. "Oh. Ok, so you like your best friend. That's not a crime. But, attractions come and go. Feelings change. Perhaps yours will too."

Louis dropped his head onto the back of the couch. "Part of me wants the feelings to leave . . . but the other part of me wants him to feel the same. I hate that it's impossible."

"Well, it's not impossible," Lily reasoned.

"Just improbable," Louis sighed. "What do I do, Lil?" he groaned.

Lily bit her lip. "I don't know. You can ignore it, or you can confront him about it."

"I don't want to lose my best friend," Louis muttered. "And telling him that he stars in my dreams just might make him run."

Lily reached up and smoothed his hair down comfortingly. "If you think that's what will happen, then I guess all you can do is ignore the feelings."

Louis groaned again and dropped his head down onto her shoulder. "Hormones suck," he muttered.

Lily placed her hand on his head, stroking his hair. "Yeah. Yeah, they do."

That night, Lily laid on the floor, her mind replaying her and Louis's talk in her head. Attracted to his best friend. Lily guessed that she could sympathize. She would call Scorpius one of her best friends, and she was attracted him. How could she not be? She closed her eyes, just wanting to sleep and forget everything . . . for now.

* * *

"Wake up, Lil!" Lily groaned at the sound of a voice so close to her ear. "Sis, wake up!"

Lily opened her eyes slowly, trying to focus on the view of Teddy's face hovering over hers. "What?" she groaned.

"Time for breakfast. Then we can open presents," Teddy told her. "So get up!" he urged.

Lily sighed, and slowly kicked off her blanket. She got up, and she and Teddy maneuvered around the pillows and blankets that littered the floor. "They need to expand this house. The floor is getting too crowded," Lily muttered.

"I'm just glad that me and Vic are adults. We get a bed," Teddy laughed.

"You know, if it wasn't for a bed, you two wouldn't have to be announcing a pregnancy today," Lily mocked.

Teddy laughed. "You got me there." The two dropped the subject as they walked into the crowded kitchen and took their seats at the table. But they weren't far into their plates when their grandfather gained everyone's attention.

"Look, kids," Arthur address, "I've already told your parents this, so I thought that I should tell you as well."

"Tell us what, Grandpa?" Roxanne asked.

"That I plan on retiring next year," Arthur told them.

"What?" Rose exclaimed.

"But you're not even that old, Grandpa!" Roxanne argued.

"You're like in the prime of your life!" James told him.

Arthur raised a hand to quiet everyone's words. Lily just watched. After all, he'd told her this awhile ago. "I've been thinking about this for a while, and I think it's time. I've been through a lot in life, and I'd like to take the rest of my life to relax. I think I've earned it."

Victoire reached out and took his hand. "Of course you have, Grandpa. But are you sure?"

Arthur patted her hand. "I'm sure."

Teddy cleared his throat. "Well, um . . . since we're dispensing big news now," Victoire's head whipped around to look at Teddy, "I think there's something that everyone should know."

"Is now the time?" Victoire asked. Lily could see the panic in her eyes.

Teddy placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think now is the perfect time."

Victoire stared at him as everyone looked at the couple with curiosity. Finally, Victoire sighed and looked at the rest of the family. "Well, um . . . it turns out that Teddy and I are going to have a baby."

After a quick moment of shocked silence, the family burst into excitement and happiness at the news. Grandma Molly had tears in her eyes, and Victoire's mother _was_ crying. Lily just smiled, watching the excitement unfold. Louis, who was sitting next to her, nudged her elbow.

"I get the feeling that you knew?" he whispered.

"How'd you guess?" Lily whispered back.

"Well, you don't look surprised."

"Teddy wrote to me once they found out," Lily explained.

"Can't blame him. You're the perfect person to confide in," Louis complimented.

"How do you go that long without telling anybody?" Angelina asked with a smile.

"Well, Teddy wrote Lily and told her. It was a relief that somebody knew," Victoire said with a sigh.

"Well, I knew Lil would keep the secret," Teddy told them.

"And since I did, I call being the godmother," Lily teased.

Teddy grinned. "Totally. You got it."


	30. Punk Rock Princess

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry I haven't put this up until now. I've had it for awhile, but I kept making changes to it. So, I will be doing my best to make my next update soon. Until then, read and let me know what you think. The poll is still up on my profile, so if you haven't voted yet, please do and let me know which kid you'd like to read about next. Enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty: Punk Rock Princess

Lily sighed as she began to pack her trunk for her return to Hogwarts. She had new things to bring. A new sweater from Grandma Weasley, the book from Lola, which she had yet to look at, a handheld Talking Mirror from Teddy, a holder for all of her potions from Slughorn, a Falmouth Falcon shirt from Jace, and many other presents. Scorpius had sent her a pretty silver chain, which was now around her neck. The charm was a word in silver also. _Princess_.

The Scamanders had come over later Christmas day, and Lily had practically ran outside to help her grandpa with the bike. Anything to avoid Lysander. But she'd gotten a gift from both the twins. Lorcan had gotten her a pair of goggles for when she had to play Quidditch in harsh weather, and Lysander had gotten her a box of Chocolate Frogs. She'd been flattered, and thanked both of them. But then she'd rushed back out to the shed.

A knock sounded at her door as she began to close her trunk. "Who is it?" Lily asked.

The door opened behind her. "It's me," Harry announced as he stepped in. She heard the door close.

Lily turned her head back and gave him a half smile. "Hey, Daddy. How's your day off going?" she asked.

"It would be better if I saw more of my little girl," Harry said as he sat down at the edge of her bed.

Lily sighed as she pulled her trunk onto the floor. "Well, we go back to school in two days, so I thought I'd just pack up."

"It feels like I haven't seen you much at all the whole break. You're always up here," Harry commented.

"Well, I am quite fond of my room," she quipped.

"And not me?" her father joked.

Lily sighed again. She should probably get it over with. "Well, you wanted me to stop fighting with the boys. This is the best way," she muttered.

She heard him sigh. "Lily, you know I didn't want you to lock yourself in your room."

"I know. But this just happens to be my method of avoiding a fight," she replied.

"This fighting thing is getting very tiresome, Lily."

"Then talk to your sons, they're the ones that hated me before I could take off the Sorting Hat," Lily said with a scowl. She moved over to her desk and opened a drawer, trying to seem busy.

"They don't hate you," Harry said with a sigh.

"James threatened to attack me. Albus threatened me. James said he didn't have a sister, and said he'd rather Lysander go out with a Squib than me, and -,"

"Wait!" Harry interrupted. Lily slapped a hand over her mouth. "Why would James tell Lysander he'd rather he date a Squib than you?"

Lily began to feel her nerves vibrate, and she began to fidget. "Because he hates me!" she covered.

"Lily," Harry warned.

Lily turned and leaned against her desk, finally looking at him. "Because, I went as Lysander's date to Slughorn's party."

Harry scowled. "My thirteen-year-old daughter is going on dates?"

Lily closed her eyes and groaned. She didn't know what subject she wanted to avoid more. Her dating, or her and her brothers. "Dad, focus, please?" Dating seemed more dangerous.

Harry sighed. "All right, all right. But Albus told me you broke his nose, and that a friend of yours threw James into the lake."

"After Albus threatened me. And James and Albus took a group of friends to attack a friend of mine and were about to throw him into the lake. They beat the heck out of him!" Lily argued. "I'm not starting these fights, Dad! I'm just defending myself! And telling them to stay away from me isn't working!"

Harry sighed, and rubbed his temples. "Look, Lily, -,"

"No, Dad!" Lily interrupted. "I don't want to sit down and talk it out with them! I just want them to leave me alone! I never want to see them! I don't want to be friends with an arrogant jackass and his bellboy! I just want to be away from them!" Lily stopped ranting and pulled in a couple of deep breaths. It felt so good to finally let all of that out.

Harry was staring his daughter, looking as if he didn't know what to say. "Lily, . . ."

"Dad," Lily said, her voice much softer now, "I just want to be left alone. Please."

Harry stared at his daughter for a moment, before standing up. "We'll call you when dinner is ready," he murmured. Then he left the room.

Lily quickly moved to the door, and locked it. She pressed her back against the door and slid down to the floor. She pulled her knees closed to her chest and rested her head on them. Her heart and blood were pumping beneath her skin, and her nerves were tingling, sending shocks through her. She'd never yelled at her dad, but at the same time, she'd never been that mad at him. It was like he wasn't even putting any blame on the boys! A bit angrily, she stood up from the floor and moved over to her bed. Kneeling down, Lily reached under her bed and pulled out a small box. She placed if on the floor in front of her and opened it. It was a bunch of makeup that her Aunt Fleur had bought her over the past few Christmases. She never wore any of it, never seeing a reason to. Something she knew her dad liked. Lily closed the box and placed it on her bed. Then she opened her trunk and placed the box under everything else, keeping it nicely hidden. Then she moved over to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper, a quill and some ink.

"_Lana,_

_Meet me in the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow at about noon. I've got an idea for a bit of fun against my dad, and I need your help._

_Lily"_

Lily didn't feel the need to put anything more. She knew Lana would come with just that written. Lily folded the paper and wrote Lana's name on the outside. Then she held it out to Regal, who was sitting in his cage.

"Take this to Lana, Regal," Lily murmured nicely. She moved to her window and pulled it open. Regal took off, flying out of her window.

* * *

Lily smiled as she got dressed the next day. She put on a pair of jeans and a black shirt, and kept her hair down. She wore the chain Scorpius had gotten her, plus an old bracelet she'd gotten from her uncle George years ago. It was a simple white band with a Snitch charm attached to it. She grabbed her bag of money and put into her jacket pocket, which she slipped on afterwards. Then she left her room and scampered down the stairs. She could hear someone moving around in the kitchen, so she poked her head in to see her mother rummaging around in a cupboard.

"Mum," Lily ventured, "I'm going to go to the Leaky Cauldron and hang out with Lana. Ok?"

Ginny glanced back at her daughter. "Have you packed your things?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. So, is it ok?"

She smiled. "Sure, sure. Go on and have fun."

"Thanks, Mum," Lily said quickly before running to the fireplace. It was a little past noon already, and she didn't want to make Lana wait. She quickly Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, and scanned the room for Lana, finding her at the counter. Lily hurried to join her. "Hey, I'm glad you came!"

Lana smiled and pulled Lily into a half hug from her seat. "Of course I came. After your letter, how could I not?"

Lily laughed and sat on the stool next to her. "I thought you'd say that."

Lana grinned. "So, you want to rebel against your dad? What's the plan?"

Lily grinned as well. "Well, my dad has always been happy that I've stayed away from, quote, 'girl things', so I thought that maybe now would be the time I start to . . . indulge in those things."

"Well, what kind of girl things?" Lana questioned.

"Makeup, skirts and form fitting shirts, boys, anything stereotypical," Lily told her.

"So, you need my help with . . . ?" Lana inquired.

"Well, I'm not very good with makeup, and you probably have a better sense of style than I do," Lily replied.

"Actually, you have a great sense of style when it comes to yourself," Lana corrected. "But there are some colors that look good on you that you don't always wear. Do you mind short skirts?"

Lily sighed. "Normally, I would. Now? No, whatever it takes." She pulled the bag out of her pocket. "And thanks to this Christmas and my last birthday, I have the money for clothes."

Lana stood from the stool. "What are we waiting for?"

Lily smiled and stood up. "Where are we going?"

"Well, we're going to change your money to muggle money, and then we're going to go to a few muggle shops in London. They have some great clothes for this kind of plan," Lana explained.

* * *

"So, I think that we need to do a change of style," Lana said as she pulled Lily down the streets to muggle London.

"I thought you said my style was good for me," Lily teased.

"You do. But since we're rebelling, I think that we need to do a change of style as well. I think that we need to go from sporty daddy's girl to . . . something different," Lana replied.

"Well, what are our options?" Lily asked. Then a thought struck her. "Well, if we're going to rebel, why not take in a rebel look?"

Lana grinned as she looked at Lily. "You mean like Mitch?"

"Exactly. The whole punk rock look," Lily said with a grin of her own. "What do you think?"

"I think that it is perfect! And I think you could really pull of a punk look," Lana assured. She stopped, and then pulled Lily into a store. "Come on."

An hour later, Lily had three bags full of new clothes, a new pair of shoes, and accessories. But there was still more to be done.

"Come on, Lil," Lana told her as she pulled her into a different kind of store.

Lily looked around. Different designs for tattoos were posted all around the walls, and there were counters holding different kind of jewelry, earrings, lip rings, everything. "So, what are we getting?"

"Lil, you don't even have your ears pierced. Look at how many Mitch has," Lana pointed out.

"Don't places like this usually require a parent though?" Lily thought.

Lana grinned. "Not if you know the right person's price." She pulled Lily to the front counter, where a middle-aged man stood. "Hey, remember me?" Lana asked him.

The man looked at the two girls, mainly at Lana. His brows were knit in concentration. "Aren't you a friend of Mitch's?" he asked. His voice was gruff, like he had to cough.

Lana nodded. "Yeah. You did my ears, remember?"

The man nodded. "Yeah, I do. What do you want done now?" he asked.

"Actually, my friend is the one you're working on," Lana corrected. She looked at Lily. "So, both ears, obviously, but do you want to do your lip, or anything else?"

Lily gulped, her insides shaking a little. "Let's just stick with ears for now."

Lana pushed back Lily's hair. "Ok, so a stud for both ears, and two thin hoops for the tops of her ears," she told the guy.

The guy sighed. "All right, go sit in that chair while I get the stuff."

Lana pulled Lily to the chair and had her sit down. Lily felt her nerves fluttering again. "Lana, are you sure this is a good idea?"

Lana shrugged. "Well, we could do it ourselves, but that could be more painful, and we could screw it up. This guy knows what he's doing."

The man walked over, and sat on a smaller chair next to Lily. "All right, you know the cost, right?"

Lana nodded. "Here, Lil, hand me your bag. I'll get it out."

Lily pulled out the bag and handed it to Lana, who then disappeared from sight. The man looked at Lily. "All right, now this will sting, but I want you to trust me when I say that it won't last long," he assured.

Lily nodded. "Just do it."

A sting shot through her ear, and Lily held tightly onto the arms of the chair. "Ok, worst is over for that one. Let's just get the stud in," he muttered. Lily could feel an odd sensation as he placed the stud into the new hole in her ear. "Now, the next two." Two more quick stings and odd sensations, and it was over. "Ok, other ear, now."

Lily bit the inside of her cheek as he did her other ear, but found that you got used to the feeling, and the pain was nothing compared to what she'd had before. Soon she was looking at her ears in a mirror. There was a sparkling stud in both of her ears, each silver, and two thin hoops that seemed to circle around the tops of her ears. One green, the other a shiny silver.

"That look good?" the man asked.

"Looks perfect to me," Lana said as she handed Lily her bag back.

Lily put it back into her pocket. "I like it!" she said with a bit of a laugh. Her father would probably hate it, but despite that, Lily liked the look. It was . . . cool!

"Well, if there's ever anything else, you know where to find me," the guy mumbled before walking back to the counter.

Lily hopped off the chair. "Now what?" she asked. After seeing how her ears look, and after thinking of how much her dad would hate it, she was giddy.

Lana smiled. "We're going to go back to my house, and I'll help you with your lack of knowledge concerning makeup. Come on!"

Lily glanced at all the different tattoo designs, finding them very interesting now. "You know, some of these are pretty cool," she mentioned.

Lana looked at them as well. "You want one?"

Lily thought for a moment, but then shook her head. "Nah. Let's do this one step at a time."

Lana laughed. "All right. Then let's go."

* * *

It was a little after dark when Lily finally Flooed back home, bags in hand. Lana had taken a lot of time into teaching Lily how to do her own makeup, and then they tried different colors and looks, trying to find the best one. Then they wiped it all off, and made sure that her hair covered her ears. Lily didn't want her parents to know just yet what she'd done. She wanted to wait until she was more comfortable with the new look. She'd show it off to them once the school year ended.

Lily could hear voices in the kitchen, her mother and father's, but her brothers' voices were absent. But when she focused, she could hear footsteps upstairs. So she hurried past the kitchen door in the hall, and almost ran up the stairs. She quickly went into her room and locked the door. Then she opened her trunk, and began to take out the clothes in the bags. She had a few denim skirts and some more frilly ones, some black leggings and tights, fishnet stockings, a studded belt, a few black cutout shoulder tops, deep green tees that were very form-fitting, a studded bracelet of her own, and a leather jacket that seemed to fit her like a glove. It was her favorite of all her new clothes. She put them all in her trunk, and closed it. Then she dropped to her bed.

She couldn't wait until the end of the year now!

* * *

"Be good, Lily!" Ginny called out as Lily got onto the train. She gave one more wave before going to find a compartment. The rest of the previous night had been a quiet one. Teddy came to dinner, and Victoire went to hang out with her brother and sister. Lily was able to hide her ears, and both Albus and James were oddly quiet.

"Hey, Princess!" Lily turned her head to see Scorpius and Mitch sitting in the compartment she was standing next to.

Lily pulled her things in, and Scorpius and Mitch put it in the overhead compartment. Lily sat down and smiled at them. "How was Christmas for you two?"

"Ok," Mitch replied.

"Boring," Scorpius said with a sigh. But then he smirked. "But, I talked to Lana last night, and she told me about your rebellion. Can I see?" He motioned toward her ears.

Lily laughed and pushed her hair back. "Wow," Mitch murmured. "Did you go see Rick?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, he was the guy that did yours."

"Excellent work," Mitch told her.

"I feel a bit left out," Scorpius joked.

"You should get a piercing," Mitch told him. "Can you imagine Lucius's face learning that you got a piercing by a muggle?"

Scorpius laughed. "That sounds perfect. Perhaps I should."

"I'd go with a lip piercing. What do you think, Lil?" Mitch asked.

"That or your tongue," Lily joked.

Scorpius shrugged as he sat down next to her. "Maybe I'll get both." He flung his arm around Lily's shoulders. "Anyways, I'm glad to see that you're wearing my gift."

Lily glanced down at the chain around her neck. "Oh, yeah. I love it," she told him with a smile.

"I'm glad. I love the bracelet by the way. I can't wait to test it out," he said with a laugh.

Mitch stood from his seat. "I'll see you two later. I've got to find Dom," he said with a grin.

"Later."

"Bye."

They watched as Mitch left the compartment, and then Scorpius stretched out his legs, resting his feet on the seat opposite him. Had he always been that tall? She glanced at the hand that was resting on her shoulder. His fingers trailed down her arm. Had his hand always made her shoulder look so small?

"Hey, Princess, you wanna do me a favor?" Scorpius asked.

Lily looked at him, her brow raised. "Depends. What is it?"

"Well, my parents plan on taking me on a family trip to one of the Malfoy houses near some beach, so I was wondering if you'd want to come," Scorpius asked.

"Isn't a family trip supposed to be just family?" Lily teased.

He chuckled. "Yeah, but my parents said that I could bring a friend to keep me from getting bored, so I thought that you would be the perfect person to bring along."

"I'm glad you think of me as a way to fend off your boredom," Lily mocked.

Scorpius just laughed again. "So, do you want to come?"

Lily sighed and shrugged her shoulders, amazed at the weight of his arm on her shoulder. Was he really that strong? "Sure. I'll send my mum a letter and ask her."

"And I will send a letter to my mum," Scorpius replied. "I know that she'll keep the news from Lucius. I'd rather it be a surprise for him."

Lily giggled. "Trying to send him into an early heart attack?"

Scorpius held a finger to his lips. "Shhh! That's a secret." Then he laughed. Lily felt her body flush lightly as she could feel the vibration of his chest against her arm.

"What a cruel guy," Lily mocked with a smile.

Scorpius smirked. "Hm. Perhaps I do take after Lucius then."

* * *

"Are we almost there?" Jace groaned loudly, for the hundredth time. It was just Lily, Lola, and Jace in the compartment. Mitch never came back from seeing Dominique, Lars was sitting with some of the guys from the team, and Scorpius and Lana had to go out and patrol the train.

"It won't be long now," Lola assured. She still hadn't dyed her hair yet. She'd chosen blonde at the store, so that was what Lily had bought her. Apparently, she was waiting until the summer.

"It's been like . . . forever!" Jace complained.

"Eat this and shut up," Lily told him, throwing a Chocolate Frog onto his lap.

He opened it, but kept talking. Thankfully, he switched subjects. "So, can I ask you girls something?"

"Shoot," Lily sighed.

"If you must," Lola muttered.

"You think Izzy likes me?" he asked.

The girls looked at each other, then back at him. "Why? You like Izzy?" Lola questioned.

Jace shrugged. "Well, she's cool, and she's kinda pretty."

Lola rolled her eyes. "That'll win her heart," she scoffed.

Jace just sneered at her shortly, but then his face calmed. "I kind of like her, ok? I thought maybe I'd go for it."

Lily shrugged. "Well, she's never said anything about liking anybody. You might have a shot, though."

"I agree," Lola replied. "What have you got to lose?"

Being honest to herself, Lily liked that Jace was admitting to liking Izzy. It meant that he was moving his thoughts away from her. She didn't want anything to ruin their friendship.

The compartment door opened, and the three looked to see Bobby, Lola's younger brother, stepping in. "Hey," he greeted. Lily had never heard him talk before, so she was surprised that he had such a soft voice.

"Hey, little man," Jace greeted offhandedly.

"What's up, Bobby?" Lola asked, her face a little worried.

"Nothing. I was just wondering if I could sit with you guys?" he asked delicately.

"I thought you were sitting with your friends," Lola mentioned.

Bobby looked at the floor as she shrugged. "I just thought maybe I'd sit with you, if it was ok."

Lola glanced at the other two, but they only shrugged. "Yeah, sure. You can sit with us."

Bobby finally looked up, and he was smiling. "Thanks!"

Lola smiled. "By the way, Bobby, this is Lily," she introduced.

Lily smiled at him. She'd never really met him properly. "Hey, Bobby."

He blushed. "H-h-hi, Lily," he stuttered. Lily heard Jace snicker as he opened a box of Bertie Bott's. Bobby moved to sit next to him, across from Lily.

"So, how are you liking your first year, Bobby?" Lily asked politely.

He was still blushing. "It's a lot of fun. I really like Flying lessons."

"I liked my first one," Lily told him. "But once I'd made the Quidditch team, I didn't have to take them any more."

"So you really did make the team your first year?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It was a bit surprising."

"But we haven't lost a game since she joined," Jace told him.

Lily shrugged. "What can I say? I'm just awesome like that."

"I can't argue with that," Jace muttered.

* * *

"So, what's our strategy going to be against Ravenclaw?" Dante asked before sipping his butterbeer.

January had passed in a bit of a blur for Lily. She went through her classes, lessons with Slughorn, and Quidditch practices. Shw written her parents on going on a trip with the Malfoys, and she'd gotten a letter saying that they'd think about it. And she'd stopped getting notes from Lysander. She was a bit sad, but part of her was relieved that he gave up. Save himself the pain. James had gone back to normal, punishing and harassing any Slytherin he could. Now, near the end of January, Lily was sitting in the Three Broomsticks with the team, enjoying their visit to Hogsmeade.

Lana, who was sitting next to Dante, groaned. "I agreed to come along because you said you guys wouldn't talk Quidditch," she reminded.

"This won't be long," Dante assured. He looked toward Scorpius.

Scorpius sighed as he leaned back in his seat. "Well, I've been thinking a lot about that lately. I was thinking that we ought to take care of the captain. Scamander's pretty strong, and he's a great Beater. He almost took out Princess, so I'm sure that he could get close to taking out any of us."

"So you want me or Tanner to take him out?" Lars assumed.

"Pretty much. And try to take out the Keeper. And unless I say otherwise, let's keep this game clean. Make sure that those little Gryffindors keep their yaps shut," Scorpius muttered, taking a swig of his drink.

"You got a strategy planned out for me?" Lily asked.

"Ravenclaw's good. But not as good as they used to be. Hufflepuff creamed them during their game. And Mark Kimball has gotten a bit sloppy as a Seeker. And since his broom broke in the game against Hufflepuff, he's had to use a school one, so he's no where near as fast. I have no doubt that you'll beat him to it. So, once we've gotten a good enough lead, then go for it," Scorpius explained.

"Ok," Lily replied. She brought her own bottle to her lips for a drink. She set the now empty bottle down on the table. She stood from her seat. "Well, I told the others I would meet them at Honeydukes."

"All right, I'll take care of this," Scorpius told her, motioning toward her butterbeer.

Lily wanted to argue, that she could pay for her own drink, but she left it alone. She knew he'd keep insisting. "See you guys later. Good luck, Lana," she teased. She pulled her leather jacket on, and then stepped outside. She barely felt the cold, the chilly air touching only her face. Merlin, she loved this jacket! She'd chosen to wear a pair of tight, dark jeans, her studded belt, and a form fitting shirt that was a dark grey. She kept her makeup light, and pulled her hair up so that her ears were visible. The guys had all complimented her, and congratulated her rebellion.

"Hey, Lu! Looking good!"

Lily stopped walking, looking back to see Rex Derrick running to catch up to her. He stopped, and snow was clinging to his ash blonde hair. His cheeks were pink from the cold, and he was smiling.

Lily grinned. "Thanks, Rex. I'm glad you approve."

He chuckled. "How could I not? You look bangin'!"

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

He shrugged. "Another word for hot. But really, you look awesome. The whole punk look suits you," he complimented.

Lily blushed. What was it with boys calling her things like 'cute' 'pretty' and 'hot'? She was the same as she'd always been, just a new wardrobe. "Um . . . thanks," she mumbled. She started to walk again, but he followed.

"So, where are you heading to?" Rex asked.

"Honeydukes," Lily said with a sigh.

"Mind if I tag along for the walk? I'm up for something sweet," he replied.

She shrugged. "Sure. I'm meeting up with Jace and Lola."

"That's cool," he said casually.

The two walked in silence then, and Lily felt comfortable with it. She looked around her as they walked. Snow was falling lightly from the sky, giving the ground and surrounding buildings another good dusting of white. Kids were walking and running everywhere, enjoying themselves. It made Lily smile.

Soon, Honeydukes came into sight, and they stopped outside the store. Lily looked into the windows. She could see some of the sweets, and it made her mouth water.

"Hey, Lily, look sharp!"

Lily turned her head quickly to look at Rex, but when she did, she felt a pair of lips on hers. Her eyes snapped open wider as Rex kissed her. She felt hands on her waist, pulling her a little closer. She just froze, unsure of what to do. When Rex pulled away, Lily felt the warmth of his lips leave with him. She stared at him. He was just grinning at her, like he was waiting for her to say something.

"Do I have some sign that says 'Kiss Me' or something on my back?" Lily snapped in confusion.

Rex laughed loudly. "No. I just knew that I'd never get another chance to do that. And I try to kiss any pretty girl that I can. And you completely exceed the definition of pretty. As I said, you're bangin'," he told her.

Lily didn't know how to feel about his explanation. Should she be mad, or just ignore it. She chose the second option, and just walked inside the shop. She found Jace and Lola by one of the shelves, looking at different types of chocolate.

"Hey, guys. How's it going?" Lily asked as she stopped to stand next to them.

"Trying to figure out how many Chocolate Frogs to get," Jace told her.

Lily just smiled and shook her head. She looked at Lola, whose face looked a little sour. "Having the same problem, Lola?" Lily asked, her tone a little teasing.

Lola looked at her, her face still a bit angry. Then she turned on her heel and stomped away. Lily watched her go in surprise. She looked back at Jace. "What's up with her?"

Jace shrugged. "I have no idea. Earlier she was going on about not knowing if she wanted bubble gum or licorice wands."


	31. Friends, Boyfriends, And Crushes

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - As promised, a quick update. Now, people seemed to be concerned or confused about Lily going punk. Now, to clear things up a little, it's not that Lily' turning punk, but that she's getting older and is looking for a way to rebel. She's angry, and she wanted the ones she's angry at to be mad as well. So, the punk look may last or it may change. It all depends on how she grows as a person. So, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-One: Friends, Boyfriends, And Crushes

When Lily and Jace came back from Hogsmeade, they couldn't find Lola anywhere. But when Lily went to bed, she found Lola in her own bed, already asleep . . . in the clothes she'd worn to Hogsmeade. Chalking it up to Lola just being tired, Lily undressed and changed for bed. She laid down on her bed, her eyes closing easily to sleep.

The next morning, it was Shannon that woke her up for breakfast.

"Come on, it's a beautiful day, and it's still only Sunday," Shannon said with a smile.

"And it's probably freezing outside," Lily muttered. She glanced over at Lola's bed to find it empty and already made. "Where's Lola?"

"She already went down to breakfast," Shannon told her. "Now, come on! Jace and the boys are waiting."

Lily sighed and pulled out an outfit for the day. Since it was a weekend, and they were allowed casual wear on weekends, Lily was able to choose something from her new clothes. She picked a black cutout shoulder top, a frilly black skirt with lace on the bottom, and black leggings under it. She pulled her hair up into a high side ponytail, making sure her ears were visible.

"You know, I like the change in clothes and style," Shannon complimented as Lily pulled on her shoes.

Lily grinned. "Thanks. But I'm more concerned about what my dad will think about it."

"Think he'll hate it?" Shannon asked.

"I can only hope," Lily said with a laugh. "Come on, let's eat."

The two girls left the dorm room, and when they entered the common room, they saw that Christian and Xavier had waited along with Jace.

"Hey, girls," Jace greeted with a smile.

Lily smiled back. "Hey. Good sleep?"

"Once I ignored Monty's snoring," he joked. "So, where's dirty?"

"She and the other girls went ahead," Shannon told him.

"Wow. She didn't stay to wake you up?" Jace commented.

"I know, it's kind of weird," Lily agreed.

"Especially with how she acted yesterday in Hogsmeade," Jace muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Shannon asked. "She seemed fine yesterday."

"Well, when I came to join her and Jace at Honeydukes, she just left and didn't say anything to me," Lily explained.

"And then she completely avoids us," Jace added.

"Do you think she's mad at me?" Lily asked.

"What did you do to make her mad?" Christian asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know! That's what's confusing. I just walked into Honeydukes. I mean, I was a little later than when I was supposed to be there, but I still had to talk to the team."

"Maybe the others know what's got her wand in a knot," Xavier told her.

But when they got to the Slytherin table, they found that Lola wasn't sitting with the other third years. She wasn't sitting anywhere in the Great Hall.

"Where the hell is Lola?" Jace demanded when they sat down in front of the others.

"She ate a really small breakfast and then rushed out. Said something about the library," Megan said with a roll of her eyes. "It's a Sunday. Who studies on a Sunday?"

Lily sighed as she made her plate. "She's avoiding me."

"Why? What did you do?" Izzy asked.

Lily shrugged. "I've no idea. But she's been avoiding me since yesterday."

"Just go into the library and corner her," Megan suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Christian agreed.

Lily pushed her food around her plate. "Maybe I'll go after mail gets here."

It wasn't long before mail came, and an owl soared over Lily, dropping a letter next to her plate. Not recognizing the letter or the owl, Lily picked it up and tore open the envelope. She opened the letter and looked at the name of the one who sent it. Then she smiled brightly.

"_Dear Lily,_

_Hi! I was talking to Gordon about the book you got, and he suggested that I write to you. So I am! I love the book! I've already read half of it, and it's the best thing ever! I didn't know about all the secrets that Hogwarts had. Gordon told me that I would probably be a Hufflepuff if I'd gone. Is that a good House? Do you have any friends in that House? Probably. How could you not have friends from every House? And the Chocolate Frog you gave me, the card was one of Luna Lovegood, the woman who's discovered a ton of different rare creatures. She sounds like she's had such a cool life. And she took part in the war! It's my first card, so I've decided to start collecting. Usually my mum throws the cards away, so I never knew about them._

_Are you having fun at school? I'd bet you are. You should write back. I can't wait to hear about how you're doing._

_Love,_

_Duncan_

_P.S. - I'm still smiling."_

Lily smiled while she read his letter. He was such a sweet boy. She'd have to start sending him Chocolate Frogs. She folded up his letter and kept it by her plate. She began to eat, hurrying so that she could find Lola, and then write to Duncan. She finished her plate and then stood up.

"Where are you going?" Jace asked.

Lily picked up the letter. "I'm going to find Lola," she told him. She held the letter out to him. "Keep hold of this for me?"

Jace nodded and took the letter. "Yeah, no problem."

"I'll come with you!" Xavier offered, hurrying to stand up.

Lily looked at him oddly, but shrugged. "Ok. Um . . . thanks."

The two left the Great Hall and made their way to the stairs. Xavier looked over at her. "So, Lily, how was Hogsmeade for you yesterday?"

Lily sighed. "Not bad. I hung out with the team, and then Jace. Bought a lot of sweets from Honeydukes. How about you?" she asked.

"It was fun. Me and the other guys hung around the Three Broomsticks, had a few butterbeers, and then a snowball fight outside," he told her.

Lily giggled. "Sounds like a lot of fun."

She heard him sigh. "So, Lily, I actually came along so that I could talk to you away from the others," he told her.

Lily looked over at him in confusion. "Really? About what?"

"Well, I know it's almost a month away, but I thought that I'd see if you'd want to go out with me on the next Hogsmeade visit?" Xavier asked.

Lily stopped walking, looking at him with even more confusion. What was with boys lately? "What?" she asked in shock.

He looked amused. "I was wondering you'd like to go out with me? Like a date?"

"Why?" The words slipped out before Lily could stop them.

He shrugged. "Well, you really pretty and you're really cool. Why wouldn't I want to ask you out before someone else did?"

"What do you mean someone else?" Lily demanded.

Xavier laughed. "Lil, a lot of guys like you and want to ask you out. You think I'm the only one?"

"How am I so fascinating?" Lily hissed. This was getting a little annoying.

"I told you. You're pretty and you're one of the coolest girls I know," he told her. "So, will you go on a date?"

Lily sighed and leaned against the nearest wall. She was pretty? Her mum and dad always told her that, but a parent's opinion never really counted. Then again, people said she was like her mum, and her mum was very beautiful. But more importantly, did she want to go out with Xavier, her friend?

Xavier sensed her hesitance. "I'm not asking you to be my girlfriend. Just a date. And if it doesn't work out, then we'll stick to being friends. So?"

Lily looked at him. He was a bit taller than her, his black hair straight, falling so that it was in his eyes, but swept to the side so it only really covered one eye. Those very eyes were a dark color, almost black.

"Ok. What harm could come from one date?" Lily asked rhetorically.

Xavier grinned, and Lily was reminded of Mitch's own grin. They really did look alike. "Awesome. I'll go and let you talk to Lola." With a simple nod, he turned and walked back the way they'd came. Lily shook her own head, and continued on to the library. The idea that she was being considered pretty, or 'bangin' as Rex had said, was still weird. When had she really changed? She was like she'd always been, right? Lily walked by a bathroom, so she walked in for a quick moment. She moved to the sinks and looked into one of the mirrors.

Her reflection was what she'd always thought she'd seen, so Lily looked hard for differences in her looks. Well, she was obviously a little taller, but not much. Her hair had gotten quite a bit longer, falling well past her shoulders. Her face was still a little babyish, but not as much as last year. She was thin, well, more athletic than thin. Were all these tiny things enough to suddenly make her pretty?

Lily shook her head and pushed away from the sink. She strode out of the bathroom, not wanting to see her reflection anymore. She had a mission, and it was easier to think about that. She soon found herself standing outside the library. She could see Lola sitting at one of the tables from where she was standing. Lily walked over to her, and dropped down into the seat next to Lola.

"Hey," she greeted.

Lola said nothing, but kept her eyes on the book in front of her.

"Lola?" Lily whispered, trying to be quiet.

No response.

Lily reached over and closed the book with a snap. "Lola!" she hissed. "What is your problem?"

Lola didn't even look at her. Instead she stood up from the table and walked away from the table, and out of the library. Lily hurried to follow after her. She caught up, and stayed with her.

"Lola, why are you mad at me? I at least deserve to know that!" Lily demanded.

Lola still didn't look at her, but at least she wasn't looking angry.

But Lily was getting irritated. She grabbed Lola's wrist and pulled her into the bathroom she had previously been in. "What is wrong with you?" Lily hissed.

Lola sighed, finally looking at Lily. "I'm not mad at you," she mumbled. Her eyes dropped to the floor.

Lily dropped her wrist. "Then what's wrong? Why wouldn't you talk to me? Why did you avoid me?"

Lola wrapped her now free arm around herself. "I saw you kiss Rex yesterday," she muttered.

"Woah! First of all, Rex kissed _me_," Lily corrected.

Lola sighed. "Either way, Rex kissed you," she stated.

Lily looked at her, expecting to hear more. "And? So?"

"I just . . . I like Rex," she whispered.

A pang of guilt hit Lily, even though it wasn't her fault. Even though she hadn't kissed Rex. "Lola . . . , I'm so sorry."

Lola leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor. "I don't blame you for the kiss. It's just . . . I'm starting to realize that a lot of people think that you're really pretty and fun, . . . and I'm just some tagalong friend that no one notices," she explained quietly.

Lily sighed now, and moved to sit next to her. "Lola, you're just as pretty as I am, probably more so, because I'm really not all that stunning," she assured.

"Lysander went after you, I've heard Hunter and Xavier talking about you, Rex kissed you, I've seen some of the boys from your team flirting with you," Lola listed.

"Hold up," Lily said. "What happened between Lysander and I was a disaster. Hunter and Xavier are thirteen-year-old boys, of course they're going to talk, Rex is no way interested in me romantically, and the boys from the team are always joking around."

"Rex still kissed you!"

"Because he tries to kiss all pretty girls, and he knew that sneaking up on me would be the only way!" Lily protested. "But if you like him, you have a chance of making it easier for him when he wants to kiss you. So, go after him!"

Lola rested her chin on her knees. "Not everyone is as brave as you. Nor are they as comfortable with the opposite sex as you are."

"Look, the reason I'm comfortable with them is because I've been growing up around them. To me, they're just guys! It's rare for me to find one to be special," Lily told her. "So, if you just act like you're talking to a friend, then it's easy to talk to them."

"I don't know, Lil."

"If you do nothing, then nothing happens. But if you take a chance, something will happen. It may be good, or it may be bad, but you have to be willing to take the chance," Lily told her softly.

Lola closed her eyes. "I guess I can't argue with that."

Lily grinned. "I always win arguments," she joked. She patted Lola's shoulder. "Come on. I gotta get back to the common room to write a letter to Duncan. Then we can figure out a way to get Rex's attention pointed at you."

* * *

"_Dear Duncan,_

_I have a cousin that was a Hufflepuff, and she's the nicest girl I know. It would be a great House for you. You'd really fit in there, and it's full of nice people. They're all so fair, and loyal, and sweet. Just like you. And I'm glad that you like the book. I thought you would. And I do know all about Luna Lovegood. She's my godmother. In fact, my parents gave me the middle name Luna in her honor. She's a great woman, and one of the sweetest. I'm sure she'd like you very much._

_I'm having a lot of fun at school this year. I'm currently getting ready for a Quidditch match against Ravenclaw which is getting closer and closer. My friends are doing well, and we hang out every day._

_I can't wait to see you again. I'm hoping that I can plan out a trip to go and see you again this summer. Count on seeing me._

_Love,_

_Lily_

_P.S. - Glad to hear you're still smiling."_

* * *

February soon came, and soon all the girls were on deck to help Lola get Rex to notice her. Sadly, he didn't seem to take a single hint, but they weren't at all defeated.

"Try to flirt a little more," Shannon told her at lunch. "Be a bit more open when you talk." Every time they were around the older boys, the girls made sure that Lola sat close to Rex. They would always help her engage in conversations with him, but they would then leave the conversation once the two began talking.

Lola blushed slightly. "I don't see the point anymore," she sighed.

"Don't give up. He's a guy, he's gunna be a little slow," Megan retorted.

"What are you girls talking about?" Scorpius asked as he and Lana sat by them. Lana taking the seat next to Megan, and Scorpius sitting next to Lily.

"Nothing," they said immediately.

"I don't trust the unison reply," Scorpius joked.

"Look sharp," Lana muttered.

Scorpius groaned. "Not again," he mumbled.

The third year girls looked at the two fifth years in confusion. "What are you talking about?" Lola asked.

"Hey, guys. Mind if we join ya?" Mitch asked. Lily looked to where Mitch was standing and finally understood Lana and Scorpius's irritation. His arm was around Dominique, who looked anything but happy. More like bored.

Scorpius seemed to force out a smile. "Of course, dude."

Megan moved over so that Mitch and Dominique could sit down. Mitch took the seat next to Megan, leaving Dominique to sit next to Lana. Lana was now the one to look anything but happy.

Lily eyed her cousin wearily. It was true that, besides Louis, Dominique was the only one of her cousins that she could handle at school. Mainly because Dominique ignored her, and since she'd ignored her before she was a Slytherin, Lily took no offense. And the few times they did exchange words at home, they weren't harsh or filled with malice. Just full of equal annoyance and/or boredom. And Lily remembered that some time ago, Dominique had admitted that Lily was one of the few cousins that she could stand.

"Hey, Dom," Lily muttered.

Dominique gave Lily a bored look. "Hey, Potter."

Lily felt a bit irritated. "Don't call me that," she growled.

Dominique raised a brow. "Too, Gryffindor? Can't blame you then." That was another thing about Dominique that Lily found a tad bit annoying. She seemed to hate practically every thing about herself, and didn't keep it a secret.

"So, Lil, I was told that you've got a date with my brother," Mitch teased lightly.

Lily only shrugged, not even blushing. "He asked me to Hogsmeade, so I said yes. What's the harm?"

"You're becoming quite popular these days," Lana said with a smile.

"Whatever," Lily said with a sigh.

"Yeah, Rex told us about him attacking ya," Scorpius joked.

Now Lily rolled her eyes. "That's a good way to put it," she muttered.

"Sounds like you really are a popular princess," Dominique retorted wryly.

"Well since you're the spoiled one, I thought I'd go for a different title," Lily shot back. Dominique wasn't mad at her comment. She grinned instead, and Lily grinned back. It was official in Lily's mind, and probably hers, that they could never have a good relationship without some kind of sarcasm.

"So, have you told your parents about Mitch?" Lily asked.

"It's none of their business, but I'm sure they'll find out when I bring him over during the summer," Dominique retorted.

Lily almost laughed. "You're going to let your parents meet Mitch?"

"Hey," Mitch intervened, "I'm great with parents."

"You've never met Weasley parents. And Uncle Bill is very particular about what kind of boy dates one of his girls," Lily told him. She thought back to when Victoire told her about Uncle Bill sitting her down for a long talk about boys. At first, Lily had thought it'd been sort of funny, but now she feared that her father would do the same to her. Especially since he knew about her date with Lysander.

"They'll love me," Mitch assured.

Even Dominique didn't look as if she'd believed him.

* * *

"Don't just watch out for Bludgers," Scorpius said as the team got changed for their game against Ravenclaw. "My guess is that Lorcan Scamander has been practicing over the summer, and after their loss to Hufflepuff, he's doubled their amount of practices."

"Got it, Scor," Lars said as he picked up his broom.

"Remember what I said, Princess?" Scorpius asked.

"Wait until we have a nice lead before going for it," Lily repeated.

"And what do I want from everyone else?" Scorpius questioned.

"A clean game," the others stated.

"Then let's get out there!" Scorpius told them.

* * *

Once the game had started, a Bludger was shot directly at Lily. She knew it was Lorcan who'd hit it, and she knew that despite their friendship, this was Quidditch. No friends on the opposite team, and once it was over, no grudge was held.

Scorpius was the one to score the first goal, the little Ravenclaw Keeper having no chance to catch it. But from there on it was an even game. Lorcan had grown very fierce since the Hufflepuff game, so much that he'd almost taken out Adrian within ten minutes. Lily noticed that Lysander seemed to be glancing at her every so often. She ignored it, trying to crush the feelings she still had. And Mark Kimball was much slower with a school broom. Every so often, Lily couldn't help but do a lap around him, purposely irritating him.

"And Boot makes the goal, giving Ravenclaw the score of a hundred and thirty, and leaving Slytherin with the score of a hundred and forty. This game could be anybodies!" Meredith Macmillan announced.

Lily glanced over at Dante, how was running an aggravated hand through his hair. He held the Quaffle in his free hand, and looked around at the others. She watched as he threw it to Scorpius.

"And Malfoy has the Quaffle. He swiftly makes his way down the field, thanks to the team's awesome new set of brooms," Meredith said with a bit of envy in her tone. "Malfoy tosses the Quaffle to Flint, who swerves past Belby, and tosses it to Nott over Stretton's head. Nott fakes the pass and takes a shot . . . and he scores! Ten points for Slytherin."

Lily let out a sigh. That made it so they were twenty points ahead. Two goals away from them. The way the game was going, they weren't going to get too big a lead. Maybe she should just go for the Snitch when she first saw it. Because if she didn't then Ravenclaw could have the chance to take the lead.

"And Stretton makes the shot! Another ten points for Ravenclaw!" Meredith cheered.

Damn, Lily thought. She'd have to make a decision quick, either way, it could be bad. But, she might as well grab the Snitch while they had the lead, instead of risking a close game. Flatting herself out along her broom, Lily moved faster around the pitch, searching desperately for the Golden Snitch. Wind was whipping around her, and she was thankful that she'd pulled her hair back. Her cheeks were stained pink from the chill in the air.

"And Kimball's spotted the Snitch!" Meredith said, practically screaming with excitement.

Lily whipped around to see Kimball streaking toward a glint of gold on the far side of the field, his arm outstretched. Lily quickly shot forward to catch up to him, her own hand reaching out. She caught Kimball in seconds, her superior broom out flying his easily. She flew past him, getting closer to the zigzagging Snitch.

"And Scamander hits a Bludger, shooting it toward the Seekers!"

Lily felt a bit of panic and tension clench in her shoulders. She quickly lunged forward while keeping a grip on her broom with one hand. She closed her fingers around the Snitch, holding it firmly in her hand. Then she heard gasps and screams, and then everything jolted, and went black.

* * *

"How long has it been?"

"A day and a half now."

"Are you sure she's ok?"

"I promise that she's fine. She'll wake up when she's ready."

"Well she's taking her sweet ass time!"

"Language, Mr. Malfoy!"

"Well she needs to hurry!"

Lily groaned. "She can hear you," she muttered. There was a small commotion as Lily slowly began to open her eyes. She felt groggy and incredibly sore. There was a throbbing in her head, like she was about to explode.

"Lily, you're awake!" Lola exclaimed. Lily looked around her and saw that her bed was surrounded by the team and a few of her friends.

Lily blinked. "How long have I been out?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Almost two days," Lana told her.

Lily laid her head back down and sighed. "What happened?"

"A Bludger knocked your head just as you'd caught the Snitch," Dante told her. "You were knocked out immediately."

"You fell off your broom," Adrian told her. "We all helped to carry you up here."

Lily scoffed. "You make me sound like I weigh as much as a giant."

Adrian let out a laugh. "Sorry, not my intent."

"How do you feel?" Jace asked.

"Bit of a headache, but nothing more," she told them.

"Well, I'll probably let you go later tonight, once the headache goes away," Madam Pomfrey told her from a few beds away.

"Good," Lily muttered, closing her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Lunch time. We all came in to check in on you," Will told her.

"I don't think Scorpius has left your side since you got here," she heard Adrian tease.

Lily tried not to blush as she opened her eyes to look at the stormy eyes next to her. Scorpius was sitting in a chair, his face expressionless as he looked at her. "It's not like I was going to die. You didn't have to come," she muttered.

Scorpius crossed his arms and set them on the bed, then he rested his head on them. "I know. But I wanted to tell you the good news."

"What news?" Lily asked.

"I got a letter from my mum the other day, saying how she would love nothing more than for me to bring you along on our trip this summer," Scorpius told her with a grin.

Lily smiled. "Really? So they're ok with it?"

He nodded. "Yep, we just have to get your parents to agree." Scorpius smirked devilishly. "Perhaps I should write to your mum. Sweet talk her a bit," he joked.

Lily laughed and shrugged. "Whatever works."

* * *

Lily's headache had disappeared a few hours later, and Madam Pomfrey had let her go after a few reassurances that the headache was really gone. Lily chose to walk around the castle. By the time Pomfrey had let her out, it was time for the last class, and Lily found no reason to show up with half of the class over. Besides, her friends were taking notes for her.

"Ah, Lily! You finally woke up!"

Lily turned her head to see Professor Brown walking toward her, a smile on his face. Lily smiled back. "Hello, Professor. Nice afternoon?"

"Nice day so far," he told her. "So, when did you get up? I was told you hadn't woken up since your team brought you to the Hospital Wing."

"I woke up a few hours ago. Madam Pomfrey let me go since my headache disappeared," Lily told him. "I just have a bruise on the back of my neck, but she says that it should be fading soon."

"Well that's good. I went in there yesterday and I saw that you had a plethora of gifts," Professor Brown commented. He was right. Most of Slytherin House had brought her treats or cards. Madam Pomfrey assured her that these would all be taken to her dorm, that way she wouldn't have to carry them around.

"Yeah, but I haven't gone through it all yet," she told him.

"I think I should tell you that I wrote to your parents about what happened."

Although she kept walking beside him, Lily's insides froze. Her parents? They weren't coming were they? "Why?" Lily demanded.

"Well, you were unconscious for almost two days. We had to let them know. Your parents came yesterday to see you, but you didn't wake up. They said they would come the day after tomorrow, which is tomorrow, and I said that I'd write them if you awoke before that," Professor Brown explained.

"Be sure to write them. I'd hate for them to make an unnecessary trip down here," Lily muttered.

"You seem very adamant against having your parents come here," he mentioned.

Lily shrugged. "I'm a bit angry with my dad. Happens when you're a teenager."

"That's true," Professor Brown murmured.

Lily quickly changed the topic. "I went to see Duncan over Christmas Break."

Professor Brown looked at her with a bright smile. "Did you really? I'm sure he enjoyed that."

Lily smiled as well. "Yeah. I brought him a Christmas present."

"What did you get him?"

"A book on Hogwarts. To make up for him not being able to go," she told him.

Professor Brown's expression softened. "That was very nice of you."

Lily blushed a little. "He deserves it. He wrote me a letter a few days ago, so I wrote one back."

"Seems like you have a pen pal. But that's good for Duncan. It gives him something to do," he said with a sigh.

Lily bit her lip. "Have you gone to visit him lately?"

"Sadly no. I've been a bit busy," Professor Brown said with a cough. Lily looked at him and saw that his cheeks were a bit pink.

Lily cleared her throat. "Well, his arm is disappearing. You can see through it now."

"Getting worse?"

"Looks like it," she whispered.

They were silent then as they walked, but Professor Brown eventually sighed loudly. "Well, Lily, I must leave your company. I have a few things I must do, and letters to send. Anything you would like me to tell your parents?" he asked.

"Just tell them that I'm perfectly fine, and they can write to check up on me," Lily told him.

He nodded. "All right. I'll see you around, Lily."

"Later, Professor," Lily said with a small wave. She turned around and began walking the other way. She could hear that classes were ending, and people were beginning to fill the halls. Lily mixed in with the crowds of students heading for either their common rooms or to dinner.

"Hey, Lil!"

Lily stopped, and turned her head to see Rex running toward her. He moved past other kids, or pushed them lightly aside, until he was right beside her. Lily grinned. "Hey, Rex." The two began walking again.

"Hey. Nice to see you out of bed," he joked.

"It's nice to be out of bed," she laughed.

Rex looked at her. "So, what are you doing during the next Hogsmeade visit?"

"I've got a date with Xavier."

"Avery? Mitch's brother?"

"The same one," Lily replied. She glanced at him to see a bit of a defeated look. "Why do you ask?"

He dropped the expression and shrugged. "I was going to see if you wanted to go with me."

Lily felt another one of those dumb pangs of guilt as Lola entered her mind. "Sorry, but I'm taken."

"Maybe another time," he said with a sigh.

Lily tried not to groan. "You should ask Lola. I'm sure she'd love to."

Rex looked at her with surprise. "Lola? Really?"

Lily nodded as she looked at him. "Yeah."

Rex seemed to be mulling that over in his head. "And she's pretty cute. Maybe I should," he murmured.

"Just keep my name out of it," Lily hinted.

"Hey, guys!" Justin Warrington greeted as he joined the two. "What's up?"

"Talking about dates for Hogsmeade," Rex told him.

"You're going together? I thought I heard Mitch say that Lu was going with his bro?" Justin mentioned.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I am. We're talking about who Rex should take."

"I think I'm going to ask Lola," Rex added.

"Not a bad choice," Justin complimented.

"Who are you going with?" Lily asked.

"I'm hanging with some of the guys," he told her.

"Why not take a date?" Lily inquired.

"The girl he likes already has a date," Rex teased.

Lily gave him a sympathetic look. "Sorry."

Justin just shrugged and smiled. "Nah, don't be. I'm cool with it."

"May I ask who the girl is?" Lily asked.

"It's Lana," Rex told her.

Lily looked at Justin with surprise. "Lana? Lana Goyle? Really?"

Justin shrugged again. "She's hot, and she's an awesome girl. Why wouldn't I be interested?"

Rex shook his head. "She's like a cousin to me, and I'm not so pureblood as to be into incest," he joked.

"I'm with ya," Justin laughed. "Luckily, I don't see her as a cousin."

The three entered the Great Hall and Lily separated from them to sit with Megan and Shannon, who had already begun to eat.

"Hey, girls," Lily greeted.

"Lily!" they both exclaimed.

"You're up!" Shannon cheered. "We were beginning to get worried."

"We haven't gotten the chance to talk to the others today," Megan told her. "We didn't know if you'd woken up yet."

Lily grinned. "And now you know. So what's up? What'd I miss?"

"Nothing really. A lot boredom," Megan said quickly.

"Yeah, nothing new," Shannon added. Lily grew suspicious. Both girls were looking at their plates, avoiding Lily's eye.

"Guys, what happened?" Lily demanded.

The two girls looked at each other, and then looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well," Shannon said delicately, "there's been some talk the past few days."

"Like what?" Lily asked.

Megan sighed. "Some people are saying that you've lost your Seeker skills. I mean, it's the first time any of us have seen you knocked out. And you took a big fall. There was a lot of blood. Some idiots were saying that you might not walk, or that you were dying."

"And . . . some have been a bit cruel," Shannon murmured.

"Some?" Lily questioned.

"Paige Wilde hasn't shut her mouth since you fell. We've all been tempted to shut it for her," Megan muttered.

"Actually, Lola did," Shannon said with a laugh. "She was talking about you in the middle of the halls before lunch yesterday, and Lola sort of attacked her."

Lily tried not to laugh. "What do you mean sort of?"

Megan was giggling. "Well, she threatened to transfigure her mouth onto another part of her body."

Lily laughed. "Only Lola."

"We were all tempted to," Shannon told her.

"Hey, girlies!" Hunter and Monty greeted as they came to sit down with them.

"Jace told us you were up," Hunter said to Lily. "How do ya feel?"

"Pretty good," Lily replied.

"Guys, guess what!" Lola squealed as she hurried toward them. She took a quick seat next to Lily, the smile on her face the biggest she'd ever had.

"What? Did you really remove Paige Wilde's mouth?" Megan asked.

Lola ignored her joke. "Rex asked me to Hogsmeade!"

"Shut up!" Shannon squealed.

"That's great!" Megan cheered.

"Told you he would," Lily teased.

"When did he ask?" Shannon asked.

"Just as I was walking to join you guys. He stopped me and asked me out," Lola said with a dreamy sigh.

Megan gave a small groan. "I'm really starting to feel left out on this whole dating thing."

Shannon rolled her eyes. "Lola and Lily are the only two in our year that have been on, or are going on, a date."

"No. Don't you remember? Jace asked Izzy out this morning," Megan corrected.

Lily looked at Lola. "Did he really?"

Lola, still smiling, nodded. "Yeah, it was a bit comical. Sweet, but a bit funny."

"I wanna hear the story later," Lily teased. Lola nodded.

"Ok, but it's not like you're the only one. I haven't been on one either," Shannon pointed out.

"Yeah, but you turned down Derek when he asked you to go with him," Megan told her.

"Derek Bole asked you out?" Hunter asked, the others looked just as surprised.

Shannon shook her head. "Not really. He asked if I'd like to hang out with him and a few friends. Not an official date."

"More than I've been asked," Megan muttered.

"I'll take ya on a date," Monty said with a smug grin.

"I'd rather a troll take me on my first date," Megan retorted.

"Ok. How about your second one?" Monty asked.

"In your dreams," Megan replied, not missing a beat.


	32. Time's Almost Up

**Disclaimer- I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's the update you guys have been waiting for. Our third year is almost up, and we'll be coming to summer soon enough. So read and enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Two: Time's Almost Up

Lily sighed as she rummaged around through her clothes, trying to pick an outfit for Hogsmeade. She was supposed to meet Xavier in about thirty minutes. But she wasn't alone in her indecision. Lola and Izzy were both frantically trying to pick something to wear as well. Megan and Shannon were watching them with amusement.

"Maybe it's good that I don't have a date. I don't have to go through fifty outfits," Megan joked.

"Bite me," Lily shot back. She grabbed a pair of dark jeans, her studded belt, a black cutout shoulder top, and her studded bracelet. "Finally," she muttered to herself. She placed the clothes onto her bed, and pulled off the Falcons shirt she had on. She picked up the new shirt.

"Lily, can I ask you sort of a weird question?" Shannon asked.

"Go for it," Lily told her as she pulled the shirt over her head.

"What's your bra size?"

Lily turned her head to look at Shannon with confusion. "What? Why?" she pulled one arm through the shirt.

"Because you don't really have the body of a thirteen-year-old," Megan said dryly.

"More like fourteen," Shannon added.

Lily scoffed. "Not really."

"No, she has a point," Lola agreed. "It's probably that change that you don't seem to understand."

"What are you saying?" Lily demanded in confusion.

"She's saying that your boobs are bigger than anyone in our year, and you're up to par with girls in the fourth year," Megan replied.

Unable to help it, Lily glanced down at her chest. She wasn't that . . . developed. At least, she didn't think she was. Then again, her mum had taken her shopping for a few bras over the summer, and she'd apparently gone up a few sizes. But Lily's last bras had been way too small, and she'd had them for a few years, so surely she'd just grown into the body of a thirteen-year-old. Lily shook her head, her thoughts giving her a bit of a headache.

"It's not that noticeable," Lily muttered.

"Yeah it is," Shannon teased.

"No, it's not," Lily argued.

"Yeah, it is," Izzy told her.

"Prove me wrong," Shannon challenged. "What's your bra size?"

Lily sighed. "I don't remember."

"How do you not remember?" Megan questioned.

Lily shrugged as she pulled on her jeans. "I just never pay attention. I find one that fits, grab a few others like it, and that's it."

Megan walked over to Lily's clothes and dug through them. She pulled out one of Lily's bras. "She wears . . . a 36B. Seriously?"

"I'm still wearing an A cup," Shannon told her.

Lily took the bra from Megan's hands and threw it back into her dresser. "Was there a point to that?" she asked.

Megan grinned. "Nothing more than to prove you wrong." Then she flitted back over to her bed, waiting.

Lily rolled her eyes. "So what? It's not that much bigger."

"I'm still wearing an A, too," Izzy added.

"How about you, Lola?" Megan asked.

Lily was pulling her belt through the loops of her jeans when she looked over at Lola, who wasn't looking at any of them.

"Lola?" Shannon inquired.

Lola sent Lily an apologetic look. "I'm still an A."

"And so am I," Megan said with an even bigger grin. "So, Lily's body isn't like the average third year."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine. I concede. You all win. Can we just not talk about it ever again?"

"Deal," Megan joked.

Shannon laughed. "Sorry, Lily. I was just curious."

"It's all good," Lily muttered as she clasped on her bracelet. She slipped on her Liz Canvas shoes, and tied the pink laces. She stood up and looked at the mirror Teddy had given her.

"I'd try your hair up," the mirror spoke to her.

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her bangs. "I'll do it!" Shannon suggested.

Lily chuckled. "Nah., I'm just doing something simple."

"I like that mirror," Megan told her. "Seems pretty helpful."

"I can be," Lily said with a shrug. She took a hair band, and simply pulled her hair into a high side ponytail again. It was becoming a favorite style of hers. Mainly because it was easy to do.

"Are you going now?" Shannon asked, seeing that Lily was ready.

"No, I told Lola I'd wait for her," Lily replied as she dropped onto her bed.

"I'm almost ready," Lola said. Lily looked to see that she was slipping on her shoes.

"I'll wait too," Izzy said as she tied the laces of her last shoes.

"No need. I'm ready," Lola said with a smile.

"Then let's go," Megan said as she hopped off her bed. The girls all left the room, grabbing their coats as they did. Lily grabbed her leather jacket, loving the warmth it radiated. They left the common room and started for the Entrance Hall.

"So, where are you meeting the boys at?" Shannon asked.

"Rex said he'd meet me in the Entrance Hall," Lola said with a giddy voice.

"Jace said he'd meet me outside," Izzy answered.

"I told Xavier I'd see him at the gate," Lily told them. They ascended the stairs, and walked into the Entrance Hall. There were a few students still milling about before leaving.

Lola squealed. "I see Rex. Bye!" she said as she ran off to where Rex was standing by the Great Hall doors.

Lily smiled at her friend. "Well, I'm going to go ahead and meet up with Xavier. Later."

"Later, Lil," Megan said.

"We'll want details later," Shannon teased.

"Bye, Lily," Izzy said with a wave.

Lily slipped on her jacket as she stepped outside into the cold. There wasn't much wind, but the chill in the air was cold against her cheeks. There was a pathway through the snow, leading toward the gate, so Lily followed it, not feeling up to walking through the snow. She soon saw a head of black just ahead of her.

"Xavier!" Lily called. Xavier stopped walking and turned to look at her. He grinned as she ran toward him. "Looks like we met before the gate," she joked.

Xavier chuckled. "Well, not far from the gate, that is," he laughed, looking toward the gate a few yards away.

Lily shrugged. "Anyways, what's the plan?" The two began walking again.

"Well, I remembered how you told me that you guys all went to the Shrieking Shack at the beginning of the year, so I thought we'd grab some food and a few drinks and take them up there," Xavier suggested.

Lily smiled. "That sounds cool. Three Broomsticks or Hog's Head?"

"Well, Three Broomsticks is closer," Xavier replied. "I just figured we'd stop there."

"Sounds good to me," Lily agreed.

So the two stopped at The Three Broomsticks and grabbed a few butterbeers and a bit of food to eat, and then headed to the empty field where the Shrieking Shack waited for them. Xavier was the one to hold everything as Lily led him to the Shack, since she'd been there before.

"So how was the party after the game?" Lily asked him as they made their way through the snow.

"It wasn't bad. A bit low-key since you were knocked out," Xavier told her. "But it was still fun."

"Sorry I missed it," Lily said with a laugh. They reached the shack, so she pushed open the door. "Welcome," she joked. She stepped inside, and warmed immediately. She began to wonder what type of charm had been placed on the shack as she took off her jacket. Xavier kicked the door shut and set down the food. Then he pulled off his coat.

"Not bad. A bit dusty," he commented. "But nice."

Lily plopped down onto the couch, a bit of dust rising as she did. Guess it'd been awhile since they'd been there. It was bound to get a little dusty again. "Yeah, that's what we thought."

Xavier sat down next to her and grabbed two butterbeers. He pulled off the two caps, and then handed her one. "Here ya go."

"Thanks," Lily said before taking a drink. She reached down and grabbed a bit of food, finding herself hungry. "So, Xavier, can I ask you something?"

He nodded as he picked up his own food. "Yeah, go ahead."

"Well, it might seem pretty weird," Lily warned.

"I'm sure I can handle it," he said with a chuckle.

Lily gave a small sigh, surprised that she was really going to ask. "What is it about me that you suddenly find pretty?"

Xavier looked at her in confusion. He swallowed his bite before speaking. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you've never asked me out before, or even expressed an interest, so what changed that makes me pretty to you?" Lily questioned.

Xavier took a quick drink before answering. "Well, I guess I'm not really sure. I was like I just kind of . . . noticed one day that you were pretty. I don't know. Maybe it's all part of growing up," he replied.

Lily leaned back in her seat as she thought about that. She'd always been pretty? Was that what Rex had thought? And Lysander? Or had the girls been right, and the boys were really noticing how her _body_ was changing? But she said nothing about her inner thoughts.

"So, why did you agree to go out with me?" Xavier asked, turning the tables.

Lily raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Just what I asked. Why did you agree?" Xavier repeated.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just didn't see the harm. I mean, like you said, it was just a date. If it didn't work, then we'd stay friends."

"Had nothing to do with my devilishly good looks?" he teased.

Lily giggled. "Well it helped that you're not hideous."

"Why thank you," he laughed.

The two continued to eat as they talked, and Lily found that she liked talking to Xavier. He was funny, and had a lot of funny stories about his family. Like her, he came from a big family, although it wasn't cousins that surrounded him, but siblings. Lily hadn't known that there were eight Avery kids, counting Xavier and Mitch. Xavier admitted to being the fifth child, with three younger brothers, three older brothers, and one older sister. Lily felt pity for that lone girl. She'd die if she had seven brothers.

"So, can I ask you something?" Xavier asked. They had finished their food, and were now facing each other on the couch.

"Ask away," Lily told him.

"What brought on the change of style? I mean, I like it, but I never expected it," Xavier asked.

Lily sighed. "I got mad at my dad over break. He acts like it's my fault that my brothers hate me. So I thought that perhaps now was the time to look as he thinks I act. A rebel, a troublemaker. Basically, I'm a bit tired of being the baby Potter Princess. I like being Slytherin's princess much more," she explained.

"We like having you as our princess," Xavier told her. His face lacked amusement, showing how serious he was. Lily felt flattered, and couldn't help but smile. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his in a kiss. His lips responded almost immediately, kissing her back. His lips were warm and very inviting. She moved a little closer to him, and felt his hand rest on her side. Lily moved her hands to his shoulders, her spinning a bit at the feel of the kiss. She pulled away, and locked eyes with him while they both remained silent.

Finally, Xavier grinned. "Maybe I should compliment you more often?" he joked lightly.

Lily giggled. "Well, I was thinking that I should kiss you more often, but I guess we could do both," she teased.

Xavier moved closer now. "I like that idea. Let me start. You are very pretty."

Lily leaned close to his lips. "My turn." Then she kissed him again.

* * *

February passed on a high note for Lily. After her date with Xavier, she landed a boyfriend. One that she knew accepted her being a Slytherin. Being Xavier's girlfriend hadn't landed her any extra fights with her family, making him a winner in Lily's eyes. Sure, she'd gained a bit more teasing from Mitch, but she was used to Mitch's teasing and jokes.

March came quick, and Slytherin got another reason to laugh and gloat at Gryffindor. The match of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had ended with Hufflepuff stomping on Gryffindor. They'd won with two hundred more points than Gryffindor. But that also meant a little trouble for Slytherin.

"Ok, guys, before you all scatter, we gotta talk," Scorpius said in the locker room. They had just finished practice, and were all showered, and in the middle of changing.

"Talk away, Scor," Lars said, pulling his jeans over his legs.

"It's about Hufflepuff. They have been dominating this year. They creamed both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Now, as cool as that is to watch, it means trouble for us. They're beating us in overall points by sixty. And since we need to prove that we're the dominate House, that means we need at least a sixty-point lead when we face them," Scorpius told them.

"No problem," Lily told him, sliding her arms through the sleeves of her shirt.

"Yeah, but that also relies on the rest of us. We need to gain the lead so that Princess can go for the Snitch. The Hufflepuff Beaters have been on fire, and they've knocked out both Mark Kimball and Albus Potter, leaving both teams with no Seeker. We have to make sure that it doesn't happen to us," Scorpius told them. "So I want a Beater following Princess at all times, no exception."

"I can take care of myself," Lily muttered as she pulled on her shoes.

"Doesn't matter," Scorpius argued. He paused to pull on his own shirt. "Now, we'll talk more on this before the game, but I just want everyone on their best. And if we end up having to play a little dirty, then so be it."

Lily grabbed her jacket and shut her locker. "Don't worry. We'll win. I've got the better broom. Bludger won't be able to catch me."

"It did the last game," Scorpius reminded her.

"Once the game had ended. Don't worry, I'll be fine," Lily assured. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go."

"Gotta meet up with your boyfriend?" Dante teased.

"Which one?" Lily joked. The boys laughed with her. "Later, guys."

"Later, Lu," Dante said, along with the guys.

Lily stepped out into the cold, resting her broom on her shoulder. The snow was almost gone, but the cold air had persisted. So she hurried up the castle, wanting to step into the warmth of the castle. When she did finally reach the castle, she pulled off her jacket and made her way down the dungeon stairs. She entered the common room to hear loud talking and laughter as dozens of Slytherins sat around the common room, enjoying each others company while staying out of the cold. Lily ran her things up to her dorm room before coming back down the stairs. She glanced around the room before finding the others sitting at a corner table. Lily walked over to join them.

"Hey, guys!" she greeted. She took a seat next to Xavier and smiled at him.

"Hey," Lola greeted happily.

"Hey," Jace muttered, his eyes glaring at a book and paper.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Lily asked.

"I hate Transfiguration! It's a stupid subject!" Jace snapped, pushing the book away from him.

"You are the only thing that's stupid," Lola retorted.

"At least I wash my hair!" he said waspishly.

Xavier chuckled. "That paper is really pissing you off, huh?"

"Ya think?" Jace scoffed.

Izzy gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You'll do just fine," she assured.

Jace gave his girlfriend a small and unsure smile. "If you say so," he said, his tone much nicer. But then he turned to glare at his paper again.

"So how was practice?" Xavier asked Lily.

Lily shrugged. "Same as always. Scorpius wants to dominate Hufflepuff."

"I thought Hufflepuff was doing really well this year? Won't dominating them be hard?" Lola asked curiously.

"Maybe. I guess we'll find out in May," Lily said with a sigh.

"I'm sure you'll win," Xavier assured. "You haven't lost a game yet."

"And I plan to keep it that way," Lily said with a grin.

* * *

"This essay isn't too bad," Lily told Lorcan. They were sitting in the library, having their usual tutoring session. "I've marked any mistakes, and if you fix them, you're bound to get maybe an A or an E."

Lorcan nodded with a smile. "Awesome. So, can you show me how to fix 'em?"

"Open your book," Lily instructed. Lorcan leaned down to grab his bag. "So, how have you been Lorcan?" Lily asked.

Lorcan glanced at her with a grin. "Not too bad. Been getting ready to smash Gryffindor in our upcoming match. You been preparing for Hufflepuff?"

"Scorpius has all but killed us," Lily joked.

Lorcan chuckled. "Take it seriously though. They were really good in our match. And you need to be careful. They're practically killing Seekers this year."

"That's what Scorpius said. He plans on having a Beater following me the entire game," Lily told him.

Lorcan gave a nod as he began to flip through his book. "So, besides Quidditch, how have you been?"

Lily shrugged. "Not bad." Lily paused, wondering if she could mention Xavier to Lorcan. After all, she had dumped his twin. She took a chance. "Went on a date last Hogsmeade trip. Turned out pretty good."

Lorcan didn't look at all angry. "Oh yeah? With who?"

"Xavier Avery. He's in my year," Lily explained. Lorcan only nodded, so Lily decided to tease him. "So, did you have a date?"

Lorcan blushed as he turned to look at her. "No. I was busy talking Quidditch tactics with the team."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You know, Lorcan, there's a big world outside of Quidditch. And I thought you liked Rose?"

"I do. That's why I'm going to ask her out tomorrow," Lorcan admitted.

Lily smiled. "Good! A girlfriend would be good for you."

"Yeah, that's what Ly said when I told him," Lorcan said with a sigh. Lily tried not to cringe at the mention of Lysander. "You know, Lil, I wouldn't normally do this, but since it's my brother . . ."

Lily sighed. "Lorcan . . ."

He held up a hand. "No, just listen. Now, I'm not going to tell you that you're horrible for dumping him and then avoiding him, and I'm not going to ask you to get back together with him. I just think that you should know that he's really hurt and confused. He doesn't fully understand why you dumped him, or why you won't see him. Now, I'm no expert at relationships, but I think that you at least own him an explanation," Lorcan told her.

Lily sighed again. He was right, although she hated to admit it. But she'd practically told Lysander why, wasn't that good enough? "I'll tell him . . . once I work up the nerve to talk to him," she told him.

Lorcan grinned. "Good. I'll tell him to just give ya time then."

Lily smiled. "Thanks, Lorcan." She glanced at the open book. "Find the page?"

Lorcan looked at the book. "Oh! Yeah. So, where did I mess up?"

* * *

The rest of March passed with a mild pace. Lily's time was filled with classes, Quidditch, extra lessons with Slughorn, tutoring Lorcan, and spending time with her friends and boyfriend. Her days seemed to fill easily, leaving her no time to really think about her family or talking to Lysander.

Time flowed into April, taking the chill in the air away. Sadly it left quite a bit of rain in its wake, drenching the team during practices, or causing a downpour in the middle of Care of Magical Creatures. Lily just prayed that the rain stayed away during the game in May.

"This is so boring!" Jace whispered in Defense Against the Dark Arts. They were talking about Grindylows, so there was no practice with defensive spells. Just a lecture.

"I agree," Lily said with a stretch of her arms.

"Suck it up," Lola whispered from her other side. She was studiously taking notes.

"Bite me," Lily muttered. She felt fingers in her hair, so she tilted her head back a little. Xavier was sitting behind her, and he had a habit of messing with her hair. During their relationship, they hadn't gone past innocent kisses, but they were a bit more comfortable around each other, a but more relaxed.

"Is it almost over?" Jace whispered.

"No," Lola snapped.

Lily closed her eyes and tried not to laugh at her friends.

"Miss Potter, Mr. Avery!" Lily's eyes snapped open to look at Professor Creevey, who was giving her a stern look. "Mr. Avery, have you lost something in Miss Potter's hair?" There were snickers around the room. Even Jace looked as if he were about to laugh.

"Yes, sir. I lost my book and thought that perhaps it had fallen into Lily's hair," Xavier retorted jokingly. Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Unlike all the students, Professor Creevey didn't look amused. "Five points from Slytherin. Can you two focus?"

Lily placed a hand over her heart. "Of course, sir! After all we are talking about the most fascinating subject!" she mocked.

Professor Creevey raised a brow. "Do we need to make it ten points?"

"Why are you asking me? I thought you were the teacher?" Lily asked

"Ten points. Want to go for fifteen?"

"Well if it'll keep the conversation going."

"Fifteen. Next it's a detention."

Lily opened her mouth to say something, but she felt Lola stomp on her foot. Lily glanced at Lola, who was shaking her head. So Lily closed her mouth.

Professor Creevey walked down the aisle of tables and stopped in front of Lily's. "Are you finished, Miss Potter?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes," she muttered.

"'Yes' what?" Professor Creevey asked.

Lily raised a brow at him. "Yes, I'm done?" she guessed.

"I think you mean, 'yes, sir'," he corrected.

Lily couldn't help it. She took a page from one of her dad's stories. "No need to call me sir, Professor."

There were laughs and claps throughout the classroom. Professor Creevey looked as if he were about to explode. "Detention, Miss Potter. Tonight!" He stormed away toward his desk.

Lily pretended to shiver. "Ooh! How scary!" she mocked.

"And I'm writing your parents," he continued.

Lily scoffed. "I'm so scared I might wet myself."

"Lily!" Lola hissed.

The classroom door opened with a bang, making everybody jump and turn to look. Professor Brown was standing there, looking around the room. Professor Creevey looked relieved. "Ah! Headmaster. Just in time. We have a student I was about to send to your office."

"Later, Professor Creevey, later. Lily Potter?" Professor Brown called.

Everyone looked at Lily. Lily stood up from her seat. "Yes, Professor?" she asked hesitantly.

"Grab your things, and follow me. It's urgent," Professor Brown said quickly.

Lily looked at him with confusion, but she did as he said. She put all of her things into her bag and hurried over to him.

Professor Brown looked over at Professor Creevey. "I'll be taking Miss Potter. She won't be back in time for the end of the lesson." He looked at Lily. "Come along, Miss Potter." He urged her out of the classroom, closing the door behind them.

"What's up, Professor?" Lily asked, her nerves shaking at his actions.

"Victoire's gone into labor, and they want you kids there," Professor Brown told her.

Lily's heart leaped, and she smiled. "Really? She's having the baby?"

"Yes. We've set up a portkey to take you, your brothers, and your cousins to St. Mungo's. Your family is waiting there for you. We've packed a bag for each of you, incase you're there longer than expected," he explained. From then on, they practically jogged to his office. When she got there, her cousins and brothers were all there, along with Hagrid and Professor Bell.

"Is this everyone?" Professor Bell asked.

"This is all of them. Portkey ready?" Professor Brown asked as he handed Lily a bag, taking her bag with her books from her.

Professor Bell placed a comb on his desk. "Ready and waiting."

"Kids, all of you grab the comb," Professor Brown told them. The kids all walked over to it, and placed a finger on the comb. Lily was squeezed in between Dominique and Lucy, the better ones to be by.

Professor Bell began to count. "Three . . . Two . . . One!"

Lily felt a tug behind her navel, and then they were floating and spinning at a sickening pace. She heard someone yell, "Let go!" She pulled her hand away, and felt herself fly away from the others. She landed with a thump on a tiled floor. She slowly sat up, already feeling a bruise forming on her back.

A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. Lily looked to see that it was Dominique pulling her up. Lily stood on her feet, her legs shaking a bit. "Thanks," she said with a sigh.

Dominique shrugged. "Whatever. Where are we?"

Lily looked around. The room they were in was empty, but Lily recognized it. "We're on the fifth floor. I think we missed the first floor landing."

"Ya think?" Dominique said with sarcasm.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Come on," she muttered. They walked out of the room, and headed for the lift. But before they could get there, Dominique took her wrist and dragged Lily into the bathroom.

"I need to change out of these freaking clothes," Dominique said as she moved toward a stall. Lily sighed, but she was in agreement. She moved into a stall and pulled a set of clothes out of the bag Professor Brown had given her. She changed, and then stepped out to look in the mirror. Lily moved her hands to fix her hair. After all the spinning, it was a mess. Sometimes, she hated having her father's knack for messy hair.

Dominique came out of the stall and looked into at a mirror as well. Then she held out a hair tie. "Here. Just put it up. You aren't fixing that mess without a brush," she told her.

"Thanks again," Lily sighed. Lily pulled her hair up into a high side ponytail. Then the two of them left the bathroom and made for the lift. "Excited about becoming an aunt?" Lily teased.

Dominique scoffed. "Yeah. I'm excited to have my sister visit more often and bring a sticky crying thing with her. Just fantastic!"

"That's the spirit!" Lily laughed. The lift halted to a stop, so the two girls stepped off. The waiting room was practically empty, and their family had grouped together in a far corner. The rest of the cousins seemed to have made the correct landing, and were all standing with the family.

"Glad to know we're the only ones to miss the landing," Dominique muttered.

"Did you want to land here and be all happy with the rest of them?" Lily asked with a scoff.

"Shut it."

"There they are!" they heard George say. Then the rest of the family was turning to look at the girls. Lily looked at her parents, and caught her father's furious and incredulous face.

"Lily Luna Potter, what are you wearing?" Harry demanded.

Lily looked at him in confusion, and glanced down at her clothes. Then she remembered that her family hadn't seen her change of wardrobe yet. The news of Victoire going into labor had made her completely forget about her clothes. And it wasn't all that bad. She'd taken out a black skirt with pink frills at the end, black tights, her Liz shoes, and a black shirt with a cutoff shoulder. And of course with her hair up, her ears were visible, and they could obviously see the rings and studs in her ears. Lily dropped the confused look as she looked up at her family. She shrugged. "Well, I'm wearing clothes, Dad. You?"

Harry didn't look amused. "You know what I mean."

Lily shrugged again as she moved to sit down on a chair. "Yeah, and I gave you an answer. What more do you want?"

"Drop the attitude," he demanded.

"What attitude?" Lily muttered.

"And you're changing those clothes at the first chance," Harry told her.

"Only clothes I got," Lily said with a quiet sigh. Either her father didn't hear her, or he ignored her.

"How long has Victoire been in labor?" Rose asked.

"Almost two hours. Her Healer said that she hasn't reached ten centimeters yet," Hermione told her.

"What's that mean?" Hugo questioned.

"Nothing you wanna know," Ron told him, patting his son on the head.

"Who's in there with her?" Louis asked.

"Just Teddy and your mum," Bill told him.

"Why aren't you in there?" Louis inquired.

Bill grinned. "I've been through three Weasley births, and I don't need to see my daughter go through it."

Someone sat in the chair next to Lily, bumping her elbow. Lily turned her head to see her uncle George sitting next to her. He smiled at her, and Lily couldn't help but smile at him as well. "Well, it's about time I saw my favorite niece. How have you been, Little L?"

Lily rolled her eyes at the nickname, but she still smiled. "I've been pretty good. You?"

He shrugged. "Same as always. Business is booming, kids are doing good, and my wife still loves me."

Lily let out a small giggle. "So, are you going to say anything about my look?"

George examined her, and Lily waited for him to speak. "Not bad. I think you did a good job looking for an outfit to tick off your father."

Lily grinned. "Thank you. I do try."

"Next time you ought to tell him you have a boyfriend," George said with a laugh.

Lily did her best not to look smug. "I do have a boyfriend," she told him.

Now George really laughed. "Oh, Little L, I love you. You really are my favorite niece!" He sighed, and wiped a fake tear from his eye. "So, what's the boy's name?"

"Xavier Avery. He's in my year," Lily told him.

George nodded. "Good kid?"

She shrugged. "I think so."

"Well, I trust your judgement. After all, you're going to have enough overprotective uncles on your case, I figure I should give you a break," George told her with an affection smile.

"So, how long are we going to be here? I have a date tomorrow," James announced. Lily tried not to roll her eyes at his obvious boasting.

"Until Victoire has the baby. It might not be until tomorrow," Ginny replied.

"I have a date!" James repeated firmly.

Ginny placed both of her hands on her hips, becoming a scary and intimidating force. "And your cousin is getting ready to have a baby! One that's practically considered to be your nephew! Your date can be rescheduled."

James looked like he wanted to argue, but when their mum had that fierce look in her eyes, none of the kids argued with her. So he sat down, much to Lily's amusement. He looked like a pouting child.

"Did they ever find out if it was a boy or a girl?" Lucy asked curiously.

"No, they wanted it to be a surprise," Bill said with a sigh.

"Did they say what they'd name it?" Rose asked.

"They've gone over a million names," Harry told them as he sat down.

Lily watched as her family all began to talk about names. The commotion was beginning to give her a headache. She stood up from her seat and looked at her uncle. "I'm going to get something from the fifth floor. I'll be back."

George nodded. "All right. I'll tell anyone who asks."

"Thanks," Lily said with a sigh.

"Wait," Louis stopped her, and stood up to join her. "I'll go with. I'm a bit thirsty."

Lily smiled. "Cool, come on." The two walked away from the crowd of Weasleys and Potters, and Lily was thankful to step into the lift. The noise practically disappeared. She looked at her cousin. "So, how's it going, Louis?"

Louis shrugged. "I've been good."

"Have you told anyone?" Lily asked vaguely, knowing he'd understand what she meant.

He shook his head. "No. It's not something you send home in a letter, and I'm not really sure how to tell my friends. Especially Paul."

"The one you like?" Lily questioned, trying to remember.

"Yeah, same one," Louis said with a dejected sigh. The two stepped off the lift and walked to the counter. "It's not something I can just bring up over lunch one day." He sighed again. "But, moving on, did you hear that Lorcan asked out Rose last month?"

Lily grinned. "Yeah, he told me he was going to. I had a tutoring session with him last week, he said that they had to put off their date until this Hogsmeade visit, but looks like that won't happen now."

Louis chuckled. "Yeah, looks like it. But they're practical. I'm sure they'll figure it all out."

Lily nodded. "So, is there anything else I've missed on the family I hate front?"

"Well, Molly refuses to talk to or acknowledge Lucy," Louis mentioned.

Lily raised a surprised brow. "Really? What's up with that?"

"No idea, they both won't say much about it. They refuse to admit they have a sister. They're pretty mad at each other," Louis told her. "Fred and James passed their Apparition tests, so they're licensed now."

Lily tried not to groan. "Fantastic."

"I thought James would never shut up," Louis said in understanding. "We all had to practically drag Fred's result out of him. He's so quiet lately."

"Fred? Quiet?" Lily said with surprise.

Louis nodded. "Yeah. Ever since he and James split, Fred's been kind of different. He's not as loud, he doesn't pull pranks, hardly ever cracks jokes. It's kind of strange."

"Sounds like it," Lily said quietly. She got a hot chocolate, while Louis got a cup of tea, and they both sat down at a table. The room wasn't empty like it had been earlier, but there were still only a few people around.

"So, how are you and Mitch's brother? Uhh . . . what's his name?" Louis asked, his face full of thought.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Xavier. And we're fine. We've been together almost two months now, and the girls are insisting that we do something this month to celebrate this time."

"What do you mean this time?" Louis asked.

"Well, we completely forgot about how we'd been dating for a month a few weeks ago, so we didn't do anything," Lily told him.

"You two forgot?" Louis said with a laugh.

Lily smiled and shrugged. "Time kind of flies. We hadn't given it much thought."

"Ah," Louis said with a nod. "So, what did you two do on the last Hogsmeade visit?"

Lily took a drink before answering. "We just hung out with the others in our year. Just had fun."

"Did you have big plans for tomorrow?" Louis asked.

"Nah. Not really. We just planned on doing whatever we felt like doing, whether it was hanging out with the others, going to different stores, or whatever," Lily told him. "You?"

"Nope. Not a thing. Me and my friends just planned on doing what we usually do, which is nothing," Louis joked.

The two talked for a little while longer, even after they had finished their drinks. They both had the feeling that they'd be at St. Mungo's for a long time, so there was no rush to run back to the family just so that they could wait some more. But they felt that someone would eventually try to come join them, so they relented and headed back to the lift. But once she got on, something simple caught her eye.

_Second Floor_.

Duncan.

Lily looked at Louis. "I'm going to make a stop on the second floor. If anyone asks, just tell them I'm still on the fifth floor."

The lift stopped at the second floor, and Lily stepped off. Louis looked at her with a little bit of confusion. "Ok. What are you doing?"

Lily bit her lip. "Umm . . . nothing. I'll be back soon, though," she assured. The lift closed before Louis could ask another questioned, and began to descend to the first floor. Lily practically ran down the hall, looking for Duncan's room number. Room 234 soon came into sight, so Lily stopped and opened the door slightly. Peaking her head in, she could see Duncan looking down at a piece of paper, drawing something. Lily stepped inside and closed the door.

"Hey, Duncan!" she greeted quietly, not wanting to startle him.

Duncan's head shot up to look at her, and he smiled brightly when he did see her. "Lily! You're here!"

Lily smiled. "My cousin is having a baby, so we got pulled out of school to come and see her," she explained. She walked over to his bed, but froze when she got a closer look at him. The arm which had been transparent before was now completely invisible, and his left ear was that sickly, grey color that his arm had been before.

Duncan noticed her stare. "Yeah, my arm finally disappeared a couple of weeks ago. My ear started to turn grey last week," he explained.

Lily sat in the chair next to his bed. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. Actually, I can even really feel it. It's kind of like it's numb."

Lily felt her stomach churn at the thought, so she hurried to change the topic. "So, what are you drawing?"

Duncan looked down at his lap, which Lily could now see had a sketch pad in his lap. "Oh, just what's outside."

Lily looked around the room, but there was no window. "What do you mean, Duncan? You don't have a window."

Duncan's smile seemed to grow even wider. "But that's the best part! That means that anything could be outside. I could imagine that there's a train station on the other side of the wall. Or a big park, or just people walking along a sidewalk. Since I don't have a window, I get to pick what's outside. So, every few weeks, I draw a new window, and then Gordon hangs it up on my wall for me."

Lily looked at the wall across from her. There was no picture, so he must have already taken it down. Honestly, Lily had never noticed a picture on the wall. Usually, she was a bit distracted by the invisible or transparent body parts on Duncan's body. But she looked at the picture that he was now concentrating on again.

It was a picture of what must have been a large meadow. There was a lot of grass, some of it tall in one of the corners, with a sun along the horizon. A lake was to the right, with a large tree next to it, providing shade. A few birds were in the distance, and flowers on the ground. The colors, which he seemed to be still working, were magnificent. The colors of the sky led Lily to believe that it was a sunset. They were vibrant and majestic. Lily could hardly believe that Duncan had done it, but she was watching as his visible hand carefully colored the last part of the lake.

"That's beautiful, Duncan," Lily murmured.

Duncan smiled lightly. "I draw a lot, so I got really good at. And my dad is a really good artist too. He always says that he wishes he'd pursued it in life."

Lily watched as he continued to finish his picture. "How long have you been working on this?"

"For a week. I start one every time I put a new one up, so it gives me plenty of time. I'm going to finish this one today, so I had Gordon take the old one down," he told her. "It's in that drawer, if you want to see it."

Lily looked at his bedside table, and she pulled open the drawer. There was one paper inside, so she pulled it out. It was a beautiful picture of an underwater village, and mermaids were everywhere, in houses, swimming around, and chatting with each other. It was beautiful, with what looked like expert coloring.

"This is really good, Duncan," Lily told him.

"You can have it, if you like," Duncan said, his eyes not moving from his picture. "My parents have a lot of them, and so do my Healers. I think you should have one."

Lily smiled. "Thanks," she whispered. She put it back on the table, keeping it there to take later. "So, Duncan, have you ever thought about drawing a picture of Hogwarts for one of your windows?"

He shook his head. "No. I have this really great picture in my head, and I don't think I could ever draw it out."

Lily looked at him skeptically. With his skill, he could probably do better than most famous artists ever could. But she only smiled. "I'm sure you could if you tried."

"I don't want to risk it though. Just incase it didn't turn out good," he replied. Finally he looked away from his picture to look at her. "I'm ok with having other things outside my window. I'm just going to be sad when they stop appearing," Duncan said with a bit of a sigh.

Lily looked at him with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, my Healers aren't positive, but they're thinking that my other arm will eventually disappear too. Being ambidextrous helped when I lost one, but I can't draw when they're invisible. It's too hard. And if it turns grey, then I won't be able to even try. I'll lose all my nerves in my arm," Duncan explained.

Lily felt her heart drop. Such a talented young artist would never be able to draw again? Surely he'd be better before then. A sharp pang hit Lily in the chest as she remembered that there was a good chance that Duncan would never get better.

Lily quickly changed the subject again. "So, are you finished with that one?" she asked.

Duncan glanced down at the picture and smiled. "Yeah, I'm finished. Here." He handed the sketchbook to her to look at. The lake was finished, a deep blue color with the sun's reflection. It was breathtaking. It made Lily wish that Duncan could see the lake at Hogwarts. She knew that he'd love to try and draw it. And with how good he was, he had to be a gifted child. He would have been such a fantastic wizard . . . but he'd never get the chance.

Duncan pulled something else from the same drawer that Lily had opened. He held out a bit of Spello-tape to her. "Will you hang it up for me? Gordon will enlarge it for me later."

Lily nodded, and carefully pulled out the drawing from the sketchbook. She placed a bit of tape on it, and then got up and moved over to the opposite wall. She carefully placed it in the middle of the wall, pressing the tape firmly on the wall. She stepped back, taking a look at the picture against the sterile white walls. It was wonderful, and she had to admit that it brightened up the room.

Lily looked back at Duncan with a small smile. "It's perfect, Duncan."

He nodded. "Yeah. I love seeing my imagination on the wall. It keeps me smiling."


	33. New Member to the Weasley Clan

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Another chapter tying up loose ends, but the year had to end so that I could bring around a new and more exciting year. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Three: New Member to the Weasley Clan

Lily groaned lightly as her pillow shifted. Then her eyes snapped open. Her pillow moved? She lifted her head to see that her 'pillow' had been Louis's shoulder. No wonder it had been so uncomfortable. Lily sat up straight in the chair she was in, stretching her arms and back. They'd all been at the hospital for hours, waiting for Victoire to have the baby. Most of them had fallen asleep, but as Lily blinked the sleep from her eyes, she could see some of the adults up and walking about, probably stretching their legs out a bit.

"Morning, sweetheart." Lily turned her head to see that her mum was occupying the seat next to her.

Lily yawned. "What time is it?"

"Almost six in the morning," Ginny answered with a sigh.

Lily groaned. "Merlin! How long is this going to take?"

Ginny laughed. "It can take awhile. Pushing a human being out of your body isn't exactly easy."

Lily tried not to cringe at the mental image her mum stuck in her head. "Ew."

Ginny laughed a little again. "So, what's with the new outfit?"

Lily's shoulders tensed. "Just a change. Why?"

"Well, I can't help but notice that this change seemed to happen around a time where you seem to be angry at your father," Ginny commented.

Lily hated how her mother could be perceptive. "Yeah, so?"

"So you are doing this just to get back at your father?" Ginny assumed.

"At first, yeah. But I do like it," Lily told her firmly.

"Hmm. Well, I'm not saying that I hate it, but I would like if you'd tone it down just a bit. Then perhaps I won't have to listen to your father complain about it," Ginny requested.

"If he has a problem, he can tell me. He had no problem blaming me for the fights with the boys," Lily hissed.

"Your dad does not blame you."

"Were you in the room when we talked?" Lily snapped.

"The snappy attitude you've gained isn't cute," Ginny said sternly.

"Same attitude as always," Lily replied. "Not my fault you don't like it."

"Lily Luna Potter, what is going on with you lately?" Ginny demanded.

Lily bit back a sneer as her nerves churned in fury. "Nothing!" she hissed quietly. "I apologize for growing up, but there's nothing going on with me!"

"Really? So getting into fights is common for you? Talking back in class is normal, because a letter was given to me by the desk, and it was from your professor?" Ginny listed.

"It's not my fault Professor Creevey has a superior attitude!" Lily muttered.

"I don't think _his_ attitude is the problem," Ginny stated.

Lily let out an irritated sigh. "Fine! You win, Mum! I'm a bad kid, and a terrible person! Happy?"

"You're not a bad kid, Lily," Ginny argued. "I just don't get why you're acting this way lately."

"I've always been this way, Mum!" Lily retorted. "It's just me! It's my personality! And if you think that the way I'm acting is bad, then you think I'm a bad kid. How I act is how I am!" Lily stood from her seat and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Ginny demanded.

"To go to the restroom," Lily snapped back. She pushed the bathroom door opened and walked to the mirror. Her hair was a mess, so she fixed her ponytail. She turned on the cold water, splashing some on her face to wake her up a bit. She felt her nerves twitch as she tried to settle her anger. She knew her mother wouldn't be any help. She hadn't been since Lily became a Slytherin. Sure, she supported her, but she did nothing when James and Albus tried to back her into a corner.

There was a knock at the restroom door, and then it opened. Lily looked over in confusion to see Lucy poking her head in. "Um . . . Lily, Victoire's Healer wants to talk to everybody," she said quietly.

Lily nodded. "Just a second," she muttered. The door swung shut, and Lily pulled in a couple of deep breaths before she walked back into the waiting room. She walked back to her family, most of which were slowly waking up and stretching. Lily moved to stand next to Louis, who looked as if he'd been awake for hours, when it was only minutes.

"How's my girl doing?" Bill asked the Healer.

The man smiled at the family. "Well, it took awhile, but she had the baby, and they are all waiting for you to come and join them," he told them.

"What is it?" Grandma Molly asked excitedly.

"It's a sweet baby boy," the Healer told them. Many of the girls squealed in excitement. "Follow me," he instructed.

The family followed behind the Healer all the way to where Victoire, Teddy, and Fleur were supposed to be. He stopped at a door. "They're right in here. Oh, and Teddy asked for his sister to go in first. He has some news for her."

Lily looked at the Healer in confusion, but she stepped forward and opened the door. She heard him say something to the others as she closed the door. Inside the room was Teddy and Victoire, her aunt Fleur nowhere to be seen, and a tiny bundle in Victoire's arms.

Teddy looked exhausted, his hair the original brown color, his eyes a tired blue. But his smile was the happiest Lily had ever seen it. Victoire looked an awful mess, but she seemed practically radiate warmth and a glow about the room.

Teddy looked over at Lily. "Hey, sis. Come over here," he told her.

Lily smiled at them, and walked forward. Once she was close to the bed, she could see into the bundle in Victoire's arms. He was tiny, as all babies were, and had a tuft of blonde hair. His eyes were closed, and his mouth was open as he took in soft breaths. Lily felt her heart stutter as she took in the sight. He was adorable.

She looked at Victoire. "What's his name?" she asked.

Victoire seemed to smile even more, even though it seemed impossible. "Theodore. Theodore John Lupin."

Teddy placed a hand on Lily's shoulder as he stood from his chair. "Anyway, I thought we'd have you come in first, since we've named you his godmother," he told her.

Lily turned her head around to look at him in surprise. "What? I was kidding when I said that!"

They both laughed. "We know," Teddy assured, "but as we thought about it, we both knew that we'd be around for a long time, so it didn't matter if you were only thirteen. And we knew that you would be the perfect aunt, so why not a perfect godmother?"

Lily felt her entire body relax as the thought seem to finally hit her. She smiled softly. "Thanks."

Teddy squeezed her shoulder. "No problem, sis. Give me a second." He walked toward the door, and out the room.

Lily took his seat, and Victoire looked at her with a smile. "Would you like to hold him?" she asked.

Lily felt her body jolt alive with excitement. "If it's ok."

Victoire giggled. "Of course it is. Here." With instructions from Victoire, Lily carefully took baby Theodore into her arms. He was so light. Like a Quaffle. But Lily felt as if she'd almost jostled him when she noticed his hair changing.

"His hair's turning darker," Lily commented.

Victoire laughed. "Yes, it was blonde at first, then brown, then red, and then blonde again. Looks like he's going to be just like his father."

The door opened, and led by Teddy, the rest of the family began to file in. Lily quickly passed the baby off to Victoire, and stood back so that she could keep back from the rest of the family as they all clustered around to see the baby. Her aunt Fleur came in last, looking just as tired as Teddy and Victoire had. But she must have gone to the bathroom, because she looked a bit more refreshed than they had.

Fleur smiled at Lily. "Did you zee him?" she asked, her accent so light after all these years.

Lily smiled. "Yeah. He's adorable."

Fleur nodded. "He's the one of the most beautiful babies I've zeen in about thirteen years."

Lily nodded. "I can agree with that, considering I haven't seen one in my life."

Fleur giggled a bit, and pushed Lily's bangs out of her eyes. Then she scanned Lily's clothes. "You look very pretty, Lily. I like your clothes," she said.

Lily smiled even brighter. "Thanks, Aunt Fleur. I'm glad to hear that."

Fleur smiled. "Eet would look even better if you wore maybe a bit of white, or perhaps a plaid skirt of sorts," she suggested.

Lily looked down at her outfit, and then back at her aunt. "I'll remember that."

* * *

The kids were all sent back to school a few hours after the baby had been born, but since they were all exhausted, it was unlikely that any of the others were going to Hogsmeade. Lily left Professor Brown's office and went straight to the Slytherin common room. She entered her empty dorm room and dropped down onto her bed, falling sound asleep.

Lily awoke early the next morning, and found that the other girls were all still asleep. She took a shower, taking her time with drying her hair. She got dressed, and now that it wasn't so cold, she could wear clothes that were a bit thinner. She pulled her hair up and then waited for Lola.

"So, why did you have to go?" Lola asked.

"Yeah. Rumor was that your cousins all disappeared too," Megan told her.

Lily giggled. "It's nothing. Teddy and Victoire had their baby," she answered.

The girls all gasped and squealed in excitement.

"Really?" Shannon said. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy. His name's Theodore," Lily told them. She pulled out a picture from her bag that Teddy had taken, and showed them. It was of Victoire holding Theodore, who was sleeping in her arms. He slept quite a bit while they'd been there. In the picture, his hair was so dark it was almost blue.

"He's so cute!" Lola squealed.

They talked more about the baby as the other girls got dressed and ready. They then walked down to the common room, and walked to breakfast. She apparently had missed much, but Lily didn't think she would have. They took seats at the Slytherin table, and Lily began to eat a full plate. After spending so much time in the hospital, she was starving for good food.

"Hey! Lily's back!" Jace announced as the boys walked toward them.

"Yeah, we should celebrate," Hunter joked.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she smiled. "Hey, guys," she greeted.

Xavier dropped in the seat next to her with a grin. "Nice to see ya again."

Lily smiled. "Right back at ya." She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips, ignoring the catcalls from the other boys.

Xavier just grinned at the other boys. "What? Disappointed that your girlfriends don't kiss you?" he teased. "Oh, wait, you don't have girlfriends."

Jace threw his arm around Izzy defensively. "I have a girlfriend," he corrected.

"And big ears," Lola added with a grin.

"Not to mention clean hair," Jace said with a sigh and a grin.

* * *

April ended quickly, and that meant that the match of Slytherin versus Hufflepuff was coming quickly. Scorpius began to book the pitch for a practice every day, which led to a few complaints from the others, which went ignored. Lily just kept quiet, knowing that complaining would get her nowhere. She knew that Scorpius was stubborn.

When the day of the match came, Scorpius made sure that they all ate a good meal, not wanting them to feel faint or lose energy on the field.

"Remember, I want a Beater by Lily at all times," Scorpius told them as they all got changed for the game.

"Got it covered," Tanner assured.

"And I want at least a sixty-point lead," Scorpius reminded.

"And we'll get it," Will told him.

"Then let's go kill a few badgers," Scorpius growled.

* * *

"And Macmillan makes the shot, and Montague takes a hit from a Bludger. Hufflepuff is leading with two hundred and twenty points, and Montague looks to have a nearly broken arm," Meredith Macmillan joked.

Lily tried not to shake her head. From the start, the game was turning out to be a disaster. For the first time this season, the caliber of the Slytherins' brooms didn't matter. Hufflepuff had become brutal this year. Adrian had taken a hit a minute into the game, knocking him out completely. Dante had taken multiple hits, Lily had been close to getting hit, and everyone else had taken at least one hit. Hufflepuff seemed to have great passing skills this year, which seemed to make it hard for Scorpius and Will to intercept the Quaffle. Lars was having a bit of trouble of his own trying to take out the Hufflepuff players, and Tanner could hardly defend himself while defending Lily. And even worse, Slytherin only had a hundred and forty points. They were losing by eighty!

"We're going to get our asses creamed if something doesn't change," Tanner muttered as he watched a Bludger speed toward them. He pulled back his bat and slammed it into the Bludger, sending it toward a Hufflepuff, who was gone by the time the Bludger got there.

Lily scanned the field, looking for the Snitch. She no longer cared about a lead. But as she caught sight of one of the Hufflepuff Chasers, Gary Fleet, an idea came into her mind. "Tanner, I've got an idea. I'm going to do something a bit crazy, and I don't want you to follow me," Lily told him.

"Will it take you out of the game?" Tanner asked.

"No."

"Then go for it," he told her.

Lily shot forward, leaning close to her broom, gaining speed. She stretched out her arm. "And it seems as if Potter's seen the Snitch!" Meredith announced, catching everybody's attention. Lily kept moving, ignoring the eyes. When she got close to Fleet, she made the motion as if she were about to swerve, but then didn't, and slammed straight into him. They were both rattled from their brooms, and Lily almost fell from hers. Fleet was hanging on by a hand. Lily turned her broom around, 'accidentally' knocking into Fleet's broom. She zoomed forward as she heard the gasps of the crowd.

"And Fleet's lost his grip! Potter still seems to be after the Snitch, and Rickett is doing her best to keep up!" Meredith said, her voice as tense with excitement as the air in the pitch. Lily kept going, keeping her arm outstretched. "And it seems as if the Hufflepuff Beaters are ready to take action against Potter's lead ahead of Rickett!"

Lily tried not to grin as she swerved back toward the middle of the pitch. She could hear the wind whistling, and she could practically feel the Bludger coming up behind her. Lily moved as if she were going to collide with another Hufflepuff Chaser, Grace Macmillan, but at the last moment, dropped so that she was upside down, and her broom was moving lower. She could hear the Bludger hitting Macmillan quicker than the girl could move, and when Lily flipped herself over, she could see Macmillan's face bleeding profusely. Lily moved higher into the air, slowing down to a stop.

"And Potter's lost sight of the Snitch," Meredith Macmillan said, practically growling. Lily was sure that she knew that she'd never even seen it to begin with. Before she could blink, Tanner was by her side again.

"That was brilliant, Lily Lu!" he cheered. "You just took out two Chasers. Macmillan looks like she's about to pass out!"

"And Malfoy takes the Quaffle from the pass to Macmillan. He swerves past Whitby, takes the shot and makes it! That's another ten points for Slytherin, adding up to a hundred and eighty," Meredith announced.

"We made three more shots?" Lily questioned.

"While you were pulling your stunt. And I was also able to hit their Keeper with a Bludger. Got him right in the side with it. Surprised she didn't fall off her broom," Tanner bragged.

"I told Scorpius, we are going to win," Lily said with a grin.

As the game continued, Hufflepuff just couldn't seem to get themselves back together. With the loss of two Chasers, Grace Macmillan had finally passed out from blood loss, there was no way they could win, even when they did bring in their single reserve Chaser. Their Keeper was a bit slower due to injury, making it easier for Scorpius and Will to score past her. Their Beaters were just as brutal, but now the Slytherin team had some confidence, the Bludgers seemed like nothing. They soon tied for the lead, and they took the lead for their own. Lily was now waiting for that sixty-point lead Scorpius had wanted, and was watching for the Snitch at the same time.

"And Nott makes the shot, giving Slytherin two hundred and seventy points," Meredith grumbled.

Lily sat up a bit on her broom. Seventy. One more goal and that would be sixty. Her eyes scanned for the Snitch. But she was a little late.

"And Rickett's seen the Snitch!" Meredith yelled in excitement.

Lily turned her head to see Rickett near the ground, her hand outstretched, the Snitch zigzagging in front of her. Lily dived toward the grass, her hand held out as well. Rickett was getting closer, but Lily's broom was faster, helping her catch up. Lily straightened out her broom once the toe of her shoes began to touch the grass. She swerved in front of Rickett, taking the lead. She felt the smooth metal slide across her palm, and she closed her fingers around the flailing wings of the Snitch.

"And Potter's caught the Snitch! The game ends with Hufflepuff with two hundred and twenty, and Slytherin four hundred and twenty. Slytherin wins!" Meredith announced.

Lily landed holding the Snitch up high. They'd beaten Hufflepuff by two hundred points! And that had kept Hufflepuff from grabbing their season's average of four hundred points a game!

Will was the first one to land, and he wrapped his arms around Lily, pulling her up off her feet. He lifted her onto his shoulders as the others landed and surrounded them in excitement as they all began to walk to the locker room. Will put her down, and Lily walked through the door. Excitement was buzzing around them as they all went to their lockers to grab their clothes. Scorpius stood in front of them all, looking at each of them.

Lars looked at him expectantly. "Well?"

Scorpius smirked. "Now that is how you dominate."

* * *

Lily sighed as she sat at a table in the Three Broomsticks. She was holding a butterbeer, waiting for Xavier, since she was a bit early. It was the last Hogsmeade visit of the school year, so they'd decided to make it a date. Sadly, Lily had other ideas.

"Hey, you're early," Xavier said as he sat at the table. He smiled at her, making Lily feel a bit guilty.

She smiled as well. "Yeah. Here, I got you a butterbeer." Lily pushed a bottle toward him.

"Thanks," he said, popping open the bottle, and taking a long drink. "So, what do you want to do today? Since it's our last trip this year."

Lily let out a quiet breath. "Well, I was actually wondering if we could talk for a moment?"

Xavier nodded. "Yeah. What about?"

She pulled in a gulp. "Well . . . Xavier, I like you, but I just don't think that we should date anymore."

Xavier didn't look upset, nor did he look angry. He just nodded and took another drink before speaking. "Ok. Can I ask why though?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. It's just . . . when you take out the whole kissing part, it just feels like we're nothing but friends. I mean, it's not like we would have lasted."

Xavier nodded again. "Yeah. You got a point. So, make this our last date?"

Lily grinned. "End with a compliment and a kiss?"

Xavier grinned too. "Sounds like a plan."

* * *

The end of May came, bringing around great news for Slytherin. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor faced off in Quidditch, neither team making enough points to catch up to Slytherin, despite Gryffindor winning. The Slytherin accepted the cup with excitement, and partied until their Saturday night turned into Sunday morning. June came around soon after, which set most of the students on edge. The fifth and seventh years began their O.W.L.s and N.E., and teachers began to crack down on all other students before their exams. Lily took it in stride, taking one day at a time. Now that Quidditch was done, Lily had a lot more time on her hands, even with more homework. But Lily received a note from Slughorn, asking her to meet him in his office during the evening on the third.

Lily walked into Slughorn's office, not really bothering to knock anymore.

"Ah! Lily! You're here," Slughorn said with a happy smile. "Come in, come in."

Lily closed the door and dropped her bag by a couch, sitting down as well. "What did you need me for, sir?"

Slughorn sat down. "Well, over this past year, I've seen you do some amazing things with potions. You have done things that people my age can't do as well as you can. So, I've set up a type of test for you to take to . . . see where your skills are. Are you up to the challenge?" he asked.

Lily shrugged. "Sure. What's it like?"

"Well, there's a written test and a practical test, both of which are timed. Both are very challenging, but I think you can do it," he told her with confidence.

Lily grinned. "All right. Let's do it then."

Slughorn smiled. "Excellent! Written test first. I've got it all set up at the table over here. Let's begin!"

Lily had to admit that it wasn't an easy test, but it wasn't all too difficult. There was quite a bit on Polyjuice Potion, which was something Lily had studied and made before. The practical test wasn't at all very easy, for she had never made Amortentia before. But she got it to the correct color, which was all she could really use to see that it was correct. Amortentia didn't have a smell that you could use to test it.

"I'm done, sir," Lily told him, a bit tired after all the testing.

Slughorn stepped over and took a cup of her potion. "You know, Lily, this looks to be perfect! I'm a bit surprised."

Lily chuckled a little. "Same here, sir. I never thought I'd be able to do it my first time."

Slughorn took a whiff of the potion. "It even has the right smell for me," he mentioned. He capped his bottle, and set it on the table. Then he took another cup and capped it as well. With a wave of his wand, a small box floated over to them. Slughorn set it on the table, and then he looked at Lily. "I've got a gift for you, for being such a great student and such a great girl," he told her.

Lily blushed a little. "You didn't have to, Professor."

But he shook his head. "No, I think you deserve this, especially for all your hard work. Now, this is something I've been setting up since we began these lessons, and I think that now we're coming up to the end of the year I think that now is the time to give it to you," he told her.

Lily looked at him with confusion. "You've been working on a little box?"

He chuckled. "Not exactly. I'm going to show you how to open this box. Just tap it with your wand and say 'Princess'. Something I picked up from Mr. Malfoy," he joked. He tapped the box and said the password. The box suddenly grew, expanding to ten times the size, which still wasn't very big, but bigger. Slughorn pulled off what turned out to be a lid, and once he did, several shelves and secret compartments opened out of the box. It was like a makeup case, but instead it was filled with bottled beakers of all sizes, each full of a different liquid.

Lily looked at it in wonder. "Sir, what are those?"

"These are samples of every potion you've ever made, in our lessons, and in class. And now, a bit of Amemortentia, along with your perfected Felix Felicis," Slughorn told her.

Lily looked at him with excitement. "You mean I did the Felix Felicis right?"

He chuckled. "Yes, you did. And so I added it in here as well. I trust you to use all of these potions wisely."

"Of course, sir," Lily said, her body practically shaking with excitement. All the potions she'd made . . . all the things they could do . . . it was in her hands now!

Slughorn tapped the box again. "Flower." The box closed, the compartments and shelves flying in, and the box shrinking to the size of her palm. He picked it up and placed it into her hand. "No potioneer is complete without her potions and experiments," he murmured.

Lily closed her hand. "Thank you, sir," she said quietly.

Slughorn smiled. "It was no problem at all, Lily. Now, you must be tired. So, go on and get some rest. You have class tomorrow, and I want you to be ready to prepare for your exams."

Lily nodded and grabbed her bag. She carefully placed the box into her bag. "Good night, Professor."

"Good night, Lily," he replied.

* * *

Soon after Slughorn's test, the real exams began. But Lily found that with a little studying, it was no problem. And after the test she'd taken for Slughorn and all their lessons, her potion exam seemed like nothing.

"You know," Jace said days later, looking at his exam results at the Slytherin table, "I did much better than I thought I would in Divination."

"You passed?" Lola scoffed.

Jace grinned. "You bet, dirty. No studying required. Just a couple of lies."

"Same here," Lily told him.

Jace laughed. "Yeah, but you got a perfect. I don't see how you did it."

"I'm an excellent liar, and a great actress," Lily sighed.

"Besides, Lily gets a perfect on everything every year," Megan reminded.

"I almost got a perfect on Charms," Jace mentioned with a grin. "One of my best scores."

"Good job," Izzy told him with a smile.

"How did you do, Lola?" Lily asked.

"Great on everything except History of Magic. Like usual," Lola answered.

"I don't see how anyone can do good at History of Magic," Shannon muttered.

"How do you do it, Lil?" Hunter asked.

Lily shrugged. "A great memory for useless information?" she guessed. "I surprise myself when I do it. I barely listen in that class."

"You fall sleep in that class sometimes," Lola teased.

"It's the perfect time for a nap," Lily joked.

* * *

A few days later, Lily found herself walking with Jace and Lola to the Hogsmeade station. Regal was perched on her shoulder, waiting to take off for home.

"I think I'll get a pet," Lola murmured as she stroked Regal's wings.

"I might get one that's not an owl," Jace said as he looked at the owl in the cage he held. "Like a rat or something."

"I'd stay away from frogs," Lily warned. "Professor Longbottom had one when he was in school, said it was nothing but trouble."

"Doesn't he still have one though?" Lola asked. "It's always sitting on his desk and making noise."

"Yeah, but I've heard him complain to my parents and his wife about how it's always disappearing," Lily told her.

"Must suck to have a professor as an uncle," Jace said.

"It does. I can't imagine how the Creevey boys deal with having one as a father. Especially seeing how he's an ass," Lily muttered. They came up to the man loading the train, and left their trunks with him. Jace set his owl's cage on top of his trunk. Lily stroked Regal once before moving her head to the side, giving him a bit of room to launch from her shoulder.

"You have such a pretty owl," Lola murmured.

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I know. He's great."

The three stepped onto the train and walked through the hall, looking for an empty compartment.

"Here's one," Jace told them. He pushed open the door and let the girls step in first before coming in himself. He closed the door and sat down across from the two girls. He leaned back in his seat, getting comfortable.

Lola sighed. "So, what are your plans for the summer?"

"Nothing," Jace muttered.

"The Malfoys are taking me on a trip with them," Lily answered.

"You really get along with the Malfoys, don't you?" Lola asked.

Lily grinned. "Yeah, mainly because they're not my parents. It's easier to like them."

"You and Scorpius get on very well too," Jace added.

"He's a really cool guy," Lily replied with a shrug.

"When do you guys leave?" Lola asked.

"Scorpius told me to come over on the eighteenth, so three days from now. I guess his mum is ecstatic that I'm coming," Lily told them.

"I thought you said that your parents were mad at you. Your dad because of your clothes, and your mum because of your supposed attitude?" Lola mentioned.

"They are," Lily said.

"And they're still letting you go?" Lola questioned.

"They can let me go or I can lock myself in my room again," Lily explained. "If I pull that card, I'm sure they'll let me go. They hate when I lock myself away from the others."

"Yeah, but when you get back, you won't be able to do that then," Lola pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. But I planned on spending time with Louis this summer, and you guys," Lily replied.

"Good plan," Jace complimented.

"What's a good plan?" The three turned their heads head to see Scorpius and Lars walking in.

"Lily's gonna give her parents an ultimatum to get them to let her go on the trip with you," Lola explained.

Scorpius sat between Lola and Lily. "Sounds brilliant, Princess."

"That's what I thought," Lily replied.

"Where are Lana and Mitch?" Jace asked.

"Well, Dante's molesting my sister in some compartment, and Mitch is sitting with the band and his girlfriend," Lars grumbled.

"Lovely picture about your sister," Lola said with a disgusted look.

"Why aren't you sitting with the band? You're still dating Rex, right?" Scorpius asked Lola.

Lola nodded. "Yeah, but I told him I was sitting with these two. I wasn't up for listening to them talk about their band."

"You make it sound like they suck," Lars laughed.

Lola rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying that. I've actually never heard them play."

"We have," Scorpius told them. "They're actually really good."

"Yeah, I didn't know that Will could sing," Lars joked.

"So, Princess, do you want me to come and get you before we leave?" Scorpius asked.

Lily shrugged. "Sure. Come get me whenever I guess," she replied.

"My mum said that we would be leaving some time after noon, so I guess that I'll come and get you then," Scorpius warned.

"All right. I'll pack a bag tonight," Lily sighed.

"Eager to get out of that house?" Jace teased.

"The less time I have to spend in that den of lions the better," Lily muttered.

"Can't blame ya," Scorpius agreed. "Don't worry. I'll whisk you away in a few days."

"Oh, my black knight," Lily joked dryly. But then she laughed lightly. "I'm glad. I'd rather be with your parents than mine."

"I thought your mum was ok with things," Lars asked.

"Not lately. She's finally begun to agree with my dad and brothers, and she too thinks that I have an attitude problem," Lily said, practically hissing.

"Bullshit," Scorpius muttered.

"Yeah. It makes me think that I'd rather spend time with Lucius than them," Lily grumbled.

"That's saying a lot," Lars chuckled.

"I've often thought that I'd rather choke on my own spit than spend time with him," Scorpius joked dryly.

"Wouldn't blame ya," Lars sighed. "Your grandad can be insufferable."

"Not to mention a prick, a bigot, and crazy," Scorpius listed. "Be ready, Princess. You'll be in for the vacation of your life with us."


	34. A Circle of Magic

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Some people were a bit surprised or angry at Ginny for how she reacted to Lily's change. It's not that Ginny isn't accepting Lily or how she's changing. In fact, Ginny is understanding very well that Lily is growing up. Her fear is, though, that her changing could lead her to breaking away from her family, much like Percy had done at one time. So, please, don't hate or be mad at Ginny, because she's probably the one person in Lily's home that is truly understanding her.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Four: A Circle of Magic

The car ride back home was very uncomfortable for Lily. She was sitting in the back with her brothers, barely lucky enough to have a window seat. The tension between her and her family was thick. Her dad had glared at her outfit choice, and her mother didn't look as happy as she usually was when she hugged Lily. So Lily didn't remind them of the trip. She didn't want her brothers saying something to ruin her chances of going. In fact, Lily didn't say much at all. When they finally got home, she took her trunk to her room, leaving her door wide open. She slowly began to put things away, taking her time. Once she was finished, she looked out into the hallway. Her brothers' doors were closed, but she could hear noises, which meant that they were in their rooms. Lily walked down the stairs, ready to talk to her parents, but she stopped when she heard voices in the kitchen.

"I don't know, Harry, but something has to change. Otherwise we're going to lose the ability to talk to our daughter," Ginny said.

"I will not lose the ability to discipline my kids. She knew I wouldn't like her dressing like that, so she purposely does it," Harry argued.

"Harry, she thinks that you blame her for how she and the boys fight," Ginny told him.

"I wasn't blaming her! I just told her that I want the fighting to stop. I told the boys the same thing," Harry replied. "She locks herself in her room whenever she's home, it's not my fault that she didn't hear me talking to them."

"Look, Harry, I'm not saying that she's right, or that you're right. I'm just saying that something has to change before we lose our daughter completely," Ginny said with a sigh. "I'm afraid that she's not happy."

"I've tried to talk to her. She won't let anyone talk to her," Harry retorted. "I mean, the only time I learn about what she's been up to is from her brothers or when she accidently lets something slip. Did you know that she was dating Lysander?" Lily gulped. What would her mum think about that?

"Well from what Luna told me, it was just two dates, they were never officially a couple. At least that's what Lysander told her in his letters," Ginny replied.

"See! You had to hear it from Luna. Lily won't talk to us," Harry pointed out.

"She's a teenager. She's growing up. She's not going to want to talk to us. I never told my mother things when I was her age," Ginny told him. "I had friends for that. I had Hermione."

"I just think that it's getting out of hand. And the attitude she's gaining is getting to be a bit much," she heard her father mutter.

"I know, and I've told her that. All it did was make things worse between us. I think we just need to give her some space to figure things out about herself and to grow. If we crowd her, she's just going to feel pressured and angry with us," Ginny replied.

Lily didn't want to hear anymore. The more she heard, the more guilt she felt. Maybe she was a bad kid. At least a bad daughter. She walked into the kitchen, making her presence known.

"Hey, Mum, Dad, can I talk to you?" Lily asked, letting them know she was there. Both her parents were sitting at the table, a cup in their hands.

Harry looked a bit surprised, but he nodded. "Of course, princess. Sit down."

Lily moved to sit next to her father and across from her mother. Ginny seemed a bit pleased. "What did you want to talk about, sweetheart?"

"Well, I was wondering if I could go on that trip with Scorpius and his family?" Lily asked. "I mean, Scorpius's mother is really excited about having me go, and I think it'll be better than just sitting around."

"I don't know," Harry muttered.

Lily looked pleadingly at her mother. Ginny looked hesitant. "Well . . . when do they leave?"

"On the eighteenth, some time after noon. Scorpius said that he would come and get me before noon," Lily told them.

"When would you be back?"

"A few weeks. Scorpius said sometime in early July." Both parents still seemed unsure, so Lily pulled the big card. "Please? I need something to do besides sitting in my room for weeks."

"Is it just his family that's going?" Harry asked.

"Yeah. They said that he could bring a friend to keep him from being bored," Lily explained. "Can I go? Please? I really want to."

Both of her parents still looked hesitant, but Harry finally rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well, . . . I guess if they're already expecting you . . ."

Lily sat up straighter, her hopes rising. "So, I can go?"

Ginny nodded. "It's ok with us."

Lily squealed, jumping from her seat. "Thank you so much!" She kissed her father's cheek and hurried back up to her room. She grabbed a smaller trunk and began to pack her things. She did clothes first, choosing clothes for warm weather, and since they would be near a beach, she packed a bathing suit that she'd gotten from her aunt Fleur on her last birthday. She took her box of potions that Slughorn had given her, plus a few things from her uncle George's shop.

A knock sounded on her door, but Lily kept packing. "Come in," she called. The door slammed open with a bang, making Lily jump. She spun around to see James standing in the doorway, his face showing his fury. Lily glared at him. "What do you want?" she sneered.

James held something up. Paper. Lily recognized it instantly as the Marauder's Map. "I lost this for months at school! Someone stole it, and then it magically appears in my room? I know I had it at school with me!" he hissed. "You stole my map!" He stepped into the room, kicking it closed.

Lily held her ground. "How could I do that? Maybe it was Albus or one of your other idiot lackeys that constantly come over here?"

"I'm not an idiot!" he growled.

"Could have fooled me," Lily said dryly. "Now if all you came in here for was to accuse me, then get out."

"You trashed the Gryffindor dorm rooms!" James snarled.

"Prove it!" Lily countered. "You can't. Nobody could. Not even the teachers could figure out who it was. So get out before I make you."

James scoffed as he stepped closer. "You're going to _make_ me? Try it." James was bigger than her, thanks to his age. He was taller than her, and thanks to Quidditch, he had strong and broad shoulders. But none of this scared Lily.

Lily kicked her foot at James's knee, making his weight stagger from the hit. Then she pulled her fist back, and since she was at the right level now, she punched him in the cheek. James fell back, holding his cheek and his knee.

"You little bitch!" he spit out.

"Get out!" Lily demanded angrily. She stomped to her door, and held it open.

James got up, a little shaky on one leg, and he glared at her again. He moved to the door, but he leaned closer to her, glaring at her. "You're going to regret ever messing with me."

"I wouldn't be the first girl," Lily snarled.

James's face turned red with anger, but he grit his teeth and stormed out of the room. Lily slammed her door shut behind him, and angrily began to pack again.

* * *

Lily sat in her grandpa's shed, handing him tools as they worked on the bike.

"It should be finished by the end of the summer," Arthur told her. "Then I'll hand it over to ya."

Lily smiled at the thought. "Sounds great."

"So, how was your third year, Lily?" Arthur asked.

"It was pretty good. I had a lot of fun going to Hogsmeade," Lily replied. "How was your year?"

"Relatively quiet, but it's been that way since my kids all started their own families," he joked. "Until holidays come around that is. Then it's a mess."

Lily laughed lightly. "I'm glad it was enjoyable for you."

"So, Lily, can I ask you something?" Arthur asked.

"Go ahead," Lily told him.

"Well, Victoire mentioned that she took you with her to work over Christmas, and that you were visiting a friend. Can I ask who it is?" he inquired.

Lily felt her stomach knot a little. "Oh, um, I was visiting a boy named Duncan. Professor Brown had me meet him one day, and so I go to visit him when I can," she answered.

"Why is he there?" Arthur asked tentatively.

The knot in her stomach tightened. "He has Vanishing Sickness. He's had it for almost three years now."

"That's not good," he murmured.

Lily pulled in a shaky breath. "The longest time someone has it is about four years. His Healer says that they're doing everything to push it back, so they expect that he might last longer, and then they'll have more time to figure out how to heal him," she explained.

"I'm sure he'll get better," Arthur assured.

"I'm glad someone is," she whispered. "Every time I see him, he's worse. Another part of him disappears or turns grey. And the more time I spend with him . . . the more it hurts to think about him not making it."

Arthur put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "It's always hard to lose someone. It's harder when it's slow. But if there's a chance of him making it, you have to have faith in that chance."

"It's hard, Grandpa," she murmured.

"I know, Lily. I know."

* * *

Lily sighed as she finally zipped up her open trunk for the trip. She'd kept it open, just incase there was something else she wanted to pack. After spending time with her grandfather, she went to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes to pick up a few things she wanted. And then the day after that, she was invited by Victoire to go shopping with her and her Aunt Fleur. Lily had Flooed over to their house, and was a bit disappointed that she hadn't seen Louis there. She hadn't seen much of him at all lately. But shopping was fun, even though Fleur did kind of use her as a doll. But she got Lily a few outfits, adding the white she'd suggested, and she'd even gotten a plaid skirt with a black belt.

Now it was the eighteenth, Lily had everything packed, her broom ready, and now she was just waiting for Scorpius. She pulled her trunk down the stairs, and placed it next to the fireplace. She'd already said goodbye to her dad, who had left for work an hour ago. Now she moved to the kitchen where her mum was writing something.

"Hey, Mum, Scorpius will be here soon," Lily said as she stepped into the room.

Ginny looked up from her paper. "All right. I have to go to the Daily Prophet's office soon. You be good on that trip, ok?"

Lily nodded. "I know, Mum. I will be."

"And write at least one letter, letting us know how you are," Ginny added.

"I let Regal out a few minutes ago. I know he'll show up," Lily assured. Regal always seemed to know where she was.

"And just make sure to have fun, sweetheart," Ginny told her.

Lily smiled a little. "I will, Mum."

Ginny stood up and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Love you, Lily."

"Love you too, Mum," Lily mumbled. Her mother picked up the paper from the table and walked past her, and out of the room. Lily stood there for a moment, not sure what to do. But then she heard flames from the other room, and she knew that Scorpius was here.

"Princess?" she heard him call.

Lily walked back into the living room. She smiled at the sight of Scorpius standing near the fireplace. "I'm right here," she told him.

He looked at her and smirked. "Hey, there. Ready?"

"Yeah, my stuff's right there," Lily said, pointing to her trunk and broom.

Scorpius moved to take hold of her things, and Lily moved closer to the fireplace, glancing at Scorpius as she did. His hair was wild, probably from Flooing in. He was wearing a pair of baggy, grey jeans, and a dark-green shirt that looked to be silk. Lily felt her heart beat just a little harder as she blushed slightly.

Scorpius looked at her with that same smirk. "Well, ready to go?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I am. Said goodbye to my parents, and they've already left, so I'm set."

"Ok then. Ladies first," he said.

Lily grabbed a bit of Floo Powder from the bowl on the mantle and stepped into the fireplace. "Malfoy Manor!"

Lily was proud that she didn't stumble when she stepped out of the fireplace and into the beautiful sitting room in Malfoy Manor. She straightened her clothes, waiting for Scorpius to show up. Even with her things in his hands, Scorpius didn't even stumble when he stepped into the room. He made it look so easy. He set her things by a pile of trunks that Lily hadn't noticed before. Then he looked at her.

"We have about half an hour or so before we leave. My grandparents have already left, and the house elves will be bringing the luggage, so we have time to do what we please," Scorpius told her.

"Which would be?" Lily asked.

Scorpius shrugged as he dropped down onto one of the couches. He propped his feet on the table, and stretched his arms. "No idea. Honestly, I think we should just leave now, but my mum insists that there are still things she needs to pack. She's had months to pack, yet she's still missing something," he muttered.

Lily laughed lightly as she dropped down next to him on the couch. "So, where are we going?"

"I guess we're going to one of the Malfoy homes in Ireland. It's been a long time since I've been there, but I do remember a beach," he told her.

"One of the Malfoy homes? How many do you have?" Lily asked.

Scorpius let out a breath, blowing his bangs off his forehead. "Pssh, I don't know. A lot. Most of them are rented out, which is another way that my family makes money."

"I can see how your family is so rich then," Lily said with a sigh.

"Well what about your family? You're not exactly poor," Scorpius teased.

Lily laughed a little. "Well, my grandfather on my dad's side came from a pretty rich family, so my dad was left a small fortune after they died. And working as the Head of the Auror Department makes a lot of money. Then you include my mother playing for the Harpies, and then working for the _Daily Prophet_, it adds up to a lot of money," she replied.

"Sounds like it," he said. "So, how's your nephew?"

Lily smiled at the thought of Theo. "He's adorable. I saw him yesterday when I went shopping with Victoire and her mum. Teddy was taking care of him while we were gone."

"Real cutie, is he?" Scorpius said with a grin.

"A total cutie," Lily said with a giggle.

"Scorpius! Are you back?" a voice called.

"In the sitting room, Mum!" Scorpius yelled back.

Footsteps echoed from the left, and Astoria Malfoy walked into the room from the open archway. She smiled at the sight of them. "Lily! It's so nice you see you again! I was happy to hear that Scorpius had decided to invite you."

Lily smiled, unable to keep it away when seeing how happy Astoria was to see her. "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy. It's great to see you again as well," she told her.

"It's been so long since I've seen you. You've grown into such a pretty young lady. How have you been?" Astoria prattled off questions and comments as she sat in a chair across from the two.

Lily tried not to blush at the compliment. "I've been pretty good actually. My third year was a bit eventful," she answered.

"Really? Scorpius here hardly ever says a thing in his letters, so I'm never properly informed," Astoria said with a teasing laugh.

Lily giggled too when she noticed the light tint of pink on Scorpius's cheeks. "Well, I can't say much. I tend to be a bit like that with my letters. I hope he at least told you about our triumph over Hufflepuff, and our keeping the Quidditch and House Cups?"

"Yes, he did mention that. His father and I were so proud, and his grandfather we practically beaming with pride," Astoria told her.

Scorpius scoffed, but when his mother's eyes moved to him, he tried to cover it with a cough. Lily hurried to direct the attention from him. "So, how have you been, Mrs. Malfoy?"

"Oh, same as always. I had a fashion show a few months back, which was hectic to prepare," Astoria replied.

"Fashion show?" Lily inquired.

Scorpius cleared his throat. "Mum's a major fashion designer. It's under the name _Asterisk_."

"Yes, Draco suggested it when I started it. He thought that anything relating to the name Malfoy could be a bit damaging to business," Astoria rolled her eyes. "You've probably seen a few of my things in places like Madam Malkin's and Twillfit and Tatting's and just never noticed."

"I think I remember that label name. I just never knew that you made them," Lily replied.

"Yes, that's my design. I do everything from casual to formal. It fills the day," Astoria said with a laugh. "The only problem is when the time for a fashion show comes around. There's so much planning involved. Models, who wears what outfit, invitations, a location. Ugh! It takes forever."

"I can imagine," Lily said with a small laugh of her own. "How often do you have a fashion show?"

"Twice a year. One in the spring and one in the fall," Astoria answered.

"I was very thankful when I had to go to school instead of the shows," Scorpius muttered with a smirk.

Astoria rolled his eyes. "Yes, Scorpius never seemed to like going. He constantly complained."

"Sounds like something he would do," Lily mocked with a grin.

"Astoria? Where are you?" another voice yelled.

"In the sitting room, darling," Astoria called. No sooner had she spoke than had Draco Malfoy walked into the room, fixing the cuff of his button up shirt. He didn't look surprised to see Lily at all, but actually sort of grinned at the sight of her.

"Hello again, Lily. Good year?" Draco asked.

"I thought so. And you, Mr. Malfoy?" Lily asked.

"Hellish, which is much better than usual," Draco mocked. Lily laughed lightly. Draco turned to his wife. "Anyways, we should probably get going. Father will be getting impatient, and I don't feel like listening to him when get there."

"Oh, all right. Are you two ready?" Astoria questioned.

"Of course, mother," Scorpius said as he stood up. He held out his hand to Lily, and gently pulled her from her seat.

"Then let's go. Scorpius," Draco said, holding out his arm. Scorpius placed his hand on his father's forearm, and then they disappeared with a crack.

Astoria smiled at Lily once they were alone. "Now that they boys are gone, I was hoping that I could ask you a favor, Lily?"

Lily looked at Astoria in a bit of confusion. But unlike with others, Lily didn't hesitate at this request. "Sure, what is it?"

"Well, I've been working on a few designs for young girls, but I never actually have a model. Gregory refuses to let Lana do it. So I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me out a bit this summer?" Astoria asked. "I'll pay you of course. It'll sort of be like a summer job."

Lily now looked at her in surprise. A model? Her? She wasn't exactly sure what to say. "Oh. Um . . . well, I guess I could do that."

Astoria beamed. "Oh, thank you! I mean, I feel guilty for asking, but I never have a model."

Lily couldn't help but smile at her excitement. "It's no problem, Mrs. Malfoy. Not at all."

Astoria smiled. "Well, let's move along. The boys will be wondering what's taking us." Astoria held out her own arm, which Lily placed her hand on. With a small turn, Lily felt herself being pulled through that sucking feeling, and then dropped onto her feet. It was a surprisingly easy landing.

The first thing Lily saw was an open view of a beautiful ocean and sky. There was sand near the water, creating a small and private beach. There was a slight breeze that was incredibly warm, but not hot. The smell of water and flowers was in the air, following the breeze. Astoria turned around, so Lily did the same. Behind them was a large house. Not as big as the manor, but bigger than her house. It was pure white on the outside, with a large grey door, and large windows.

"The boys must already be inside," Astoria murmured as she walked up the path to the door.

"Astoria, can I ask you something? Why don't you rent this one out to people like some of your other houses?" Lily asked.

"Well this is one of our favorites," Astoria told her. "So we keep it for ourselves, with a few magical touches. Keeps it under our own weather control, and it keeps out of the sight of Muggles. If you really try, you can feel the magic in the air."

Lily focused as she walked to the door, trying to feel the magic. As she did, there was a slight tingle and vibration running over her skin. Was that the feeling of magic in the air? Lily followed Astoria to the door, and stepped inside after her. The inside was large, elegant, and very open. There were large windows everywhere, letting you see the beautiful scenery outside. Scorpius was sitting on a couch next to a fireplace.

"You two took longer than expected. Forget something, Mum?" Scorpius teased.

Astoria laughed airily as she walked to an open archway. "Something like that, sweetheart," she said lightly. Then she stepped out of the room.

Lily moved over to where Scorpius was sitting and sat next to him. Scorpius looked at her with a raised brow. "What did she want to talk to you about?" he asked.

Lily sighed. "She just wanted to know if I could help her with a few of her designs. Nothing big," she told him.

Scorpius only nodded, not commenting. "Well, my father is talking with my grandparents, most likely trying to calm Lucius down now that he knows that you are here. Would you like a tour?"

Lily nodded. "Sure, why not."

Scorpius stood up with a jump and began walking toward a different open archway. Lily followed him into a moderate sized dining room, and it surprised her. The wall ahead of her was completely glass, showing a beautiful view of a bunch of trees. A small forest perhaps. There was a large rectangular table surrounded with chairs.

"Here is the dining room. It's where we will be eating on the days we don't go out to eat," Scorpius told her. "Um . . . follow me." He led her through another archway and into a large kitchen, with shiny and new-looking appliances. "Here is the kitchen. The house elves will be the ones preparing our meals."

"This house is very . . . light and open," Lily commented as they walked into a hallway, and he led her up a stairway.

"Yeah. That's why it's my mum's favorite. She likes how bright it is. The one thing she hates about the manor is how dim it can be," Scorpius told her. The walls of the upstairs were total white, adding to the brightness. He walked over to one door and opened it. He let her step in. "This is my room."

It was very clean, no posters or pictures, no clothes on the floor. Nothing. The walls were a pale green color, and the carpet was a dull grey. There was a large bed with a thick green comforter and black pillows, a bedside table, a desk to the right, and a dresser to the left. There were two doors on either side of the room, which Lily guessed led to the closet and the bathroom.

"It's clean," Lily commented as she walked in.

"We're rarely here, and my mum makes me clean the room before we leave," Scorpius told her. He closed the door and moved to fall onto his bed. "I love this bed though. It's so comfortable, and it's always warm."

Lily smiled, and then something caught her eye. A large glass door. "Is that a balcony?" she asked.

Scorpius glanced over at where she was looking. "Yeah, it is. I have a view of the beach from here."

Lily walked over to look out the glass. From where she stood, she could see the wide expanse of water that was the ocean. "It's nice," she murmured.

"Yeah. It's better at night though," Scorpius told her.

"Kids! Come down here!" they heard Draco call.

Lily turned and watched Scorpius groan as he sat up. "Get ready, Princess. I think we're about to say hello to Lucius."

"Can't wait," Lily joked lightly.

Scorpius chuckled as they walked out of the room. He led the way as they walked down the stairs. He walked toward a far archway and walked into the sitting room. Lily followed him in and saw that Scorpius's parents and grandparents were sitting around, waiting for them. Already she could tell that Lucius looked livid.

But Narcissa didn't look upset, but Lily had to admit that she didn't look at happy as either of Scorpius's parents had been. "Hello, Lily. How have you been?" she asked.

Lily smiled lightly. "I've been well. And you?"

"Oh, same as always. My sister wrote me about Teddy and his wife having a baby. How are they?" Narcissa asked.

"They're all doing just fine. Teddy said that the baby sleep pretty well for a newborn," Lily told her. Scorpius pulled her to one of the couches for them to sit down.

"I'm glad to hear that," Narcissa said with a smile.

"When will you kids be ready to eat?" Draco asked, breaking into the conversation.

Scorpius shrugged. "Whenever. I don't care."

Lily was a bit more polite. "I can eat whenever."

Draco gave a nod. "All right. Well I'll probably have the elves get started. Excuse me." He stood up and left the room.

Astoria smiled at the two children. "What are your plans for the day?" she asked them.

"I thought I'd take Lil on a walk around. Let her see full estate," Scorpius told her.

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea! You go ahead, and we'll call when dinner's ready," Astoria said with a broad smile.

Scorpius nodded. "Ok. Come on, Lil." She followed him out of the room and back to the front door. When they were both outside and he closed the door, his shoulders slumped, and the smirk resurfaced. "I love seeing Lucius Malfoy's livid face. It's amusing."

Lily giggled and rolled her eyes. "You're going to give him an early heart attack."

"No, I'm just into entertainment," Scorpius quipped. He sighed. "But anyways, I have a place that I want to show you. Come on." Scorpius took her wrist, and gently pulled her along the grass, toward the back of the house. The cluster of trees that she had seen before came into view, and she noticed that Scorpius was leading her toward it.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked curiously.

Scorpius looked back at her with a smirk. "That group of trees is a lot bigger than it seems. I used to go in there all the time as a kid. When I was ten, I found something, so I want to show it to you."

As they broke past the first line of trees, Scorpius kept hold of her wrist, something Lily was thankful for. She didn't want to lose sight of him. Not to mention how warm his hand was on her apparently cool skin. And as they went, she was very glad that he kept hold of her. With all the twists and turns that he pulled her through, Lily knew she'd never get out by herself.

"You made this trip there and back at ten?" Lily said in surprise. "How the hell did your find your way back?"

Scorpius laughed. "I would just keep walking until I got back. After a dozen trips out here I learned the way back."

"I would be lost every time," she muttered.

"Well you don't ever need to worry. You've got me," he assured. Lily felt her heart stutter slightly at his words, and she was sure that her cheeks turned pink. "Ah!" he exclaimed. "Here it is."

He brought her past a ring of trees and into the most fantastical scene yet. It was a large circle, surrounded by a ring of trees. The grass was still without even a slight breeze. Flowers sprung from the ground in large clusters, adding a multitude of colors to the circle. Not a sound permitted Lily's ears from here. The sky above was very visible, and was a vast expanse of blue, with not even a single cloud.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Scorpius said softly. "I don't know what it is, but I love this place."

"It's . . . magnificent," Lily whispered. She stepped further into the circle a few flowers brushing against her legs. She looked back at Scorpius and saw that he was taking off his shoes. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Scorpius smirked at her as he dropped his shoes. "Take yours off. It's comfortable," he said as he slipped off his socks.

Lily toed off her shoes and then slipped off her socks as well. She was surprised at how soft the grass felt beneath her feet. Like a soft carpet was under her toes. "It feels so . . ."

"I know," Scorpius said when she'd trailed off. He took her wrist again and pulled her to the middle of the circle. Then he sat down, tugging her wrist for her to do the same. Lily moved to sit next to him. Lily looked around, breathing in the relaxing air. This place was so . . . calm. It was as if it was impossible to be anything but relaxed here. No thoughts of her family entered her mind, no tensions concerning her brothers, and no sadness at the loss of acceptance in parts of her family. It was perfect.

"If you think this is boring, we can leave," Scorpius suggested lightly.

Lily quickly shook her head. "No. No I like this place. It's relaxing."

Scorpius moved to lie back on the grass. "It's hard not to relax here. It's why I like it so much."

"This place has a magic of its own," Lily commented.

"Everything has its own magic. Some is just more noticeable than others."


	35. Crossing the Line

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's my next update. I didn't have too many ideas for the trip, so I decided to put it all in one chapter. Be ready for a big surprise coming up in what should be the next chapter. Let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Five: Crossing the Line

Lily hesitated as she looked at the outfit laid out in front of her. She'd been in Ireland for a couple of days now, and it had been great. She and Scorpius had taken a fly each morning, but had yet to go swimming, something that Astoria had pointed out to them. Every day after dinner, Scorpius took her to the meadow, letting them both relax. Lucius Malfoy had barely left them out of his sight, so it was nice to be away from his watchful eyes. But Draco was stealing Scorpius away for part of the day, so Astoria suggested that she could show Lily the types of outfits she would be wearing while working for her. That led to the idea of trying a few on and taking a few pictures.

"Just so you're used to it," Astoria assured.

Lily now stood in her room, staring at the clothes on her bed. It was a white sundress with a deep red bow around the waist. There were no straps, and it looked as if it would end at her knees . . . maybe. There was a white bra laying next, white panties next to that, and white stockings. Why the hell was Astoria trying to make her look like an angel?

Taking her time, Lily slowly changed into the pure outfit. She pulled on the stockings last, and then stopped to look at herself in the full-length mirror. Her hair stood out proud against the pure white color of the dress, flowing down to the bottom of her shoulder blades. She smoothed out the skirt and adjusted the bow. With an exasperated sigh, she walked out of the room and down the hall where Astoria had set up her workshop. She stepped inside to see Astoria toying with a camera.

Astoria glanced up at Lily and smiled brightly. "Lily, you look beautiful! I knew white would be perfect!"

Lily tried not to blush. "Thanks," she mumbled.

"Let's just do something with your hair," Astoria murmured.

"Like what?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"Well, I was actually thinking that the style you usually do would be perfect," Astoria assured as she pulled Lily into a chair.

"You mean a side ponytail?" Lily asked as she felt Astoria's fingers comb through her hair.

"Yes. I think it would look very pretty with this outfit," Astoria told her. "I just need to figure out what scene will go best in the picture."

"What scene are you going for here?" Lily inquired.

"Something . . . angelic. Beauty, relaxing. Majestic," Astoria listed.

A thought popped into Lily's mind at the word 'relaxing'. "I think I might know a place. But I don't know how to get there. I would need Scorpius to lead me there," she told her.

Astoria gave her a hopeful look in the mirror. "Do you think he would?"

Lily shrugged. "You could always ask him."

"Yes, but I'll have to wait until his father is done with him. Why don't we try a different outfit while we wait?" Astoria suggested. "I do have a few other things."

Lily nodded. "Ok. Like what?"

"Well, I do have a bathing suit I was hoping you'd try," Astoria said hesitantly.

Lily sighed. It was probably a two-piece. Not her thing. But Lily held out her hand. "Give it to me."

Astoria smiled broadly. "Oh, thank you! And keep your hair up," she told her. She disappeared behind a rack of clothes, and reappeared with two hangers. She placed them into Lily's hand. "Just change behind the screen."

Lily nodded. She got up from the chair and moved to hide behind the screen in the corner. She undressed and then slipped on the bathing suit. She tied the strings to the top around her neck, and then stepped out from the screen.

"Oh, Lily, it's perfect on you!" Astoria said with a smile.

Lily blushed, avoiding the mirror in the room. "Thanks. So, what do we do now?"

Astoria's smile turned into a sly grin that Lily wasn't used to seeing on her face. Astoria picked up a camera. "First, we need to go out to the beach," she answered.

So Lily followed Astoria out of the room and down to the first floor. Astoria led her outside and down to the beach. There wasn't even a breeze in the air, only the sound of the waves lapping against the sand.

"Lily," Astoria addressed, "do you mind if I kind of treat you like a doll for a couple of minutes?"

Lily looked at her with a little confusion. "Um . . . I guess not."

"Good. Now, lay out this towel and then sit on it," Astoria told her, holding out a dark green towel. Lily took it and spread it across the sand. She noticed the Slytherin crest near the bottom, and with a glance at the bathing suit she wore, she saw silver. Finally, something that was really her. Lily sat down on the towel, and then waited for her next instructions.

"Ok, now legs together and lay them straight," Astoria told her. Lily did as she was told. "Now, bend your knees so that they're level with your chest, but keep distance between your abdomen and your legs." Lily did that as well, wondering what the point was. "Ok, now . . . place your right hand on your knee, and place your left behind you. Then lean back a little." Lily did this as well. "Does that hurt or strain anything?"

Lily shook her head. "No. It's perfectly fine."

"Good. Now I just need you to smile," Astoria told her as she waved her wand at the camera. The camera began to float and point towards Lily. So Lily did as she was told and smiled, although it wasn't a full smile. The camera flashed once . . . twice . . . three times. It flashed repeatedly, so Lily tried different expressions as her eyes followed the camera, which had taken to moving to different angles. Just a plain smile would probably be a bit boring. Lily then leaned forward, unbending one leg, and resting her chin on her knee. What must have been at least twenty minutes, the camera documented every pose, expression, and angle she had. Lily began to wonder how many pictures you would want of one person.

"Ok, I think that's good," Astoria said as she grabbed the camera out of the air.

Lily dropped her last pose, and then dropped onto the towel. "Finally."

Astoria laughed lightly. "Sorry, but we take a lot of pictures to make sure we get the best one. Do you want to be done for the day or do you mind trying a different outfit?"

Lily shrugged. "We can do another one. I don't mind. It's actually not that bad. I just didn't think it would involve that many pictures," she said as she picked up the towel.

Astoria laughed again. "Well I'm glad you like it. I've been dying for a younger model."

Lily smiled. "So, what's my next outfit?"

"I have a more casual one for you. We'll take the pictures in the sitting room," Astoria told her. "I chose an outfit that seems to suit your tastes a bit more."

"Like what?" Lily asked.

"Well it's a black and red striped shirt with sleeves that go to your elbows. And it's a v-neck. Then I have a black skirt with a bit of lace at the bottom. And then I have a pair of black tights. And if you don't mind, I'd like to add a bit of makeup to this one," Astoria explained.

Lily shrugged. "Sure. I don't care. I put on a bit of makeup, but never too much."

"Well I don't plan on putting on too much either. Just enough to really bring out your eyes," Astoria told her.

Soon Lily was in a new outfit, and she had to admit that she loved this one. The shirt was a wonderful fit, and the skirt was a perfect compliment. Astoria had sat her down and put a dab of mascara and eyeliner on her. "Just to enhance your eyes," she had assured. Then she had taken Lily's hair out and had taken a bit of time to curl it loosely. Then she pulled Lily down to the sitting room.

"Ok, now I want you to sit on the couch," Astoria told her.

Lily sat on the black leather, resting her back against the arm. She bent her right knee, pulling it a bit closer and resting her hand on it. Then she turned her head to Astoria, tilted her head a little and gave a small grin.

Astoria let go of the camera, which began to float. "Great! One thing, do you think you could lower your eyelids a tad?" Lily did as she was told. "Perfect! Hold that."

The camera flashed a couple of times before Lily chose to change her position. She moved to sit on the arm, leaning forward on her knees. The camera moved to her front, taking a picture where she did smile. Next she moved to sit on the top of the couch, leaning back a touch and tilting her head, letting her hair drape across her neck.

"Mum? Lily?" they heard Scorpius call.

Astoria grabbed the camera as she looked to the door. "We're in the sitting room, Scorpius!"

Lily moved so that she wasn't leaning back, but she kept her seat on the back of the sofa. She watched as Scorpius walked in.

"I was wonderi- . . ." Scorpius trailed off as he looked at the scene in front of him. Lily blushed as his eyes locked onto her. Then he cleared his throat. "Um, sorry. Am I interrupting something?"

Astoria smiled at her son. "No, not at all. We were just doing a few pictures. Getting Lily used to it."

Scorpius gave and obvious gulp. "Ah. Well . . . father and I are done. Is there anything you need help with?" he asked.

"There is actually. There's an outfit I have for Lily to wear, but I wasn't sure where to do the pictures. She says that she knows the perfect place but would need you to lead her to it," Astoria requested.

Scorpius glanced at Lily knowingly. "Sure. I can take you two there."

"Well, actually, could you do the pictures too? I need to talk to your father about something. You know how to work the camera," Astoria asked.

Scorpius let out a breath. "Sure. I'd be glad too."

"Great! Lily, why don't you go change quickly," Astoria suggested.

Lily nodded and demurely stepped off the couch. "Sure. Just give me a moment."

Lily's blush wouldn't fade even after she had gotten to the room she'd left her outfit in. Scorpius was going to take the pictures? He'd looked so surprised when he'd saw her, and that gave her a dumb bit of hope. It was a ridiculous idea. Scorpius was her best friend and it stopped there. It would never go any further than that. Lily changed quickly and then put her hair back up. It was a bit different since the ends were still curled, but she didn't think it would make a difference. She walked back down the stairs and into the sitting room to see Scorpius waiting by the door, the camera in hand.

Scorpius looked at her, and he didn't say a thing. He just stared. Lily felt her blush strengthen, and felt her nerves jump. "Um, is something wrong?" she asked.

Her voice seemed to snap him out of it. "Oh! No, nothing. I've just never seen you in white, or something so . . . angelic," he ended with a small laugh.

Lily laughed a bit too, although hers was forced. "Yeah, I thought the same."

Scorpius opened the door. "Well, let's out there, shall we?" The two walked out of the house and around the back to the trees. "We'd better be careful," Scorpius said, "since you're wearing white."

It took them a bit longer to get to the meadow this time, since they were being careful to not get Lily's clothes dirty. But when they did get there, Scorpius just stood at the edge. Lily looked at him with a bit of confusion. "What?" she asked.

"Well, . . . I'm a bit clueless on what to do from here," Scorpius told her.

Lily bit her lip, not wanting to giggle at his uncertainty. "Well, let me get ready, and then I'll tell you when to start the camera," she told him. Scorpius gave a nod, so she moved to where there was a large circle of flowers. Lily moved to lie down in the bed of flowers, one knee bent just a tiny bit, one hand stretched out above her, and the other propped up by her wrist, her fingers playing with the stem of a close-by flower. "Start it," she told him.

"One moment," she heard him say. She heard muted footsteps, and then she turned her head to see him standing above her. He held a white flower in his hands. Carefully he placed it behind her ear. "Ok, now turn your head to look at the flower," he whispered.

Lily gulped and did as he told her. Her eyes locked onto the flower she was touching. She heard Scorpius step away from her. Knowing he was getting ready to start, Lily smiled.

The camera flashed.

* * *

"These look perfect, Lily!" Astoria said as she looked over the pictures. It had been two days since the "photo shoot", and Astoria had finally gotten all of the pictures developed. In each one Lily had a pose where she smiled or grinned, and would bat an eyelash every so often.

Lily blushed as she looked at them all. She could hardly believe that it was her in the photos. The girl in the pictures looked to be years older than thirteen. Had she really changed that much? "You think so?"

"Absolutely," Astoria assured. "Which leads me to ask you something."

"What is it?" Lily asked.

"Well, there are a couple of magazines that ask me to send in photos of some of my clothes," Astoria told her.

"Fashion magazines?" Lily guessed.

"Exactly. _Witch Weekly_ and others like that. And I was wondering if you would mind me giving a few of these?" Astoria asked delicately.

Lily blushed even more. "You mean that you want to send these pictures to magazines? Like I'm a legit model?"

"Yes. Other people would see them. Are you ok with that?" Astoria inquired.

Lily thought about that. Her picture would be in multiple copies of multiple magazines. Her parents would see it, no doubt. Her dad would probably explode . . . a tiny bit of a plus. And it would show that she was no Gryffindor Potter. She looked nothing like you would expect.

Lily nodded. "I think it's a good idea. If you do one thing."

Astoria looked at her curiously, but Lily could see the excitement bubbling in her eyes. "What is it?"

"Well, when you put my name, make it Lily Luna. Nothing more," Lily told her.

Astoria smiled. "I think that I can do that."

"Perfect," Lily said with a grin.

"Hey, Lil," Scorpius called from another room. "You wanna go for a swim?"

Astoria smiled at her. "Go on. Have fun."

Lily smiled at her. "Thanks." She ran from the room and found Scorpius getting ready to open the door to her room. "Sure," she told him.

Scorpius looked a little surprised to see that she wasn't in her room. But he smirked. "Good. Go change then. I'll meet you outside."

Lily stepped into her room and pulled out one of the bathing suits that her aunt Fleur had bought her. She grabbed the Slytherin towel that Astoria had let her keep, and hurried outside. Scorpius was indeed waiting for her on the shore. He was wearing a plain black shirt and green swim trunks. He smirked when he caught sight of her. "Nice suit," he teased lightly.

Lily blushed. "Haha. Nice shorts," she mocked.

He looked down at his shorts. "I think they're pretty nice." There was a Slytherin crest on the legs of them.

Lily dropped the towel. "Well so is my bathing suit. If you can tease me about mine, I can tease you back."

"Touche," he said with a laugh. He dropped his hands to the hem of his shirt and began to pull it up. Lily blushed heavily and adverted her eyes. Sure, she'd seen him shirtless in the locker room before, but the circumstances were different. There weren't five other guys with them this time. She heard him laugh again. "Embarrassed? It's not like you've never seen me without a shirt on before!"

Lily turned her head to glare at him. "I know that! But a warning would have been nice!" she retorted a bit hotly. All the while she examined the newly exposed skin. Was it possible that he'd gotten bigger since the last Quidditch match? Surely the expanse of his muscled chest had grown. His shoulders had to be broader than before.

Scorpius smirked and shrugged. "I'll yell next time I strip," he joked.

Lily giggled lightly, a blush still a bit evident. "Thank you," she teased.

Scorpius grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the water. "Come on. Water's warm," he assured. And it was. Lily sighed in comfort once her feet were submerged. It was very warm indeed. They were soon to where the water was past her waist, but Scorpius kept tugging at her wrist.

"Scorpius," Lily warned, "I'm not the best swimmer."

Scorpius shrugged. "Don't worry. I am. I've got ya," he assured. He pulled Lily out a little deeper, but the water began to reach her shoulders.

"Scorpius," Lily warned again.

Lily felt her legs being knocked out from under her. She yelped, but didn't fall into the water. Instead she was floating . . . in someone's arms. Scorpius was still smirking at her, the water only reaching halfway up his chest. "I told you, I've got ya," he repeated.

Blushing, Lily held onto his shoulders as Scorpius walked a bit further out into the water. Soon half of her body was submerged as the water was almost to his shoulders. Then he stopped. Lily looked at his smirking face. His hair looked to be a little damp at the tips. His hair practically fell to his eyes, which brought out their dark stormy color. His skin seemed to be a bit tanner, probably from all the sun they'd gotten the past week. And Lily noticed the beginning of a bit of stubble on his cheeks.

Not wanting to seem like she was ogling him, she decided to tease him. "Getting a bit scruffy there, aren't you?"

Scorpius chuckled. "Yeah, I didn't shave this morning. I was lazy," he replied. "It gets to be troublesome to do after just waking up."

"I didn't know that you needed to shave," Lily mocked lightly.

"Since the middle of this last year. Kind of sucks," he joked. Then he sobered a bit. "All right, we're going under. Ready?"

Lily's eyes went wide. "What? No! Don't' you dare!"

Scorpius chuckled. "I promise that I've got you. No worries. Ok?" Lily looked at him for a moment. His face was serious, honesty shining in his eyes. Then she nodded. "Ok. Here we go."

Then they were under water, and Lily couldn't feel Scorpius's hands under her. She tried to keep calm, not wanting to panic and start flailing around. But her lungs began to scream a little at her, and she wanted nothing more to resurface. Just in time, she felt two hands grab her arms, and lift her up through the resisting water. Her head broke the surface, and Lily took in deep breaths. She looked at Scorpius who was still smirking. He looked to be standing now.

"How the hell are you so tall?" Lily demanded. She couldn't even feel the bottom of the ocean floor.

Scorpius laughed. "I pulled us closer to the shore. Move over a little and you'll probably be able to stand," he told her.

Curious, Lily did as he said, and felt the sand beneath her feet. She felt herself blush a little with embarrassment. "Oh," she muttered.

Scorpius didn't laugh at her this time. "Feel better now?" he asked.

Lily rolled her eyes and smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Shut it."

* * *

Lily groaned as she felt something push at her shoulder. She was so tired. Hadn't she been sleeping?

"Princess! Princess, wake up!" a hushed whisper sounded by her ear.

Lily didn't open her eyes. "What?" she mumbled.

"I need your help with something. Something awesome. Wake up," the voice urged quietly.

Lily slowly opened her eyes, blinking a couple of times. The room was dim, and after her eyes adjusted, she saw Scorpius standing next to her bed, wearing nothing but a pair of green pajama pants. She sat up slowly. "Scorpius? What is it?"

Scorpius smirked. "I want your help with something."

"With what?" Lily asked, letting out a yawn.

"I want you to help me streak my hair green," he told her.

Lily blinked a few times again, and then looked at him in surprise. "What?" she asked.

"Streak my hair," he repeated.

"At this time of the night?" Lily inquired.

He shrugged. "No one to stop us. What do you say?"

Lily sighed. "Ok, fine. Let's do this." She pushed back the covers, only slightly aware that she wore only a big shirt and a tiny pair of shorts.

"Come on, we'll use my bathroom," he told her. He took her wrist and led her out of her room and into his. His lights were on, blinding Lily momentarily. But then he was pulling her into his bathroom, which was only dimly lighted.

"What do I have to do?" Lily asked as he closed the door.

He handed her a bottle of a green liquid. "All you have to do is put that on your hands, take parts of my hair, and soak it with that stuff. It won't stain skin or anything, so no need for gloves." He moved and sat on a stool he'd brought in.

Lily sighed as she opened the bottle. She let some of the green liquid pour into the palm of her hand. Then with her other hand she took a bit of his hair and soaked it into the liquid in her other hand. She made sure that it was completely coated before she let it go. The hair seemed to dry quickly, leaving only a green color to his hair. She did this over and over again, leaving streaks of green in his hair, which contrasted greatly with his natural white blonde color. Once she had finished, she washed her hands while Scorpius examined himself in the mirror.

"I look good," he said with a smirk.

Lily smiled. "It does suit you," she told him.

"Thanks for your help, Princess," Scorpius told her.

Lily shrugged as she dried her hands. "No problem. It really does look good."

"Maybe we ought to streak your hair sometime," Scorpius suggested.

Lily laughed lightly. "Maybe. I wouldn't mind a little green."

Scorpius was still smirking when he stepped closer to her, leaving them a breath away. "Actually," he said softly, "I was thinking pink bangs. I think that'd look really nice on you."

Lily felt her cheeks heat up at how close he was. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body. "Yeah, maybe," she whispered.

Scorpius's hand reached up to take a gentle hold of her bangs between his fingers. He curled the hair a bit before pushing it away from her eyes. The back of his hand brushed against her skin, sending a rush of warmth throughout her body. It made her shiver lightly. He didn't move his hand when he'd let go of her hair. Instead he kept it by her ear, touching her lightly. "And I also think that you look very good with the ends of your hair curled," he murmured.

Lily felt like her throat was making it hard to talk, and the heat around her was getting to a boiling point. "I'll remember that." Lily felt her heart quicken when she felt his thumb brushing against her skin gently. Like an innocent caress. "Scorpius," she whispered.

Scorpius leaned down a bit, bringing his face closer to hers. "Yeah?" he whispered.

His breath fanned against her face, and the smell of mint whirled around her. She shuddered lightly with a foreign feeling. She almost lost all thought in the feel. After all, he was just a kiss away. Lily gulped before speaking. "I should probably get to bed. Your mum needs me up early in the morning."

Scorpius lightly cleared his throat and nodded. "Ok. I'll see you in the morning then." His voice was deep, like a low rumble when he spoke. It made Lily want to stay right where she was.

But she still took that small step back. "Good night, Scorpius," she murmured.

Lily had turned and began to leave the bathroom when a hand caught her wrist. It was warm and curled completely around her wrist. She turned back to look at Scorpius. His gaze was scorching and intense, warming her entire being. "Sweet dreams, Princess," he said softly. His hand let go of her, and it seemed as if the warmth left with his hand. Lily sucked in a deep breath, and then walked out of the room and out of the warmth completely.

* * *

"So, Lily, I have something very exciting to show you!" Astoria exclaimed with an eager smile. They were sitting in Astoria's studio, Lily sitting at a counter. She had been zoned out since she'd gotten up that morning, her thoughts going back to the night before. What had that been? It was like the line of best friends had disappeared, and now Lily had no idea which side they were standing on. She hadn't seen Scorpius this morning, so she couldn't see how he was taking this either.

Lily almost smacked herself. How could she let herself get wrapped up like that? Then again, Scorpius seemed to be wrapped up in it too. He was the one that had moved closer, the one that had caressed her softly. All she'd really done was stand there and get swept away. So what did that mean? Did he like her, or was it just a freak accident? Did she just misinterpret it?

"Lily?" Astoria spoke gently, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder.

Lily almost jumped out of her thoughts. "What?" she asked.

"Are you ok, sweetheart? You seem a little out of it," Astoria mentioned.

Lily shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I just didn't have the best sleep."

Astoria pushed a bit of Lily's hair back. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure. Anyways, you said you had something exciting to show me?" Lily asked, wanting to divert Astoria's attention.

It worked, and Astoria was back to smiling proudly. "Yes! I wanted to show you these!" She put three magazines down on the counter top. Lily looked at them, and immediately was shocked. On all three covers was her! _Witch Weekly_ had the picture of her in the sitting room, sitting on the top of the couch. The magazine next to it had the picture of her on the beach, her silver swimsuit shining in the sun. And the last one had the picture of her in the meadow, laying in the bed of flowers.

Lily looked at Astoria with surprise. "They already sent these out?"

Astoria shook her head. "Not yet. I have to approve them first. But I think they're great. Look at this." She flipped open the copy of _Witch Weekly_, and open to the middle, where there were two pages covered with pictures of her, all from the three photo shoots. It was an entire spread of her pictures. "What do you think?" Astoria asked.

Lily flipped back to the front of the magazine and looked at the cover again. And something on the cover caught her attention.

"_New Model For Asterisk Label: Lily Luna."_ The magazine had really used the name Lily Luna. There wasn't even a sight of the name Potter. Lily glanced at the other two magazine covers. They both said something similar, and neither had the name Potter near her name.

Lily smiled at Astoria. "I love them. I think they're perfect."

Astoria clapped her hands in excitement. "Oh! Perfect! I'm so glad that you like them! You make a wonderful model, Lily!"

Lily laughed lightly. "Thanks. And it's not a problem. I actually like it, once you get used to all the pictures being taken."

Astoria laughed a little as well. "I'm glad that you enjoy it. Do you think I could borrow you over periods of time for the rest of the summer?" she asked delicately.

Lily smiled. "Of course. Just know that once I get home, I'll be getting into the routine of going to Professor Slughorn's every other day for lessons," Lily told her.

"That's no problem at all. I can work around that," Astoria assured.

"So, what other kinds of clothes do you think you'll be having me wear this summer?" Lily inquired.

"Well I was thinking about having a formal shoot. And I was thinking that we'd do a few shots for fall and winter outfits," Astoria told her.

"Sounds good to me," Lily told her with a happy sigh. "So, what left do you have to do personally?"

"Well next month I'll probably have to get ready to plan another fashion show for this coming fall. It really makes me wish that Hogwarts had breaks in the fall. Then I could add you, and then add teen fashions to the show," Astoria told her.

Lily shrugged. "Talk to Professor Brown. Maybe he'll let you borrow me for a weekend," she joked.

But Astoria seemed to be taking that seriously. "I might. It would be very helpful. I'll write to him about it." Astoria glanced at her. "If you don't mind. I would hate to pull you away from your studies."

Lily almost laughed. "I never study, and I'm at the top of my class. I don't mind at all."

"Perfect! I really hope that he'll let you," Astoria said wistfully.

Lily grinned. "Believe me, if I tell him it's important to me, he'll let me go," she assured.

"Popular with the headmaster?" Astoria inquired with a smile.

"I'm happy to say that I consider him a great friend," Lily told her.

"That's good. It's good to be friends with teachers. It makes school a bit easier," Astoria replied.

"I think so too," Lily said with a small laugh.


	36. The Clean Potter Name

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's the next update. I'll probably be wrapping up the rest of the summer in the next chapter or two, and then we'll be on our way to a new year. This chapter is a show of Lily's struggle to figure herself out, and for independence. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Clean Potter Name

Lily packed her bag with a final sigh. They were leaving today, and Lily would be going back home. Home. Back to a house that didn't seem to fully accept her anymore. It was hard to imagine after the wonderful weeks she'd had with the Malfoys. After the incident in the bathroom, things seemed to return to normal between her and Scorpius again, although Lily now always felt that warmth when she was around him. Lily was just glad that things were somewhat normal between them still. Astoria had taken a few days to dress Lily like a doll, finding her best colors and fabrics. And she had insisted that Lily take the outfits that she had worn in the photos. Lily didn't get a chance to disagree.

A knock sounded at her door. Lily turned her head to see Scorpius standing in the open doorway. Lily smiled at him. "What's up?" she asked.

"I was just wondering if you needed a little help packing," Scorpius offered, stepping more into the room.

Lily shook her head. "No, I'm done. But you could bring it downstairs," she teased.

But Scorpius took her seriously and stepped forward to pick up her bag. Lily had founded it a bit heavy at half full, but while full, Scorpius picked it up with ease. "Got it covered. Come on, Princess." Lily rolled her eyes, but she followed him out of the room. He led her down to the fireplace in the sitting room.

"I'm going to miss this place," Lily murmured.

He nodded. "Yeah," he agreed. "It's a great place to be." Scorpius sighed. "But it's time to go. You and I will be Flooing. Easier for us."

"Ok. Who first?" Lily asked.

"Me," Scorpius volunteered. "That way I can catch you if you fall."

"What a gentleman," Lily mocked. But Scorpius didn't seem to hear her. He took a handful of the powder and disappeared with a yell:

"Godric's Hollow, 117!"

Letting the fire die down a bit, Lily took a careful amount of the powder into her hand. Then she followed Scorpius's lead. "Godic's Hollow, 117!"

Lily began to spin as she kept her elbows in. Scenes went in and out of her sight, and she didn't stop spinning until she found a familiar one. Lily fell out from the fireplace, landing in Scorpius's open and waiting arms. He was smirking at her.

"Guess I was right," he teased.

Lily stood back up and shoved him away. His hands were evoking that heat in her. "Oh, shut it," she muttered.

Scorpius chuckled. "Well, I'd better be going. I'll write," he assured.

Lily felt a little disappointed that he was leaving so soon, but she still smiled a little. "Good. I'll write back."

Scorpius held out his arms, and Lily stepped into the warmth of the embrace. It was as if heat wrapped around her as well. Lily uselessly pushed away that feeling, but it persisted. The feeling tightened in her stomach, which was where the heat seemed to nest as well. When he let her go, she was sure that her entire body was flushed.

Scorpius still smirked. "Later, Princess."

Lily gave a small wave at his retreating back. "Bye, Scor."

Scorpius grabbed more powder. "Malfoy Manor!" He was gone. Then Lily was alone in the room, and seemingly alone in the house. Not one sound from anywhere. That was rare in a Weasley or Potter house. Lily grabbed her things and took them to her room, where she began to unpack. First she took all of her clothes, old and new, and put them away. Then she took out the magazines that Astoria let her keep, and hid them behind her vanity mirror. She was almost done unpacking when she heard someone coming.

"Lily? Are you home?" she heard Ginny call.

"In my room, Mum!" Lily yelled back. There were more footsteps, and then she heard her door open as she was putting away her bag.

"Hey, sweetheart!" Ginny exclaimed happily, wrapping her daughter in a hug. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Probably the only one, Lily thought. But she didn't voice this thought to her mother. Instead she just hugged her back. "Good to see you too, Mum."

Ginny pulled away to look at her daughter. "How was the trip?"

Lily smiled. "It was really fun. We swam, I hung out with Mrs. Malfoy, and we roamed the estate. It was great," she explained.

"Sounds like fun," Ginny said as she sat down on the bed. "You got a few letters."

"Really? From who?" Lily asked as she moved to sit at her vanity.

"One from Lola, one from Horace, one from St. Mungo's, and one from Lysander," Ginny listed.

Lily froze at the sound of the last name. "Lysander?" she murmured, her eyes looking at her reflection in the mirror.

"Yeah, it came about a week ago. Luna plans on visiting soon, so you can just wait until then to talk to him if you want," Ginny told her.

Lily felt her insides crush at the news. How could she avoid him when he was in her house? Then again . . . what was it Lorcan had said? Lysander deserved to know why she'd been avoiding him? Perhaps . . . maybe that was the perfect time to talk about it. But what if James or Albus barged in? Lily closed her eyes, trying to close out the thoughts as well. "What was that St. Mungo's letter?"

"I don't know. It didn't have a name on it. Just addressed to you," Ginny told her. She pulled out her wand, and with a murmured spell and flick of her wrist, a small stack of letters came flying into the room. Ginny held them out to her. "Here you are, honey."

Lily took the letters to look at them. One from Lola, she'd read that later. Lysander's . . . she'd get to it. One from Slughorn, probably about continuing the lessons. And then one from St. Mungo's. What could this be? Lily tore it open and looked at the handwriting. None that she recognized, so she looked down at the name. She gasped. Duncan!

"_Dear Lily,_

_I'm having Gordon writing this letter to you. I've lost the feeling in my other hand, so I can't use it. Gordon told me that it will probably be turning grey soon. So he's my hands now. Anyway, I'm writing to you to ask how your year was? Did you have fun? You must be excited for your fourth year. I'm really excited for your visit this summer. I want you to see my collection of Chocolate Frog cards. It's gotten pretty big since I started. Also, I put another one of my windows in the envelope for you. I thought that you might like to have it. Plus, I threw in another picture I drew. It's one that I drew especially for you. Waiting with a smile._

_Love,_

_Duncan."_

Lily felt her heart sting. His other arm. He was losing it. Duncan wouldn't ever draw again. With a thick gulp and clumsy fingers, Lily picked up the envelope and pulled out two more folded pieces of paper. She looked at the first picture, finding the beautiful artwork of the meadow that she had watched him finish during her last visit. How much more beautiful it looked now, knowing that it was one of his last. Lily felt her eyes prick and sting at the sight, but she pushed back the feelings, not wanting to cry, aware of her mother sitting on the bed. Putting down the picture, she picked up the other paper and unfolded it. She gasped.

It was her. He had drawn a picture of her, only this was much more beautiful than she could have ever been. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, and it was a vibrant red color. Her eyes looked like melted chocolate, and they seemed so gentle. She was never gentle. Her skin was fair, and she had a small smile, suggesting that she was only slightly happy. Lily looked at her mirror, not at all seeing the picture's beauty in her reflection. In fact, her eyes were more watery than gentle.

"Who was the letter from, Lily?" Ginny asked.

Lily hurried to blink away the tears and re-fold the picture. "Oh, just a friend. Her parents took her there since she wasn't feeling well. She was just writing to update me, and let me know that she was ok," she lied. She didn't look at her mother. Ginny would know she was lying immediately.

"Well that's good," Ginny said lightly. Lily tensed, wondering if she already knew of the lie.

"So, how were the last few weeks around here?" Lily asked, hoping to divert her mother's thoughts.

"Oh it was normal. Quiet. Nothing too exciting," Ginny told her.

Lily nodded. "And work?"

"The same. Just a lot of writing. Why all the questions?" Ginny asked.

Lily shrugged, trying to seem relaxed. "Just curious, I guess."

"Hm," Ginny hummed. "Well, I'll leave you to read your letters. Your father's coming home from lunch, so I better start it up." Lily felt a kiss at the top of her head, and then heard the footsteps walk away. Lily stayed at her vanity, waiting for the steps to fade completely away. Then she pulled out some parchment, and a quill and ink. She wrote her first letter.

"_Dear Victoire,_

_I have a favor to ask. I was wondering if you would take me to work with you again. I'm hoping to visit someone who is in the hospital. Please write to me and let me know if you can take me. Thanks. _

_Love,_

_Lily"_

Lily set that letter aside and started another letter.

"_Dear Duncan,_

_Don't worry. I'll be visiting you soon. Thank you for the pictures. They're beautiful, and it means a lot that you gave them to me. I'm sorry to hear about your arm, but I'm sure you'll get better soon. I've got a few more Chocolate Frogs for you to add to your collection. Also, I have another gift for you as well. And I'm happy to hear that you're smiling._

_Love,_

_Lily"_

Lily sealed both letters in two envelopes, signed them, and then gave them to Regal. She instructed him where to go, and he took off silently, flying out her open window. Lily sat back down and decided to look at her other letters. First the one from Lola.

"_Lily,_

_I hope your summer is going well. Since I didn't know where the Malfoys were taking you, I sent this letter to your house. But anyway, I was thinking that we should hang out sometime soon. Bobby has been bugging me about having you over, so I just thought that you might want to come over on the twelfth? Just write to me and let me know._

_Love,_

_Lola"_

Lily smiled at the idea. It would be really fun to finally meet all of Lola's family. Then she opened the letter from Lysander with heavy muscles.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I'm not sure what to write, and I barely know why I'm writing. But Lorcan suggested that I do it, so I am. I don't know if you know, but my family and I are coming to visit your house on the twentieth. And I think we need to talk. It's been a while since the incident, and I think now is the time we talk about it. Think about it._

_- Lysander"_

Lily felt her nerves go on end as she read the letter. The twentieth. He wanted to talk? That seemed so close in time. What would she even say? What did she want to say? 'Sorry, but I'm a social disaster, and I don't want you to suffer like me?'. That sounded idiotic. Lily glared at the wood of her vanity. Was she really suffering socially? Did she want to be accepted by James and Albus, the complete jackasses that they are? Maybe she was getting the better end. But Lysander seemed to want to be friends with all of them. That would be impossible . . . but that was his decision. Should she cut him out if he's willing to take that chance? Maybe . . . maybe it could work.

* * *

"So this is your house?" Lily commented to Lola. They had taken the Knight Bus, which had let them off in front of a cozy house that looked to be about three-stories. It was painted a light grey, had quite a bit of windows, and a cherry red door. "It looks nice," Lily said with a smile.

Lola scoffed. "Wait until you see the inside. It's a mess," she replied. She led Lily up to the front door, and opened it for her to walk in. "Welcome to the Pritchard household."

Lily stepped inside to see a sitting room that looked like a tornado had ripped through it. Toys were everywhere. Lily spotted a toddler's broom, Exploding Snap cards, Chocolate Frogs, and an assortment of WWW products.

"Where's your family?" Lily asked. With all of the siblings Lola had, the house was pretty quiet.

"My parents took them all to some dumb Quidditch match, and Ginger and Martin are at work," Lola explained. She kicked off her shoes, so Lily did the same. She smiled at Lily. "Come on. We'll go to my room."

Lily followed her up a set of stairs. "So, what did you mean in your letter by Bobby bugging you about me coming over?" Lily questioned.

Lola laughed. "Bobby has a crush on you, even though he won't admit it."

Lily laughed too. "You're kidding!"

"I wish. Maybe he'd shut up more often," Lola joked. They entered a long hallway, and Lola took her to one of the last doors. "It's a bit messy. I share a room with Marsha." She opened the door to show a very white and pink room. There were clothes everywhere, along with papers, books, what looked like letters, and magazines

"Which one is Marsha?" Lily asked as she stepped over a few things to drop down onto one of the beds. She guessed that it was Lola's, seeing as how it was covered in a Slytherin bedspread.

"She's my little sister. She turned ten a few months ago, so she'll be at Hogwarts during our fifth year," Lola explained, dropping down next to Lily.

"How many younger siblings do you have again?" Lily inquired.

"Six. Two little sisters and four little brothers," Lola told her. "They are such a handful, especially now that I'm the oldest one living at home. I'm stuck babysitting them all the time."

"That's gotta suck," Lily muttered.

"It blows majorly," Lola scoffed. "I mean, I love them, but . . . there's only so much I can take."

"How old's the youngest one?" Lily asked.

"Matt will be a year old soon. Now he is eight months," Lola said with a sigh. "All he does is cry and scream. I had Ginger silence my room for me a couple of months ago. I couldn't sleep."

"Really? Teddy and Vic said that Theo is really kind of quiet," Lily said with a laugh.

"They are so lucky," Lola muttered. She sighed again. "So, how was the trip with the Malfoys?"

Lily smiled. "It was a lot of fun. And now I have a 'part-time' job," she told her.

"What do you mean?"

"Mrs. Malfoy is using me as a teen model," Lily told her.

Lola's eyes widened. "Merlin! Are you serious? That's awesome!"

Lily giggled. "Yeah. She put a few pictures in magazines too."

"That's so cool. How'd your parents take it?" Lola asked.

Lily laughed. "That's the best part. They don't know yet."

Lola laughed as well. "You've gotta tell me how they react."

"I'm sure all of Godric's Hollow will hear my dad's reaction," Lily joked.

While the girls began to laugh, a ringing sounded from the corner of the room. Lola immediately jumped up and ran to where the sound was. She picked up what looked like a Muggle telephone. Lily looked on in confusion. Why did Lola's family have one of those? They were pureblooded magic family.

Lola turned her back and put the phone to her ear. "Hello? . . . Oh! Hello, Mrs. Peterson. . . . What? Oh, I'm sorry. Well can I talk to him first? . . . Oh, he already left. Ok, well that's ok. Thank you for calling. Bye." Lola set the phone down and sighed. She turned back and sat down on the bed again. "Sorry about that. Johnny went to his friend's house, and I guess his friend got sick. He's on his way home," she explained.

Lily was still a bit confused. "Why do you guys have a Muggle phone?"

Lola tensed. "Why do you ask? You have one in your house."

"Just curious. My dad was raised by Muggles, but from what I know, your parents are both pureblood," Lily mentioned.

Lola shrugged, but she didn't meet Lily's eyes. "Johnny has a lot of Muggle friends, so this makes it easier for him to talk to them."

Lily felt like there was something different about Lola's answer, but she didn't push the subject. "So, I'll finally get to meet Johnny, huh?"

Lola looked a bit panicked. "Oh, um . . . he'll probably go off to another one of his friends' house. He probably won't stay around long."

Lily looked at Lola with a look of deep confusion. "Lola, . . . what's going on?"

Lola gulped. "Nothing."

A knock sounded on the door, and then it opened. There was a boy coming in. He was young, maybe a year younger than the girls. He had light blonde hair that flopped onto his forehead, and eyes that looked both blue and grey. He was taller, taller than the girls, but he was slight in stature. And he had a smile that had Lily a little flustered. This boy . . . he was really cute.

The boy smiled at both of them. "Hey, sis. Who's this?"

Lily glanced over at Lola, who still looked a bit panicked. "Um, this is Lily. Lily, this is Johnny."

Lily looked back at the boy. This was Johnny? But . . . he looked to be at least thirteen, if not fourteen. How could he not be at Hogwarts? But Lily smiled. "Hello, Johnny. It's nice to finally meet you."

Johnny laughed a bit as he strolled over to sit at a desk chair. "Same here. Lola has been talking about you for years, but never had you over," he teased.

Lola blushed. "Get out, Johnny."

Johnny just grinned. "Still no boys allowed?"

Lily laughed lightly. "It's ok, Lola. So, how old are you, Johnny? Because you look to be fourteen."

"Oh, I'm thirteen, but everyone says I look older than I really am," he told her.

"Then why aren't you at Hogwarts?" Lily asked curiously. Surely she would have known if Johnny had been at Hogwarts.

Johnny looked confused now. "Oh, didn't Lola tell you?"

Lola sighed. "No, I didn't."

Johnny shook his head, but Lily just looked between the siblings, confused. "Tell me what?"

Lola stood up and walked to the door. "I'm going to use the bathroom." She closed the door behind her, leaving them alone.

Johnny sighed. Lily looked at him. "What is going on with her?"

Johnny ran a hand through his hair. "Well, Lily, I'm a Squib."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really? She never mentioned that."

He nodded. "I think she's embarrassed by it. Not a big surprise, a lot of families don't talk about that type of thing. It's uncommon for a long line of purebloods to have a Squib son. But when we're alone, my family ignores it and treats me like they would each other. But when company comes over, they send me to a friend's or they just don't introduce me. At one point my dad considered sending me to live with a distant cousin," he explained.

Lily was shocked at how casually he spoke about his family's actions. Would Lola really do that? "Johnny, that's terrible."

Johnny shrugged. "It's kind of an embarrassment in the crowd my parents are in. We just don't talk about. And I know they love me dearly. They think that if people know, then it'll cause problems for me. Like all the prejudice people in their circle. It's their way of protecting me. They mean well."

The door opened, and Lola slowly walked back into the room. She looked hesitant, as if she was walking into a war zone. "Um, Johnny, can Lily and I talk for a minute?" she asked quietly.

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. I'm gunna make some lunch. You girls want something?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I'm good."

"No thanks, Johnny," Lola muttered.

Johnny walked out of the room, and Lily looked at Lola carefully. "So, you never wanted me to come over, because you were embarrassed of Johnny?"

Lola's eyes went wide. "No! No! That's not it . . . but it is because of him." Lola sighed and moved to sit next to Lily again. "It's just . . . I was raised to believe that a Squib was an embarrassment. And then one year we find out that there's one in the family. I still loved him, and I treat him no different than before we knew. I thought everything was fine. But . . . then my grandmum and grandfather found out, and they refuse to acknowledge that Johnny exists. They pretend like he died. After that . . . I just don't want Johnny to feel the way he did when they found out." Lola's voice had trailed to a whisper.

Lily gave her friend a sympathetic look. "Did you really think that I would do that? Me of all people?"

Lola played with the comforter on her bed. "I never thought you would. After having people turn their backs on you, I was sure that you would understand . . . I just didn't want to risk being wrong. I'd hate to lose my best friend," she said, giving Lily a small smile.

Lily smiled too. "Believe me, I wish that my siblings were as good as you are. You're a great older sister."

Lola's smiled grew, and she relaxed a bit more. "Thanks, Lil. You're a great friend."

* * *

Lily awoke with a yawn. She glanced at her window to see a bit of sunlight peaking through the curtains. It was morning. She sat up and stretched her arms. She threw off the blankets and made her way out of her room and down to the kitchen. She entered to see her mother making breakfast, so she went to sit at the table.

"Good morning, Mum," Lily greeted.

"Good morning, Lily. Nice sleep?" Ginny asked.

Lily shrugged. "You could say that."

Harry walked into the room, trying to fix his collar. He smiled when he came into the room. "Well, it's my two favorite girls," he greeted happily.

Lily gave a small and slightly tensed smile. "Morning, Dad." Things still hadn't cooled completely between them.

Harry moved to kiss his wife before sitting at the head of the table. "Mail here yet?"

"Not yet, but it should be here soon," Ginny told him. "As should the boys." Lily made a face at the thought. Ginny set down a plate in front of the both of them, and then sat down with her own. "So, Lily, I never did as you about your day at Lola's."

Lily shrugged again. "It was fun. I met the rest of her family, we played games, had fun. That sort of thing." It was true. After awhile, the rest of Lola's family had come back, excluding Ginger and Martin. It made for a very loud house, although not as loud as the Burrow was during holidays. But since she was used to it, Lily adapted and had a wonderful time.

"Sounds lovely," Ginny said with a smile.

"When should we be expecting Lola over?" Harry asked with a knowing smile.

Lily grinned. "Sometime soon, I'd guess."

There was a tap at the window, and they all looked to see an owl tapping at the window. "Ah. Mail," Harry said. He got up and made his way to the window.

"What's for breakfast?" James demanded as he and Albus walked in.

"Plates are on the counter," Ginny told them.

"What the hell is this!" Harry yelled, making them all jump. Albus even dropped his plate.

Ginny looked at her husband in alarm. "Harry, what is it?"

Lily was surprised when her father turned glaring eyes onto her. "What the hell are these, young lady!" he demanded. Then he stomped to the table and slammed something down onto the table. Lily was a bit surprised to see her own face looking up at her, but then recognized the three magazines that Astoria had sent her pictures to.

Lily did her best to stay calm. "They're magazines," she answered.

"No cheek!" he yelled.

"Lily, what are these?" Ginny asked as she looked at the magazines.

"What the hell?" James muttered.

"I want an explanation!" Harry exclaimed.

Lily sighed. "Does everyone have to be here?"

"It doesn't matter! Explanation, now!" Harry commanded.

Lily felt a bit of her temper bubble, but she suppressed it. "During my trip, Mrs. Malfoy asked if I wouldn't mind modeling a few of the teen outfits of her fashion line, since she's never had a teen model. I told her that I didn't mind at all, so we did a few shoots. Then she asked if I wouldn't mind her sending a few of the pictures to a couple of magazines. I told her I was fine with it," Lily told him.

"My daughter will not be some flighty little model!" Harry yelled.

"Harry," Ginny warned.

Lily stood from her seat. "Well too bad, because I like being a flighty little model! It's the one thing I can do myself!" she hissed.

"No daughter of mine is going around and taking half naked pictures!" Harry exclaimed.

Lily glared at him. "Well, _father_, you'll notice that nowhere on this cover does it say Lily _Potter_! Your Gryffindor name is clean!" she sneered. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

"Lily!" she heard her mother call after her.

Lily ignored it and kept walking. She heard footsteps behind her. And then she heard her father's angry voice. "You're grounded, little girl! If you want to lock yourself in your room, then you can just stay there!"

Lily spun on her heel. "Good! Why would I want I stay down here with a bunch of Gryffindor saints?" She ran up the stairs and slammed her door, locking it behind her. She kicked her trunk in anger, turning it on its side. She hurried to pull the magazines out of her hiding place and then she tore off the covers, and carefully tore out the pages that contained the spread of her. Then Lily carefully put them up on her walls, making sure to keep them in one piece. If her father wouldn't be proud of her, then she'd show how proud she was.

Lily quickly changed into a skirt and a green shirt with medium length sleeves. She put on some socks and pulled on a pair of black and white shoes. She put in a set of earrings and then pulled out a backpack and put in another set of clothes. She packed in a potion book and her kit, then grab any other little thing she might need. Lastly she grabbed her broom. She moved to Regal's cage, which was already open.

"Ok, Regal," Lily said sweetly, coaxing him onto her shoulder. "We're going to go out for a while. Now, just meet me at the Burrow." Once she pushed open her window, Regal took off from his place on her shoulder.

Lily moved so that she was sitting precariously on her windowsill, her feet dangling out of the house. Carefully, she maneuvered so that her broom was in front of her, outside as well. Carefully, Lily took a small leap out of her window, wobbling when she landed on her broom. Lily steadied herself before slowly flying down to the ground, away from the kitchen window. She landed with a muted thump, and she stepped off her broom. She ran around to the front and then ran down the sidewalk. She kept running until she got to the corner. Then she stopped, taking a moment to pant, before pulling out her wand.

A 'BANG' shot out into the air, and a purple bus slammed to a stop in front of her. The door slowly opened, and a man stepped down off of the bus. He looked at Lily with a bit of a bored look. "You've called the Knight Bus. Transportation for the stranded witch or wizard. Where can we take you too?" he rattled off.

"Ottery St. Catchpole. In Devon?" Lily inquired.

The man ripped off a ticket and handed it to her. "Climb aboard," he muttered.

Lily readjusted her pack and then stepped onto the bus. She moved to the back, wanting to be alone, and not wanting to talk to anyone. And she thankfully wasn't disturbed through the ride. The bus made several stops before the man from before motioned to her that it was her stop. Lily stepped off the bus. As soon as her feet were on the ground, the bus shot off with another loud 'BANG'. Lily looked at the nearest street sign, finding her location. Then with a smile, she set off toward her grandparents' house. What better place to go than her grandpa's shed? The ultimate sanctuary in her family. When she caught sight of The Burrow in the distance, Lily began to jog down to the house. She slowed to a stop when she got close. She could hear a radio playing from inside. Celestina Warbeck, an easily recognizable artist among the Weasley/Potter family. Grandma Molly played it every Christmas break. When she passed the kitchen window, she could see her grandmum's back as she went through the cabinets. Lily kept walking around to the shed.

Lily peaked her head into the shed to see her grandpa messing with something on one of the shelves. She smiled and stepped in fully. "Hey, Grandpa," she greeted happily.

Arthur turned his head to look at Lily. He smiled as well. "Why, hello, Lily. What brings you here?"

Lily did her best to seem casual. "Had to get out of the house," she replied.

He chuckled. "From what I hear, you're hardly in the house at all."

Lily shrugged as she dropped the bag by the door. "I just thought I'd come and see you and my bike," she teased.

Arthur really smiled now. "Well I have good news for you." He walked over to where the bike was covered by a blanket, and he ripped the blanket off with a 'swish'. Underneath it was the bike, all the parts put together, cleaned up and pretty. "We're done," he told her.

Lily smiled happily, her heart pounding. "Really? Can I take a ride?"

Arthur looked at her carefully. "Well . . . if you can change out of the skirt, then I guess I can teach you."

Lily almost jumped for joy. "One moment!" She dug through her bag and pulled out a pair of jeans. Arthur turned his back, so Lily changed quickly, shoving the skirt into her bag. Then she zipped it up and sighed happily. "Ok. I'm ready!"

Arthur turned around with a smile. "All right. Let's wheel this out and I'll show you how." He grabbed the handles and began to wheel the bike outside. He wheeled it away from the house, probably so Molly wouldn't see it. Lily followed him, eager to get started. When he stopped, Lily bounced on the toes of her feet. Arthur looked at her, trying not to smile at her obvious excitement. "Ok. Lesson one."

What must have been hours later, Lily was on the bike, her hands on the handlebars, and her feet on the foot pegs, ready to go.

"All right, you remember everything I taught you?" Arthur asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I got it. Can I try it?"

Arthur nodded slowly. "Yeah. Try it."

Lily held the clutch tightly, and kick-started the bike, enjoying the roar and vibration beneath her. She tried the throttle once, smiling at how it sounded. She kicked the gearshift down one and then eased up on the clutch. She lurched forward a bit, but then she was flying down the grassy path of the field. Lily felt the rush of excitement and adrenaline as she flew across the grass, wind whipping her hair. Lily turned a little, getting used to the feeling of the bike. She turned right a little, and Lily soon turned around to go back to her grandpa. When she got closer, so she slowly grasped the brake with her right hand, letting the bike slow to a stop. She smiled at her grandpa, her heart hammering.

"I love it," Lily told him.

Arthur laughed. "I had a feeling you would." Then he sighed. "How about some lunch? Then I'll let you go out for a ride."

Lily shut down the bike and grinned. "Sure. I am pretty hungry."

* * *

"Oh! Lily, when did you get here?" Molly asked with a smile. She hugged her granddaughter tightly.

Lily smiled as she tried to catch her breath after that hug. "Um, a few hours ago. I was helping Grandpa in the shed," Lily told her.

"Well sit down! Have some lunch," Molly insisted. Lily sat down at the table, waiting politely. "So, Lily, I saw the pictures in the magazine. How did this happen?"

Lily tensed a little, wondering if her grandma was disapproving too. "Well, Mrs. Malfoy asked if I wouldn't mind doing a bit of modeling for her fashion line. She's never had a teen model," Lily explained.

"What magazine?" Arthur asked. "I haven't seen it."

"One the counter, dear," Molly told him.

Arthur moved to the counter and picked up the copy of _Witch Weekly_. "Wow. This is quite a sight. I would have never expected it of you," Arthur commented as he sat at the table. He flipped open to the pages of her spread.

Lily shrugged. "It's actually kind of fun. It's kind of like a summer job for me."

"Well, I'm glad that you have something to fill your time," Molly told her.

Lily looked at her back in surprise. "Really? You're ok with it?"

Molly turned around to set down a plate for the three of them. "Lily, hun. For years and years I worried about my children. No surprise, there was a war going on. But even after, and before, I worried. Now I think it's my children's time to be worried and responsible. Besides, your pictures are very pretty," she explained.

Lily smiled a little at her grandmum's words. "Thanks, Grandmum. I'm glad someone likes them."

"Is that why you came over so early?" Arthur asked. "Your parents saw them?"

Lily sighed and she pulled the crust off of her sandwich. "My dad said that no daughter of his would be some flighty, little model. Mum didn't really say anything. Dad was screaming too much," Lily muttered.

"I'm sure he'll come around," Molly assured. But Lily knew that her grandmum didn't believe that either. Her father was just too stubborn.

There was a tapping on the window. Arthur looked over in surprise. "What's this? The mail already came." He got up and opened the window. A large, silvery owl with black streaks perched on the windowsill, a letter in his beak and a pouch tied around his leg. Arthur took the letter and the bag, and the owl flew off without a sound. Arthur came back to the table and looked at the envelope. "Lily Luna," he read off. He held out the letter and bag. "I think it's for you."

"Must be a smart owl to know how to find her," Molly commented as Lily took the things.

Lily looked at the envelope. The writing was beautiful with silver ink. But there was no name. Lily turned it around and saw a familiar name above the seal.

_Astoria Malfoy_.

"It's from Mrs. Malfoy," Lily told them. She carefully tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I'm sure you know that the magazines came out today. They turned out spectacularly, and people love them already. The magazines told me that a few hours ago that these issues are selling fast. I just wanted to let you know how well they were doing, and also to give you your pay for doing this. Now, don't argue, and take the money. I won't accept 'no' for an answer. I'll write you soon about another photo shoot._

_Sincerely,_

_Astoria"_

Lily looked at the letter with surprise. She had forgotten that Mrs. Malfoy had planned to pay her. Lily opened the pouch and let the money spread out on the table. She piled it together and counted it out. Thirty Galleons, forty-seven Sickles, and 20 Knuts! Merlin that was a lot!

"That's quite a bit of money for one shoot," Arthur commented with a bit of surprise.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. You said it."

"Mrs. Malfoy must really like you," Molly mentioned.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. She's really nice." Lily bit her lip before looking at her grandparents. "Um, would it be ok if I went to Diagon Alley after lunch?"

Molly smiled. "As long as you try to not spend your money in one place," she teased.

Lily laughed. "Of course not."

Her grandpa walked Lily out to the shed again. Lily had pocketed the letter, as well as the money in the pouch. He gave her a bit of a stern look. "Now, Lily, I've decided that I'll let you take the bike to the Leaky Cauldron," he told her.

Lily looked at her grandfather in surprise. She'd expected to take the bus. "Really? But won't people notice that a really young girl is on a motorcycle alone?"

Arthur grinned wryly. "I know. That's why I added a few things. An idea I got from an old car of mine. It's this blue button here," he said, pointing to a small blue button. "It'll turn the bike and you invisible to all Muggles. So you can make it fly, and go unseen," he explained.

Lily smiled. "Really? You're ok with that?"

He nodded. "As long as you stay safe, keep invisible, and come back."

Lily nodded rapidly. "I promise. So, can I go?"

Arthur stepped back. "You know what to do. Go ahead."

Lily rolled the bike outside and got on. She started the bike after a few tries, hit the blue button, and started to move. She waited to gain speed before hitting the button to make it fly. She slowly rose from the ground as she sliced across the air, making her way away from the field. Lily turned around and made her way over her grandparents' house. She glanced down to see her grandpa waving at her. Lily risked a small wave before turning back to where she was going. She flew over the town of St. Ottery Catchpole, looking down at the Muggles below, who didn't seem to see her at all.

* * *

Lily rolled her shoulders as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. The Leaky Cauldron was coming into sight, and she wanted to be on the ground. She hit the pavement, jolting her entire body slightly. She slowly hit the brake, coming to a stop just in front of the pub. She shut down the bike, got off, leaned it against the building, and hit the alarm button. Then she stepped inside. Lily carefully looked at the counter, trying to see if Hannah or Neville was around. She couldn't see them anywhere, so she hurried across the pub, trying to get out to the entrance to Diagon Alley without being seen. She didn't want her parents to know where she was, or where she'd been.

Lily made it into Diagon Alley without incident, and smiled when the wall opened up for her. People were milling about, going in and out of shops. In the window of one, Lily could see a magazine rack, and there she could see multiple pictures of herself. It sparked a bit of pride in her. Lily made her way down the street to the biggest building in the area. Gringotts.

Lily stepped into the lobby and walked along the counter of goblins. She stopped at one that was not only unfamiliar, but not busy. She waited to sit down. "Excuse me?"

The goblin looked up from the papers on the desk, and he gave her a shrewd look. "Yes?" he spoke. His voice was kind of raspy, but still deep.

Lily kept her calm, even though the stare of this goblin made her insides feel uneasy. "I want to discuss opening an account here," she spoke.

The goblin raised a brow. He sat back in his seat and pointed at the chair. "Sit then." Lily did as he said, sitting in the plush chair in front of him. "My name is Gemonk. Yours?"

"Lily Potter," Lily stated clearly.

Gemonk pulled open a drawer and began to pull out some papers. "Age?"

"Thirteen."

Gemonk looked at her skeptically. "Thirteen? Aren't you a bit young?"

Lily stared back at him. "I have a need for independence," she retorted.

Although he still had a skeptic look, he kept going. "Date of birth?"

"August 6, 2007," Lily told him.

"Full name."

"Lily Luna Potter."

"Address."

"Godric's Hollow, 117."

"Name of parents."

"Harry and Ginevra Potter," Lily said with a sigh. This was getting boring.

Now Gemonk really looked at her carefully. But he didn't question her on it. "And what kind of account are we talking about here?"

"Purely money," Lily told him. "So just a simple vault is fine."

"What kind of security?" he asked.

"Somewhere along the line of middle ground," Lily answered.

"And how much are you putting in to start?" Gemonk asked.

Lily held out the pouch, setting it on the desk. "Thirty Galleons, forty-seven Sickles, and twenty Knuts," she told him.

Gemonk took the money out and began to count it out, making sure that she had the right amount. When he seemed satisfied, he pushed it into his palm and then put it back in the pouch. "Wait here a moment while I set up a vault," he said in a monotonous voice. He handed her a paper and a quill. "Sign this, and then we'll be done with paperwork."

Lily nodded once as he disappeared behind a door. She looked at the paper, which had a lot of writing. Having time, Lily scanned the reading. It was a lot, but it was basically terms she was supposed to agree to, promises to the security of her vault, and similar things. Lily dipped the quill in a bit of ink and signed the paper. She put back the quill and placed the paper on the desk. Soon after, Gemonk came back to the desk.

"You have been given vault 672. It had the normal standard of security, and it to be opened with this key," Gemonk told her, holding up a bronze key. He held it out to her, and Lily took it. Then he looked at the paper. "And since you have signed the paper of agreement, you are now a proud owner of a vault in Gringotts Wizarding Bank. If at any time you need a withdraw or deposit, you may speak to any goblin here. If there is any other problem or question you have in the future, you are welcome to come back, or to send us a letter. Is there anything else?" he asked.

Lily shook her head. "No, that will be all. Thank you, Gemonk," she said politely.

Gemonk nodded once. "Of course, Ms. Potter."

Lily tried not to grimace at the name. "Please, just Lily."

He raised a brow again. "Very well, Ms. Lily."

Lily nodded. "Thank you. Good day." Lily turned and walked away from the desk, making her way to the door. She couldn't stay here long either. Not while her uncle Bill and aunt Fleur were still working for the bank. Once she was out into the sunlight, Lily made her way to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, and pulled out the money that's she'd brought from home. She got a simple sundae, not wanting to go back to the Burrow just yet. It was beautiful out, and she wanted to enjoy the day.

* * *

Lily landed her bike in the field by her grandpa's shed, and shut it down. She rolled it into the shed, and then made her way to the house. She stepped into the house, but noticed that neither of her grandparents were in the living room. She made her way toward the kitchen when she heard voices.

"I can't believe she would run away from home," Molly said.

Lily tensed. Were they talking about her? They must be.

"Lily's been having a tough time lately. I'm sure Harry exploding at her didn't help a thing," Arthur told her.

"That's no excuse to run away," Molly retorted.

"Yes, but she was smart, Molly. She didn't run off to sleep in an alley. She came straight here. She came to a place she knew was safe. I will give her credit for that," Arthur said in defense.

Lily slowly back away from the door, ready to run for her bag, but she didn't get far.

"Lily Luna, I know you're out there!" Arthur called to her. "Come in here!"

Lily groaned and walked into the kitchen, trying not to look guilty. "Yes?" she squeaked.

"We know that you didn't tell your parents you were leaving," Arthur told her. "Your mother came over, frantic, wondering if we'd seen you."

She really felt guilty now. She sat down at the table. "What did you say?"

"Well, I told her where you got here, and where you'd gone. But we came to a conclusion," Arthur told her gently.

Lily looked at him a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"We've decided that you will stay here for a few days, giving you and your dad time away from each other to cool off," Molly told her.

Lily's hopes rose a little. "Really? I get to stay here?"

"If that's what you want," Arthur told her.

"Yeah! That sounds perfect!" Lily said with a smile.

"But we do have rules, Lily," Molly said firmly. "You will be home by eight, and you will let us know where you are going and who with. This won't be a free ride to do whatever."

Lily nodded fervently. "Yeah, that's fine. Of course."

Molly smiled. "Ok then. Your mother brought you a bag. It's in the living room."


	37. Guess Who's Coming Over

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Another update. I've been working hard on this one ever since I finished the last chapter. A little more drama with Lily and James of course, some more with her father. Another visit with Duncan, and a surprise visit from a surprise visitor. Read, and then let me know what you think. And of course, if you haven't voted yet, don't forget about my poll on my profile.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Guess Who's Coming Over

"These are really good pictures of you, Lily," Duncan said with a smile. It had been about four days since the fight with her dad, and Lily was still staying at the Burrow. It was much more relaxing than at home. It was quiet, something Lily wasn't really used to. Whenever she used to go to the Burrow, it was for a family occasion, so it was loud. But with just her and her grandparents, it was silent. She was able to continue going to Slughorn's for her lessons, as long as she said where she was going first, and she even had Lola over the day before. Victoire had come over this morning, offering to take her to work. So Lily had grabbed the magazines and brought them for Duncan to see.

"Thanks, Duncan. I'm glad you like them. You can have them if you want. I have copies at home," Lily told him.

"Thanks," Duncan said with a happy smile. Lily took a moment to look at poor Duncan. His other arm was completely grey, sending a pang through her. His ear was transparent now, and soon it would probably disappear. But he was still smiling.

"So, how have things been?" Lily asked, taking a bite of a Chocolate Frog.

"It's been really good," Duncan replied. "I mean, I can't make windows anymore, so I just rotate the ones I kept. And my parents got me a lot of Chocolate Frogs for my birthday."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Your birthday?"

He nodded. "Yeah. My birthday was a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh! Duncan! I'm so sorry I didn't get you anything! I'll bring you something next time I visit," Lily assured.

But Duncan shook his head. "No, these pictures are enough. They're really cool," he assured.

"Are you sure?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," he reassured. "So, when is your birthday?"

"The sixth of August," she told him.

"What do you want?" Duncan asked.

Lily shook her head. "You don't have to get me anything. You just have to smile, remember?"

"But you're my friend. I have to get you something," he insisted. "Tell me what you want, and I'll ask my mum to get it."

"Duncan, whatever you get me, I know I'll love," Lily told him.

He smiled. "Then I think I have a great gift for you."

Lily smiled. "I know I will."

"So, how is staying with your grandparents?" Duncan asked.

Lily shrugged. "It's really nice. I'm glad I get to visit them," she told them, trying to seem truthful. She didn't want to tell Duncan the truth. Why bring more sadness into his life?

"That's good. And your trip with your friend was fun?"

"Yup. That's where I took the pictures. This was the sitting room, this was the beach, and this was a very pretty meadow," Lily told him, pointing at each picture.

"They look very nice," Duncan commented. Lily nodded. Duncan looked over at her. "Lily, can I ask you something?"

Lily looked at him curiously. "Sure. What is it?"

"Well, . . ." Duncan's brow furrowed, as if weighing his words. "Lily, . . . do you . . ." Duncan stopped talking and sighed, dropping his head.

Lily felt a little worried. "What is it, Duncan?" She reached out and brushed a bit of hair from his forehead.

Duncan raised his head and looked at her again. "Well, are you ever . . . lonely?"

Lily looked at him in surprise. Lonely? "What do you mean?"

"Do you ever feel like you're alone?" Duncan asked quietly.

Lily thought about that. Was she lonely? No. She had all of Slytherin House. They were all like family, always sticking up for each other. But, . . . what about her real family? The other Slytherins didn't come home with her. What about when she went home? She locked herself in her room, she did things to get out of the house and to be with the others, and recently, she ran away.

"Sometimes," Lily admitted. "Sometimes, I do feel a bit lonely."

"Why? Why are you lonely?" Duncan asked.

Lily bit her lip. Should she tell him that? Should she add more sadness in his life, something she never wanted to do. "Duncan, I don't want to dump this on you," she said gently.

"No, I want to know. Because . . . I want to tell you why I am, so I want to make it even. Please, tell me," he pleaded.

Lily felt a pang in her gut. He was lonely? But . . . didn't he usually have family visiting, and all the Healers that took care of him? Was he really lonely? But with that admittance, Lily couldn't say no. "Well, my family and I don't have a great relationship. So when I go home, I usually hide up in my room. It's times like those when, yes, I am lonely," she told him.

Duncan didn't show pity. He looked empathetic. "I always feel lonely," he whispered. "Except for when you're here."

"But what about your Healers and your parents?" Lily asked.

"Having Healers running in and out aren't the same. And my family doesn't visit me as often," Duncan told her.

What? His family doesn't visit as much? How could they just ignore this little boy? Their son? There had to be a reason. "Why?" Lily inquired.

"Well, I don't come from a rich family, Lily," Duncan started. "My parents don't have really fancy jobs. They're just normal, middle-class people. And that was ok before I got sick. After having been here so long, hospital bills pile up, and it gets harder for them to pay them. So they both have taken on more hours, and my dad got another job. So, they can't come around as often." His explanation ended in a whisper, and it made Lily feel so terrible.

"Oh, Duncan, I'm so sorry," Lily whispered.

Duncan shook his head. "It's not your fault. You visit every chance you get. Every holiday you have off of school, and during the summer. It's not your fault," he said. "I just . . . I just wanted to be able to get that thought out of my head. I knew that I could tell you, and that you would listen."

Lily reached up to touch his cheek gently. "Duncan, you can tell me anything, and I'll listen. Put whatever you want in your letters, and say whatever you want during my visits, and I'll listen to it. I want you to be happy."

Duncan smiled a little. "You're very kind to a boy that you've only known for a short time."

Lily smiled. "Actually, it's been almost a year now."

"Still, you're awfully nice," he insisted.

Lily shrugged and opened up another Chocolate Frog. "I've had things happen to me that I thought were unfair. That life was mean to let it happen to me. Then I met you, and . . . , Duncan, what's happen to you is _really_ unfair. And life isn't just mean. It's cruel to let it happen to such a sweet boy." Lily pulled out the frog and held it by the leg, not letting it jump.

Duncan laughed a little. "Bad things happen to good and bad people all the time. I think life would be unfair if it let mine be perfect."

Lily wasn't sure what to say to that. It in a way was true, it would be unfair to let someone have a perfect life while others suffered. But did such a terrible thing have to happen to Duncan? Did such a sweet boy have to get the worst possible tragedy? He couldn't get a smaller sickness? Something easier to get rid of. But Lily didn't voice her thoughts. Instead she held out a card to Duncan.

"Here. It's a card of Hermione Granger."

* * *

Lily sat in her room at the Burrow. Actually, it was her mother's old room. Her grandmum said that she could pick whichever room she wanted, and her mum's old one seemed the best choice. She thought about Uncle George's, but the room sot of scared her. She didn't know what was in there.

She currently sat at an old desk, a piece of paper in front of her. She was tapping her fingers, wondering if there was anything else she needed to add.

"_Dear Gemonk,_

_I, Lily Luna Potter, would like you to make a transaction for me, since I am unable to meet with you personally at the bank. I would like you to take out fifteen Galleons, seventeen Sickles, and ten Knuts from my vault and send it to St. Mungo's to provide for the care of Duncan Chapman, second floor, room 234. I want the money to come from an anonymous source, and for my name to be kept secret. If there are any problems, contact me by sending a letter to Ottery St. Catchpole, The Burrow, in Devon, England._

_Thank you,_

_Lily Luna Potter"_

Finding the letter was to her satisfaction, Lily sealed the letter in an envelope, addressed it, and then sent Regal off to deliver it. Then Lily dropped down onto the bed, unsure of what to do. She didn't have lessons with Slughorn today, and she didn't want to just barge in on one of her friends. Her grandpa was at work, and her grandmother was busy at the market, buying a few things for lunch. What was there she could do? She could always take a ride on her bike in the field out back.

There was a knock at the door, surprising Lily. Had Grandad come home early? "Come in," Lily welcomed.

The door opened, and Lysander walked in. Lily felt her body tense as she watched him close the door and look at her. He was silent for a moment before speaking. "Hey," he said quietly. He looked just as tense as she felt.

Lily brought in a gulp. "Hey," she greeted softly.

Lysander shoved his hands in his pocket and was silent for another moment. Lily took the time to look at him. He looked taller, and looked like he'd filled out more. He was leaner, and she could see the muscle in his arms. His hair looked shorter than usual, reaching the middle of his forehead, but it was still incredibly wavy. His eyes looked more focused than usual, and even a little darker of a blue. Lily couldn't deny that he was still attractive.

"We came over this morning, and your mum said that you've been staying here for about a week now," Lysander muttered.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Time away for me and my dad to cool down," she whispered.

"What happened? A fight?" Lysander asked.

Lily let out a sigh. "You could say that."

He gave a nod. "So, . . . we need to talk."

Lily nodded as well. "Yeah. I know. Sit?"

Lysander sighed and moved to sit down on the edge of the bed. Lily pulled her legs to her chest, sitting close, but enough for a distance to be between them. "So," he choked out, "how should we start this?"

Lily ran a hand through her hair, wondering that herself. "Um . . . look, I think that you should just let me explain my actions to you."

He nodded. "Yeah. That sounds good."

Lily relaxed her shoulders, taking in deep breaths. "Ok. Well, . . . Lysander, you've been friends with me and my brothers for years and years. Since we were all born. And that's great. But then after everything happened, and you and I . . . had a few dates, you thought that you could be friends with my brothers, and still date me. But, Ly, . . . that can't happen," Lily told him. "Because James and Albus won't let that happen. I'm a social disaster when it comes to them and their group. Hanging out with me is like taking an AK."

"Lily, -," Lysander started.

But Lily kept going. "And I was wrong. It wasn't right for me to just cut you from my life. It was right for me to make that choice for you. So, if you still want to date me, then you have to realize that you risk losing a lot of my family as friends."

Lysander rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, Lily, . . . you were right in a way. It was partly my fault. I was idealistic about it. I knew how things were between you and your brothers, yet I tried to push the boundaries. I should have defended you. I shouldn't have let him say that about you. So, if James can't handle me being with you . . . then I don't think I want to be his friend anyway."

Lily felt a smile tug at her lips, and she felt a bit of a weight leave her mind. She relaxed a bit more. "So, where does this leave us?"

Lysander turned his head to look at her, showing her a small smile of his own. He leaned forward, set his hand on her cheek, and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was sweet, something she always expected from Lysander. She kissed back, placing her hand on his. Their fingers interlocked, and Lysander moved their hands into her hair

Lily broke the kiss, but she didn't move their hands, and she didn't let more than an inch of space between them. "So, when do you have to go back?" she asked.

"Well, since we live not far from here, I probably won't have to go back," Lysander told her. "So, do you mind going somewhere with me? Leaky Cauldron, perhaps?"

Lily nodded slightly. "Yeah. As soon as Grandmum gets home. She might kill you if you take me somewhere without telling her."

Lysander grinned. "Well, you're worth the wait."

* * *

"How do you like the dress, Lily?" Astoria called from the other side of the door.

"It's great!" Lily called back. She was in the dressing room in Astoria's work room in Malfoy Manor. Astoria had written her a few days ago, telling of a couple of beautiful dresses she had for Lily to model. They worked out a date for Lily to come over to work, and now here she was. Apparently everyone else was out of the house. Draco and Lucius had gone off to the Ministry, Narcissa went to visit her sister, and Scorpius had gone to visit Mitch. Lily was a little disappointed to hear that, but also kind of thankful. After what had happened between them, and her not being able to stop feeling the warmth, she wasn't sure how to tell him that she was back with Lysander. Officially.

But Lily focused on the task at hand. The dress she was in was a stunning silver color. It was strapless, and it flowed out at the waist, ending just at her knees. Astoria had given her a large Slytherin pendant to put around her neck. It was silver as well, with emerald eyes that seemed to glow.

Lily walked out of the dressing room to show Astoria how it looked. Astoria looked over excited. "It's perfect!" she squealed. "Ok, come and sit down. We need a bit of makeup, and we need to fix your hair."

For almost an hour, at least an hour and a half, Lily was sitting in a chair as Astoria treated her like a doll. She loosely curled her hair again, did a bit of blush, eyeshadow, lip gloss, and a little eyeliner.

"You have beautiful eyelashes, so mascara isn't really necessary," Astoria had told her. But then she was allowed up, and Astoria was taking her down to the parlor for pictures. "I want a classy setting for the photos," Astoria told her.

Lily surveyed the room when they entered. The grand fireplace was what first caught her eye, so Lily moved over to it. "How about here?" she suggested.

Astoria smiled as she looked over the area. "Yes, I think that might be perfect. You know what to do?"

Lily leaned her back against the mantle, both hands behind her back, and she smiled. "I've got a good idea."

Lily was there for five more hours, changing into different dresses, having different hairstyles, and going through different makeup. She changed locations over and over again. Doing pictures in the dining room, in the study, in the garden, and a few on one of the balconies. Lily never knew how tiring pictures could be, but she sucked it up.

Later, she and Astoria were back in the workroom, and Astoria was crossing things off on her list. "Ok, so I was thinking that in a couple of weeks, we can do a shoot for fall and winter outfits," Astoria suggested.

Lily raised a brow. "Winter? Isn't that jumping the gun a bit?" she asked.

"Well they wouldn't come out in magazines for months. But this way we won't have to take you out of school for them," Astoria told her.

"Ah," Lily said with a nod. "Makes sense, then."

Astoria sighed as she began to rummage through a drawer in a counter. "Now, I'm not sure which magazines these will be in. After your first appearance, a lot of magazines have been asking to show pictures of you. Those magazines sold a lot when you appeared on the cover," she told Lily.

Lily grinned. "Money has it that a lot Slytherins from school bought some," she joked.

"That's what Scorpius said," Astoria said with a laugh. "I hear that you're very popular in your House."

Lily shrugged. "I guess. I'm often told that."

Astoria smiled at her as she walked back over to her, holding out a pouch. "Here. This is what you've made for today. The rest will come once the magazines come out next month"

Lily sighed as she took the pouch. "You know, this isn't necessary." This bag felt heavier than the last did.

Astoria just waved it off. "Nonsense. Despite what people think, modeling can be taxing. You deserve it. Besides, you've only done one shoot and you're already on the way to being a top model according to magazines," she insisted.

Lily knew better than to argue, so she set the pouch down next to her, and watched as Astoria messed with the camera. "So, can you do me a favor, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Astoria smiled at her. "You can call me Astoria. I'd prefer it, since I was calling Narcissa that for years. It doesn't seem right when I'm called it."

Lily giggled slightly. "Ok. I can do that."

Astoria smiled again as she sat down. "But, anyway, of course I can do a favor. Anything you need."

"Well, I was wondering if you could send a copy of some of these pictures to a friend of mine in St. Mungo's, since he can't afford a magazine subscription?" Lily asked.

Astoria nodded. "Of course I can. That's no problem at all. Any certain pictures?"

Lily shook her head. "No, whichever you choose."

"Who am I sending these to?" Astoria asked, taking out a small sheet of paper.

"To Duncan Chapman, second floor, room 234," Lily told her.

Astoria scribbled something on a paper quickly. "Ok. I can do this for you. No problem whatsoever."

Lily smiled. "Perfect! Thank you so much. I know he'll love it."

"So, shall I do this with any pictures we take from this point?" Astoria asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thank you so much."

But Astoria just shrugged. "For you, Lily, anything."

* * *

Lily sighed as she packed up her bag. It had been weeks since she'd started staying her grandparents' house, but she felt that it was time to go home. She couldn't stay there forever, and she couldn't avoid them forever. Her grandmum had gone to visit her mum the other day, and had reported that she looked a bit upset, and was insistent on knowing how Lily was doing. This was killing her mother, and Lily couldn't take it out on her. She hadn't run off because of her. So Lily finished business here. She deposited the money she'd made from Astoria, sixty-five Galleons, seventy-one Sickles, and twenty-three Knuts. Way more than she'd made last time. Then she told her grandpa to keep her bike here. With how her father was acting, she didn't want to risk him taking it away.

Lily dragged her bag down the stairs, not wanting to leave, but needing to leave. She stopped at the fireplace, dropped her bag, and then walked to the kitchen. Her grandparents were sitting there, having tea since it was her grandpa's day off.

"I'm ready to go," Lily told them.

Molly looked a bit sad. "Are you sure this is what you want to do, Lily?" she asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I've been hiding here for weeks now. I think I've cooled off enough."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, I think so too. Not that I don't like having you here, but I do think it's time you and your dad sorted this out."

Lily almost cringed at the idea. She was actually planning on just avoiding the topic at all. But . . . perhaps that wasn't the best way to go. And her mum probably wouldn't let that happen anyway. "Yeah," Lily said with a sigh. "So, I should probably be going."

Molly got up from her seat and hugged her tight. "Well, I'll see you in about a week for your birthday. You be good, ok?"

Lily nodded as she pulled away from the hug. "I will, Grandmum." Lily moved over to give her grandfather a half hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Grandpa."

"Bye, sweetheart," he said with a small smile.

Lily left the kitchen, and went back to her things. She shouldered her bag, held tight to her broom, and went through the Floo. She stumbled on slightly, and caught her balance. As soon as she put her things down, she heard footsteps coming toward the living room. Lily turned to look at the entrance just in time to see her mother walk in.

Ginny rushed over and pulled her daughter into a tight hug. "Oh, we've missed you, honey! Welcome back!" Ginny pulled back a little, smiling at her daughter. "How was staying at your grandparents?"

Lily looked oddly at her mother. Wasn't she mad? Lily had run away. She'd snuck out, and it was obvious that she had plans to run away. Was she just ignoring that? "It was good. A nice way to relax. Sorry for running off."

Ginny sighed, pushing back her daughter's hair, and placing her hands on Lily's cheeks. "Look, I'm not happy that it happened, but I am happy that you were smart and responsible enough to run to your grandparents. You went to a place that you knew was safe. And once your father comes home, the three of us are going to sit down and have this out, ok?"

Lily stared at her mother. The three of them? What about her brothers? Was her mother completely taking out the fact that her brothers contributed to why she ran off? Was she ignoring the fact that her brothers made life at home hell too?

Lily swallowed thickly, not wanting to seem angry. "Ok. That sounds fine," she mumbled. "I'm going to take my stuff upstairs." Lily gently moved past her mother, and walked upstairs. When she was in her room, she locked the door.

* * *

"Now," Ginny addressed, "you both need to talk this out calmly. No yelling, interrupting, and no storming off." It was a few hours after Lily arrived home, and she was now sitting with her parents in the kitchen, getting ready to talk it out. Her brothers were both at their friends' houses, apparently having no part in her actions.

Harry let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. Lily thought that he didn't look angry, but he didn't look calm either. "Ok. Look, Lily, I don't want you do this . . . modeling thing. It just stereotypes you as some idiot, pretty girl. You are very intelligent, and very talented. You can do something much better with your time," he explained.

Lily sighed as well. "Like what, Dad? Everything I could be doing, it's been done in our family. I mean, I just want to do something different. Something that's only mine. That's part of the reason why I kept out the name Potter. And I like that I'm smart and doing this. It cuts out the stereotype that only dumb girls model," she argued politely.

"It's not a concrete job, Lily," Harry warned.

"I'm not looking at this as a career, Dad," Lily retorted. "I'm thirteen. This is just something for me to do as a favor to a really nice woman, and for something to kill time. And this way I make my own money. I can afford to buy my own things. I don't know what I want as a career late in life. I'm just doing this to fill time," she assured. "And if I chose it as a career, then so be it."

Harry rubbed his temples. "I don't like it, Lily."

"Dad, those magazines sold amazingly. Apparently it's one of the best issues. Other magazines are asking Astoria if they can host pictures of me," Lily told him.

"That's the thing though," Harry replied. "I don't like that. I don't like the pictures you take. Pictures where my daughter is half naked, or has a skirt that's practically underwear."

Lily did her best to keep from rolling her eyes. "The skirt was longer than that, Dad. And it was for summer clothes. Bathing suits deal with summer. It's not like I'm an underwear model," she pointed out.

"And this new . . . style of clothing that you're always wearing," Harry added.

"Look, Dad," Lily interjected, "I know that at first, I did it to make you mad. But the more I wore it, the more I've come to like it. I do it for me now. I know you don't like it, but it's me."

Harry sighed as he ran his hand through his hair again. "I just don't like all these changes that you're making. You don't even give us a warning."

"I'm growing up, Dad," Lily told him. "I'm sorry that you don't like that, but I won't be sorry that I am. I'm almost fourteen. I'm going to dress differently, I'm going to change, and yes, I'm going to date."

Harry's eyes narrowed slightly at that. "I really don't like that."

"I'm not asking you to," Lily told him. "I'm just hoping that you don't explode if I bring a boy home to meet you."

"Like who?" Harry said lowly.

"Like my current boyfriend," Lily told him.

It looked to Lily like her father desperately wanted to glare at her. "Who?" he demanded.

"Lysander Scamander," Lily answered.

"I thought you and him had a falling out?" Ginny asked.

Lily shrugged. "We talked it out, and we've decided to try again."

Harry sighed, but it sounded a bit like a groan. "So, you are dating Lysander? Legitimately?"

Lily nodded. "Officially."

"And this is the only boy I need to know about?" Harry asked.

Lily shrugged. "How many do you want to know about?"

"I mean that you haven't been involved with any others?" Harry explained.

"No, I have," Lily told him honestly.

Harry sucked in a deep breath. "Who?"

Lily sighed. "Well, after Lysander I went out with Xavier Avery, a boy in my year," she told him.

"And is that all?" Harry asked, looking as if he was afraid of the answer.

Lily nodded. "Yes, that's it," she told him, leaving out the other boys she'd kissed, and leaving out how she felt about Scorpius. Sure, she was sort of 'involved' with them, but not that he needed to know.

"So, are we to expect Lysander coming over often?" Ginny asked with a smile.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not sure I want to bring him around the boys. They proved to be problems last time."

"I'd make sure they behaved," Ginny assured.

But Lily shook her head and stood from her seat. "I'd rather not risk it."

* * *

Lily sighed as she sat in her room. She had just finished opening that last few gifts she'd gotten from her friends. Her birthday had been four days ago, as well as her birthday party at the Burrow. Lily hated it. Ever since she became a Slytherin, her birthday parties were a joke. All of her cousins and her brothers acting as if they were happy to celebrate a whole day to her. Only the adults were sincere. But her friends had sent her some great gifts. Scorpius had sent her a ring with the Slytherin crest, and her name along the outside. Lysander had sent flowers and a pretty necklace. And in every letter she got from her fellow Slytherins, they all complimented her on her magazine appearance.

"Lily! Can you come down here for a moment?" Ginny called up to her.

Lily glanced over at the door before putting down the letter in her hand and leaving her room. She went into the kitchen where her mother was. "Yeah, Mum?" Lily questioned.

"Can you help me for a minute? Your father sent Kreacher on an errand, and I don't trust any of the boys around food," Ginny asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Can you take that pie out of the oven and replace it with the one on the counter?" Ginny asked. "Sorry that's it's such a small task to call you down, but there's filling all over my hands."

"It's ok," Lily told her as she pulled out what smelled like a cherry pie.

She replaced the pies, and curious what the other one was. Everyone heard the doorbell ring, and they all heard Harry yell, "I've got it!" Lily watched as Ginny washed her hands, so Lily moved to see who was at the door. Because usually the only people that came over were Ron and Hermione, but you could hear them seconds after they rang. She couldn't even hear her dad talk.

Lily stepped into the hall to look and see who it was, but all she could see was an open door and her dad's back. So she listened instead.

"I, um . . . , I didn't expect to see you," her father spoke.

"Yeah," said a bit of a deep voice. "I never expected to visit, but, uh . . . we were on our way to my parents' house when I saw a sign that said 'Godric's Hollow'. I remember seeing that on all the cards you sent me, and . . . just a spur of the moment, I decided to drop by for a couple of hours. I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Oh! No, not at all. Um, come in and meet my family," her father invited. He stepped aside, and Lily caught sight of a large, portly, blonde man. He looked to be around her father's age. His face was big with pink cheeks. Lily had no clue who this man was.

Harry caught sight of his daughter standing there. "Oh, Lily! Sweetheart, this is my cousin, Dudley. Dudley, this is my daughter, Lily."

The big man waved a beefy hand toward Lily. "Hello, Lily. It's nice to meet you."

Lily waved a little too. "Same to you," she said quietly.

Harry sighed. "So, um, where is your family?"

Dudley looked behind him. "They're coming. Ah! Harry, this is my wife, Abigail. Abigail, this is my cousin Harry."

Lily watched as the woman shook her father's hand. This woman was a stark contrast to her husband. She was tiny, lean, had dark black hair and dark eyes. "Hello, Harry. I've nothing but good things about you," she said with a smile.

Harry gave a nod. "Thank you. I'm very happy to meet you. Um, this is my youngest, Lily."

The woman smiled, and it seemed genuine. "Hello, there, Lily."

"Hi," Lily said politely.

"Who's at the door, Harry?" Ginny yelled from the kitchen.

Harry looked hesitantly at the kitchen. "Um, Ginny, can you come out here? I want you to meet someone."

Lily heard her mother coming closer, and she wondered why her father looked so odd. But soon her mother stepped into the hall, and she looked just as confused as Lily did by the sight of their guests. "Oh, hello," Ginny said with a bit of confusion.

"Ginny, this is my cousin Dudley. This is his wife, Abigail. Dudley, this is my wife Ginny," Harry introduced.

Lily was surprised at the amount of shock on her mother's face. "Oh! Well it's . . . nice to finally meet you," Ginny told them. But Lily felt like her mother didn't really mean it.

"Our kids are outside. They're being a little shy," Abigail told them.

"Well come on in. The living room is right through here," Ginny told them. "Lily, introduce your brothers, I need your father's help in the kitchen really quick."

Lily didn't trust her mother's tone, but she didn't disobey. You didn't make Ginny Potter mad. All the kids knew that. So she stepped into the living room, the adults following. "Hey," Lily said, addressing her brothers while trying not to be mean, "we have guests."

Her brothers looked at her without trust, and James was openly glaring at her. Lily ignored them. "These are my brothers, James and Albus," she said, pointing them out. "This is dad's cousin, Dudley and his wife Abigail."

James dropped the look when he looked at the new people. He gave what others called a 'charming' grin. "Hello. I'm the oldest, James." Lily bit back a snarky comment.

Albus stood up and held out his hand. "I'm Albus," he introduced.

Dudley shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you all."

"Dad? How long are we staying here?" a bratty sounding voice asked. The voice already grated on Lily's nerves. They all looked to see a girl standing in the door way. She looked to be about James's age. She had dark black hair, dark narrowed eyes, and she was popping a piece of gum.

"Oh, kids, this is my oldest daughter, Elaine. Elaine, this is James, Albus, and Lily," Dudley introduced. "Actually, I think you and James are the same age."

"I'll be eighteen this October," James bragged.

"Elaine here just turned seventeen," Dudley said, obviously doing the work to make a connection.

This Elaine was eyeing James with interest, the type that made Lily sick. "Nice to meet ya, James," she said. She pushed past her parents to join him on the couch.

"Ah! And here are my other children," Dudley said as three other kids walked in. "My sons, Marcus and Ricky, and my youngest, Jane."

The children didn't look happy to be there, but they didn't seem as snotty as their sister in Lily's eyes. The older boy was tall and husky, but it looked to be muscle. His hair was dark and curly, and his eyes were a dark blue. The younger boy, Ricky, had long blonde hair that was falling into this eyes, which were so dark that they stood out. He was shorter than his brother, and much skinnier. The little girl was very tiny, and very young. She had long, curling blonde hair and blue eyes. Her cheeks were pink, and she was the only one smiling. She was adorable.

"Marcus here is fifteen, Ricky just turned thirteen, and little Janie here is five," Dudley said fondly, picking his little girl up.

"I just turned sixteen," Albus told them with a proud grin as he tried to puff out his chest. Too bad he was too skinny to look tough, Lily thought.

"And how old are you, Lily?" Abigail asked as she sat on the sofa.

"I just turned fourteen a few days ago," Lily said politely.

"Oh! I wish we'd known, we could have brought you something," Abigail replied.

Lily shook her head. "No worries, it's fine. I've got enough presents to last a lifetime."

"So, what school do you guys go to?" Marcus asked as he sat on the arm of one of the chairs.

Lily tensed, and her brothers looked hesitant too. "We go to a private school in Scotland," Lily said quickly.

"The one your father went to?" Dudley asked vaguely.

"Same one," Albus said a bit shakily.

"Lily, is this you?" Dudley asked.

Lily looked at him curiously, and then saw that he had picked up one of the magazines with her picture on the cover. It was the one with her in the white dress. "Oh, yeah that's me. I started modeling this summer," she explained.

Dudley gave her a surprised look. "That's quite impressive," he replied.

"Well, my friend's mother is a fashion designer, and she'd never had a teen model. So when she asked me to do it, I just couldn't say no," Lily told him.

"You probably get paid very well," Dudley responded.

"Very well, actually. I was told that I'm on the way to becoming one of the top teen models," Lily answered. She couldn't exactly explain to them how much she made, because she didn't know what it would all be when converted to Muggle money.

"I've never seen that magazine," Elaine said with a pop of her gum.

Lily raised a brow. "Really? Can't imagine why."

Elaine ignored her. "So, why does reception suck in your house? My cellphone has like, no signal," she complained. She looked to be holding a tiny Muggle phone in her hand. Lily had never seen anything like that. Well, she'd seen other Muggles on the streets carrying them, but she never actually knew what it was.

"It's probably just a dead zone, sweetie," Dudley said, noticing the odd looks Lily and her brothers were giving the Muggle object.

"Dudley," Harry spoke as he entered the room, "Abigail, why don't you join me and my wife in the kitchen, let the kids get acquainted?"

"Sounds like a great idea," Dudley replied, and he and his wife followed Harry out of the room.

The kids sat in the room in an awkward air, unsure of what to do or say. Lily felt the instinct to run, to get the hell out of the room. There was something about this she didn't like. She didn't trust the oldest, there was something odd about the younger boy, and she definitely didn't trust her brothers, and little Jane had followed her parents, holding on to her father's pants.

Lily sighed. "Well, I'm going to my room." She turned and walked out of the room. But as she went up the stairs in the hall, she heard another pair of steps. She stopped and turned around. The older boy, Marcus, was following her. "Can I help you?" Lily asked.

"I thought I'd just get the hell out of there. It's a tad bit uncomfortable," he told her. "Mind if I follow you?"

Not seeing a reason to say no, Lily shrugged. "Sure. Come on." Lily led him up the stairs and into her room. She locked the door once they were both in. "Sit anywhere," she told him.

He chuckled. "Is there a reason you locked the door?"

Lily glanced at him. She had the feeling that she wouldn't be seeing this boy after today, so why not just say it. "I hate my brothers, and the last thing I need is for them to try and get in here."

Marcus sat on her desk chair. "I hear ya. I hate my brother and older sister. They're annoying as fuck," he muttered. He stretched his arms above his head. "Elaine's too bratty, and Ricky won't shut the hell up."

"My brothers are the same way," Lily said with a laugh.

"Honestly, they look that way," Marcus laughed. "They both seem like ass kissers."

"They are pros at it," Lily joked. She dropped onto her bed. "So, how old are you again?"

"I'm fifteen," he told her.

"And what school do you go to?" Lily asked.

He sighed. "I go to freaking Smeltings. My dad's insisted on it. But once I turn sixteen, I'm out of there."

"You mean you're going to drop out?" Lily said in surprise.

"Yeah. I don't give a fuck about my education, and I hate that school. The only good thing about it was boxing, but I'm already the champ at my school. It's boring," he groaned.

"Boxing?" Lily inquired.

Marcus looked at her with a raised brow, but he didn't question her. "It's a sport where two guys get in a ring and punch each other's lights out," he explained.

Lily laughed a bit. "Sounds kind of awesome." The thought of getting into a ring and punching the hell out of James or Albus was appealing.

"Yeah. But there's no one at school that can beat me," he told her.

"Need new people to punch out?" Lily teased.

"Actually, I go to an underground ring. Me and a bunch of guys go and cage fight. It's illegal, but I don't care. I make money, and I get out my anger. Win, win, baby," he said with pride. "I mean, how do you let out the anger you have against your brothers?"

Lily thought about that. "Well, nothing really. I avoid them. And when they start something, I do something to get back at them. I've never really done anything to let out my anger."

Marcus leaned forward and grinned. "That's the problem. You're less inclined to kill them if you're able to let out your anger."

Lily looked at him curiously. "What would you suggest?"

"Well not boxing. No offense, and I don't mean to sound sexist, but you're pretty tiny compared to the guys I fight. So . . . I would suggest . . . Maybe just doing some type of physical activity. Getting your blood pumping and pushing your body to its total breaking point is a great way to let it all out. Plus it releases endorphins, and that helps to keep a positive spirit," he joked.

Lily laughed lightly. "I might try that," she told him.

"Maybe try kickboxing," he teased. Lily laughed too, even though she had no idea what kickboxing was. But Marcus seemed to catch onto that. "No idea, huh?"

Lily shook her head. "No, sorry."

He grinned and stood up. "Stand up," he told her.

"What?" Lily asked.

"Stand up," he repeated. He held up his arms. Hesitant, Lily did as he suggested. "Ok, now kick my forearm."

Lily looked at him in confused surprise. "What?" she asked.

"Just do it," he told her. "Face me, and kicked your leg up to my forearm."

Lily bit her lip, but she did as he told her. She barely got her leg up that high. Marcus sighed. "Ok, I'm going to teach you how to do this, ok?"

"How to kickbox?" Lily questioned.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's a great way to get exercise, and it something that I think you can do. Plus, I'm not going to tell you to do competitions. It's just something you can do on your own."

So for the next few hours, they stood in her room, and he helped her stretch, and showed her the technique to kickboxing. Lily found that it was really hard, and it had her kind of sweating. But she did feel great. It was a great way to forget things. But soon, they were being yelled to come downstairs and say goodbye. Marcus and his family were leaving to his grandparents'.

"Well, I guess this is it. Maybe I'll see ya around one day, Lil," Marcus said.

Lily nodded. "Maybe. Thanks, Mark."

He grinned. "No problem. I'm always willing to help a fellow family outcast. Here." He took a piece of paper from her desk. "You got something to write with?"

Lily opened the bottom drawer of her desk, pulling out a pen. A Muggle item her grandfather had given her. "Here," she told him.

Marcus wrote something down, and handed it to her. "If you're ever in the neighborhood, here's our address. Anytime you need help," he offered.

Lily grinned. "Thanks," she said, taking the small slip of paper.

"Now let's got down there and pretend to be nice," Marcus joked.

Lily laughed, but followed him as he left the room. They went downstairs where everyone was saying goodbye to each other.

"It was nice to meet you, Lily," Dudley told her.

"It was nice to meet you too," Lily replied.

Marcus patted her shoulder, and Lily didn't say it, but it kind of felt like a hammer. "I'll see ya around, Lils."

"Later, Mark," she said with a wave. Soon the entire family had made it out the door, and Lily heard the sound of their car pulling away from the house. Lily stood in the hallway as her own family talked around her, thinking about her lessons from Marcus. Kickboxing. It was such a Muggle thing. But . . . maybe the physical activity would be a good thing for her. Even if she didn't keep up the actual kickboxing, she could keep up the exercising. The stretching, the running, and other little warm ups. Maybe it would be a good thing.

* * *

Days kept going by, and Lily felt as if it was all going quickly. Lessons with Slughorn went by quickly, and Lily's next magazine came out, much to her father's irritation. Along with the magazines came more payment from Astoria. According to her letter, it was from the magazines. Her pictures had appeared in five magazines this time. Then she soon did her photo shoot for fall and winter outfits, where Astoria paid her again. Lily took the time she had to deposit the money into Gringotts. Now they were all waiting for their Hogwarts letters, and Albus's O.W.L. results. They finally came though.

"Look what I have," Harry teased at breakfast one morning. "Letters from Hogwarts. Time to go shopping."

"Albus, how did you do?" Ginny asked eagerly.

So Albus was the only one to get one of his letters. The one containing his results. Albus opened it, and Lily noticed his hands were shaking. He read over the results, keeping their mother in suspense.

"So?" Ginny urged.

Albus smiled at her. "An E in Potions, an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. An E in Charms and Herbology, a P in Ancient Ruins, a D in History of Magic, an E in Care of Magical Creatures, and an A in Astronomy," he listed.

"That's great, Albus!" Ginny said excitedly.

"Good job, son," Harry told him.

"Way to go, little bro," James told him, ruffling his hair.

Lily just sighed. "So, can the rest of us have our letters?"

Harry looked a little surprised. "Oh! Of course. Here you all are." He handed James one letter, Albus another letter, and oddly he handed Lily two.

Lily opened her first one to see her supply list for the next year.

"I got Head Boy!" James exclaimed loudly.

As Lily did her best not to bang her head on the table, her family began to congratulate him.

"Looks like we're going to have another party at the Burrow," Harry joked.

Lily was still trying not to groan. Was luck ever going to be on her side? She ignored the happy remarks to his promotion to Head Boy, and opened her other letter. The first thing she read surprised her.

"_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results"_

O.W.L. results, Lily thought. They must have the wrong person. But she kept reading, and it kept to her name. She kept going down the letter.

"_Passing Grades, Outstanding (O), Exceeds Expectations (E), Acceptable (A). Failing Grades, Poor (P), Dreadful (D), Troll (T)."_

There was only one class listed.

"_Potions . . . . . . . O."_

Lily looked at it in confusion, until it clicked. That difficult test she took for Slughorn at the end of the year. That was an O.W.L. test? And she got an O? How in the hell had she done that?

"What are you looking at, princess?" Harry asked.

Lily looked at her father in surprise. She'd forgotten that she was still at dinner. "Oh, just my supply list." She quickly folded it under the table, and the picked the actually supply list that was sitting in her lap. She handed that over to her father. "Here, you take it."

"And you're getting a bit taller. We might have to get her robes refitted," Ginny mentioned.

"Yup. We'll all have to go out. The boys will probably need new ones too," Harry said with a sigh.

Lily only half listened as she folded up her test result more and shoved it into the pocket of her pajama shorts. "Um, when will we be going shopping?" she asked.

"We'll probably go on your father's next day off. So next Sunday," Ginny answered.

"Think I could get a new broom?" James asked. "I need one for Quidditch, and I did make Head Boy."

"Don't you have a job?" Lily pointed out.

James glared at her. "Do you have an achievement that our family can be proud of?"

"Children?" Harry warned,

"Well I'm not a pompous ass," Lily retorted.

"Lily Potter!" Ginny scolded.

"I'm not an evil bitch!" James countered.

"Enough!" Harry yelled, slamming his hand on the table, making them all jump. "Both of you, upstairs in your rooms, now! If you can't get along, then you don't need to be together!"

Lily grinned as she stood up. "Glad you're finally seeing it my way, Dad."

"Now!" Harry commanded.

Lily was the first up the stairs, but James caught her easily. "I'm getting pretty fucking sick of your attitude!" he hissed.

Lily kept walking. "Well I'm pretty fucking sick of your face," she mocked. She stopped near her bedroom door, and turned to look at him.

"Remember, snake, I'm Head Boy now," James hissed.

"Remember, dick," Lily sneered, "my Head of House can overturn your decisions with ease, and he likes me a hell of a lot more than he likes you!"

"I'm going to make your life Hell," he said with a cruel chuckle.

Lily rolled her eyes. "My life has been hell for a long time now. You can't make it worse." Lily stepped closer. "But I can easily make yours worse."

"Really? What the fuck could you ever do?" he scoffed.

Lily remembered her time with Marcus with a smile. The best way to let someone know you're mad at them. She brought her foot up swiftly, kicking James in the side. He stumbled sideways, his shoulder colliding with the wall.

"I could kick your ass," Lily replied with a glare.

James glared at her. "I'm going to fucking kill you," he snarled.

"Try it," Lily taunted.

Lily was a bit surprised when James actually grabbed her hair, and yanked her forward. She never thought that he'd have the guts to. "Mark my words," he warned slowly, "you will regret this. I'll make sure of it."

Lily glared at him, doing her best to ignore the sting in her scalp. "I've regretted knowing you for a long time now," she spat.

James let go of her, making her legs a bit shaky as she tried to reestablish her footing. James shoved past her, roughly rocking her entire body. She didn't turn to look at him.

A door slammed behind her.


	38. Enough is Enough

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - It's time to start Lily's fourth year, and it's time for a lot more drama. Lily's about to learn that life's even harder than she thought, and she can't always slid her way out of trouble. Let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Enough is Enough

Lily boarded the Hogwarts Express with a bit of boredom. She was excited for the new school year, but the ride was always a bit of a snore.

"In here, Lil!" Jace called from a compartment. He grabbed her things and began to put them in the overhead compartment. Christian, Lola, and Shannon were there too. Lily was a bit surprised when she caught sight of Lola. She had finally dyed her hair a complete blonde color, so it was no longer a mix of brown and blonde. It was a good look for her in Lily's eyes.

"Hey, guys," Lily greeted. She sat next to Jace, across from the other three. "Where is Izzy? I thought she'd be with you?" she asked Jace.

"Oh, we broke up a couple of weeks ago. It was for the best," Jace told her.

"Oh. That sucks," Lily said with a sigh.

"Not really. We work better as friends," he assured.

"How are you and Lysander?" Lola teased.

"You're back with him?" Christian asked with surprise.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, we're giving it another go. How about you and Rex, Lola?"

Lola beamed happily. "Rex and I are just fine. I met his family the other day."

"How was that?" Jace asked with a laugh.

Lola shrugged. "It was nice. His brother's a prick though."

"No duh. He was like that in our first year," Christian muttered.

"Um, hey." They all turned to see Lysander stepping into the compartment.

Lily smiled broadly at his appearance. "Hey! What are you doing here?"

Lysander shrugged. "Well, I just thought I'd see if you wouldn't mind me sitting with you?" he asked politely.

Lily shook her head, stood up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him down to sit next to her on one of the seats. "No. You need to meet the others anyways. This is, Christian, Lola, Shannon, and Jace," she introduced. This was one of the problems last time. Now she just had to meet his.

Lysander smiled. "Hi. It's nice to meet you," he greeted.

"Same here. Lily says nothing but good things about you," Lola assured.

"Even after last Halloween," Jace told him. Lola kicked him in the leg. "Ow!"

Lysander chuckled, and with his free hand, he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's ok," he assured. "And same here about you guys, although she does say that and you and Jace get a bit annoying when you fight."

Jace shrugged. "Yeah, well I don't care that you dyed your hair, I'm still callin' ya dirty," he warned.

"Well at least I won't be lying when I call you big ears," Lola said with a glare.

"Children," Shannon said with a bored sigh as she reached up to her bag. "Let's be adults," she told them. She pulled something out of her bag. "You know, Lil, I think this one is my favorite."

Lily looked at her with confusion, until Shannon held out the _Witch Weekly_ from a few months ago. On the cover she was smiling, her eye lashes batting, as she laid along the couch in the Malfoy home in Ireland. Lily smiled. "Thanks."

"You look good in all the pics you've done so far, Lil," Christian added. "My mum has subscriptions to like every magazine you could imagine, so I've seen all of them. You're like a star in my house now."

Lily laughed. "Wow. That's kind of surreal."

"My sister practically worships you now," Lola agreed.

"And my mum says that you're one of the best models that Mrs. Malfoy has had," Jace told her.

Lily didn't know how to feel about their comments. She knew that Astoria hadn't lied to her, so she was obviously pretty popular among people. But for her to be popular among her friends' families? Even the ones she hadn't met? It just felt a little . . . weird.

"Don't be embarrassed," Lysander said, as if reading her thoughts, "you look amazing in your pictures."

Lily blushed at his compliment. "I know that," she muttered quietly.

Lysander chuckled, and leaned forward to kiss the top of her head. "I'm sure you do."

* * *

Lily yawned as they waited for the Sorting to begin. Apparently Justin Warrington was the only one with a sibling coming to Hogwarts this year. They all knew what House he was going to. Lily had tried to point out that people had said that about her too.

"Oh, no!" Jace had argued. "You haven't met this kid yet. He's evil."

Lily had been a bit confused, wondering how an eleven-year-old boy could be "evil", but she hadn't pursued the topic.

"Apple, Marie!" Professor Longbottom called out, starting the list finally.

"RAVENCLAW!" the Sorting Hat announced.

The Ravenclaws cheered loudly as the tiny girl sat at their table.

"Argos, Parker." A small girl stepped up to sit on the stool. She had very long hair, and misty eyes. But it didn't look like she was going to cry. Perhaps her eyes were always like that.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The Slytherins didn't clap at all as the lions cheered.

"Bella, Marley!"

"Great, another Gryffindor. The whole lot of them have been for years. Insufferable," Lily heard Rex muttered. She glanced at him. He was sitting next Lola, her hand in his.

"Let's go, sis!" a loud Gryffindor called out. Half of the Slytherins rolled their eyes. This girl was the average height for a girl of eleven. She had ash blonde hair with dark eyes. She didn't look as confident as her brother sounded. She sat on the stool with shaking legs.

The Hat deliberated for a long time, which seemed to surprise a lot of people, bringing about a lot of whispers and murmuring. Finally, the hat spoke.

"SLYTHERIN!"

"What?" a couple of Gryffindors yelled.

Lily, as well as all the other Slytherins, got up and cheered. But inside Lily felt sorry for that girl. Her brother was sitting next to Albus, which meant that there was a good chance that he would do to this little girl what James and Albus had done to her. Little Marley Bella looked as if she were about to cry as she made her way to sit at the Slytherin table.

Something told Lily that this girl would be much more broken up than she herself was at that age.

* * *

"This is the most perfect schedule we've ever had," Jace said with a cheery smile.

"Why do you say that?" Lola asked as she fixed her plate with breakfast foods.

"Think about it. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, right after lunch, we have History of Magic. So, in other words, after we eat, we get a nap," Jace joked.

"And on other days, we got to Defense Against the Dark Arts, practice hexes on each other, screw up occasionally, and make each other puke," Lola muttered.

Jace scoffed. "I love your pessimism. It just brightens my day."

"I love how you can hear me with those big ears when I talk quietly. Keeps me from having to repeat myself," Lola quipped.

Lily sighed as she listened to the two of them. "Look, I'm not that hungry, so I'm going to go back to the common room until it's time for class," she told them.

Lola looked at her. "You want me to come with?"

Lily shook her head. "No, stay and eat. I'll probably just read the potion book we've got this year," she told them.

"If you're sure," Jace said hesitantly.

Lily stood up and smiled at them. "See you in class," she said with a mock salute. Then she turned on her heel and headed for the Entrance Hall. She waved a few people she knew, but she didn't stop to talk to anybody. But someone stopped her.

"Hey! Lily!" a voice called out.

Lily stopped and turned around, looking for the voice that was calling her name. After a moment, she finally caught sight of a young girl running toward her. Lily didn't recognize her at all. "Um . . . , can I help you?" Lily asked hesitantly. Did the girl need help or something? She didn't look like a first year. She looked to be a little older than that.

This girl was very pretty. She had honey blonde hair, mossy green eyes, and fair skin. She was smiling, looking a little mischievous. "Hey, can I ask you for a favor?"

Lily looked at this girl in confusion. "Um, who are you?"

Instead of looking offended, the girl laughed. "Oh, sorry. I'm Liz West. I'm third year Slytherin," she explained.

Lily tried to think of when or if she'd ever seen this girl, but her face wasn't matching up with any memory. "Oh. Well, what is it?"

"Well, a few of the other girls in my year are fans of yours, and one of them wants you to autograph their copy of _Witch Weekly_. They're just to chicken to come over themselves," Liz told her.

Lily looked at her in utter shock. "A what?" she asked.

"An autograph. She wants you to sign this," Liz said, holding out a magazine. "Her name's Judy Harper." Lily was still shocked as she took the magazine into her own hand. Liz reached into her bag and pulled out a quill and ink. With one hand, she dipped the quill into the ink, and then held it out to Lily. Lily was still in shock as she took the quill into her own hand and began writing her name. "Never done this before, huh?" Liz asked with a grin.

Lily shook her head. "No, actually. It's kind of . . . surprising."

Liz laughed again, and began to put her things away. "You should get used to it. A lot of girls are talking about your pictures. You're really pretty."

Lily blushed a tiny bit as she handed the magazine back to her. "Thanks. So, why did your friends just approach me?"

Liz shrugged. "I told you. They're afraid. You're like an idol to them. You model, yet you're smart and you can kick ass. It's kind of inspiring. It kind of makes it hard to engage in normal conversation."

Lily laughed a little. She liked this girl. She was straightforward, no bull. "Yeah, well tell them that I'm not going to turn them away if they want to talk to me."

Liz smirked. "I'll let them know. Catch ya later, Lily Luna."

Lily gave the girl a small wave, and watched as she jogged away, joining a group of girls her age. The girls crowded around Liz, one girl taking the magazine with an elated smile. Lily shook her head, which was still trying to wrap around her apparent 'popularity' as a model, and kept walking toward the dungeons. But she didn't get far before getting stopped again.

"Hey, Lily _Loser_! Wait a minute!" This voice didn't sound at all nice like Liz's had.

Lily slowed to a stop. She turned her head to see four girls walking toward her. They all looked to be older than her. And she did recognize one of them. Lyla Stretton, James's reoccurring whore. So Lily guessed that these other girls were Gryffindors as well. And Lily didn't have to look around to know that they were alone in the corridor. Everyone else was at breakfast.

Lily glared at the girls with distrust. "What the hell do you want?" Lily hissed.

Lyla Stretton walked ahead of the group, moving closer to Lily. "Well, we've got a message for ya. It's from James," she drawled in a bratty tone.

Now Lily really didn't trust these girls. "I don't give a damn about whatever message he sent you to give," Lily sneered.

Lyla grinned, and it made Lily want to hurt her. "Oh, but I think this one might just interest you."

Lily scoffed. "Nothing you say could interest me."

Now Lyla scoffed. "Who said I was going to say anything?"

Before Lily could question what she meant, Lyla Stretton smacked Lily across the face. Lily's head snapped to the side, and she froze for a second. Her cheeks stung, and she swore she could feel it start to swell. And her neck stung a bit too from the force of the hit. But Lily was quick to react, and just as she did to James, she brought her foot into Lyla's side. But Lyla wasn't as big as James, and she fell to the floor with 'THUMP'. But Lily did forget that they weren't alone. One of the other girls had moved forward quickly, and had grabbed Lily's hair. She dragged her toward the ground with her grip while Lily gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the pain. She had Lily bent over, and she couldn't kick her leg now. So she reached out with her hand, grabbing the throat of the girl, and squeezing it as tightly as the girl was holding her hair. The girl began to gasp, but then Lily felt a foot stomp on her knee, effectively making it give out, and making her drop to the floor with a harsh pain. Then a hand was on the wrist of the hand that was holding the girl's neck, prying her fingers away, and pinning her arm down. She felt her head getting pulled down again harshly, smashing against the brick flooring. Lily hissed in pain. Lily kicked her foot out, and felt it hit someone. A yelp followed, proving her right.

"What the hell is going on here?" a loud, and furious voice, yelled.

The girls all turned away from Lily, and Lily was able to push them off, and was able to get a look at who had found them. Dante.

Dante stomped over to them, rage in his eyes. "I said, what the hell is going on? No! You know what I see? I see a bunch of seventh year girls attacking a single fourth year girl! What the hell are you trying to prove?"

The girls all scattered away from Lily, who was starting to stand up. But her knee hurt like a bitch, and it sucked to put weight on it. She kept her weight on the other leg. Dante hurried to help keep her up. Before anything else could be said, the other girls all ran, leaving them there and leaving the dungeons.

"I know who all of those girls are. I've got ideas for detentions for each of them," Dante growled.

Lily shook her head, hating how much it throbbed just to do that. Her head was killing her. "No, don't do anything," she told him.

Dante looked at her confused. "Lil, I'm a prefect. I can make it happen. I'll go to Slughorn, Potter won't be able to say shit," he assured.

Lily shook her head again. "First of all, help me sit down." Dante helped her limp over to the wall, and helped her sit down, leaning her back against the wall, which also hurt from hitting the bricks. "Now, I don't want them to get a detention, because that's not good enough," she explained. "If James wants to play without getting his hands dirty, and without getting caught in the middle . . . well then I can play that game too," she growled. "Those girls will wish, not only that they'd never agreed to help him, but that they had never _met_ James Potter!"

Dante nodded, letting out a sigh as he closed his eyes. "You want some help?"

"No. I'm going to make sure that those girls know that they need to be worried," Lily murmured. "They know they won't be safe, but they will never know when it's going to come, and they will never expect it." She looked at Dante, a thought crossing her mind. "Actually, there is one way you can help me now."

Dante looked at her curiously, but she could still see the rage in his eyes. "What is it?"

"I need the names of those girls, and what year there in. And if there's anything else you know about them, then let me know," Lily told him.

"You wanna know now?" Dante asked.

Lily shook her head. "No, write it all down for me first. That way I'll always have the information with me."

Dante looked at her hesitantly. "Lily, what are you planning on doing?"

Lily grinned at him. "I don't know, Dante. But I plan on sending a message to James, and I don't plan to say a damn thing to him."

* * *

Lily walked into Charms a little late. Dante had insisted that he take Lily to the Hospital Wing, so Lily had let him. They told Madam Pomfrey that Lily had a nasty accident while getting an earlier fly in before classes. She had looked at them with suspicion, making Lily think that she didn't believe them. But she didn't question anything. Madam Pomfrey checked her over completely, so Lily told Dante to go on his way. Dante assured her that he would relay what happened to the others. Lily's cheek bruised quickly, as did the upper right of her forehead. There was a sprain in her knee, causing the pain, and her throbbing headache was due to her head hitting the ground. Her back had a couple of bruises, and her wrist had a few light ones.

Madam Pomfrey had given her a few things to heal the bruises, the sprain, and the headache. Lily drank the potion to get rid of the headache, but when Pomfrey wasn't looking, Lily drained the other two potions into the nearby plant. She didn't want her bruises to disappear. She needed them for her plan. Besides, she was going to wear them proudly.

When Lily walked into Charms, she got a lot of alarmed looks, and a lot of confused and shocked looks. She also got a smug look from Paige Wilde. Lily had given Flitwick a note before going to sit down next to Jace and Lola, and letting class continue on.

"What happened?" Lola whispered in alarm.

Lily didn't move her eyes from the professor when she answered. "I got jumped by a few of James's whores," she said calmly.

"What?" Jace hissed.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Dante came and broke it up. I told him not to give them detentions."

"Why? They deserve it!" Lola exclaimed quietly.

Lily finally looked at them with a grin. "Because I know that I can do much more damage to them myself."

* * *

At dinner, Dante approached her with a list. Lily was pleased to see names, years, and even some of their classes. And two of them had a boyfriend. Lyla Stretton, seventh year. Jessie Hooper, seventh year. Jessica Alexander, fifth year. Melanie Claverdon, sixth year, and Fiona Angel, seventh year. Perfect, Lily thought with a grin. She looked up at the Gryffindor table, trying to spot the girls. They were a bit scattered, so Lily scanned each of them, choosing her first target. Lily was a little surprised at what she saw. All of these girls looked . . . anxious, and a little scared. _They_ kept glancing at _her_. But one didn't. Lyla Stretton seemed as cool and casual as if nothing had happened. Lily came to the conclusion that she had only recruited the other girls. She was the only one James's asked personally to do it. She was the ringleader. Another thought occurred to Lily. If that was true, than why should she be as harsh to the other girls?

"Dante," Lily addressed, "does Stretton have any siblings?"

Dante nodded and wrote down another name on the paper. "I'm not sure what year, but she's got a little sister in Ravenclaw."

"Perfect," Lily told him as she looked at the list again.

"Are you going to use her sister?" Lola asked.

"More or less. But most of the damage will be aimed at her," Lily assured. She pulled out a piece of paper and tore off a small piece that was big enough for her to write a name on. She wrote the name of her first victim.

"_Jessica Alexander, 1."_

Lily folded it into a simple bird, and enchanted it to float around the room and then over to Lyla. Then Lily quickly began eating, and avoiding the Gryffindor table. She used a casual and innocent face.

"So, what's your first move?" Jace asked.

Lily grinned. "I would hate to ruin the surprise." Then Jessica Alexander stood from her seat, Lily stood up as well. "I'll see you guys later," Lily said quickly, hurrying to move down the hall. All the while, her eyes were on Alexander. Lily slowed her pace, making sure that Jessica Alexander left the hall before Lily did. Then she quickened again, making sure she didn't lose sight of her. She followed her silently up stairs, and down halls, and around corners. Alexander led her to the library, where she stepped in and went to a shelf. She pulled out a few books, as if trying to find a certain one. Lily watched from next to one of the shelves. That's right. Jessica was a fifth year. O.W.L. year. She must be getting a head start on her studies.

Eventually, Jessica finally found the book she was apparently looking for, checked it out, and began to leave the library. Lily followed her, waiting until the appropriate location. It wasn't for a couple of minutes until Lily realized that she was being led to the Gryffindor common room.

Using her memory, Lily was sure that they were close to the common room. So Lily pulled out her wand, and pointed it at the unsuspecting back of Jessica Alexander.

"Levicorpus," Lily whispered quietly.

In a flash, Jessica was up in the air by her ankle, as if hanging by an invisible rope. Her books clattered to the floor, her bag fell from her shoulder, and her things inside clattered to the ground. An ink bottle shattered, splattering the floor and some of her things with black. And it got better. The girl's skirt fell, showing a pair of flowery panties. Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. But in that second, Jessica yelped and screamed. Lily took off down the hallway, taking a quick turn around the corner to keep from being seen.

* * *

Rumors flew around the school the next day, all about the embarrassing situation that Jessica had been found in. But no one knew who had done it. But Lily noticed that someone from Gryffindor was looking at her at breakfast. Lyla. But Lily ignored her, kept an innocent face, and began plotting her next move.

During her break that day, Lily found herself sitting in their common room with Scorpius. They were sitting at a table. She was doing her Transfiguration homework, and he was staring at her with a brooding look.

"So, are you going to tell me who jumped you?" Scorpius asked with a scowl.

"When you're old enough," Lily replied.

She knew instinctively that he was rolling his eyes. "How am I supposed to beat someone up if you don't tell me who?" he retorted.

"I can't see you hitting a girl," Lily mocked.

"But Lana and the other girls would do it in a heartbeat," Scorpius assured.

"I know that. But I want to show James that I can take care of myself," Lily told him.

"Ridiculous," he muttered. They became silent after that.

"Um, Lily?" Lily turned her head to see Marley Bella standing next to her. This was the first time that Marley had spoken to her.

Lily smiled gently at her. "Yeah?"

"Well, I was wondering if you would sign these two magazines for me?" Marley asked, holding out two fashion magazines. Lily's own face smiled up from the covers.

Lily smiled and took them from her. "Of course," she told her.

"Isn't one enough?" Scorpius teased, although his face was still pulled into a scowl.

"Oh, one is for my older sister. She asked me to get one for her," Marley answered. Lily didn't show it, but her mind was very confused. She knew Marley's older sister. Hannah Bella, a fourth year Gryffindor. She hated Lily . . . didn't she?

But Lily didn't question it. She just smiled and handed back the magazines. "So, how are you liking Slytherin House so far?" she asked.

Marley smiled. "I like it. It's better than I had expected."

"Now that you know we don't bite," Scorpius joked. "Despite popular belief."

Marley giggled. "Yeah. I just thought that my brother would be mad. He's never really spoken fondly of Slytherin."

"I bet not," Scorpius mumbled.

Lily stomped on his foot under the table. "You haven't talked to him yet?"

"Oh, I talked to him. Him and my other siblings. They said that it was shocking, but they accepted it. I'm still their little sister," Marley replied.

Lily felt her insides freeze. Her throat felt tight. Still their little sister?

Lily stood up quickly. "I'll be back. I have to grab something from my dorm. Excuse me," she lied quickly. Lily rushed up the stairs of the girls' hall, and ran into her empty dorm room. She slammed the door, and felt her breathing begin to constrict.

Still their little sister? What the hell was the difference between Marley and her? Why had the Bella siblings reconciled over the fact that their sister was a Slytherin, when James and Albus couldn't accept that with her? Roddy Bella was Albus's friend! What was so terrible about her that being a Slytherin had made her a terrible person at eleven?

What was wrong with her?

* * *

A few days later, Lily still felt . . . pained. She wasn't hurt like she'd been when her brothers had begun to hate her, but it was a new pain. A pain at realizing that there was something about her that made her bad. Becoming a Slytherin was just the tip of the ice burg for them to hate her.

That was why, at eleven o'clock at night, Lily sat in the kitchens, swirling a spoon around in a bowl of melting ice-cream, wearing a tattered shirt, pajama shorts, and had her hair put up messily.

"I thought I'd find you here." Lily turned her head to see Scorpius walking into the kitchens. He moved to take a seat across from her.

Lily placed a spoonful of ice-cream in her mouth, letting it melt on her tongue. Then she spoke. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb, Lily, it's not a good look for you," Scorpius retorted dryly. His eyes were shrewd, seeing through her. "You've been brooding and pouting ever since you heard about Roddy Bella accepting Marley."

Lily felt a pang hit her in the chest. "I'm not pouting," she mumbled.

"Call it what you want," Scorpius replied. "I call it pouting and brooding."

Lily rolled her eyes as she stabbed through her ice-cream. "What's your point?" she grumbled.

Scorpius sighed. "No point. I guess I'm just curious as to what's going through your mind."

Lily bit her tongue. Why should she unload all of this on him? Even if he was asking. So she shook her head. "Nothing."

"Bullshit!" he stated. "I'm not stupid either, Lily Luna! Now what the fuck is up?"

Lily sighed, dropping her head into her hands. "I'm pissed off!" she exclaimed. "I mean, what the hell? Marley can be the Slytherin in a Gryffindor family but I can't? Her brother is friends with Albus, and they're both complete dicks! But yet he's ok with his sister being a Slytherin? What the hell did I do wrong for me to be labeled as a bad person at eleven?" she seethed. Lily hated the feeling in her gut. Hated how . . . how hurt she felt. And she hated how her eyes were beginning to sting. She blinked away the tears.

Scorpius only looked at her for a moment, showing no sympathy or anything at all. He was just looking at her. Then he ran a hand through his green and blonde hair. He took her bowl and pushed it away. Then he reached out and took her non-bruised wrist, and pulled it away from her face. "Lily, there's nothing wrong with you. There's just something majorly wrong with you brothers."

Lily looked away from him. "That doesn't make it hurt any less," she whispered.

"I know it doesn't. But keeping it all inside doesn't either," Scorpius replied softly.

Lily closed her eyes. "I just never want to see them again," she murmured. "I'm tired of feeling this way."

She could hear Scorpius shift in his seat. Then she heard him speak. "So what are you going to do now, princess?"

Lily sucked in a deep breath. "I'm going to finish what I started, and then I am severing all ties I have to James and Albus Potter. Hatred, anger, a longing for happiness, fond memories . . . it will all burn in the ash heap of a past I will soon forget."


	39. Making New Windows

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's another new update. It's almost kind of a filler chapter, but we do have very important elements that will be leading up to very important events. So I hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Making New Windows

Lily sat on the bench in the pitch, watching as Scorpius held tryouts for Chasers. He was holding tryouts for all potions but Seeker this year, claiming that no one was going to do better. But Lily couldn't see someone doing better than the other guys. But Scorpius had explained that to her as well.

"I just wanna mess with them," Scorpius had joked.

So Lily hadn't even bothered to change out. She just took up a bench and sat down, watching from the ground. There were other students in the stands, from all different Houses. Lily could see that James and his team had come to spy and check out new recruits.

"Hey there," a voice said in her ear. Lily smiled slightly when she recognized the voice.

She turned her head to see Lysander sitting next to her, smiling at her. "Hey."

"Feels like I haven't seen you in awhile," he joked lightly.

Lily sighed, but she still smiled. "Sorry. It's been a bit hectic getting back into the routine of Hogwarts," she said. Then to apologize even more, she reached up and kissed him lightly.

Lysander chuckled. "It's ok." Then he seemed to notice the fading bruise on her cheek. He reached up to touch it carefully. "What happened here?" he asked.

Lily smiled. "Oh, it took a bit of a nasty hit in Defense Against the Dark Arts a week or so ago. An accident," she lied easily.

"Does it hurt?" Lysander asked as he dropped his hand from her cheek, and began to push her hair from her face.

"Nah, it's fine. I usually forget that it's there," Lily told him.

Lysander smiled as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Well, I'm glad that it doesn't hurt."

"So, you come here to spy too?" Lily teased.

"On a very pretty girl," he retorted with laughed.

Lily laughed too, but then someone in the stands caught her eye. Sitting next to Albus was Melanie Claverdon, one of the girls who had attacked her. And his arm was around her, and her head was on his shoulder. She was dating Albus? Why hadn't Dante put that on the list he gave her? Or was this a recently made relationship. Lily scanned the other Gryffindors, and sure enough, Lyla Stretton was in the crowd, sitting just in front of James.

"Lily?" Lily was shaken out her thoughts by a voice. She turned her head to see a girl standing next to Lysander. She wasn't Lily's age. She actually looked older than her.

"Yeah?" Lily asked.

The girl held out a magazine to her, and Lily knew immediately what she wanted. "Could you sign this for me?"

Lily smiled as she took the magazine and the quill the girl held. "Yeah, no problem."

The girl held out an ink bottle for Lily to dip the quill in. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem," Lily said with a smile, handing her back the magazine and quill.

The girl began to put it in her bag, and she smiled at Lysander. "Only you could bag such an awesome girlfriend, Ly," she teased.

Lysander chuckled. "I'm only so lucky," he corrected.

The girl laughed. "Thanks again, Lily. Later, Ly," she said with a wave.

"Later, Allie," Lysander said with a wave.

"Wait!" Lily called out to the girl, 'Allie'.

Allie stopped. "Yeah?"

Lily pulled out a couple of slips of paper that she'd taken to carrying around with her, just for these moments. "Can I see that quill again?"

With a little confusion, she handed Lily the quill. Lily pulled out one slip, then shoved the rest in her pocket again. Then she took the quill, and next to a name, wrote a number.

_Melanie Claverdon, 2"_

Lily handed her back the quill. "And are you going back to the stands?" she asked.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, a couple of my friends are watching the tryouts."

Lily grinned and folded the slip three times. Then she held it out to her. "Do you think you could give this to Lyla Stretton?"

Allie took it. "Sure. Want me to tell her it's from you?"

Lily shook her head. "Don't bother. She'll know who it's from."

Allie nodded. "Ok. No problem. Later."

When she'd walked away, Lysander looked at Lily with a little confusion. "What was that?"

Lily turned her head to look back at the sky. "I was asked to send a note to her, but I'm too lazy," she lied.

Lysander chuckled. "As long as it gets to her, huh?"

Lily grinned. "You know it."

"Princess!" Lily and Lysander turned their heads to Scorpius walking over to them. He glanced at the two of them on the bench. "Sorry, Lysander, but I need to steal your girlfriend for a couple of minutes."

Lysander dropped his arm. "That's no problem. I'd better go find my brother anyway," he said as he stood up. He held out his hand for Lily, which she took. He pulled her up gently from her seat. He kissed her gently and quickly. "I'll see you around."

Lily nodded. "You bet. I'll be in the library at four, if you wanna meet me there?" she suggested.

"Sounds good," he said with a smile. "Later." He turned around and walked away toward the stands.

Lily turned to Scorpius. "What do you need?"

Scorpius motioned for her to follow him. He led her into the locker room, where all the tryouts were changing. He led her to the back, into the captain's office. Inside was a large chalkboard, a desk, chair, and Scorpius had papers everywhere. Lily found the roster for their team from last year. He hopped up to sit on the desk, a clipboard in his hand.

"What do you want?" Lily asked, leaning her back against the door.

"The guys did great, but we still need to fill in the Chaser spot that Adrian left open," Scorpius told her. "Now, I've got two people in mind, but I'm not sure which to choose. I thought maybe you could help. You've got a pretty good insight when it comes to players."

"Who are you thinking?" Lily asked.

"Either Ted West, or Lance Higgs. Now, Ted's obviously bigger than Lance. I mean he's four years older than Lance. And he made all five goals," Scorpius explained.

"But they were clumsy. With enough practice, anyone could learn his tactics and catch each score attempt," Lily argued.

"That was my thought. He'd need a bit of training on that," Scorpius agreed. "Then there's Lance. A third year, younger and smaller, but he was still good. He may have only made four of the shots, but he did each one with style, and it was unpredictable."

"But his size makes him an easy target. Potter and Lorcan will easily see that he can be taken out of the game with one hit, and they'll capitalize on that," Lily replied.

Scorpius nodded. "Both have faults. But which one is the easier to deal with?"

Lily sighed as she considered that. "I'd chose Lance. We can keep an eye on him, make sure one of the Beaters has his back. I'd rather him, because while he's in the game, he can score and do it well. It'll be hard to block. And if he's taken out, we got you and Will. And if we start him playing now, the more time he has to fill out and exercise," she told him.

Scorpius scowled at the list of names as he took that in. Lily glanced away from him. He was too cute when he scowled like that. "Ok. That's not a bad idea," Scorpius finally said.

Lily looked back at him. "So, Lance Higgs?"

He smirked. "Lance Higgs, welcome to the team."

* * *

Over the next couple of days, Lily began to watch Melanie Claverdon, trying to find out when the time to strike would be. She needed to avoid her when she was around Albus. That wouldn't help at all. But this girl seemed to always be around Albus, and practically draped around him. She never had the opportunity.

On the nineteenth, Lily received a surprising bit of mail. Six magazines, all with her pictures on the cover. Lily had forgotten all about her fall clothes for the photo shoot.

"These look really good, Lil," Megan complimented.

"Thanks," Lily said with a sigh as she looked at one too. She had on a nice, white jacket with a green scarf that she knew was silk. She was standing the Malfoy Manor's garden, leaves and trees fluttering all around her in a bit of wind.

"You are hot," Monty told her with a grin.

Lily laughed. "Once again, thanks."

"How does your boyfriend handle you being on display for a bunch of guys?" Christian asked as he looked at the one Megan held.

"Not many guys buy fashion magazines," Lily retorted.

"They have since you started being in them. Your pictures are kind of famous among the male population of Hogwarts," Jace said with a chuckle.

Lily tried to ignore the small blush she felt on her cheeks. "Well, aren't I lucky."

"Here comes another owl," Izzy commented.

Lily looked, and saw an owl she recognized easily. It was the Malfoy owl.

"What's my parents' owl doing flying down here?" Lily turned her head to see Scorpius standing behind her with Lars. Hunter moved over so the two could sit down next to Lily.

"These," Megan said, holding out one of the magazines to them.

"Merlin, six? You really are popular, huh?" Lars commented, looking at all the different covers.

"Mum says that she'd never had a model more in demand in magazines," Scorpius mentioned as he stared at one of the covers.

The owl landed on the table, holding out a letter and a pouch to her. Lily opened the letter first.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I how you've gotten a copy of all the magazines you appeared in. You are really becoming quite popular. You believe how much these magazine companies are offering to have you in their winter issues. I also sent your pay for the magazines. They're your pictures going in there, so you should get some of the payment they give me for it. Plus, as a Malfoy, I don't need it all, haha._

_But I'm also writing you with some wonderful news. One of the magazines writers of _Witch Weekly_ would like to do an interview with you over Christmas break. I told them that I would clear it with you. If you're interested, just let me know, and I'll set it up. Be prepared, there will probably be some pictures involved. Also, I hope that you are having a wonderful year so far. Tell that son of mine that two sentences are not a letter._

_Sincerely,_

_Astoria Malfoy"_

"What did my mum want?" Scorpius asked curiously.

"Tell me about my popularity as a model, and possible interview, and how my year is going. And she wants me to tell you that two sentences are not a letter," Lily teased. A few of the others chuckled as Scorpius rolled his eyes. Lily reached for the pouch and opened it. She was a bit surprised. Was Astoria going to just pay her more each time?

"How much did you make?" Scorpius asked.

Lily handed him the pouch. "You tell me."

"You get paid for this?" Hunter said with envy.

"It's a job. Of course she does," Lola replied.

"You're lucky. Getting paid to be in pictures," Monty told her.

"It's a lot more taxing than it seems," Lily retorted.

"Looks like forty-four Galleons, forty-eight Sickles, and seventy-eight Knuts," Scorpius told her, handing her back the pouch.

"Damn, girl!" Lars muttered.

"You'd do anything for that kinda money, huh?" Lily teased.

Lars scoffed. "Shit, I'd pose naked for that kind of money in my pocket."

Lily laughed, but Lola looked at him with a bit of a disgusted look. "Wow, because I really want that image while I'm eating breakfast."

Lars laughed. "You know I just made your day with that picture," he joked.

"Oh, you certainly made mine," Lily mocked with a grin. Lars just wiggled his eyebrows teasingly.

"Look, the king's bellboy has walked in," Jace scoffed. The others looked to what he was talking about, only to see Albus strutting into the Great Hall.

"Wow, looks like his little whore's been separated from him," Lars mocked.

Lily's eye immediately went back to her brother. He was right. Melanie Claverdon wasn't with him! Lily quickly, but carefully, scanned the Gryffindor table. She wasn't there at all. Lily stood up. "I'll see you guys later. I need to do something," she told them. She gathered the magazines, her letter, and her money, and quickly put them in her bag. She hurried out of the Great Hall, and looked around. No sight of her coming. Lily made her way up the stairs, slowly walking in the direction of Gryffindor Tower. Surely, she would see the girl eventually. But the halls were empty.

"The one time I really need that map," Lily whispered to herself. But then she heard something. Giggling, along with other muted sounds. Lily turned her head in the direction of the sounds, and saw only a door. Slowly, Lily crept up to the door, and placed her ear against it.

"_You are so bad, James Potter!" _a giggling voice exclaimed. Lily froze. James?

Then she heard James's voice. _"I'm bad? Shouldn't you be with your _boyfriend_, and not fooling around with me?"_

"_You make this sound so bad. We're not that serious, so what's a bit of fun. I wouldn't mind if he had a little fun,_" the girl replied. Lily felt a bit of anger, but she knocked it down.

"_I know that. He's told me that himself. It's why I'm sure he won't mind that we do this. After all, my little brother idols me_._"_

Lily stopped listening. In fact, she felt her heart stutter. James . . . he was with Albus's girlfriend? His little brother's girl? He was screwing with her? Despite Lily's vow from weeks ago, she couldn't quell the bit of pity she felt towards Albus. And she felt sick at what James Potter was capable of.

She stood up and looked around the hallway. There was a statue just down the hall, so Lily moved over to it carefully, and hid behind it. Then she waited. Luck was on her side, because five minutes later, James stepped out of the room, looking both way first. Then he closed the door and moved down the hall. It was a few minutes after he'd turned the corner that the door opened again, and Melanie stepped outside, obviously fixing the buttons on her shirt. Lily glared at this girl, and she pointed her wand at her back.

"Tarantallegra," she whispered.

Suddenly, Melanie's legs started dancing and wobbling uncontrollably. She yelped and fell to her knees, but her legs kept moving. But Lily wasn't done. This girl deserved a little more.

"Langlock," she muttered.

Suddenly Melanie's yelped became muffled grunts, as her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. Just a final touch so that Lily could escape notice.

"Obscuro." A blindfold shot from her wand and wrapped around Melanie's eyes, cutting off her sight. Lily walked from her hiding place, and walked down the hall at a leisurely pace. When she got to Melanie's wiggling body, she stopped. Then she kicked her in the back, a little repayment for what had been done to her. Then she kept walking, leaving the scene.

Two down, and three to go.

* * *

"So, when am I meeting your friends?" Lily asked. She and Lysander sat in Hog's Head, which was fairly busy today

Lysander shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't matter to me. I'll bring 'em around sometime when we meet up," he assured.

"Who are they?" Lily asked curiously. He never talked about his friends, which had been a bit of a problem last time.

"Well, I have a lot of friends, but just a few people that are really important," Lysander told her. "There's Hayden and Taylor from the team, Kana and Kelly, two prefects, and of course Clayton. He's probably my best friend after Lorcan."

"I don't think I know him even in passing," Lily commented.

"Probably not. He really keeps to himself. It might be why we get along so well," Lysander chuckled.

Lily giggled lightly. "Sounds brooding."

"He kind of is," Lysander joked. "But he's a good guy. I think you'll like him. He's a Falcons fan."

"Oh, I like him already then," Lily teased. Lysander chuckled as well. He reached out to take Lily's hand, but once their skin touched, he pulled his hand away. Lily looked at him a little oddly. "Something wrong?" she asked.

Lysander was blushing a little. He cleared his throat. "Nothing. I um . . . I just don't want to be too forward."

Lily almost laughed. "By holding my hand? Lysander, you've kissed me before."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know that. But never in public."

"So. Why wouldn't you kiss me in public?" Lily asked.

"Well, it's not really proper," Lysander replied.

Lily did her best to keep from rolling her eyes. "Lysander, I'm not a saint. I know that."

"It doesn't mean that I shouldn't treat you like a princess," Lysander retorted.

Lily kept back a sigh. She wasn't going to argue. After all, she was Lysander's first and only girlfriend. She had to let him get used to it. He would soon understand that she wasn't delicate.

"Besides," Lysander continued, "I don't think you dad would be happy if I treated you any other way."

Now she did roll her eyes.

* * *

"Maybe he's just shy," Shannon suggested. The girls were getting ready for bed after a full day at Hogsmeade. Lily had just told them about her date, and what had happened.

"But he makes it sound as if he thinks she's made of glass or something," Megan argued.

"It's rare to find a gentleman these days, though," Izzy told her.

"Yeah, but then he throws my dad into it," Lily reminded them. "That didn't really help him. I could care less what my dad thinks of my dating life."

"At least he doesn't think you're a bitch," Lola teased.

"Yeah, but I'm not perfect like he makes me out to be," Lily sighed. She dropped onto her bed, pulling the covers over her.

"Be a little grateful," Shannon told her. "Not many girls get treated like a princess."

"I know that. But people have been treating me like that for years now. It's why I like playing Quidditch. No one pulls any punches with me," Lily replied.

"Just tell him you're not a princess," Megan suggested.

"I did. Didn't make a difference to him," Lily told her.

"Then dump him," Megan retorted.

"I can't do that!" Lily argued. "I still care about him. Why should I throw that away because of one flaw?"

"Sounds like one hell of a flaw," Megan muttered.

Lily ignored her and pretended to sleep.

* * *

October came around, and Lily found herself plotting her next payback. Her target was now Jessie Hooper, a seventh year. She had already sent a little note to Lyla.

"_Jessie Hooper, 3"_

Lily had sent it through an owl, and was now just planning her move. Jessie Hooper, she apparently had Charms, Potions, and Herbology with Dante, but he'd been clueless about her other classes. She had two little brothers, one in fifth year and one in second year. And she had a boyfriend, James's idiot friend, Kyle Matlock. And according to most of the guys on the team, Kyle was a renown cheater, and Jessie Hooper played the oblivious girlfriend.

"Is every Gryffindor guy in James's year a cheater?" Lily had asked the guys in the locker room one day.

"Not all of 'em," Tanner told her. "Terry Fogarty can't even get one date."

"And Fred Weasley keeps to himself. I'm starting to think of questioning either his ability with chicks or his preference," Will joked.

Lily thought about that as she pulled on her arm guards. Lately, it was hard to hate Fred, knowing how he was taking his fight with James. Even if that was two years ago. He'd done a complete turnaround, and was the opposite of how he'd been his whole life. And now that she thought about it, she had never seen him with a girl. What was going on with Fred?

But Lily left it all alone when she finally saw her chance to strike. It was during lunch on a Tuesday, and Lily had caught sight of Kyle Matlock sneaking off with Fiona Angel into a classroom when Lily was heading toward the Great Hall. It was perfect! She had the chance to get both of them. Lily grabbed a couple of pieces of paper from her bag, and then found the slip of paper that read, _"Fiona Angel, 4"_.

"Excuse me. I'm going to brave the lion table. One moment," Lily said with a smile.

Scorpius grabbed her wrist. "Woah, are you out of your mind?" he demanded.

Lily grinned. "Yes, but that's not the point right now. Excuse me." She pulled away from his grip and walked away toward the Gryffindors. She could feel the untrusting eyes as she walked along their table. But she ignored it as she approached Jessie Hooper, who was sitting next to Lyla. It really was Lily's lucky day.

Lily stopped behind the two girls, who turned around to glare at her. "What do you want, loser?" Lyla sneered.

Lily glared at her as well. "Creevey asked me to do a favor for him. He needs me to give these to Matlock. Where is he?"

Jessie really glared at her now. "He hasn't gotten here yet. Just leave them here."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Forget it. I think I remember him and Angel going off into a classroom in the dungeons a couple of minutes ago. I'll just go see if they're still there."

"Who?" Jessie demanded.

Lily shrugged as she put the papers back into her bag. "I don't know. The older one. The girl."

"I'll kill her!" Jessie screeched. She jumped from her seat and practically ran out of the hall. Lily shouldered her bag, letting the slip of paper fall to the floor. She noticed that Lyla was looking at it. Lily just turned her back and walked away. But she didn't go back to the Slytherin table. No, she left the hall completely, heading for the dungeons. No way was she missing this. She hurried to where she remembered seeing Matlock and Angel disappear into, and sure enough, she heard yelling.

"_You bitch, you were my friend!"_ she heard Hooper yelling.

"_It's not my fault your legs are glued at the knees!"_ Angel retorted.

"_Girls, girls,"_ Matlock tried to intervene.

"_Shut up!"_

Lily bit her lip, trying not to laugh. She pushed the door open slightly, the sound lost in all the yelling. She glanced inside, and she could tell that the two girls looked ready to jump each other. Lily pulled away from the door and ran down the Potions classroom. She burst through the door, and was delighted to see that Professor Slughorn was still there, looking over a few potions.

He looked surprised to see her. "Lily, what are you doing here?"

"Professor, there's a big fight going on between a couple of Gryffindors girls. And Kyle Matlock is just provoking them!" Lily said in a rush.

Professor Slughorn hurried to stand up and approach her. "Show me," he said quickly.

Lily nodded, and jogged down the dungeon corridors. She stopped outside the door and pointed at it. Slughorn pushed it open, and by this point the two girls were rolling on the floor, pulling hair and scratching skin. Matlock was staring like an idiot.

"Enough!" Slughorn boomed.

The two girls stopped, jumping at the voice. Matlock looked surprised. But then he calmed and looked a little cocky. "No worries, sir. It-,"

"I know what it is, Mr. Matlock," Slughorn interrupted. "Miss Potter informed me of your position in this matter. I'll deal with you later. First we must get these two girls to the Hospital Wing, and then the three of you will meet with the headmaster about your punishments."

"I didn't do anything!" Matlock argued.

"Provoking a fight is as bad as participating in one," Slughorn retorted. "Now, you girls go to the Hospital Wing. And if you aren't there when I come to check on you in ten minutes, you'll be in even more trouble. And Mr. Matlock, go wait in my office. No arguments. Now!"

The three Gryffindors scattered, all looking angry, but Lily was sure that it was for different reasons. She was just doing her best to look a little scared instead of smug.

Slughorn turned to her. "How did you come upon this?"

"Well, I was coming back to the common room to get something for my next class when I heard them yelling," she told him innocently. "I was waiting for Kyle to stop them, but he just watched, and didn't even try to stop them."

Slughorn patted her on the head, pushing her hair back. "It's ok, Lily. You just go off back to lunch, and I'll straighten this out. And since you were brave enough to tell me, forty points to Slytherin."

Lily nodded slowly. "Thank you, Professor." Slughorn turned around and began to walk away. Lily turned around too and walked away. Finally, she let that smug smile show.

* * *

"So, you're down to one girl left. What's your plan?" Lola asked at dinner that night. Word had gotten around about the girl fight. Apparently, they had lost twenty points each, and had a multitude of detentions.

"Well, it's an idea that I've been playing in my mind for a while now, and I think I might go with it," Lily told them.

"What's that?" Jace asked.

"Well, she wants to look smug that she knocked me down a peg, and thinks it's something to be proud of. But how proudly can you act when you're caught single-handedly beating up a fourteen-year-old girl?" Lily asked.

The two looked at her in confusion. "Well, you'd be pretty hated, actually," Lola replied.

"And when threatened with expulsion, how would said girl react?" Lily continued.

"She'd panic," Jace told her.

Lily laughed lightly. "Exactly."

* * *

Lily's plan took about a week to work out. It had to be perfect, and she had to take the right steps. And she needed the right WWW products. Finally, she had it all set up and ready, and all the help she needed. So she wrote out a note to Lyla.

"_Stretton,_

_You know what's going on. So if you want payback, then meet me in the unused classroom in the Charms corridor. The door will be open. Come at six thirty, after dinner. We'll finish this. And if you come with anyone else, it'll just cause more problems. Besides, you're not afraid, are you?_

_Lily Luna"_

So Lily then waited in the room just before six thirty. Sitting on the table she had a variety of things, all waiting for use. Just a little after the time she suggested, the door opened more, and Lily watched as Stretton walked in. Lily waved her wand, and the door slammed shut.

Stretton looked at her with distrust. "What's your game? You attack the other girls, and then plan to meet me? Finally gain a bit of courage?" she sneered.

Lily chuckled, and reached over on the table. She picked up a purple candy and popped it into her mouth. She chewed it carefully before swallowing. "It's not that. I just thought that, I'm about to make you even more popular than ever," Lily told her.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Lyla demanded. Then her face looked shocked. "What the hell is happening to your face?"

Lily raised a brow, and as she did, she could feel a bit of a sting. Lily picked up a mirror from the table and looked at it. She had a black eye now, along with a bruise on her cheek. They were black, purple, and grey. It looked as if she'd been brutally attacked. She put down the mirror and grabbed another candy. This one was green. She chewed and then swallowed it.

"Couple of bruises. What you did to me last time we met," Lily lied. "The magic I used to cover them must have worn off." A stinging pain entered Lily's wrist. She glanced at her hand to see bruises on her knuckles. She felt as if her wrist was sprained, which was what she wanted.

"What you get," Lyla said, her brave voice cracking slightly. "Maybe you shouldn't be such a bitch."

"I'm not too surprised that James got his little whore to do his work," Lily mocked, picking up another piece of candy. She kept this one from sight. It would be easily recognized.

"Oh, grow up, little girl. Your brother's a man with needs. Excuse me for fulfilling those needs," Lyla said with a roll of her eyes.

Lily scoffed. "Man? What kind of man sends a girl to do his dirty work? What kind of man is intimidated by a fourteen-year-old girl? And what kind of man can't live up to his mistakes and responsibilities? James is no man, and no brother of mine. He's a pathetic little boy," she spat. Then she popped in the other candy, chewed, swallowed, and waited.

"How would you know what a man is?" Lyla sneered.

"I know what a boy is," Lily retorted. "And that's what James is."

Then Lily felt a slow, steady, warm liquid stream from her nose and down to her lips. And she saw Lyla's eyes widen. "What the hell is happening to you?" she screeched.

Lily glanced at the clock in her room. She was right on schedule. She got up and approached Lyla. Then she smirked, and gave her a small shove. "Face it. You're a bitch and used whore, Stretton."

Surprise left her face, and Lyla's eyes began to burn. She shoved Lily harder, and Lily let herself fall to the ground. "You're a dumb little bitch, Potter!"

Now Lily did feel anger burn in her, but Lyla surprised her and kicked her in the side. But that was all that Lyla could do before the door slammed open.

"Miss Stretton!" a voice bellowed. Both girls turned to see Professor Longbottom and Professor Creevey standing in the doorway. Both seemed in shock at what they had happened upon. Lily pulled in a shaky breath as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Professor Longbottom ran up to her. "Lily, are you all right?" he asked with worry.

Lily gulped. "I'm fine," she said shakily.

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing," he said. With a simple grunt, he had picked her up into his arms.

"I'll be taking Miss Stretton to the headmaster," Creevey said with a bit of anger.

"I didn't do anything, Professor!" Lyla argued.

"Evidence is against you," Professor Longbottom growled. He began to carry her out of the room. She glanced at the clock before she did. Six fifty-five. Right on time. She tucked her chin into his arm, hiding her elated grin. Lola had done her job correctly. And she'd done even better by getting Longbottom and Creevey, two previous Gryffindors. And the Head of Gryffindor House. It was just too perfect.

Lily was soon sitting in the Hospital Wing, a tissue against her nose. Madam Pomfrey was bustling about, getting things ready to fix her up. It took over twenty minutes. First she had to get rid of all the bruises she'd gained from the first piece of WWW candy. Then she fixed the bloody nose, which was bleeding more by the second. Then she fixed the sprain in her wrist, which was dulling more and more. Lily praised her uncle George with every bit of injury that was fixed. He really knew how to make revenge perfect.

Then she was taken up to Professor Brown's office, where Lyla was silently sitting. Lily sat in the chair next to her, looking at the headmaster without fear, but with less confidence. She didn't want to look too smug, because Professor Brown seemed to know when something was up.

"Miss Stretton, I want an explanation," Professor Brown demanded.

"I didn't touch her!" Lyla argued.

"Why was she lying on the floor?" Professor Creevey demanded.

Lyla fidgeted in her seat. "Ok, so I shoved her. But I didn't do anything else!"

"You jumped me!" Lily argued, thinking of the past incident. "You started all of this!"

Professor Brown held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. Then he sighed. "From what I hear, there was extensive damage done. We're thinking suspension at the least, Miss Stretton," he warned.

Lyla really seemed to panic now. "It wasn't my idea! James asked me to do it!" she exclaimed. Lily bit back a grin. Jackpot.

Professor Brown raised a brow. "James Potter? Explain."

"Well, they had a fight over the summer, and he asked me to show her who's boss. If I did, then he would do something for me if I needed a favor," she told him.

"Get James Potter in here," Professor Brown told Creevey. Creevey nodded and hurried out of the room.

Lily sat straighter in her chair. "Look, sir, I don't want Lyla to get suspended. I'm ok. There's no need to go to that extent. And I really don't want her to get into trouble for something that James put her up to," she requested. Lyla looked at her in complete surprise.

Professor Brown sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "That's very kind of you, Lily. And with the information of James's involvement, I don't think it would be fair to place all the blame on Lyla. But she still attacked you, and there must be consequences."

Lily nodded. "I understand, sir."

Professor Brown looked at Lyla. "Do you understand, Miss Stretton?"

Lyla bowed her head. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Then I'll take twenty points from Gryffindor, and I'll set up a series of detentions for you, Miss Stretton. Professor Longbottom will inform you of the times tomorrow," Professor Brown told her. "For now, you are both dismissed."

Both girls stood from their chairs and headed for the door. Lily made it there first, and walked down the stairs instead of letting them carry her. She continued down the hallway, intent on making it to the common room and telling the others of their success. But that wasn't happening.

"Hey, Potter!"

Lily's shoulders tensed at Lyla's voice, and she felt that anger burn in her again. Lily turned to look at her. "Don't call me that!" she reminded.

Lyla ignored her. "You know, you're a manipulative bitch you know that?"

Lily grinned. "Yeah, I know that."

"If you were going to do this, then why didn't you just turn all of us girls in at the start?" Lyla demanded.

Lily sighed. "It wasn't good enough. It was too nice. Besides, if I had, none of you would have brought James's name into it. He's the one that needed to be punished."

"Why did you tell him to go easy on me?" she questioned with distrust.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I told you. I was really after James. I was going to make each of you girls pay, but I really wanted James. I wanted him to know that I didn't need to confront him to beat him. You were just a casualty in our game. He used you," Lily answered. "I actually think that he expected you to get caught. But he also expected for his name to stay out of it." Lily scoffed. "And he calls me a dirty player."

Lyla crossed her arms. "Yeah, well . . . thanks," she muttered.

Lily shrugged and turned her back and began to walk away. "I didn't do it for you. But you're welcome all the same. And in return, do me a favor. Tell Potter that I want nothing more to do with him. The only time I want to see him is during a Quidditch match," Lily told her. Then she kept silent and turned the corner.

It wasn't over, and she knew that. James probably wouldn't let it go. He might not retaliate, but he would confront her every time he saw her. He would bash her behind her back, attack her during Quidditch, and try to intimidate her to her face. But Lily would ignore him. She wanted nothing more to do with James Potter. He was not going to redeem himself, not in her eyes. For all she cared, Lily had one brother, and that was Teddy.

* * *

The results of the incident became well known around the school. Apparently James had been close to losing his Head Boy badge. No one knew why he was allowed to keep it. Another sixty points had been taken from Gryffindor, setting them even farther back in the run for the cup. And he was given detentions every day until Christmas Break. He had apparently weaseled his way out of suspension too.

"You did good, Lily Lu," Lars complimented at breakfast with a grin. "It's not easy to take down Potter."

"We're proud of ya, Princess," Scorpius said as he threw an arm around her shoulder. "You are the master."

Lily laughed as she shrugged off his arm. "Shut up. It wasn't that amazing."

"You made it look like she'd beaten the hell out of you, and almost got Potter suspended," Jace said with a laugh. "You did damn good."

"I'm just glad I told Longbottom in time," Lola joked. "I wasn't sure if he'd walk in too early or too late."

Owls started to pour into the hall, landing by students to deliver mail and packages. Lily shrugged. "What matters is that it worked perfectly." An owl landed in front of her, and dropped a letter to her. She picked it up and opened it, only slightly listening as the others continued to talk about the incident.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I hope your year is going well. Mine is, even though my arm and ear have completely disappeared now. But that was awhile ago, and nothing else has lost feeling or gone invisible. Gordon says that it's a good sign. It could possibly mean that it's gone into remission, and my other body parts could possibly come back. It's all about waiting now._

_I've been doing good with only using my previous windows. It's nice to see some of my older drawings. And I've put up a few of the magazine pictures of you that have been sent to me. Thanks for sending them. You look prettier every time. I've been reading the book on Hogwarts you gave me again, which interests me each time I read it. _

_I've got a present for you. I finally got it, and I thought that I would wait until you came to visit me. I'll see you then._

_Love,_

_Duncan"_

Lily felt her heart lighten. A remission? That means . . . he might get better! Lily bit her lip. The next time she would get to visit would be around Christmas. That was so far away. Did she really want to wait that long? Perhaps . . . perhaps Professor Brown would let her out on a weekend to visit him. Lily read over the letter again. His windows. How he'd never get a new one. Perhaps Lily could get someone to draw a picture for him. Maybe one of Hogwarts. He'd love a picture of Hogwarts. A thought struck Lily like lightening. A picture of Hogwarts! Lily could take pictures in and around Hogwarts. Duncan would love that!

Lily looked at her friends. "Hey, does one of you have a camera that I can borrow?"

Hunter nodded. "I've got one. My mum always tells me to take pictures, but I never actually do. It's dumb. Why?"

"Well, I've got a friend that I want to take a few pictures of Hogwarts as a gift," Lily explained.

"You mean the boy in St. Mungo's?" Lola asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I was thinking of taking a few pictures around the school."

"You should take some with students in them. You know, so he gets the real feel of being here," Scorpius suggested.

Lily smiled. "That's perfect! Help me?"

She got a lot of agreements, and not a single argument. "Why don't we start after classes?" Lana suggested.

"Let's get our picture on," Lars joked. "This kid is about to have some pretty walls."

* * *

It was during lunch that Hunter had finally found the camera and gave it to Lily.

"I don't know much of how it works. I've never used it," Hunter warned.

"It's ok. I'll figure it out," Lily assured. Then she looked at the others, who were all talking about their previous class. Lily pointed the camera at them and snapped a picture with a flash. The others jumped, and looked at her.

"What the hell," Jace muttered, his hand on his heart.

Lily laughed. "The first picture for the Duncan Picture Donation," she teased.

"You should get a picture of the whole hall," Shannon suggested.

"Here, hand it. I'm taller," Christian told her. Lily handed him the camera, then he stood on his seat, gathering a bit of attention. He focused the camera for a moment, and then snapped a picture. He hopped back to the floor and sat down, handing back the camera. "I think I got a good one," he told her.

So for the rest of the day, the ten fourth years took turns taking pictures at random moments. In the hallways, in the common room during break, during History of Magic class, and during dinner. They were then back in the Slytherin common room, taking pictures with friends from other years.

"Need a handsome man for your camera?" Lily turned in her seat on the couch to see Scorpius standing behind her along with Rex and Justin. Rex plopped down to sit next to Lola, wrapping his arm around her. Justin moved to sit on the arm of the couch. Scorpius just leaned forward, placing his elbows on the top of the couch seat.

Lily grinned. "Do you know one?"

"Haha," Scorpius mocked with a smirk. "Moving on, we've got more important business to discuss."

"Such as?" Lily asked.

"Some of us are sneaking out to go swimming. Wanna join?" Justin asked.

"I'm game," Lily agreed.

"Sounds awesome," Jace laughed.

"I'm out. I plan on actually doing the History of Magic paper," Lola told them.

"Aw, come on, babe. Do it later," Rex urged. "Come swimming with us."

"I don't have a swim suit," Lola retorted.

"You've got underwear," Megan pointed out.

Lola rolled her eyes. "Not happening."

"I have a couple of bathing suit. You could use one," Lily suggested.

"I don't think the top would fit me. You're quite a bit bigger than me in the chest department," Lola pointed out.

Lily blushed, because that comment brought all the boys' eyes to her. "They have ties," she said, ignoring the looks. "You can adjust it."

"Yeah, come on!" Rex pleaded. "It won't be as fun without my girl with me."

Lily could see that Lola was slowly melting to Rex's begging. She finally sighed. "Ok, ok. I'll go."

"Yes! Let's do this!" Rex cheered.

"Get changed, and put clothes over your suits," Scorpius instructed. "We've got everything else covered."

So the girls found themselves up in their door, basically helping Lola pick a suit to wear. Lily had gone ahead and chosen the one she wore for the magazine shoot.

"Just pick one!" Megan told her.

Lily sorted through the ones she had. "How about this one? You look good in purple." She held it out to her.

Lola took it and looked at it with an almost frightened face. "Does this hide any skin at all?"

The girls all rolled their eyes. "It's fine, Lola!" Megan argued.

Lily waved her off and pushed Lola toward the bathroom. "Trust me. It will look great on you. You have a fantastic body, and purple looks great on you. And trust me, for a two-piece, it shows very minimal skin. Now go!" She pushed her into the bathroom and then closed the door.

"Does it really?" Shannon asked.

Lily turned around and shrugged as she walked back to her clothes. "On her I'm not sure. She is taller than me, so I'm not sure if that will make a difference or not. But I'm sure it will be fine." She pulled on a pair of small black shorts and a thin black shirt. She slipped on a pair of sandals last.

The bathroom door opened, and Lola stepped out wearing a light blue shirt and white shorts. She glared weakly at Lily. "You know, I kind of hate you now."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you look fine. If you didn't then you wouldn't have come out of the bathroom. Now let's go." Lily took her wrist and pulled her out of the room, the other girls following.

In the common room there was a bit of a big group of people waiting. The entire team was there, even Lance. Justin, Mitch, and Rex were there of course, and so was Lana and Tamara. Amanda Baddock and Derek Bole were there as well, along with the other fourth year boys.

"'Bout time. What took so long?" Lars asked.

"Lola's picky," Megan answered immediately.

"Well I didn't know which one of Lily's suits to wear," Lola argued.

"Point is that we can go," Mitch intervened. "So let's go. We're meetin' someone at the door soon anyways."

Lily raised a brow at Scorpius. "Dominique," he muttered. Lily tried not to groan. Then again, better her than one of the others. Slowly and quietly, the Slytherins all lit up their wands and silently made their way out of the dungeons

"Which prefects are patrolling tonight?" Jace whispered.

"Me and Lana are supposed to be patrolling the lower floors," Scorpius said with a low laugh.

"How devious of you to sneak out instead," Lily teased. The group reached the top of the stairs that brought them to the Entrance Hall. There was another light shining by the door.

"About damn time," Lily heard Dominique hiss.

"Shove it, Weasley," Lana retorted.

"Ladies," Mitch said gently. "Let's at least get to the lake before we argue."

The door was pushed open, and a bit of moonlight shined in. One by one, the group filed out of the castle, Lars being last to shut the door. Then the teens were jogging down to the lake. It was surprisingly warm out for the end of October, and only a slight breeze. They made it to the lake, and the boys immediately began to strip to their trunks. Lily toed off her sandals.

"Thanks for the warning," Megan muttered.

"Oh, yeah," Scorpius muttered. He looked over at Lily and smirked. "Hey, I'm stripping now, princess."

"Shove off," Lily said with a laugh. She pulled her shirt off and threw it at him.

Scorpius caught the thin cloth and looked at her in surprise. "Did you just throw your shirt at me?" The guys whistled at his statement, while the girls giggled.

Lily looked at him with triumph. "Yeah. I did. What are you gunna do about it?"

Scorpius smirked again and dropped the shirt. "Oh, you are so paying for that!" He bull rushed her, and before Lily could move to run, he had her by the waist, and had thrown her over his shoulder.

"Scorpius Malfoy!" Lily shrieked. "Put me down!"

Scorpius laughed. "Nope. I think it's time we went for a swim."

"Scorpius Malfoy, I still have my shorts on!" Lily argued, kicking her feet at his stomach, which felt rock hard.

She felt a hand at her hips. "Then quit struggling, and I'll get 'em," he muttered. Lily blushed heavily, which made her freeze in movement. She felt Scorpius's hand slid beneath the waistband of her shorts, and tug. He slowly tugged her shorts down, his knuckles grazing her skin lightly, making her shiver. Soon the shorts were at her ankles, so Lily just kicked them off. The others had all ignored the scene, and were now all in the water, swimming, having splash fights, and dunking each other. But Scorpius still hadn't put her down.

"Scorpius?" Lily whispered. That same damn heat was whirling around them in a circle, and it was beginning to suck her in.

Scorpius slowly put her down, but his hands kept on her waist. "Yeah?" he mumbled. His hair was getting longer, and it now fell in front of his eyes. Even in the dim moonlight, Lily could tell that he hadn't shaved, just like last time they'd gone swimming. His skin was practically white, the moonlight bleaching his skin. His shoulders were so broad, that it wasn't surprising that he'd been able to hold her there. And his hands. They were so warm, and they gripped her waist firmly, but yet he was so gentle about it.

"Hey, Scor, Scamander might be pissed if he finds out you manhandled his girl!" Dante joked loudly.

Scorpius's hands shot away from me as if he'd been burnt, and I felt my heart race. Lysander. Had I really forgotten about him that easily? Dammit! Why was she always that weak around Scorpius? What was it about him?

Scorpius ran into the water and tackled Dante into the water. "Hey, I let you manhandle my sister," he joked.

"Shut up, Scorpius!" Lana squealed.

The others all laughed, but Lily could only get out a small smile as she stepped into the water. It was warm, but she'd been warmer moments ago.


	40. Bad, Bad Girlfriend

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's another update. I know some of you might be a little disappointed with Lily in this chapter, but stay with her. She's really starting to grow, and it's going to take some pain and drama for her to mature. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty: Bad, Bad Girlfriend

Lily sighed as she sat on the grass outside. It was a bit windy, and the chill in the air was a bit more prominent, but with a jacket on, Lily could hardly feel it. She sat with Lysander, waiting to meet his friends, finally. She sat with her back leaning against the wall of the castle, and Lysander sat next to her. But he wasn't touching her in the slightest. There was obvious space between them. It irritated Lily, but she ignored it.

"Ok, now Kana is the girl with black hair, and Kelly had blonde hair. Taylor and Hayden are both Chasers, but Hayden is the smaller one. And Clayton is the really tall one," Lysander explained.

Lily nodded as she took a bite from a Licorice Wand. "Got it. Kelly blonde, Hayden small, Clayton really tall," she listed. "No problem."

"And be ready for Kelly. She can be a bit rough around the edges," Lysander warned.

"Explain what 'rough around the edges' means, please?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"I just mean that she can be tough to get along with at first. She'd a bit . . . unsure when it comes to new people," Lysander told her.

Lily didn't really trust his explanation. Something seemed off about it. Like he wasn't fully explaining it. But once again, she let it drop.

"Here come the guys," Lysander said with a grin. Lily turned to look at where he was staring. A group of five was on their way over. The differences among the three boys were a bit comical. The smallest one, who was apparently Hayden, was very thin and blonde. Lily actually remembered seeing him during Quidditch matches. The one of middle height was the broadest, with chocolate hair and chestnut eyes. And then the tallest one had midnight hair that swept into his eyes, making it impossible to tell what color they were.

The girls were like polar opposites as well. The one with black hair, Kana, was tall, the height of the middle-sized boy. Her eyes were a baby blue, and she looked very lean, like an athlete. The other one, Kelly, had platinum hair that fell in waves, and snapping green eyes. Lily could tell that she wasn't very athletic, even though she was thin as well.

"Hey, guys," Lysander greeted with a smile. He jumped up and moved over to them, clapping shoulders with the other guys, and giving a hug to each girl. Then he brought them over. "Guys, this is my girlfriend, Lily. Lily, these are the guys," he introduced.

Lily smiled. "And Clayton is the tallest one?"

Lysander looked at his friends. "Oh, yeah I didn't mention that part. Yeah, Clayton's taller than Taylor." He clapped the boy with black hair on the back. Then he dropped back onto the grass, sitting next to Lily again.

The other kids all sat down as well, but they were silent, except for one. "So, Lily, how are you enjoying your fourth year?" Clayton asked. His voice was very deep, like he was older than sixteen. He sounded as if he were twenty.

Lily cleared her throat, as if she could clear away her surprise. Wasn't Clayton the quiet one? "It's not bad actually. It's been pretty eventful," she answered. "And your sixth year?"

Clayton shrugged. "It's been ok. So, when did you start modeling?"

"This past summer actually. My friend's mum is a fashion designer, so I've kind of been doing it as a favor to her," Lily told him.

"Really? Which friend?" Clayton asked.

Lily was a bit surprised at his questions. Did Lysander mix up his friends when he said Clayton kept to himself? "Scorpius Malfoy," Lily answered.

"So you _are_ friends with Malfoy," Hayden said with a hint of malic.

Lily turned onto the defensive immediately. "Yes. He's one of my best friends," she retorted easily, and calmly.

"You know, I think I see you around him more often than Ly. Isn't that a little backwards?" Kelly snapped.

"Not really. We're in the same House. It's easier to be around him when we sit at the same table and have the same common room," Lily replied, feeling a bit of anxiety rise in her stomach. It was right alongside her bubbling anger.

"I've seen your pictures," Clayton said, interrupting the conversation. "They're very good. I particularly liked the one with you in the red and black shirt."

Lily looked at him, trying to keep a look of confusion off her face. Why was he being so nice, when all of his friends were being . . . not as nice? "Thank you. I actually like that one too, although the one in the white dress is probably my favorite."

"Really? Why is that?" he asked.

Lily shrugged. "I liked the location."

"So, if you like hanging out with Malfoy so much then why don't you date him?" Taylor questioned with a bit of a glare. Lily bit her tongue.

"Dude!" Lysander chided.

"Just a question," Taylor argued. "I mean, she's always hanging off of him. I think it's a valid question."

"Don't be a jerk, Taylor," Lysander warned.

Lily felt her inside begin to shake, so she stood up. "Actually, I promised Lola that I would help her pick out an outfit for her date. I'll just see you later." She picked up her last Chocolate Frog and walked away from the group.

"Lily!" she heard Lysander call. But she ignored it and kept walking.

She should have known better. She should have known that she'd be hated among his friends. An enemy. She was a Slytherin, she was beating them in Quidditch, and she was an enemy to Gryffindor, who most Ravenclaws seemed to be great pals with.

"Hey, wait up!" Lily stopped in surprise at the voice that was following her. She turned around to see Clayton running up to her. He stopped in front of her, his body towering over hers. "You walk fast for such a tiny girl," he commented.

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "What are you doing?"

Clayton shoved his hands into his pocket. "I thought I'd apologize for their actions while Lysander scolds them for it," he replied.

Lily shook her head and kept walking. "I should have expected it. I'm the enemy."

"Look, Lily, I'm all about cutting out the bullshit, so that statement is total crap. They're just being petty and superficial," Clayton argued. "I don't get why Lysander hangs out with them."

Lily looked at him in confusion. "Aren't you their friend too?" she asked.

"I can't stand them. I just put up with them for Lysander," he told her.

Lily scoffed. "Wish I could do that for him."

"Difference. They aren't complete dicks to me," Clayton argued.

Lily sighed. "Look, you can go back if you want."

Clayton grabbed her arm and stopped her from walking. Lily looked up at him. From his angle, she could see that his eyes were a dark color, maybe a brown. He looked at her seriously. "Don't go and blame yourself for their actions. And don't think about trying to impress them for Lysander. He obviously likes you just how you are."

Lily looked at him in confusion. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked, her head spinning at the thought.

Clayton let go of her and shrugged. "Everyone deserves for someone to be nice to them, even if they think they don't deserve it."

* * *

Lily sighed as she walked into the Slytherin locker room. It was time for the big match, Slytherin versus Gryffindor. It had been a few weeks since she'd met with Lysander's friends, and Lily hadn't hung out with him since. He always seemed to have a friend around, and it was always one of the ones that hated her.

"Remember, I want to brutalize Gryffindor," Scorpius told them as they all began to open their lockers.

"Ready for your first game, Lance?" Lily asked.

Lance looked over at her, but then he adverted his eyes and blushed. "Yeah, I'm really excited," he stuttered.

The other boys laughed, and Will clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, dude, you get used to seeing Lily half naked," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes as she pulled on her game uniform. "Sorry, Lance. I'll try to be fast about changing," she teased.

There was a knock on the locker room door, surprising all of them. Dante went over to the door and opened it. "Yeah?"

"Can I talk to Lily for a moment?" a voice asked. Lily looked over at the door in surprise.

Dante walked back to his locker. "It's for you, Lu. You've got an admirer."

Lily rolled her eyes and walked over to the door. She was surprised to see Clayton standing there, hands in his pockets, and a Slytherin flag sticking out of his jacket pocket. He was smiling a little. "Hey, there."

Lily couldn't suppress her smile. "Hey, Clayton. What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "I thought I'd wish you good luck. I'll be rooting for ya," he assured, nudging the flag in his pocket.

Lily giggled lightly. "Well, I'll make you proud."

Clayton nodded. "I know you will. See you out there." He turned his back and started to walk away.

A thought occurred to Lily. "Hey, Clay!" She caught the back of his jacket.

Clayton stopped and turned his head to look at her. "Yeah?"

Lily smiled at him. "Well, Slytherin is having a party after dinner. Kind of a post-victory party for us. Would you like to come?"

Clayton turned completely to look at her with a bit of his own surprise. "Really? Is Lysander going?"

Lily shook her head. "No, he said he was studying with Lorcan and a few other guys from the team tonight. So, would you like to go?"

Clayton scratched the back of his neck, but he smiled. "Yeah, I guess I could fill in for him. Sure."

Lily smiled, letting out a breath of relief. "Good. Meet me by the dungeons after dinner."

He nodded again. "Ok. I'll meet you there." He walked away this time, disappearing from sight. Lily closed the door and moved back to her locker, pulling out her shoes.

"Wow, inviting a Ravenclaw to our party?" Tanner joked. "That's new."

Lily shrugged. "Well, he's a really good guy. I thought he might like it," she told them.

"Who is he?" Scorpius asked curiously, the scowl on his face again.

"He's one of Lysander's best friends. He's a really good guy," Lily assured.

"I think I know him," Lars told her. He stared into space as he thought. Then he snapped his fingers. "Yeah! He's in my Astronomy class. He's really smart. But I don't think I've ever actually heard him talk. He's really quiet."

"Really? He's never all that quiet around me. Not that he's real chatty either," Lily told him.

"Well we can discuss this later. Let's go win this match," Scorpius interrupted with that same scowl. Lily looked at him oddly. He seemed genuinely annoyed, which was strange. But she just grabbed her broom and followed him out.

* * *

"Good afternoon, everybody. This is Elizabeth Peakes, your new game announcer. Today we have a thrilling match between House rivals. We have Gryffindor," cheers roared from most of the crowd, "going against Slytherin House!" A lot of boos sounded, but cheers overrode them from the green and silver.

"Slytherin has been on a four year winning streak, holding the Quidditch Cup and not letting it go. This is mostly thanks to their Seeker, Lily Luna, who has been part of the team since her first year. She's proven to be one of the best Seekers Hogwarts has ever seen, and people are waiting to see if she will ever lose a game," Elizabeth commented. "Gryffindor has been itching to beat them ever since. And I speak from being a Gryffindor myself, that they have been training long and hard simply for this match."

The Snitch was released and the Quaffle was tossed, and the game began. Lily flew high, and was slammed into quickly. Lily spun on her broom, and stopped looking at where her attacker had gone. Albus was ahead of her, flying higher. Lily glowered at him, but flew the other way, gaining height as she moved.

"Potter has the Quaffle. He shoves past Higgs, ducks Nott, . . . but he's stopped by Malfoy, who snags the Quaffle, and speeds down the field. No surprise there, Malfoy's size outshines Potter's," Elizabeth commented.

Lily glanced down at where the other players are, looking at James and then at Scorpius. Wow, Lily thought. He _was_ bigger than James now. When had that happened? She pushed away the thought and put her focus back on the invisible Snitch.

"Malfoy makes it down the field. He takes the shot and he scores! Ten points to Slytherin!" Elizabeth cheered. Lily liked this announcer. Even though she was a Gryffindor, she seemed to actually show enthusiasm no matter who scored. "Hugo Weasley takes the Quaffle, and he passes it off to his sister. Rose Weasley zooms down the field, but she's taken out by Nott, who grabs the Quaffle, and passes it off to Higgs. Higgs swerves past Lucy Weasley, but he's slammed into by Potter, who takes the Quaffle and speeds down the pitch. But Zabini hits a Bludger, hitting Potter's arm and making him drop the Quaffle. Higgs catches it and takes off . . . He's made it down the field. He takes the shot . . . but Weasley makes the save!"

Lily couldn't help but to listen to the commentary. Peakes was making the game sound pretty intense.

"Rose Weasley with the Quaffle now. She swerves past Malfoy, and flies over Nott and Higgs. She gets to the Slytherin goals, takes the shot . . . and Dante Montague misses the save, giving ten points to Gryffindor!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"Montague passes the Quaffle off to Nott, who shoves past Lucy Weasley as he makes his way down the field. Potter is hot on his trail, but with his superior broom, Nott stays ahead. Malfoy catches up, and Nott passes him the Quaffle. Malfoy passes it back, and Nott passes it back to him. They continue the child's game as they make their way to the goals. Nott sends one final pass, and Malfoy kicks the Quaffle into the goal! That brings Slytherin to the lead, twenty to ten."

Lily squinted as she looked up toward the sky, searching for the Snitch. There was no glint of gold, so she lowered her head. She circled the pitch, scanning the crowds to see if it was hovering above anybody.

"And . . . it seems like Potter has seen the Snitch!" Elizabeth yelled. Lily's head snapped around to see Albus streaking across the air to the far side of the pitch. Lily shot after him, all the while looking to see where the Snitch was. But as she gained on him, she still saw no glint of gold. Lily glanced at Albus as she started to get closer, and noticed he kept glancing back. Lily shook her head. Did he really think that he was going to pull her own trick on her? She pulled up on her broom, and turned around.

"It looks like Lily Luna has turned around. Potter has stopped as well. Looks like he hadn't seen the Snitch after all," Elizabeth announced.

Lily shook her head as she flew higher, but then she felt a shove on her back again. Before she could turn her head, Albus flew past her, and stopped right in front of her, blocking her.

Lily glared at him. "What, Potter?" she spat.

"You really think you're hot stuff just because got James in trouble? Your amazing just because you're a model?" Albus sneered.

"Well someone sounds jealous and insecure," Lily hissed. "Then again I can't blame you. I would be too if I was you. After all, it's _your_ girlfriend that's sleeping around with your brother!" Lily shoved past him this time, planning on resuming her search. But then she felt a hand on her shoulder, and then felt a hit on her lower back, followed by a stinging pain. Gasps erupted from the crowd, and a whistle blew. Lily turned her head to see Albus's fist pulled back for another hit. Lily knocked away his hand and grabbed the wrist of the hand on her shoulder, holding it tightly.

"Foul on Gryffindor!" Madam Hooch called. "A penalty shot for Slytherin! Potter, get over here!"

Albus glowered at her intensely before flying off to where a furious Madam Hooch was hovering. Lily rolled her shoulder once, trying to ignore the bit of pain in her back. She could tell that it was going to bruise.

"A foul on Gryffindor, giving Slytherin a penalty shot. One more move like that and I'd bet that Albus Potter will be kicked off the pitch," Elizabeth commentated. "And it looks like Slytherin is taking a quick timeout while Madam Hooch scolds Potter."

Scorpius waved the team over, so Lily flew to where he was. Soon they had crowded around each other. Dante put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you all right, Lily?" Scorpius asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. No worries," she assured.

"What a filthy prick," Will muttered. Lily closed her eyes as she cracked her neck lightly. It was a desperate attempt to get back at her, but Lily should have expected it. Even if Albus was supposed to be mad at James for having sex with his girlfriend, Albus would never be mad at him. Because James had been right. Albus idolized him, and would never find fault in him.

"Lars, Tanner, he needs to learn what happens when you mess with Slytherin's princess," Scorpius told them. "Take him out."

Lily rolled her eyes. "There's no need. It's a rough game."

Scorpius shook his head. "If it had been within the rules of the game, I'd be calm. But that dick fouled and was malicious. He deserves it. That was not part of the game," he argued. "So, someone take him out, or at least make sure he pays. And Lance," he addressed, "I want you to take the penalty shot."

Lance's light grey eyes went a little wide. His cheeks turned pink, clashing with his flat black hair. "Me? You want me to do it?"

Scorpius nodded and clapped him on the shoulder. "Yeah. I think you can do it. Besides, it's good practice, and I want you to get more experience. You're the newest player," he told him. "You can do it, kid."

"Yeah, you got it, dude," Lars assured.

"Weasley won't see it coming," Will told him.

Lily smiled at him and patted his back. "And if you think you can't make it, just aim for Hugo Boy's face," she joked.

Lance blushed even more when she looked at him, and he ducked his head. "Ok. I'll do it!"

Scorpius smirked. "Then let's get out there and kill 'em." The team cheered as they began to fly back to the center of the pitch.

Lily sighed as she looked at Lance's back. "Why does he blush every time he looks at me?" she wondered quietly.

Scorpius laughed beside her. "Princess, that kid's got the biggest crush on you," he told her.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "What?"

Scorpius chuckled again. "I don't think you realize how many boys have a thing for you." Then before Lily could say anything back, he flew ahead, going to his position on the field. Lily stopped and watched as Madam Hooch handed Lance the Quaffle.

"Lance Higgs is taking the penalty shot. The other players line up, waiting for the shot. Hugo Weasley paces back and forth between the goals, waiting to block the shot. Higgs pulls his hand back, . . . he tosses it . . . and he makes it! Ten points to Slytherin, and the game begins again!"

Lily clapped with the rest of the Slytherins when Lance made the shot. But then she grasped her broom again and began to circle the pitch, waiting for a sign of the Snitch.

The game continued, and Slytherin kept a decent lead ahead. No one had been taken out, a record for the two teams. But Albus had taken quite a few hits from Bludgers, and Lily could tell that it was taking its toll on him. He was slower, and she noticed that one of his arms seemed limp, like deadweight. Rose had taken a bit of a nasty hit when Will had 'accidently' threw the Quaffle at her face. There was already a bruise forming that everyone could see. Hugo had taken a Quaffle to the stomach, and had promptly fell to the ground, and vomited a dozen times. Lily gave him credit for having the strength to get back on his broom and continue the game. But Slytherin had made quite a few shots while he was down.

"And Malfoy makes another shot. That brings the score to a hundred and forty for Slytherin and a hundred points for Gryffindor," Elizabeth announced. "This match-up has been a brutal one, and it seems to be taking its toll on each of the players."

Lily did feel exhausted. She really just wanted the game to end so that she could shower and change. Despite the cool wind, the sun was beating down on the players, and Lily was practically sweating through her uniform, the fabric sticking her skin. But then luck shone on her side in the form of a glint of gold. High in the air, Lily saw the Snitch fluttering about. She shot up into the sky, her hand stretched out.

"It seems like Lily Luna has seen the Snitch, and she's closing in on it fast!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

Lily stretched forward, and felt the feel of metal in her palm. She closed her fingers around the Snitch, and held it up in triumph as she lowered herself through the air.

"And Lily had caught the Snitch! Slytherin wins the game with a total of two hundred and ninety points!" Elizabeth cheered.

Lily hopped off her broom when she reached the ground, and was swept up into the air by Will, who hoisted her onto his shoulder. The rest of the team crowded around, cheering rowdily. Will carried her to the locker room, where he put her down, letting her walk in herself.

"Way to go, Lu!" Dante cheered.

"Nice catch! Potter didn't even know what was happening!" Will joked.

Lily smiled as she set down the Snitch, which was now motionless, its wings folding back in. "Thanks. That was surprisingly tough, though."

"Yeah, which means we've got to dominate the other teams," Scorpius told them all. "Who knows, Gryffindor may be able to gain enough points to take the cup if they continue to play like that."

"We've got it in the bag," Tanner assured.

Lily smiled over at Lance. "You did good for you first game," she complimented.

Lance blushed again. "Thanks. I did better than I thought I would."

"You did great kid," Scorpius assured. "I'm glad Lily suggested you." Lance's face seemed to get even redder.

Lily bit her lip to hide a giggle as she grabbed her clothes and a towel. She walked into the girls' showers and stripped off her game clothes. She turned the nozzle to hot, sighing gratefully when the warm water cascaded onto her sore muscles. She reached back to touch the small of her back. It was a little tender, no doubt from Albus's hit. She sighed again, and began to wash the sweat from her skin and hair. She finished her shower quickly, knowing that everyone was ready for a party after dinner, but that they needed the players for the party. She dried off with her towel, and then dressed in a pair of dark jeans with a black shirt that fell off her shoulder. She dried her hair lazily, and then put it up. Then she threw her game clothes and towel into the hamper, and walked back out to the locker room. Once there, she slipped on her socks and shoes. Then she put her earring back in, and re-glossed her lips.

Lance walked in, a towel around his shoulders. His hair was dripping still. He caught sight of Lily and blushed heavily. He silently moved to his locker and began to try and dry off again.

Lily bit back a laugh again. "Lance, why do you blush every time you look at me?"

She could hear him gulp. "No reason," he said, but his voice cracked and went higher. Lily swore she could see his ears turn red.

"Oh, come on! The other guys are still showering. Tell me," Lily insisted. She wasn't going to believe Scorpius's theory until it was confirmed.

Lance glanced back at her, but when she caught his eye, he quickly turned back around. "I'm not used to being around pretty girls," he mumbled. "And you're like . . . extra pretty, so . . . I guess I just get a little nervous."

Lily felt her own cheeks turn a little pink at his words. "Well, you don't need to be nervous. I won't bite you," she teased.

Lance slowly turned to finally look at her. "I know," he said quietly. "But haven't you ever been nervous around someone you liked?"

Lily tried to not look surprised. Scorpius was right! Lily sighed, but she still smiled. "Yeah, I guess I have. But you know how you get over it?"

Lance shook his head. "No, how?"

"You remember that you don't want to lose that person as a friend," Lily told him, thinking of her and Scorpius.

Lance nodded as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Yeah, I guess. I just . . . ," he scowled lightly, "I don't know."

Lily bit her lip, remembering about how this wasn't the first time this had happened to her. "Well, I do know of another method. It helped a friend of mine. All he had to do was to get it out of his system," she told him.

Lance looked at her with a bit of confusion. "What do you mean?"

Lily got up and walked closer to him. She was actually a little taller than him. So she leaned down and kissed him shortly and lightly. Then she pulled away and smiled. "That's what I mean," she teased. She ruffled his hair. "Tell the boys I left already."

Lily grabbed her broom and left the locker room. It was cool outside, but to Lily if felt nice against her overheated skin. She trekked up the path to the castle. It was getting a bit dim outside, and Lily wondered what time it was. The game had started shortly after lunch, so it probably was time for dinner. Once Lily was in the castle, she headed to the common room and dropped her broom off. Then she headed toward the Great Hall, her stomach demanding a bit of food before the party.

"Hey, Lil! Good game!" Jace congratulated when she sat down next to the others.

"Thanks," Lily said with a smile. "Ready for the party?"

"Some of the older students are in the common room, getting it all ready," Lola told her. "Apparently Slughorn has allowed the party. Something about how he thought it was well deserved."

Lily grinned. "It is. We work hard to win," she replied.

"That Lance kid played really good for a new player," Shannon commented.

"Yeah, he didn't suck," Monty agreed.

Lily rolled his eyes. "Make sure you tell him that," she mocked.

"How is he adapting to seeing the famous model change?" Lola teased. The girls laughed, and Lily shook her head.

"I think he should feel damn lucky. You know how many of us guys would kill to be in his place?" Christian pointed out. Lily raised a brow at him, making Christian turn a bit pink. "What? I'm just stating the obvious. All the guys on the team are lucky."

"The others have gotten a bit used to it by now," Lily retorted.

"That's not what I hear," Megan murmured in a singsong tone.

Lily looked over at her. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

Megan grinned at her. "Well, this is coming from Lana, but apparently she overheard Lars saying that all the guys on the team have a hard time trying not to stare at you when you change."

Lily looked at her in surprise. "What?"

Megan nodded. "Yup. Apparently Scorpius barked at all of them to keep their eyes off though. Something about them needing to respect the one girl on the team. Not that they mean to stare, but they can't help it," she explained.

Lily looked at her plate as she thought about that. She hadn't noticed any of the guys staring at her. It always seemed like it used to. They turned away, trying to give her a bit of space and privacy to change. Well, as much space and privacy you could get in a locker room.

"You hadn't noticed?" Izzy asked.

"Lily doesn't notice half the guys that stare at her," Jace teased.

Lily rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. "Sod off," she muttered.

After dinner, they all hurried to make their way to the common room, but a hand on her wrist stopped Lily in her tracks. She turned her head to see Lysander. She smiled, waving at the others to go.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile.

"Hey. Nice job out there," Lysander complimented. He leaned forward, and Lily waited for his kiss, but instead of her lips, he kissed her cheek.

Lily sighed. "Lysander, there aren't many kids around anymore. You can kiss me," Lily assured.

Lysander shrugged. "There are teachers," he replied.

She rolled her eyes. "They won't freak out over a simple kiss, Ly."

Lysander ran a hand through his hair. "Why risk it? Besides, I'm just not one for kissing in public."

"A two second kiss bugs you?" Lily said skeptically.

"It's not as special with a bunch of people watching," he argued.

"Not every kiss needs to be 'special'. It's like a freaking goodbye kiss," Lily retorted with a bit of annoyance.

"I don't see why this is bugging you."

"I don't see why you treat me like some saint! I kissed my last boyfriend in public, and we lasted for months. We had a nice relationship," Lily pointed out. "I mean, what is it? Are you embarrassed to kiss me in public?"

Lysander rolled his eyes. "That's ridiculous. Of course not."

"Really, because that's what it seems like. If that's not it, then what?" Lily demanded.

Lysander let out an exasperated sigh. "I just . . . ," he trailed off.

"I thought so," Lily muttered. She stepped away from him and walked away. Her stomach lurched a bit, and hurt resounded in her chest. But she swallowed it and walked down the stairs to the dungeons. Waiting there was Clayton, who was sitting on the steps. She'd forgotten about him. How was she supposed to hang out with the best friend of her guy she just had a fight with?

Clayton smiled a little when he saw coming. "Good job out there," he congratulated.

Lily smiled weakly. "Thanks," she muttered.

Clayton raised a brow. "Problem?" he asked.

Lily motioned for him to follow her, and they continued walking. "Your friend's kind of a jerk," she muttered.

"A problem with Lysander?" he asked.

"He's so paranoid about kissing me in public. I mean, would a two-second kiss kill him?" she grumbled.

Clayton laughed quietly. "It might. Lysander has always talked about how you should be treated like a princess. Since your family kind of doesn't," he explained.

"People call me Slytherin's princess," Lily argued. "The Slytherins treat me like a princess all the time. He makes it seem like I have no one but my family. I have a whole House behind me."

Clayton shrugged. "Look, I can't read Lysander's mind. You'll have to tell him that. Remind him."

"I've told him that he doesn't need to treat me like a princess," Lily replied. "But he still won't." She ran a hand through her bangs, pushing them out of her face. "Basilisk," she stated. The common room opened up into sight, and music blared out into the hall. "Party's already started," Lily said, sort of as a warning.

Lily pulled Clayton inside, the wall sliding closed behind them. Music was blaring, people were talking loudly, cheering, and laughing. It was definitely a party mood.

"Wow, dance floor and all," Clayton commented as he looked at the crowd of dancing bodies.

Lily laughed. "Yeah. They push the furniture out of the way. We go all out," Lily told him.

Clayton cleared his throat. "Um, Lily, I'm . . . I'm not really used to this. I usually hide up in my room during Ravenclaw parties. And those parties aren't really like this."

Lily giggled. "Don't worry. I'll guide you through it. And if you want to leave early, then I'll let you," she teased. "Now come on. I have to and be congratulated by everyone."

Clayton chuckled. "Well, I'd hate to keep you from your fans."

Clayton stayed by Lily's side the entire time she was being patted on the shoulders and back by other Slytherins. She was handed a couple of magazines to sign, which was no surprise to her. She was slowly becoming used to be a sort of celebrity. Clayton was even able to joke with some of the guys that came up to her.

"I thought you were dating Scamander, Lil?" Mitch asked as he took a drink from his cup. Lily could see Dominique not far away.

Lily grinned. "I am. This is just his replacement for the night," she joked.

The two boys laughed. Mitch nudged Clayton's shoulder. "Maybe you'll be lucky enough to replace _all_ he does," he laughed.

Clayton shook his head. "Whatever," he chuckled.

Mitch held out his hand. "I'm Mitch. You?"

Clayton shook his hand. "Clayton. Nice to meet ya."

"Same here," Mitch said with a grin.

Dominique approached them then. She grabbed Mitch's arm. "Come on. I wanna dance."

Mitch nodded. He downed his drink quickly and tossed it in the trash. "All right. Let's go, babe. Later, Lily. See ya 'round, Clay."

Lily sighed as she watched them saunter off to the dance floor. She took a drink from her own cup. There was a bit of an after burn to it, making Lily believe that someone had added something to the drinks.

Clayton tapped Lily on the shoulder, and the pointed toward the dance floor. "You wanna dance?" he asked quietly over the music.

Lily smiled at him and set her drink down. "Sure. Come on."

Clayton looked at her sheepishly as they approached the dancing crowd. "Be ready. I've never danced before," he warned.

Lily giggled. "Can you ride a broom?" He nodded silently. "Then you can dance. Trust me."

A new song started, and Lily helped Clayton move to the beat. He was a bit awkward at first, but Lily helped him adapt to it. Soon they were both laughing, and Clayton would take her hand and twirl her around. Lily laughed every time, but didn't stop him.

Clayton finally stopped, panting a little as he looked at her. "Can we take a break? From the whole party?" he asked.

Lily laughed a little, but she nodded. "Yeah. Come on." She took his wrist and pulled him toward the boys' staircase. He wouldn't be allowed up the girls'. The music seemed to dull in sound once they were up the stairs, and there was no one else there. It was a bit surprising. There was at least one couple snogging up here.

Clayton sat on the floor, his back against the wall. "I always thought my first time dancing would be a disaster," he joked.

Lily smiled as she sat next to him. "But it wasn't?"

Clayton shook his head. "No, it wasn't. It was actually really fun."

Lily laughed lightly. "Good." She paused, but she couldn't help it. "Clay, can I ask you something?"

He nodded. "Of course. What is it?"

"Well, Lysander told me that you were always really quiet. But you don't seem that quiet to me. Not like he made it sound," Lily told him.

Clayton chuckled. "Well, have my moments. I guess with Lysander . . . I just don't ever have much to say. I don't do much, so I don't have much to talk about. He on the other hand has more to talk about. And I like listening to people. That's where you learn the most interesting things," he explained.

"But with me?" Lily inquired.

He shrugged. "Well, you don't know much about me. And . . . when you and I talk, there's more joking. It's not all about how our days were. It's more . . . random," he said with a laugh. "I like it. I like talking and joking with you."

Lily smiled at him. "I like it too. You're like the first person outside of my family and Slytherin House that I actually enjoy talking to."

Clayton grinned when he turned his head to look at her. "I'm glad to hear that." A moment of silence passed between them, but it was nothing that needed to be filled. And Lily didn't know how it happened, but suddenly, her and Clayton's lips were touching. Not really touching, more like pressed against each other. The kiss was passionate. More so than any kiss she'd had with Lysander. She felt his tongue trace her lips lightly, so she opened her lips invitingly. His tongue slowly passed by her lips, softly rubbing against her own. But before Lily could really enjoy the kiss, Clayton pulled away. He looked a little panicked, and now that it was over, Lily felt panicked.

"I'm so sorry, Lily," he whispered. "I . . . I didn't mean to."

Lily gulped. "It's ok. It was an accident. It just happened. It didn't mean anything," she assured. But Lily felt like it did. This was the second time that she'd completely forgotten about her boyfriend. Why was she always doing that? When you took out her minor annoyance at his lack of physical affection, Lily really liked him. Yet . . . she was always quick to forget about him. One time was nothing, . . . but twice? And especially when the second time resulted in a kiss? And a great one at that?

"Um . . . I don't think that Lysander should know about this," Clayton said to her. "I mean, it would hurt him. So if keeping this a secret would keep him from getting hurt, then I can live with that on my conscious."

Lily nodded. "I think you're right. It would be best. It was a one time accident. A weird moment," she agreed.

Clayton nodded as well. Then he coughed. "Well, um . . . I think we should probably head back down."

Lily sighed. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

* * *

Hours later, it was dark in the common room. The party had ended, and everyone had trailed up to bed. But Lily couldn't sleep. Her mind was still whirling around that kiss. How would her short relationship with Clayton change? How would she react around Lysander now? She had said that she'd be able to keep it from him, but would she really be able to?

"You're still awake?"

Lily didn't turn at the sound of Scorpius's voice. In fact, she didn't even make a sound at all. She just sat on the floor, staring at the empty fireplace. She heard him walk closer, and then could feel him sitting beside her.

"What's wrong, Lil?" Scorpius whispered.

Lily pulled her knees to her chest and laid her head on them. "I'm a terrible person," she mumbled.

"Bullshit," Scorpius retorted.

"Fine, then I'm a terrible girlfriend," she argued.

Scorpius chuckled humorlessly. "Why do you say that?"

She bit her lip. "I kissed Clayton tonight," she admitted.

"You mean that guy you brought to the party?" Scorpius asked. Lily nodded. "Oh. Well, Lily, shit happens. It doesn't make you a terrible girlfriend or person. It was a one time thing."

Lily sighed. "There are times when it's so easy to forget that I have a boyfriend. When it's tempting to . . ."

Scorpius placed a comforting arm around her shoulder. And she knew that he probably didn't mean to create on of those tempting moments . . . but he had. "Lily, have you ever thought that maybe Lysander isn't the one you want to be with?"

Lily sighed again. "Yeah, I have. But I really care about him. Aside from a minor problem, it's great with me and him."

"But you admit that there's a problem," Scorpius pointed out.

Lily blushed. "A small problem."

"What is it?" he asked.

Lily blushed a little more, and was thankful that it was dark. "I don't think you'd want to hear it."

"Lil," he said lowly, "tell me."

She ran a hand through her hair. "The physical side of our relationship is on a downhill," she muttered.

She heard Scorpius cough. "Oh," he muttered.

"Yeah. I mean, not that we've ever been really physical. Nothing more than a couple of kisses. But now . . . I mean we kissed more when we weren't dating. And he always says that it's because I should be treated like a princess. I told him that I didn't want to be treated like a princess. That all of Slytherin House treats me like one. I don't need my boyfriend to treat me like that," Lily ranted. "I mean, I know I'm not a saint. A little kiss won't kill me."

Scorpius chuckled. "So what you're saying is that you want him to manhandle you?"

Lily rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the laugh that escaped. "Not how I would have worded it, but I guess. I mean, is it wrong for me to feel like that? I don't think I'm the bad guy here," she whispered.

"You're not the bad guy, and neither is he. It's just a difference of opinions. And it's not wrong to feel like that. I mean it's normal for girls your age to have . . . urges," he muttered, clearing his throat afterwards. Lily tried not to laugh at how uncomfortable he sounded.

Lily rested her head on his shoulder. "You make it sound as if I want him to jump me," she teased lightly.

She could feel Scorpius chuckled as well as hear him. "Sorry. Wait, . . . do you want him to?"

Lily smacked his arm. "No! That's not what I meant. Nothing like that is happening for a long time."

Scorpius squeezed her shoulder. "Well, I'll admit that I'm glad to hear that."

Lily tilted her head a little to look him in the eye. "And why is that? What's it matter to you?"

Scorpius cleared his throat, and shifted his position. Lily's head now rested in the crook of his neck, and she could smell a faint aroma that was soothing. It was like a mix of cinnamon, amberwood, rain, leather, and . . . a scent that was something Lily couldn't place. It was an odd combination, and she silently wondered how he managed it. "You're important to me," he told her. "And that's . . . Well it's quiet a choice." She felt a hand stroke the side of her hair. "I just don't want you to get hurt. You're probably my best friend, Lily."

Lily felt a bit of her heart fall, but she wasn't surprised. They would never cross that line, and it was for the better. "You're my best friend too, Scorpius," she whispered.

* * *

"_Dear Lily,_

_I'm so happy to hear that you're willing to do the interview! I told the magazine, and they are just as excited. I don't know exactly who they are sending. We've decided to do the interview on the twentieth of December. If there's a problem with that date, then just let me know. Also, I have another announcement for you, and also a favor. On the twenty-third of December, I am throwing a sort of . . . well it's basically a formal party for fashion designers, models, and magazine and newspaper reporters. I'm hoping that you'll go. You can take the time until we meet on the twentieth to decide. Don't let Scorpius fill your head with thoughts either. I love that boy, but he can be so stubborn. He is too much like his father. Hope your year is going good._

_Love,_

_Astoria"_

Lily smiled as she read the letter. She was going to have to go. It seemed so hard to say no to Astoria, who was such a sweet woman. The idea of reporters swarming that party sounded a bit irritating, but she'd deal. And Lily had the distinct feeling that Astoria would be playing dress up with her when it came to Lily's outfit.

"I don't see why we're getting so much homework," Jace muttered as he rushed through his Charms paper.

"Because we have O.W.L.s next year," Lola retorted.

"That's a year away!" Jace complained. "I mean, it's not like I'll remember any of this next year!"

"He's got a point," Lily commented as she placed her letter next to her breakfast plate.

"Some students are able to contain more thoughts in their brain than what's for lunch," Lola mocked.

"Hey! I also think about what's for dinner," Jace joked.

Lily rolled her eyes as she continued to listen to their banter. She stayed out of it and continued to eat her food. But she soon felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned her head, and was a bit surprised to see Lysander standing behind her. A bit thickly, Lily swallowed her bite. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," he muttered. He was looking at the floor, but then he looked at her. "Um, can we talk for a moment? I'll walk you to your first class," he offered.

Lily nodded, and pushed away her plate. "Yeah. That's fine." She picked up her bag and threw it over her shoulder, then she looked at the other two. "I'll see you guys in class."

"See you then," Lola replied.

"Yeah, later, Lil," Jace said, his eyes not leaving his paper.

Lily sighed as she looked at Lysander. She almost waited for him to take her hand, but then she just started walking. Lysander followed her, his hands in his pockets. He said nothing as they left the Great Hall. She led the way up the stairs to the Charms corridor, but she got tired of the silence. "What did you want to talk about, Ly?" she asked with a sigh.

He glanced at her, but then he looked away. "I just wanted to apologize for whatever I did to make you angry," he said quietly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Despite that not meaning much, you're forgiven. I didn't mean to freak out on you," she mumbled.

"It's ok," Lysander assured.

Lily sighed. "I just wish that you would understand that I don't need you to treat me like a princess. I have a lot of people that treat me like one, I don't need my boyfriend to," she told him.

Lysander stopped walking, so Lily did as well. She watched him as he leaned against the wall, his shoulders shrugging in a sigh. "I know . . . but I like treating you like a princess."

"And that's fine, but you don't have to act like I'll break," Lily replied. "I mean, I won't shatter if you kiss me in front of people. I promise."

She watched as Lysander's cheeks turned a little pink. "Ok," he whispered.

Lily smiled a little. "Good. Because this whole 'not kissing my boyfriend' thing is a bit annoying."

Lysander chuckled, leaning his head back. "Yeah, I can agree with that." He sighed. "So, Clayton said he had a good time at that party."

Lily tensed at the mention of Clayton and the party. "Yeah. It was really fun. I'm glad I invited him. I just wish you could have gone."

Lysander smiled as he reached out and took her hand. "I wish so too. But I'm glad he had fun. He rarely gets out and has fun."

"Yeah, I kind of got that impression," Lily joked as she moved to lean against the wall next to him. "But we both had fun. I even got him to dance."

"Yeah, he told me that. He said you danced really well," Lysander told her.

Lily blushed a little. "Really? He said that?"

He nodded. "Yeah. He said you were one of the best there."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I kind of doubt that. But I'm glad he thinks highly of me."

Lysander tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'm just glad that my best friend gets along with my girlfriend." Lily tried to not let her thoughts wonder back to that kiss. Yeah, they got along all right.

Lily pushed the thought away from her mind. "What class do you have first?"

"I have Herbology in the greenhouses," he told her.

She sighed. "Well, I should probably let you head down then. I'd hate for you to be late."

Lysander nodded. "Yeah. You sure?"

"Yeah. It's not that far of a walk to my class," she teased.

"If you're sure," Lysander said with a grin. "I'll see you later."

Lily leaned forward and kissed him. She was happy that he kissed back, even if it was a little shy. She pulled away with a smile. "Bye."

* * *

Lily sighed as she flipped through an edition of _Witch Weekly_. It had come out a few weeks ago, showing her winter photo shoot. Astoria had sent her a letter, claiming that there were a dozen magazines showing her on the cover, resulting in a large pay for Lily.

It was the middle of December. The rest of November flew by, and now they were all back on the train, ready to go home for the holidays. Lily was sitting in a compartment with Lola, Jace, and Xavier. They were all a little surprised that Xavier was sitting with them. He'd begun dating another fourth year girl from Hufflepuff, and he'd barely left her side.

"So, I figured Lysander would be here," Xavier mentioned.

Lily glanced at him before looking back at the spread of her in the magazine. "He's in a prefect meeting. He'll be here when it'd over."

"Won't he have to monitor the train?" Lola asked.

Lily shrugged. "No clue. If he does then he'll be here after that. Either way, he'll be here eventually."

"Glad to see that you two are getting along better," Jace told her. Lily glanced at him. Had it been noticeable? Lysander had gotten a bit more relaxed about being affectionate in public since their talk a month ago. Lily would admit that she was quite a bit happier with their development. And she was very happy that the memory of her and Clayton's kiss rarely popped into her thoughts at all anymore.

"Yeah. We sorted it all out," Lily said with a sigh.

"Where's Rex?" Xavier asked.

Lola looked out the window. "Where's Manny?" she snapped.

The other three looked at each other with a bit of surprise at her snappy attitude. "Um, she's with her friends, which is why I'm not sitting with her."

Jace chuckled. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

Lola glared at him. "Shut it!"

"Woah! Easy tiger," Lily said carefully. Lola turned her head to look back out the window. "Problems?"

"You know, Lily, you've had relationship problems! Is it so bad that I have one?" Lola hissed.

Lily looked at her with a raised brow. "No. That's why I asked. You see, as a friend, I though I might be able to help. But it's up to you whether or not you want me to."

Lola glanced over at her. Then she glared at the two boys. Xavier cleared his throat and stood up. "Hey, Jace, wanna get something from the trolley with me?"

Jace quickly stood up. "No, but I don't want to get my head ripped open. So let's go," he replied. The two boys quickly walked out of the compartment, shutting the door behind them.

Lola sighed as she placed her feet on the seat, pulling them to her chest. "Sorry," she muttered.

"It's fine. What's up?" Lily inquired carefully.

"I don't know. Rex just . . . he's always wanting to spend time with his band. I get that it's his dream to be in a band, but . . . I'd like to at least see him every so often. At least see him without freaking drumsticks in his hands," Lola grumbled.

Lily bit her lip. Then she grinned. "Maybe you should talk to Dominique. She might have a suggestion," she teased.

Lola laughed lightly. "How about I blow off my hand first. That sounds just as painful as talking to Dominique."

Lily smiled. "Good point, good point. But seriously, why don't talk to him about it?"

Lola rested her cheek on her knee. "What would I say? 'I want you to quit your dream because I don't see you enough?' How selfish is that?"

"Well you don't have to say that," Lily replied with a roll of her eyes. "Maybe you two can work out an agreement of sorts."

"I don't know. Maybe," Lola mumbled.

"Well, going by experience, it's worked for me," Lily told her. "But it's up to you if you want to listen to me or not."

The door slid open and Lysander stepped in. But he wasn't alone. Louis had come in with him. Lily smiled at the sight of her boyfriend and cousin, but she looked directly at her cousin when she jumped up and hugged him. "Louis! Merlin, I haven't seen you all year! Hell since last term!"

Louis hugged her back, but Lily noticed that it wasn't tightly, which was something that Weasleys were famous for. Although, none of them compared to their grandmum. He pulled away and gave a half smile. "Sorry. I've been a bit preoccupied," he told her. Lily took in his appearance. His hair was getting longer, very shaggy in appearance, and not as silvery. His eyes weren't as bright as usual, almost a dull blue. And his smile wasn't a real smile. Not the ones that Lily was used to seeing from him.

Lily smiled anyways. "Well, come on. You're going to get something from the trolley with me."

"Wow, as soon as I get here, my girlfriend ditches me," Lysander joked.

Lily turned toward him. She giggled. "It'll give Lola time to interrogate you."

Lola laughed. "I'll go easy on you, I promise," she teased.

Lysander bowed his head. "Why thank you, Miss."

Lily laughed. She reached up to kiss him quickly. "We'll be back in a few minutes. Promise." She took Louis's hand and began to pull him out of the compartment. But she went the opposite way of the trolley, and began to pull him in the direction of the bathrooms.

"You know, I may be gay, but that doesn't mean they let me in the girls' bathroom," Louis joked quietly.

Lily stilled pulled him into the girls' bathroom, and locked the door. She turned and looked at him. "All right. What's up?"

Louis sighed as he leaned back against the door. "Paul won't talk to me anymore."

"What happened?" Lily asked.

Louis ran a hand through his messy hair. "Well, he said that something was up with me, and he blamed it on me having a crush on someone. I tried to get him to drop it, but he wouldn't. He told me that I should just act on instinct, and I just . . . kissed him," he whispered.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "You kissed Paul?"

He nodded, his head low. "Yeah. He looked all freaked out and just walked away. He didn't tell anyone, but he won't even look at me now."

"Oh, Louis," Lily whispered. "When did it happen?"

He blew out a breath. "Oh back in May."

"I'm sorry, Louis," she told him.

Louis scoffed. "I'm not upset that he rejected me. I'm upset that I just messed up my friendship with Paul. I mean, he was still my best friend." He shook his head. "I shouldn't have kissed him."

"You can't change what happened. But maybe you should just give him a bit of time. Let him breathe, and then approach him with a white flag and say that you just want to be friends," Lily suggested.

Louis looked at her with a bit of fear evident in his eyes. "But what if it's not because I kissed him? What if it's because he can't accept who I am?"

Lily licked her lips. "Well, . . . then all you can try to do is to convince him that you haven't changed."

* * *

Lily listened as her shoes clicked against the tiled floor of St. Mungo's Hospital. She walked along the hall of the second floor, looking for Duncan's door. Her hands were full with pictures, and a thing of Spello-Tape was poking her in her jean pocket. She was bringing all those pictures to him finally, and she was excited to see his face when she gave him his gift. She'd worked hard on the pictures. She'd gotten Lysander to take pictures of Ravenclaw Tower, and he'd passed it to a friend from Gryffindor and a friend from Hufflepuff, both who took pictures of their own common rooms. She had pictures of Hogsmeade and of the Shrieking Shack. She'd gotten every corner of Hogwarts in these pictures.

Lily knocked on the door to Duncan's room before opening it and stepping inside. Duncan was sitting on his bed, looking over at the door. He smiled when she stepped in. "Lily! You came!"

Lily smiled as she walked in. "Of course! How could I not? I mean, I had to give you your Christmas gift in person," she told him.

Duncan's eyes lit up, looking at her hands. "You really got something for me?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I got you a bunch of new windows, and a bunch of new friends," she told him. She held out the pictures.

Duncan took them, and gasped as he caught sight of the first picture. "Is . . ., is this Hogwarts?"

Lily nodded. "Yep. There isn't a place that wasn't captured by the camera," Lily told him. And most of them have people in them, people who loved the idea of smiling and waving to you each morning and night. I hope you like them.

Duncan looked as if there were tears in his eyes, but he didn't cry. "Will you put them up?" he whispered.

Lily took the pictures. "Of course. And I'll introduce you to all the people." So Lily spent the next couple of hours placing the hundreds of pictures on the walls around the room, telling him about the different places and the people in them. And lastly, Lily had put one picture in a frame. It was a picture that one of the older students had snapped of her and her friends in the common room. Lily was sitting on the couch between Scorpius and Shannon. Scorpius had his arm thrown around her shoulders, and Shannon had placed her feet across Lily's legs. Rex was sitting in one of the armchairs with Lola on his lap, and Jace and Christian had squeezed into the other chair. Lana was sitting on the floor, and Dante was laying with his head in her lap. Megan and Izzy were laying along the floor, both looking at a magazine. Lars was leaning against the chair Rex sat in. Mitch and Justin were sitting on the arms of the couch, both with guitars in their laps. Mitch was strumming his. They were all smiling or laughing in the picture. It made Lily smile to look at it. She placed it on the table by Duncan's bed.

"I like this one," he said, looking at the picture. "I like all of them. This is the best gift ever, Lily. Thank you."

Lily smiled at him as she sat in the chair. His room was much more lively. There were people everywhere, smiling and waving, laughing and talking silent words. And the pictures of Hogwarts really gave the room a more relaxed atmosphere. "It's no problem, Duncan. I remembered you said that you were lonely. And I know that they can't talk, but I thought that maybe these pictures would give you some comfort," she told him.

Duncan smiled at her. "They do. Even if they can't talk, it's like having a hundred friends sitting here with me." Suddenly his eyes got wide. "Oh! I almost forgot the present I got for you!"

Lily laughed lightly. "You really didn't have to, Duncan."

He shook his head. "No, I wanted to. Open that drawer. It's in there," he insisted.

Lily looked over at the table and opened the drawer. She gasped when she looked inside. A tiny, palm-sized dragon was quietly sleeping inside. A bit of smoke emitted from his nose when he breathed out. He was black, and his wingspan looked to be an average size. He was . . . he was adorable.

"Duncan, how did you get this?" Lily asked.

He smiled. "My grandpa used to be a dragon keeper, and he still has a lot of friends that still are. This dragon won't get any bigger obviously. And he's harmless," Duncan assured. "I just remembered that you said your uncle was a dragon keeper, and that you kind of liked dragons because of it. I thought you might like one that you could keep."

Lily smiled as she gently picked the little dragon up and kept him in her palm. He snorted once in his sleep, but he didn't awake. "I love it Duncan," she told him with a smile. "What's his name?"

Duncan shrugged. "I don't know. He doesn't have one yet."

"Well, I'm terrible with names. Mind giving him one for me?" Lily asked.

Duncan smiled. "Sure! Um . . . ," His face contorted cutely as he thought. Then his eyes lit up. "How about Salazar?"

Lily smiled. Duncan really had been reading the book on Hogwarts she'd gotten him. And he even remembered her House. "I think that it's perfect."

* * *

"So, why the hell did you choose to go shopping with us two?" Dominique demanded of Victoire. Before Lily had left St. Mungo's a few days ago, Victoire had caught her in the hall, and had asked her to go Christmas shopping with her and Dominique. Lily had agreed, seeing no reason not to.

"Because who better to go with than my sister and my husband's 'sister'?" Victoire replied.

"She's more your cousin," Dominique muttered.

Victoire rolled her eyes. "You didn't have to go if you had plans."

Dominique just shook her head. "No, it's ok. I just don't see the planning for you combination."

"Don't bitch, Dom," Lily retorted.

"Bite me, Lil," Dominique replied back.

"Girls," Victoire said with another roll of her eyes. "Are there any gifts you need to get?"

"I guess I still have to get one for Mitch." As Dominique said Mitch's name, Lily noticed that her usual sarcasm left her voice, and was replaced with genuine happiness. What happened to them just fooling around? Had Dominique really become serious with someone?

"What do you want to get him?" Victoire asked.

Dominique shrugged. "No clue. But I do want to go inside and get something warm to drink," she muttered.

"I agree," Lily said. "It's freezing. Let's go to the Leaky Cauldron."

So the three girls walked back to the Leaky Cauldron. It was warm when they stepped in, so they slid off their coats, and took a seat at the counter.

"Hey, girls," Hannah greeted with a smile. "What can I get you?"

"Three butterbeers," Victoire told her.

"Comin' up," Hannah told her.

"Hey, I got table three's order," the cook said from the kitchen's window.

Hannah looked at the cook, to the girls, and then to the table. "Ok. Damn we're busy," she muttered.

"I'll take it to them," Lily offered.

Hannah glanced at her. "You don't have to do that," she said as she picked up the tray.

But Lily leaned forward and took it from her. "It's no trouble. Besides, I'd rather have you getting our drinks," Lily joked. She got off her seat and walked over to table three. After coming here so many times with her family and her friends, she had most of the table's numbers memorized. She walked over to a table with five middle-aged men, and smiled. She put their food down on the table. "I have fries, two burgers, and four butterbeers. Is that all?"

One of the men smiled kindly at her. "No, that's all, young lady. Thank you. Here." He held out his hand, and placed four Sickles in her hand. "A way of thanks," he told her.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Oh, thank you." She walked back over to the counter and handed Hannah the tray. "Um, here," she held out the money.

Hannah smiled at her. "No, you keep it. It's your tip," she told her.

Lily gave an unsure look, but she placed the money in her pocket. "Well, thanks, I guess." She grabbed her butterbeer and took a drink.

"You know, Lily, I could use a waitress during the summer weekdays. How about it? Want a job?" Hannah asked.

Lily looked at her in surprise. "You want to give me a job?"

Hannah laughed. "Yes, I'm offering you a job. I know you model now, but it's not like you're taking pictures every day. So how about it?"

Lily bit her lips. She still had lessons with Slughorn. Then again, she could always move those to the weekends. He was always telling her that he was running out of things to teach her, so she could always cut down on the amount of lessons. "Well, I guess I could do that. Sure!"

Hannah smiled. "I'm glad. It gets pretty crowded here during the summer."

"Sounds like a blast," Lily joked.

Later, the girls were walking around a store, which was filled with clothes, makeup, and any other girlie thing that Lily could imagine. Only Dominique would drag her here.

"So, Lily, what do you want for Christmas?" Victoire asked as she searched through a rack of clothes.

Lily shrugged. "I don't really know. Anything I guess. One requirement. If you buy me clothes, keep it in my style," Lily told her.

"That's what Teddy suggested, but I think we could get something more original than clothes," Victoire replied.

Lily laughed. "Well what do you want for Christmas?" she asked.

"You don't have to get me anything, Lily," Victoire assured.

"I want to," Lily told her. "I mean, I have a ton of money from modeling, and there's not much I can really do with it. Besides, I'd rather buy you a gift myself than to just stick my name on whatever my parents get you."

"Who have you gotten gifts for?" Victoire asked.

"For most of my friends, grandmum and grandpa, most of our uncles and aunts," Lily listed. "And I got Teddy's."

"Who do you have left to shop for?" Victoire inquired.

"You, Dominique, Lysander, Henry, and Scorpius," Lily told her.

Victoire laughed. "You don't have to get Henry anything."

"I am so getting my godson a gift," Lily argued with a smile.

"I just can't believe that this is our first Christmas with him," Victoire said with an elated smile.

"I can't believe how big he's gotten. I mean, he's standing on his own now," Lily said with a sigh.

"He'll be walking soon," Victoire said with excitement. "I can't wait!"

"I wish I could come see him before Christmas. I'm just so busy this whole break," Lily said with bit of a groan. "I have an interview tomorrow, and then a photo shoot. Then Astoria is picking out what I'm wearing at her party which is three days later."

Victoire laughed lightly. "Merlin, you are busy. How do you manage it all?"

Lily shrugged. "One day at a time."


	41. High Society Girl

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, I decided that I don't have enough Draco in this story, and decided to add some. They'll all be going back to school soon, in the next chapter most likely. We aren't too far from some serious drama for Lily. And we'll be getting a bit more Lily and Lysander moments. Whether they will be good or bad is a mystery. So read and enjoy. Let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-One: High Society Girl

Lily let out a gentle sigh as she stood behind the screen in Astoria Malfoy's work room. She was being interviewed today, and as soon as she'd stepped out of the fireplace and into the manor, Astoria had rushed her up to the work room, and had thrown an outfit into her hands. Lily looked at it now.

In front of her was a bold green top with straps instead of sleeves. She could tell that it would fit her form snugly. It was accompanied by a laced black skirt with a green lace hem, and a green waistline. She pulled them on quickly, and looked at the accessories that Astoria had given her. A couple of silver bracelets, a pair of emerald colored earrings, a pair of black tights, and black formal shoes, which were thankfully flats. Lily put these on, along with her Slytherin pendant from the last shoot. Then she stepped out from behind the screen and moved toward the vanity chair, knowing the routine. Astoria smiled as she took in her appearance.

"You look stunning as always," Astoria complimented. "Now, what should we do with your hair?"

"How about we curl it a little?" Lily suggested, thinking of Scorpius's love of the style.

Astoria smiled at her in the mirror. "Perfect. And we'll gloss your lips a bit, maybe a bit of eyeshadow and eyeliner, and we'll call it good," she told her. Immediately, Lily felt hands in her hair. "So, they are sending over a woman named Catherine Heart. At least that's what the note they sent over this morning said. She's bringing along a camera man of course for a couple of pictures. And then we'll do a shoot in the clothes you're wearing, along with a few other outfits. And then I'm going to show you what you're wearing for the party," Astoria explained. "I'm so glad you decided to go to the party!"

Lily laughed lightly. "It's no problem. Besides, I like getting out of the house and having fun."

"You don't have fun at your house?" Astoria inquired. Lily liked how the question was one of pure curiosity and not at all prying.

"Some, but it can be boring. I don't want to bug my mum while she works on an article, and my dad works. It leaves me with nothing to do," Lily told her.

"Well, the party should be wonderful. A few reporters will be the one downfall," she said with a laugh. "But there will be plenty of other fashion designers, owners of clothing stores, and there will be plenty of high-class families that come to be seen as high society."

"Will the rest of your family be there?" Lily asked.

"Of Lucius and Narcissa never miss a social event, especially one like this. Among purebloods this will most likely be called the event of the season. Not even Lucius would miss it, even if it is to basically celebrate your new popularity," Astoria told her. "And of course Draco will be there. He's always there to support me. And I thought that I was going to have to drag Scorpius to the party, but he was surprisingly agreeable this time."

"Why, does he usually fight these parties?" Lily questioned.

"He's so stubborn," Astoria said with a sigh as she picked up a bit of makeup. She turned Lily's chair and began to work on the small amount of makeup. "He always used to complain about going to fashion parties. I was surprised that he agreed to go to this one so easily. I tried to figure out why he changed his mind so easily, but he was tightlipped, and I couldn't think of anything."

"Well, it's nice to know that I'll know someone there this time," Lily replied.

"That is a good thing. I'm glad that you two will be able to keep each other company while us adults go off and be a bit boring," Astoria laughed. "So, why aren't you bringing your boyfriend. Lysander Scamander, is it?"

"Yeah, that's him. And his brother is making the entire Ravenclaw team practice that day, and I didn't want to make him come to a long party while he's exhausted," Lily explained to her. "I thought I'd let him get some sleep. Besides, I'll see him Christmas Eve. His family is coming over to my grandparents' house. Both he and his twin wanted to come over for the holidays."

"Well that should be fun. I've heard Scorpius talk about his brother, Lorcan? He says he's quite the Quidditch player," Astoria mentioned.

"Yes, that's all he ever really thinks about. Quidditch, food, and his girlfriend," Lily joked.

There was a knock at the door, and then it opened. Both girls turned to see Scorpius stepping in. "Mother, a woman is . . . ," Scorpius trailed off as he locked eyes with Lily. Lily blushed under his gaze. But then he cleared his throat. "Um, a woman is here with a camera man?"

"Oh!" Astoria exclaimed. "That must be them!" She looked over Lily quickly. "Thankfully, we're done prepping you. I'm going to greet our guests. Come down when you're ready, Lily dear" Astoria hurried from the room.

Lily was still blushing. Her eyes locked onto Scorpius. Scorpius in turn hadn't looked away from her. He stepped closer, running a hand through his hair, messing it up completely. "You look stunning," he complimented.

Lily smiled softly at him. She reached up to pat down his hair. "And now you look absolutely mussed up," she teased, trying to hide how affected she was by him.

Scorpius smirked a little. "Sorry. A bit of habit. But, you really do look stunning."

Lily dropped her hand. "Thanks."

"So, are you excited about the big party that's basically for you?" Scorpius asked, a teasing tone in his voice.

Lily nodded. "I am actually, even if it will be only the two of us that we know," she joked weakly.

"You're not bringing Lysander?" Scorpius questioned. Lily noticed that he had moved a little closer.

She gulped quietly. "No, I'm not. He's busy, and I didn't want him to be exhausted all night. So, it's just me and you."

She blushed even more as she watched Scorpius's eyes look her over. "How, . . . delightful," he said after a moment.

Lily felt a heat radiate in her skin, like it was coming off of him. His voice was so low, like a rumble. "Yeah," she agreed quietly.

Scorpius sighed, and Lily felt his breath fan over her. "I should let you get downstairs to your interview," he mumbled.

Lily nodded, not breaking away from his eyes. "Yeah, I probably should go." Scorpius backed away from her, and Lily felt that heat slowly dull. She pulled in a couple of deep breaths and walked to the door. She didn't hear footsteps following, so she looked back. Scorpius still had his back to her. She sighed and left the room.

"Oh, and here's the lady of the hour!" Astoria said as Lily stepped into the manor's sitting room.

A woman stood up quickly. She was young, maybe just a few years out of Hogwarts. Lily could tell that she hadn't been working as a reporter for long. She was short in height, but still taller than Lily was. She had long blonde hair, and big, innocent green eyes. Her face looked so hesitant as she looked at Lily.

The woman walked over and held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Catherine Heart. I'm with _Witch Weekly_ Magazine. Thank you for agreeing to the interview," she said quickly. So quickly that Lily barely caught it.

But Lily smiled. "It's really no trouble. I'm Lily Luna."

"Oh, everyone that works for a magazine knows who Lily Luna is. You've become quite popular as a model. You're the biggest contribute to our best-selling issues," Catherine told her as the two sat down. A tall man stood in the corner, and Astoria had quietly slipped out of the room.

"Well that's quite a compliment," Lily said with a bit of laugh. "I'm not sure that it's just because of me."

"Oh you are very popular, Lily Luna," Catherine assured.

"Just Lily," Lily told her.

Catherine nodded. "Ok. But, if I may start, what got you interested in modeling?"

"Well I was never originally into modeling. At first it was a favor for Astoria Malfoy, and it just kind of became a job for me. I really enjoy it," Lily answered.

"Really? And how does your family like it?" Catherine asked.

Lily forced a smile. "Well, my father was hesitant about it, but he's accepted it."

"Yes. It was quite a surprise to see the famous Harry Potter's daughter becoming a model," Catherine stated.

"Well, I never see myself as a famous man's daughter," Lily told her. "I mean, I know that I am, but I like to do things for myself. That's why I've kept the name Potter out of my modeling career. It's something just for me."

"It's a beautiful name. Striking. It really suits the pictures," Catherine said. "Why did you decide on that?"

Lily smiled. "Well, I was given that nickname by one of my best friends in my first year," she explained. "I get called that all the time now, along with a slew of other nicknames that came from the name 'Lily Luna'."

For the next few hours, Lily sat with Catherine, answering questions. But after awhile, the two were basically just talking. They went over Lily's enjoyment at being a Slytherin, over her friendships with popular Slytherin families, her clothing style, and her different magazine covers. The man from the corner had snapped a few pictures, and then had left the room. A house elf had brought in tea and a few cookies for the girls, adding a more relaxing atmosphere.

Catherine eventually put down her quill and notepad. "You know, Lily, I was very excited when my editor gave me this assignment."

"Really? How come?" Lily asked before biting into a cookie.

"Well this interview is big. We announced that we would have an interview with you in our last issue, and we've received dozens of letters voicing people's excitement to read it. The editor of our magazine explained to all of us reporters that this was a big deal. I was so surprised that I got the job. I haven't been in the company very long," Catherine explained.

"Are people really that excited just to read about me being asked questions?" Lily wondered.

"Well, people are very interested in the lives of celebrities. And people are very interested in you. Out of all the Potter children, you haven't been discussed much in papers or articles. And to top it off, you're different from your family as a Slytherin," Catherine replied. "You're like a mystery, and people just have to figure it out."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Some people amaze me," she muttered.

"Well it's my job, so I just do what I have to," Catherine sighed. "It's very hard to work your way up."

"Well if my article is as big of deal as you say, then I'm glad you got the job. You seem like you deserve to go up in your company," Lily told her.

Catherine blushed a little. "Well thank you. Honestly, I'm hoping it does."

Lily smiled at her. "You have my support."

Soon Lily and Astoria were saying goodbye to Catherine and her photographer. Then Astoria showed Lily her own camera, and Lily chose a position on the couch, and the picture taking began.

"How was the interview?" Astoria asked as the camera snapped pictures.

"It . . . went . . . well," Lily answered between snaps of the camera. "Am I . . . really . . . that big a . . . deal?"

"You are. I meant it when I said you were popular in the modeling world. I have models that have been doing this for a decade and they still haven't achieved the popularity you have," Astoria told her. "And what makes me proud of you is that it's because you're stunning, and you're you. It has nothing to do with your name."

Lily blushed lightly. "Thanks."

* * *

Lily sat in her room, reading a potion book that Slughorn had sent her, an early Christmas present, with excitement. She loved new material. But there was a knock at her door, and Lily rolled her eyes. Why did her mother insist on checking up on her when she stayed in her room for more than an hour?

"Come in," Lily called dully. Lily was surprised when the door opened and Lola walked in. "Lola! What are you doing here?" Lily asked. She took in her best friend's appearance. She was a wreck! Her hair was tangled unkempt, her face seemed upset without the tears, and her clothing looked as if it'd been chosen at the last minute. Lily pushed aside her book. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately.

Lola sighed as she dropped onto the bed. "Rex broke up with me," she whispered.

Lily's eyes widened. "What? What happened?"

Lola shrugged. "I don't know. We went out other night and he was weird all night. And then we he dropped me off, he broke up with me."

"Well what did he say?" Lily asked carefully. She moved to sit closer to Lola.

She watched at Lola gulped. "Well, he told me that he really liked me . . . but that he didn't like me as a girlfriend anymore. He thought we'd work better as friends. And I can accept that," Lola told her quickly, "but he wouldn't tell me what I did wrong."

"Why do you think you did something wrong?" Lily asked.

"I had to have!" Lola replied. "I don't believe that feelings can just change that quickly. Either he's felt like that for a while, or I did something wrong. And when I asked him that he would tell me what it was, so I obviously did something!"

Lily sighed. She stood up and picked up her brush, then she came to sit behind Lola. She began gently brushing the tangles from Lola's hair. "Look, Lola, you can't blame yourself. You're fourteen, and he was your first boyfriend. It's rare for that type of relationship to last a lifetime. And just because it ended doesn't mean it's your fault. Things happen. You have to move past them. You can't beat yourself up," Lily told her.

Lola just let out a loud sigh. "I really liked him, Lils," she whispered.

Lily squeezed on of her shoulders comfortingly. "I know, Lola. But it's still not worth beating yourself up over." Lily sighed. "Besides, you were probably a much better girlfriend than I've been lately."

Lola sniffed, and turned her head to look at Lily. "What do you mean? You're not a bad girlfriend."

Lily moved to sit next to Lola. "I haven't told you what happened at the party."

"What happened?" Lola asked.

"I kissed Clayton," Lily admitted.

"Are you serious?" Lola gasped.

Lily nodded. "I felt so guilty. But I couldn't change it. It happened. All I can do is remember that keeping it a secret keeps Lysander from being hurt. I can't repeatedly beat myself up over it."

"I guess," Lola mumbled. But then she grinned at Lily. "So, on a scale of one to ten, how good a kisser was Clayton?" she teased.

Lily laughed with her, shoving her shoulder lightly. "Oh, sod off."

* * *

On the early evening of the twenty-third, Lily stood in her room, her door locked, getting ready for the party at Malfoy Manor. Astoria had told her that she was sending Scorpius to get her at seven. It wasn't long until then now. Lily reached into her closet and pulled the dress she was wearing tonight from the closet. She looked at it before slipping it on. It was green and strapless, with a silver trim around the top and it had a bit of silver that crisscrossed from her sides and circled around her waist. It fell in folds to just below her knees, so her small dark green heels could be seen. Astoria had shown Lily how to curl her hair just right, giving it the look that she'd had in her shoots. She glossed her lips and put on a small bit of makeup to accentuate her eyes, and painted her nails a dark green. She planned to put on her Slytherin pendant, and the pair of emerald earrings, which she learned were _real_ emeralds. She wouldn't put in her other piercings.

A knock sounded at her door as Lily was putting in her earrings. "Come in," she called.

The door opened and Scorpius stepped in. "Hey, princess. Are you ready?"

"Just a moment," Lily told him as she put in her other earring. She looked at him through the mirror, taking a moment to admire him. He was looking very smart in black pants, and a deep green button up shirt. She was sure he'd chosen Muggle clothes to annoying Lucius. His hair had obviously been trimmed to stay away from his eyes. It was flat instead of his usual styled mess. It was a bit funny for him to look so smart with green streaked hair. But he still looked so handsome.

Scorpius had come up behind her at some point, and had picked the pendant up from the vanity. He took hold of the chain and placed it around her neck. Lily slowly lifted her hair up, letting him hook the pendant's catch around her neck. She dropped her hair, but Scorpius's hands didn't leave her neck. They trailed down to her shoulders, leaving his hands there. "You look wonderful, princess," he told her. "Truly a vision."

Lily flushed lightly. "Thank you. You're quiet handsome yourself, even if your hair is green."

"Wait until you next see me. Mitch got me to pierce my ear three times," Scorpius said with a quiet laugh.

"I can't wait to see that," Lily said with a smile.

Scorpius cleared his throat, his hands dropping from her shoulders. "Well, shall we go?"

Lily stood up and nodded. "Yeah, let's."

He led her out of her room and down the stairs. Lily could hear her parents talking with a few of her aunts and uncles in the kitchen. "Mum, Dad! I'm leaving!" she called.

"Wait a minute, Lily!" Ginny called back. "Come in here a moment."

Lily looked confusedly toward the kitchen, but with a shrug she and Scorpius walked to the kitchen. Sitting around the table was Lily's parents, Ron and Hermione, and Bill and Fleur.

"Oh, Lily, you look so beautiful," Ginny complimented happily.

"That dress is gorgeous!" Fleur told her.

"I don't like it," Harry admitted.

"You could wear a little more," Bill added.

"Like something that doesn't show that much skin!" Ron exclaimed.

"Oh, Ronald," Hermione muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes at each comment. "Can I go now? I don't want to be late."

Ginny looked at Scorpius. "When will you have her home?"

Scorpius smirked. "Well, I'm sure she'll be home by midnight, but if you'd like to have her home earlier, I could easily make that happen for you."

"Midnight is just fine," Ginny assured.

"Ten-thirty is better," Harry muttered.

"Midnight is it," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. She looked at Scorpius. "Let's go." She took his arm and tugged him out of the room. "Merlin, they're annoying," she muttered.

Scorpius smirked at her when they stopped at the fireplace. "Aren't all parents?" The two of them Flooed to Malfoy Manor, and Lily could hear sounds in the distance. "The party is in the ballroom."

Lily looked at him curiously as he took her arm and led her out of the room. "Have I been in there?"

He shrugged. "Maybe in passing. It's a gigantic room that my mother had built for parties such as this," Scorpius explained. He stopped at a huge door, and it silently opened for them. Instrumental music flowed gently out of the room, as did the conversations of the hundreds of people in the large room. A huge chandelier hung high above them all, lighting the room and making it glow. People were all about, conversing or dancing gracefully, dressed in their best. It was obvious who were reporters by the cameras.

Lily sighed, butterflies in her stomach. "Well, let's get this over with."

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. Best of luck to us both," he muttered. He kept hold of her arm, leading her into the room.

"Lily! You're here!" Astoria exclaimed happily. She was pulling Draco along, walking to the two teens. Lily thought that no one in the room looked as elegant or as stunning as the Malfoys. Astoria had her hair up into a graceful bun, had silver earrings, and a stunning navy blue dress. Draco wore smart green dress robes, which really contrasted with his pale skin and blonde hair, which had been pushed back as always.

Lily smiled at them. "Of course I am. It's nice to see you again, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco smirked, reminding Lily of his son. "I think Draco would be a bit more fitting for you to call me."

Lily laughed a little. "Ok then. How have you been, Draco? Your wife seems to be writing me letters constantly, but I never receive one from you."

Draco chuckled as he glanced fondly at his wife. "Well I've been doing just fine actually. I've mainly been working from home, which is a nice change. But that also means that I've been forced to listen to my wife's rambling of fashion and parties," he replied.

Astoria playfully smacked his shoulder. "You always say that you want to know about my days at home," she retorted.

Draco kissed his wife's forehead. "I know I do." He looked back at Lily. "But, how have you been, Lily? I've noticed that you haven't written me a letter either."

Lily grinned at him. "I've been good. When you cut out how much homework us fourth years have been given, it's been a very enjoyable year," she told him.

"Ah, yes. You'll be in your O.W.L. year next," Draco mentioned. "Just as Scorpius here will be taking his N.E.W.T.s."

Astoria reached up to straighten Scorpius's collar. "My baby boy is getting so big," she sighed.

Lily giggled as Scorpius's cheeks turned pink. "Mum," he muttered with a bit of a whine.

"I too often notice how much taller he's getting. I'm starting to get very tired of being the shortest of my friends," Lily joked.

"Well, my son's growth is a bit surprising," Draco told her. "I was never that big at his age. But he takes Quidditch much more seriously than I did. He's been exercising every morning since he got home for break."

Scorpius looked at her sheepishly. "I like being in shape."

Lily looked at his face, but with the hand that was still placed on his arm, she could easily feel the muscles surrounding his forearm. She couldn't help but think that she liked him being in shape too.

"So, Lily, how is being a celebrity?" Draco asked.

Lily laughed lightly. "A little odd at first. I never expected other girls at school to come and ask for an autograph," she answered. "Nor did I expect that many boys to start buying fashion magazines."

Draco laughed a little. "Well, you are a beautiful young girl. I can't say that I'm surprised."

"Little boys will be little boys," Scorpius said dryly. "I don't know how many boys I've seen with those magazines."

Astoria rolled her eyes. "You have no room to talk. I know firsthand that you have a couple of her magazines in your room."

Lily blushed a little and turned to look at Scorpius. Scorpius's own cheeks were an obvious pink. "I know. I'm supporting her career as a model," he replied casually. Lily felt a bit of hope in her heart sink. Of course. He was her best friend. Of course he would buy them to support her career.

"Then don't be quick to judge. Maybe those boys are supporting her too," Astoria chided.

"I doubt a bunch of fourteen-year-old Ravenclaw boys are buying them to be friends and support her," Scorpius replied with a grumble. Lily looked at him with a bit of confusion. The Ravenclaws in her year? Who were they again? Wasn't one of them named Davies?

"Scorpius," Astoria said with shock.

Draco smirked at his wife. "Boys will be boys, darling."

Astoria rolled her eyes. "You two are always assuming the worst of young boys."

"No, honey. We've been young boys. We know what they do," Draco teased.

Lily sighed. "Well, that comforting. I'll so be able to look the fourth year Slytherin boys in the eye now."

Draco laughed. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be able to ignore it. They will."

Lily grinned. "Yeah, you've got a point. Besides, I guess I already knew. They talk about it enough," she joked.

"Draco," Astoria interrupted, "I think I ought to go and greet a few more of our guests. Accompany me?"

Draco gave his wife a genuine smile. "Of course." He looked at the two teens. "We'll find you later, and perhaps pick up this conversation."

"Of course, Draco," Lily agreed. The couple walked off, Astoria pulling Draco toward a small group of adults. Lily smiled at Scorpius. "I really like talking with your parents. Especially your dad. He's funny."

Scorpius chuckled. "I guess." He glanced away from her, and then smirked back at her. "Thirsty?"

Lily grinned. "Yes," she answered. The two walked over to a large table, which was filled with drinks and different assortments of food. Scorpius picked up two champaign glasses and gave one to her. "What is this?" Lily asked him.

"Elf wine. This will be the one occasion where no one minds us having a bit of alcohol," Scorpius assured. He clinked his glass lightly with hers and then took a drink.

Lily took a drink too. It was sweet, and it was smooth going down her throat. Not at all the burning sensation of firewhiskey. "That's pretty good actually," Lily told him.

"Yeah, it's not bad," Scorpius said with a small cough.

"Lily Potter?"

Lily turned around to see a woman and a man standing behind her. The woman looked oddly familiar. She was obviously older than middle-aged, but she looked as if she tried to say she wasn't. Her hair was white and put up elegantly. She had glasses that were rimmed with rhinestones. She wore a lime green outfit that really made her stand out. Where had Lily seen this woman? She was obviously a reporter, because a man with a camera was standing just behind her. He didn't look as dressed up as everyone else did.

"Um, yes?" Lily said hesitantly. "What can I do for you?"

"My name is Rita Skeeter, and I was wondering if I could have a small moment of your time?" the woman requested.

Lily tensed a little. Now she remembered this woman's appearance. Rita Skeeter, a famous reporter that was known for slandering peoples names. She'd never met her in person. She only remembered stories about her from her father and aunt Hermione, and none of them were very good to say the least. And not to mention that Lily had read some of the articles that Rita had written, some about her own father. Lily was never a fan of this woman's writing.

"Um, that depends on what you need," Lily said, trying to stay polite.

"Well, I just want to talk," Rita told her. "You see, my readers thrive on learning about the lives of those we love in the public eye. And I just want to give them what they want. I mean, you are a hot story. A sole Potter in Slytherin. And what I want to know is how your family is taking it. Their little girl, in the House of their former enemies. How are your brothers, known as golden Gryffindors, handling their sister being part of a renown enemy House?" Rita rambled.

Now Lily knew why she was hated among the adults in her family. She purposely pulled on the touchy subjects. And Lily had no doubt that if she talked, this woman would twist her words in every way she could.

Lily swallowed thickly, but before she could talk, Scorpius spoke. "Actually, Lily still has quite a few people to meet and talk to seeing as she is the reason for the party. Perhaps later," he said tightly. "Have a good evening." He tugged Lily away, and Lily followed eagerly, wanting to be away from that woman.

"I hate her," Lily muttered.

"As does everyone else with a heart," Scorpius replied. "So, would you like to meet some of the people, or would you like to dance?"

Lily bit her lip. "Um, well I guess that I can meet a few people first," she murmured.

Scorpius nodded as he lead her over to a young couple talking to the right. The man was tall, with wavy brown hair and light blue eyes. He was wearing a set of royal purple dress robes. The woman was just a tad bit shorter than him, but Lily could see that she had heels on, obviously adding to her height. She had strawberry blonde curls, and light grey eyes. She wore a beautiful red dress that really brought out her pale skin.

Scorpius gave the two a nod when they noticed their approach. "Hello again, Mr. Brent, Ms. Taylor," he greeted. "This here is our own Lily Luna."

The woman's eyes lit up. "Yes! I recognize you from the magazine! It's such a pleasure to meet you! My name is Samantha Taylor," the woman greeted happily.

Lily smiled. "It's nice to meet you as well."

The man held out his hand. "My name is Jonathan Brent. It's nice to finally meet you. Samantha has been a fan of your work since you started."

Lily laughed softly. "That's quite a compliment. Thank you."

"I think your pictures are so lovely! And the clothes that you wear are fabulous, and they really show how beautiful you are. It's so nice to see a younger model," Samantha rambled.

Lily bit her lip, trying not to laugh at how fast the woman talked. "Why thank you. Honestly, I don't choose the clothes. Astoria does. She's amazing with what she can do with clothes," Lily told her.

Hours later, Lily was sure she knew everyone in the room at least by their name. Scorpius had taken her around to meet a few people, but then they were being approached by droves of guests. Reporters had come and asked for pictures or asked quick questions. Lily was polite and simply declined their requests. She soon found herself on the dance floor with Scorpius, dancing to one of the slower songs.

"Enjoying yourself, princess?" Scorpius asked quietly under the music, his lips close to Lily's ear.

Lily nodded gently, her head resting on his chest. His shoulder was too high for her to rest on. "Yeah, I am actually. Besides the constant questions from reporters, and the pictures they keep taking, it's not bad," she mumbled into his shirt.

"Well I'm glad to hear that, princess," Scorpius whispered.

Lily glanced up at him. "Scorpius, why do you call me 'princess'?"

She felt him shrug. "I don't know. I just feel like the name fits. You _are_ Slytherin's princess after all."

"I'm no princess. I'm not a saint," Lily muttered.

"I'm not saying you're a saint. In reality, no Slytherin is really a saint. Nobody is really a saint. But we all still see you as a very important girl to us," Scorpius said gently.

Lily kept looking at him as she took in his words. "Really?" she whispered.

"Really. You're important to us. So, I think princess fits you well," Scorpius told her.

Lily giggled lightly. "Wow. So I've gone from a Potter princess to a Slytherin princess," she joked.

She felt Scorpius lay his cheek on her head. "But there's a difference. No matter what, you'll always be our princess."

Lily felt her heart flutter at his words. "I love being Slytherin's princess more than I do being a Potter princess," she told him softly.

"Lily," Scorpius whispered hesitantly, ". . . do you want to get out of here?"

Lily glanced up at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

She could feel him shrug. "I mean, do you wanna get out of the party? Sneak out to my room and maybe get away from all the noise and reporters?" he asked.

Lily smiled at him. "Right now, that sounds heavenly."

Scorpius smirked. "Cool. Let's go."

They stopped dancing, and Scorpius pulled her to a small door inconspicuously. He opened it slightly, and then quickly pulled her through it, closing it after him. Lily looked around them. They were in a small hallway, and the walls were really close together, making it very narrow.

"Where are we?" Lily asked.

"It's a connection to the kitchen," Scorpius told her as he pulled her along. "I know how to get to my room from the kitchens."

"Your house is like a maze," Lily muttered.

Scorpius laughed as he opened the door to the gigantic kitchen. "You get used to it after living in it for almost seventeen years," he joked. He then pulled her into a hallway that she _did_ recognize, and began pulling her up a staircase.

"I guess I can relate to that," Lily said with a sigh. "I've only been at Hogwarts for like four years and I know my way around easily."

"Exactly," Scorpius said with that same smirk. They were soon at the door to his bedroom, which he pulled her into. Lily looked around, seeing that it was basically the same as the last time she'd been there. A few new pictures and posters, a bit bigger of a bed, and a few new things to be thrown onto the floor. The biggest change Lily noticed was that he now had a leather couch against the wall of his room.

"Nice couch," she said with a teasing grin.

Scorpius laughed as he moved across his room to plop down onto it. "I know right. I bought it last Christmas break with some of the Christmas money my aunt and uncle gave me," he told her.

Lily followed him, and sat next to him on the couch. It was very comfortable. "Your aunt and uncle give you money for Christmas?" None of her aunts or uncles did that with any of the kids.

"Well, once I got a bit older, they told me they'd just give me the money so that I could pick my own Christmas present," Scorpius explained. "A good idea I guess. They were a bit terrible at picking gifts for me. One year they got me a dreadful-looking coat. A Kenmare Kestrels coat! Ugh!" he fake shuddered.

Lily laughed. "You're so mean. They aren't that bad a team."

"They haven't won enough games to win my respect," Scorpius replied.

"So picky," Lily teased lightly. "So, what will you buy this year?"

Scorpius shrugged as he threw his arm around her shoulders. "I don't know. I might just save it until I think of something important I need." He paused. "Well, actually . . . I think I might buy Lance a Wood model broom. He's the slowest on our team without one, and I want all of us at the same speed, which is faster than all the other teams."

Lily nodded. "That's a good idea. He is a bit slow at practices."

"You know, magazines have shown pictures of a new model coming out in a couple of months. The Wood '22. It's supposed to be amazing with speed," Scorpius said with a smirk.

"I just might have to buy it when it comes out," Lily said as she thought about her money in Gringotts.

"I would get you one, but I already got you a Christmas gift," Scorpius teased.

Lily looked at him curiously, but with a sly grin. "Really? What did you get me?"

Scorpius chuckled. "Well, since I won't see you for a couple days, I guess it'd be ok to give it to you now." He stood up and went to his desk. He opened a drawer and pulled something small out of it. Then he walked back to her, keeping his fist closed, and effectively hiding her gift. "I thought that you'd like to have one. A lot of us have them, so it's not original, but I wanted to be the one to buy it for you," he told her.

He opened his palm, and inside was a tiny velvet box. Lily took it from his hand. "You got me a ring?" she questioned.

He nodded. "Open it," he urged.

Lily opened the box with a soft "click", and she gasped. Inside was a ring that was obviously made of silver. It was what Lily could only call a Slytherin ring. It adorned a beautifully sculpted snake, with emerald eyes and a pattern made of emeralds as well. On the bottom of the ring Lily could see a small Slytherin crest engraved on it.

"Scorpius, I love it!" Lily squealed. She hugged his neck tightly.

She felt him laugh. "I thought you would," he said as he pulled away from the hug. He took the ring from the box, and gently took hold of her right hand. He placed the ring on her ring finger. It was big, but then shrunk to fit her finger perfectly.

"It's perfect," Lily whispered. She smiled up at Scorpius. She reached up and kissed him softly on the cheek. She paused as her lips left his cheek, the feel of being near him drawing her in. "Thank you," she murmured. She felt her cheeks slowly heat up, and she moved to sit back.

Lily noticed that Scorpius's cheeks were that same pink hue as before. As she looked at him, she noticed that his skin was kind of tan. Totally different from his own father's skin. But hadn't he always looked like his dad? When had that changed? When had Scorpius turned into such a . . . a stud? Lily blushed even more at her thoughts.

Scorpius coughed a little himself. "It was no problem. Really." But then he smiled at her. "Besides, I couldn't let Scamander show me up by getting you a better gift."

Lily laughed lightly. "Don't worry. He maybe be my boyfriend, but you're still my number one guy," she joked.

* * *

Lily sighed as she lay on the couch in the living room of the Burrow. It was Christmas Eve, and she was already bored. Grandmum wouldn't let her ride around on her bike when she should be spending time with her family. But all her other family was busy, not that she wanted to hang out with them anyway. Albus and James were talking with Tyler Creevey about Quidditch. Tyler apparently hadn't been invited only by his best friend, Albus, but also Lucy, his girlfriend. He was now sitting with his arm thrown around her. Lily hadn't ever noticed that Lucy had begun dating. It was sort of surprising. Lucy had always been so shy and quiet.

Rose was sitting with Molly, and they were both talking about schoolwork. Roxanne looked to be talking to Fred about something that Lily couldn't hear. Dominique was sitting in the kitchen with the adults, avoiding the rest of the cousins. Louis and Hugo were talking to each other about some of Uncle George's products. Victoire and Teddy were in the kitchen as well, and the baby was asleep upstairs. Lily was sitting alone, bored out of her mind. She was honestly waiting for the Scamanders to get here. At least she wouldn't be lonely once Lysander got there. Even Lorcan would be a great addition.

There was a knock on the door, and Lily smiled. The Scamanders. "I got it!" she called, jumping up from her seat. She hurried to the door and pulled it open to receive the shock of her life.

"Mitch!" Lily exclaimed. She jumped to hug him. She couldn't believe it. Mitch was here, at the Burrow! "What are you doing here?" Lily asked as she pulled away from the hug.

Mitch grinned at her. His normal spiky blue hair was flat today, but just as shocking of a color. "Dom invited me, and how could I pass the chance to meet everybody? Especially after how well her parents took to me," he told her. Lily had heard about that. Uncle Bill had glared and sneered at Mitch all night.

Lily grinned. "Well I'm glad you're here. It's boring here."

Mitch laughed. "Well let's start the party!" He stepped inside, and Lily closed the door.

"What are you doing here, Avery?" James growled immediately.

"I was invited," Mitch said easily. "How about you?" he joked.

"How about you get lost?" Albus sneered.

"How about you drop dead?" Lily retorted.

"Dominique, Mitch is here!" Roxanne called out.

They could all hear the sound of quick footsteps, and within seconds, Dominique was stepping into the living room. Lily was surprised that the size of Dominique's smile when she saw Mitch. Dominique practically ran to Mitch, who pulled her into a quick embrace and kissed her soundly on the lips.

"Hello, sexy," Mitch greeted with a bit of laugh.

"Hey, babe," Dominique said with a bit of a giggle. "I'm glad you came."

"Wouldn't miss it. Not when you felt the need to invite me," he told her. "Now, do I get to meet the rest of the family?"

"Yeah, let's go," Dominique urged.

Lily grabbed Mitch's arm. Mitch turned to look at her curiously. "Before you go, a word of warning. Don't trust anything Uncle George offers you, and no matter what, Uncle Ron will not like you," she told him.

Mitch laughed. "Cool. Thanks for the warning, Lily Lu."

Lily watched as Dominique pulled Mitch along to the kitchen. She wanted to stay and hang around Mitch more, but she also didn't want to stay around for the blow up of the men in the family meeting Mitch. She had a better idea. She'd go out and ride her bike anyway. Lily slipped on her leather jacket and shoes.

"Where are you going, Lil?" Louis asked.

"I'm going to take a ride on my bike," Lily told him. "If Grandmum asks, just tell her I went out to the shed to get my bike." Lily walked out of the house, and trudged through the light bit of snow. Her uncle Bill had blown away the snow earlier that morning. She walked to the shed and walked inside. Her bike was leaning against one of the walls. Her grandpa was in the house, probably meeting Mitch now. She took a hold on the bike handles and got ready to push it outside. But when she turned her head, she was surprised to see Hugo standing in the doorway of the shed.

"What are you doing out here?" Lily demanded in a mutter.

Hugo shrugged. He had a scowl on his face, but he didn't look hostile. "I don't know. Louis went into the kitchen, and I didn't feel like talking to any of the others," he mumbled. It was so low that Lily could barely hear it.

She raised a brow. "And you felt like talking to me? I'm supposed to believe that?"

Hugo sighed as he walked further into the shed. "Whatever. I just didn't want to stay in there. I didn't want to be around when the guys all blew up about Mitch and Dominique," he grumbled.

Lily gave a stiff nod. "Yeah. That's why I'm out here. I guess I can't blame you."

Hugo kicked a small dirt rock that was laying on the floor. "So, when did you get the bike?"

"This summer," Lily said shortly. "Me and Grandpa having been working on it since first year." Lily looked Hugo over. "When did you cut your hair?" His usually curly hair that fell well into his eyes was now in a crewcut, which Lily didn't really like.

Hugo ran a hand over his head. "Oh, a couple of days ago. Mum said it was getting too long. I wasn't surprised she wanted too. My friends had been saying the same thing. I guess I don't look really good with longer hair."

Lily shrugged. "Maybe not really long, but your hair doesn't look as good when it's so short. It's better when you can actually see your curls," she muttered.

Hugo moved to sit up on one of the tables. "Huh. I hadn't really thought about it much." He swung his legs as he locked his eyes on his knees. "You look really good in those magazines you do."

Lily glanced at him with a bit of surprise. "You've seen them?"

"A lot of girls leave them in the common room, so I've seen a few of them," Hugo replied.

"Oh. Well thanks," Lily said with a sigh. She let go of the bike, and moved to lean against the wall. "So, . . . when did Lucy and Creevey start dating?" Lily ventured. She had originally wanted to ask him how he was . . . but she'd lost the courage. It seemed too . . . personal to ask him that. It was surprising enough that they were talking without hexing or insulting each other.

Hugo blew out a breath. "Oh, a couple of months ago, I guess. It was kind of surprising. She dated Zack about a year ago. They ended up deciding to be friends, and they hang out all the time. I just never thought that she'd end up going out with his brother," he told her.

"I can't believe she chose Tyler over Zack. Zack's so much cooler," Lily thought. She'd always preferred Zack to his twin and older brother. He was so much nicer, and so much cooler than the other Creevey boys.

"Honestly, neither can I. I like Zack more. Tyler's kind of a . . . well he's an ass," Hugo said quietly, like Tyler would hear him.

Lily stared at him for a moment, taking in what he'd said. Then she began to laugh. After a second, Hugo joined her, laughing just as hard.

"Hey, kids," the two teens jumped, their laughter cut short. They looked to see their grandfather standing in the shed's doorway. "It's time to come in for lunch," he told them.

The two nodded, and trekked over to the door. Their grandfather led them out, and now the two were silent. They didn't even look at each other. They stepped into the warmth of the house, and as soon as they did Louis took a hold of Lily's wrist, and tugged her in the opposite direction of the kitchen.

"Lil, come here a moment," Louis told her.

Lily didn't argue as he pulled her up the stairs. He stopped in the hallway, but Lily noticed that they were alone. Everyone else was probably in the kitchen.

"What's up, Louis?" Lily asked.

Louis leaned against the wall. "So, I told my family last night that I was gay," he admitted.

Lily smiled. "That's great, Louis!" Lily assured.

Louis chuckled. "Yeah. Yeah, it went really well. They were all really excepting of it. A bit surprised, but they were ok." Lily watched as he bit his lip.

"What is it?" Lily asked carefully.

Louis ran a hand through his hair. Louis was much more cleaned up. His hair had been cut too, although not as short as Hugo's. His clothes were better picked, his face better managed. He looked like his old self. "Well, I told them because I always felt like I was hiding it. And I'm tired of hiding it. So . . . I think I want to tell the rest of the family today."

"Then you should," Lily told him. "They won't hate you for it."

"I know that," Louis sighed. "I just . . . I guess I'm just a little scared of what they'll do. I know how some of our cousins can be."

"If they say or do anything that hurts you, I'll make sure they get their asses kicked," Lily assured.

Louis laughed. "Thanks. But . . . you think you can sit by me? Kinda support me when I do?"

Lily stepped forward to hug Louis tightly. "Of course, Louis. Anytime."

Not too long later, Lily was sitting at the enlarged table in the kitchen. She was sitting between Louis and Mitch, a great place to be. They were well into the middle of lunch, and conversation was flowing around her. It was a bit funny how nobody but a few of the women in the family, and of course Lily, Louis, and Dominique, would talk to Mitch. But Lily was mostly waiting for Louis to say something. Of course it was their uncle Ron that gave him the opportunity.

"So, we've been introduced to a partner from both Victoire and Dominique. When will meet one from you, Louis?" Ron asked as he stuffed a fork, full of food, into his mouth.

"Ronald!" Hermione chided, disgusted at his manners.

Lily glanced at Louis, and noticed that his parents and sisters were looking at him too. Louis looked calm though he wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I don't know, Uncle Ron. When I get one," he said casually.

"Probably won't be long then. With your looks, girls will be lining at the door," Ron told him.

"Ron, let it go," Bill said a bit tensely. Ron just looked at him oddly.

But Louis shook his head. "Nah, it's cool, Dad," Louis assured. He cleared his throat. "Besides, Uncle Ron may be right. But I won't be bringing any of them over."

"Why, don't want us to embarrass you?" Ron teased.

Louis gave a short chuckle. "No. Because I'm gay."

A silence reigned over the table. Not even the sound of a fork against a plate. Lily took Louis's hand over the table, squeezing it reassuringly. Louis smiled at her. Then he looked at their uncle Ron again. "But if you'd want to embarrass me in front of my future boyfriend, I'll accept that. It's only fair, you do it to the others," he joked. But Lily could hear the small crack in his voice at the end.

"Man, I did it again!" Mitch exclaimed, making most of the table jump.

Dominique looked at her boyfriend with a face that looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

Mitch sighed. "I turned another one gay!" he joked. He looked at Louis, and Lily could see the teasing look in his eye. "Louis, I'm sorry. I know I'm hot, but I think your sister would kill us both."

Louis and Lily both laughed, and Lily was sure that Hugo was grinning. Louis shook his head. "Damn. It's your fault, and you're just gunna ditch me!" he laughed.

Lily was a bit relieved when Fleur rolled her eyes and smiled. "You boys," she said with sigh. Louis and Mitch just kept laughing.

"I sometimes don't know why I date you," Dominique muttered.

"I can only feel bad for you," Lily joked.

"Same here. You put up with him as much as I do," Dominique sighed.

"Yeah. But you do more for him than I do," Lily laughed.

"Wanna trade?" Dominique joked dryly.

"I feel like a toy," Mitch said with a roll of his eyes.

"So, Louis," James said above the conversation. Lily looked at him sharply, not trusting him at all. "I'm going to tell you now. Boys are pigs, so no dating until after Hogwarts." Louis and the other cousins started laughing, excluding Dominique. Lily didn't either. She just glanced down at her half-eaten plate. Did he accept everyone _but_ her?


	42. A Selfish Princess

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Author's Note - Here's my next update. It's like a birthday present to myself really, haha. Now, I know that a lot of you are just waiting to see Lysander and Lily split, but here I have some more interaction between them. And of course a little more mischief from Mitch, intense moments with Scorpius, and attitude problems with Dominique. So read it, and I hope you enjoy it.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Two: A Selfish Princess

Lily bit her lip as she paced along the corridor. They had all been back at Hogwarts for almost a week now, and Lily was a bit frustrated. And this time it wasn't just how James liked everyone but Slytherins, but also with Lysander. She hated to admit it, but his gentleman tendencies were really getting on her nerves. Through the entire break, he refused to kiss her longer than a few seconds. When she had called him out on it, he claimed that he didn't think the men in her family would take to kindly to her and Lysander being attached at the lips. Lily had been skeptical, but after seeing her uncles' reactions to when Mitch simply kissed Dominique goodnight, she reluctantly agreed.

So now she was standing in the hall of the Ravenclaw Tower, waiting for Lysander to come out. She'd sent him a note at lunch telling him to meet her outside of his common room. She had a plan. She was getting a bit tired of never being alone with her boyfriend. Someone was always around. One of her friends, or other students, teachers, or sometimes one of his friends. It was never pleasant around one of his friends. They all glared at her. Well, Clayton never did, but Lily still felt a bit awkward about their kiss. She still felt like horrible whenever Lysander would comment on how he loves that his best friend likes his girlfriend. It made her stomach lurch.

But that was over now. She was going to be alone with him, and there wouldn't be an interruption. And there wouldn't be any reason for him to act so much like a gentleman. It would be just him, herself, and most definitely their lips.

The eagle door to the Ravenclaw common room opened, and Lily smiled when she saw Lysander's smiling face walking out. He looked casual, or as casual as Lysander got at school. He wore his button-up school shirt, and a pair of denim pants. Compared to Lily's outfit of a black and green skirt with a black band T-shirt, he looked out of place. But Lily liked that Lysander had his own choice of style . . . even if it was a bit stale.

"Hello," he greeted with a low murmur. "I was told that you and I had an urgent meeting?"

Lily giggled and took his hand. "Yep. Come on." She began to pull him along.

"Where are we going?" Lysander asked curiously.

"Shh," Lily hushed with another giggle. "It's a surprise." She pulled him down a couple of stairs, and then to an empty hallway. There were only a couple of doors down this corridor, and some were fake. But Lily placed her other hand on the wall, and ran it across the brick as she pulled Lysander along. Finally, after a couple of steps, Lily's hand sank into the wall. She looked at it. She still saw brick, but her hand was gone. "In here!" she urged.

"What the-," she heard him mutter as she pulled him through the brick illusion. They were now in a dim and short hideaway. There was no other way out than the way they came as far as Lily knew. And as far as she knew, not many other people knew about this little alcove.

She giggled when she saw his confused face. "It's a secret alcove," she explained. "I thought it would be the perfect place."

Lysander still looked confused. "Perfect place for what?" he asked quietly.

Lily grinned. "This," she whispered. Then without another word, Lily placed her hands on his cheeks, and pulled his face closer to her. She sought out his lips with her own, and kissed him passionately. Ever since that kiss with Clayton, Lily had been trying to create that passion between her and Lysander. So far, it was a no go. But Lily was a firm believer that it was because they hardly kissed.

She could feel Lysander's surprise through his lips. His hands took hold of her arms as he pulled his lips away. "What are you doing?" he exclaimed quietly.

Lily raised a brow. "I'm kissing you?"

Lysander shifted on his feet. "Lily, we're in school. Anyone could walk by," he told her.

Lily rolled her eyes. "No one can see us. And who cares if we're at school," she replied coyly. She reached up and kissed him again, moving one of her hands to rest on his shoulders.

But he pulled away again. "But what if we get caught? Teachers and prefects patrol these halls too," he rationalized.

"Not for a couple of hours still. Curfew isn't for a few hours yet," Lily retorted. "Now would you just kiss me?"

"I just don't think it's appropriate," Lysander argued.

Lily almost began to glare at him. "When is it appropriate, Lysander? When I'm married?"

He groaned. "That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?" Lily demanded. "I mean, it's not right when we're around family. Understandable. But it's not right around friends, it's not right when we're alone in my room for a couple of minutes at home, and now it's not right when we're in a place that no one will find us? Tell me, Ly, when am I allowed to kiss my boyfriend?"

Lysander closed his eyes and dropped his head back to lean against the wall. "It's not proper," he mumbled.

"Who gives a fuck?" Lily retorted, really just wanting to throw 'proper' out of the freaking window!

Lysander pulled his head up and looked at her. "I do," he replied. "Excuse me for wanting to be respectful to my girlfriend."

"We aren't living in the Dark Ages!" Lily exclaimed. "A quick snog isn't a sin! And how is it not respectful to me when I'm the one starting it?" Lily was tired of backing down from this argument. She was tired of not kissing her boyfriend. And mostly, she was tired of him treating her like she was some perfect little saint. She wasn't perfect nor a saint, and she happily accepted that.

Lysander ran a hand through his hair. It flopped back down onto his head, but it did curl a little. "You make it sound like I'm a bad guy," he muttered.

"Good!" Lily hissed. "Because I'm sure as hell not!"

"So I'm a bad guy for treating you right?" he snapped.

"I don't want to be treated like a freaking princess!" Lily seethed.

"What's wrong with being treated like that?" Lysander demanded.

"Because I have enough people to treat me like that! You never used to be like that! You were sweet, but you weren't . . . you weren't boring!" Lily retorted.

"So I'm boring?"

"At the moment, yeah!"

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"Because I thought you were at least somewhat attracted to me physically. Sorry if I was wrong!"

"I am attracted to you! But if I'm so 'boring' then why date me at all?"

"Because I like you! And the few times you allowed us to kiss, I liked it!" Lily yelled back at him.

"Well I liked it too!" Lysander exclaimed angrily.

"Then why won't you ever kiss me?" Lily demanded.

"Because it's intimidating!" Lysander retorted.

They both grew silent. Lysander's cheeks were turning a rapid pink. Lily blushed a little herself. "Intimidating?" Lily whispered. "What are you talking about? I'm intimidating?"

Lysander slid down the wall, resting his head on the bricks behind him. "You've had other boyfriends," he replied quietly as Lily moved to sit next to him. "You've kissed other guys. With me, you're the only girl I've ever kissed. I don't want to seem like an idiot."

Lily stared at him, not sure what to say. He was scared? To kiss her? "Lysander, you don't have to be an expert kisser. None of the boys I've been with have been so far. They were normal. And I haven't done much more than kiss. I mean, I guess Xavier and I snogged once or twice, but since we were thirteen, it wasn't much to brag about," she said softly.

Lysander sighed as he ran a hand through his hair once more. He glanced over at her. "Lily, . . . ," he trailed off, like he didn't know what to say.

Lily felt a bit of a chill, like instinct was telling her that she _didn't_ want to hear what he wanted to say. So she leaned forward and kissed him, taking it slow. She didn't want him to pull back again. But he didn't this time. Instead he kissed her back, placing a hand in her hair, the other on her arm, just below her shoulder. His lips were soft, as always, and didn't seem like they were pulling away any time soon. Assuming that she'd have to be the one to take lead, she gently pulled his bottom lip between her teeth, and nipping at it lightly. She felt his lips part, and then felt his tongue brush gently against hers. Lily almost giggled as a thought crossed her mind.

After this, she would let him know that he wasn't at all a bad kisser.

* * *

Weeks later, Lily found that the workload was just beginning for the fourth years. Each teacher seemed to be placing more and more homework on them. She never seemed to have much time, not with Quidditch practices, lessons with Slughorn, classes, and homework. She rarely had free time. And it was a bit disappointing. Just as Lysander finally begins to show a little courage, they have no time to be together. She always had something to do, and when she didn't, he had Quidditch or Apparation lessons. And those lessons took a few of her other friends away as well.

Lily sighed as she sat on one of the couches in the Slytherin common room. She was sitting with the other fourth years, and they were all trying to finish their homework together.

"Fuck my life!" Mitch groaned loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. He plopped down into the armchair to the left of Lily.

"What's wrong, Mitchie?" Lily asked, yet not looking away from her Transfiguration book.

"Will is bailing on us," he moaned.

"On what?" Lola asked.

"He's quitting the band," Mitch told them.

Now Lily was a bit interested. Will was their singer. What would they do now? "Why is he quitting?"

"Well, he's graduating this year, and after Hogwarts, he plans on working with his dad, so he's quitting now," Mitch explained. "And I can accept that, it just sucks! I mean, where are we going to find another singer?"

"Not here," Megan mumbled. "Anything else."

Lily rolled her eyes at Megan's response. "Just hold auditions or something. Ask someone that's a good singer."

Mitch sighed. "Yeah, that would probably work. I just don't want to have to listen to a bunch of crappy singers just to find a good one," he muttered.

"The price you pay when you're in a band," Lola grumbled. Lily had a feeling that she was still thinking about Rex. Lola had seemed better about the breakup, but she refused to sit anywhere near or around Rex. They always had to be at least three to four people between them.

"Just post a note on the bulletin board," Jace told him.

Mitch groaned as he got up from his seat. "Yeah, might as well." He glanced at the fourth years. "Any of you sing?" All he got was a bunch of 'no's. Lily remained silent, and Mitch must have noticed this. "Do you, Lily Lu?"

Lily shook her head. "Rarely, and not good enough to be in a band. Sorry," she told him.

Mitch nodded. "That's cool." He reached forward and ruffled her hair a little. Lily just waved his hand away. He laughed. "You know, you should join the crowd and streak that hair," he suggested.

Lily laughed too. She glanced over at him. "Sure, sure. But only if you convince Scorpius to cut down on practices a bit. I don't ever have time," she teased.

Mitch laughed loudly now. "I will, just you wait."

* * *

That was why days later, Lily was surprised to be sitting in the Prefect Bathroom with Lana, Scorpius, and Mitch.

"I can't believe you agreed to cut down practices," Lily muttered toward Scorpius.

Scorpius chuckled. "Well, when Mitch told me you would agree to streak your hair, how could I not?"

Lily reached over and punched his shoulder playfully. Lana intervened. "Ok, so are we just streaking it green?"

"That, and I think we should color her bangs," Scorpius suggested.

"What color?" Lana asked.

"Pink," Scorpius told her. "Adds a bit of difference."

"Let's try it!" Mitch cheered.

So Lily sat there while Lana worked over her hair. "Your mum is going to kill you," Lily told Scorpius.

Scorpius waved it off. "I'm sure she'll love it. She likes things like this. Thinks that it's a sign of a person's style. All she'll do is find clothing that matches it better. And if it's necessary, she'll probably just change it back for a short time," he told her. "She's had to do it before."

Lily sighed. Sadly, that sounded like Astoria. "Yeah, you're probably right."

"That's what she thought with my hair," he laughed.

"It was the rest of your family that hated it," Mitch joked.

"I wish I could have seen Lucius's face," Lana laughed lightly.

"It was amazing," Scorpius said with a sigh. "Maybe I should try dyeing it pitch black."

Mitch laughed. "You gotta take us to see Lucius when you do!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I think you look good with blonde hair," she told him. "And the green is a nice touch."

"Well I think you look stunning with red hair, green streaks, and pink bangs," he complimented with a bit of a teasing tone.

"You know, Lu, you should get another piercing," Mitch told her.

Lily carefully reached her hand up to touch the piercings in one of her ears. Two hoops and a stud. "I don't think I have any more room on my ear," she joked.

Mitch chuckled. "Not your ear. Maybe your lip, or . . . you could pierce your bellybutton!" he suggested excitedly.

Lily raised a brow. "My bellybutton?"

"Yeah! It's awesome, yet if your parents never see it, they'll never freak out," Mitch told her. "It's like a secret rebellion."

Lily thought about that. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad of an idea. Better than her lip. One wrong move, and she wouldn't put it past her dad to threaten to rip it out. Not that he ever would, but the threat made her queasy enough. But her bellybutton . . . why not?

"Sure," Lily agreed. "We can have it done over the summer."

"Bitchin'!" Mitch cheered.

"Why do you let him talk you into things?" Lana asked with a laugh.

Lily laughed too. "I don't know. I just don't fight it anymore."

Lana moved back a bit to look at Lily's hair. "Ok. Just one more thing." She picked up her wand and pointed it at Lily's hair. Lily then felt a gust of warmth air on her hair. "Once it's dry, the color will really come out," she explained.

"That pink does look really good," Mitch commented as Lana moved to the back of Lily's hair.

"I'm an expert when it comes to Princess," Scorpius joked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Arrogant much?"

"No more than usual," he laughed.

The air stopped blowing, and Lana moved back to the front of Lily. "Ok, now I'm going to do something to your hair quick. I promise you'll like it."

"What are you doing?" Lily asked as Lana took Lily's bangs into her hand.

"I'm going to part your hair, and then trim your bangs a little. I promise that it will look really good," Lana assured. She began to play with Lily's hair, moving it to and fro. And then Lily watched as Lana pointed her wand at her bangs, and trimmed some of them off. Lily didn't know how to feel. She hadn't cut her hair in a really long time. It was a bit long.

"Lana, would you mind cutting my hair a little? It is getting kind of long," Lily asked.

Lana smiled at her. "Of course. You want it a little below your shoulders?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Just as long as I can still put it up," Lily told her.

"You got it," Lana agreed. She went to the back of Lily's head, and for another long while, Lily sat there as Lana worked over her hair. Mitch and Scorpius had begun to talk about some subject that the girls couldn't actually hear. But when she was done, Lana stood up. "Ok, look in the mirror," she told Lily.

Lily stood up, her legs a little stiff from sitting so long. But she moved over to one of the mirrors in the large bathroom. She looked so different. It was . . . awesome! Her hair was obviously a bit shorter, but Lily liked it. Her bangs were a striking pink that swept across her forehead to stop just above her right eye. The color brought attention to her eyes, which seemed to look a lighter brown than before. The green in her hair was bright, contrasting with the natural red of her hair, and making it seem even more radical. The part in her hair looked better than how her hair had been before, bringing Lily to think that Lana was a genius with hair.

"You look awesome, Lu!" Mitch complimented.

"It's perfect," Lana agreed.

Lily glanced back at Scorpius, who was standing a bit further behind them all. "What do you think, Scor?"

Scorpius walked closer, and leaned against the sink she was next to. He reached out to touch her pink bangs, pushing them a little more to the right. He had a bit of a scowl on his face. Normally, Lily wouldn't have been sure what the scowl meant, but at the moment, all she could think of was how cute that scowl was on his face.

"It looks really good on you," he murmured.

Lily giggled quietly and shortly. "You make that sound like a bad thing."

He sighed, the scowl still present. "In a way, it is. I guess I didn't think this through when I suggested it."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked quietly. She didn't want to be overheard, but as if in a far-off distance, she could hear the door to the bathroom opening and closing. And then she could feel the heavy air that told her the truth. She was alone with Scorpius.

Scorpius shifted where he stood, which brought him closer to her. "I guess I didn't think how much attention it would attract. Another reason for idiot boys to stare."

Lily blushed a little, but she kept her voice steady. "Scorpius, I'm in dozens of fashion magazines. One in a bathing suit. They've been staring for a while now."

"Exactly. They don't need another excuse," he muttered.

Lily forced a laugh. "They would just stare at the pictures if they didn't stare directly at me."

"I'm going to have to start digging through boys' dorm rooms," he grumbled.

"You make such a big deal of this," Lily commented lightly. "Why does it matter if they stare? It's not as if they're actually touching me."

"I'd murder them," he growled lowly. Somehow, it had escaped Lily's notice that he'd moved even closer, leaving maybe a breath between their bodies. His arm was out, his hand on the wall next to the mirror. His head was bent, locking eyes with her.

"That's sweet, but there isn't a need," Lily told him. "I can take care of myself."

He smirked. "Well I don't doubt that one bit. I'd probably be doing it for my own satisfaction," he joked softly. "The rush of knowing I'm keeping sick minded boys away from you."

"What does that make you?" Lily teased.

"Knight in black armor?" he asked, raising a brow.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I think that fits. Even if it is unnecessary."

Scorpius chuckled. "Maybe it would be. But I'd rather someone do it. I know that Scamander won't do it."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"He's a wuss," he mumbled. "I'd like to be assured that someone will protect you, even if it's me."

"Lysander sticks up for me," Lily retorted calmly.

"He can't even defend you verbally," Scorpius muttered.

"How would you know?" Lily asked, her insides turning a little. "He's grown since Halloween last year."

"I've seen it in class. Albus badmouths you, and Lysander just ignores him. Maybe moves to sit a few seats farther away from him. It's me and a few Slytherins that are defending you," Scorpius told her. "If he can't say something to Potter, I doubt he can beat someone up."

Lily turned away from Scorpius, looking back at the mirror. As much as she hated it, that sounded like something Lysander would do. He was such a pacifist sometimes. He never fought, even when James used to put him in headlocks when they were little. He just took it and waited for James to let him go.

Lily felt Scorpius's hand touch her cheek as he turned her head to look back at him. Lily let him, not fighting it. Scorpius's scowl had dropped, and his expression was softer. But his stormy eyes were intense with something that Lily couldn't identify.

"I don't mean to upset you," he whispered. "I just don't want you to get hurt anymore."

"I don't get hurt," Lily muttered.

"Don't lie, Lily," he told her. "I know you do. I'm a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them."

"What do you care?" Lily grumbled, a bit of anger bubbling up in her now. But now she was also feeling a lump rising in her throat. She tried to push it down. She was not going to cry.

"I care about _you_," Scorpius told her bluntly. "And I hate it whenever hurt sets in your eyes. I hate seeing it."

Lily glanced over at the mirror, looking at her own eyes. She didn't see hurt. But she could tell that they were ready to turn watery. Because she knew he was right, and she hated that she couldn't hide it from him. "I have to go home. There's nothing I can do about that," she whispered.

The hand that was still on Lily's cheek moved a little, and Scorpius's thumb began to stroke the skin on her cheek. "I know. So the least I can do is to try and get those idiot Potters to shut their mouths," he murmured.

"Face it," Lily whispered a bit harshly, "they'll never accept me. Nothing anybody does is going to change that."

Scorpius didn't say anything. He dropped his hand from her cheek, but then pulled her into his chest, holding her in a tight hug. His arms were tight around her, and she felt one of his hands running through her hair as his breath fanned against the top of her head. Lily wrapped her arms around his middle, and rested her cheek on his chest.

And they stayed like that until the tears threatening to spill over disappeared.

* * *

"I cannot believe that you agreed to go on a date with Hunter," Megan said with a bit of laugh. The girls were all sitting in the fourth year boys' dorm room with Jace and Monty. Hunter and Christian were no where to be found, and Xavier was with his girlfriend, Manny. They were all discussing how Shannon had finally relented into going on a date with Hunter on the next Hogsmeade trip.

"Well, he's really sweet," Shannon told them. "And I just figured that I might as well give him a shot."

"Do you mind doubling with me and J.R.?" Izzy asked. For the past couple of weeks, Izzy had been dating a fourth year Hufflepuff, J.R. Cadwaller. The girls had met him, and he was actually pretty nice. But then again, most Hufflepuffs were.

Shannon smiled. "Sure. That actually sounds fun. I'm sure Hunter won't mind."

"What are you and Lysander doing, Lil?" Jace asked.

Lily shrugged as she picked up a thing of nail polish. "No idea yet. You?" Salazar, who was sitting on her shoulder, nuzzled against her neck. For a dragon, he turned out to be pretty cuddly. At least with Lily.

Jace shrugged. "Well, the rest of us single guys will probably hang out by ourselves. Me, Christian, and Monty here," he replied.

"Or, Megan," Monty addressed, "you and I could have a little one-on-one. You and I?"

"Drop dead," Megan muttered. "I'd rather die single."

Monty grinned at Jace. "I'm wearing her down."

"I think that means it's just you and me, Megan," Lola said with a sigh.

"Guys!" The door burst open and Christian ran in, holding a piece of paper. "Look!" He held it out for them all to see.

"_Hogwarts News Update:_

_After a bit of deliberation, Professor Longbottom and I have decided to open up the eyes of the students of Hogwarts. There's rarely a secret around this school, and rumors have a habit of flying. So we would like you students to get the real stories from your fellow students. And to do this, we've decided to open up a school paper, The Hogwarts Prophet, a name chosen by our staff. This paper's first issue will be delivered to you all this month. If any wish to be apart of this, please talk to me or Professor Longbottom. Thank you._

_Headmaster Brown."_

"Hogwarts is getting a newspaper?" Shannon questioned. "What gave them that idea?"

"Who cares?" Christian exclaimed. "The good part is that I get to be part of it!"

"Seriously?" Jace asked.

"Yeah! I get to be one of the reporters!" Christian cheered.

"Awesome," Lily told him as she painted her toenails a deep, yet sparkling, green.

"So, what do you report on?" Megan asked as she flipped through a magazine.

"I'm going to request that I cover Quidditch. I'd be good at it," he answered as he sat next to Lily on one of the beds. She must have been sitting on his.

"I'd say. You rarely shut up about the game," Lola replied as she wrote something down on the essay she was working on.

"You guys just seem so excited," Christian muttered, looking at his occupied friends.

"We're excited for you," Lily assured. "You just caught me at a time where I can't really jump up and down for you without getting nail polish everywhere."

"Want some help?" Christian teased.

Lily grinned at him, and then moved to rest her foot on his lap. "Sure. Go ahead," she said as she held out the tiny thing of polish.

Christian rolled his eyes, but Lily was pretty shocked when he took the polish, and adjusted her position so that he could paint over one of her toenails.

"You boys are so whipped," Megan said after watching their exchange.

* * *

Sure enough, days later, a large thing of newspapers had been placed next to the doors of the Great Hall. Lily had taken one, and was surprised to see the article from the new editor of the paper. Roxanne Weasley! Lily walked to the Slytherin table quickly, careful not to jostle Salazar, who was sitting on her shoulder again, and sat down so she could read the paper. Basically, it was all about the different reporters and the different articles that they would be placing there every week. But Roxanne was the editor? Since when was Roxanne a writer?

"I can't believe our cousin was this stupid!" Lily jumped, and looked up from the _Hogwarts Prophet_ to see Dominique sitting in front of her. Mitch was nowhere in sight. Just her. She was glaring at the paper Lily was holding.

Lily looked at Dominique with confusion. "What are you doing over here?" she demanded.

"Oh, drop it," Dominique snapped. Lily gave her a surprised look. "Can you believe Roxanne? Is she an idiot?"

"What are you talking about? I mean, I never knew that Roxanne liked to write or liked being a reporter, but if this is what she wants, then what's the problem?" Lily asked.

"Think of all the things she can put in there about us?" Dominique said like it was obvious. "I mean, she spends holidays with us! She knows what goes on around us!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I forgot how much of a drama queen you could be," she muttered.

"Bite it," Dominique retorted. "Aren't you the least bit upset?"

"I don't really care," Lily told her.

"You don't think she won't write something about you?" Dominique questioned.

"Why should she write about me? We don't talk, argue, or fight. We simply ignore each other," Lily told her.

"Well sitting on the other side of the hall, I've learned that she's no fonder of you than Queen Rose," Dominique muttered.

Lily shrugged. "The only time Rose and I speak is when she butts her nose into my conversations," she replied tore off a bit of her toast and held it out to Salazar. He grabbed it quickly, his teeth not even touching Lily's fingers, and began to chomp it down.

Dominique narrowed her eyes at the little dragon. "I don't see how you like that thing," she grumbled.

"Unlike you, he's adorable," Lily retorted with a sarcastic smile.

Dominique gave her the same smile. "Maybe it's because you're both alike. Bitchy."

Lily almost laughed. "Are you still angry that he snapped at you last week?" Lily remembered that day easily. Mitch had brought Dominique to the common room, and Dominique had reached out to flick Lily when Salazar reared his head back and snapped his teeth at her, almost catching her finger. Lily had laughed so hard she'd almost cried.

Dominique glared at the little dragon. "I couldn't care less about the bloodthirsty thing. I'm just surprised that they let you keep it here."

"He doesn't cause trouble, and he either sits on my shoulder or sleeps in my lap or bag. No really cares," Lily told her.

"The thing is hideous," Dominique muttered.

Salazar hissed at her, making Lily laughed. "You tell her, boy," she joked. She looked at her cousin. "Wanna hold him?"

"I'd rather puke in my shoes first," Dominique scathed with a bit of a disgusted look at the dragon.

Lily held her hand up to Salazar, and he crawled onto her palm, nuzzling her thumb. "If you say so." Carefully, she rubbed her thumb over his head like a caress.

* * *

"And Higgs makes another goal, making the score a hundred and seventy to a hundred and fifty, Slytherin in the lead!" Peakes commented.

It was finally the game between Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Lily had to admit that Ravenclaw was putting up a good fight, but Slytherin was doing better than they had the last game. Scorpius had really bought Lance a new broom, bringing him up to speed with the rest of the team. Their offensive was killer now. Too bad Ravenclaw had a wicked defense.

"And Goldstein tosses it to Belby, who swerves past Higgs to head for the goal!" Peakes cheered happily.

Lily tuned out the comments of the game, and focused on finding the Snitch. Mark Kimball was circling the pitch, searching as well. This was his last year in Hogwarts, and rumor had it that he planned to go out 'beating the Slytherin bitch'. Now he had a black eye from where Scorpius punched him after hearing that. But Lily still didn't trust Kimball. He'd shown to be a dick in other games. So she just wanted to end this game quickly. She didn't want to give him time to do something to get her hurt.

Lily began circling the pitch as well, flying higher than Kimball. She didn't want to pass him. Knowing him, he'd try to shove her off of her broom. She wanted to find the Snitch, but she did need to let Slytherin get a big enough lead. After the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff match months ago, Ravenclaw took the lead for the Quidditch Cup from Slytherin. And frankly, they wanted it back.

"And it seems as if there's not even the slightest sing of the Snitch anywhere for our Seekers," Peakes announced. "I get the feeling that this match will be a long one."

And long it was. Hours later, there had still been no sight of the Snitch, and the score was only two hundred and seventy to a hundred and ten, Slytherin's lead. On the bright side, Lars and Tanner were on the top of their game, taking out one of the Chasers, Hayden Stretton. It was a bit of a satisfaction to see Stretton fall after how much of a dick he was when Lysander introduced them. But then she kept her mind on the game. Lorcan and Lysander were doing great as well, and each of the players except for her and the Beaters had taken a hit from them. Lance's nose was still bleeding slightly from the hit he took.

"And Belby makes the shot! This brings Ravenclaw to two hundred and twenty points, only five goals behind Slytherin!" Peakes commentated.

Lily's eyes darted back and forth and side to side around the pitch. She had to find that Snitch before Ravenclaw got any more points. She glanced at the other players, and watched briefly as Scorpius caught the Quaffle and shot off toward the goals. He was so fast on his broom. None of the Ravenclaw Chasers were even close to catching him. Lorcan hit a Bludger, but it shot right over Scorpius's head. She glanced back up at the sky with a blush. Her boyfriend was playing in this match! Did she have to choose to ogle her best friend instead? Lily shook the conflicting thoughts from her head, and went back to looking for the elusive Snitch.

Suddenly, a glint of gold shone in Lily's eyes, almost blinding her. She turned her head quickly in the direction, and she saw it. The tiny, far away, golden ball, its wings fluttering. It was hovering just over the stands. What made her sick was that it was over what must have been the entire Gryffindor house. Lily gulped down her courage and shot off through the air, speeding toward the gold and red crowd.

"And Potter's shooting across the field like a comet! I think she's seen the Snitch!" Peakes said excitedly.

Boos issued immediately from the Gryffindors at the comment, and they escalated when Lily got nearer. But she reached out her hand, which brushed over some of their hair as she flew over them. Then she felt the cool metal of the Snitch against her palm.

* * *

Lily took a longer time in the shower than usual. The game had ended perfectly for Slytherin. Lily had caught the Snitch, not too much surprise of course. But it was after the game that had Lily in need for a hot shower to relax her muscles. Oh, how she wished she hadn't stayed on the field to celebrate with the others on the team.

_Lily landed on the ground, practically jumping from her broom, Snitch held high in her hand. She'd won the game, and she hadn't sustained an injury. It had to be a record for her. Lately, she seemed to always take a hit during a Quidditch match. The guys all gathered around her, cheering loudly. Like usual, she was placed on someone's shoulders. It was Dante's this time. She laughed as they began to cheer and sing. Lily noticed that the Ravenclaw team began to land, most looking defeated. Lorcan looked a bit upset, but not very angry. Kimball looked livid._

"_I swear, I'm going to get you this year, bitch!" Kimball exclaimed toward her, his voice lost to the crowd that was still cheering. But it wasn't lost to either one of the teams._

"_Mark!" Lorcan warned._

_Lily was put down, and the guys all moved closer to where the Ravenclaw team stood. Scorpius led them, and got in Kimball's face. "Take it back, Kimball," he growled a warning._

"_We got no problem kicking your ass in front of this crowd," Dante told him lowly._

"_Fucking make me," Kimball retorted. "The bitch needs to be taught a lesson."_

"_In the locker room, _now_, Mark!" Lorcan yelled. People began to get quiet. They had noticed the fight._

_Kimball stepped closer to Scorpius. "And I'll go through you to get to her, Malfoy. I'm not afraid of you." Any other time, that would have been comical to Lily. Kimball was nowhere near the size of Scorpius. But now, she was frozen where she stood, unable to feel anything. Her eyes were locked on the figure of Lysander, who was standing near his brother, not saying a word, but just looking at the ground. Like it was growing before his eyes._

"_Try it and I'll kill you!" Scorpius snarled._

_A whistle shrieked above them. "Back away from each other!" Madam Hooch called._

Lily sighed as the water ran across her skin. Where had Lysander's voice gone? Was Scorpius right? Was he so . . . so weak that he couldn't even verbally stick up for her? His brother had to do it for him? The thought honestly made Lily a little angry. Was she not worth protecting in his mind?

A bit forcefully, Lily turned the knobs of the shower, quickly cutting off the water. She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her. She moved to one of the benches near the hamper and sat down. She was defending their relationship, why wasn't he? And if someone said something bad about him, she'd stick up for him. Why wasn't he? The questions repeated in Lily's mind over and over again, never leaving her alone. She took her time drying off and getting dressed. She was sure that the guys had already gotten dressed and left, but when she stepped into the locker room, Scorpius and Lance were sitting on a bench, dressed and nicely showered. Lance was holding a tissue to his nose. How long was that going to bleed?

"What are you guys still doing here?" Lily asked. She threw some of her gear into her locker, and pulled out her shoes before shutting it.

"Well, we all decided that someone needed to make sure you were ok, so I said I would do it. And Lance said that he wanted to stay too," Scorpius told her.

"I wanted to make sure you were ok," Lance said with a bit of a slur.

Lily walked over to him and pulled the tissue away from his face. His nose was still gushing blood. Lily was surprised that they hadn't taken him out of the game. "Looks like you should have gone to the Hospital Wing," Lily told him. It didn't look broken or anything. It looked perfect except for the blood rushing out of it. She picked up her bag and found a small bag of WWW products. She grabbed a Nosebleed Nougat, and tore off the good half. She handed it to him. "Here, this should help it."

Lance took it, and popped it into his mouth. Lily watched as he chewed and then gulped it down. The blood stopped immediately. Lance used the tissue to clean off the remaining blood. "Thanks," he said with a cough. It looked like some of the blood had gotten in his mouth.

"You're welcome," she sighed. She slipped her shoes on, not bothering to untie and then retie them. She picked up her bag and broom and looked at the boys. "Ready to go?"

Both boys stood up automatically, and they all walked out of the locker room. "You wanna talk about it, Lil?" Lance asked as they walked toward the castle. It was past dusk, almost dark out.

Lily shook her head. "No, not really. Thanks for staying though," she told him with a bit of a smile. "I appreciate it."

Lance blushed a little, but with a casual look that she could tell was forced, he looked forward. "It was no problem. Anytime."

Scorpius smirked toward Lily. "Talk about a real knight in shining armor," he joked quietly to her.

* * *

Lily didn't talk to Lysander for days after the game. Part of her was still angry with him for not defending her, and another part of her was unsure of how he felt about her. She began getting notes sent to her from across the Great Hall, she could see him trying to catch her in the halls, but she would quickly step into her class or into the bathroom. But she knew that she couldn't avoid him forever. She just couldn't choose when she wanted to talk to him. She had the feeling that her temper would flare, and she would begin to yell when they did finally talk.

"How long is this going to go on?" Lola asked. She and Lily had been walking to Transfiguration when Lily caught sight of Lysander just ahead. And it looked as if she'd caught his eye too. So Lily took Lola's arm and dragged her into the closest girls' bathroom.

Lily sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror. "I don't know. I'm still not sure what to say to him," she replied.

"The truth. That you're mad at him," Lola told her as she fixed her lip gloss.

Lily began fixing her hair a little. "If I did that, I'd probably end up yelling."

"You know, this may just be an observation, but it seems like you and Lysander aren't the best couple anymore," Lola mentioned. "I mean, you two have been fighting and disagreeing, you talk about how much his hesitance irritates you, and, no offense, but you've cheated on him physically with Clayton, and emotionally with Scorpius. Maybe you should just give it up."

"I'm not going to break his heart just because of that. All couples fight, and nobody is perfect," Lily muttered.

"What about the cheating part?"

"All accidents. Clayton and I both admitted that, and I can't help my feelings. But I ignore them," Lily told her.

"Yeah, that's why you and Scorpius are always having intense moments," Lola retorted.

"Shut it," Lily told her defensively.

Lola seemed to take no offense. "Besides, you're fourteen. Remember what you told me after Rex and I broke up? First relationships don't last. And when it comes to romance, Lysander is your first. You and Xavier was really just an attraction."

Lily bit her lip as she looked at her reflection. She was beginning to admit to herself now that she was very pretty, although she still didn't see how she appealed to such a large amount of boys. But there really wasn't a flaw on her face. But her eyes looked worried, and she hated that look on herself. "I know that. They don't all last, but . . . ,"

"But you're using Lysander as a safety blanket. If you have a boyfriend, you think you can stop yourself from chasing after Scorpius, and thus possibly ruining your friendship with him," Lola said, getting it reason right on the nose.

Lily sighed again, sometimes hating how smart her friend could be. But . . . was it bad that she was kind of right? Lily did like Lysander, but . . . it felt like things were different between them. Lysander really wasn't the 'prince' she thought he was. Not really the _guy_ she thought he was. He wasn't . . . strong enough for her. He just wasn't brave enough. But were those really deal breakers with her? Were they reasons to break up with a guy? And if they were, was she really just using him to keep herself away from Scorpius?

"I don't want to hurt him," Lily whispered.

"Understandable. But what if you keep going on the way you two have been, and you end up kissing another guy again? And what if Lysander finds out? Wouldn't that hurt him more?" Lola questioned.

Lily sucked in a breath. She let it out with a sigh. "I guess I'm just a selfish person."

Lola glanced over at her. "Why do you say that?"

Lily looked down on the sink. "Because I'm more concerned about what will hurt me."


	43. Lily Luna, and Nothing More

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's another quick update. I actually had to cut this one in half. Too much drama for one chapter, but I'm sure you guys would have wanted it like that. But I cut the party out for the next chapter. I hope to finish that part completely, and get it out to you all soon. For now, enjoy this update, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Three: Lily Luna, and Nothing More

Lily sighed as she watched the match of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Izzy had been dragged to the game by JR, so she dragged the other girls. Thankfully for JR, once the other boys heard they were going to the game, they tagged along. Christian had to go regardless, because he had gotten to cover the game for the Hogwarts paper. The paper was turning out to be a success in gossip. People were actually excited to see what would be in their first _real_ issue, which was coming out the first week of March, which meant in just a couple of days.

Lily was actually thankful that Albus caught the Snitch, ending the game. Gryffindor won with three hundred and sixty, while Hufflepuff had a hundred and ninety. JR was the only one in the group disappointed.

"Hey, I told Josh that I would wait for him by the entrance to the pitch. Coming?" JR asked the rest of them. Izzy was the only one that was really enthusiastic about the idea, but the others agreed. Christian was writing away in some little notepad he brought with him. So the group walked down the stands, and moved to the entrance to the pitch, waiting for Josh Finch-Fletchley. Lily stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. The sun was shining brightly and hotly, but the wind in the air made her shiver.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Lily tensed slightly at that voice. They all turned to see Paige Wilde standing there with a few other Gryffindors fourth years. Lily immediately turned to the offense.

"I don't remember this being a Slytherin match," Paige said with a bit of tension in her own voice. Her hair had been cut short, a little shorter than when she'd had to cut it last year because of her fight with Lily.

"They're with me," JR told her casually. His arm was thrown around Izzy. "They came with Izzy."

"I forgot you were dating _her_," Paige said, giving Izzy a small glare.

"Is that a problem?" Lily demanded, glaring at Paige with distrust.

Paige glared fully at Lily. "Nice hair, Potter," she mocked.

"Don't call me that!" Lily hissed with fury.

Paige raised a brow. "What? Isn't that your name, _Potter_?"

"You say that one more time and I'll make sure that you forget _your_ name!" Lily seethed.

"What's going on here?"

They all turned to see Hugo walking out of the pitch. He was wearing a bit of a thick maroon sweater, obviously one that grandmum made for him, and his broom was in his hand. He didn't look hostile when he noticed the group of Slytherins, which surprised Lily. Was he really over his hatred toward her?

Paige smiled when Hugo approached. "Nothing, babe. But when a group of snakes get together, it's hard to trust them." She wrapped her arms around one of Hugo's when he was close enough. Lily tried not to puke. Was Hugo really that dumb?

Hugo glanced over at them. "Well, I doubt they're planning on anything diabolical," he said quietly. Then he nodded toward JR. "Hey, Jay. How's it going?"

"Not bad. Good game," JR told him.

"I thought so," Hugo said with a grin.

Paige bounced on her toes. "So did I!" She reached up to kiss him on the cheek. He was the tallest fourth year there, and almost a head taller than Paige.

"I don't like the air here. Let's go," Logan Murdock muttered with disdain as he looked at the Slytherins.

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, sure." Without another word, the Gryffindors turned and began to walk away. But Hugo was the only one to glance back.

Lily felt an odd feeling in her chest. "Hey, Hugo!" she called.

All of the Gryffindors tensed at her voice. Except for Hugo, who only turned his head to look back at her. "Yeah?"

Lily took in a quick gulp, and forced a bit of a grin. "Nice job out there. I didn't think you were going to catch that one Fleet threw at ya," she complimented, wanting to prove to him that she really had been watching, and really had thought it was a good game.

Hugo gave her a weird and small grin that Lily was sure mirrored her own. "Thanks, Lil. Good luck on your next match."

Lily nodded once, and Hugo turned back around, leading his group toward the castle. That feeling in Lily's chest beat against her heart. Was it hope? Maybe . . . maybe she _would_ get her old best friend back.

* * *

Lily tried not to fall asleep as she and Jace sat at one of the tables in Divination class. They chose one by the window, and Lily had raced to take the chair next to the window. Jace had muttered curses while he sat on the one closer to the rest of the class.

They were learning about dream interpretations. It was fitting, seeing as how half of the class was asleep, including Jace as usual. Lily was looking out the window, and every so often doodling something on the parchment in front of her. Thankfully this was her last class for the day. After this she could go off and eat dinner, go to the common room and finish up a bit of homework, go to Slughorn's office and have their usual lesson, and then go back to the common room to sleep. It sounded like a lot, but Lily enjoyed that part of her routine.

"Now, I want you all to practice!" Trelawney told them with her 'mystic' voice.

Lily sighed as she shoved Jace's shoulder, slightly waking him. He blinked a bit before his eyes settled to being half open. "What are we doing?" he mumbled.

"Practice dream interpretations," Lily said with a sigh.

"Well I had a wet dream last night, so let's interpret yours," Jace countered. He rested his head on his arms, which were crossed on the table.

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I don't even remember what I dreamed about last night."

"Oh, well that simply means that you will soon lose all of your memories, and will go on to live life with amnesia," Jace mocked.

Lily laughed quietly. "And your dream means that you get laid very soon," she joked.

"Sweet," he mumbled, closing his eyes completely. "I thought it meant I'll be doomed to a life where I can only dream of women," he joked.

For the rest of the class, the two discussed the possible interpretations of wet dreams, keeping themselves very entertained, and laughing throughout the rest of the class time, and getting a few disapproving looks from Trelawney. But they didn't really care. They were soon hurrying out of the classroom and down the stairs to the Great Hall.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a hippogriff," Jace mumbled.

"Too chewy for me," Lily retorted with a sigh as they walked down the last staircase before they reached the Entrance Hall.

"I always thought they'd be tough meat," Jace told her with a joking grin.

"It's not at all like chicken," she teased back as they stepped inside the Great Hall. The smell of dinner made Lily's stomach growl. She was pretty hungry as well.

"Hey, guys," Lola greeted as they moved to sit next to her and the others. "How was Divination?"

"We interpreted wet dreams," Lily said with a laugh.

"Damn, why didn't I take that class?" Monty said jokingly.

"Yeah. We've decided that I'm going to die due to an amazing orgasm one day," Jace joked.

"How the hell can you interpret that?" Lola asked curiously.

They both shrugged. "No idea," Lily told her. "We weren't listening."

"Can't blame us. Trelawney's a freaking loon!" Jace replied.

"What you get for trying to just take easy classes," Lola retorted with a proud grin.

"Some of us have better things to do than study," Jace defended as he made his plate.

"You don't even know how to study," Lola mocked.

"I know how to have fun, unlike some," Jace quipped.

"At least I know how to have fun and stay smart," Lola argued.

"And yet you can't wash your hair?" Jace said with a glare. They both became quiet as they glared at each other.

"You know, now that her hair is just blonde, it's hard to joke about what it used to be like," Hunter commented.

"I don't think that matters to them," Lily said with a sigh.

"They'll use anything they can against each other," Shannon agreed.

"Be excited," Christian stated as he came to sit by them.

"For what?" Megan asked dryly.

"The _Hogwarts Prophet_'s first real issue is coming out tomorrow," Christian said with excitement. And I was able to cover _two_ games in my column!"

"How exciting for you," Shannon said with a smile at him.

"Nice job, dude," Xavier said with a grin of his own.

"Yeah. And your cousin, Roxanne, she's pretty cool," Christian told Lily.

Lily swallowed the bite she was eating. "Yeah, she was when we were kids. Don't be surprised when I say that we don't talk much these days," she mocked lightly.

"She side with your family?" Lola asked.

"More or less. She sided with her brother, and Fred had sided with James at that time," Lily answered. "And I rarely speak to Fred. Maybe a 'good morning' when we're at home."

"Speaking of talking to people," Lola addressed, "have you talked to Lysander yet?"

Lily swallowed thickly, but this time she'd hadn't been eating anything. "No," she muttered.

"How long are you going to avoid him?" Shannon asked.

"You might as well dump him," Megan added.

"He probably thinks you will," Monty told her.

Lily glanced at him sharply. "Why do you say that?"

"That's how I'd feel if my girlfriend kept avoiding me for over two weeks," Monty replied.

Lily sighed as she pushed around the food on her plate. "I don't know what to do. Maybe I should break up with him."

"You should," Lola said bluntly. "You can't keep hiding behind him."

"I'm not hiding behind him," Lily muttered defensively.

"What have we said about lying to each other?" Lola said in a singsong tone.

"Bite me," Lily said with a glare.

"You should go talk to him," Shannon urged. "At least tell him what's up. Let him know you're mad. It can't be good on your relationship to keep it all inside."

"Not that you have the greatest relationship anyways," Megan said with honestly.

Lily hated that tone sometimes. "Go fall in a well," she muttered at Megan. She looked over at the Ravenclaw table, spotting the Scamander twins with ease. They were surrounded by what must have been a large group of friends. Lily's eyes locked on Lysander and the girl next to him.

"What a whore," Megan commented, obviously looking the same place that Lily was.

The girl was twirling a piece of her hair with one hand, and with the other she kept brushing Lysander's arm or shoulder, touching him in some way. If Lily was honest, she was type of girl that her father never wanted her to be. Lysander didn't seem to be paying much attention to her, focusing on what Lorcan was saying. But Lily still felt a little irritated. Not in a jealousy sort of way, but in that this was another way he couldn't defend their relationship. He couldn't even fend off another girl? Then guilt crashed into Lily. That thought had come from a girl who cheated on him.

Lily stood up from the table, startling the others. "What are you doing?" Izzy asked.

Lily grabbed her bag and put it over her shoulder. "I'm going to talk to him," she answered. She took her time as she made her way away from the Slytherin table and toward the Ravenclaw table. She gained quite a few looks from people as she walked along the Ravenclaw table. But Lily noticed that unlike in the past, these looks weren't hostile. There were a few that were a bit tense, but the majority looked at her with curious stares, and some girls looked at her with admiration, while some boys were obviously looking her over. Lily ignored it as she stopped to the side of where Lorcan and Lysander were sitting. Lily didn't have to say anything, because their friends' curious looks had the twins looking behind them.

Lorcan grinned. "Hey, Lily! What's up?"

Lily forced a smile at Lorcan. "Hey, Lorcan. I just came to talk to your brother," Lily said with confidence.

Lysander quickly stood up, indirectly brushing off the girl next to him. He grabbed his own bag and looked at her expectantly. "Lead the way," he said politely.

Lily nodded. She looked at Lorcan. "Later, Lorcan."

He nodded. "We'll have to go for a fly sometime."

Lily smiled genuinely this time. "You bet. Later." Then with one more look at Lysander, she walked away, footsteps and eyes following her. She and Lysander left the Great Hall, and Lily continued down to the dungeons. She stopped at the door to one of the empty classroom, and brought Lysander inside. She closed the door behind them, and dropped her bag.

"Look, Ly, I-,"

Lysander cut her off by placing his lips over hers, effectively shutting her up with a kiss. Lily was too shocked to respond at first, but she finally gained enough thought to push him away gently. "What are you doing?" she whispered.

Lysander's breathing was a little erratic, but Lily had the feeling that it had nothing to do with the kiss. "I'm sorry for whatever I did. If was being too much of a gentleman again, I'm sorry," he rambled.

Lily shook her head. "Ly, don't."

"I really am, Lil," he insisted.

"You don't even know why I'm mad! How can you be sorry?" Lily demanded. Lysander was quiet, so Lily continued. "What happened to you during our match?"

Lysander looked at her with a bit of confusion. "Nothing? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing?" Lily questioned. "Then when Mark Kimball called me a bitch, and threatened to attack me, where were you? Why was it your brother and my team that came to my defense and not my boyfriend?"

Lysander looked at the floor. "It was a team matter. Lorcan's the captain, it was his place to handle that."

"You're my boyfriend! It's your place to defend me!" Lily exclaimed. "I'm not saying you need to beat the hell out of someone, but you could at least stick up for me!" Lily felt it happening inside her stomach. She was getting worked up. "And from what I hear, that's not the first time you've avoided defending me! According to Scorpius, you shy away from sticking up for me quite often!"

"Why do you always take Malfoy's word?" Lysander demanded with a surprising bit of force. Enough that it surprised Lily.

But she wasn't backing down. "He's never lied to me before, why now? And don't say his name like it's a curse! At least he defends me!"

"Well maybe I'm tired of my girlfriend hanging around another guy," Lysander defended.

"Coming from the guy that let's some blonde hang all over him," Lily hissed.

"I'm not spending nights with her at her house, or going off on vacations with her, or hanging out in the Prefect bathroom alone with her!" Lysander argued.

"How the hell did you know we were in there?" Lily demanded.

"I heard from Dominique who was told by Mitch," Lysander retorted.

"Did she tell you that we were dyeing my hair? And then he was telling me how you don't defend your girlfriend!" Lily seethed.

"Well did he tell you he keeps pictures from your magazines in his bag?" Lysander muttered angrily. "His bag split open in class one day and he had like three of them."

"Yeah, I know he does!" Lily snarled. "Like a friend, he supports my work."

"And you believed that?"

"Yeah, I did!"

"Sorry. I just thought you were smarter than that."

"So I'm an idiot now?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Yes you did!" Lily argued. "I'm not smart enough to know when someone's telling me the truth."

"I just don't trust Malfoy!" Lysander retorted.

"I'd trust him with my life!" Lily hissed. "You're starting to sound like both Potters!"

"You're a Potter, Lily!"

"That may be my last name, but I am _not_ a Potter!"

"Yes you are!"

"I'm not a saint! I don't pretend to be one like both Potters! I'm ok with not being perfect! And I'm sorry if you can't see that."

"You are perfect to me!"

"Oh, get off it!" Lily exclaimed. "You're just like my dad. You're trying to get me to act like some good girl. Like the way I act isn't really me! Too bad! It is me!"

"You are a good girl!" he argued.

Lily clenched her teeth. She'd had it. "Yeah, because good girls beat up other people, they manipulate people, and they . . . ," Lily stopped herself. She'd almost admitted to kissing Clayton. She wasn't crossing that line.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Lysander pointed out.

"They aren't mistakes!" Lily yelled. "I did those things because I wanted to! I attacked Paige Wilde because I wanted to. I manipulated the Gryffindors this year because I wanted to. I didn't do those things on accident! I knew what I was doing!"

Lysander didn't reply at first. Then calmly, he spoke. "What happened to you, Lily?"

Lily glared at him. "Nothing. I've been like this since before we dated," she hissed. "Just like you've always been a coward."

Then she left the room, not looking back at him.

* * *

Weeks later, Lily hadn't even attempted to talk to Lysander, nor had she attempted to see things through his eyes. She wasn't wrong. If he was going to listen to his dumb friends, then she wasn't going to feel bad for his stupidity.

"Thank Merlin, it's almost Easter break," Jace said with a sigh as they all sat at the table for breakfast. "I need the break."

"Don't be stupid. You know they're going to swamp us with homework," Lola told him.

"Let me dream," Jace retorted. "Nowadays I have to interpret dreams, so I'd like to have one where I don't have to."

Owls began to fill the ceiling of the Great Hall as they all came to deliver the mail for students. Lily was a bit surprised to see on of the school's owls land on the table in front of her. And she was more surprised to see roses in its claws. Lily took them carefully, and the owl flew off.

"Who are they from?" Shannon asked.

Lily pulled a card off of one of the stems. A single name was written on the outside. _Lysander_. Lily dropped the flowers on the table, not even bothering to read the card. "Lysander," she muttered.

"What an ass," Megan replied. "Does he really think this makes up for what he said to you?"

Izzy picked up the card and read it. "He says he wants to apologize."

"No, he just doesn't want to fight. Like always," Lily growled.

"He is a coward, huh?" Lola asked.'

"He can't even handle a verbal fight," Lily said scathingly.

"So, does this mean that you two are over?" Shannon asked.

Lily waited for that heavy feeling to rest in her stomach, but it never did. All the sympathy and guilt she had previously held for Lysander was gone. But she knew that she still couldn't hurt him. "I don't know," Lily sighed. "I think I might cool off first. You know, before I make a decision like that."

"Just cut the cord," Megan told her. "It'll be less painful for both of you."

"I get the feeling that ideal won't apply to Lysander," Lily whispered. She glanced over at the roses. She hated the flower, just like she hated lilies. Back when she and Rose were little, they both decided that they would never date a guy that brought them flowers based off their names. It was stupid, and they had been maybe six and seven, if even that. But now, eight years later, Lily found the gesture sweet, no matter what the flower. It was just the reason behind the gesture that she didn't like. She didn't look at the Ravenclaw table, because she knew that Lysander was probably looking at her, watching her reaction to his gift. And she knew, just knew, that her indifference hurt him.

How many times was she going to hurt him?

* * *

April came quickly, and it started to pass just as fast. Lola had been right. The teachers pounded the kids with homework just before break, insuring that they would have no time for fun on their break. Lily had no time at all for anything. Scorpius had added on more Quidditch practices to prepare for their last match of the season, and Slughorn was giving Lily more difficult potions in their lessons. And he also had given her another difficult potion book, occupying Lily's time as she read and practiced each one on her own time. She still hadn't talked to Lysander, and had taken to avoiding him again. She was still waiting to cool off. Too bad it was taking forever for her to be calm.

But once the break ended, things surprisingly got easier. Once the routine was back, the kids weren't cramming to get their homework done. They could go back to their old pace. And once the time for a Hogsmeade visit came, they all decided to go together. Xavier and Izzy were bringing Manny and JR, adding a bit of more to the group. Lily refrained from inviting Lysander.

"I'm so glad to be away from Hogwarts right now," Jace muttered as he held his butterbeer. The group had decided to go to Hog's Head, not wanting to be around the large crowd in the Three Broomsticks. They were content with the normal crowd in the less popular Hog's Head.

"Tell me about it," JR said in agreement. "I'm exhausted."

"Lily!"

Lily's eyes widened at the sound of that very familiar voice. She turned her head toward the door to see Astoria Malfoy walking toward them with a bright smile.

"Isn't that Scorpius's mum?" Christian questioned.

"Yeah, it is," Lola told him.

"What's she doing here?" Shannon questioned.

Lily stood up from her seat, and was swept into a hug when Astoria reached her. "It's so good to see you, Lily! I love your hair!" Astoria complimented after she pulled away from the hug.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, thanks. And not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Astoria laughed lightly. "I was looking for you. I wanted to know what you would think of doing a quick photo shoot?"

Lily looked at her with a bit of surprise. "Today?"

"If you don't mind. I talked with Professor Brown, and he thought it was perfectly fine," Astoria assured.

Lily shrugged. "Um, sure. Why not."

"Wait. You're going to model now?" Megan asked. "Can we watch?"

Lily looked at them behind her, and they all looked oddly eager. "It's not much to watch."

"Of course," Astoria told them. "Now, I was thinking by the lake, and in the common room, if that's ok?"

"Sure," Lily told her. "What am I wearing?"

Later, Lily wished she hadn't agreed to it. She was sitting by the lake in a black halter top, her hair up, streaks and bangs still colored, and dark jeans with black shoes, and of course a tiny bit of makeup. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was that somehow, word had quickly gotten around Hogsmeade about the shoot, and the area was surrounded with kids that wanted to see it all happen. It was more annoying than embarrassing.

"Hey, Lily," Scorpius greeted as he broke through the ranks of the crowd to stand by her. "I see my mum found ya."

Lily laughed. "Yeah, she did. You come to watch too?"

Now he laughed. "No, I came to wish you luck pleasing everyone. And to tell you that you look lovely."

"Why thank you," Lily said as she sat on the ground. Scorpius sat next to her. "I'm just waiting for your mum now."

"She's talking with Professor Brown. They were talking about other possible places to take pictures," Scorpius teased.

"Nice to know that he supports my work as well," Lily said as she shook her head.

"I'm a bit surprised that my mum chose today. I thought she was just going to wait until we got back for the summer," Scorpius said as he laid back on the grass.

"So did I. But why argue?" Lily sighed.

Soon Astoria and Professor Brown were breaking through the crowd, a camera in Astoria's hands. "Are you ready, Lily?"

Scorpius quickly moved out of camera range, and Lily sighed again as she stayed sitting. "Yeah. Let's do this."

For what seemed like the entire day, Lily had a crowd following her. Astoria had her take pictures in her common room, near the lake, in the headmaster's office, and in one of the classrooms. A different outfit for each location. And even after Astoria had finished with pictures, the crowd seemed to linger. Before leaving, Astoria handed her a small pouch of money.

"Here's your reward for helping," she teased. "No arguments. And there is also the money from the last magazine you were in over Christmas. I sent you a copy right?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I got one."

"That one turned out really well, and apparently that interview was a big hit," Astoria told her. "A very popular issue." Astoria sighed. "Well, thank you so much for this. Sorry if I ruined your day."

Lily had just waved it off. "Nah. We didn't have much planned. And besides, I think this just made everyone's day."

For both the magazine and the photos, Lily had made quite a bit of money. More than usual. She just hid it in her trunk, planning to leave it there until she could deposit it into Gringotts. There was talk all around her for the rest of the day about the shoot. Boys talked about her, and girls talked about the clothes she got to wear and keep. Lily really just wanted to escape it all, but sadly, she got hungry, and her friends dragged her to eat in the Great Hall.

"I don't see why we can't eat in the kitchens," Lily protested as they walked through the dungeons.

"I'm supposed to meet Manny, and she's eating with us," Xavier told her.

"Then why can't I eat in the kitchens?" Lily demanded.

"Just don't let the stares bug you," Megan told her. "Besides, this will be one of the first times that the looks are good."

"Because that makes it so much better," Lily muttered.

The group stepped into the Entrance Hall, and began to make their way to the Great Hall. Too bad they didn't get that far.

"Enjoying the popularity, _Potter_?"

Lily stopped walking, and turned to see Paige Wilde coming toward them with the other fourth year Gryffindor girls. Paige and Julie McLaggen were the only two that seem hostile. Connie Wood and Stacy Finnigan seemed unsure how to look, and Hannah Bella didn't look at her. Lily remembered Marley asking for an autograph for her sister.

"Do not call me that," Lily stated firmly, trying to keep calm. All the looks, even if they were good, had made her edgy. And still cooling down from her fight with Lysander, she was ready to explode.

"And here I thought you were just trying to get your family's attention, but it looks like you want all the attention," Paige mocked.

"I don't give a damn what my family thinks," Lily hissed. "And I don't give a damn what you think."

"Come on, Lily," Lola urged, grabbing her friend's wrist.

"Yeah, that's why you're suddenly talking to Hugo," Paige retorted. Now she really glared. "I don't know what you're planning to do to him, but just stay away from him. He's on a good path, and he doesn't need you messing that up."

Now Lily's anger was splashing around in her stomach. "Hugo is _my_ cousin! If I want to talk to him, then I will. Besides, my bet is that you barely really _know_ Hugo!"

"I know him a lot more than you do!" Paige argued. "I've been the one to stand by him since first year. He was right to drop you."

"Hugo never dropped me," Lily snarled. "We both ignored each other. Get your facts right."

"I don't want you around my boyfriend."

"Well I don't want you around my cousin, but that's not my choice. It's Hugo's. He has his own opinions," Lily growled.

Paige got closer to Lily, close enough for Lily to grab and shake her. But that was just an observation Lily made. "Stay away from him, Potter!" she spat out.

Lily glared harder and took a step closer. "If you call me that one more time, I'm going to make sure that you never do it again," Lily warned.

"Lily," her friends all warned in unison.

"I'm warning you, _Potter_, if you -,"

Lily interrupted her. "You're such a tramp, you know that," she threw out quickly. Paige stopped talking, looking surprised and offended. But Lily continued, waiting for Wilde to snap. "Merlin knows what disease you could end up giving my cousin."

Then it happened. Paige shoved her. And although Lily could feel that Paige used all her strength, Lily hardly moved. Lily pulled her fist back and smashed it into Paige's jaw. Paige stumbled back onto her ass, holding her cheek painfully.

"Don't make me hit you again," Lily said lowly. Her anger was still moving through her, making her want to jump the girl. But she didn't. Hitting her again would just get her into more trouble.

Paige glared at her, and kicked her foot toward Lily's leg. Lily pulled her leg up, dodging the kick, and then stomped down on Paige's leg. She let out a pained cry.

"What is going on here?" a voice boomed, and Professor Longbottom broke through the ranks. Immediately, voices began telling the story.

"Paige started it."

"She kept egging Lily on!"

"She took the first hit."

"Tried to shove Lily."

"Lily was only defending herself."

"Silence!" Professor Longbottom demanded. Everyone grew silent, and more people became attracted to the scene. He looked at Lily and Paige, then he looked over at Paige's friends. "Girls, what happened?"

"Potter began saying a lot of terrible things about Paige," McLaggen said quickly.

Longbottom glanced at Lily, but then looked back at the girls. "Miss Bella, is that true?"

Hannah Bella looked surprised to be in the spotlight. She began to fidget where she stood. She looked down at Paige, and then looked at Lily. Lily looked back at Hannah, not looking expectant or anything. She just looked at her, wondering what she would say.

"Paige started it, sir," Hannah told him. "She was mean to Lily first, and she hit Lily first. Lily really was only defending herself."

"What?" Paige exclaimed as Julie helped her up.

"Thank you, Miss Bella," Longbottom told her with a smile. He looked at the crowd. "Mr. Fleet, Mr. Inglebee, please take Miss Wilde to the headmaster's office."

Two older prefects came out of the crowd and began to lead Paige off. How long had they been there? Or were they the ones that told Longbottom of the fight?

Professor Longbottom looked at Lily. "Miss Potter, come with me?"

Lily sucked in a breath as the crowd began to disperse, and Professor Longbottom began to walk toward the door leading outside. She followed him without a word. Once they were outside, Lily shivered, but she heard Professor Longbottom muttering something, and then felt a warmth wash over her. He glanced back at her with a smile, and Lily noticed the wand in his hand.

Lily knew where he was leading her immediately. The greenhouses. And sure enough, the greenhouses were in sight. He took her to one that only seventh years entered, and closed the door behind Lily. She watched as he put on a thick jacket and gloves. He grabbed a few tools and began to walk over to one of the plants in the middle table. And he began to trim things from the stem, stroking the head of the plant as he did. Lily was sure that the plant was purring.

"What did you need, Professor?" Lily asked quietly.

"Do you know what this is, Lily?" Longbottom asked suddenly.

Lily shook her head. "No, sir. I don't."

"It's a very fascinating plant. It's called a Fanged Geranium. They can be nasty plants, dangerous, unless you know how to take care of them. Such as when you need to clip some of the overgrown leaves or thorns, they can be very defensive. But if you calm them and stroke their heads sweetly, they become little sweethearts," he told her.

Lily sighed. "Are you comparing me to a plant, Professor?"

Longbottom laughed. "I've been trying to for a long time now, but I don't think it works." He put down the shears. "Here, come with me." He led her to the back and opened another door. It was an office. He began taking off the jacket and gloves. "Sit down, Lily."

Lily sat down in a chair, and waited until he sat down behind the desk in front of her. "What am I doing here, sir?"

"Can we speak plainly, Lily, uncle to niece?" Longbottom asked.

Lily nodded. "Sure. What am I doing here, Uncle Neville?"

Neville sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "Lily, I'm not going to lecture you on fighting, me and your father and uncle Ron used to get into fights all the time the Slytherins of the past. That's not why you're here," he said delicately.

"Then what?" Lily demanded, trying to keep polite.

"I worry about you, Lily. More so than your brothers," Neville told her. "And not because you're a girl."

"You should worry about them," Lily said tersely. "I have stable friends, good grades, and a steady job. They have a life made up of pride and made up popularity. Their lives are much more fragile."

"Lily," Neville sighed, "I have been friends with your family since I was eleven. I've been through the bad with them, and trust me, everyone has an age where anger is unavoidable."

"This was avoidable!" Lily snapped. "If Wilde could have kept her mouth shut and comments to herself, then this wouldn't have happened!"

Neville watched her as she tried to calm. "Lily, you've grown so much as a person. I still remember going to St. Mungo's to see you after you were born. When I got there, your parents were discussing what should be your middle name while you slept. They knew your name would be Lily since they found out that Ginny was pregnant. The first girl they had would be named Lily. But they weren't sure about a middle name. But, anyways, everyone was trying to pitch names when suddenly Luna walked in. We hadn't expected her. She was off on an expedition with Rolf. When we saw her entered, a lot of people said her name in surprised. Then your mum began to smile. She looked at your father and said 'Lily Luna Potter. It's perfect.' Your father looked at you, and smile. He said 'Lily Luna Potter. I liked it. The perfect name for the perfect little girl.'"

Lily raised a brow. "Why are you telling me this, Neville?"

He smiled at her. "I'm telling you this because after your father said that, you woke up. And as you grew up, whenever your father would say your full name, you would smile or giggle. You loved it. But I get the feeling that you are no longer proud of your name." His smile disappeared into a somber look.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek as she looked down at his desk. "What if I'm not?"

"What's changed, Lily?"

"Nothing has changed," she muttered. "I'm just tired to being called Potter."

"What's wrong with that? It's part of your name."

"I am not a Potter," Lily argued. "I know how James and Albus are. And if that's what Potters do, then I want no part of it."

"Your brothers do not make the Potter name," Neville told her. "Your name is associated with bravery, trust, and many other good things. Things you have."

"Why does everyone want me to conform to the Potter name? Why tie me down with it? Isn't it good to know that I can make something of myself without my father's name?" Lily demanded.

"I've never doubted that you could," Neville argued calmly. "But that doesn't mean that you have to hate your name."

"I like Lily Luna," she retorted.

"No matter what you want, you are still a Potter," Neville told her. "You are your father's daughter."

"If I was like dad, I would have such a double standard," Lily disagreed. "And I would probably believe everything James and Albus said."

"Lily,-,"

"No," Lily cut him off. "I am a different person from them. And I'm not a newborn anymore. Everyone sees the Potter family as a bunch of saints, when in reality, they are just like everyone else. And I refuse to live in that fake world of perfection. I'm happy with being imperfect."

Neville looked at her sadly. "Lily," he whispered.

"May I go, sir?" Lily requested, looking dully at him.

Neville sighed. "Of course, Lily Luna."

Lily got up from her seat. "Thank you, sir."

* * *

Lily searched for the Snitch from high above the other players. It was their last match of the season, against Hufflepuff. April had left, but the aftermath of her talk wit Professor Longbottom was lingering. For instance, she was never called Potter, not even by teachers. They simply called her Lily, and a few took to calling her 'Miss Luna', ignoring her last name completely. Not even Peakes said her name when she introduced the Slytherin team at the beginning of the match.

The _Hogwarts Prophet_ for the month of May told all about Lily's photo shoot, and of course the fight with Paige. Lily was starting to feel some of that annoyance that Dominique had felt at the news of the paper.

"And Malfoy scores, making the score three hundred and ten to a hundred and sixty, Slytherin in the lead," Peakes announced.

Slytherin had been pounding Hufflepuff since the beginning of the game. It was no contest really. Lily just wanted to find the Snitch and be done with it. She was mentally worn out, and she just wanted to be done with this year.

"And Macmillan passes the ball, but it's intercepted by Higgs, who tosses it to Nott, who flies past the opposing team and makes his way to the goals. He fakes a shot, passes it to Malfoy, who scores again! Ten more points to Slytherin!"

Lily circled around the pitch, carefully watching out for the glint of gold. Lily heard a whistle of air, and quickly ducked her head. A Bludger blew by just above her. Lily felt her heart pound, and then felt a fluttery, feather-like feeling against her ear. Lily brushed her hand back to knock the feeling away when she felt metal. Lily quickly spun her head around to see that she had knocked away the Snitch. Quickly, her arm shot out, catching the Snitch in her hand.

"And Lily's got the Snitch! Slytherin wins!" Peakes cheered.

* * *

Lily laid on her bed, not wanting to move at all. She was so tired, and all she wanted to do was never move again. It was almost the end of May, which meant that exams would be coming with the month of June. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had quite a serious match a week before. They were at a near tie, with Gryffindor in the lead with one score. Albus had caught the Snitch, resulting in the win of the game. But Slytherin still one the Quidditch Cup, crushing the other teams in overall points.

"Hey, Lily," Lola walked in, sitting on her friend's bed, "Lysander's outside the common room. He says he won't leave until you come out to talk to him."

Lily groaned into her pillow. "Why now?" she mumbled.

"You should just go out there," Lola told her. "Get it over with."

Lily groaned as she rolled over and got off her bed. "I guess. Thanks for the message," she said quietly. She walked out of the dorm room and down to the common room. When the wall moved aside to let her out, Lily saw Lysander leaning against the wall, another bouquet of roses in his hands. When he saw her, he quickly held them out to her.

"I'm sorry for losing it like I did," he said quickly.

Lily took the flowers. "Ly,-,"

"Wait," Lysander interrupted her. "Let' me say this first." He took in a deep breath. "I shouldn't have blown up like that. Scorpius is a good guy, and I'm glad that you have someone that will stick up for you when I don't know how to handle things. It was just that, after you started avoiding me, my friends kept telling me things, and it kind of stuck with me. But I shouldn't have let them get to me, and I should have taken your word. I'm sorry."

Lily felt like a weight dropped from her shoulders. "It's ok, Lysander. I shouldn't have gotten so upset with you. I shouldn't try to force you to be a fighter when you're not," she apologized.

"It's ok. I just don't want you to be mad at me. I care about you too much," Lysander murmured.

Lily gulped. Another weight dropped on her. How could she do or say anything to hurt him now? How could she 'get it over with' now?

So Lily moved forward and hugged him. "I know," she whispered. "I know."

* * *

June came, and N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s started. It would only be days before Lily and her friends took their exams. But now she was focused on the fact that her lessons with Slughorn would be coming to an end until the summer.

"I have one last test for you," Slughorn told her when she entered his room.

"Let me guess, I'm taking a test that no fourth year takes?" Lily questioned.

Slughorn laughed. "Yes, exactly. This is will be much more difficult than the O.W.L. test was, but similar. Written test and then a practical exam. Are you ready?"

For the next couple of hours, Lily went through a grueling test. But she had no doubts on what test it was. It was a N.E.W.T. test. It was too difficult to be something sixth years take. But as she went through it, Lily found that it was something she could do, even if it was difficult. She didn't voice her knowledge of what the test was to Slughorn. She would let him think he had fooled her.

"Thank you for you time, Lily," Slughorn told her as he gave her a small bottle of the potion she had just made.

"It's no trouble, sir. I love this subject," Lily replied.

"I'm glad to hear that, but it does remind me of some bad news I have to tell you," Slughorn said with a bit of a frown.

Lily looked at him in confusion as she sat down on his couch. "What it is, sir?"

"Well, it's just that this will be the last lesson we have together outside of classes," Slughorn told her.

Lily looked at him with surprise. "What? Why, sir? There's still so much!"

"Not that I can teach you," Slughorn told her. "Lily, you have been able to things I couldn't dream of doing at your age. And you do things so perfectly that I couldn't do perfect now. There's nothing more that I can teach you. Now, I plan to continue to help your education on the subject of potions. Other books I find, readings, and such. But there's really nothing more left that I know of to teach you," he explained.

Lily sighed. She had noticed a lull in his teachings. But could she really have surpassed him? She doubted that. "Sir, there must be something."

"Lily, you are the brightest witch I have ever met," Slughorn told her. "You may not believe it, but you are. Only a very gifted girl could get an O on an O.W.L. at thirteen."

Lily sighed. "It's sad to think that I won't have to come back to this office, though," she murmured.

"Well, Lily, you are always welcome here. If you need help or a place to escape, you're welcome to come here," Slughorn assured.

Lily smiled at her favorite teacher. "Be ready. I might take you up on that."

"I'll wait for that time with a smile," Slughorn said jovially.

* * *

The fourth year exams were a cinch for Lily. She got through them easily, helping her friends study before the time for each test.

"I would never pass if it weren't for you, Lil," Jace said with a grin.

"That's going to kick you in the ass when it comes times for O.W.L.s," Lola said with a grin of her own. "I can't wait to see a test kill you."

"I can't wait to see _you_ fail," Jace muttered.

"Good news, guys!" Lana exclaimed as she moved to sit down the fourth years.

Lily looked at her curiously. "It's nice to know that someone has good news amidst all these test."

"Slytherin party in the Forbidden Forest," Lana told them. It's just near the opening of the forest, a harmless part, yet far enough in to not be seen."

"You know it's safe?" Shannon asked.

"Totally. Hagrid told the sixth years in his class that. Lars and Mitch said it was perfect for a party," Lana assured.

"When is it?" Lily asked

"June 13. The day after the fifth and seventh years get done with their tests. Only bring people from other Houses that you know you can trust not to rat us out," Lana warned.

"Sounds awesome already," Jace said with a sigh of relief.

The rest of the next two weeks was pure excitement for the Slytherins. The common room was buzzing with news of their party. The sixth years were apparently taking time to set up the part of the forest for an awesome party. Xavier was bringing Manny, and Izzy was bringing JR.

Lily was now waiting by the lake for Lysander, planning to invite him to the party as well.

"Hey there," Lysander greeted with a smile. He dropped down onto the ground to sit next to her.

She smiled at him too, although hers probably wasn't as natural as his. "Hey. How were your exams?"

He shrugged. "Not too bad. Yours?"

"Easy," she said with a nod.

Lysander took her hand. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I wanted to see if you would like to go to a party with me?" Lily asked.

Lysander's face turned hesitant. "I don't know. A party? That's not really my scene."

Lily shrugged. "It's ok if you don't want to go. I just thought I'd ask."

"What's the party for? A birthday?" he asked.

Lily almost laughed. Was he really that innocent of mind? "Now. It's a party to celebrate the end of exams. All of the Slytherins will be there."

Now he seemed tense. "I don't think I'd fit in."

Lily sighed as she laid back on the grass. "That's ok. I don't mind going with my friends."

"I'm sorry," he apologized, laying on the grass next to her.

"It's ok," she assured again. "I'll still have fun. Only it'll be with my friends."

"I hope you have fun," Lysander told her.

Too bad Lily had an odd feeling in her veins.


	44. A Life Changing Party

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Another update. And one that I'm sure everyone will be happy with. The end of a romance, and the beginnings of new ones. New facts come to light, and someone gives an apology. Read and enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Four: A Life Changing Party

Lily glanced over her exam results with only mild interest. Perfect scores, just like usual. Lily was starting to wonder if she was really her aunt Hermione's daughter instead of her mum's. Neither of her parents got grades like she did. Then again, there were too many qualities that were like her parents.

"I'm so excited!" Shannon gushed as the girls all sat around the common room. "Tomorrow night is going to be epic!"

It was true. Only one more day until the party, and everyone in Slytherin House was excited for it.

"Are you going with Hunter?" Izzy asked.

Shannon smiled shyly. "Yep."

"Of course she is. The real question is how far she'll let him go," Megan teased.

The other girls laughed, but Shannon threw one of the couch's pillows at Megan. "Shut up!" she giggled, her cheeks turning pink.

"Are you going with someone, Megan?" Lily asked, turning the spotlight onto her.

But Megan just grinned slyly. "No. Why tie myself to only one guy the whole night?" she joked. The other girls laughed again.

"Shannon's right. Tomorrow night is going to be epic," Lola said with a grin.

* * *

To no surprise, the girls were still in their dorm room when the party was about to start. They were still helping each other on what to wear. Lily had slipped on a red and black striped top that exposed both of her shoulders, black tights, and a short black, lacy skirt. She curled the ends of her hair, and put on a light bit of makeup. She chose her favorite lip gloss to wear. Bubblegum flavored.

"Should I wear the green top, or the blue?" Shannon asked as she held up the two tops. All the girls looked over at her.

"Is Hunter getting any further tonight?" Lily asked.

"No," Shannon answered immediately.

"Then the blue. It looks better on you anyways," Lily told her.

"If you're wearing that, then wear the last pair of jeans you had on. They'll look better," Lola told her.

It was another half hour before the girls were finally dressed, primped, and ready to be seen by the party. They were careful while sneaking out, knowing that the doors were unlocked, and that the Slytherin prefects were supposed to be patrolling the dungeons and first floors. The girls giggled as they half-ran across the grass toward the Forbidden Forest. Lana had given them very specific instructions on how to get there, not wanting them to end up in the wrong part of the forest.

"It's here," Lily told them when they reached the edge of the forest. "Here's the scorch mark the seventh years left."

"Then let's go!" Lola said in a hush voice of excitement. The girls rushed into the forest, and within the next couple of minutes, they could see the lights that signaled the party was on. Soon, they stepped into a large clearing. It _was_ perfect for a party. It was ringed with trees, blocking out the light for the school to see, yet had enough room to not be claustrophobic. Lights and candles were strung everywhere in the trees or floating in the air. The older students had really taken time with getting this party ready. A few chairs and a couch from the Slytherin common room were in the clearing, along with the couch from the Shrieking Shack, and two others she didn't recognize. There were three big tables, filled with food and drinks, some of which Lily was sure were spiked. From somewhere, music was playing loudly, and the middle of the clearing had been turned into a dance floor.

"Amazed?" the girls jumped, and turned to see Scorpius smirking at them, Justin and Lars by his side.

"How did you guys do all of this?" Lily asked.

"Well, some of the older students swiped a few couches and chairs from offices of past professors. I think one of them is Binns's," Scorpius told her.

"I'm going to find Hunter," Shannon told them, and soon the other girls had all dispersed, as had Justin and Lars, leaving Lily and Scorpius by themselves. There was a bit of an odd silence between them. A familiar heat and tension.

"So, where's Scamander?" Scorpius asked, clearing his throat.

"He's not coming," Lily said quietly. She knew he could hear her over the music.

"Does that bug you?" he asked.

Lily gulped. "No. Actually . . . it's kind of liberating."

Scorpius smirked again. "Good. Because tonight is all about fun," he murmured. He took her hand. "Come on. We'll get a drink, a bite to eat, and then we'll dance."

It wasn't long before Lily ended up on the dance floor, but it wasn't just Scorpius she danced with. She danced with the girls, was passed off from a few different boys, not that Lily really cared. She was having way too much fun to care. And besides, she always seemed to end up back in Scorpius's arms. And how could she ever worry in his arms? Especially when he was so warm that every time he held her waist or her hips, an incredible warmth wrapped around her like a thick and cozy blanket.

"You are quite the dancer," Scorpius murmured in her ear during their dance.

"Why thank you," Lily whispered back. "You sound surprised."

"I shouldn't be surprised by anything you do anymore, yet you always amaze me somehow," he said softly.

Lily turned and placed her hands on his shoulders, smiling coyly at him. "Can't say that I'm sorry about that," she teased.

He laughed quietly. "Neither can I," he whispered, his breath fanning against her ear. It almost made Lily shiver. But she wasn't at all cold. She licked her lips, tasting the zing of the spiked punch on her lips. The taste was intoxicating, relaxing her, and shattering and worries and problems she could have ever had.

"Wanna go sit down for a bit?" Lily questioned lightly, licking her lips once again.

Scorpius coughed lightly, but then he smirked. "Getting tired?"

Lily shook her head. "Not in the slightest," she told him.

Scorpius was quiet for a moment, but then nodded vigorously. "Sure. Come on." He kept a firm hold on her wrist as he led her through the dancing crowd and over to one of the couches, where they both sat down. Lily glanced at him as she made herself comfortable on the couch. Scorpius was turned toward her, his knee lightly brushing against hers, the denim on his jeans a bit rough. His arm laid on the top of the couch, and he was smirking. His hair was a nicely styled mess, like he'd just gotten out of bed. He wore a black muscle tee, and dark jeans. The shirt really showed off the size of his upper body. Lily could tell that he had at least a six-pack. His arms were thick with muscle, and the combination made Lily's stomach flutter.

Lily refocused, but then noticed that she wasn't the only one with wandering eyes. Scorpius's eyes were walking over her. It didn't make Lily blush or feel embarrassed like she thought she would be. It just made her feel warm and excited.

"Enjoying yourself?" she teased lightly.

Scorpius didn't look embarrassed about being caught either. He simply raised his eyes to hers, his smirk becoming even more smug. "Just as much as you are," he quipped. He looked over at the table, and then pulled his wand out of his pocket. He flicked his wand, and two cups began to float over to them, dodging moving bodies. He plucked one out of the air, and Lily took the other.

"I didn't know you could do wandless magic," Lily commented.

Scorpius shrugged as he took a drink. Then he sighed. "It's what we learned this year. I'm not very good with hexes and jinxes, but simple things like that are easy enough," he told her. Lily felt his hand start to play with her hair.

"That's still pretty impressive," Lily complimented. She took a drink from her own cup. That tangy kick was strong in this drink. It must have been 'freshly' spiked. But it was good. "Was the rest of your year just as simple?" she asked innocently.

"Easier than last year, but that's because there was no fear of O.W.L.s at the end of the year. Next year will be a different story," Scorpius answered. "And yours?"

"Teachers never let us forget that O.W.L. year is next year," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. "It's hard to imagine that I'll be a fifth year soon."

"Hard to imagine it's my last year next year," Scorpius replied.

"I know. It won't be the same without you around here," Lily sighed, resting her head against his arm. His finger kept twirling her hair.

"Only two years without me," he chuckled. "And I'll come see ya on your Hogsmeade visits."

"You better," she joked, shoving his other shoulder playfully.

Scorpius caught her wrist teasingly, but he didn't let it go. Not that his grip was rough or anything. "I will," he assured. "So don't be planning any dates." He took another drink before placing his cup on a nearby table.

"There's no one I'd rather go with," Lily murmured with a smile. She set her cup on the table as well.

Lily watched as Scorpius's stormy eyes seemed to darken slowly. Her heart began to pound as she noticed that he was leaning closer, his breathing getting warmer across her cheeks, her lips getting closer to her own.

His lips brushed against hers lightly as he spoke. "Good," he whispered.

Then his lips were truly against hers, and Lily felt like not only her lips, but as if her entire body had lit up on fire. Her veins tingled, sparks running across her skin, and passion pounding in her heart. It was like an instinct for her body to respond. She ran a hand through his hair, messing it even more. Her other hand rested on his shoulder. The muscle under her fingers was hard. She felt an arm wrap around her waist to rest on the small of her back, and a hand resting against her cheek. She felt his tongue swipe gently at her bottom lip, pleading for her to part her lips. She did, letting his tongue rub against her own. Then his tongue was retreating, and he was pulling her bottom lip between his teeth, nipping lightly. A moan escaped Lily's lips before she could stop it. Scorpius's hand slowly began to move up and down her side, his fingers pressing into her skin lightly as he did. It tickled, yet was soothing at the same time. It was addicting. It was more intoxicating than the taste of that punch.

The kiss ended, and Scorpius pulled away and looked straight into her own eyes. Then again, Lily didn't think that kiss covered it. It was too explosive to be called just a kiss.

She watched as he seemed to gulp. "Is it bad that I don't feel sorry for kissing you, even though you have a boyfriend?" Scorpius whispered.

Lily licked her lips, wanting to savor the taste of his lips on hers. "I think it's worse that I don't feel bad for kissing you even though I have a boyfriend." Lily took in a gulp of her own. "And I think it's even worse that I want to do it again."

"I knew you were smart," he murmured, and then his lips were on hers again. This kiss wasn't as . . . slow. It was faster, and much rougher. But it was just as passionate, and just as addictive. Now both of her hands were in his hair, and both of his hands had moved to her hips, gripping her firmly. He was leaning on her a bit, pressing his body against her while still sitting.

In the midst of this amazing snog, it hit Lily like a brick. This was what she'd been waiting for. That kiss that threw her off her axis. That passion that burned her entire body in an enticing heat. And she knew that this was what she and Scorpius were waiting for. The continuous warmth and tension between them. The intense air around them when together. This was it, and it was absolutely wonderful. Everything else just kind of melted away. There was nothing else going on in Lily's life but this snog, and she wanted it that way. Besides, what could be more perfect?

"Plan on breathing anytime soon?"

The two pulled away from each other, Lily regretting the decision, and saw Lana and Dante standing in front of them, both looking smug. "I can't wait to tell Mitch I won our bet," Lana laughed.

"Tell Mitch to shove it," Scorpius replied with a smirk of his own.

Lana winked at Lily. "Nice choice," she teased.

Lily giggled, and soon the rest of them were laughing as well. Scorpius pulled Lily up from the couch. "Come on. Let's dance, beautiful," he urged.

* * *

Lily had never had a better night in her life. She and Scorpius were in constant contact no matter what they were doing. Whether it was dancing, getting something to drink or eat, or snogging against a tree. Either way, Lily couldn't have been happier. She knew that she should have felt guilty. She still had a boyfriend, and Lysander was still . . . _into_ her. But she just couldn't feel guilt. Not when it was with Scorpius. But whichever Muggle said, "All good things come to an end," had it right.

Scorpius and her had been sitting in a chair, Lily in his lap. It wasn't her fault, he had pulled her there, and she just hadn't argued. They were talking with Lana, Dante, and Will, who were sitting on a couch next to them. Every other minute or so, Scorpius would nuzzle her neck, pressing his lips lightly on her skin. It made her shiver each time. But that was when the party came to a crashing halt.

"What is going on here?"

Music stopped, people froze, and Lily's eyes widened with shock. Everyone's faces turned to look at the entrance to the party. There, still in her uniforms, Head Girl badge on, stood Molly Weasley. _Shit_! Lily thought.

Molly seemed to sense that Lily was there too, because her eyes soon locked onto where Lily was sitting. "Lily Luna Potter! What on earth are you doing?" she screeched.

Lily stood up, standing her ground. "What are you doing here? I don't remember you being invited," she quipped. There were snickers around her.

Molly stomped over to where Lily was. "Are you really stupid enough to throw an unauthorized party?"

"Are you stupid enough to walk into a Slytherin party without a pack of lions with you? Snakes bite with pleasure," Lily taunted. "Especially scared little kittens."

"This party is over!" Molly called to all of them. "The staff is on their way now, no point trying to hide!"

"You better hide then," Lily told her. "You're still here without any back up."

"You aren't going to do anything," Molly said as she crossed her arms, her nose in the air like the pompous girl she was.

"Careful. A little rain and you might drown," Lily mocked. The Slytherins began to laugh. "And by the way, you might want to ask your friends to guard you so we don't jump you later. Oh!" Lily gasped. "I forgot! You don't have any friends. No one likes you! Not even Hufflepuffs!" The Slytherins roared.

Molly's face turned to a humiliated red. "At least when _my_ father hears of this mess, he can be proud of me. Unlike your father, who's never felt pride in you."

"Unlike you, I don't kiss my dad's ass. I'm not into incest," Lily said dryly. More laughter. It seemed that the louder the laughter got, the redder Molly's face got. Lily knew that she was being harsh, but Molly had ruined her perfect night. And she knew that she was going to have to deal with the consequences. And she just had a gut feeling that Lysander was going to know what she'd done.

"Everyone inside the castle now!" Everyone shook at the loud boom of Headmaster Brown's voice. Lily looked over at him. There wasn't really anger on his face. It was just stern. "Now! The staff will be leading you back, and I will be talking to you all in your common room. Anyone from other Houses, your Head of House will talk to you," he explained loudly. "Now move!"

One by one, the Slytherins and their guests filed out of the party's clearing. Lily felt a hand squeeze her wrist comfort, and recognized the warmth of Scorpius's skin.

* * *

The lecture the Slytherins received was a long one. They must have sat in their common room floor, since the couches and chair were still outside, for hours while Headmaster Brown talked and lectured, and Professor Slughorn looked at them all with disappointment. Then he sent them all to bed, walking out with Slughorn. Everyone was slow getting up, stiff from sitting during that lecture.

Lily stretched a little as she got up. She was so glad that there were no lessons tomorrow. Great date planning on the sixth years' part. But before Lily could move toward the girls' staircase, she locked eyes with Scorpius. As their friends all moved around them, they stood still in the middle of the crowd.

Lily bit her lip as she looked at him. Now that the party was over, the whole 'magic' of no worries or problems that had been there was gone. But that passion and intense heat still whirled around them, and in Lily's skin.

Scorpius reached out and brushed Lily's bangs away from her eyes. "Goodnight, beautiful," he murmured. But Lily could see that he felt the weight of their actions too. The night was over.

"Goodnight, Scorpius," she whispered. Then she turned and walked up the stairs.

* * *

Slytherins weren't happy the next morning. Not just that someone had crashed their party, but that someone had leaked it to the _Hogwarts Prophet_. Lily knew that she wanted to strangle someone when she saw it. At least when she saw the gossip column, whose headline said, _"Where Loyalties Lie."_

"_As we all know after reading our head column, the Slytherin party was _bust_! Haha, little joke there. But I think we all deserve to know what really happened. Because last night wasn't only a defeat for the party, but a humiliating defeat for MW, our own HG. After finding her cousin, LL, a Slytherin, at the party, she flipped to know that her family would take part in the party. LL was quick to berate and humiliate her own cousin. A payback for ruining her party. But that's not the only place where LL's loyalties fall. When she was found by our HG, she was wrapped in the arms and in the lap of SM. What a heartbreak to her actual boyfriend."_

"You're fucked," Jace said bluntly at breakfast after reading the column.

"Who writes this column?" Lily hissed.

"No idea," Christian told her honestly. "Only Roxy knows."

"She better hope I don't find out, because I'm going to freaking kill her!" Lily growled. Then she pushed aside her plate and dropped her head. "What am I going to tell Lysander? He was already hesitant about me and Scorpius being friends!"

"Can't imagine what he thinks of this?" Megan said dryly.

Lola patted Lily's shoulders. "Lily, . . . I think this is the end. You can't hang onto him. You need to just let him go," she told her.

"I just wish it wasn't because I cheated on him," Lily sighed.

"He doesn't have to know about Clayton," Lola whispered.

"It's not about me and Clayton. What happened between me and Clayton was nothing compared to what happened to me and Scorpius. And at least after what happened with Clayton I felt guilty. I can't even feel bad for snogging Scorpius," Lily groaned. "I'm a terrible girlfriend!"

"No. You're just a bad match for Lysander. Just like he's a bad match for you," Lola assured.

"Hey, Lil, look," Jace nudged her shoulder, and pointed over to the doors. Lily looked to see Lysander standing there, looking directly at her. Lily felt her heart pound with disappointment. This was going to hurt.

Lily stood up. "I'll see you guys later."

"Yeah, ok," Lola said.

"Later, Lil," Jace said with an encouraging smile.

Lily walked away, her stomach feeling twisted. The closer she got to Lysander, the more her heart seemed beat. A flower was in his hand. Oh Merlin!

"We need to talk, Ly," Lily said when she approached. She could have smacked her forehead. Of course they had to talk! That's why he was there.

But Lysander nodded. "I know."

Lily motioned for him to follow her, which he did. She led him down to the dungeons and away from the prying eyes. She took him to the same room where they'd had their fight. That seemed like such a long time ago.

Lysander immediately held out the rose. "Here. This is for you," he told her.

Lily took the flower, while trying not to roll her eyes. Only Lysander would give her a rose after she cheated on him. "It's pretty, Ly, but that's not important."

"Look, I know what happened," Lysander told her quickly. "And it's ok. I understand, and I forgive you."

Lily dropped the flower, and looked at him with major surprise. "You what?" she asked.

"I forgive you. It was an accident. I mean, you were kinda tipsy. Most of the kids at that party were. I understand that. You didn't mean for it to happen," Lysander assured.

Lily shook her head. "No, Ly, no. It wasn't an accident. And I wasn't even really tipsy. I have a better hold on alcohol than one cup of a spiked punch."

She saw him gulp. "Lily, what are you saying?"

Lily sighed. "I know I cheated on you, and I did it willingly and soberly. And the only thing I feel guilty or bad about is that I'm hurting you," she stated. "So, that's why I can't be your girlfriend anymore."

Lysander reached out to take her hand. "Lily, -"

Lily pulled away from him. "No, Lysander. If we stay together, I'll just hurt you again. And I know that I'll do it again." Lily ran a hand through her hair. "I just need to be single for a while."

Lysander scowled a little. "It really is Malfoy, isn't it?"

Lily shook her head. "I don't plan on running straight to Scorpius either. Rushing into any relationship is just going to end badly."

Lysander shrugged. "Then you and I can just take a break. Once you're ready, we can pick this back up," he told her.

But Lily shook her head. "No, Lysander. You're a great guy . . . but you're not the guy I want to be with. I don't . . . feel the way for you that you do for me," she murmured. "And I probably never will."

Lysander opened his mouth to stay something, but Lily turned her back and left the room now. If she hurt him now, he'd hurt a lot less later. And this way, she'd never hurt him again.

* * *

Lily sighed as she looked out the window of the Hogwarts Express. She was dreading the talk her parents were going to give her. The headmaster had sent letters home to the parents of all the kids at the party. Lily was sure that her parents would be less than pleased, and she was sure that someone would mention what happened with Scorpius.

Lily tried not to groan as she thought about Scorpius. Things were different with them now. Sure, they acted like nothing had happened . . . but those feelings were still stirring around them. Lily was afraid of what was going to happen. How was this going to affect their friendship?

"Quit thinking about it," Lola told her, tapping her on the knee. "Thinking about those boys will get you no where."

Lily sighed again. "How are you so smart?"

"You've been looking like that ever since you broke up with Lysander," Lola told her.

"And broke his little heart," Jace teased with a laugh.

"Shut it," both girls muttered. Lola smacked his shoulder, making him wince.

Lily ran her hand through her hair. "I just want to get home, face my parents, and start working again. Then I can forget all about it."

"Being busy does make it hard to think of past happenings," Lola said as she flipped through a magazine.

"Until you do a photo shoot at the Malfoy Manor and run into Scorpius," Jace commented. Lola stomped on his foot.

"Ignore him," Lola told her.

"Planned on it," Lily sighed.

Life was about to get much more complicated.

* * *

"What were you thinking, young lady?" Ginny scolded. "A party in the common room is understandable. We used to do it too. But having a party after hours and in the Forbidden Forest? Are you kids insane?"

Lily sighed as she tapped her fingers on the kitchen table. At least her parents didn't know about the alcohol in the drinks. And it seemed that what she'd done to Lysander was still unknown to them.

"We know it was wrong," Lily told her.

"Yet you still did it?" Harry demanded.

Lily sighed. "Yes I did."

"And what the hell did you do to your hair?" Harry exclaimed.

"Stay on subject, Harry," Ginny told him.

Harry nodded, his look still stern. "You have any idea how much trouble you are in?"

"Well, we were all forced to clean up the mess in the forest, were put to do odd and manual chores around the castle, and had multiple detentions at different times so that we couldn't talk to each other during. I'd say quite a bit," Lily said with a mocking grin.

"You're ground for at least a month," Harry told her.

"Does that include work?" Lily asked.

"No. I think a little work is what you need," Harry replied.

"That sounds fine," Lily said with a nod. She stood from her seat. "May I go now?"

"Almost," Ginny answered. She looked over at Harry. "But I want to talk to you alone first. Harry?"

Lily looked as confused as her dad did, but sadly, she didn't get to leave like he did. Once she and her mother were alone in the kitchen, her mum sat down in the chair next to her. Lily knew that some kind of talk was coming. "What's this about, Mum?"

"I know about you and Scorpius," Ginny told her.

Lily looked at her with surprise. "What?"

Ginny smiled. "Rose told me and Hermione. She was talking about Lorcan was consoling his brother about the break up."

Lily groaned, trying to resist the urge to run down the street and pummel her cousin. "So?"

"Well, how are you doing?"

Lily looked at her mother with a raised brow. "I cheat on him and you ask how _I'm_ doing?"

Ginny laughed. "Well, _you_ are my daughter. I'm not going to pass judgment on what you did. It's your business."

Lily pushed aside her bangs. "I'm fine, Mum. Actually, now that I ended things with Lysander, I feel much better. Now I can't hurt him."

The look on her mum's face was one that Lily didn't know how to describe. It was like she didn't believe her. "I guess," she murmured. Then she sighed. "Well, when will Scorpius be coming over?"

"He isn't," Lily told her.

"You aren't going to introduce him as your boyfriend?" Ginny asked.

Lily looked at the wood of the table. "He's not my boyfriend. We're not dating."

"Really? I must say, I'm a bit surprised," Ginny replied.

Lily glanced at her mother, and saw a surprised look. "Why is that?"

Ginny shrugged. "I just figured you would be by now. That's all."

Lily relaxed her shoulders. "Well, we're not. It's probably better that way."

Ginny nodded, and reached out to smooth down her daughter's hair. "I'm sure you're right, sweetheart."

* * *

Lily wiped down the counter of the Leaky Cauldron with a smile. It was her second day of working here. It was actually kind of easy. But it wasn't open yet, so all she had to do was clean the counter and set down the chairs.

"Lily, we have another new recruit," Hannah said with a laugh.

Lily giggled. "Really? Who?"

"Well, find out for yourself. He's coming in now," Hannah said, nodding toward the fireplace.

Lily turned to see a roaring green flame. She was a bit surprised to see Hugo walking out of it. And when he looked over at the counter, he seemed surprised to see her too.

"Good morning, Hugo," Hannah greeted.

"Morning," Hugo said with a sort of smile. He looked at Lily. "Morning, Lily."

"Morning, Hugo. I didn't know you were going to start working," Lily commented.

Hugo shrugged. "Same here. My parents forced me to get a job though. Said I needed a good work ethic," he scoffed.

Lily laughed. "Yeah, so do my parents now since they know about the party."

Hugo chuckled. "Yeah, I heard about that. I heard it was an awesome party."

Lily grinned. "Yeah, it was. Too bad you weren't there. You'll have to go to the next one." She moved to the tables and began to pull the chairs off the tops.

Hugo moved to help. "I heard about the break up with Lysander. Sorry it didn't work out."

Lily shook her head. "Don't be. I'm not." Lily hesitated before continuing. "You and Wilde still together?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. It's been four months now. How long did you and Ly last?"

Lily thought about it. "Almost a year actually." She laughed. "I can't believe we lasted that long."

"That's pretty good for being only fourteen," Hugo told her.

"I guess," Lily said with a shrug. "The last couple months were a bit . . . well we didn't see much of each other."

"Well, things happen," Hugo said with a sigh. "No one's to blame." He looked at her as he set a chair down on the floor. "Hey, Lil."

Lily looked at him as she moved to another table. "Yeah?"

Hugo leaned against the back of a chair. He seemed to be thinking about something, but then he spoke. "I'm sorry about the past four years. The fights, the hexes and words thrown at each other."

Lily pursed her lips as she put down a chair. "It's ok."

"That's not it," Hugo told her. "What I'm really sorry about is . . . I'm sorry for believing James and Albus about the whole 'evil Slytherin' thing. They were full of it and just being prejudice. I'm sorry for abandoning you for being a Slytherin," he apologized.

Lily sighed. "It's ok. I'm sorry for all the fighting. And I don't really hate Gryffindors. I just hate . . . ,"

"Gryffindors like James and Al?" Hugo guessed.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, which honestly seems like the majority of them."

"James has had a big influence on people in our House," Hugo agreed.

"Yeah, he's been using our dad's fame for all it's worth," Lily muttered.

"That's one way to put it," Hugo sighed.

Lily glanced at her cousin. "So, why are you suddenly agreeing with me about him?"

Hugo scratched at his short hair. "I guess that I'm just tired of all his crap. You were right. They do treat me like a dog. James spews about how good Gryffindors are supposed to be, but then he goes and sleeps with his brother's girlfriend," he replied.

"Oh, I remember that," Lily sighed. "I told Albus."

"Yeah. And then Al attacked _you_. He didn't even care that James did it. Wasn't even mad at him. He just let James talk him down. It was . . . unbelievable," Hugo told her. "I'm sick of watching James screw with people."

"That's understandable," Lily said with a dry laugh.

"You know he convinced Albus to have sex with a drunk girl in a closet?" Hugo told her.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "No way!" Was James really that low? And was Albus low enough to do it?

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. I don't take it out on Al that much. He was pretty smashed too, and the girl was . . . well she was a whore. She was a step away from stripping in front of the common room. But . . . still." Hugo seemed pretty disgusted.

"Albus is such a tool," Lily muttered.

"Yeah, everyone around James is. That's why I'm glad he's graduated," Hugo agreed.

"I think some Slytherin might throw another party for that," Lily joked.

"I gotta go to that one," Hugo laughed.

Lily smiled at her cousin. Then she held out her hand. "Friends again?"

Hugo took her hand with a smile of his own. "How about best friends instead?"

Lily grinned. "That sounds even better." She gave him a sly grin. "How long are you working today?"

"Until nine. You?"

"Same. You wanna come over afterwards?" Lily asked.

"James gunna be there?" Hugo asked.

Lily shrugged. "No idea, but we can give him hell if he is."

Hugo laughed. "Sounds awesome. I'm in."

"Hey, can I get a cup of coffee?" I gruff man asked as he came down the stairs.

Lily let go of Hugo's hand. "Of course, sir. Just one moment." She grinned at Hugo again. "And the work day begins."

* * *

"You two are a great team," Hannah told them as they started to close up the first floor of the inn.

"What can we say? We're awesome," Hugo joked.

"Well, you two deserve something to drink for you efforts. Here," Hannah set two butterbeers on the counter. "Before you go on home."

"Thanks," they both said. They sat on two stools, and opened the bottles.

"So, you two know what you wanna do after school?" Hannah asked curiously.

"No clue," Lily replied.

"Don't really care yet," Hugo added. "I'm staying away from Quidditch though."

Lily looked at him with a bit of surprise. "Really? That's a bit surprising. That's what you always talked about being before."

"Yeah, but now . . . I just rather do something else. Something more grounded I guess," Hugo told her. "And you?"

"Well, I could never do Quidditch. Too . . . expected," Lily said with a grin. "I might just stick with modeling for now, and figure the rest out later."

"Sounds reasonable. That's gotta pay good," Hugo commented.

"Very good," Lily said with a nod. "I have more money than I know what to do with."

"Well I'd never object to a gift," Hugo teased, making them all laugh. "But really, do you just save it?"

"Yeah, I made an account a while ago at Gringotts," Lily told him.

"I'm surprised my mum didn't tell me," Hugo sighed.

"She doesn't know," Lily told him.

"Your parents didn't tell my parents something?" Hugo asked with surprise.

Lily giggled. "My parents don't even know."

Hugo nodded. "Ah. Good idea. And thank you. My mum would have never shut up about how responsible you were being, and how I should be the same."

"She would have shut up about me after the party," Lily joked.

Hugo laughed. "Well, I'd have stopped listening by that point anyways." He took a big gulp of his butterbeer. "So, you ready for O.W.L.s this year, Lil?"

Lily shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Hannah began walking toward the kitchen. "I'll be back in a minute, you two."

Lily waited until she was gone. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course," Hugo assured.

"I took my potion O.W.L. back in third year. I just took my N.E.W.T. for it this month," she confided.

Hugo's eyes widened. "No way! How did you do?"

"I got an O on the O.W.L., and I'm sure that I did good on the N.E.W.T.," Lily told him.

Hugo chuckled as he shook his head. "I thought you were a wiz at potions, but I don't think that covers it." He took another drink. "So, I'm guessing you haven't told your parents?"

"Nope," Lily said, popping the 'p'. "I'm proud of it, and I wasn't going to give James the chance to ruin. And if I told my mum and dad, the whole family would know."

"You know, when they look at your O.W.L. scores at the end of fifth year, they'll probably notice Potions missing from the list," Hugo told her.

Lily sighed. She hadn't thought about that. "I'll figure that out when I get there."

"Sounds like a plan," Hugo chuckled. He threw his empty bottle in the nearby trash.

Lily did the same. "Yeah. Well, we better go. I've been grounded to the house, so they'll be wondering where I am."

"Am I still allowed over then?" Hugo asked.

Lily grinned. "I'm sure they'll make an exception." Lily pushed open the kitchen door. "See you tomorrow, Hannah!" she called.

"See you tomorrow, kids!" Hannah called back.

Lily let the door swing closed and looked at Hugo. "Let's do this."

They both Flooed to the Potter house, finding it quiet. It surprised Lily. Usually her brothers were making some kind of noise upstairs.

"Mum, Dad, I'm home!" Lily called.

"You're late!" her father yelled back.

Lily rolled her eyes at Hugo. "They're in the kitchen," Lily whispered. The two left the living room to meet her parents. Lily grinned. "Look who took a job at the Leaky Cauldron!" she joked.

Hugo smiled. "Hey, Uncle Harry, Aunt Ginny," he greeted.

"Your parents really made you get a job, huh?" Harry teased.

"What are you doing here, Hugo?" Ginny asked. "Your parents need something?"

Hugo shook his head. "No. Lil invited me over, so I thought it was the perfect time to catch up. I hope you don't mind?"

Both of her parents looked shocked, and it almost made Lily laugh. But Ginny soon seemed delighted. "Oh, it's no problem. Albus is staying at Tyler's house, and James will be out late with his friends. And I think he said he might go home with one of his friends. You can take one of their rooms."

Hugo grinned. "Thanks."

Lily smiled. "We'll be upstairs then." The two left the room and started for her room. "How much you wanna bet James goes home with a girl?"

"All the money I wish I had," Hugo joked.

* * *

"_Lily,_

_I'm glad to hear that you and Hugo are getting along again. I imagine that it's nice to have your best friend back. But then what does that make me? Just kidding. And I'm excited for you about James trying to move out. One less pompous ass for you to deal with. Maybe I won't see that hurt in your eyes as much. I'm glad to admit that I'm actually a step ahead of said ass. I moved out of the manor finally! I've got my own flat now. A place of my own. My parents (mostly my mother) weren't happy about it, but they let me. After all, I'm seventeen. A legal adult. Besides, they told me I could always come back. But I knew that already. They insisted on paying the first few months' rent, wanting to feel like I still needed them for something. It's ridiculous, but I couldn't argue my mum out of it. You'll have to some see it sometime. It's pretty cool._

_Sorry to hear that you're grounded. My parents weren't happy, but I wasn't grounded. As my dad said 'I'm an adult, and I make my own choices and mistakes. This was just one of them.' I didn't think the party was a mistake. One of the best nights ever actually. I guess I'll just have to drop by the Leaky Cauldron while you're working, or wait for my mum to set up a photo shoot. Either way, I promise you'll see me soon. Be excited. Haha._

_Love,_

_Scorpius"_

Lily licked her lips as she read the letter. She'd finally gotten the courage to write to Scorpius after almost a week of not seeing him. She wanted to talk about the party, but the best she could do was mention that she was grounded because of it. So instead she opted for telling him about work, Hugo, and how James was finally going to move out.

James saying that he was going to move out had been a blessing. Lily had been so excited. It was hard to see her parents look so sad and upset, but she knew that they'd be ok. Still, she hid her excitement for their benefit.

"Lily! You've got a letter!" her father yelled from downstairs.

Lily put her letter from Scorpius down and hurried down the stairs. Her father was standing by the door, flipping through envelopes. He held one out to her. "A Muggle mailman gave it to me," he told her.

Now Lily really was confused. Who would send her a letter this way? She opened the envelope and scanned the bottom of the letter for a name. She was surprised by what she saw. It was from Marcus, her Muggle cousin. She quickly read the letter.

"_Dear Lil,_

_Hey, how's it going, cuz? I thought I might write ya a letter, see how things were going. I dropped out of Smeltings. Didn't tell my parents though, and I found a way to keep them from finding out. I didn't feel like dealing with their bitching. During the school year, I've been staying with a friend that graduated already. I've kept up my boxing. I still go to underground rings, but I've been trying to work my way up to the pros. I might be going to America soon, maybe try and start out there._

_How are things on your end? Those pain in the ass brothers of yours leaving you alone? If not, just beat the hell outta them like I taught ya. That'll teach 'em. My siblings are pains. My dumb ass sister got herself knocked up in the middle of school last year. She's due in like a month. What a dumb bitch, right? And my parents always thought that if someone got knocked up that it'd be my fault. Looks like my sis ain't a saint in their eyes no more. _

_Well, write back, kid. Let me know what's up. I know I'm going to be bored most of the summer._

_From,_

_Marcus"_

Lily smiled at the letter. She hurried upstairs to write a reply. She'd have to ask her dad to send it the Muggle way. She'd never had to do that before. Lily wrote a thoughtful response, laughing at both of their siblings, telling him that she was still exercising to refocus her energy, and that she was happy to hear that he was doing something that made him happy.

There was a knock at her door before it opened, and Hugo stepped in. "Hey, cuz. Hannah wants to know if you can work the lunch shift with me today?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "Sure. Need me there now?"

"Yup. So, let's get to it," he joked.

Lily slipped on a pair of shoes. She was in a pair of skinny jeans and a simple band tee, and she'd already thrown her hair up into a messy array. She was perfect for work. She yelled to her parents that she was going to work before Flooing to the Leaky Cauldron with Hugo. She noticed it was packed.

"Something tells me _you_ wanted me to work," Lily said, elbowing him playfully.

"Shut up and help," he laughed.

Lily laughed too as she moved to the counter. "I guess I'll help you."

It was a long lunch rush, Lily decided as the place begin to calm after three or four hours. She sighed as she leaned against the counter, stretching her back a little.

"Working hard, Lil?"

Lily turned around in surprise to see Christian sitting across from her on a stool. "Chris!" Lily exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Christian laughed. "My family is shopping in Diagon Alley, and I heard you were working here now. Thought I'd see if I could find ya," he told her.

Lily leaned over to hug him. "I'm glad you did. I've been going crazy after being grounded for the whole month," she replied.

"Parents took the party badly then, huh?" Christian teased.

"Just a little," she laughed. She sighed. "So, enjoying the beginning of your summer?"

He shrugged. "Kind of. A bit boring so far."

Lily smiled as she came around to the other side of the counter to sit by him. "Same. I'm hoping to change that once I get parol," she joked.

"I'm sure you will." He paused, and Lily waited for him to continue. "So, you talk to Lysander or Scorpius yet?"

Lily shook her head. "No. Not yet. Which might be a good thing."

"Yeah. I think so," Christian murmured.

Lily looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

He looked at her a bit sheepishly. "Because, then I still have time to see if I have a chance with you."

Lily blushed as she looked at him. But before she could talk, Hugo was coming toward them. "Hey, can I borrow you for a minute, cuz?" he asked.

Lily glanced at Christian. He waved her off. "Go ahead. I'll wait here."

Lily followed Hugo to the kitchen. "What's up, Hugh?"

"What's wrong?" Hugo asked. "You looked like you wanted to get outta there."

Lily sighed as she leaned against the wall. "Christian likes me."

"And?" Hugo asked.

"Well . . ." Lily sighed again, "I don't want a relationship. Not with him."

"Then don't have one. Just let him down gently," Hugo told her.

Lily nodded. "I know. I'm just having to do this a lot lately." She walked out of the kitchen and back to her seat. "Sorry. Hugo kinda sucks at looking for things in the kitchen."

"It's ok," Christian assured. "But, um . . . ," he trailed off.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Look, Chris, . . . I'm not looking for a relationship. I . . . it's just not a good idea," she said carefully.

He nodded. "Yeah, that's not too surprising." He paused again. "I just thought that . . . maybe I could add up to the spark Scorpius left on ya. Like . . . like maybe it wasn't just him."

That thought sort of scared Lily. She had liked the idea that what went on between her and Scorpius was because it was with him. The idea that I could be with anyone else . . . Lily shook the thought from her head. But it persisted. She had to be sure.

Lily leaned forward and kissed Christian with force. It was a quick moment before she felt him kissing back. Lily tried not to grin into the kiss. She pulled away from his lips, and now she did smile.

Christian was grinning. "It is just him, isn't it?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. No offense."

He sighed. "None taken. It was a long shot, but I figured I'd still give it a try."

"Spoken like a true opportunist," Lily teased.


	45. Match Made In Heaven

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Another update, sorry it didn't come sooner. I've been working on it since the last update, but I've been pretty busy. So I hope that you enjoy this chapter. A few things that I know everyone has been waiting for. So read, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Five: Match Made In Heaven

Lily took careful steps as she balanced a full tray on her hands and walked across the room. It was her luck that the table furthest from the counter would have the biggest order. When she reached the table, Lily began placing the orders down.

"A water, two butterbeers, and a sweet tea. A burger and fries combo, a chef salad, a basket of fish sticks, and a plain burger," Lily listed as she set down each order in front of the person. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Nah, we're good. Thanks," the man dismissed.

Lily sighed as she walked back to the counter, the tray much lighter in her hands now. She set it on the counter with a loud clatter. "Can I sit now?"

"Wish you could, sweetheart, but a couple kids just sat down in your section," Hannah warned her.

Lily turned around and felt her heart begin to really pound. Now sitting at a table in her section was Lana, Lars, Mitch, Dante, and Scorpius. Lily couldn't look away from Scorpius. His hair was obviously getting a little longer, hanging down into his eyes. The green streaks had been made darker. He wore baggy denim jeans, and a loose black shirt. He was so . . .

"Gunna stare down there all day, or you gunna take his order?" Hugo asked teasingly.

Lily licked her lips. "I might. It's hard not to stare."

"Why? What's so special about him?" Hugo asked as he pulled out a few glasses from behind the counter.

"He's a stud," Lily muttered back.

"Then go!" Hugo shoved her shoulders, pushing her forward. Lily stumbled a little before continuing toward her friends, a notepad in hand.

They seemed to notice her approach, and smiled at her. "Look! We sat in Lil's section," Dante said with a grin.

Lily sort of smiled at them, her eyes still on Scorpius. "Hey, guys. What can I get you?"

"Just a couple butterbeers," Lars told her. "We just stopped in for a drink."

Lily wrote it down, but kept glancing at Scorpius. His eyes were on her too. "I'll get that in a second." She quickly turned and walked quickly back to the counter. Her heart was racing, and her body felt warm. How did he do that to her? She went behind the counter and began to pull five butterbeers from the little fridge.

"Hey," a deep voice greeted.

Lily turned around quickly to see Scorpius resting his elbows on the counter, and leaning toward her. She quickly put the bottles down before she dropped them. "Um, hey."

Scorpius gazed at her intensely. "I told you I would visit you at work," he murmured.

Lily smiled a little, biting her lip all the while. "Yeah. You did."

"I think we need to talk," he said quietly.

Lily gulped as she looked down at the wood of the counter. "Yeah. Yeah, we do." She looked back up at him. "My break starts in fifteen minutes."

Scorpius nodded once. "I'll be here." He took the bottles and walked back to his table.

For the next fifteen minutes, Lily's heart beat erratically. What was he going to say? What would she say? Would he say it was all a mistake? Or that they were better as friends? Would he say she was too young? He was too mature? After all, he was a man, Lily thought. He looked like one, acted like one (usually), and he even smelled like one.

But before she could think of a way to back out of this 'talk', Scorpius was walking up to the counter, and obviously waiting for her. "So, can we talk somewhere?"

Lily nodded. But where would she take him? Not the kitchen, the pantry was big enough, but pretty full. Giving up, Lily took one of the room keys. "Come on, Hannah won't mind if we use a room for a couple of minutes," she told him. She took his wrist and led him up the stairs. She had chosen a room at the end of the hall on the first floor. It was simple, which was more than what they even really needed. Lily let him in, and then locked the door after them. Lily turned around, but gasped silently at how close Scorpius was. A breath away, at most.

Scorpius rested his hands against the door. "Lil, . . . I can't do this anymore."

Lily licked her lips. "Do what?"

"I can't pretend to just be friends. It was hard enough to do it all year. But after the party . . . it doesn't cut it anymore. Not for me," Scorpius murmured. "I can't pretend when I know you are so much more."

"Scorpius," Lily whispered. But before she could continue, Scorpius was kissing her. Lily's entire body relaxed, and she responded immediately. Scorpius's hands dropped to grab her hips, and Lily felt the wall against her back as he pressed himself closer to her.

Lily pulled away from the kiss. "Scorpius, . . . where does this put us?"

"Well, first of all, I'm going to kill Vaisey," he muttered.

Lily looked at him with confusion. "What? Why?"

Scorpius practically growled when he spoke next. "I know you two kissed. He told Xavier, and Xavier told Mitch. And he's a dead man."

Lily kept from rolling her eyes. "And second?"

Scorpius rested his forehead on hers. "And second, you're going to accept that you're my girlfriend."

Lily almost scoffed and almost laughed. "So, that's what this is, is it?"

Scorpius smirked. "Yeah. I've just been waiting for you to accept it."

Lily giggled. "Well, I'm all about acceptance lately. I might as well follow my own advice," she joked.

Scorpius rested his cheek against hers. Lily could the breath from his sigh fan against her ear, making her want to shiver. "I'm glad to hear that. Maybe I'll spare Vaisey an ass kicking," he murmured.

"What a nice guy," Lily mocked softly, her lips brushing the skin of his cheek.

"Just for you, beautiful," he whispered. "Just for you."

* * *

Lily didn't lose a smile for the rest of the day. Thoughts of Scorpius and passion filled kisses floated around her head all through work, even after the others dragged Scorpius out to Diagon Alley. Lily had been waiting for Hugo to make a joke at her, but he was surprisingly quiet.

"I'm headin' home, Lil. I'll see you tomorrow," Hugo said with a wave as he made his way to the fireplace.

"Later, Hugh. Do you know when your family is coming over?" Lily asked. According to Hugo, he heard his parents talking about how they would be visiting the Potters tomorrow. Their visit wouldn't be a surprise, but it would be the first time they've all come over since Lily and Hugo made it up.

"No idea. But I might come by earlier if I get impatient," he joked. "Later." Then he was giving his address, and disappearing into the green flames of the fire.

"Hugo leave?" Hannah asked as she walked out from the kitchen.

"Just did," Lily answered as she set another glass back on the shelf.

"You can head out too. I'll finish up here. It's getting late," Hannah told her.

Lily smiled at her. "Thanks. I'll finish up the glasses first," she told her.

Hannah chuckled. "If you're sure. I'm going back to the kitchen to finish cleaning up. Leave whenever."

"Got it!" Lily called to her as the kitchen door swung closed. She continued cleaning the glasses before putting them back on the shelves. She jumped a little when the bell of the door rang, signaling someone's entrance. "We're closed for the night," Lily told them automatically.

"Mind if I just watch then?"

Lily's eyes widened, and she almost dropped the glass she was holding. She turned around quickly and saw Scorpius sitting on a stool in front of the bar. "Scorpius! What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, trying to suppress a smile.

Scorpius smirked. "I had time, so I thought I would come and watch you work," he replied.

Lily bit her lip lightly. "There's no need. I'm almost done for the night."

He shrugged. "Then I'll just Apparate you home. That way you don't have to Floo," he replied casually.

Lily finally let the smile show fully. "It's not necessary," she assured.

But he waved it off. "Why learn to Apparate if you never do it? It's no trouble," he retorted.

Lily sighed as she turned her back to him, continuing with the glasses. But she could feel his gaze o her, roaming every so often, only to come back to her ass. Lily could feel a blush beginning to set on her cheeks. She'd felt boys staring before . . . but it felt strange when Scorpius did it. It was . . . hard to ignore.

"I can feel you staring," she told him as she set another glass down.

"Really now? What's that feel like?" Scorpius asked.

Lily really blushed now. She couldn't tell him that. She wasn't sure she could even stutter it out. "It's distracting," she muttered, knowing that he could hear her.

"I'm sorry," he said, even though there was no real apology in his voice. Lily rolled her eyes. "But it's hard not to stare," he admitted.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, glancing back at him once before quickly looking back at the glass she was holding.

"It's hard to look away when absolute perfection stands before you," he answered.

Lily tried not to tense. Perfection. She was not perfect, and she was unable to convince Lysander of that. Surely, Scorpius wasn't going to be the same? "Get real," she muttered.

"I mean it. I sometimes laugh at Scamander for never fully appreciating the beauty you have. But me, I have the ability to appreciate the body and the personality within it," he replied. Lily put down a glass and turned around to face him. Scorpius's head was resting on his crossed arms, and his face was completely serious. His eyes traveled up to meet her own. Lily was sure that the blush on her cheeks was obvious, and she hated it. "You know, I kinda like this angle," he said with a smirk.

Lily blushed more, but she rolled her eyes. "When did you become such a perv?"

Scorpius laughed as he raised his head. "I've been wanting to say things like that to you for about a year now. I just never could with you being with Scamander. And now that I can, I plan to take advantage of it."

Lily raised a brow. "I didn't know Lysander was stopping you."

Scorpius leaned back a little. "I'd never steal another guy's girl," he retorted.

"We snogged at the party, and I was still dating him," Lily argued.

Scorpius scowled. "It's not like I'm proud of that. At least not about the whole 'you dating him' part. But I'm not going to regret what I did," he defended.

"And why is that?" Lily asked as she picked up the last glass.

"You finally understood how I felt," Scorpius replied. "I've been trying to get you to figure that out ever since the middle of our vacation last summer."

Lily set the glass on the shelf and hurried to face him again. "Why didn't you just say something? I wasn't with Lysander then."

"It was still a little weird for me. You were thirteen, and I was sixteen. And I wasn't really sure what you'd think," he mumbled.

"I would have leapt at the chance," Lily told him as she walked closer to him, resting her elbows on the counter.

Scorpius shrugged. "I didn't know that. I didn't know how you felt until months after that."

Lily blushed a little again. "What tipped you off?"

Scorpius smirked. "It was when we all went swimming at night. Something about that moment we had kinda let me know. I can't really remember what it was," he said with a short laugh.

Lily thought back to the moment. He had made some kind of joke at her, and soon he had thrown her over his shoulder. But it was such a long time ago that she couldn't remember much more than that. "All I remember is you throwing me over your shoulder," she teased.

"Well that's because you threw your shirt at me," he retorted.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well you were being an ass," she mocked.

"Are you surprised?" he laughed.

Lily giggled. "No. I guess not." She sighed as she glanced around the room. Chairs were up, place was empty, and the lights were dim. She could probably go. "I should probably get home. I'm almost done with being grounded. I don't want to push it," she muttered.

Scorpius stood up as she moved around the counter. "Come on then. I'll take you home," he told her.

"You don't have to," Lily assured.

"Don't care," he replied. He put his arm around her shoulders and led her out the door toward Diagon Alley. Lily tried not to blush at the immediate warmth she felt from him. He was like a freakin' furnace. Once they were outside in the dark night, Scorpius stopped and turned to face her. "So, I can do Side-Along Apparition, but I'm not good at it unless it's face to face," he admitted. He placed his hands on her waist with a firm grip and looked at her carefully. "Take a deep breath," he warned.

Lily barely got that breath in before she felt like she was being sucked through a tight tube. Thankfully the feeling wasn't long lasting, and soon Lily's feet hit ground with a muted 'thud'. She opened her eyes to look at Scorpius, whose eyes were roaming over her.

He looked her in the eye. "You all right?"

Lily laughed quietly. "I'm fine," she whispered. It was dark, but she could still tell that he had Apparated them into the cemetery of Godric's Hollow. Just down the street, she could see streetlights on. She took his hand and begin tugging him along. "Come on. Muggles in this village gossip, and I don't want my parents hearing about people seeing me in the graveyard with some older guy," she teased.

Scorpius laughed quietly, letting himself be tugged. "But wouldn't it be true?"

"Not that way they would put it," she laughed. She pushed past the swinging gate of the fence, and pulled Scorpius out onto the empty street. Scorpius dropped her hand, but then quickly put his arm around her again. They walked in a comfortable silence up the sidewalk of Godric's Hollow. Most of the houses still had lights on, but some were completely dark. There were quite a few lights on in the Potter house. They walked up the front door, and Lily turned to face him.

"Thank you for taking me home," she said quietly with a smile. She knew how well people in her family seemed to be able to hear.

Scorpius smirked as he pushed a bit of her hair behind her ear. "It was no problem, beautiful," he reassured. "I'm glad to. Any time." He glanced up at the house and then back at her. Now he was smiling. "I'll see ya later."

When he leaned down to kiss her, Lily no longer really cared if her parents could hear their voices, or knew they were out there. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back happily. Scorpius broke the kiss, but he pulled her closer to him, resting his cheek on her hair.

"Bye," Lily whispered.

She felt a kiss on the top of her head. "Bye," he murmured. He pulled away from the hug, and began to walk backwards, a smirk on his face. "I'm not leaving until you go inside," he warned.

Lily giggled. "That makes it tempting not to go in," she murmured. His smirk seemed to grow, but he motioned for her to go inside. She sighed, and gave a wave before opening the door and stepping inside the house. She closed the door quietly as she slipped off her shoes. She didn't want her parents questioning why she was coming home through the door, and not through the Floo network. With careful steps, she made her way to the kitchen door, and listened for voices.

"_Shouldn't she be home by now?" Harry sighed._

"_She'd probably helping Hannah close up again," Ginny replied._

"_I don't see why she has to. According to Hannah, she doesn't ask Lily to," Harry muttered._

"_Harry, she's been trapped in this house ever since she got home from school. I'm sure she's loving the freedom of being at work," Ginny laughed._

"_She had to be grounded," Harry defended. "She knew better than to go to a party like that."_

"_And she knows that," Ginny replied. "And I'm not saying that she didn't deserve the grounding. I'm just telling you to let her enjoy the bit of time she gets away from her room."_

"_Well, tomorrow should be better for her. Ron and Hermione are coming over, so Rose and Hugo will obviously be over. That should provide her some entertainment," Harry sighed._

"_I'm glad that she and Hugo are getting along better," Ginny said. "It's nice having him over again."_

"_And that's another thing," Harry pointed out. "I said she was grounded to this house. I don't mind if she brings a friend over. As long as they stay in this house where we can keep an eye on them."_

_Ginny sighed. "Harry, you can't lose all trust in her for one mistake she made."_

"_Well she needs to earn that trust back," Harry retorted._

Lily felt an odd feeling in her stomach. "I'm home!" she announced before entering the kitchen. Her dad was eating a sandwich, and her mother seemed to be working on something for work.

"Hey, honey. Have a good day?" Ginny asked.

Lily nodded, unable to keep away a smile as she sat down at the table next to her. "Yeah. It was a really good day."

"You're not working tomorrow, right?" Harry asked.

Lily shook her head. "Nope. Hannah gave me and Hugo tomorrow off," she answered. Her parents looked at each other knowingly. Lily tried not to laugh. Apparently Hugo's family's visit was supposed to be a surprise. What a joke.

"So, now that you have a better summer job, can I assume that your modeling stint is over?" Harry asked with a bit of a grin.

Lily shook her head, trying not to be annoyed at her father. "Nope. Astoria will write to me when she needs me."

"Why work two jobs?" Harry demanded.

"Because one of them is only one day every couple of weeks really," Lily replied. "And it makes a lot better money."

"I just don't see the need," Harry muttered.

Lily rubbed her temples, trying not to snap. Just a couple of more days, and then her grounding was over. "I'm going to take a shower and then go to bed," she sighed. She hugged her mother.

"Night, sweetie," Ginny told her.

Lily kissed her father's cheek. "Night, princess," he said.

"Good night," Lily told them before hurrying up to her room.

* * *

Lily sighed as she pulled a black shirt out of her closet. She was dressed in a pair thin black sweat pants, and she had thrown her hair up carelessly. It was just Hugo's family, so she didn't really care how she looked. She threw the shirt over her head just as she heard her mother's voice.

"Kids, your cousins are here!" Ginny called out to them.

Lily left her room, knowing her mother would insist for her to. As she came down the stairs, she saw her aunt and uncle talking with her parents. Hugo was standing by the door, obviously waiting for her.

"Hey, cuz," he greeted.

Lily smiled. "Hey, Hugh. Come on," she told him, motioning for the stairs.

"Why don't you kids stay downstairs today?" Harry suggested quickly. "Hang out with the others?"

Lily looked at her father skeptically. "Why?"

"Because you're family," he told her a bit firmly.

Lily breathed through her nose, trying not explode. Ever since she and Hugo made up, her parents seemed to expect her to be friends with all of them. "Fine. Whatever," she muttered. She and Hugo walked into the living room, and Lily felt a bit tense when James, Albus, and Rose looked at them.

"So, how were things after I left?" Hugo asked, obviously trying to ignore their stares.

"It was ok. Scorpius came by, but other than that, nothing really," Lily said vaguely.

"Ah. Sounds fun," he joked. He plopped down on the floor, and Lily followed suit. "When's your next day?"

Lily sighed. "Tomorrow. You?"

"Same here," he said as he stretched out his legs.

"How is work, Hugo?" Rose asked from across the room.

Lily was surprised at the annoyance that passed over Hugo's face at his sister's question. "It's fine," he muttered toward her. Then he quickly looked back at Lily. "You should tell your friends to start hanging out at work more often. They're entertaining," he joked.

Lily laughed. "I'll tell Mitch and Rex to come by. Those two are really entertaining."

There was a knock at the door, making all of the kids look over to the hall. Were their parents expecting someone else? They heard someone open the door, but then there was just a low mumble of voices that was too muted to understand.

"Lily!" her father yelled. "You have a visitor!"

Lily looked over at the hall in confusion as she stood up. She made her way into the hall, and was surprised to see Scorpius standing in the open doorway. She smiled and rushed over to hug him. "Scorpius! What are you doing here?" she pulled away from the hug, aware that her father was still in the hall with them.

Scorpius smirked. "Well, my mum had a letter for you, so I offered to bring it to you." He held out a flower that Lily didn't recognize, and a folded up paper. "The flower is from me, though."

Lily smiled at him as she unfolded the paper. "Come in," she told him.

Scorpius stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He looked at her dad. "How have you been, Mr. Potter?" he asked.

"Fine. Been awhile since I've seen you," Harry commented. His voice held something that Lily didn't recognize. But she ignored the terse conversation to read the letter.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I was wondering if you could come over on the first of August for a photo shoot? I've had a huge demand for you, so I'm giving in to the requests. Plus, I have a large array of outfits for you to try, which means a lot of pictures. Sorry if that sounds tiring. Write me, and let me know if you can make it._

_Love,_

_Astoria Malfoy"_

Lily smiled at the letter. How would she ever say no to Astoria? The woman was way too nice to disappoint. She folded the letter back up and placed it in her pocket. She looked at Scorpius. "Thank you for bringing the letter," she thanked.

Scorpius shrugged. "It was nothing." He glanced at her father before looking at her again. "Well, I believe you are still grounded, so I guess I'll go."

"Actually," Lily interrupted, "I'm allowed people here. We just can't leave the house. So if you aren't doing anything, you're welcome to stay. Right, Daddy?" Lily asked, looking at her father firmly.

Harry had a small look of defeat. "Yeah, that's right. You're welcome to stay, Scorpius."

Scorpius smirked. "Thank you. I'll stay for a while," he said.

Lily smiled. "Come on. We're all hanging out in the livingroom." She grabbed his hand and tugged down the hall. As soon as she pulled him into the room, all eyes zoomed in on them. Three pairs of eyes were quite hostile. But Hugo seemed relaxed and cool. When they approached, he held out his hand.

"Hey, Scorpius. I'm Hugo," he introduced.

Scorpius shook his hand. "Hey, Hugo. Nice to finally meet ya. How's life?"

Hugo shrugged. "Can't really complain, I guess."

Scorpius nodded as he sat down on one of the chairs. "Ya, gotta point. I'm just mainly straightening my new place up."

"Your family move?" Hugo asked.

"Nah. I moved out, got a place of my own," Scorpius answered. "I figured I was seventeen, a man. Time to move out on my own."

"I would kill to be you," Hugo laughed. Lily tried not to be overly happy at how well her cousin and boyfriend were getting along. Then her heart fluttered at the thought. Boyfriend. That title fit so well for Scorpius. Lily moved to sit on the arm of the chair Scorpius was sitting in.

"Is there a reason you're here, Malfoy?" Albus hissed suddenly.

Lily quickly glared at him. "Shut your mouth," she warned. "I'm sure that Mum would hate to hear you being rude."

But Albus held his glare. Scorpius seemed relaxed under the scrutiny though. "I was welcomed by Lily and your father," he replied easily.

"Majority rule says that you aren't welcome," Albus retorted.

"And the majority thinks you're an idiot," Lily snapped.

"You know what -," Albus started, standing up.

"Kids!" Harry yelled from the kitchen. Both Lily and Albus looked at his direction. He could hear them.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fuck the whole 'we're family' thing," she muttered. She looked at Hugo and Scorpius. "Come on. Let's go outside."

Scorpius didn't argue, and let her take his wrist and lead him to the hall. But Lily caught Hugo sending a glare at Albus before leaving the hall. They all entered the kitchen, where the adults were all sitting at the table.

"Hello, Scorpius," Ginny greeted with a knowing smile.

Scorpius smiled as well. "Hello, Mrs. Potter," he replied.

"We're going outside," Lily told them. "Get a bit of fresh air," she told them, giving some quick excuse.

"Stay in the yard," Harry warned as they begin walking out the door to the backyard.

Hugo nudged Lily and grinned. "Let's go to the tree house," he suggested.

Lily smiled and nodded. "Totally."

Scorpius looked at them skeptically as he looked at the old tree house. "Will it fit us?"

"It's expanded a bit on the inside," Hugo told him.

"And it used to be able to fit all of us when we were kids," Lily added. "We'll be fine."

Hugo was the first to start climbing the ladder. Scorpius leaned forward to whisper in Lily's ear. "By the way, I really like this outfit. Very comfy-looking."

Lily glanced down at her outfit. It wasn't something she probably would have chosen had she known that Scorpius would show up. She blushed. "Shut up," she muttered back as she grabbed onto the ladder.

"I'm serious, though," Scorpius insisted as she begin to climb. She could feel him climbing up behind her. Once at the top, Lily pushed aside the blanket they used as a door, and crawled inside. It was big enough for them all, and high enough for them to stand. Well, at least Lily. The boys might have to crouch. Hugo was already laying down on the floor. Lily moved to sit on the old couch that had been brought up years and years ago. Scorpius soon stepped through the blanket. He really had to bend down to keep his head from hitting the ceiling. He hurried to sit down next to Lily.

"Not too bad," Scorpius commented as he wrapped an arm around her.

"This was the ultimate hangout at the age of six," Hugo joked.

"We used to camp out practically every night," Lily laughed lightly.

Scorpius chuckled a little. "And since we are out of parental sight," he mentioned. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly.

Lily giggled. "Thank god for blankets over the windows," she whispered. She leaned forward to kiss him again.

"Ok, I'm getting something to drink," Hugo announced. He moved over to the door, and glanced back at them. "Try to be done by the time I get back, for my sake," he joked.

They both laughed a little, but soon Scorpius's lips were on hers again. Lily shifted her position, pressing herself more into the kiss. His tongue gently slid across her bottom lip, and Lily gave him the access he desired. A small moan broke through Lily's throat before she could even think about it. His tongue brushed to every part of her mouth, like he was trying to memorize it. Lily brought her fingers to his hair, happy to wrap her fingers around his locks. She'd been dreaming and wanting to do it for so long, and she was going to take advantage of the opportunity while it was there.

"Lil-,"

Lily and Scorpius both pulled away from the kiss in surprise, and Lily felt her heart getting ready to explode. She knew that voice. She looked toward the door of the tree house to see Lysander, his hand having pulled back the curtain. His eyes were big with surprise, but the rest of his expression was dead. Nothing. But his eyes. Lily could see the obvious sadness in them.

Lily opened her mouth to say something, but Lysander dropped the curtain before she could speak. Lily dropped her head onto the back of the couch. "Dammit!" she groaned.

She heard Scorpius click his tongue once. "You wanna go after him?"

Lily shook her head. "There's no point. What would I say, anyways?"

She felt him stroking her hair. "Maybe I should say something to him."

Lily shook her head again. "No. Just leave him alone. I doubt he's going to want to see either of us," she muttered.

* * *

Hours later, Lily, Scorpius, and Hugo had spent all of the morning and part of the afternoon in the tree house, avoiding the others in the family. But Scorpius soon had to go, telling them that his mother was wanting him to eat dinner with them at the manor.

"I might have to join you sometime," Hugo commented as they walked back into the kitchen. The adults were still in there, with the addition of Luna and Rolf. The women seemed to be cooking something, probably for dinner. Hugo and Scorpius had been talking about Scorpius's workout regimen. With how intense it sounded, Lily understood why he looked as strong as he did.

"Sure. On your next day off, I'll come by in the morning, and we can start with a run," Scorpius joked with a smirk.

"You kids have fun out there?" Harry asked.

"A blast," Lily said with a sigh. Honestly, her mind was still going back to Lysander. She still felt guilty. He was hurt, and it was her fault.

"But I sadly have to go. A dinner to attend," Scorpius said with his own sigh.

"Well you'll have to come by again soon, Scorpius," Ginny assured with a smile, and a knowing look at Lily.

Lily ignored her. "I'll walk you out," she told Scorpius. They didn't say anything as they walked out of the kitchen. Lily pulled him out of the front door before saying anything. "So, I guess I should probably let my parents know about us," she told him, leaning her back against the door.

Scorpius shrugged. "Do what makes you comfortable. I only plan on telling my parents if they ask," he laughed. Lily rolled her eyes. "But," he continued, "I'm sure I'll slip up and kiss you when you come over for that photo shoot."

"Luckily that's about a month away," Lily teased.

"Too far away," he groaned quietly. He took her wrists gently in his hands. A bit shyly, Lily interlocked their fingers instead. But he didn't look like he was going to laugh at all. "I'll just have to start stalking you at work," he joked.

Lily laughed. "I actually like the sound of that."

"Good, because I was going to do it anyways," he teased. He kissed her quickly on the lips before kissing her on the cheek. "Good luck with the other lions in the den."

"Bye," she said with a giggle. Scorpius turned his back and begin to walk away from the house, glancing back every three steps. But finally she couldn't stall anymore, and Lily stepped back inside. She stood in the hallway for a minute before deciding to take her chances with the adults in the kitchen. That turned out to be a big mistake, because Lysander was leaning against one of the counters, his arms crossed.

Lily froze at the door of the kitchen. She turned to look at Hugo, but Lysander was quick to speak. "You know, was there a point to lying to me?" he demanded, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

Lily gulped. "I didn't lie to you," she mumbled.

"Really? You didn't lie about not rushing into a relationship? About running off to Malfoy? You didn't lie?" he hissed, his voice steadily getting louder.

"I didn't run to him!" Lily argued. "This all just started yesterday!"

"If you felt something for him, why not just tell me? Why lie and play that you didn't? Was it supposed to hurt less?" Lysander demanded.

"Kids," Hermione said quietly.

"I broke up with you to keep from hurting you!" Lily defended.

"Yeah, because finding you snogging Malfoy doesn't hurt! It's not painful at all to know that you felt nothing for me!" Lysander exclaimed.

"I'm not going to apologize for how I feel!" Lily snarled.

"No, you lie about!"

"I'm not sorry that I don't like you like that!" Lily yelled. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, but that's it! I won't apologize for not feeling the way you do for me!"

"If you knew you liked him, why date me at all? Why not just save me the heartache?" he muttered.

Lily felt her heart squeeze, and Lola's comparison of Lysander and a safety blanket. "Because I thought that I liked you. Excuse me for being fourteen and mixing up my feelings," she whispered.

Lysander stared at her for a moment, the silence unnerving Lily to her very core. Then with a swift look around the room, he walked out of the room, brushing past Lily, yet not even looking at her. Lily felt her shoulders tense, but when he left the room, she spun around and followed him into the hallway.

"Lysander, I'm sorry I hurt you," she murmured.

Lysander stopped, his back still to her. He turned his head to look at her. "Everyone was right. You are a bitch."

Lily froze where she stood, an icy cold feeling running through her veins. Breath left her, and her heart and brain seemed to stop. Lysander didn't say anything more. He only turned back and kept walking. He went into the living room, joining the den of lions.


	46. Be Proud of Your Father

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I felt this one took longer to write out. Sorry about that. But anyways, more drama with the parents. I felt we needed a little more of Draco, and the other Malfoys, but I thought we needed a more serious talk. Haven't had one of those yet. And of course, some of Duncan. I hope you like one, because we're starting see our own Duncan grow up as well. But read and enjoy, let me know what you think, and sorry for any errors in there.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Six: Be Proud of Your Father

Lily sighed as she sat at the kitchen table. Her mother was humming as she made breakfast, and her father was holding the paper in his hands. But Lily knew that he wasn't reading it, but glaring at it. After the fight with Lysander, Lily's father had wanted to interrogate her immediately, but Ginny had quickly given Lily a reason to leave the room, and avoid the questions. And thankfully for the next few days, she had been able to avoid her dad. Either he was working early mornings, or she was rushing off to work, and then offering to work early for Hannah. But then her luck ran out. She had another day off, and she came to lunch to find her dad sitting at the table. Honestly, Lily was surprised that her father hadn't started asking questions as soon as she walked into the kitchen. Her mum must have said something to him.

"So, Lily, what do you have planned for today?" Ginny asked casually.

Lily glanced at her father to see that he was looking sharply at her. She looked away. "Well, I thought I might see what Lola is doing, or maybe hanging out with a few other friends," she replied.

"Like Scorpius?" Harry snapped quickly.

Lily tried to keep her insides from trembling. "I don't know. Probably."

"Are you dating that boy?" Harry fired off the question.

"Harry," Ginny warned carefully.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. Better get it over with. "Yes. Scorpius and I are dating," she answered.

"Isn't he seventeen?" Harry inquired with a stern gaze.

"Isn't Uncle Percy four years older than Aunt Audrey?" Lily pointed out.

"He's a bit old for you," Harry quipped.

"Scorpius has been a great friend for years," Lily argued. "And you've always liked him."

"You two being friends did not include him touching my daughter," Harry said in a low tone.

Lily blushed at his words. "Harry!" Ginny scolded. "They just started dating! And Scorpius has always been a perfect gentleman."

"So was I around your parents," Harry countered. "But that didn't stop me from-,"

"Dad!" Lily interrupted quickly. That was nothing she needed to hear.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Harry, I was not fourteen. I was fifteen. And you and I did none of what you are implying until I was practically seventeen."

"Times are different, Ginny," Harry replied.

"How about we just have him over for dinner?" Ginny suggested. "That way you can properly talk with him?"

"Do I get a say?" Lily asked.

"I don't want to talk with him!" Harry complained.

"You talked to him when he used to come over," Ginny replied.

"He wasn't all over my daughter!" Harry exclaimed.

"He's not all over your daughter," Ginny said with another roll of her eyes.

"Can I say something?" Lily tried to interrupt.

"We'll have him over, and you can find out that he is still a nice boy," Ginny told him.

"He's seventeen. No seventeen-year-old is 'a nice boy'," Harry muttered.

"Hey!" Lily exclaimed, catching the surprise of both parents.

"What, sweetheart?" Ginny asked.

"How is it that Scorpius is suddenly coming over?" Lily demanded.

Ginny turned her back as she began to pull out plates. "Don't overact, Lily. It's a simple dinner. Scorpius has been over for dinner before," she told her.

Lily dropped her head onto the table, giving up.

A door slammed somewhere in the house, and pounding feet soon came toward the kitchen from the front door. James burst into the room. "Great news!" he cheered. "Al, come down here!" he yelled. Lily turned her head to glance over at James, who was moving to sit down.

Harry chuckled. "What's with all the excitement, son?" Lily tried not to growl. How was it that he was suddenly so happy now that James was home?

"Just a minute, I want everyone here," James told him with an eager grin.

Albus was down in another moment, looking confused. "What's up?" he asked.

"Ok," James said eagerly, "so, I went and had my tryout for the Chudley Cannons today."

"And how was it?" Ginny asked with excitement.

"I'm on the team!" James cheered. "And not as a reserve! I'm a first string player!"

"That's great, James!" Harry complimented.

"We are very proud of you," Ginny told him as she kissed his cheek.

"Way to go, bro!" Albus said excitedly.

"And that's not all," James told them.

"What could be as awesome?" Albus asked with a laugh.

There was a pause, and Lily almost snorted at James's attempt at adding suspense. "Well," he finally said, "I also found the perfect flat!"

"So soon?" Ginny asked. Lily didn't have to lift her head to know that her mother's face was one of distress.

"Well, I only looked at it, but it's a decent size and price," James assured. "And if I go and sign the papers later today, I can begin moving in."

"Are you sure about this?" Ginny questioned.

"Totally," James replied. "But I thought that you and Dad would like to check it out first."

"You are right on that," Harry joked lightly. "How about we go after lunch?"

"Sounds perfect!" James said happily.

"Mind if I tag along?" Albus asked.

"Of course you're coming with!" James assured him.

Lily quickly stood up from the table. "I'm going to go and get dressed before going to Diagon Alley," she told them.

"What about lunch?" Ginny asked.

"I'll get something at the Leaky Cauldron," Lily told her as she walked toward the door.

"Don't you want to go and see the flat your brother's talking about moving into?" Harry asked.

Lily bit her tongue to hold back any unnecessary remark. "When do you want me to invite Scorpius over to dinner?"

"Malfoy is coming to dinner?" Albus complained.

"See if he can come tonight," Ginny told her. "The sooner the better."

Lily nodded. "Sure." Then she left the room.

* * *

About an hour later, Lily found herself sitting on a stool at the counter of the Leaky Cauldron. She had taken a bit of time to get dressed and get a quick note out to Scorpius to meet her. Now she was waiting for him to arrive.

"Hello, beautiful," someone whispered in her ear.

Lily smiled as she recognized the voice. Before she could speak or move, a flower was placed in front of her eyes. A very pretty daisy. She took it and turned to see Scorpius now sitting on the stool next to her. "Hey, there," she giggled lightly.

He smirked. "So, why the quick and 'emergency' meeting?" Scorpius asked.

Lily sighed. "Well, my mum wants you to come to dinner tonight," she told him, trying not to sound grim about it.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Really? Ok, why not."

"They know we're dating," Lily warned, trying to throw him off.

"All the more reason for me to go," Scorpius replied.

Lily sighed. "If you're sure."

"Your dad hates me?" Scorpius asked.

"Sort of," Lily admitted. She ran a hand though her hair. "Do you mind if we go somewhere else? The rest of my family is out looking at some flat James wants to rent, and I don't to see them incase they stop in for lunch."

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah, I know the perfect place." He took her hand, pulling her from her seat. "Come on." He took her out the back door, and stopped before the wall leading out to Diagon Alley. There, he put his arms around her, and Lily waited for the feel of Apparation. "Hold tight," he whispered.

When Lily's feet hit the floor, she looked around and was curious as to where they were. It was a moderate sized room, with a good sized Muggle tv, a big couch in the center of two comfy-looking armchairs. A small coffee table was in front of the couch, and bottles, papers, and a couple of magazines lay on the top. There were pictures on the walls, and a large Slytherin banner on the wall. A book case was full of books in the corner. The room was connected to a normal looking kitchen, with an assortment of Muggle appliances. They were obviously not in Malfoy Manor.

"Where are we?" Lily asked, pulling from his arms to look around.

She heard him chuckle. "This is _my_ flat. Your family won't bother you here, and I thought that you might want to see it."

Lily turned to smile at him. "I like it," she admitted. In the normal, average looking room, Scorpius stood out. Even while dressed in a casual shirt and jeans, Scorpius was elegant. His face was that of an aristocrat, his hair styled in a perfect mess. He made the room perfect.

Scorpius sat on the couch. "I'm glad to hear that. Because I was thinking that, now that you're no longer grounded, I might bring out around here some times. If you don't mind."

Lily grinned as she sat next to him on the couch. "I think that's a great idea. It _is_ nice to be free of my chains after a freakin' month of being locked away."

Scorpius chuckled as he leaned forward to brush his lips against her cheek. "I'll bet. Now you can breathe clean, and lion-free air." His breath was warm against her ear, and Lily loved the feel.

"I just can't wait to be surrounded by level minded Slytherins again," she murmured.

"Well, I could probably get a few of them over today. Sound good?" Scorpius asked.

Lily grinned. "That is the best idea I've heard yet."

"Give me a minute to Floo them all."

* * *

Half and hour later, Lily felt the happiest she'd been since she was grounded. Well, not as happy as she was when she and Scorpius got together, but close. Scorpius had really delivered on bringing their friends over. Mitch, Rex, and Justin were the first to arrive. Lars, Lana, and Dante were next. Then Lola came over with Shannon, and Jace came over with Hunter, and Christian. It was a great gathering.

"We've missed you!" Lola squealed as she and Lily hugged. Lola had gotten taller, which amazed Lily. They hadn't been apart that long. Her hair was curled loosely now that it was longer. Her ears had been pierced again, twice on the top.

"I know. Living at home as been Hell," Lily groaned as she pulled away from the hug. "Luckily, James is talking about moving out. He's already found a flat."

"And that is reason to party!" Mitch exclaimed with a laugh.

"Now you just gotta get rid of your sister, Allie," Lars joked.

"He is a girl," Dante chuckled.

"So, what have I missed?" Lily asked as she dropped onto the couch.

Lola sighed as she sat next to her. "Well, Megan finally dropped her standards and allowed herself to go on a date."

"Really? With who?" Lily asked. Megan was known among the girls for having ridiculous standards.

"Matt Cornfoot. He's in Ravenclaw," Shannon answered.

Lily felt her insides and her mind slow. "Cornfoot?" she questioned. Surely she was over thinking it.

But Lola gave her a hesitant look. "Yeah, he's Clayton's little brother."

Lily gulped. "Yeah, I thought so."

"Shay, did you tell her about me and you?" Hunter asked from his seat next to Jace and Christian.

Lily raised a brow. "What about you two?" she asked.

Shannon shrugged. "We broke up a couple of days ago. Mutually."

"Her brother scared the shit outta me," Hunter told her.

Lily laughed as she thought of Adrian Flint trying to scare off Hunter. It was probably a true image.

"More importantly," Mitch interrupted, "what have we missed with you and our own Scorpius?"

Lily bit back a giggle at Mitch's suggestive tone. Scorpius smacked the back of his head as he moved to sit down next to Lily, his arm going around her shoulders. "Shut it," he warned. But then he looked at Lily. "Actually, how did Scamander take it?"

"Oh, Lysander found out?" Lola asked with a sympathetic look.

Lily sighed, trying to ignore the sting of Lysander's words. "Yeah. He, uh . . . he didn't take it too well."

"I'm sorry," Scorpius said, although there wasn't much apology in his voice.

Lily shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"So, I heard that you and Hugo Boy are getting along better," Jace mentioned.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, we've patched things up. He said he's tired of dealing with James's crap."

"I got tired of it a second after meeting him," Dante muttered.

"He's a good kid," Scorpius told them, bringing the topic back to Hugo. "I hung out with him the other day when I went to her house."

"You'll have to bring him over sometime," Mitch told her. "Let us meet him personally."

"Is he gunna be at your house tonight?" Scorpius asked her.

Lily shook her head. "From what I know, it's just you and me, and the other Potters," she muttered.

"Wow, dinner with the girlfriend's parents," Rex teased. "You're in for a treat!"

Scorpius shrugged as he smirked. "I've met her parents before. And her mum likes me, so it's all good."

"Genius moment!" Mitch yelled as he jumped up from his seat, scaring the hell out of everyone else in the room.

"What the fuck are you yelling about?" Lana snapped, her hand over her heart, a look of surprise on her face.

Mitch grinned with an odd sense of victory. "I had an awesome idea! We all come here one night, stay the whole night, and fucking party away from the eyes of adults!"

Scorpius raised a brow. "Not that I'm against the idea, but how the hell are some of our parents going to allow that?"

"Not all of us are legal adults," Lola pointed out.

Mitch rolled his eyes. "You tell your parents you're staying with a friend, and then come here instead! It's perfect!"

Lily bit her lip momentarily. "I don't know. My dad isn't very trusting of me after that party."

"What if . . . what if you tell him you're staying at Lola's house after a girls' night or some crap like that?" Mitch asked. "He can see you leave with them, and then Lola can go home with you the next morning."

"And that will help me if I tell my parents that I'm staying at your house," Lola added with a thought.

Lily sighed "I don't know I guess we can at least give it a try."

"Awesome! How about the tenth of August? We can all go to our band's gig, and then come here," Mitch asked, looking as if he was getting ready to bounce on his feet.

"How about we all try to work it out, and then meet the day before to make sure it all adds up?" Lana suggested.

"That sounds like a plan," Christian agreed.

"And I can at least clean this place up a little before then," Scorpius said with a nod.

"Good, because it's a mess," Shannon teased.

"I like it," Lily defended with a smile.

Scorpius smirked. "And if she's on my side, then I win," he laughed.

"You never win against Lily Lu," Mitch agreed as he laughed too.

"That's because you're not smart enough," Lily mocked with a smile. They all laughed, even Mitch. Lily loved this feeling. _This_ was home.

* * *

"Do I look ok?" Scorpius asked as he attempted to smooth down his hair. After the others had left a little around an hour ago, Lily was sitting in the living room, watching the Muggle tv, while Scorpius was getting ready for the dinner. When he walked out, Lily was bit taken aback at his appearance. He had obviously showered, and shaved all but his chin, leaving a small goatee. He wore a dark-green shirt that was buttoned up, a flipped down collar, and buttoned cuffs. His pants were black with a sleek, leather belt.

Lily stood up and walked closer to him. As she did, she could smell that musky smell that was all Scorpius. She took hold of his cheeks, which were now smooth. "Well, don't you look dashing," she murmured.

Scorpius smirked. "Why thank you." He brought one hand to her waist, but then one tugged at the hair on his chin. "I didn't want to shave completely," he said sheepishly.

Lily giggled. "Don't worry. I think it looks good on you," she complimented. She looked over his outfit. "But, you didn't have to look this nice. It's just a dinner with my family. I doubt James and Albus will put any thought into their clothes," she told him.

"Why should I try to match those idiots' standards?" Scorpius inquired with a smirk.

Lily smiled. "You've got a point. Although, it does make my outfit seem very casual," she teased. She wore only a simple black skirt and a thin green sweater.

"I think you look beautiful," he whispered. He leaned down and placed his lips on hers in a brief kiss.

When he pulled away, Lily brought in a deep breath. Did he always have to make her insides go soft and warm? "We should go," she said quietly, unable to get her voice any louder.

Scorpius sighed. "All right. Let's go then."

Soon, Lily found herself outside the door of her house, her hand in Scorpius's. The door in front of her was a little daunting. Part of her was afraid of the problems that James and Albus would cause. They've done it before. They always had some snide remark for when she was with Lysander. But Lily knew that, unlike Lysander, Scorpius would take up for her, and was bigger than her brothers.

With one last free breath, Lily opened the door, and brought Scorpius inside. "Mum! Dad! I'm home! Scorpius is with me!" she announced.

In a flash, Ginny was in the hall with a smile. "Hello, Scorpius. How are you?"

Scorpius smiled slightly. "I'm fine, Mrs. Potter. And you?"

"Well, I'm sure Lily has told you about her brother moving out soon. With that over our heads, I can't be my happiest, but I'm making due," Ginny told him, her smile never wavering.

"I'm sure this house will be much quieter," Scorpius joked lightly.

"I have no doubt about that!" Ginny laughed. When she stopped, she waved for them to followed. "You came just in time. Dinner is ready, and the boys are waiting at the table."

When they entered the kitchen, Lily was surprised to see her father, James, and Albus dressed nicer than they normally would have. Even Albus's hair was a nicer mess than usual.

"Can we eat _now_?" Albus moaned.

"Albus Potter!" Ginny chided, pushing his shoulder lightly as she passed him to take her seat. Lily and Scorpius moved to take their seats as well. Lily noticed her father's glare toward their fingers, which were interlocked.

"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Potter," Scorpius greeted politely.

"Scorpius," Harry said tensely. The air around them grew heavy as they began to eat.

"So, what did you two do today?" Ginny asked as an icebreaker.

"Yes, what _did_ you do?" Harry asked with suspicion. Lily tried not to glare at her father.

"Well, I took Lily out and we met up with a few of our friends," Scorpius answered easily. "I figured that she might like to see the others after being grounded."

"That must have been fun," Ginny commented.

"So, you're seventeen now, Scorpius?" Harry asked, firing off his first question.

Scorpius nodded briefly. "Yes. My birthday was last February," he answered.

"That must have been a good day. First day as a 'man'," Harry said with the same tension as before.

Scorpius shrugged. "I guess. Really, I feel no different."

"So, you'll be eighteen this coming February?" Harry mentioned.

"Yes. That's right," Scorpius agreed.

"Lily's birthday is coming up soon," Ginny threw in, sending firm looks at her husband.

"Yes. She'll be _fifteen_," Harry added with almost a glare at Scorpius.

"Just brings you even closer to O.W.L.s," Scorpius teased her, obviously ignoring the tension Lily's father was trying to throw at him.

"Ha, ha," Lily muttered dryly. "Find amusement in my suffering."

Scorpius smirked as he took her hand. "You'll do fine," he assured.

"You must be eager for this year," Harry said to Scorpius. "After all, it is your last."

Lily felt her heart tighten. As much as she hated that fact, it was true. This would be Scorpius's last year at Hogwarts. Then she would have two years without him. She pushed the thought away. It was way too early to let thoughts like that irritate her.

"No, actually, I know I'm going to miss Hogwarts," Scorpius told him. Harry still didn't seem pleased.

The rest of the dinner passed with casualness, and tension. No matter how charming Scorpius was, Lily's father didn't seem appeased. But Lily's tension really shot up after dinner was over.

"Scorpius, would you mind if you and I talked while Lily and her mother clean up?" Harry asked.

Both Lily and Ginny looked at Harry sharply, but he ignored them. Scorpius nodded. "Of course, Mr. Potter. Lead the way." All the males in the room left the kitchen, but thankfully James and Albus turned toward the stairs. The opposite direction of her father and Scorpius.

"Does Dad have to be unreasonable?" Lily growled as she picked up the plates from the table.

"He's your father, and you're his youngest and only daughter. He's going to be a bit tough," Ginny told her. "It's not fair, but what can you do? It's who your father is."

"Well, he's a jerk," Lily muttered.

"I'm sure things will be better after their talk," Ginny assured.

"That or Dad will find another reason to be angry," Lily said quietly.

"Just be patient and have faith," Ginny told her.

"Hasn't worked before," Lily mumbled under her breath. If her mother heard her, she didn't respond.

Lily had done the dishes, straightened up the kitchen, and even cleaned the living room slightly before Scorpius finally came out of her father's study. Lily felt her heart skip a beat with anticipation. But Scorpius only sat down on the couch, and didn't say a word.

"Well?" Lily urged, moving to sit next to him.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Well what?"

Lily smacked his shoulder. "No games," she told him.

Scorpius chuckled. "Ok, ok. Well, he interrogated me on my intentions, past relationships, future plans, and moral character."

"And?" Lily prodded.

He shrugged. "And I answered his questions. How I answered those questions . . . well I'll let you guess."

Lily smacked his shoulder again when she caught sight of his teasing look. "That's not fair!"

He laughed fully now. "Maybe my answers were personal. Maybe I don't feel like sharing them."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You are such a jerk," she mumbled, knowing he could hear.

* * *

"So, what's his name?" Duncan asked.

After being ungrounded, and finding time from work, Lily took the chance to come see Duncan. He was looking good. The only difference from the last time she saw him was that he looked just the tiniest bit older. A little less baby fat. That was a good sign. But she decided to tell him about Hugo, and then about Scorpius. He was insistent to know about her friends, family, and others.

"His name is Scorpius," Lily reminded him. She had pulled one of the million pictures off his wall, and showed it to him. It was one of the Slytherin Quidditch team, and she had pointed Scorpius out to him.

"He looks nice," Duncan told her with a smile.

"He is nice," Lily assured.

Duncan turned to look at her. "Can I meet him?"

Lily looked at him with surprise. The thought of any of her friends or family meeting Duncan had never really crossed her mind. The relationship between her and Duncan had always seemed . . . fragile, and she feared that bringing someone else into it could shatter it. But . . . she didn't know that Scorpius would change things. And Duncan wanted to meet him. Duncan wasn't someone she could say no to.

"Well . . . I'll bring him around sometime. If not this summer, then during Christmas break," she told him.

"You should try for this summer," he told her. His tone was different than it had been a moment ago. It wasn't as light or happy. It was bright, but with an undertone of . . . sadness?

"What's wrong with Christmas?" Lily asked, trying to ignore the tone.

Duncan made a movement like a shrug, but without sight of his arms, Lily couldn't tell if that's what it was. "I just want to make sure that I look like I do now when I see him," he told her.

Lily felt tension shudder through her. "What do you mean, Duncan?" she asked carefully.

Duncan was now looking at the picture in his hands, but Lily felt like he was looking through it more than at it. There was a small scowl on his face. "Nothing," he mumbled.

"Duncan," Lily whispered, brushing his hair away from his eyes. "Tell me."

Duncan dropped the picture onto his lap and lifted his head to look at the wall ahead of him. "When you have Vanishing Sickness, you can feel when something is going to disappear. At first, you don't notice it. It just feels like that feeling just before your foot falls asleep, only lighter. And then it goes away, and so does the limb. You never think about it until a lot of your body starts to disappear. I began to notice it when my arm disappeared," Duncan explained. He stopped, tilting his head back as if he was trying to find the sky in the ceiling. "I haven't felt that feeling in a long time it seems. Like it was all over. But then . . ." He stopped.

Lily stroked his cheek gently. She didn't know how to make someone feel better about something like this. "Then, what, Duncan?"

He leaned his cheek into her palm. "Then, a few days ago, I felt that feeling again. It was on my right side. It's a really small area, but I can feel it now. It's going to disappear eventually," he told her. "The nerve endings stop functioning, and then the skin and everything else about it will fade. Any purpose or function a side has, will be done, along with anything inside that area." The normal calm that Duncan usually had was gone, and Lily was frightened at his sour and tensed voice.

"It will be ok, Duncan," Lily assured.

"Do you know how someone dies of Vanishing Sickness, Lily?" Duncan asked quietly. "Do you?" When Lily didn't answer, he continued. "Then ask me. Ask me how!"

Lily bit her lip. "How does someone die with Vanishing Sickness?" she asked softly.

Duncan's gaze at his lap was hard. "Eventually, you get that feeling in your chest. And soon, anything in the area starts to slowly stop working. Your heart beat gets slower, and your lungs take longer. It gets harder to breathe. And eventually, one of them stops working. Maybe you'll be lucky, and only one of your lungs stops, but soon . . . they all stop."

Lily felt her own heart pound harshly against her chest. It was true . . . but it was scary. And if it was scary for her, then Lily couldn't imagine how scary it was for Duncan. Lily stood up from her seat and leaned forward to hug him. Although she couldn't see it, she could feel where his arm was. She kept herself from looking. She knew it would make her feel worse, so she kept her eyes on his hair. "You'll be ok, Duncan. You'll be ok," she whispered soothingly.

She could feel him leaning closer to the hug. "You'll come see me? Even if I'm all depressing like this?"

Lily smiled into his hair. "I'll come see you no matter what you're like," she assured him.

"And . . . when it happens, will you come?" he whispered.

Lily felt her heart clench. "I'll be here whenever you need me," she murmured, avoiding actually saying what he meant.

"Ok," he said quietly. "Then I'll try to not be as depressing. I'll smile," he promised.

"Don't worry about hiding your feelings," Lily told him gently. "You feel however you feel, and I'll help you through it. Ok?"

She felt him nod against her arm. "Ok," he whispered. "Thank you, Lily."

Lily sighed, trying to quell the sadness that wanted to grip her. "It's never a problem, Duncan. Anytime, and any thing you need."

* * *

"So, I want to try a summer dress first," Astoria mentioned.

August had finally come around, and Lily was now sitting in Astoria's workroom, waiting for an outfit to be chosen. It seemed that Astoria was still unaware that her top model was now dating her son, and Lily didn't see a reason to mention it. Well, honestly, she was afraid to mention it. Sure, her father was . . . well, her father, but Lily was still afraid that the news that she was dating Scorpius would change Astoria and Draco's views of her. And she liked the Malfoy parents too much to be brave.

"Lily? Are you ok?" Astoria asked.

Lily shook her head a little, knocking herself out of her thoughts. "Sorry, sorry. I'm fine. Just thinking a lot." After her visit with Duncan, it was hard for Lily to push away that sad feeling. Being around Scorpius helped, and since he had a habit of 'showing up' when she was at work, she was able to keep the feeling away.

"Everything ok?" Astoria asked with care.

Lily shook her head. "No, it's fine. My birthday is five days away, and my family is throwing a party at my grandparents' house," she said, trying to play if off.

But Astoria suddenly looked excited. "Your birthday is in five days? Oh, how fun! We'll have to get you a present!"

But Lily shook her head. "No, it's ok. I don't even really want a party. I'd rather just hang out with my friends and call it good," Lily told her.

"Well we can do that!" Astoria assured. "We'll throw a party here! Just you and your friends. Scorpius can help set up!" Lily opened her mouth to protest, but Astoria beat her to it. "Nope, no arguing. It'll be a present from me and Draco. I insist. You pick a day, and I'll plan it then!"

Lily tried not to laugh at Astoria's happy attitude. "Ok. I will. I promise."

Lily later found herself in light makeup, hair up, and put in a thin and very pretty dress. Astoria had left her in the room, saying that she was getting the backyard prepped, which was where the pictures were to be taken.

"You look ravishing."

Lily jumped, her heart pounding. She whirled around to see Scorpius leaning against the doorframe. He wore a simple grey shirt and jeans. His wrist was adorned with the studded bracelet she'd gotten years ago, and she could see the three piercings in his left ear.

"Scorpius! What are you doing here?" Lily asked, mostly out of excitement.

Scorpius begin to approach her with slow but long steps. "How could I miss seeing you all dressed up and pretty?" he teased. When he was closer, something caught Lily's eye, and it made her gasp.

"You pierced your eyebrow?" she said in surprise as she looked at the thin hoop above his eye.

Scorpius laughed. "Yeah, Mitch and the other guys talked me into it a few days ago. Like it?"

Lily reached up to rub her thumb along the skin around the hoop. "It looks good on you," she complimented. But this man could make rags look good.

"I'm glad," he murmured, bringing his lips closer to her. Yet they still weren't touching, and Lily didn't know why. "So, my mum caught me in the hall and told me to start planning a party for you. What's that about?"

Lily sighed and did her best to keep from rolling her eyes. "I made the mistake of telling her that my birthday was in five days. Now she insists on throwing a party for me."

Scorpius chuckled, his lips brushing against her as he did. "Really? Well, I should start planning. Mind if I throw it on the sixth?"

Lily smiled. "Well, it would get me away from my family. I'll see if I can convince my grandparents to let me go to a different party. Maybe after a 'birthday lunch' I can go," Lily replied.

"I'll start planning then," he whispered. And finally, his lips pressed onto hers in a smooth yet passionate kiss.

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, you better not be messing up the lip gloss I put on her!"

The two teens jumped apart and turned to see Astoria standing in the doorway, amusement on her face.

Scorpius sighed. "Of course not, mother," he assured with a grin.

Astoria laughed, excitement bubbling up. "You know, I'm a little hurt, Scorpius. My own son doesn't tell me that he's dating such a sweetheart?" she teased.

Lily blushed lightly, but Scorpius shook his head. "Well, mother, you never asked," he mocked.

Astoria only smacked his shoulder as she passed him to put her arm around Lily's shoulder. "Oh, Lily, hun, you are in for a treat. Malfoy men are just so much fun to deal with."

Lily giggled, happy that Astoria was happy about it all. "Yeah, I figured that out."

Astoria winked at her. "And since Scorpius is a lot like his dad, I can warn you about a few things now," she joked.

Lily laughed. "That sounds wonderful!"

"Don't you have pictures to take?" Scorpius muttered, his cheeks turning a little pink.

"We can always talk while she does," Astoria teased. "And I think Lily needs a bit of warning about how difficult Malfoy men can me."

"You get even more difficult?" Lily groaned jokingly. "And just when I thought I'd see it all when it came to you."

Scorpius rolled his eyes and began to leave the room. "Well, I'm going to hang out with the other difficult Malfoy man. Perhaps Dad will at least cut me some slack."

Astoria and Lily only laughed. Then Astoria was taking Lily out to the backyard, and helping her find the perfect spot for the picture. They chose a spot near one of the flowerbeds.

"So, Lily," Astoria said as she got the camera ready, "when did you and Scorpius start dating. I doubt my son will tell me much."

Lily smiled. "Near the end of June. Don't feel left out. My parents only just found out a couple of weeks ago. And that's not because I told them."

"Well, I'm glad you two are dating. He's been mooning over you for almost a year now, and I'm glad to see him actually happy," Astoria told her.

Lily blushed again. Almost a year? Even his parents knew? "I never would have guessed," she sighed.

Astoria laughed. "That's not too surprising. Draco was never good at making his feelings known either. Even when it came to the simplest things. Obviously where Scorpius gets it from." Finally, the camera was floating, and ready to start.

Lily took the chance to ask a quick question. "Astoria, how will Lucius and Narcissa react, do you think?"

As the camera started, Lily hid her emotions when she saw hesitation on Astoria's face. She kept smiling as the camera flashed repeatedly.

"Well, I'm sure Narcissa won't mind. She's very fond of you," Astoria assured.

"But . . . Lucius?" Lily asked between flashes.

Now Astoria was really hesitant. "Well, . . . Lucius has obviously always been pro-pureblood. After the war, he was a tiny bit more accepting. But when it came to marriage within the Malfoy family . . ." she cut off, but then started again. "Well, when he first found out that Draco and I were getting married, his only reply was 'as long as she's a pureblood.'"

Lily sighed. "So . . . no chance?" Not that Lily had even expected one to begin with.

"Well, he might just see this as a fling and let it slide. But eventually he would insist that it end. But you have nothing to worry about, dear," Astoria said quickly. "Scorpius has never really been good with listening to Lucius when he spoke about purebloods being supreme. Especially as of late."

A thought struck Lily, and as Astoria took the camera so that they could change her outfit, Lily decided to ask. "Astoria?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" Astoria questioned.

Lily bit her tongue, but then continued. "Why does Scorpius argue and rebel against Lucius so much?"

Astoria sighed as they begin to walk back to the house. "You know, Lily, I'm not sure. It was strange. Just one day, Scorpius didn't like his grandfather anymore. It was odd, and whenever I tried to ask him what happened, he wouldn't explain. And neither will Lucius." She looked at Lily. "Maybe he'll tell you."

"What makes you think he'd tell _me_ if he won't even tell you?" Lily asked.

Astoria's smile had a quality that Lily couldn't identify. Was it sadness? "I think he tells you a lot of things he doesn't tell me." She sighed. "Anyways, you should talk to him. Even if he doesn't tell you all of it, he might say a little bit about it."

As they continued switching outfits, changing hairstyles, and taking pictures, Lily thoughts persisted on Scorpius's distaste for his grandfather. He had never really talked about it. Just called him a "pureblood maniac" and a bigot. But that was obvious, and it still didn't really explain Scorpius's reasons for rebelling against the supposed Malfoy image.

"So, this magazine should be out in a month or so, I'll send them to you," Astoria assured as Lily changed back into her original outfit. She was handed a pouch of coins again. "Here's your payment for this."

Lily didn't bother looking at it. She would never agree that she deserved that much, and Astoria would never agree that she deserved less. It was a moot point to argue.

"Also," Astoria said, "I was thinking that we could do a formal shoot again. On the sixteenth?"

"Sounds good to me," Lily assured.

"What is this I hear about having a future daughter-in-law?"

Lily turned her head to see Draco walking into the room. He was smirking in her direction. Lily smiled. "Hello, Draco," she greeted.

He nodded politely. "Hello, Lily. I hear that your dating my son, and that you and my wife have been teasing him mercilessly," he teased.

Astoria waved her husband's statement off. "Don't let him be over dramatic," she said airily.

"It's so fun to tease him," Lily joked.

Draco chuckled. "Well I won't argue with that." He sighed as he moved to sit on a stool next to Lily. "How's life treating you, Lily?" he asked.

"Excuse me," Astoria murmured, her eyes glued to a piece of parchment as she left the room, leaving Lily and Draco alone in the room.

Lily sighed. "Not horrible I guess. It's getting better."

"Excited for O.W.L.s?" Draco teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. Did everyone ask fifth years that? "Well, I actually took my potions O.W.L. in my third year. Slughorn tricked me into it," she admitted.

Draco looked astounded. "Are you serious? How did you do?"

Lily grinned, trying not to look to smug. "An O. I took my N.E.W.T. this last year. I'm waiting for the result to come in this month," she told him.

"Well I am impressed," Draco complimented. "That's quite an accomplishment for a girl of thirteen and fourteen. I'm sure your parents were excited and proud."

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't told them."

Draco's face was confused. "Why not?" he asked, although his tone didn't sound like he was prying.

She sighed. "Never time. The boys in the house are always going on about something that has my mum and dad's attentions wrapped up. And I'm proud of it, and I don't want that ruined."

Draco nodded. Unlike most, he didn't ask what she meant, nor did he pry into her family life. Most people would have. Lily was glad that he didn't.

"You know, sometimes I think that having only one child was a good thing," he said thoughtfully. "And then other times, I think that my life would be more fulfilling if I had a bigger family." He sighed. "There's really nothing I can do about it now. Astoria and I have made our choices. Now all I can do is wonder if I'm a good father."

"You question your parenting skills?" Lily asked softly.

Draco's smile was small and almost bitter. "No matter how many kids you have or how old they get, you always question your parenting skills. Did we teach them right? Did we take proper care of them? The list goes on and on. I guess I mostly wonder if I raised a man who can be proud of himself, and a man that knows right from wrong," he murmured.

"I think you did a great job," Lily assured.

Draco shot her a small and appreciative smile. "Thank you. I like to think that I did. And I like to think that I was a good dad. One that he knows he can tell anything. One that he can talk to."

Lily bit her lip shortly. "I think he knows," she told him. "But Scorpius doesn't always talk about important things. He bottles things up."

"Yeah, I know and admit to where he gets that from," Draco agreed. "And it's not that I'm expecting him to tell me everything . . . I just hope that he knows that he can."

"He's never complained about you or Astoria," Lily told him. "He's only had good things to say, and fond memories to retell."

Draco sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "I just hope that I'm a father that he can be proud of," he muttered.

"Well, I don't know everything the Malfoy family did during the war, but it's obvious that you've turned it all around for the better. What's not to be proud of?" Lily questioned gently.

Draco's grin was small and not sincere. "There are a lot of things if he looks back enough."

Lily shook her head. "Scorpius isn't about the past. What people did before we were born doesn't matter to him. And even so, you did amazing making things better for your family. You're a great father. And if you raised Scorpius to be like you, then he is a man."

Draco turned in his chair so that he was facing her completely, his face serious as he looked at. And in almost a fatherly way, he reached out and moved her hair from her face and straightened the collar of her shirt. "And you, Lily, are a great girl. You are smart, kind, gentle, yet strong and determined. And loyal. There is no other girl that I think would be better suited for my son," he murmured.

Lily felt her cheeks flush with something akin to pride, and she felt her heart squeeze tight with a feeling of sad longing. Then it tightened with guilt. Because the thought that crossed her heart was so terrible to think about. But in the back of her mind, it was true, and she couldn't deny it.

She loved her own father, but in the moment, she wanted nothing more than for Draco to be her dad.


	47. Best Birthday Ever

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's an update, and a long one too! I thought you guys deserved a present. A lot of serious questions and conversations. But also a lot of fun and laughter. A great blend. Read and enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Seven: Best Birthday Ever

When Lily woke up on the morning of the sixth, she laid in her bed unmoving. She was fifteen today. She was having _two_ parties. She had talked to her grandmum about having a party with her friends, and she had surprisingly relented, as long as Lily spent the morning and afternoon at the Burrow. So Scorpius had the party at six. And her parents, mostly her mother, had been accepting of _this_ party. Lily had to assure them over and over again that Astoria and Draco would be there. Her only requirement was to be back at the Burrow by midnight.

A knock sounded at her door, making Lily turn her head, but still not get up. "Who is it?" she called lazily.

"It's me!"

Lily scowled with confusion at the voice. That was Dominique! She finally swung her legs off the bed and sat up with a small stretch. She walked over and unlocked her bedroom door. Dominique was standing there, hands on her hips, her vivid hair whirling around her shoulders and back.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lily demanded, manners being the last thing in her tired and confused mind.

Dominique brushed past her and walked into the room. "So, what's this I hear about a party at Malfoy's tonight?" she asked, disregarding Lily's question.

Lily shut her door, locking it again. "It's a birthday party for me. Why?"

Dominique shrugged. "Curious. Mitch wants me to come, but I'm not sure I want to."

"Then don't," Lily muttered. She moved to open her closet. "So, what do you want? I know you didn't come over here just to ask about a party at Scorpius's house. You don't even really like him."

"I don't hate or dislike Malfoy. I'm impartial," Dominique countered.

"Quit avoiding the question," Lily told her as she pulled out a laced and frilled black skirt. She began to look for a shirt to wear to the party. She was going to stick it in her bag. No way was she wearing a party outfit to her family birthday party.

"I was bored," Dominique replied.

"Wrong answer," Lily retorted, sensing the lie. She chose a thin green and black shirt with sleeves that reached her elbows.

"Do you have to be so nosy?" Dominique hissed.

"My room, so I'm allowed," Lily said, not missing a sarcastic beat. She took the clothes over to her overnight bag. Lately, she hated having to stay night at the Burrow for every birthday. She used to love it . . . but things change.

She heard Dominique give a loud sigh, and then watched as Dominique fell back onto her bed. "My parents are getting on my nerves, and Louis is no help. Mitch is busy with Malfoy, so I have no other place to hide but here," she answered.

"What about Victoire?" Lily asked.

"Theodore," Dominique said, as if stated everything. Which, it did. Dominique wasn't fond of little kids. They were too messy for her. "And everyone else in this family is unbearable."

"When are you going to France?" Lily asked, thinking of family that Dominique liked. Dominique went to France every summer, even if her siblings didn't. She seemed to like the Delacour side of her family more than the Weasley, which she probably did.

"Change of plans. They're coming here next week instead," Dominique grumbled.

Lily almost laughed. "That sucks."

"Tell me about it. There goes getting away from annoying cousins!"

"Don't you have French cousins?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, but Belle and Nero aren't annoying. They're quiet and easy to put up with," Dominique replied. Lily thought about it. She had met Dominique's cousins once, but she didn't remember much of them. They hadn't spoken very much English. But then again, they were, what, six?

"Are they coming too?" Lily asked.

"No idea," Dominique sighed. She rolled onto her stomach as Lily began to find an outfit to wear to the Burrow. "How is it here without James?"

"Perfect!" Lily said, almost squealing with delight. James had moved out a few days ago, leaving only a bed and a few other pieces of furniture in his old room. Lily had loved it, and was the only one not upset when he left completely. She had gone to work with a smile and a great attitude. The house was much quieter, and even Albus was easier to handle. He didn't seem to start as much trouble with her without James around to back him up.

"I can imagine. I can't wait until I get to move out," Dominique muttered.

"Why don't you?" Lily asked. "You're seventeen, and you've got a job."

"My parents would lock me in my room for the thought," she brooded. "I give Malfoy credit for running while he could. I envy him for that."

Lily rolled her eyes. "He didn't run. He just wanted a bit of independence."

"Do your parents know that your boyfriend lives along?" Dominique asked.

"Nope, and they don't need to. They would never let me go out alone with him," Lily told her.

"Do you go over there?" Dominique asked with a girlish grin.

Lily tried not to smile. "Yeah, we do. But don't even start to make jokes. We don't do what you're thinking."

"What, do you play chess?" Dominique mocked.

Lily tried not to glare. Fifteen and she still hated that game. "No. We hang out. I'm not saying we don't snog at all when we're there, but not in the way you want to imply," she explained. After pulling out a modest white sundress, Lily looked at Dominique. "So, have you and Mitch?"

Dominique raised a brow. "Have we what?"

Lily rolled her eyes. She was such a bitch. "Have you two had sex yet?" Lily moved to her dresser.

"No shit," Dominique muttered. But then she lost the sarcasm. "We sealed that deal sometime after Christmas our sixth year." When Lily looked back at her, she was amused. "Just to clear this up, we aren't entering some girl talk, are we?"

Lily laughed as she pulled out a bra and underwear. "If you want to, we can."

"Well, I don't talk to anyone else in the family about it," Dominique sighed. "You can keep your mouth shut?"

"Do I talk to anyone in the family really?" Lily muttered as she grabbed a pair of white sandals.

"Good point. So, how far have you and Malfoy gone?" Dominique asked, firing off the first question.

Lily sighed as she stepped around Dominique, behind her back, and began to get dressed for the day. "Not too far, I guess," Lily told her.

"He hasn't felt you up yet?" she laughed.

Lily grinned. "Well, a couple times by accident. We haven't been dating for that long."

"You gunna give it up to him eventually?" Dominique inquired.

Lily felt her heart and stomach flutter. While the idea of being with Scorpius had always been crossing her head, _sex_ with Scorpius was something that hadn't came to her yet. Not because she was young or anything, though that was a factor, but because she couldn't exactly say that she loved Scorpius. He still wasn't fitting one requirement for her.

"I couldn't tell you," Lily sighed.

Dominique nodded. "Yeah, that's understandable. You're only just fifteen."

Lily walked back around once she had finished dressing. "Well, it's not just that. There's more to it." She looked at her cousin. "When was your first time?"

Dominique sat up. "It was actually just before Mitch and I go together. It was with Brandon Summerby. We'd gone on a lot of dates before, but we never officially went out. Kind of a benefit thing," she explained.

"How romantic," Lily teased.

"Luckily I don't give a shit about romance," she sighed.

"Lily! Dominique! We're going to be leaving soon!" Ginny called up.

Lily groaned as she grabbed her bag. "Ready?"

"I'd rather blow up, but let's go anyways," Dominique quipped.

* * *

"I just can't believe that you're fifteen!" Grandma Molly squealed as the family all ate lunch. Lily was sitting by her, with Hugo by her side, and Dominique across from her, Louis next to his sister. Lily had been given a big piece of cake before the others at the table. She'd already opened gifts, and had thanked everyone for each gift.

It was a tense event for Lily though. Luna and her family had shown up, Lysander included. He wouldn't even look at her. So Lily had spent most of the day with Hugo and Louis.

"So, what time are you leaving to Scorpius's house?" Arthur asked her.

"About six," Lily told him.

"I'm so happy we get to meet him finally!" Molly said happily.

Lily tried not to roll her eyes. "You're lucky you get to leave," Hugo sighed. "While I am stuck here the whole night. Wasting my youth," he joked.

Lily laughed. "Why don't you come with us?" she asked.

Hugo looked at her with interest. "Really? Scorpius wouldn't mind?"

She shook her head. "No way! He likes you, and it's my birthday, so if I invite you, you're a guest of honor," she assured with a laugh.

Hugo looked to his parents. "Can I go?"

Ron was scowling, but Hermione only looked hesitant. "Well, what time will you be back?" Hermione asked.

"She's to be home at midnight," Ginny told her.

"Not outside, not just getting here. Inside the house at midnight," Harry assured. Lily took a bite of her cake to keep her mouth quiet.

"And it's at Malfoy Manor?" Hermione questioned.

"Yes. And both of his parents will be there, along with a few others I think Lily said?" Ginny asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Lana's parents will be there, Mitch's dad, Will's dad, and the Zabini's," she listed the amount of adults. She'd met them all before, and liked them well enough.

"I don't know," Ron muttered.

"Oh come on, Dad!" Hugo pleaded. "Please? They're cool people!"

"And I can promise that we won't break curfew," Lily told them. "I think Scorpius is planning to bring me back at some time after eleven, just to be sure."

Hermione sighed. "Well, I don't see a problem with it. It's supervised, we know where it's at, and they got a curfew. You can go."

"Yes!" Hugo said with a fist pump.

Later, after lunch and cake, Lily found herself playing chess with Hugo. She was still curious as to how he talked her into playing. He was slaughtering her already, and she'd only made two moves.

The other members in the family were around them, all talking about different subjects. The cousins had probably been forced to sit downstairs with them.

A tiny hand grabbed the shoulder of her sleeve. Lily turned her head to see Theo gripping her, a big smile on his face, showing two cute little dimples. His hair was red, and his eyes pink. A giggle, which sounded more like a squeal, left his lips. Lily smiled and picked him up, and set him in her lap. When he began to reach for one of the chess pieces, Hugo quickly handed him one of his discarded toys. Theo immediately began to play with it.

"Such a cutie!" Lily said as she kissed the side of his forehead.

"Your move, Lily," Hugo said as he made a funny face at Theo.

Luckily, Lily didn't have to make that move, because everyone became distracted at the sound of knocking on the door.

"Who could that be?" Grandma Molly murmured. She stepped over to the door, and pulled it opened. Lily was shocked to see Lana and Lola standing in the doorway.

Lily moved Theo off her lap and stood up. "What are you two doing here?"

The two girls smiled as Molly let them inside. "Happy birthday!" they squealed, both enveloping her into a hug.

Lana looked at her with a grin as she pulled from the hug. "We thought we'd come over and help you get ready for your party."

"We didn't intrude on anything, did we?" Lola asked hesitantly.

Lily shook her head. "No, it's fine. Come on." She took Lola's wrist, expecting Lana to follow. She glanced at Hugo. Come on, Hugh. You're coming with."

Hugo looked surprised at the invitation, but he still stood up and followed them up the stairs. Lana looked at Lily with questions, but Lily grinned. "Hugo's coming to the party. I didn't want to condemn him to a night alone with the family."

"You're so kind," Lana laughed.

Lily brought them into her mum's old room, where she had placed her overnight bag earlier. She looked at the girls, and finally noticed that they had small bags of their own. "Am I to suspect that you have something important in those bags?" she asked.

Lola grinned. "Our clothes, as well as a few other things."

Lily looked at Hugo. "Go and get your bag while we change, ok?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, no problem." He left, closing the door behind him.

"Your cousin's kinda cute," Lola commented as she pulled her clothes out of her bag.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I guess." She began to undress, as did the other two girls.

"So, I have a bit of news," Lana said as she began to pull on a pair of tight jeans.

"What's up?" Lily asked as she pulled on her skirt.

"Dante and I are breaking up after tonight," Lana told them casually.

Both girls gasped. "No!" Lola said with sadness.

Lana nodded. "Yeah, we are. It's mutual though."

"What for?" Lily asked. Those two had been going out for about two years now, and everyone had expected them to last.

"Well he graduated last year, and we'll be separated for a long time. We just think that it'll be best this way. This way, neither of us will be tied down to someone we can't be with," Lana explained.

"But don't you love each other?" Lola questioned.

"We do. That's why we agreed that we would get back together after I graduated, permitting that neither of us was attached to someone else," Lana told them.

"Is this what you want?" Lily asked.

She heard Lana sigh. "I really do love him. But I do think that it would be best if we split. It won't complicate things. I guess I have enough faith to believe that everything will work out."

Lily nodded as she pulled on her top. "If you're sure."

"I am," Lana assured.

There was a knock at the door. "Can I come in?" Hugo called.

Lily looked at the other girls to see that they too were dressed. "Yeah, come in, Hugo!"

Hugo came in hesitantly, but after seeing that they were decent, he stepped in fully and closed the door. He dropped his bag onto the floor. "Well, my other set of clothes doesn't really look fit for a party like yours," he admitted.

"Let's see 'em," Lana told him.

He dug through his bag, pulling out a set of clothes. The girls took them and placed them out on the bed. It was a pair of denim shorts, and a maroon colored shirt. "They aren't bad," Lola muttered as she began to bite her lip.

"But we could so make them better," Lana replied.

Lily gave him the clothes back. "Go put them on," she told him.

Once Hugo left the room, Lana looked at Lily. "So, I get the feeling that Hugo has been sheltered?"

Lily nodded. "That's my guess. His dad is really . . . well, while he accepts Slytherins now, it's only because of me. His daughter will be a virgin until she dies, and Hugo has been raised to be a 'man' while at the same time not being rebellious. Like me," she told them.

"Do we need to change that?" Lola asked as she pulled out a bit of makeup from her bag.

"I think he wants to," Lily admitted.

Hugo walked back, wearing the clothes. He didn't look bad for a family occasion. But for a party with Slytherins, he would stick out.

"Oh, wow," Lola mumbled.

"The shorts have got to change," Lily said off the bat.

Lana pulled out her wand, and pointed it at the shorts. With a whispered spell, the legs of the shorts began to grow. When they looked like a normal pair of jeans, she stopped. "The shirt's fine," she said, "but the color doesn't fit you."

"We need something that doesn't clash with your hair," Lola commented.

"Like . . . blue!" Lily suggested.

With a flick of Lana's wand, the shirt turned a deep shade of blue. It surprisingly matched him very well. "That looks really good," Lola complimented.

Hugo looked down on his clothes. "I like it," he told them. Then he tugged at his sleeves. "But, can you make these a little longer? I'm a big fan of short sleeves."

"No problem," Lana told him, and easily made the sleeves longer. She stopped at a little past his elbows. "That good?"

"Perfect!" Hugo said with a grin.

Lola grabbed his wrist and sat him on the bed. "Ok, now we just gotta fix your hair. The whole 'I don't use a brush' look isn't good."

Lily tried not to laugh at her cousin's surprised look. She moved to the vanity mirror and began to apply a bit of makeup, and pick out her accessories. She already had her pendant and Slytherin ring, and she adding a better pair of earrings. Lana was next to her, fixing her makeup and hair. Lily planned to lightly curl her hair again.

"Done!" Lola squealed after a while. Lily turned to see Hugo's curls smoothed down with layers. It was a nice look for him.

"You, sometimes, we should dye some of those layers you just did," Lana commented.

"I can't believe you let her cut your hair," Lily commented as she looked at the hair on the bed. Lana vanished it away.

"Why fight it?" Hugo asked with a chuckle.

"Are we all ready now?" Lola asked as she got up from the bed.

"Lily! Scorpius is here!" Grandma Molly yelled.

"And there's your answer," Lily replied. She slipped on her shoes, and the four left the room, and descended the stairs. When she was in the sight of her family, she could feel the unapproving stares being thrown at her. But she ignored them, keeping her eyes on the proud figure in front of her.

Scorpius stood by the door, Mitch surprisingly by his side. He seemed like an imposing force in the crowded room. He was obviously one of the bigger men in the room. Perhaps her uncle Charlie would be a good comparison, but he was in Romania. His hair had obviously been cut so that it now longer covered his eyes. And Lily guessed that Astoria had made him shave completely, for his cheeks and chin looked as smooth and clean as ever. He wore grey jeans and a black sweater that contrasted greatly with his light hair.

"What are you doing here, Mitch?" Lana demanded with curiosity.

"Well, I came to see if Dom was coming to the party or not," Mitch answered.

"And?" Lily asked.

"Not worth it," Dominique sighed. "I'd rather stay here."

"I already told her how offended I was," Mitch joked.

"Are you all ready?" Scorpius asked, his voice a deeper rumble compared to Mitch's.

"Hugo's coming with us," Lily told him.

"Great to have you aboard, Hugh," Scorpius said with a smirk. "Mitch, you wanna take him?"

"No problem," Mitch sighed.

"Be home by midnight," Ginny warned with a bit of a smile.

"Of course, Mum," Lily said as she kissed her cheek. Then she moved to her father. "Bye, Dad."

"Put on a jacket," Harry muttered. Lily knew that it wasn't because of the weather that he suggested it.

"Don't worry. I'll have them both back before curfew," Scorpius assured.

"I want her in the house at midnight," Harry told him with a bit of a glare. Lily glared at him.

But Scorpius wasn't fazed. "Of course, Mr. Potter."

Lily grabbed his arm and began to tug him outside. "Come on," she mumbled. Once they were all out of the house, Hugo closed the door.

Scorpius was still smirking. "Just to warn you, my mum gave you a more lavish party than she ever did for me."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fantastic," she sighed.

Scorpius wrapped his arms around her and kissed her once before she felt them Apparating. With a 'POP', their feet landed just outside the door of Malfoy Manor. Soon, three more 'POP's sounded, and the others were surrounding them. It was the first time Lily had ever gone to the Malfoys' home through the front door. From the outside, the place was huge, and the door was large. But Lily was sure that it didn't really show how big it was.

"Time to party!" Mitch cheered with a laugh.

Scorpius rolled his eyes, and Lily giggled. But Scorpius opened the door and let everyone into the hall. "The party's in the ballroom. My mum had it decked out for the occasion."

"Meet ya down there!" Mitch laughed as he practically pranced up the hall. Lana and Lola followed, taking Hugo with. It just left Scorpius and Lily in the hall.

Scorpius smirked down at her. "Just so you know, I cut it down as much as I could, but the party is still pretty big."

"How many people?" Lily asked.

"Eh, about eighty-seven or so," Scorpius sighed.

Lily groaned. "Does you mum understand the phrase 'just me and friends'?"

"Well in her defense, they're all Slytherins. And I think you'll be surprised by some of the people here," Scorpius insisted as he wrapped an arm around her. He led her down the hall toward the ballroom.

"But it's just people I know?" Lily asked.

"Not a single stranger," Scorpius promised.

When they entered the room, and Lily saw the amount of people, she almost dropped her jaw. But luckily, she was able to keep her mouth shut, and smile when Astoria ran up to hug her.

"Happy birthday!" Astoria squealed.

Lily pulled away from the hug. "Thank you, Astoria. And thank you for the party. It's great."

Draco smirked down at her. "Happy birthday, Lily," he said, giving her a small and short hug.

"Thank you, Draco," Lily said with a smile.

"Lily Luna!" a booming voice practically yelled.

Lily jumped, and was shocked to see Raven Bole coming toward her. He was bigger than Lily had last seen him, and his black hair was longer than it used to be. There were a couple of scars on his bare arms, but he still looked handsome.

"Raven!" Lily hugged him once he got closer. She was so tiny compared to him.

He pulled away. "Man, look at you! You gotten taller, and you look like a woman!" he joked.

Lily laughed. "Same to you!" she joked.

"Ooh. Ouch," Raven laughed. "So I hear that you are dating our own Slytherin prince." He clapped Scorpius on the shoulder. "I'm surprised that he got bigger than me."

Scorpius smirked. "Yeah, what happened? Aren't you four years older than me?"

"You make me sound old!" Raven laughed.

"So, how have you been?" Lily asked.

He shrugged. "Pretty good. Stacy and I got married a little over a year ago."

"Really? That's great!" Lily replied.

"Yeah. We figured it was about time," Raven told her.

"Hey, Lil?"

Lily turned to see Hugo walking toward her, looking a little tense. "Hugo! Come here!" She grabbed his wrist and pulled him over. "Hugo, this is Raven Bole. Raven, this is my cousin Hugo."

Raven looked amused. "A Gryffindor at a Slytherin party. Never seen that before," he laughed. But he held out his hand. "Good to meet ya, Hugo."

Hugo shook his hand. "You too, man."

"So, enjoying yourself?" Scorpius asked Hugo.

He gave a small shrug. "I'm getting a few looks, but otherwise it's pretty cool."

"Well, we've never seen a Gryffindor at our parties. They'll get used to it," Scorpius assured. He took Lily's wrist. "Come on, dance with me."

Lily patted Hugo's arm with her other hand as she pulled past him. "Just relax," she suggested. And when we she and Scorpius were near the middle of the room, Lily stopped by Lola. "Hey, Lola?"

Lola turned away from Shannon to look at her. "What?"

Lily nodded toward Hugo. "Get Hugo to dance, will ya? Get him to loosen up a little?"

Lola looked over at him, and then grinned at her. "No problem. I'm on it."

Scorpius smirked as he pulled Lily out to the dance floor. "You're sneaky, you know that?"

Lily laughed as he pulled her against him. "Of course. What kind of Slytherin would I be if I wasn't?"

In the middle of the song, Lily noticed that Lola had recruited Shannon, leaving Hugo to dance with both girls. His surprised face made Lily laugh, but she noticed that he was slowly starting to relax.

Lily was greeted by many friends, some that had already graduated, such as Aaron Goyle and Adrian Flint. She finally got to talk with Stacy West, or actually, Stacy Bole now. Some had brought presents, which Lily was forced to open with a camera pointed at her by Astoria. But Lily found herself dancing a lot with many different friends, although mostly with Scorpius.

"Hey, Lily!"

Lily turned her head while standing and talking with Megan when suddenly something glowing was shot at her. It splattered against both girls, some of it on their skin, hair, or clothes. It didn't hurt, but it glowed bright. Mitch and Lars were standing there, laughing.

"Got 'em!" They gave each other a high-five.

"What is this?" Megan demanded.

"Watch," Mitch told her. Then he yelled. "Shut off the lights!"

The room dimmed majorly, but everyone was glowing brightly with splotches of the glowing liquid on them, which had already dried. "It's from your uncle," Lars told Lily. "We thought it would be fun!"

"It's awesome!" Lily giggled.

Mitch cupped his hands around his mouth. "Mosh pit!" he screamed, prompting everyone to run to the dance floor.

Lily laughed as she stayed behind. She walked over to where she saw Lana standing with Lola around a stool. And on that stool sat Hugo.

"What are you guys doing?" Lily asked.

Lana held up a pin and a stud. "We're piercing Hugo's ear."

Lily looked surprised. "Really? You want to do this?"

Hugo nodded, although he looked a little shaky. "Yeah, I wanna do it."

"I've numbed his ear," Lana whispered to her.

"I'm thinking about streaking my hair too," Hugo admitted. "But I should probably wait until we go to school. Then my dad can't argue."

Lily grinned. "Not bad, Hugo. What color?"

"I think black would be good," Lana told him.

Hugo shrugged. "Then we can do black."

Lola practically squealed. "I love your cousin, Lily! He's like a big doll!"

Lily laughed, but covered it up by taking a drink from the cup in her hand. "Yeah. It runs in the family."

"Ready?" Lana asked, bringing the pin close to his ear.

"One minute. Lil, give me that," Hugo said, pointing to her drink. Lily gave it to him, and he took a big swig from her cup, and handed it back. "Ok, now go!"

Lily felt her own body twitch when she saw the pin pierce Hugo's ear, but he didn't wince at all. In fact, he looked expectant. Lana's face was serious as she worked, getting the small bit of bleeding to quit. When she led out her hand, Lola handed her the stud, which Lana promptly put in. Then she stepped back.

"You're all done, Hugo!" she told him.

Hugo felt the stud in his earlobe. "Really? Wow, that didn't even hurt." He looked at Lily with a grin. "Maybe some time we could put a couple of hoops in like Lily, huh?"

Lana smiled. "Sure. At school?"

"Sounds like a plan," Hugo agreed.

"You know," Lily commented as she looked at Hugo's ear, "I didn't know that you knew how to pierce an ear."

"Well, I learned how not too long ago. But that's all I can pierce. I can't to eyebrows, or bellybuttons or anything like that. I could probably do a lip, but I'm not sure," Lana admitted.

"You should be a beautician," Lily told her. "The way you get into hair and all this other stuff. You'd be good at it."

Lana bit her lip. "Actually, I've thought about working with Mrs. Malfoy after school. But I haven't talk to her about it yet."

"You should," Lily insisted. "I'm sure she'd love to have you aboard."

"And you're really good at it," Lola added. "I mean, look at how well Lily's hair turned out."

"And Astoria loved it," Lily said.

Lana blew out a sigh. "I don't know. Maybe I'll talk to her sometime this week. I'm a bit preoccupied tonight." She looked out past the girls, and when they followed her gaze, they saw Dante sitting with Will Nott and Wade Macnair.

Lily rubbed her shoulder. "Take your time."

Lola nodded, then she grabbed Hugo's wrist. "Come, we're gunna dance again."

Hugo laughed as he got off the stool. "Ain't your boyfriend gonna get mad?"

Lola giggled as they began to walk to the dance floor. "I don't have one."

Lily couldn't hear Hugo's response, but she shook her head. Lana looked ready to laugh. "Looks like someone has a crush."

Lily let out a laugh of her own. "Well, I'd rather he date her than that cow Wilde."

"Can't blame you. Who'd want that brought into the family?" Lana muttered. She was staring ahead at Dante again.

"Why don't you go dance with him?" Lily suggested.

"He's talking with his friends," she replied.

"Yeah, but they can see him any time. You're going back to school soon, and breaking up after tonight. You deserve this time with him more than they do," Lily replied.

Lana sighed again as she looked over at him. "I guess you're right." She put the pin into her pocket. "I'll see ya around."

Lily nodded as she took a drink and watched Lana walked toward the group of boys. In a way, she felt sorry for Lana. She could only imagine how hard it was for her to keep a straight face. But part of it scared her. Soon, she and Scorpius could be in that situation. Lily shook her head at the thought. Too soon, too soon.

"Having fun, Lily?"

Lily turned to see Draco coming to stand next to her. "Of course, how could I not get someone throws some glowing liquid at me?" she joked.

Draco chuckled. "Yes, as you can see, I got caught as well." It was true. The front of his clothes was spotted with big patches of glowing spots.

Lily laughed lightly. "So, are you having fun?"

"Well, it's nice to see you kids all having fun. Does make me feel a little younger," Draco replied. He looked at her, his face no longer amused. More hesitant. "I've got a present for you."

Lily looked at him with a bit of surprise. "Um, your wife already gave me new _Wood_ model broom. It's a really great gift."

Draco nodded once. "I know, but that was from her. _I_ have my own gift to give you. And I'm proud to say that I didn't need Scorpius's help with picking it out."

Lily felt a bit abashed. "You didn't have to," she told him.

"I wanted to. But you'll have to leave the party for a couple moments. I can't move it, and it's upstairs," he told her.

This had Lily both confused and curious. So she nodded. "Ok. Let's go."

Draco led her out of the ballroom, and then up the large staircase. On the second floor, he brought her to a door on the far left, then stopped. "Ok, first, I want to give you this." He pulled something out of his pocket. "Hold out your hand."

Lily did as he said, and held her hand out, palm up. Then he placed something on it. It was cool, with a small jagged edge, but his fist obscured her view. He looked as if he was going to say something, but then he was silent and pulled away his hand. Lily looked at her palm. On it laid a shining, silver key. She looked up at him. "Draco, what is this?"

But he ignored her question. "Now, this is only part of it. The other part is in this room." He tapped his knuckles on the door. "Open," he urged.

Lily wrapped her fingers around the key, and then with her other hand, twisted the doorknob. She pushed the door open to see what looked like a normal bedroom. It had a queen-sized bed, with a green comforter and black pillows. There were two doors, one on the right and one on the left. Lily guessed that they led to a closet and a bathroom. A dresser was next to one door. Against the wall next to the door was a writing desk, a thing of quills was next to two bottles of ink. On the right side of the bed was a vanity with a large mirror. It was lined with different bottles and other things. And on the left side of the bed was a large bookcase, with only two shelves partially filled. A medium-sized window was above the bed.

She looked over at Draco. "No offense, but I'm not sure I get it. What's the gift?"

Draco gave a small smile as he stepped into the room. He moved to the writing desk, and pulled something out of one of the drawers. Then he set it down for her to see. "Perhaps, this will elaborate better."

It was a long silver plate, and on it, _Lily Luna_, was engraved. It suddenly clicked in Lily's mind, and she felt her heart stutter in beat. "You mean, this room?"

Draco pulled out the chair to sit down. "I didn't put up the plate, because I didn't want to be presumptuous. I thought I'd wait to see if you would accept the gift."

Lily gulped. "This is a really big gift, Draco."

He sighed. "Well, Lily, after our conversation the other day, I kept thinking about it. Read between lines, rethought things we said. And suddenly I thought, 'This girl feels like my own child.'. And as I thought about it, I realized that this might be the feeling of having a daughter. And I don't feel this way just because you are dating Scorpius. So, I thought that, I could give you your own room. You know, just incase you ever need somewhere to stay or go," Draco told her. "The key is to the house, incase if you need to come in the middle of the night."

Lily picked up the thin silver plate. It was a bit heavier than she expected, but it was easy to pick up. She walked over and held it against the door. She looked back to Draco. "Will you put it up now?"

Draco walked over and pulled out his wand. With a whispered spell, Lily felt the plate begin to stick to the wood of the door. She pulled away, and the plate stayed in place. It hung proudly, stating who belong in the room. And Lily knew that she _did_belong in this house. She belonged in this family. She turned around and hugged Draco around the middle.

"Thank you so much, Draco. I feel the same way," she mumbled. It was all she could get out. Because she just couldn't get herself to say it out loud. She couldn't say that he felt more like her dad than her own father did.

But Draco only hugged her back. "Anytime, Lily. Anytime."

* * *

When Lily and Draco returned to the party, the dj had moved aside to let Mitch, Rex, Justin, and Will put on a performance. Lily had never heard them before, but they were amazing! Lily sought out Scorpius in the crowd, and found him standing alone next to a drink table.

"Hey, stud," she greeted with a smile.

He smiled back when he caught sight of her. "Hello, beautiful." He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her shortly. "Where did you disappear to?"

Lily picked up one of the cups from the table. "Your dad was giving me my birthday gift," she told him.

"What did he get you? He hasn't even given me or my mum a hint," Scorpius asked.

Lily took a quick drink. "He gave me a bedroom here. Incase I ever wanted to get away."

Scorpius squeezed her side tenderly. "I like that idea. It reassures me."

Lily rested her head against his arm, and looked up at the band. "So, I thought Will quit singing?"

"Ah, they're calling it his last performance," Scorpius replied.

"Alright, alright!" Will said after they finished the song. "Now, we got one slow song, so we're gunna play it for ya. So grab your girl or guy, or a friend, and come to the dance floor. And I expect to see our birthday girl out here!" he said with a laugh.

Lily shook her head, but Scorpius chuckled too. And when the song started, he took her cup and set it down. "Come on. Let's dance, princess. They're expecting us out there, and I would hate to disappoint."

Lily giggled, but let him take her out to the dance floor, where other couples were beginning to dance. She caught sight of a bunch of her friends. Lana and Dante, Megan and Monty, Shannon and Hunter, Lars and Lindsey Bletchley, Jace and Izzy, and Lola and Hugo.

"Scorpius," Lily said as they began to dance. She rested her head on his chest, "will you do something for me?"

"Anything, babe," Scorpius assured.

"Well, I want to take you to meet someone important," Lily told him quietly over the music.

"Who?"

"Duncan. He really wants to meet you before we go off to school," she whispered.

"Sure. I'd be honored to meet him," Scorpius replied. "Maybe I'll bring him a present."

"He likes Chocolate Frogs," Lily hinted.

"Chocolate Frogs it is then," he said with a kiss on her hair. Lily squeezed his shoulders in a way of thanks. "What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked softly.

"Nothing that I know of," Lily answered.

"Work?"

"I have the day off. A birthday gift from Aunt Hannah," Lily replied.

"Well, how about going on a date with me?" Scorpius asked. "Another birthday present from me. Time away from your family."

Lily smiled. "I'd like that. What have you got in mind?"

"Since it's a surprise, I cannot tell you," he teased. "But I promise that you'll like it."

"I trust you," Lily told him.

* * *

It was a whirlwind of fun. The party had been a blast, and Lily couldn't remember having a better time. It was better than the party last spring! And when it came time to come home, it was Scorpius and Mitch that brought Lily and Hugo back to the Burrow, with Lola tagging along. The five were all still glowing in the dark as they laughed in the yard.

"That was such an awesome night!" Hugo cheered.

"Totally!" Lola agreed.

"You think Dom is still up?" Mitch asked.

"Maybe," Hugo answered.

"Man, these shoes are killing me," Lola complained as she pulled off her sandals.

"Here, hop up!" Hugo leaned down. Lola giggled and jumped on his back. Hugo then began walking toward the house, a giggling Lola on his back, and Mitch following. Lily and Scorpius stayed back, holding hands as they slowly walked toward the house.

"Quite the group, aren't they?" Scorpius chuckled.

"Ah, but we love them," Lily retorted with a smile.

"Yeah. I guess we're stuck with them," he joked. He let go of his hand to wrap it around her shoulder. "But I wouldn't change it."

"Neither would I," she admitted. They stopped just steps from the door. Scorpius slid his hands down to take hold of her hands again.

"So, may I assume that you had a great time tonight?" Scorpius asked.

Lily felt her smile get a little bit bigger. "You may. And may I assume that not matter how much I persist, you aren't going to tell me what we're doing tomorrow?"

"You may," Scorpius teased in kind. He leaned to place his forehead against hers. "I'll see you tomorrow at six?"

"Sounds good to me," Lily murmured.

"And I know there's no point to saying this, because you always do, but look real pretty tomorrow. Ok? And don't ask why," he caught her before she could start.

Lily sighed. "Ok, fine. I promise to be all dolled up, just for you."

Scorpius smirked. "Good. I'll let you get inside then. But first." He leaned forward and kissed her. Lily kissed his back eagerly, her fingers tightening their grip on his. When his tongue brushed against her lips, Lily opened her mouth eagerly for him, letting his sweep into her mouth. His hands let go of hers and wrapped around her waist. Lily moved her to his shoulders. With their lips and tongues meshed together, Lily forgot about needing to be in the house by midnight. She pretty much forgot everything but Scorpius and his lips.

There was a knock on the door next to them, making them both jump. "Tick Tok, Lily!" she heard her father call.

Lily groaned and leaned her head on Scorpius's chest, which was vibrating with every chuckle he emitted. "One moment, Dad!" she yelled back, trying not to sound aggravated. She looked up at her boyfriend. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah." He kissed her again, only shorter this time. "Send the other two out here for me."

Lily nodded. She moved to the door, giving one last wave and look goodbye, before opening the door and stepping inside. Surprisingly enough, it seemed like most of the family was still up, as if waiting for them. Lily ignored them. "Mitch, Lola, Scorpius is waiting," she told them.

Lola sighed. "Ok, we should probably go." She looked at Hugo. "Do I get a hug?"

Hugo grinned. "Of course!" He opened his arms, and Lola almost jumped into them. Lily rolled her eyes. Mitch kissed Dominique quickly. Lola pulled away from the hug, and then she hugged Lily.

"Again, happy birthday!" she said with a smile. "I'll see you later!"

"You bet," Lily assured.

Mitch gave her a quick, and brotherly hug. "See ya around, Lils."

"Bye, Mitch," Lily sighed.

"Later, dude," Hugo said with a bit of a wave.

Mitch grinned. "Back at ya, man." And with that, the two walked out the door.

"So, how was the party?" Ginny asked.

"Awesome!" Hugo answered.

"Yeah, you're still glowing," Dominique commented dryly. Both Hugo and Lily looked at the glowing spots on their skin and outfits.

"Still the most epic party," Hugo sighed, dropping into a chair.

Lily stretched her arms. "We should probably shower before bed," she joked.

Hugo leaned his head back. "You go first then. I'm lazy."

"So, what did you get from your friends?" Hermione asked curiously.

Lily sighed as she dropped onto the floor next to Hugo's chair. "A new broomstick, a couple outfits, accessories, books, potion and broom kits," she listed. She kept Draco's gift out of the list, yet the key in a hidden pocket in her skirt.

"I notice you didn't bring them home with you," Harry mentioned.

"Nah, it was too much to take," Lily said with a bit of a laugh. "Either Scorpius is going to help me take it all home one day, or he's just going to bring them to school." Then Lily sighed again and stood up. "Actually, I'm just going to take a shower now."

"Alright, dear," Ginny said.

Lily trekked up the stairs, her limbs a bit tired. A hot shower would do her good. Get the glowing splotches off of her, and then just dropped and fall asleep. Yes. That was a great plan.

* * *

"How about this white one?" Lily asked Hugo. After everyone in the Burrow woke up and had a family breakfast, they slowly began to leave to their own homes. Lily had told her parents early that she would be going on a date with Scorpius, and much to her father's displeasure, she was allowed to go. Hugo came over, and was now helping her pick an outfit. Well, helping the best he could.

"Sure, it looks good," he told her.

Lily rolled her eyes. He wasn't even looking at her. That was another thing she'd noticed. Hugo's been moody ever since this morning. But now it seemed worse than when she'd see him at the Burrow hours ago. "Really? How would you know? You're staring at the wall?"

Hugo sighed, rubbing his face. "Sorry, sorry. My dad's being a prick today. It's kinda why I came over," he told her.

Lily nodded in understanding. "Well, you can hang out in here after I leave if you want. That way you won't have to go home so soon."

"I might do that," Hugo muttered. Then he looked at her. "Go with something black," he suggested. "You're going on a birthday date, not meeting his parents for dinner."

Lily rolled her eyes again, but now she was laughing. "Ok, thanks."

"What are you doing with your hair?" Hugo asked as she went into her cramped closet again.

"Lightly curling it. I know he likes it," Lily told him. She pulled out a nice, black dress, but one that wasn't too formal.

"What else are you wearing with it?" Hugo questioned as he turned his back so Lily could change.

Lily sighed as she began to change. "My Slytherin pendant, my ring, a couple earrings."

"Good choice," Hugo complimented.

Once she had the dress on and tied, she moved to the vanity, where Hugo sat. "I'm decent," she assured as she began to grab her earrings.

Hugo turned back around in the chair. "So, I like that friend of yours. Lola."

Lily bit back a laugh. "Yeah? Well I reckon she likes you too."

"She's a cool girl," Hugo continued. "Pretty."

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Lily teased,

Hugo held up his hands in defense. "I'm just commenting. I thought I was still allowed to look."

"Your girl doesn't seem like the type that likes not having total control of her toy," Lily sighed.

"Ha, ha," Hugo muttered. "She's not so bad, once you get to know her."

"I do know her. I've beaten her face in many times. She's a bitch," Lily stated. "But, I'm not going to tell you who to date. It's your decision and life."

"Thank you. At least someone thinks so," he mumbled.

"Your dad?" Lily asked.

"Total ass lately," he replied.

"They all get that way. My dad's been an ass for a couple of years now," Lily told him. She avoided Hugo's eyes as she began to put on lip gloss. "Actually, lately, I've felt like Draco is more like a dad to me than my own."

"Scorpius's dad?"

"The very one."

"Well, I guess that's not a bad thing. I mean, you do hang out with him more than your dad," Hugo told her.

"Yeah, but it's more than that. He's more accepting of things I do. Mistakes, good things. Anything. And I talk to him so much easier than I do with my dad. About serious things, too," Lily admitted. She gulped. "Last night, he told me that he feels like I'm more like his daughter. And I agreed with him. He even gave me a key to the house, and a room. That way if I needed somewhere to go, I had somewhere. I just . . . ," Lily sighed as she broke off, then picked back up. "I just feel like I belong there more than I do in this house."

Now it was a long moment before Hugo spoke. Lily had almost finished all of her makeup and accessories before he talked. "There's nothing I can really do to help ya there. You can't change how you feel. But I can see how you feel like that. I mean, you're a real black sheep in this family, no offense. And I don't think any of us in the family are going to really understand how you feel. I mean, your brothers, and most of your cousins, have turned their backs on you. I can understand how you would feel out of place, and then feel more at home with a family that accepts everything about you."

"I just don't get it," Lily told him. "They seem to accept everything _but_ me. I just don't see how me becoming a Slytherin changed everything about me in their eyes."

"Well, think about it. James had four years of a festering hate for all Slytherins. And then his sister becomes one," Hugo replied.

"Yeah, but if the tables were turned, I would still love him. I wouldn't make threats, or try to get him beat up," Lily argued.

"Yeah, time has really morphed James," Hugo agreed. "As years have gone by, he's gotten worse. He's been milking the Potter name for all it's worth. Climbing the social ladder, sleeping with girls, controlling the team, making people do things for him. Having Albus as his bitch," he muttered the last part.

"Obviously," Lily mumbled. She sighed as she finished curling her hair. "What time is it, Hugo?"

Hugo checked the watch on his wrist. "Less then ten minutes to six. Scorp should be here soon."

Lily smoothed out her dress as she tried to get her heart to stop fluttering. She couldn't figure out what it was about this date that had her nervous. Maybe it was because it was her and Scorpius's first _real_ date. Not him hanging around work with her, taking her home afterwards, sitting around his flat, him sticking around while she did pictures for his mum, or hanging out with their friends. It was an actual date, and Lily didn't really know what to expect.

"Calm down, Lil," Hugo chuckled.

Lily glanced over at him. "What?"

"Don't be nervous. Relax," he told her.

Now Lily looked at him fully. "How did you know that I'm nervous?"

Hugo grinned. "Because, it's no different from when we were kids. You get that blank face and scared eyes. We may have grown up, but you haven't changed all that much."

Lily felt her jittery nerves and flutter heart begin to slow, and she smiled at her cousin. Of all the things anyone could have told her, that was one thing she was really happy to hear. "Thanks, Hugo," she said softly.

He shrugged. "Just speakin' the truth," he said, sounding a little abashed.

A knock sounded at the door, and it seemed to snap around the air of the room. Hugo sat up in the chair, and Lily straightened up where she stood. "Who is it?" Lily asked.

"Your mother. May I come in?" Ginny asked from the other side of the door.

Lily sighed. "Yeah, just a second."

Lily walked over and unlocked the door, opening it to let her mum in. Ginny stepped in, looking around as she did. "I haven't been in here for a while. When did you move things around?"

Lily looked around as well. She'd rearranged her room during the boredom of her grounded period. "Back in June," she answered. She moved back to her mirror, where Hugo was still sitting on the chair.

"Hey, Aunt Ginny," he greeted.

"Hello, Hugo. When did you get here?" she asked as she moved to look at some of the pictures on the wall.

"An hour or so ago. Sorry for not saying hi," he told her. He picked up a small Muggle ball that grandpa had given Lily, and began to toss it between his hands.

"Oh, you're always welcome," Ginny assured. "Lily, when was this took?" she asked, pointing at one of the pictures.

Lily moved closer to look at it. It was a picture of the five girls in their dorm room. It was an obvious girls' night. They were in pajamas, Lola was doing Shannon's hair, Megan was looking in a magazine, Lily was painting Izzy's nails. Lily remembered Lana and Tamara Nott coming in, and Lana taking the picture. They ended up joining them that night. It had been fun.

"It was taken this last year," Lily answered. She really wanted to ask what her mother wanted, but she held her tongue.

"It's cute," Ginny told her. Then she turned to look at her daughter. "You look beautiful, sweetheart."

Lily gave a bit of a smile. "Thanks," she said.

Ginny moved to push her bangs aside a little. "Awfully dressed up though for a simple date though, aren't you?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Scorpius told me dress up for it."

"What's the occasion?" Ginny asked.

"My birthday," Lily replied.

"Where's he taking you?"

Lily looked back at her mother. "Did Dad send you up here?"

Ginny looked a bit sheepish. "He wanted to interrogate you, but I thought there would be less of a fight if I talked to you."

Lily sighed, ignoring te anger at her dad. "I have no idea where Scorpius and I are going. The point of a present is that it's a surprise. No matter how much I want to know now," she muttered.

Ginny moved to sit on her bed. "Honey, your father worries about you. He will always worry about you. You are his only daughter. He means well."

Lily was reminded of her talk with Draco. "Yeah. I know," she admitted.

"Come here." Ginny motioned for the spot next to her on the bed.

Hugo put down the ball and got up from his seat. "I'm going to use the bathroom." He quickly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Lily moved to the bed, and sat next to her mother. "What is it?"

Ginny brushed a bit of Lily's hair from her shoulder. "There's something else that your father wanted to talk about, and I knew that you did not want to hear it from him. And I knew that he really didn't want to talk about it with you."

Lily looked at her, a bit confused. "What is it?"

Ginny sighed. "I know we've talked about this before, years ago. But now that you're older and have a boyfriend, I think we need to talk about sex."

"Oh, Mum!" Lily protested, standing from her seat. This wasn't a talk she wanted to have with _either_ of her parents! Once when she was nine was enough!

Ginny laughed shortly. "Yes, Lily, I think we need to talk again."

"Look, Mum, unless the process has changed since I was nine, I think I've got the gist!" Lily assured as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Look, Lily, I don't want to talk about the 'process'," Ginny replied. "I just want to make sure that _if_ it happens, you're doing it for the right reasons."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Mum, I've never done something I didn't want to do."

"I know. And that really helps to reassure me. And I don't think Scorpius would be the type of boy to try push or force you."

"He's not," Lily replied.

"And you know that-,"

"Sex without love is meaningless," Lily repeated, remembering their talk from years ago.

Ginny laughed. "I'm glad you remembered one of the more important parts of that talk. But there's one other thing."

Lily sighed as she dropped down onto the bed again. "Mum, Scorpius is going to be here soon," she said, wanting to drop the topic.

"He can wait," Ginny quipped. "Besides, this one is important. I want to be sure that you're smart enough to be safe about it."

Lily nodded. "Mum, the size of our family shows me how safe I need to be."

Ginny laughed. "Yes, yes. But what about when it comes to the means of being safe? Brewing that potion can be a bit difficult. I know you're good with potions, but I think it might be safer if we went to St. Mungo's for it."

Lily let that thought rush through her mind. She'd never really considered it, but she guessed that she'd just make it. She had faith in herself that she could do it. Plus, if she did go with her mum to St. Mungo's, Lily had the gut feeling that it would some how get to her father. That was the last thing she needed him to know about.

"Mum, I really don't know," Lily told her. "I honestly hadn't thought about sex until you brought it up. But when I know, then I'll think about what I wanna do."

Ginny stared at her for what seemed like a long and quiet moment before finally looking toward the door. "I can accept that. And I think that Scorpius is here." Ginny got up and moved to open the door.

Lily looked at her mother with surprise. "Why do you say that?"

Ginny grinned. "Because I've been up here for five minutes, and your father hasn't tried to interrupt this talk. My guess is that he's glaring or trying to interrogate your boyfriend."

Lily stood up, smoothed out her dress, and then followed her mother out of the room. When they got downstairs and went into the living room, Lily saw that her mother was right. Scorpius and Hugo were sitting on the couch and talking, while her father glared holes into Scorpius. Lily's eyes were locked onto Scorpius. He wore black pants, with a black button-up shirt. The tie he wore was a light silver, as was the buckle to his belt. He looked so formal, yet so relaxed in them.

When they seemed to notice the girls' entrance, the men all stood up. Scorpius's eyes were now locked on Lily in turn.

"Hello, Scorpius," Ginny greeted.

Scorpius glanced at her quickly, before looking back at Lily. "Hello, Mrs. Potter." He moved across the room to stand next to Lily. "And hello, beautiful," he said quietly so that only she heard.

"Hey," Lily said just as softly.

"So, where are you taking my daughter, Scorpius?" Ginny asked with a smile.

Scorpius smirked. "It's a surprise," he told her, glancing again at Lily.

"Well, you know her curfew. Have her home by midnight," Ginny told him.

"That's not a problem at all," Scorpius assured.

Lily took his hand. "Yup, be home then." She looked at Scorpius. "Let's go," she told him.

Scorpius gave a small wave with his other hand. "Have a goodnight, you guys," he told them. Before they could reply, Lily had pulled him into the hall and toward the door. "You seem eager to be out," he commented.

"I'll tell you when we're outside," she told him. But once they left the house, Lily waited until they were a distance from the house before speaking. Scorpius let her, and kept walking toward the park and the Apparation point.

"My mum just gave me another sex talk," Lily told him.

She had expected him to fully laugh, but he only chuckled. "Really? Did you talk about me?" he teased.

"She wanted to make sure that I knew to be safe. Like looking at my family wasn't a big enough warning," Lily muttered.

"I know. I'm afraid to sneeze around you," Scorpius joked.

Lily laughed, and playfully smacked his shoulder. "Ha, ha. I guess my dad was wanting to talk to me about it. My mum saved my ass by doing it for him. I can't imagine how horrifying it would be to have that talk with my dad" Lily almost shuddered at the thought.

They had reached the park, away from sight. Scorpius stopped, and looked at Lily with a bit of a serious face. "Lily, you know that I'm going to take care of you, right? If that ever happens, I'm not going to take a chance that could hurt your future."

Lily felt her insides shiver at his words. She smiled up at him. "Yeah. I do know that," she whispered. After all, Scorpius was always doing his best to protect her.

"And you know that I'm never going to try and get you to do something you don't want to. Not that I would probably ever succeed, but you do know that I would never try, right?" Scorpius questioned gently.

Lily sighed as she took both of his hands. "Scorpius, I know. I know you. I've never had to question your intentions with me."

Scorpius nodded. "I just wanted to make sure that you knew." He sighed. "Well, are you ready?"

Lily took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Scorpius took hold of her waist. "Then here we go," he whispered.

After the sick feeling, which Lily was slowly becoming used to, her feet hit the ground, and Lily was surprised to see a hallway. "Where are we?" she asked.

Scorpius smirked. He turned her around, and then covered her eyes with his hands. "It's still a surprise," he told her.

"If something jumps out at me, I will kill you," Lily warned.

Scorpius laughed. "Trust me. Just take three steps forward." Lily did as he said, and then he turned her. "Now, keep your eyes shut," he told her. She did as he said, and could feel one of his hands leave her face. She heard a door open, and then felt his hand over her eyes again. He nudged her to walk forward, and then she heard the door being shut. "Ok, are you ready?"

"Yes, yes! What is it?" Lily demanded eagerly.

Scorpius dropped his hands. "Open your eyes," he told her.

Lily opened her eyes, and was surprised at what she saw. It was his flat, although it looked much different from the last time she saw it. It was very clean, the cleanest she'd seen it. The room was dimly lit by candles that were placed around the living room and kitchen. The table was set with two full plates, a couple flowers, and two candles.

Scorpius cleared his throat. "The house elves from home decorated the place, and made the food. I thought that I could give you a birthday dinner, just me and you. It's not too much, is it?" Lily was surprised to hear how nervous he sounded.

Lily shook her head. "No, no it's great. Really."

Scorpius showed a smile full of relief. "Good. I'm glad to hear that." He held out his hand toward the table. "Shall we?"

Lily smiled. "Yeah. We shall."

As the two began to eat, the conversation between them flowed easily, with a few comfortable silences in-between.

"So, had your potion N.E.W.T. come in yet?" Scorpius asked.

"No. I expect it to come in the same time as James's," Lily told him. "That's how it was with my O.W.L.. It came as soon as Albus got his."

"Ah. So, what am I to expect on my potion N.E.W.T.?" Scorpius asked with a teasing smirk.

Lily laughed lightly. "Nothing that you can't handle. And the things that you don't know yet, you'll learn this year. It should be easy enough for you."

"I should hope so. I need good marks on my N.E.W.T.s," Scorpius told her with a chuckle of his own.

"If I may ask, what are you going to do after school?" Lily asked. She had never asked before, and Scorpius had never spoken about it. Lily didn't even have the slightest idea.

Scorpius pushed around his food a little before answering. "Well, actually, I was planning on being an Auror."

Lily looked at him with surprise. "Really?"

Scorpius shrugged, a bit of pink on his cheeks. "Yeah. It's something I've been thinking about doing for a while now. I mean, what better way to put the Malfoy name into a better light? And the thought of having a career that saves people, I like it."

"So you do like playing the knight in shining armor," Lily teased lightly.

Scorpius chuckled. "I guess that's one way of looking at it."

Lily smiled, but then bit her lip as a thought occurred to her. "Scorpius, can I ask you something?"

Scorpius chewed his bite carefully before swallowing, and giving a nod. "Of course. Ask me anything."

Lily fiddled with her fork, wondering how to word what she wanted to say. Finally she asked, "I'm not trying to put words in your mouth, or assuming anything, but when you say 'put the Malfoy name into a better light', does that mean that you think the Malfoy name is still in a bad light?"

A thoughtful scowl took place on Scorpius's face. He pushed around the food on his plate, and took a drink from his glass. Lily didn't know if he was thinking about his answer, or if he was just stalling. When he finally swallowed his drink, he sighed. "It's not that I think it's in a bad light. I think that my father and mother have worked hard to bring our name into a good light, publically. But . . . it's obvious that some still see us as Death Eaters or maniacal purebloods. I just feel like it's going to take more than donations or public parties to fully get people to _really_ accept our name again," he explained. He smirked, and looked as if he were going to laugh. "Perhaps I look to much into it."

Lily shook her head. "No, I think that makes sense. A public image is much different from a person's real thoughts on something. It's dumb, but a lot of people fake acceptance of something in the media. But in their own homes, their actual thoughts can be completely different."

"Well, it's nice to know I'm not the only cynic when it comes to people," Scorpius chuckled.

Lily shrugged. "I don't see myself as be cynical. Just honest."

He smirked. "Well, they say honesty is the best quality a person can have."

Lily laughed. "Not always true. Brunt honesty can easily make a person a bitch."

Scorpius laughed too. "True, true." He took another drink before speaking again. "So, even though you have time to decide, do you have any idea on what you want to do after Hogwarts?"

Lily ran her tongue over her teeth as she thought about the question. "I guess I haven't thought about it much. But when I do, nothing really pops into my mind. At the moment, I can't think of anything that I _know_ I want to do. I could go the easy route, do something involved with potions, since that's my area of expertise. But then I think 'where's the fun in that?' It would take the fun out a career, and the fun out of a hobby."

Scorpius nodded, still smirking. "So, not even an idea? Not that it's a bad thing," he told her.

"When you have a family as big as mine, it's hard to find a career that a relative doesn't already have. And some are ok with working with a cousin or other relative, but I find that . . . lazy. I'd rather do something different, work with people that I maybe don't know yet," Lily replied.

"It makes sense to me," Scorpius agreed. "Working with a relative could be annoying. Especially in your case."

Lily grinned. "Exactly. But even the ones I like, I'd rather do something different."

"Have you thought about sticking with modeling? Or are you planning to keep that a part-time thing?" Scorpius asked.

"I've considered making it a career. At the moment, I guess I'm just keeping my options open on the work front," Lily told him.

"Nothing wrong with that. You've got time. But, if you don't know by the time you take your O.W.L.s, how are you going to choose your classes for sixth year?" Scorpius inquired.

Lily shrugged. "No clue. I'll probably go by what I like, what interests me, which ones I get the better marks on."

"So, am I going to lose my girlfriend to textbooks and the library this year?" Scorpius teased.

Lily giggled. "I doubt it. I only study when necessary, or when a friend asks me to help them with something. I hate studying. It's so boring, reading over things I already know."

"Spoken like a true prodigy," Scorpius chuckled.

Lily smiled. "I wouldn't say prodigy. Just . . . unusual. So, am I going to lose you to books and the library?"

Scorpius sighed. "Well, when it came to my O.W.L.s, I took a day each week to study, and I thought that I would do the same this year, maybe make it two."

"So, can we hope for fewer brutal Quidditch practices?" Lily joked.

Scorpius laughed. "Sadly, no. Remember, Will and Dante have both graduated, so that means we gotta break in two new teammates."

"Oh yeah," Lily sighed. "Gunna hold tryouts early this year?"

"Nah. I thought I'd have around the normal time. Let people get adjusted, maybe practice a little before trying out," Scorpius replied.

"Probably a good idea," Lily agreed. She put down her fork and lightly pushed away her plate.

Scorpius put down his fork as well, and grabbed both of their plates. "Here, let me get these."

As he got up and moved to the sink, Lily stood up from her chair and moved to wonder around the living room. Since moving in, Lily had noticed that Scorpius had begun to put up pictures on the walls. There was one of his parents at what must have been their wedding. Lily was surprised at how much Draco looked like Scorpius's back then. There were a few differences. Draco wasn't as broad shouldered as Scorpius, his face more pointed, and his skin paler. Another picture was of Scorpius, Lana, Lars, and Aaron. Aaron looked as if he was maybe twelve or thirteen, while the others looked too young to be at Hogwarts. Another picture was of Scorpius and his parents. Scorpius couldn't have been even seven in this picture. He was smiling, and Lily could see that a tooth was missing. It made her giggle a little.

A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. "Something funny?" Scorpius murmured.

Lily sighed at the warmth that wrapped around her. "You're adorable in this picture," she told him.

Scorpius chuckled lowly. "I think this was sometime before my sixth birthday. Lost my first tooth."

Lily leaned back, resting against his chest. "It's cute."

Scorpius's lips touched Lily's neck, making her repress an instinctive jolt of surprise. "You're cute," he mumbled against her skin.

Lily sucked in a breath. She turned in his arms, moving her hands to his cheeks, feeling the stubble under her fingers. Scorpius placed his lips on hers in a hard kiss, and wasted no time by swiping his tongue along her bottom lip, and nipping it softly. Lily gasped against his lips, giving him the opening to slide his tongue past her lips. She rubbed his tongue against his, starting something that was a mix between a dance and fight in her mouth. Scorpius was the obvious winner, and Lily didn't mind. His tongue probed the inside of her mouth, making Lily's heart beat faster against her chest. She felt one of Scorpius's hands trail up her back, and then burying itself in her hair.

Lily pulled her lips away from his, although not far. Her breath came in small pants. Scorpius's did as well, the warmth of his breath fanning across her face. The hand in her hair loosened, but remained. Scorpius's lips brushed across her cheek, and slowly began to trail down to her neck. Lily let her own hands glide down to his shoulders, her fingers gripping him a little harshly when he bit lightly at the skin of her collarbone. He began to lap at the skin where he'd marked, kissing it softly. Lily pulled in a deep breath, inhaling the smell that seemed to be pure Scorpius. That musky smell, with maybe a hint of cinnamon even. It made Lily's head spin.

Scorpius brought his lips back to hers in a kiss that Lily was sure would set her on fire. But it ended quickly much to her disappointment. And this time, Scorpius's didn't keep his lips on her, but stood straight, moving his lips far from her.

Lily brought in a quick gulp of air. "What is it?" she asked softly.

"I want to do something, before I forget," he said gently. He let go of her, but then took her hand, and pulled her to the couch. When he sat down, Lily did the same. "I got you a gift," he told her.

Lily looked at him with mild surprise. "A gift? I thought that a night from my family was a gift."

"Well, consider this a second gift," he retorted. He dug into his pocket, but whatever it was that he pulled out, he kept hidden in his fist. "Lily, you understand that I am serious about you and our relationship, even if it has only been a couple months."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I know. Same here," she said with a breathy laugh. Her nerves were jumping with uncertainty. Why was he telling her this?

"That's why I thought I would give you this." He opened his hand, and then held out his Slytherin ring between two fingers. "If it's too . . . big or binding of a gift, then it's cool if you don't take it. I just thought you should have it."

Lily felt her heart trying to break out of her chest. She understood what he meant. A ring could seem binding. But Lily felt that the ring was a sign of how important she really was to him. She knew how the guys in Scorpius's year found their rings important. Lily knew for a fact that Mitch hadn't even given his to Dominique, and they'd been dating for years now.

Lily smiled at him. "I think it's probably the greatest gift you've ever given me," she admitted.

Scorpius's face was full of relief. "That's good," he said with a sigh. "Um, I wasn't sure which finger you'd want to put it on. So, you pick, and it'll fit any of them."

Lily looked at both of her hands. Her own ring was on the ring finger of her right hand. As if on instinct, her mind considered the ring finger on her other hand. But then she thought of the assumptions that would be made, mainly the assumptions of her father. So she took the ring, and delicately placed it on the middle finger of her left hand instead. At first it was big, but then it instantly shrunk to fit nicely around her finger. "How about, here?" she murmured.

Scorpius took the hand, and kissed the ring, and then the back of her hand. "I think that it looks much better on you, than it does on me," he whispered. He kissed her softly and shortly, but Lily didn't complain. Her mind and heart were still amazed at the gift. Scorpius nudged her cheek with his nose, then pressed a kiss there. "You're quiet, beautiful. What's on your mind?" he asked.

Lily took in a breath, surprised at how little breath she had at the moment. Finally looking away from the ring to look at Scorpius, she smiled happily. "I'm thinking that this is the best birthday I've ever had."


	48. Which Family is Mine?

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, this will be the last chapter before the new school year. So of course I had to show a few people. Mainly little Theodore, and of course lovable Duncan. Many of you guys wanted to see more of Duncan, so I decided to write a little bit. It's not as good, but I wanted to show a little more of the light hearted side of Duncan. So I hope you enjoy it.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Eight: Which Family is Mine?

Lily sighed as she looked in her vanity's mirror. She was mainly looking at the reddish, purplish hickey on the side of her neck. It had been there since the night Scorpius took her to his flat for a birthday dinner, three days ago. Luckily, her parents hadn't seen it when she came home. Lily hadn't even noticed it until the next morning. She'd been covering it with makeup every day, waiting with annoyance for it to go away. She told Scorpius about it the day before when he came to get her after work. He had laughed and wanted to see it. She'd smacked him, but she still took off the makeup to let him see.

Lily quickly covered the hickey back up, and went back to packing her bag. Tonight was the night that she and the others were going to stay at Scorpius's flat. She had told her parents that she was staying at Lola's house for a girls' night, and they had believed her. Lola was coming over soon, after already having dropped her bag off at Scorpius's flat, and then they would leave together, making it look like they were really going to her house. From that point, Lily only knew that they were going to watch Mitch's band perform at some club. The rest of the night was a mystery.

Lily only packed a set of clothes and a couple of other things. She didn't think she'd need much. She dressed in skinny jeans and a black shirt that when off one of her shoulders, and exposed a bit of her midriff.

"Lily!" Ginny called out, "Lola's here!"

Lily quickly slid on her shoes and grabbed her bag, rushing out of her room and down the stairs. Lola was standing in the hall, waiting.

"Hey," Lily greeted.

Lola grinned. "Hey. Ready?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, just give me a sec." She walked into the kitchen, where her mum was sitting at the table, working on her latest article. Her dad was still at work. "I'll be home tomorrow, Mum," Lily told her.

Ginny looked away from the paper to smile at her daughter. "Ok, sweetheart. Have fun."

Lily kissed her mum's cheek. "I will. Bye!" She reentered the hallway, and motioned for Lola to follow her. "So, we're going to the Leaky Cauldron?" They had to Apparate into Scorpius's flat, since he wasn't connected to the Floo Network.

"Yeah. Scorpius and Lars are there, and they'll take us into his flat," Lola told her.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Lily said teasingly.

Upon Flooing to the Leaky Cauldron, Lily's usual stumble out of the fireplace was caught by Scorpius. He was smirking down at her already.

"Hello there, beautiful," he greeted.

Lily smiled. "Hi."

"Enough of the sap," Lars joked. "Can we go now?" Lola was standing by him, holding his arm, obviously ready.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ok, ok. Let's go."

Scorpius wrapped his arms around her, and turned. Lily then found herself in his flat, which wasn't empty. Lana and Shannon were sitting on the couch, looking at some magazine, Hunter and Jace were playing Exploding Snap, with Christian as a spectator.

"Where are Mitch and the others?" Lily asked.

"Already at the club getting ready," Scorpius told her. "We should probably be getting over there soon."

"Who's their singer?" Jace asked. "I mean, Will said that his performance at Lil's party was that last."

"I don't know. They've been really tight lipped about who their new singer is," Lars replied.

"Why keep it a secret?" Shannon asked.

"Because they're weird," Lana said flatly.

"Aren't you dating one of them now?" Lars mocked.

Lily looked at Lana in surprise, as did Lola. "You're what?" Lola said in surprise.

"Justin asked me out yesterday," Lana explained.

The memory of Justin and Rex talking about Justin's longtime crush on Lana came to Lily's mind. Justin must be on cloud nine, she thought. "Think it will last?" Lily asked.

Lana shrugged. "No idea. I'm trying to refrain from thinking too far ahead this year."

"Not a bad idea," Lily muttered.

* * *

Later that night, Lily found herself in a club, The Back Alley, sitting at a table with the others. The place was loud, with quite a few people. They were now just waiting for Mitch's band to play. Lily had a coke in her hand, staying quiet as her friends talked around her.

"No way," Lars said over the others.

"What?" Scorpius asked.

Lars pointed. "Look."

The others looked to where he was pointing, the stage, and were shocked as well. Mitch's band was stepping onto the stage, and Dominique was with them. At first Lily thought that maybe she was just wishing her boyfriend good luck. Until she stepped up to the microphone.

"Dominique is their singer?" Lana said with surprise.

"I didn't even know she could sing," Lily told them.

"Why her of all people?" Hunter wondered.

Rex started them off with a drum beat, and soon they took off in a whirlwind of rock. And Lily then understood why they chose Dominique. She was good! Her voice was clear, yet perfect with the sound of the music. Lily wondered if her voice was a product of her veela blood. Could veelas sing?

"Holy shit, she's good!" Jace said with surprise.

"Now we're going to have to put up with her even more," Lars groaned.

"I gotta give her props," Scorpius sighed. "She can sing. And they sound good together."

They did six songs, and two encores. The people in the club loved them. Lily agreed. They were great. She even had to admit that Dominique was better than Will had been. Once they finished, the four came over to the table.

"You guys were great!" Lola squealed.

Mitch grinned as they sat down. "Like my choice of a singer?"

Lily laughed. "No, but she's good."

Dominique rolled her eyes. "Bite me."

Lily grinned. "So, you have to tell me, how is Uncle Bill taking the news of your job choice?"

"Wouldn't know," Dominique said breezily. "I haven't told them about it. It's none of their business."

"That and he would explode," Lily retorted.

"He'll live with it," Dominique replied. "I like singing. I never thought I would, but I do."

"You learn something new every day," Lily sighed. "So, where did you tell your parents that you were going?"

"I told them I was staying at a friend's house," Dominique told her.

"Where are you going after this?" Lily asked.

Dominique didn't answer, but looked expectantly at Mitch, who stalled by taking big drink from his glass. Then he looked at Scorpius.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "You two aren't having sex anywhere in my flat," he muttered.

Mitch grinned. "You got a deal! Does the hall outside count?"

Scorpius smirked. "As long as you're outside the door."

Dominique rolled her eyes. "Idiots."

* * *

"I'm sleeping in my own bed!" Scorpius argued. They were all back at Scorpius's flat, and were starting to discuss sleeping arrangements.

"That is so rude," Lana retorted.

"No. It's ladies first. Not ladies get my bed," Scorpius replied. "The couch pulls out. It can fit a good number of people on it."

"Come on, Lars, let's pull this bad boy out," Rex said. The two boys pushed the table away, and then pulled the couch out into a futon. It was a good size, and could probably fit five or six people if done right.

"It's not too bad," Justin said looking at it.

"Exactly," Scorpius replied.

"I still think it's rude," Lana told him.

"The only person I'm giving my bed up to is my girlfriend," Scorpius told her. "And even then, I'm still sleeping on the bed." The other guys in the room whistled.

Lana looked at Lily. "Make him sleep at the foot of it like the dog he is," she suggested.

Lily laughed as she looked at her boyfriend and his sister. Honestly, she was fighting back a blush. She hadn't thought about where she would be sleeping, and the idea of sleeping in the same bed as Scorpius made her heart skip a beat.

"Can you just stop bitching, sis?" Lars asked. "Let's just go to sleep!"

Lana glared at her twin. "This is why you're sleeping on the floor, ass."

Lars grabbed a pillow from an armchair. "I really don't give a rat's ass, bitch."

Lola dropped onto the futon, laying on her stomach. Lily was sitting on the floor next to her, watching the others get ready for sleep, argue, or talk. "So, Lily, mind if I ask you something?"

Lily turned to look at her best friend. "What?"

Lola grinned. "Think you could get that stud of a cousin you have to sit with us on the train?"

Lily giggled. "Yeah, I probably could."

"Good. Because showing that I'm much better than his bitch of a girlfriend will be much easier if he's closer," Lola said teasingly.

Lily smiled. "Are you really going to chase after my cousin?"

Lola raised a brow. "Does the idea bother you?"

"No, not really."

"Then, yes I am," Lola answered.

Lily laughed. "I have to ask. What is it about him that attracts you?"

Lola laughed as well. "He's cute, adorable, a sweetheart, an athlete, and all-around cool. Much better than he used to be."

Lily shrugged. "I guess. As his cousin, I don't really see it in that light, but ok."

"Ok," Scorpius said over the others, "I'm going to bed, before Lana murders my ears with another argument."

"You are such a baby," Lana muttered.

Lily watched Scorpius's back as he left the room, going to the small hall of his flat. He disappeared behind a wall, cutting off Lily's sight of him. She sighed as she stood up. "I'll see you in the morning," she muttered to Lola.

"Good night," Lola said with a wink.

Lily grabbed her bag, trying not to blush, and left to the hall. There were only two doors down the small hall. One on the right, which was a bathroom, and the one on the end, which was Scorpius's room. Lily had been in there before, when Scorpius decided to show her the whole flat, but she'd never gone in with the intention of falling asleep next to him.

When she walked inside, Lily found Scorpius shirtless, unbuttoning his jeans. She immediately looked away. "Um, hey," she mumbled, her cheeks finally heating with a blush.

"Oh, sorry," Scorpius apologized. "I thought you were staying up a little longer. Um . . . , my own bathroom is over there. You can change in there, if you want."

Lily nodded. "Thanks," she told him, and then hurried into the bathroom. She felt her heart beating quickly as she closed the door and dropped her bag. She didn't understand her embarrassment. She'd seen Scorpius shirtless before. She may have never seen him in just his boxers before, but she had seen him in only his swimming trunks. That was similar, right? Lily shook her head, trying to get her nerves to stop jumping. She unzipped her bag and pulled out her pajama shorts. She dug for her shirt . . . but she couldn't find it. She took everything out of her bag, but it wasn't there. Lily groaned. Had she really forgotten to pack it?

Lily moved to the door and opened it. To her surprise, and slightly to her relief, Scorpius was wearing pajama pants, and stretching his arms. "Scorpius?"

Scorpius turned his head. "Yeah?"

Lily licked her lips, trying not to ogle the expanse of muscles on his back. "Do you have a shirt I could borrow? I forgot to pack mine."

"Yeah, no problem," he told her. He moved to his dresser, and pulled open one of the drawers. He dug in it for a moment, before pulling out a dark grey shirt, and tossing it to her. "Does that work?"

Lily caught it easily. "Yeah, it's fine." She closed the door again, and then looked at the shirt. It was big, and she could tell that she was going to drown in it. Lily changed into her shorts first before pulling the shirt over her head. It fell down past her shorts. Rolling her eyes at her small size, she walked back into the bedroom. Scorpius was now stretching his legs.

"Do you always stretch before bed?" Lily asked curiously.

She heard him chuckle. "Usually. I don't if I'm too tired or something," Scorpius told her.

Lily sighed as she moved to his bed. Her heart was beating harder, reminding her of her anticipation. She pushed back the blanket and climbed on the bed. It was comfy, and seemed to be already warm. She pulled her knees to her chest, watching as Scorpius stretched.

It was a little less than five minutes when Scorpius stood straight, done with his apparent routine. He turned toward the bed, and his eyes locked onto Lily. He scratched the back of his head. "Um, I can sleep out there, if you're uncomfortable with this," he offered as he moved to shut off the lights.

Lily smiled softly, but she shook her head. "No. No, it's ok," she assured, both him and herself.

Scorpius looked a little unsure, but he still flicked off the lights, encasing them in the dark. He walked over to the bed and pulled back the blanket. His movements were a bit sluggish, and Lily was sure that he was waiting for her to change her mind. But Lily kept silent as he moved to sit on the bed, kicking his feet under the blankets. He dropped onto his back, and looked up at her. He held his hand out to her. Lily took it, pushing her own legs under the blankets. Scorpius gently pulled her so that she laid next to him. He turned on his side, allowing her to bury her face within the crook of his neck. The blanket was pulled around them, and then his arms were around her as well. Lily happily sank into the warmth that both the bed and Scorpius provided.

After a comfortable, and silent, moment, Scorpius spoke. "I like this," he whispered

Lily sighed as she closed her eyes. "So do I," she murmured.

She felt a kiss on the top of her head, and his arms tightened around her. "Good night, beautiful."

"Good night, Scor."

* * *

Lily stabbed at her breakfast with annoyance. She was sitting at the breakfast table, but it wasn't a good morning. James had come over, planning to spend the day with the family since he didn't have team practice. Another reason was that he heard from his friend that N.E.W.T. results were being sent out today. Usually, Lily would be excited at that news, but James being there ruined it.

It had been about three days since she and her friends had all gone to Scorpius's flat. Honestly, the morning after, waking up next to Scorpius, had been the best part. And it was probably the best sleep she'd had in a long time. She didn't get home until late afternoon, mainly because Mitch insisted on taking Lily out to get her bellybutton pierced. She did it, and she had to admit that she liked it. Only now she couldn't wear shirts that showed her stomach around the house anymore.

An owl tapped on the kitchen window, gathering everyone's attention. Harry grinned over at James. "Ready, son?"

James grinned smugly. "You bet."

Harry retrieved the mail and the paper from the owl, paying it before it flew off. He set down the _Daily Prophet_, and sorted through the mail. "We got a Hogwarts letter for James, two for Lily, and one for Albus," Harry listed.

"Why do you have two, Lily?" Ginny wondered.

Lily shrugged, feigning ignorance. "No clue," she said as she took her letters. She began to open hers, but she was stopped.

"Hold on, princess. Let's see how your brother did," Harry told her.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she dropped her letters onto her lap. James tore into the envelope, pulling out his exam results. His eyes flew over the paper.

"So, how did you do?" Ginny asked eagerly.

James lowered the letter and grinned. "E in Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures, O in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms."

Lily ignored te conversation as her family began to congratulate him. She tore into her own letter, and found her test result.

"_Nasty Exhausting Wizarding Test._

_Passing Grades, Outstanding (O), Exceeds Expectations (E), Acceptable (A). Failing Grades, Poor (P), Dreadful (D), Troll (T)."_

Skipping all the boring things, Lily went down to where her result was.

_"Potions . . . . . . . O."_

Lily felt herself swell with pride. She'd really done it! Thinking she got an O was one thing, but seeing that she really did . . . Lily couldn't hide her smile. Luckily, no one seemed to notice. Hiding the letter back into its envelope, she picked up her other letter, but then dropped it when Albus yelled.

"Yes!" Albus cheered.

"What's up, little bro?" James asked with a chuckle.

"I got Head Boy and Quidditch Captain!" Albus exclaimed.

"Way to go!" James said, high-fiving him.

Lily rolled her eyes. Because her life wasn't difficult enough with Albus being a prefect. She pulled out the paper from the next envelope, and was shocked when something dropped into her lap. She put down the letter and picked it up. It was a badge with a silver 'P' on it.

"Holy crap, I'm a prefect," Lily mumbled.

"What did you say, princess?" Harry asked.

Lily placed the badge on the table, unsure whether she should be happy or surprised. "I'm a prefect," she repeated.

"That's great, sweetheart!" Ginny cheered, taking her daughter's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"You sound so surprised," Harry teased.

"I am," James muttered.

Lily ignored him and looked at the letter. It held her list of supplies, and an explanation about how she was now a prefect and etc. "Wow," she whispered. With everything that was happening lately, she hadn't ever thought about becoming a prefect.

"Well, we're proud of you, princess," Harry told her.

Lily glanced up at him. Part of her found his words so generic. He'd basically said the same thing with James and Albus got their badges. And part of Lily wondered if he would be proud if she wasn't a prefect. Was this the only thing about her that he could be proud of lately?

Lily shook the thought from her head. It wouldn't do well to dwell. She gathered her envelopes and letters and stood from her seat. "I'm done eating," she told them.

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked, looking at her half-eaten plate.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. And is it ok if I go to Malfoy Manor?" she asked.

"What for?" Harry asked with suspicion.

Lily ignored his tone. It'd been like that since she began dating Scorpius. "I want to talk Draco and Astoria," she told him.

Harry scowled at her. "About what?"

Lily tried to hide her surprise at his question. And then she hid her guilt. Almost like an unspoken instinct, Lily had wanted to go to tell them of her test results and her becoming a prefect. So why hadn't she wanted to tell her own parents of her test?

Lily cleared her throat. "Oh, it's about the formal dinner they're holding in a few weeks," Lily lied, thinking of the Slytherin dinner coming up.

"I guess," Ginny told her.

Lily smiled slightly. "Thanks. I'll see you later." Before they could say anything else, Lily hurried from the room, and hurried upstairs to change.

* * *

"That's so great!" Astoria squealed. Lily had shown up as Astoria and Draco were having breakfast. Surprised at first by her visit, they immediately invited her to sit and have a little breakfast. Knowing there would be no point in arguing, Lily accepted, and then told them of her test results.

"That's simply amazing, Lily," Draco told her. "Only you could have done it."

Lily smiled. "And that's not all the news I have. I'm also a prefect now."

"Oh! Lily, that's so exciting! Great job!" Astoria cheered.

"We are very proud of you," Draco agreed. Lily's smile brightened. Even though her own father had said it, something was different when Draco said it. She felt that it was genuine, and that _he_ would be proud even if she wasn't.

"Thank you," Lily said with a happy sigh.

Draco set down his fork. "So, I think these accomplishments deserve a reward."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Oh! No, you don't have to get me anything."

"No, you deserve it!" Astoria told her.

"But, it's not necessary," Lily replied.

"I never said it was," Draco said with a smirk. "Now, what is something you would like?"

Lily shook her head. "I'm not going to encourage this. If you want to get me a needless gift, then you'll have to pick it out."

"Oh, that's even better!" Astoria said happily. "That leaves open so many choices!"

Draco chuckled. "I'll try to get her to keep it simple," he told Lily, giving her humorous wink.

Lily laughed. "Thanks."

"Good morning, family. Oh!" Lily turned her head to see Scorpius standing in the doorway, surprise written on his face. She didn't bother biting back her grin.

"Hello, sweetheart!" Astoria greeted happily.

"Morning, son," Draco said.

"Good morning," Lily told him before taking a bite from her plate.

Scorpius smirked as he sauntered over to the table. Draco called for a plate for his son, while Scorpius kissed Lily's cheek, sitting next to her. "And why am I lucky enough to see you this morning?"

Lily chuckled. "I got my test result from my N.E.W.T."

"And?" Scorpius asked expectantly. He thanked the house elf for his plate, then took a large bite.

"An O," Lily told him. Scorpius took her hand, and gave it a squeeze, showing his pride in her. His mouth was still full. Lily bit back a giggle. "I got a prefect badge as well."

Finally, Scorpius was able to swallow his large bite of food. "I'm not surprised. Slughorn loves you, as does the headmaster."

"Really? I figured with how much trouble I tend to get into, it would have gone to someone like Izzy or Shannon," Lily told him.

"Well I had faith," Scorpius teased. "We have so much fun in the prefect compartment."

Lily rolled her eyes, then a thought struck her. "Oh, bad news by the way. Albus got Head Boy."

"Fuck," Scorpius muttered low enough that his parents didn't hear him.

"Yeah. But on a bright note. He's Gryffindor's Quidditch captain," Lily laughed.

Scorpius laughed too. "Awesome. So the cup's in the bag."

"Pretty much," Lily agreed.

"So, when are you going to get your supplies?" Scorpius asked.

Lily shrugged. "No idea. I'm thinking about going by myself, that way I don't have to put up with listening to Albus go on and on about being Head Boy. Because I know he will," she muttered.

"Wanna go with us?" Scorpius asked. "We planned on getting it done whenever the letters came."

"So, you're going today?" Lily inquired.

"Yes. You're welcome to join us, Lily," Draco assured.

"Oh! That would be even better!" Astoria said happily. "You should come with!"

Lily smiled. "Ok. Sure! Sounds fun."

"Great!" Draco said with a clap of his hands. "We'll leave after breakfast."

* * *

"While we're here, we'll have to look for a gift for Lily," Astoria mentioned as the four of them walked into Diagon Alley.

"Let's wait and see if something sparks her interest," Draco told his wife. "That way she gets something she for sure wants."

"I married a man with no imagination," Astoria teased.

Lily smiled as she watched the banter and affection that seemed to flow between the older couple. She glanced at her hand, which was intertwined with Scorpius's larger one. She couldn't help but wonder if they would last as long.

"So, where do we need to head to first?" Draco asked the two teens behind him.

"I say we go and get our books first. Get the brunt of supplies out of the way," Scorpius suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Lily agreed.

"Flourish & Blott's it is," Astoria said.

The book store was packed, which was to nobody's surprise. It usually was as it got closer to the school year and Hogwarts letters were sent out.

"Here, kids, hand me your book lists," Draco told them. "Your mother and I will get your books. You kids can roam about. We'll come find you when we've got them all."

Lily and Scorpius handed over their lists, and watched the two adults walk away. Lily smiled at her boyfriend. "I like how I'm automatically included as one of the family."

Scorpius smirked and kissed her hair. "So do I. Now, since I have no interest in any books at the moment, you lead the way."

Unable to resist, Lily pulled Scorpius up to the potions section of the store, and began to look over every title, trying to find something she hadn't seen or something that might prove a challenge for her.

"So, what do you want me to get you in honor of your perfect score on your N.E.W.T.?" Scorpius asked.

"Nothing," Lily told him as she pulled a book from the shelf. "You can just put your name on whatever your parents get me."

"Oh, that's no fun. At least let me buy you a book," Scorpius pleaded. He wrapped his arms around her from behind.

Lily rested her back against his chest as she scanned a few pages of the book. "Fine, fine. _One_ book. No more."

"All right. So, is this the one I'm buying?" Scorpius asked.

Lily bit her lip as she looked through the pages. "Hmm, I'm not sure. It's got a few interesting potions, but nothing that seems to be a challenge."

"I don't think anything is going to be a challenge for someone who gets a perfect on a N.E.W.T. at fourteen," Scorpius mocked with a smirk.

"Ha, ha," Lily muttered. She put the book back, but didn't move to get another book. Instead, she relaxed into Scorpius's embrace, happy to stay there.

"Are there any potions that you would like to make and add to your collection?" Scorpius asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I have most of the more advanced potions in my collection. Veritaserum, Amortentia, Ployjuice Potion, Felix Felicis. Plus all the other less advanced ones. I can't think of anything important I want in my collection."

"Then how about I pick out a book?" Scorpius suggested.

"Be my guest," Lily told him.

He covered her eyes, making Lily giggle. She heard a bit of shuffling, and then her sight was returned to her, and a book was held out in front of them.

"How about this one?" he asked.

Lily took it and began to flip through it. The potions were moderate in with their directions and ingredients. But there were some potions she hadn't made before. "Yeah. This one isn't too bad."

Scorpius took it from her hand. "Then I'm buying it for you."

The two made their way to the register, where Scorpius paid for the book. The two walked out and waited outside the building. It was getting too crowded inside for them.

"Back to school soon," Scorpius sighed as he wrapped his arms around Lily, his forehead pressing against hers.

"I will be so glad to be back under the roof of Hogwarts," Lily murmured.

Scorpius smirked. "I guess that there will be one upside to going back. It will be much easier to get you into my bed again."

Lily blushed a little at the memory of her sleeping next to Scorpius. "That's a definite upside," she whispered.

"Glad to know that you agree." Scorpius pressed his lips against hers. Lily responded to the kiss happily, nipping his lower lip teasingly. Scorpius growled lowly, and nipped back at her. Lily parted her lips, and Scorpius's tongue swept past to devour her mouth.

"Lily Luna Potter, what are you doing?"

Scorpius pulled away from Lily and turned, and Lily's face flushed to see her family in front of them. Her father was glaring, her mother looking at her father, while James and Albus looked disgusted.

Lily licked her lips, her throat suddenly feeling a bit dry. "Um, what are you guys doing here?"

Harry was ready to speak, but Ginny beat him to it. "Well, we were taking your brother out to get his supplies. Since you left, we thought we'd just take you another day. But if you're here, then we can just do it all at once."

Lily licked her lips again and sighed. "Actually, I'm shopping with Scorpius and his family. So, really there's no need to go another day."

Ginny looked at her in surprise. "Oh."

"Yes, my parents are inside getting our books. We were just getting a bit of fresh air," Scorpius told her.

"Really, because it looks as if my daughter couldn't breathe when we showed up?" Harry grumbled.

Lily felt her cheeks heating up again, although this time it was partially from annoyance at her dad. "Well, we don't want to keep you from shopping," she commented.

"Yeah, can we go?" Albus asked. "I want to stop and grab some Quidditch supplies while we're here."

"Be patient, Albus," Ginny chided. "So, Scorpius, will you be buying Quidditch supplies as well? You're Slytherin's captain, right?"

Scorpius nodded as he placed his hands in his pocket. "Yep. I might stop in to get some. But I've got confidence that we'll keep the cup again this year. In the bag, so to speak."

Albus's eyes narrowed, and Lily glared back at him. "How long have you had the cup now?" Ginny asked.

"Four years," Scorpius told her. "And I have confidence that this will be year five. After all, we have the best Seeker in school." His hand took a gentle hold of Lily's.

"There you kids are! We thought we might find you out here!" Astoria exclaimed as she and Draco stepped out of the store. Both adults became a bit somber at the sight of the Potter family. Draco especially seemed tense, as did Harry.

"Potter," Draco greeted.

"Malfoy," Harry greeted back just as tensely.

Draco cleared his throat. "Well, as awkward as this is, we should let you continue with your shopping. Kids, where to next?"

Lily was grateful for Draco's bluntness. "Well, I'm getting a bit too big for my robes," she told him.

"As am I," Scorpius replied.

"To Madam Malkin's then. See you around, Potters," Draco said with a nod.

"I'll be home later," Lily told them.

"Well, have fun, sweetie," Ginny told her.

Lily was happy to walk away from the tense and choking atmosphere that she had felt around her parents. Well, mostly around her father, although Lily had the feeling that her mother wasn't exactly happy either. That was strange, as her mother never seemed to have a problem with Lily's relationship with the Malfoy family.

After having their uniforms refit and tailored, they moved onto the apothecary when Scorpius mentioned that he needed to refill his potion kit. Lily had to stop and get a few treats for Regal. Last, they stopped at Quality Quidditch Supplies. Scorpius wanted to get a new broom, and had planned on getting the new _Wood_ model.

"I wonder if I should buy one for each team member again," Scorpius said with thought as he held the broom in his hands.

"I wouldn't worry about it. No other team is likely to even get the caliber of brooms that our team has now," Lily told him.

"Yeah, I guess. It's cool that Dante and Will decided to leave their brooms with the team," Scorpius replied.

"Well, thinking of the careers they plan on taking, I guess they wouldn't need them," Lily thought aloud as she looked at an array of brooms.

"Yeah. I'm not really looking forward to replacing those two. They've been good players for years now. Dante has been on the team since before I started." Scorpius sighed heavily. "Ah, well I guess after this year, we'll have both had a six year run."

"Hard to believe it's your last year," Lily murmured.

"Tell me about it," Scorpius agreed. "It's going to be strange. I mean, this is the last time I'll have to buy school supplies. The last time I'll have to ride the train." He scowled a little. "Brings about a bit of nostalgia."

"Are you going to miss it, you think?" Lily asked.

"How could I not? Hogwarts is a big part of our lives. We spend seven years there, and we go through some of the biggest events and changes of our lives. Holds a lot of memories," Scorpius sighed.

"It's sad to think that they'll all just be memories. It makes them seem much easier to forget," Lily whispered.

Scorpius looked at her, and gave her a small smile. "We may not remember everything. But we'll always remember the things that mattered most. That's what makes them so important."

* * *

"You are such a big boy!" Lily cooed at Theodore. She was sitting on the floor of Teddy and Victoire's flat. She had been asked to babysit little Theo for a couple of hours, and Lily couldn't refuse. And she was planning on going to St. Mungo's with Scorpius afterwards to meet Duncan. She planned on having a very great day.

Theo giggled cutely as he picked up a light blue block. He'd been stacking them over and over again while Lily watched or occasionally handed him a far away block. She'd already fed him, and if his parents didn't get home soon, she knew he'd have to take a nap.

There was a knock on the door, surprising Lily a bit. Teddy hadn't told her to expect anyone. Leaving Theo to build his tower, Lily stood up from the door.

The person knocked again. "I'm coming!" Lily called. She pulled the door open, and was shocked to see Scorpius and Hugo on the other side of the door. "What are you two doing here?" Hugo was supposed to be working, and she was meeting Scorpius at St. Mungo's.

"Well, I ran into Hugo at the Leaky Cauldron. We talked, and ended up here," Scorpius replied.

Hugo grinned. "He wanted to see you early. I told him you were here, so we took the Knight Bus," he explained.

Lily smiled. "Come in," she told them. She walked back over to where Theo was sitting, looking up at the new people. She picked him up off the floor. "Scorpius, let me introduce you to my godson, Theo. He loves seeing new people."

Scorpius smirked. "Hey, little man," he greeted.

Theo giggled again, and slowly, his hair changed from lavender to honey blonde. His blue eyes turned a bit grey.

"That's why he likes seeing new people," Hugo told him. "He loves to imitate people's looks."

"I think he looks handsome like that," Scorpius joked.

"So do I," Lily agreed. Scorpius smirked, and leaned down to kiss Lily on the lips.

"Aww! Isn't that cute? It's like looking into the future! You two, with a baby. Only Theo's hair is blonde and not pink," Hugo teased.

Lily glared playfully at her cousin. "Sod off," she said with a laugh.

Scorpius chuckled as he took Theodore from Lily's arms. "So, where's the tyke's parents at?"

"Teddy got called into work, and Victoire should be done with her shift at St. Mungo's any minute. Then she and Theo are going to her mum's house. Aunt Fleur's family is visiting," Lily replied. Lily hadn't been around them, but according to Hugo, who had gone to hang out with Louis, he never heard them speak a bit of English. He called them 'just a bunch of pretty faces'.

"And then we're going to see Duncan, right?" Scorpius asked as he sat with Theo on the couch. He placed the little guy on his knee, handing him a block that was near the couch.

"That's right. You wanna join us, Hugo?" Lily asked.

Hugo looked confused. "Who is Duncan?"

Lily explained the story of Duncan while she went to grab Theodore a small thing of juice. Hugo listened without interruption. Lily handed the baby his bottle, and then looked at Hugo. "So, do you want to meet him?"

Hugo looked a little unsure. "Well . . . are his limbs really invisible?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. You don't have to if you're uncomfortable with seeing that."

Hugo sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "I guess I'll just suck it up and go. Meet the kid."

Lily smiled. "I'm sure he'd love to have someone else to talk to."

Theo began to squirm and let out small wails, his arms and legs flailing and kicking. Scorpius held him under his arms, and looked scared and unsure of what to do. "Um . . . , babe?"

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Here, he's probably ready for a nap. Come here, sweetheart," she cooed as she took the baby. "Teddy said that he's been up since early this morning. He's probably tired. Give me a minute."

Lily walked down the hall and into the nursery. She whispered soothingly to him as she walked to the crib, and waited until he had quieted before placing him down in the crib. She walked over and grabbed a stuffed rabbit from a shelf and placed it with him in the crib, pulling the blanket over him. As his eyes closed and his breathing slowed to a steady pace, she watched as his hair slowly changed to it's original silvery blonde, and the rest of his body relaxed.

"He asleep?"

Lily almost jumped at the whispering voice. She flipped around to see Victoire standing in the doorway of the nursery. Lily placed a hand over her heart, feeling it beat rapidly. "Um, yeah. He's sleeping," she whispered.

Victoire smiled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Lily waved it off as they left the room. "It's ok."

"Thank you for watching him, Lily," Victoire told her. "He loves playing with you."

Lily smiled as they reentered the living room, where Scorpius and Hugo were discussing Quidditch teams. "It was no problem. He's a joy."

"I'm glad. He knows how to be a terror," Victoire laughed. "But, I'll let you get off to wherever it is you three are going."

"See you later, Victoire," Lily said.

"Later, Vic," Hugo said with a wave as the boys stood.

"Bye, Victoire," Scorpius said politely.

"Bye, you three," Victoire said with a smile.

The three walked out of the flat, and Lily led them down to the elevator. "Next stop, St. Mungo's," Lily told them.

* * *

"Is this the room?" Scorpius asked as Lily stopped in the hallway on the second floor.

Lily nodded as she looked at the door that hid Duncan from sight. "Yep. This is it. Ready?" Both boys nodded carefully, so Lily opened the door. She was happy to see that Duncan was sitting up, and seemingly looking at the pictures of Hogwarts on the walls. "Hey, Duncan. I've got a few people for you to meet."

Duncan turned to face the door, and his face brightened when he saw Lily, and then grew happier and curious at the two behind her. "You brought people with you?"

Lily smiled as she stepped to the bed, kissing his cheek. "You wanted to meet Scorpius. So I brought him. Scorpius, this is Duncan," Lily introduced.

Scorpius stepped forward, and grinned at Duncan. "Nice to meet ya, Duncan. Lily talks a lot about ya. Always good."

Duncan smiled. "She talks about you too. Really good. I'm glad I finally got to meet you!"

Scorpius chuckled, but Lily quickly introduced Hugo, keeping Scorpius from making a joke. "And this is my cousin, and one of my best friends, Hugo," she told him.

Hugo looked a bit paler than Scorpius did when he saw the state of Duncan's arms, and part of his face. "Hey, kid. How's it going?"

Duncan smiled. "Good. It's nice to meet you, Hugo."

Lily moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "How are you feeling, Duncan?"

Duncan sighed. "Good. No more tingling feeling."

"How is your side?" Lily asked.

"Grey. It kinda looks like a big bruise," he commented, glancing down at his side, which was hidden by his hospital gown.

"Doesn't hurt though, does it?" Hugo asked with concern.

"No. When something turns grey, you lose feeling of it," Duncan told him. "But sometimes it doesn't turn grey. It just disappears along with the feeling. You can never guess which will happen."

"Sorry, kid," Scorpius sighed.

"Don't be. Nothing any of us can do," Duncan murmured.

"Your Healers can though," Hugo replied.

"They're trying. But now all they're hoping to do is repress it long enough to find a solution that will actually work with me," Duncan explained.

"They will," Scorpius assured. "They're professionals. They'll get it."

Duncan smiled in a way that made Lily think that he didn't believe Scorpius. "I know," he whispered. But then he sighed, and the smile was replaced with a real one. "So, how many days until you guys go back to school?" he asked.

"Thirteen days," Lily said after counting in her mind.

"Not really looking forward to it this year," Hugo sighed. "They made me a prefect."

"Really?" Lily asked with surprise. Hugo had never mentioned it, but then again, Lily hadn't mentioned that she had either. "So did I!"

Hugo grinned now. "Well, maybe it won't be so boring now," he laughed.

"So, do you play Quidditch too, Hugo?" Duncan asked.

Hugo nodded. "Yup. I play Keeper."

"I wish I could watch you guys play sometime," Duncan murmured.

"Well, you'll have to one day," Scorpius told him. "I'll see to it."

Duncan smiled brightly. "Sounds fun."

"You will have a blast," Scorpius assured. "I promise you."


	49. The Good in the Bad

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I know I said nothing until January, but this holiday break has proved to give me some time to write. So, I found myself coming back to write this chapter. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope that I'll be able to write perhaps another one before I go back to school. Let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Forty-Nine: The Good in the Bad

"So, are you going to ride the train with us?" Lily asked as she and Hugo walked through the barrier at King's Cross. Their families had decided to go to the station together, instead of just meeting up like usual. Lily was sure it had to do with her and Hugo's regrowing relationship.

Hugo shrugged. "Maybe. I might pop in for an hour or so. But I know my friends are going to want to see me, and Paige will be insistent for me to sit with her."

Lily tried not to roll her eyes at the name. "Well, are you going to come in after the prefect meeting, or no?"

He shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe, unless one of them catches me and drags me off. Kinda depends on who the girl prefect is in my house."

Lily sighed. "No offense, but I might be pissed if it's your girlfriend." The thought of Paige Wilde being a prefect was sickening.

Hugo chuckled. "No offense taken. I understand. She . . . she takes time to get used to. She can be a bit . . . tough."

Lily held her tongue at her next thought. Wilde wasn't tough. She was bitchy, and she couldn't handle fights she got into. But Lily didn't say it, and just looked around for her friends.

"So, Hugo," Rose spoke, "why don't you just come with me and Al to the prefect compartment?"

Lily noticed that Hugo seemed a little tense when his sister spoke. "No. I'm waiting with Lily to meet up with some of our friends. I'll head there when they do."

"Just come with us," Rose insisted. "It'll be fun, and we can stop and see _your_ friends."

Lily felt a bit of anger in her stomach, but Hugo spoke before she could. "_No_. I'd rather be around relaxed and cool people, instead of _your_ pompous and uptight friends!"

"Kids!" Hermione chided quickly.

Lily looked at Hugo. It was normal for Rose and Hugo to argue. All the adults in the family laughed about it, commenting on how they really were just like their parents. But to Lily, these recent arguments seemed different. More . . . full of hate than just annoyance.

"Lily!"

Lily turned around just in time to be jumped on, Lola's arms wrapping around her in a tight hug. Lily smiled and giggled with her friend, hugging her back. When Lola pulled back, Lily noticed her eyes go to Hugo.

"Hugo! You're here too?" Lola said with excitement.

Hugo grinned and nodded, holding out his arms. "Hug?"

Lola giggled, and hugged him too. "Of course!"

"Where are the others?" Lily asked, looking back at the crowd of people.

Lola pulled from Hugo's hug. "The girls are getting a compartment. We made the assumption that you got prefect since none of us did."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, me and Hugo. Who got the boy's position?"

"Christian, according to Izzy," Lola told her. "So, Hugo, are you coming to our compartment with us?"

"Yeah, for a little while at least. But I'm sure my friends will like an audience," Hugo joked.

"Shall we go?" Lola asked.

Lily kept looking at the crowd. "Well, I need to talk to someone first."

Lola seemed to already know. "I haven't seen Scorpius and his family yet. But maybe he's already on the train."

Lily tried not to scowl at the idea. She was wanting to talk to Draco and Astoria before she left. She wouldn't see them until Christmas, and the last time she'd seen them was at the Slytherin formal dinner a couple days ago. She assumed that she'd see them here.

"Well, I think I see him," Hugo told them.

Lily glanced at her cousin. "Where?"

Hugo pointed over to the left. "Isn't that big hulking guy over there him?" he asked.

Lily looked to where he pointed, and felt her heart flutter at the sight of her boyfriend in the small distance. She turned to the others. "Excuse me, then."

"Hold on," Ginny stopped. Lily turned to look at her mother, trying not to look annoyed.

"What?" Lily demanded, trying to sound nice about it.

"Can you at least say goodbye to your family? I know you're going to get caught up and forget," Ginny told her.

Lily felt a weird feeling at the undertone of her mother's voice. Something was off about it. It wasn't the usual teasing or joking tone she used when Lily wanted to go off with her friends. It was . . . harder, and almost angry and irritated.

Lily wet her lip, her mouth feeling dry. And for the first time in a long time, Lily hugged her father first. "Bye, Dad," she whispered.

She felt her dad hugged her back. "Be good this year, princess. And have fun," Harry said.

Lily nodded as she pulled from the hug. "I'll try, but I'm not making promises," she joked lightly. Then she hesitantly hugged her mother. "Bye, Mum."

"Bye, sweetie. You make sure to write to us. You're almost as bad as your brothers are about it, but try to make it at least twice a month," Ginny requested.

Lily couldn't stop her shoulders tensing when she was compared to James and Albus. Did her mother have to make a comparison between them? But she bit back any retort. "Of course, Mum," she mumbled. She pulled from the hug, and grabbed her trunk. "Bye, Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron."

"Have fun, Lily," Hermione told her, while Ron gave her a simple nod.

Lily looked at Hugo and Lola. "You coming?"

Lola grinned. "I'm going to head to the compartment. Hugo?"

Hugo sighed. "Well, I'm going to stay here a couple more minutes. Deal with the parents," he muttered the last part, "and then I might catch up with my friends before I get on the train. That way I can go to your compartment after the meeting."

"Ok. I'll see you then," Lily told them.

"Here, we'll get your things onto the train," Harry assured, taking her trunk from her. He picked up her empty owl cage. "Where is Regal?"

"On his way to Hogwarts. He flies every year," Lily replied. "Thanks. I'll see you at Christmas." She turned and began to quickly walk over to where Scorpius had been seen. The broad back of her boyfriend was turned toward her, oblivious to her approach. So Lily wrapped her arms around his middle. "Hi there," she said with a smile.

She felt him relaxed quickly, and felt his hands grab hers. He turned and smiled down at her. "Hello there, beautiful." He leaned down and kissed her twice on the lips. "I was wondering when I would see you."

"I've been looking for you since I got here," Lily assured.

Scorpius smirked. "Mum and Dad are just over there. Want to see them?"

Lily nodded. "Of course."

Scorpius wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and led her away toward where she could now see his parents, talking with another couple. But Astoria seemed to sense their approach, because she turned her head to them, and a smile spread across her face.

"Lily! There you are!" Astoria exclaimed happily. She pulled Lily away from Scorpius and into a tight hug.

Lily laughed a little as she hugged her back. "I thought I would see you before I go on the train."

"Well, we're glad you did," Draco said. When Astoria let her go, Lily was a little surprised when Draco pulled her into a hug as well. But she didn't fight it. She loved it.

"Are you ready for your fifth year?" Astoria asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure this is going to be a better year, even with O.W.L.s."

"So, this is the famous Lily Luna?" the other man asked.

"Oh! Right! Sorry. Lily, this is Marcus Flint, and his wife Michelle," Astoria introduced.

Lily recognized the last name quickly. Shannon's parents. "It's nice to meet you," Lily told them with a smile.

"A pleasure," Marcus Flint told her. "Shannon talks about you fondly, as does Adrian."

Scorpius grinned. "Not surprising. Adrian loved having a better Seeker on our team," he joked. Lily laughed as well, but looked over Marcus. Lily remembered stories when Marcus Flint's name briefly entered, but it wasn't much and never good. Marcus didn't seem terrible now, but Lily didn't know him much to really know. But Shannon and Adrian never talked badly about their father. But, they rarely talked about their parents at all really.

A whistle blew out, signaling the coming departure of the train. "Well, we better let you kids get on the train," Draco told them.

Astoria hugged Scorpius tightly, her head hardly reaching his chin. Lily watched as she began whispering things to her son. Draco rested his hand on Lily's shoulder. Lily smiled at him. "See you at Christmas?" she asked.

Draco nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't let you get by without coming to visit," he joked.

Lily laughed. "I wouldn't dream of not coming to see you."

Draco smirked. "Good. And try to behave this year, ok?"

Lily sighed. "I'll try. I may fail, but I'll try," she teased.

Draco gave a nod. "That's all we can ask of you is to try. If you fail, that's just fine."

Lily felt her body lighten at his words. But then Astoria let go of Scorpius, and before Lily could blink, she'd been pulled into a hug.

"Have a good year, Lily," Astoria told her.

Lily smiled. "I will," she assured.

"And if that boy gives you any problems, you just write and let me know," Astoria laughed.

Lily laughed as well. "Ok."

Astoria pulled away from the hug, but she kept her hands on Lily's shoulder. "Now, same things I told Scorpius. Behave, do good in your classes, and try not to start fights."

Lily nodded. "I only finish them."

Astoria rolled her eyes, but let Lily go. "Go on. You don't want to miss the train. Go, go."

Scorpius sighed as he looked at Lily. "Shall we?" he asked.

"Yes, we shall," she told him. With a final wave, the two walked away from the adults, and to the train.

"My things are already on the train," Scorpius told her. "So we can just head straight for the prefect compartment."

"Good, let's get this talk with Albus over with. And get ready, because according to Hugo, and Rose's incessant babbling, Rose is Head Girl," Lily warned.

"I would bet that she's not bad as Molly Weasley was. That girl was insufferable," Scorpius muttered as they stepped onto the train.

"No doubt. She's insufferable in normal company," Lily replied.

"I can imagine," Scorpius said as he opened the door to the prefect compartment. Lily was a bit dismayed to see that Rose and Albus were already in there. Although Lily had the feeling that Albus was only in there early because of Rose. A few other prefects were in there: Lucy and Tanner Creevey, two Hufflepuffs, Louis, and to Lily's dismay, Lysander.

"Looks like Lana and my cousin are still outside," Scorpius muttered as he pulled Lily to a seat. He seemed to be ignoring Lysander, but Lily felt a weight under his heated and angry eyes. But Lily noticed that it was only directed at Scorpius, and not her.

"Hey, Lily, Scorpius," Louis greeted with a friendly smile.

"Hey, Louis," Lily said with her own smile. She hadn't been able to see much of Louis this summer. Only when she saw him with friends when she was working, or at the Burrow. She'd been so busy lately.

"How are you, Louis?" Scorpius asked.

"Not too bad," Louis told him. "Not too bad."

The door slid open, and a couple of more people walked in. Lily noticed Stacy Finnigan, and Lily was happy to see that she was the new fifth year prefect of Gryffindor, and not McLaggen or Wilde. And Tanner came in as well.

"Yo, Scorpius! Lily Lu! Feels like forever!" Tanner said loudly as he plopped down next to his cousin.

"It's been like four days," Lily countered.

"That's forever for someone who spends all his damn time with a bunch of little girls," Tanner retorted with a crooked smile.

"How old are the girls now?" Scorpius asked.

"Seven and five. Ryan will be turning three next month," Tanner replied.

"You have a brother?" Lily questioned, never remembering it being mentioned.

"Yup. Spoiled little brat that follows me everywhere," Tanner sighed.

"He looks up to you," Scorpius told him. But Lily felt her stomach tighten. Memories of how James and Albus were, and still are, flowed through her mind. Albus's admiration of James had blown up. But at least Tanner wouldn't take advantage of it. Not like James had.

Soon others began to come in and sit down. Hugo came in, and took a seat next to Lily, just before the train began to move.

"Ok, so it looks like we're all here and accounted for," Rose said with a smile. Lily rolled her eyes, and got ready for the longest round of crap to spew from the Head Boy and Girl's mouths.

"So, Rose Weasley and I are your new Head Boy and Head Girl," Albus told them.

"Not shit," Lily whispered. Tanner bit his lip, and Scorpius smirked.

Albus didn't seem to hear her. "Now, we plan on holding things the same as we did last year, but with a change."

"It was the headmaster's request that we have more inter-House pairs for patrols," Rose told them. "So, after we all kind of get used to things, we will be dividing you into pairs with people of a different House, and perhaps sometimes of a different year."

"So, who is patrolling the train?" Lana asked, her boredom obvious in her voice.

"Well, we've decided that your first patrols of the year will be with someone from a different House, since the train won't need a lot of time to get used to," Rose told her.

"That was not the answer to what I asked," Lana retorted, rolling her eyes.

"How about a little respect, Goyle?" Albus demanded.

"How about you bite me, Potter?" Lana snapped.

"Don't be a bitch, Goyle," Randy Davies defended.

"Don't call my sister that!" Scorpius hissed.

"Everyone, be calm!" Rose demanded. A tense silence settled over them. "Now, to answer your question fully, Albus and I decided that would we choose those prefects today."

"How about . . . Lily, you and . . . Lysander go first. Then, we can have Kimberly and Stacy." Albus began to list off groups, but Lily ignored him, her stomach turning. Lysander? Was Albus that much of a jerk, or was he that stupid?

A knock sounded on the door just before it slid open. Professor Slughorn's head popped in. "Sorry to barge in," he apologized.

Albus grinned. "Not at all, sir. Another gathering of students in a compartment?" he asked.

"Alas, no. I'm hoping to borrow Lily from you all. I need to talk about something important with her, and it might take awhile," Slughorn told them.

"Oh," Rose murmured. "That's no problem at all, professor. Gary, you can take her spot patrolling with Lysander. Lily, go ahead. One of our housemates can fill you in about the rest of the meeting later."

Lily nodded once. She squeezed Scorpius's hand as she stood up, and then let it go. She followed Professor Slughorn out, closing the door behind her. He led her to a compartment not far away. They stepped inside the empty compartment. While Slughorn closed the door and screen, Lily looked at the things in the overhead compartment. She saw Slughorn's name on one of them. And after a bit of searching, she saw the name _Neville Longbottom_. She looked and saw a few other things, but she couldn't see names on them. But then _Zabini_ caught her eye. Scorpius's aunt was riding the train?

"Now, sit, sit," Slughorn told her. Lily did as he said, sitting on one side, while he sat across from her.

When he did say anything, Lily decided to take the first step. "So, what did you need to talk to me about, sir?"

Slughorn smiled, and Lily could feel the pride radiating from him. "Well, I wanted to talk to you about _two_ things before we arrived at school. I was thinking that I might not get to see you much this year, not with our lessons coming to an end. But I thought of a very good way to remedy that," he told her.

"How, sir?" Lily asked, curious. She had been sad to know that he would no longer teach her the workings of potions. He had taught her things that he never would have taught in class, and now he was claiming that he could teach her no more. She was on par with him.

"Well, I need some help with the workings of my Slug Club. We have quite a few members, and I would love some help planning a few events for them. I would love for you to lead and help me," Slughorn explained.

Lily raised a brow. "You want me to take control of the Slug Club?"

He chuckled. "Basically. Would that be ok?"

Lily shrugged. "Sure. That sounds just fine."

"Great! Once you've gotten settled into your schedule, come and see me in my office, and we'll discuss it further," Slughorn said happily. Then he sighed. "But, onto a more important subject. I want to discuss your future of potions classes."

"Well, I was curious about that too, sir," Lily admitted. "I mean, I've done my O.W.L. and my N.E.W.T., so what now? Do I need to take those classes at all even?" Lily asked.

"Well, technically, you wouldn't need to. It would be up to you. But, this was also where I had a bit of an idea of what we could do so that you aren't going through a class that you already know and surpass," Slughorn replied.

"What would that be?" Lily asked.

"I would like to give you the option of helping to teach my fifth years," Slughorn answered.

Lily stared at him in open surprise. "You . . . you want me to teach them?"

He nodded. "Yes. You can help me explain how a potion works, and help them with questions and with the process. And after this year, once you have more free periods, you can even help me with other classes. What do you say?"

Lily was silent, not sure what to say. Teach the other kids of her year? Really? Did he really think she could do that?

"And if there are times that you aren't up to teaching them," Slughorn said quickly, "you can always just take the time as a free period. Relax. So?"

Lily smiled, feeling a bit of nervous elation enter her. "Um, ok. Sure! I'd love to help."

Slughorn clapped his hands. "Fantastic! I will have a note sent to you on what the first lesson for the fifth years will be by tomorrow morning," he assured.

Lily nodded and began to stand up. "Is that all? I'm wanted somewhere," Lily told him, thinking of how the others were waiting for her in a compartment.

"Yes, yes, of course! But one quick thing. I was asked to give you this." Slughorn dug into his pocket, and then pulled out a piece of paper. He held it out to her.

Lily took the paper and unfolded it. It was a small message.

"_Lily, I wonder if you wouldn't mind coming with me to my office after you have led the first years to the common rooms tonight? I have a matter to discuss with you, something of importance to the both of us. The password is pixie. - Jacob Brown"_

Lily placed the note into her own pocket. "Thank you, sir. I'll be around to see you once it's all settled."

"Good. Now, go and join your friends. Have fun," Slughorn insisted.

Lily said her goodbyes, and then walked out of the compartment. She walked down the aisle of the train, until she found the one she was looking for. Lola, Jace, Shannon, Scorpius, Lana, and surprisingly Hugo, were sitting inside. But not surprising at all, Lola had Hugo situated next to her.

Lily opened it and stepped inside. "Well, looks like you decided to have fun without me," she teased.

"Not at all," Scorpius replied. He leaned over and grabbed her wrist, then pulled her down into his lap. Lily giggled lightly, accepting his seat with a smile. "We've been waiting for you."

Lily glanced over at her cousin. "I thought you were going to see your friends," Lily mentioned.

Hugo shrugged. "Well, I was walking with Scorpius and Lana, and Lola insisted I come in, since I was already here."

"Besides, he can see all of his friends at the feast. We can at least have him for now," Lola added.

Lily gave her friend a knowing look. "I guess you have a point."

"So, what did Slughorn want?" Scorpius asked.

"You were so lucky to get the hell out of there," Lana sighed.

Lily explained to them what Slughorn had wanted, and she wasn't the only one excited about the news.

"That is beast!" Jace cheered. "That class is so much easier when you explain it all to me!"

"Yeah, but now we won't have Lily at our table to help us. She'll have to help others too," Lola pointed out.

"Don't ruin my moment," Jace retorted quickly.

"Do all of your moment have to be stupid?" Lola replied.

"Better than being dull," Jace shot.

"Children," Lily sighed.

Hugo laughed. "And I thought my parents were bad!"

Lily laughed too, not surprised that Hugo came to the same conclusion that she had years ago. Then she felt Scorpius's lips brushing along the skin of her neck. Her skin tingled, and a heat rushed along her veins. She leaned her back against his chest, loving how that heat seemed to wrap around her like a blanket.

"We are going to have to put up with this the whole way," she heard Jace mutter. She could only hope he was right.

* * *

Lily sighed as she got off the train. She was happy to be off the train and get fresh air. Scorpius hopped off after her, and quickly placed his arm around her again. The others began to file off as well. Hugo had ended up staying in their compartment the entire ride. Lily found it almost comical how flirty Lola had become with him, and how acceptant of it Hugo was. Either he was dense like his dad could be, or he was just ignoring it.

"Let's get a carriage," Scorpius told them.

"Go ahead. I've got to find Justin," Lana told them as she walked away.

"And I told Megan that I would meet up with her and Izzy," Shannon said with a bit of a smile. It left Lily with Scorpius, Hugo, Lola, and Jace. Sadly, it didn't stay like that.

"Hugo!" an irritated and shrill voice yelled.

Everyone but Hugo tensed at the voice of Paige Wilde as she ran toward them. Hugo sighed, and looked a bit apprehensive, but not afraid. Hugo gave a half grin when Paige approached them. "Hey, babe," he greeted.

Paige raised a brow. "What did you call me?" she demanded.

"Sorry, sorry. Hey, Paige," Hugo corrected. Lily glanced at Paige with odd confusion. Was she that controlling that she picked what he called her?

"You couldn't have said that hours ago?" Paige hissed. "We waited for you! But Stacy said that you disappeared after the prefect meeting! Have you been with _them_ the entire time?"

Hugo straightened up to his full height, which was almost as tall as Scorpius. "Yeah. I was hanging out with my cousin and her friends. I didn't think that was a problem."

"I'm your girlfriend!" Paige argued.

"She's my family. Besides, once we got to school, we'd have to separate in the Great Hall. I get to see you all the time," Hugo replied.

A blush, of what Lily guessed to be embarrassment, rushed to Paige's face. "You could have at least told me!"

Hugo looked ready to roll his eyes. "Well, I'm sorry. But if you would like, you can ride in the carriage with us. We'll have room."

Lily tried not to groan at how polite and nice her cousin was trying to be. She would have rather him ride with her than her ride with _them_. But she didn't say anything, but let her cousin take his girlfriend's hand, and bring her along.

"Here's one," Scorpius told them, opening the door. He held out his hand to Lily, offering to help her into the carriage. Lily smiled at him, taking his offer. He climbed in after her, sitting next to her, his arm going around her. Jace came in next, followed by Lola. After a brief moment, Hugo and Paige were last. Paige wasn't glaring, but she was sending intense looks at Hugo that weren't friendly.

Lily sighed as she rested her head against Scorpius's shoulder. His hand was warm against her skin. She had chosen against wearing the vest of her uniform, deciding to wear only the skirt and the white blouse. Scorpius had offered to hold her robe, since she didn't want to wear it until she got to the Great Hall. It was now draped across his other shoulder.

"So, Hugo," Lola spoke, "what are you doing the first Hogsmeade trip?"

Hugo shrugged, and seemed to ignore how Paige looked at him sharply. "No clue. I never really think that far ahead," he joked with a laugh.

"You should come with us," Lola told him. "We always have a blast!"

Hugo grinned. "Yeah, maybe. I'll definitely think about it."

Lily had to bury her face into Scorpius's chest to keep from laughing. Paige's face of silent fury was too much for her, as was Hugo's apparent ignorance of how pissed his girlfriend was. Life was just too good now.

* * *

Lily waited patiently as Professor Brown said that last of his ending speech. The Sorting was done and over with. There were three names Lily knew well that joined Slytherin. Lola's sister Marsha, Mitch's brother Scott, and Christian's brother Riley, were all starting their first year. The feast went without incident, at least on the Slytherin side. Paige wasn't at all happy when the group separated from her and Hugo.

"First years, your prefects will lead to your common rooms. Now, let's all get a good night's sleep to start off the new school year," Professor Brown dismissed.

Lily stood up with Christian as older kids began to file out. Scorpius kissed her cheek as he walked past her.

"First years, this way!" Lily called, waving over the tiny kids. The group rushed up, Marsha leading them. She hugged Lily when she got there, apparently surprising the other kids.

"Lily! You're prefect!" Marsha cheered.

Lily and Christian laughed. "Yup," Lily replied. "Now, let's got to the common room."

The group began to walk, Marsha and Scott in the lead, while Riley was surprisingly staying in the back. "Now, our common room is in the dungeons," Christian told them.

"Our Head of House is Professor Slughorn, the potions teacher," Lily told them. "Now, Slytherin House has been the holder of House Cup since Christian and I were your age, and we plan to keep it that way. To do that, we need you to keep your behavior in check, or to not get caught."

"Curfew for first years is at six o'clock. You are to be in the common room at that time," Christian warned. "Our other prefects are Lindsey Bletchley, Tanner Zabini, Lana Goyle, and Scorpius Malfoy. If you have any questions, you can ask us or them."

When they reached the blank wall at the end of the hall in the dungeons, Lily and Christian turned to face them. "This is the doorway to our common room," Lily explained to them. "It requires a password. You are to keep the password a secret."

"Now, the password may change every month or so, but you will be notified," Christian assured. "For now, this password is 'Quidditch.'"

The wall slid open, which seemed to amaze the first years. Lily and Christian grinned as they led them inside. The other kids were already inside, catching up with others, laughing, and playing games.

"This is the common room," Lily told them. "And beyond those stairs are the dorm rooms. Girls to the left, and boys to the right. Boys won't be allowed up the stairs to the girls' stairs, just as a warning."

"And really, that's about it," Christian said with a shrug. "Any questions?"

"When's the first Quidditch match?" one boy, Alan Bram Lily thought, asked.

"November," a deep voice answered. Lily smiled when Scorpius came up to them. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her forehead. Giggles erupted from the group of kids, and Lily laughed a little too. Scorpius smirked. "Excuse me, but I'm going to steal her away for a moment." Scorpius took her hands and began to pull Lily away from the group.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked with another laugh.

"I'm getting ready to kiss you," he answered, and then did just that.

"I have to go," she mumbled against his lips, which never stopped kissing hers.

"Go later," he muttered, kissing her harder.

"I'll be back soon," Lily assured, trying to pull her lips away from his. But he wouldn't let her. "Scorpius," she protested with a slight giggle against his lips.

Scorpius groaned against her lips, and finally pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. "When is soon?" he asked lowly.

"Soon," Lily assured. "It shouldn't be too long. I promise." She ran her hands up and down his arms, her fingers tracing little patterns in the thick cords of muscle.

Scorpius turned his head, burying his face in her hair, his lips touching the top of her ear. "I'll wait for you," he told her, his breath fanning across her ear, his lips brushing across the hoops in her ear.

Lily felt her heart beating fast, but she did her best to keep it from showing. "So, am I allowed to go now?"

Slowly, Scorpius pulled away from his hold on her, his hands loosening their grip on her hips. "One more kiss. Then . . . I guess you can go," he teased.

Lily laughed, then reached up to the full of her height to kiss him. Scorpius leaned down a little, making it easier for her. The kiss was longer than Lily had thought it would be, but Scorpius didn't push it too long. He let her go, and with a small wave to him, and to the still watching and giggling first years, Lily left the common room.

It was a quiet walk up to the headmaster's office. No kids ever tried to sneak around the first night, but Lily still ran into a few staff members patrolling the halls. They gave a simple nod when they saw Lily walk by.

After getting off the moving stairs that led to the headmaster's office, Lily gave a firm knock on the door.

"Come in, Lily," Professor Brown called from inside, his voice muffled by the door.

Lily opened the large door and stepped inside. As was usual, her eyes were pulled toward the "sleeping" portraits of former headmasters. Mainly toward the one portrait who didn't pretend to sleep. Albus Dumbledore. He stared at her with those sparkling and knowing blue eyes. And he didn't look away.

Lily did look away, and toward the current headmaster. "Hello, Jake," Lily greeted with a smile as she moved to sit in the chair in front of his desk. She loved the casualness between them.

"Hello, Lily. How was your summer?" Professor Brown asked with a smile of his own.

"The best," Lily said with an even bigger smile.

"Yes, I head about you and Scorpius's new relationship," Professor Brown chuckled.

Lily raised a brow. "Really? From who?"

"Mrs. Zabini. We got to talking after a staff meeting, and she mentioned it when I asked about her children and nephew," Professor Brown explained.

Lily gave a nod at that. She didn't really know Scorpius's aunt. She'd met her of course, but she never really talked to her. "So, what did you want to talk to me about, Jake?" she asked.

"Well, it has to do with Duncan," Professor Brown replied. "I went to see him the other day, and he told the most fantastical story of how he met Scorpius and Hugo."

"Yeah. He wanted to meet Scorpius, and I ended up bringing Hugo with," Lily told him.

"I'm glad to hear that you and Hugo are getting along better," Professor Brown mentioned. But then he sighed. "But, anyways. I have a bit of bad news for you. Duncan claims that he is feeling the imminent disappearance of the area of his right hip."

Lily felt her throat tighten. "What would that mean for him?"

"Well, his Healers were able to measure out the area, and have found that it is just over his kidney. Now, if it does disappear, thus ruining the organ, Duncan will still be fine. He has full functional use of his other kidney," Professor Brown assured her.

"But . . . ?" Lily urged him to continue.

Professor Brown tapped his fingers repeatedly on his desk, a somber look on his face and in his eyes. He pursed his lips, looking as if he didn't know what to say. He sighed after a couple of minutes, and finally, an agonized look tore across his face. "He's fading, Lily. It's terrible, but it's happening. Even his Healers are losing hope of stopping it."

Lily eyes dropped to her lap as they began to sting. In her heart, she knew that already. Every time she saw him, another part of him seemed to disappear, if not bodily, then emotionally. But it was hard to admit, and she was surprise of the strength of the headmaster. How hard was it for him to admit it? Lily pulled in a deep and shaky breath. "So . . . how long do you think he has?" she whispered.

Lily brought her eyes back to the headmaster, and felt her own heart clench at the sight. He looked as if he could hardly swallow a breath, his eyes were full of sadness, and were even a bit glassy. "I'm not sure, Lily," he murmured. "I'm really not. They say that it could be quick . . . or it could draw out longer than expected."

"There has to be something we can do," Lily said through a thick lump in her throat.

Professor Brown sighed heavily and ran a hand through his thick black hair. The look of sadness was now subdued, and a look of resignation crossed over his eyes. "Right now, all we can do is to be there for him. I sense that he's come to the same realization that we all have, and he needs people to be there for him."

Lily nodded. "I'll head over to the hospital as soon as break starts," she replied.

"Well, I had a better idea," Professor Brown told her. "I was thinking that at least once a week, I could take you from school to go and visit him. Perhaps after dinner?"

Lily looked at Professor Brown with hope and gratitude. "Really? We can do that?"

"I approve it wholeheartedly," he replied. "Are you ok with that?"

Lily nodded eagerly. "Of course! I think that's a great idea!"

Professor Brown smiled. "Perfect. This week, we shall go on the fifth. After that, you can choose which days will work best for you based on your schedule with classes, O.W.L.s, prefect duties, and Quidditch."

Lily smiled. "Thank you very much, Jake."

Professor Brown sighed again, but this time, it wasn't as heavy. "It was no problem to decide. I knew that you would like the idea. And I think that Duncan deserves a little company."

Lily nodded, her heart still a little heavy. "I just wish there was something more we could do," she whispered.

"Life is full of things that we wish we could fix or change." Lily jumped slightly at the resounding voice of Albus Dumbledore. She turned in her chair to look at him. "Good things happen and bad things happen to everyone, young Duncan included."

"What do you mean, Albus?" Professor Brown asked.

"I mean that while life can be cruel, it can find ways to balance out for people. In the midst of a bad thing, a good event can blossom, and consume the thoughts completely," Dumbledore told them.

"What good event has come to Duncan?" Lily muttered. What good was coming to a dying boy who was getting no better?

"You," Dumbledore stated simply.

"Me?" Lily asked.

"Yes, you, Lily," Dumbledore said with assurance. "In the midst of this serious illness, one that could possibly lead to death, he has gained a friend. Another person to care about him and to be there for him. From what I have heard, you have been a steadfast friend, a great ear for listening, and someone that gives support. You are the great event in a bad time."

Lily pulled herself into her thoughts. She knew that she was a great friend to Duncan, and that she tried to listen to him when he needed to vent. But . . . a good event? "I think you overestimate me."

"I think you underestimate yourself," Dumbledore counted. "That's common among people, though. They never truly understand themselves. But, you are a shining light in the darkness of Duncan's illness."

"I'm not that great a person," Lily retorted.

"Anyone can be the good part of a person's life. It is possible that even Lord Voldemort could have been a good part for someone. It may sound odd, but it's a possibility. You don't have to be an angel to be a great impact for someone else," Dumbledore explained.

Lily grinned. The idea of Voldemort being a great part of anyone's life was laughable, but Lily would admit that it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities. Perhaps he was to certain Death Eaters, or supporters.

Suddenly, thoughts of James and Albus pervaded her mind. What was her great event in the midst of their torment and hatred? Scorpius's face was the first thing to come to mind, followed by thoughts of all her friends. And it occurred to her that even James and Albus were good events in a way. If it wasn't for their lack of acceptance towards her, she never would have found a way to really be herself. To break away from the shadow the Potter name cast about the three of them. Perhaps . . .

"I guess you're right about that, sir," Lily agreed. "It is possible, and anyone can be a good impact. Even if what they do isn't good."

* * *

It was late when Lily entered the common room. The fire was burning low, and the windows that were open to under the lake cast a darker and greener glow than normal around the room, which was practically empty, except for a few remaining students. She hadn't realized how late it was.

"I was beginning to think that you weren't ever coming back tonight," a voice whispered into her ear from behind.

Lily suppressed her surprise. How had Scorpius gotten behind her? But she still smiled as she turned to look at him. "I wasn't gone for that long," she argued softly.

"Longer than you think," he murmured, his hands pulling her to him. Her body was flush against his, his chin resting on the top of her head. Lily wrapped her arms around him, glad for the comfort and warmth his being provided. After the taxing subject of Duncan's future, her emotions had taken quite a toll.

Scorpius's hand began to stroke her hair gently. "Tired?" he asked quietly.

Lily nodded, nuzzling against his chest as she did. "Very. I don't know how long that meet was, but it was tiring," she sighed.

"Well, would you like to sleep in your room, or is it ok if I kidnap you for the night?" Scorpius inquired.

Lily smiled against his shirt. "I am very susceptible to Stockholm Syndrom," she joked lightly.

She could practically feel the smirk on his face. She didn't have to see it. "Would you like to get something to sleep in, or do you just want one of my shirts?" he asked.

"I'll just steal a shirt from you," she said with another sigh. "I'm not up for digging through my trunk to find my clothes."

"Want me to carry you?" he teased, although Lily had a feeling that if she said "yes" that he would do it.

"No need," Lily assured as she pulled away a little from his embrace, finally looking up at him.

Scorpius let his embrace go, but quickly had his arm around her, and was leading her to the stairs. Lily soon found herself clad in only her underwear and one of Scorpius's giant shirts, and climbing into Scorpius's bed silently. The other four beds' curtains were pulled shut, but Lily didn't want to risk waking one of the other boys in the room. Scorpius climbed onto the bed as well, and pulled the curtains shut. Then he followed Lily's lead, and got under the covers.

Lily was ready to nuzzle into the crook of his neck or his chest, but instead she found Scorpius's lips covering hers. She brought her hands to his cheeks as she responded to the kiss. Scorpius pulled away slowly, and then began to pull her even closer as he laid next to her. Lily nuzzled against his cheek as one of Scorpius's hands began to bury itself into her hair. The other wrapped around her waist, hugging her to him.

Lily closed her eyes, finally feeling relaxed and comfortable. _This_ was her bright light in the midst of a bad situation.


	50. Don't Fade Away

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I feel as if I've had terrible writer's block with this chapter, and that it's been forever since I've written anything. But after taking time to plan out a few things for the future of the story, I think I'm ready to get back into writing more chapters. So I hope yo like this one. We see more Duncan, Lily's teaching, and Hugo's reactions to the members of Gryffindor. Let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty: Don't Fade Away

When Lily woke up, she didn't open her eyes. She was too warm, too comfortable, and too relaxed. But when she felt the body next to her and wrapped around her, it took Lily a split moment to remember whose bed she was in. The musky smell of rain and cinnamon whirled around her, and she smiled.

Blinking a few times, Lily opened her eyes to see Scorpius still sleeping. His hair fell over his forehead, his eyes closed peacefully, his lips parted slightly as he took in small breaths. Lily sighed as she looked at him. He was so . . . perfect in these moments. At least to her. In fact, these moments were perfects for her. But she could tell that it was almost time to get up anyway. So without disturbing him, Lily moved Scorpius's arms away from her.

She slid out of the covers, and peaked out of the curtain. Silent, and nothing was stirring in the room. She picked up her wand from the bedside table, and easily with a whispered spell, placed a charmed lily on the pillow. Then she left the bed, closed the curtains, and then grabbed her clothes. She changed back into them, just incase she ran into anyone, and then left the room. It wasn't needed, because the halls were empty. She quietly opened the door to her actual dorm room, and saw the girls all sleeping.

Lily slid into the room, opened her trunk, grabbed a fresh set of clothes, and then went into the bathroom. She made her shower quick, then dried her hair messily before throwing it up into her usual side ponytail. She dressed in her uniform, and then went back into the room. She opened her trunk and quietly began to put her things away around the room. She threw Scorpius's shirt in with the rest of her clothes, saving it.

Megan was the first to wake up. Lily knew that normally, Megan would have been the first to make a joke at her about not coming in last night. But the big yawn and tired eyes showed Lily that Megan wasn't up for it just yet. With a bit of a grin and a nod, Megan grabbed her own clothes and then walked into the bathroom.

Lola was the next to wake up. She was more bright-eyed and awake, and she smiled when she saw Lily. "That must have been a long meeting with the headmaster," Lola teased. She got up from her bed and began to rifle through her own clothes.

"It wasn't actually," Lily admitted with a grin of her own.

"So, was I right when I told the girls you were probably sleeping in Scorpius's bed?" Lola inquired as she began to change. Shannon and Izzy began to wake up as well.

Lily laughed lightly. "Yes, you were correct in saying so."

Lola squealed with excitement. She quickly finished buttoning up her shirt, and then pounced on Lily's bed, looking at her with questions in her eyes. "And?" she hinted.

Lily rolled her eyes. "And it was just like the last time. Nice, warm, and perfect. So much in fact that, I might sleep in there again tonight."

"Are we to assume that you won't be sleeping in here with us too much now?" Shannon asked teasingly as she pulled out her own clothes.

Lily laughed with them. "Yes, you may."

* * *

Lily sighed with a bit of boredom. She was sitting outside with the rest of the students in Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid had been instructing them all about Bowtruckles since he took them to an area near the edge of the forest. They were sitting on the grass as they listened. But Lily was a bit preoccupied, and it was only the first class of the day. But next was Potions. She had been given a note from Professor Slughorn along with her schedule. The note had explained what he was teaching the fifth years today. It wasn't something the class had ever learned before, but Lily knew from experience that it _was_ on the O.W.L. test. Polyjuice Potion. It was what a good chunk of the written portion was about.

"Lily, can you tell me where Bowtruckles are known to live?" Hagrid asked suddenly.

Lily blinked, focusing back on Hagrid and the class. He had a look that told her that he knew she had been daydreaming. She glanced at her friends, but they looked clueless. Hugo looked hesitant, and Wilde looked smug from where she sat next to him.

Lily licked her lips. "Well, they are usually found in western England, southern Germany, and a few Scandinavian forests, Professor."

Hagrid stared at her with a bit of suspicion, but then nodded. "Yes, that is correct. Now, this is the point where we open our books to page seven."

Lily sighed again as she opened her book. This was going to be a long lesson. Luckily, it gave her time to remember all she could about Polyjuice Potion.

When the class was over, the fifth years all trekked up to the castle. Lily was grateful it was over. It was hot outside. She had popped open the bottom and top button of her blouse, and had loosened her tie. Everyone had taken off their black robes, which just attracted even more heat.

"That was brutal," Xavier grumbled. His black hair was sweaty, as was his forehead. It was obvious that he had pushed his hair back during class, because it stuck up oddly. His arm was thrown around Manny, who looked just as hot and sweaty.

"And it's off to Potions," Jace groaned.

"At least Lily is helping to teach it now," Shannon pointed out. "That'll make it a little better."

"I guess. I'm just glad it's my last year of Potions," Jace sighed.

"You aren't taking it next year?" Megan asked.

"I don't think I can pass it to take it next year," Jace joked, making the guys laugh.

Lily just kept her thoughts out of the conversation, focusing on the upcoming lesson she was to help teach. She felt a bit of disaster coming on. This year, Slytherins had the class with Gryffindors, and Lily just knew that there would be some kind fight.

When the Slytherins made it to the Potions classroom, they found that Lola and Izzy were already there.

"You guys look hot," Lola teased.

"And you don't," Jace shot back with a smile.

Lola reached forward and flicked him on the forehead. "Shove off."

Lily shook her head and moved to the front of the classroom. She found Slughorn in the office. "Professor?"

Slughorn smiled when he saw her. "Lily! Glad you're here. I want you to know that it's just a lecture today. So I just want you to help explain the complexities of the potion."

Lily nodded. "I can do that."

"Then let's start the class," Slughorn told her. He led her out of the office, and in front of the class. "Settle down, kids," Slughorn called. The classroom got quiet, and Lily could feel eyes on her. "Welcome to Potions. Sadly this year will be a bit tougher. O.W.L.s are coming for you, and they will be hard. Lucky for you, we have another teacher in our class, and she will be helping to teach you kids what to expect."

"Who?" Hannah Belle asked.

Slughorn smiled big. "Our own Lily Potter, of course!"

"What!" Paige Wilde exclaimed. "Sir, how can Potter teach us about our O.W.L.s? She has no more of an idea about them than we do?"

"Actually, Lily took her Potion O.W.L. during your third year. She got a perfect score. She got a perfect on her N.E.W.T. too, which she took just last year. Lily could teach it better than I could," Slughorn corrected. "And, I expect her to be treated just as you would treat me," he warned. "She can take points and reward points in this classroom as a teacher."

Lily looked at Slughorn in surprise. He hadn't mention that to her before.

"Now, we will be talking about Polyjuice Potion today. Just a lecture, no actual practical lesson with this potion," Slughorn told them all. He glanced at Lily, as if urging her to speak.

Lily took in a breath. "So, open your books to page one hundred and thirty-seven. Now, you'll want to pay very close attention to this lesson, because it is part of the O.W.L., and it's pretty difficult," she told them.

* * *

"This is the longest day ever!" Jace complained as they all sat down to lunch.

"Stop complaining," Lola retorted. Then she looked at Lily. "You did amazing in Potions today."

"She's right. I actually understood and learned something," Jace added.

Lily smiled. "Thanks. I think we'll be talking about it more. We didn't fully cover what we needed to. There's much more to know."

"Lily."

The three turned to see Scorpius coming their way. Lily felt herself tense at the look on his face. It was a hardened scowl, his eyes dark and stormy.

Lily got up from her seat. "Scorpius, what is it?" she asked carefully.

Scorpius stopped when he stood in front of her. "Change of plans. Quidditch tryouts will be in two days. Everyone is going to have to defend their position."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "What? I thought you were just going to fill in Will and Dante's spots. And I thought you were waiting a couple of weeks."

"There's been a change," he muttered.

He began to turn, but Lily grabbed his arm. "Scorpius, what changed? What's wrong?"

Lily could see his jaw clenching and unclenching again. It was a heavy moment before he spoke. "We'll talk about it later. I promise."

But Scorpius said nothing about it for the rest of the day. And Lily noticed that he was a bit moody whenever she saw him. When she asked Mitch, he said that he had been brooding ever since first break. But Lily was determined to get to the bottom of it.

That night, Lily had dragged Scorpius upstairs a bit early. She moved to sit on his bed, and watched as he paced, staring really at nothing.

"Are you going to tell me what happened to day?" Lily demanded.

Scorpius froze where he stood, scowling at the wall. Then he licked his lips. "I had a run in with the little Potter," he replied.

Lily looked at him sharply. Albus? Nothing good could come from this. "And? What happened?"

Scorpius sighed as he moved to sit next to her on his bed. "We had an argument. It spun out of control, and suddenly we were making challenges. So now we're both making everyone retry for their positions, proving who has the better team, and who is going to win the Quidditch Cup."

Lily raised a brow. "And by challenge, you mean?"

"I was able to avoid a bet," Scorpius assured.

Lily moved to soothingly run her fingers through his hair. "Scorpius, there's something more to this. This is a simple challenge, and I know you have confidence in our players. What else happened?"

Scorpius scowled at his lap. "I just hate your brother is all. He irritates me."

Lily knew that he wasn't going to say anymore, so she left it alone, and continued to simply stroke his hair. The silence between them was relaxing, and Lily could slowly begin to feel the tension loosening in his body. Scorpius lowered his head onto her shoulder, giving her better access to her hair. She saw his eyes close, and Lily smiled. He looked so relaxed like this.

But then Scorpius began to pull Lily down to the bed. Lily yelped in surprise as she fell onto Scorpius's chest. He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close. Lily shifted a little, moving so that her head was resting on him, her hand laying on his chest. She could feel his heart beating underneath his skin and shirt. It was like a drum with each vibrating beat. And it was then that Lily came to realize something. Something that perhaps was insignificant and coincident, but it still knocked her breath away.

Their hearts were beating together.

* * *

Lily blinked rapidly as she began to ascend back to the ground of the pitch. Her broom brought her down quickly, and Lily was thankful to be back on the ground. The air was damp, hinting at a bit of rain later, and it was making her eyes sting.

The Slytherin Quidditch tryouts had been chosen for today. The Beaters had already gone, and now Scorpius had Seeker tryouts. A lot of kids had come to try out, but only three others had come to try for Seeker. And Lily knew that she had crushed them all. In the stands sat a large group of Gryffindors, Albus having led them in. Probably watching to make sure Scorpius picked the teammates with actual talent, and not based on what would win him the bet.

"All right, I want the ones trying out for Chaser to step up!" Scorpius called out. He glanced at Lily as she began to walk toward him. Lily smiled at him. When passing him, she reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips quickly before walking over to the benches. She sat down next to Tanner, who was relaxing where he sat.

"Man, my cousin is too damn lucky!" Tanner joked as Lily sat down.

"What do you mean?" she asked with a sigh.

"Awesome parents, Quidditch captain, a hot girlfriend," he teased. "Guy's got it all."

Lily blushed lightly, but was able to roll her eyes. "Cute," she muttered. Then she quickly switched topics. "So, I'm pretty sure that you and Lars secured your positions."

"Yeah, I think so too," Tanner agreed. "The only one that was really any competition was that Courtney Derrick kid. She was pretty good for a third year."

"I didn't know that Rex's little sister could play Quidditch," Lily commented.

"I know. She never plays at home, not that I know of, and Rex has never said anything," Tanner agreed.

Hey, guys, how's it going?"

Lily smiled at Hugo, who was sauntering over to them. "Hey, Hugo. This is Tanner Zabini. He's Scorpius's cousin."

Hugo nodded toward him. "Hey, dude."

"Nice to meet ya, kid," Tanner agreed. "At least formally."

Hugo moved to sit next to Lily on the bench. "So," Lily spoke, "why aren't you over there with your team?"

Hugo grinned. "Well, Albus asked that too when I decided to come down here. But I simply pointed out that until our tryouts, I am no longer part of the team."

Lily laughed. "Wow. That's a Slytherin thought."

Hugo laughed too. "Yeah, Albus said that too. I just flipped him off and kept walking."

"Way to go," Tanner said with a laugh.

"I didn't want to sit up there with them in Albus's little royal court anyway. And Paige didn't want to come watch your tryouts, so it was just me," Hugo told them.

Lily was a bit thankful for that, but didn't let it show. "Can't blame you."

"You need to tell your boyfriend to lighten up!" Lance groaned as he moved to drop onto the grass next to the bench. Lily was impressed with Lance's growth since she'd last seen him. He was taller, taller than her now. His dark black hair was longer, sticking out in all directions. Muscles wrapped thicker and leaner around his arms. He crouched down onto the grass, leaning on his toes.

Lily glanced over at where Scorpius was now shouting commands to a group of Chasers trying out. "He's a bit stressed," she murmured.

"Yeah, I heard about his and Albus's challenge," Hugo mentioned.

"So this is Potter's fault?" Tanner demanded. "Oh, I'm so kicking his ass later."

"Keepers! You're up!" Scorpius yelled.

Lily sighed as she examined the back of her boyfriend. She could _see_ how tense his shoulders were under his Quidditch robes. His hands were balled into fists. She shook her head. "I'm going to shower and change. There's no point in me being out here anymore," she told the boys.

"Yeah. There's no way you lost your place," Lance agreed.

"If Scorpius asks, just tell him I'm in the locker room," Lily said as she made her way to the door. She pushed it open and made her way to her locker. She pulled out her clothes and a towel, and then made her way to the girls' showers.

Thoughts plagued Lily as the warm water ran over her. She had so much to do, yet she still needed time to get Scorpius to relax. He'd been tense ever since that dumb challenge had been made. But she had to talk to Slughorn after dinner, which was after tryouts. Plus she still had a bit of homework to do. So far fifth year sucked on the homework front. She'd received an assignment in every class she went to, excluding Potions of course. Plus she had patrols tonight, and she had to meet her partner on the second floor at nine o'clock.

Once Lily was clean and dressed, she sat in the locker room, not exactly wanting to go back out there yet. But before she could really even think about it, the door slammed open, and Scorpius stormed in. Lily looked at him in surprise, but he moved passed her and into the captain's office. The door slammed behind him. Lily gazed at the dark wood of the door, deliberating on whether she should leave him alone, or talk to him. She stood up and moved to the door. If left alone, he might brood, and that wasn't something anyone wanted.

"Scorpius?" Lily said tentatively as she opened the door. He was sitting behind the small desk, a scowl over his face. He gave a nod to show that he was listening. "How did the Keepers do?" she asked.

"Decent enough," he muttered. "I'm choosing Hank Harper. He's got a bigger build than the usual Keeper, but he was good, and he's quick. With one of our brooms and more practice, he'll be excellent."

"And the rest?" Lily asked carefully. She moved to sit in front of him on the desk.

Scorpius's eyes were still glued to the paper in front of him, which had been scribbled on during the tryouts. "You're keeping your spot. You creamed the others. Lars is keeping his spot . . . and Tanner is as well. Courtney was very good for a fourth year, but Tanner's got more strength. Her aim may be dead on, but Tanner's is almost as good, and he's got more of a force behind his hits."

"And Chasers?" Lily inquired.

"Lance was great. That kid gets better every time I see him in the air," Scorpius told her. "But that doesn't help my next choice."

"What do you mean?"

Scorpius sighed. "Well, there were two good kids that could both easily fill Will's spot as Chaser. The only question is do I go with the older one, who has had a bit more experience playing the game, or do I go with the younger one, who I'd guess has only seen the game being played."

"Go with the younger one," Lily told him. "He'll be at Hogwarts longer, giving him more time to get better at the game, plus we won't have to replace him as quickly."

Scorpius nodded once. Then he dropped the paper, and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. "I'm going to make sure we crush Gryffindor after this," he groaned.

Lily moved off the desk, and went around to the back of his chair. Gently, she began to rub the knots out of his shoulders. "We all want to crush Gryffindor after all this. I'll make sure Potter ends up in the Hospital Wing during our match."

Scorpius placed one of his hands on hers. "No one is safe on that team except for Hugo. I don't know how, but it seems that after James Potter left, he distributed his arrogance throughout that House. They're almost all unbearable," he muttered.

"Hugo tells me the exact same thing," Lily replied.

Scorpius gripped her hand a bit firmer, and then gently pulled her around, pulling her onto his lap. He buried his face into her hair. "This has been one hell of a week," he mumbled.

Lily pulled away from him slightly, and pushed his hair away from his eyes, which seemed tired. "That means it can only get better," she pointed out.

Scorpius leaned forward to kiss her. His lips were warm against hers, and even a little demanding. Lily tangled her fingers into his hair, her other hand gripping his shoulder tightly. Scorpius's hands held her sides tightly, making the hem of her shirt bunch up slightly. His fingers brushed along her newly expose skin, making her shiver lightly. His hands were as warm as his lips. On hand slid to her back, placing his palm flat against her skin. His lips parted from hers, and began to pass over her cheek to her earlobe. He nipped at his twice, before moving his lips lower to her neck. Lily moved her own hand beneath his Quidditch robes, letting her fingers ghost over the hot skin of his shoulder.

A knock on the door made them both jump. Scorpius's embrace kept her from falling to the floor. Scorpius growled lowly. "What?" he snapped at whoever was behind the door.

"Chill out!" Tanner called back. "We've all showered and changed, so get out here and tell us the results!"

"One second!" Scorpius told him.

Lily ran a hand through her bangs, pushing the pink hair away from her face. She gave a sheepish smile to Scorpius. "I'm going to go out and wait with them. Ok?"

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to change quick."

Lily kissed him again, only this time briefly. Then she quickly left the room before she could convince herself to stay in there with him. When she walked out, she noticed that Hugo was gone. Tanner gave her a sly smirk that she ignored with a bit of a blush. She moved to stand next to him and Lance. "Where's Lars at?" she asked.

"Over there," Lance said, pointing to the edge of the pitch. Lily could see that he was talking to a girl, but she couldn't identify who.

"Hey, Lars, let's go!" Tanner called out. "Scorp should be out soon!"

Lars glanced back at them, then turned back to the girl. After a moment, he turned and jogged back toward them. "Kiss my ass," Lars told Tanner, punching him jokingly in the shoulder.

Tanner laughed. "Looks like you got someone to do that for you already!"

Lars rolled his eyes. "I wish."

Lily grinned. "So, who was that?" she asked.

Lars grinned now too. "Ashley Anderson."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Ashley Anderson? Isn't she like a really popular Gryffindor?"

"The most popular girl in her House," Lars told her.

"Way to go, dude!" Tanner said with pride.

Lars shook his off. "It's not that fantastic. We're still at the dumb 'getting to know each other' stage."

"Ah, it won't be long," Tanner assured. "Soon, you'll be wrapped around her finger, and she'll be wrapped around your-,"

"Tanner!" Lily interrupted sharply. She smacked his shoulder.

"Dude!" Lance groaned, looking away with a blush.

Tanner laughed. "Oh, please! Lance, you're a fourteen-year-old boy. You've had those thoughts. And, Lil, tell me, what were you and our captain doing in his office?"

"Not that!" Lily argued.

"Not far from that!" Tanner countered. Lily rolled her eyes, but then a hand smacked Tanner on the back of the head. "Ow!"

They all turned to see Scorpius standing there. He walked passed them. "Shut your mouth, cuz."

Tanner rubbed the back of his head. "Yes, sir," he mumbled.

Scorpius ignored him as he went to stand in front of them all. "Ok, so I've got our main roster. List of reserves will be posted later. Our Seeker will obviously be Lily Luna." Scorpius threw her a jersey. Lily looked at it, recognizing it as her usual one.

"Our Beaters will be Lars Goyle and Tanner Zabini," Scorpius said, tossing them each a jersey. "Our new Keeper will be Hank Harper." Scorpius tossed a jersey to a tall sixth year with curly brown hair. "And our Chasers will be me, Lance Higgs," he tossed Lance a jersey, "and Bobby Pritchard."

Lily looked over at the Chasers in surprise. She hadn't noticed Bobby. But sure enough, he was there, looking surprised yet still excited at the news.

Scorpius handed him a jersey. "Ok, now our practice times will be posted with the reserve's list, so keep an eye out, or just ask me. That's all, you can go, except for the team," he dismissed.

It was a minute or so before everyone had made it to the edge of pitch, and Scorpius spoke to the team. "Ok, I'm glad that you guys did good enough to keep your spots. Now, just a note, I want to kill Gryffindor. I'm not going to let Potter think he got me. We've still got all our old players, plus two great new ones, and we're going to kill them!"

"Hey, Malfoy! You cheating snake!" a voice yelled across the pitch. Lily felt irritation boil in her at the sound of Albus's voice. They all turned to see the group of Gryffindors from the stands coming toward them.

Scorpius glared at them. "You got a problem, baby Potter?" he snapped, making all the other Slytherins laugh.

"Yeah! You cheated on our bet! You clearly didn't choose the ones with the most talent!" Albus argued.

"You're just pissy because you have no faith in your players from last year," Lily retorted. "You don't think they can match the skills of others, because you know that your brother just played favorites while he was captain!"

"Watch your mouth, _kid_!" Albus hissed.

"Watch _your_ mouth, Albus!" Hugo snapped. He moved away from the crowd and toward the Slytherins. "Scorpius picked the ones with the better talent and skills! You can't call him out just because these guys have more experience and talent in their game."

A murmur began to go around the group of Gryffindors, and Albus turned his glare to Hugo. "What House do you belong to, Hugo, because I'm starting to question your loyalties? Are you a Gryffindor, or a snake?" he demanded.

Hugo glared back at him, and moved closer. It was comical to Lily, and probably to the other Slytherins, because although he was two years younger, Hugo was taller than Albus. "I'm a Gryffindor, _Potter_, and don't forget that! But I'm _their_ friend! Not yours!" Hugo hissed. He backed away, moving to stand with the Slytherin team. Scorpius patted him on the shoulder, and a few others praised him.

Albus scoffed. "Real smart,_ Huey_. Team up with cheaters, liars," then Albus looked at Lily, "and a tramp."

Lily felt rage run through her, but that was the only reaction she had time for.

Scorpius lunged forward, and slammed his fist into Albus's jaw. Albus stumbled back, falling on his ass. Scorpius kicked his stomach, knocking him onto his back. Then he placed his foot on Albus's stomach. "If I ever hear of you calling her that again, you better hope that you drop dead before I get to you. Otherwise, I'll make your death painful!" Scorpius growled.

"Get off him, Malfoy," Rose demanded.

"Shove off, Weaslette," Lars mocked.

"Yeah, go bore your boyfriend to tears. We really don't want to hear it," Tanner sneered.

But Scorpius did lift his foot, but only after practically stomping on Albus. Then he backed up, wrapping his arm around Lily.

Rose turned to her brother. "And Hugo Arthur Weasley, apologize to Albus, and go back to the common room. You're acting like a child."

"Well you act like a bitch," Hugo spat. Gasps rang out in the Gryffindors, but the Slytherins began to cheer and laugh. Hugo continued. "You think you're all high and superior just because you're Head Girl? You got that by kissing ass. You're nothing but a stuck-up, annoying, bitch."

Rose narrowed her eyes. "Do I really need to write to Dad?" she threatened.

Hugo crossed his arms. "Go ahead and see if I give a shit. I'm sick and tired of dealing with a bunch of stuck-up, snotty, fakes!"

Scorpius took hold of Hugo's shoulder and began to lead him away. "Come on, guys. We got to celebrate Hugo joining our nest of snakes. Come on, buddy." Scorpius grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her along. Lily intertwined their fingers, proud to call Hugo her cousin, and very proud to call Scorpius her boyfriend. Sure, perhaps she shouldn't be so excited that her boyfriend easily resorted to violence to protect her, even if it was just name calling. But Lily found it to be such a thrilling change from Lysander. And it was fabulous.

Now _this_ was a man.

* * *

"When are you going to be back?" Scorpius whispered against Lily's lips. They were in a hidden corner in the dungeons, where they'd been for some time past five minutes now. It was the fifth, and Lily was going see Duncan today.

"After dinner," Lily murmured, her hands sliding over his shoulders, her fingers sliding under the collar of his white shirt.

"We've got time then," Scorpius mumbled, his own hands sneaking beneath her shirt, his palms hot against her skin. He pressed harder against her, moving her even firmer against the wall. Not even a sliver existed between them. He was strong against her, sending a rush and thrill through her.

Lily smiled against his lips. "Not that much though," she pointed out. Dinner would be in about ten minutes.

"Just enough," he muttered as his lips trailed down to her neck. His fingers walked up her sides, caressing the skin as he passed by.

Lily sucked in a breath, a heat running through her as Scorpius's lips began to suck and nip at a piece of skin. "Scorpius, I have to go to St. Mungo's later, please don't leave a mark," she pleaded. Leaving marks had seemed to become a habit for him.

"I'll try," he replied, his voice muffled. His tongue lapped at where he'd bit, and then moved onto the hollow of her throat. Lily moved her hand deeper into his shirt, thankful that the top button of his shirt was undone. But then his finger began to dance along her ribs, ghosting just beneath her bra. She felt her heart beat harder with ever accidental brush against the underside of her bra. But then seeming to abandon all plays of an accident, and then with two fingers, tugged at the bottom of her bra gently, not moving it, but rather playing with it.

Lily swallowed harshly, almost unable to breathe. Taking her hands from his shirt, she placed them on his cheeks, pulling his lips back up to hers. Scorpius groaned against her lips before pulling her bottom lip between his teeth and sucking on it. Lily moaned, letting her hands run through his hair. And finally, finally, Scorpius's hand moved up more, fully covering the cup of her bra.

Lily let out an involuntary gasp, and Scorpius quickly moved his hand away, and pulled his lips back marginally. Lily missed the feel already. "I'm sorry," Scorpius murmured. "Was that a bit too much?"

Lily quickly shook her head. "No, no. Not at all." And before Scorpius could ask again, because she knew he would, she pressed her lips against his again. And he immediately brought his hands back.

* * *

"You know, if you're going to snog for twenty minutes, you can at least make it look a little less obvious," Lola commented as Lily sat in-between her and Jace. She and Scorpius had entered dinner about ten minutes late, and they had separated when reaching the table, Scorpius going to sit with the boys from his year, and Lily going to sit with the others from her year.

Lily sighed. "There was no time. I'm hungry, and I'm leaving right after dinner, remember?"

Lola reached her hand up to try and smooth Lily's hair back. "You know, your hair is impossible to tame?"

Lily nodded as she filled her plate. "The agonizing fault of having Potter hair. I can't fix it without a brush."

"I've got a hair tie," Izzy offered, holding out her wrist.

Lily leaned forward to take it. "Thanks." Working quickly, she pulled her hair up into her normal side ponytail. Then she began to eat.

"Your shirt looks like hell too," Jace joked.

Lily glanced down. The top button was undone, which was usual for her, but her collar was wrinkled and worn. It was untucked, a difference from earlier. "Thanks for noticing," she muttered.

"Leave her alone," Shannon defended. "We don't give Megan that much trouble when she comes back from snogging Matt."

"It's not as obvious with me though," Megan pointed out.

"Can we just leave it alone?" Lily pleaded. "You can make fun of me when I get back. But for the moment, just let me eat."

"Ok. We can wait. But you better come up to our dorm before you go to Scorpius's," Lola teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'll try, but I won't promise anything."

"He does look like a demand force. Must be hard to say no," Megan taunted.

Lily did her best to ignore the approaching blush coming to her cheeks. But they left the topic drop, and Lily was happy to see the end of dinner coming. She was eager to go and see Duncan. When dinner began to come to an end, Lily noticed Professor Brown approaching the podium. Others did too, and it soon grew deadly quiet as everyone else noticed too.

"Good evening, students. I know this may seem a bit odd, but I have something very important to announce for you all to hear," Professor Brown stated.

Murmurs began to float softly around the tables. "It has to be serious. You think it's bad?" Lola whispered.

"Now, in almost two weeks from now, we will be having a group of visitors coming to our school. They are the Hogwarts School Governors. They are curious to see how things are going among the students, so they will be joining us to observe how things are going. Their visit may be a short one, or one that could last the entire year. So I hope that you all can extend a warm welcome, and a polite manner with them. Treat them as if they were like any other teacher," Professor Brown instructed. "Now, finish eating, and then let's get some shut eye."

While everyone else in the room began to talk about what had just transpired, Lily watched Professor Brown move down the table, most likely coming to her so that they could leave. But mostly, she looked at his face. He looked very thoughtful, like when he was trying to figure out a puzzle, or understand someone or something. So then something about the governors' visit confused him?

But when he came to her, Professor Brown was smiling happily, the look gone from his eyes. "Good evening, kids," he greeted them all. "Are you ready, Lily?"

Lily nodded as she pushed her plate away and stood from her seat. "Yeah. I'm ready."

"We'll see you later, Lil," Lola told her.

"Yeah, cause I need help with the last Potions assignment," Jace replied.

Lily grinned at him. "No prob. I'll be back later. Bye."

With a few more goodbyes, Lily and Professor Brown began to leave. Just before walking away from the Slytherin table completely, Lily caught Scorpius's eye. He smirked at her. Lily smiled at him, giving him a small wave.

When they had made it outside, Lily saw that one of the carriages was waiting at the doors. "I thought it would quicker," Professor Brown told her as they climbed in. "I figured you'd be eager to get there."

"You figured right," Lily joked lightly, although her stomach was starting to feel hollow due to nerves. Her mind began to wander around ides and images of how Duncan would be when she saw him.

While the carriage moved, Professor Brown simply inquired about how she'd been, how Quidditch tryouts went, and about how she and Hugo had been patching things up more and more. Once they'd made it out to Hogsmeade, they both stepped out of the carriage.

"Are you ready?" Professor Brown asked.

Lily took in a deep breath. "I hope so."

* * *

Lily hesitated outside Duncan's door. Professor Brown had urged her ahead, saying he needed to speak with someone at the desk for a few minutes. Lily now felt even more nervous alone. She thought she'd have a bit of support when she saw Duncan, but . . . now it was just her. She alone would be bearing the weight of supporting Duncan, while pretending that it would all be ok.

Lily opened the door with a rush, and stepped inside. But she stopped when she saw that Duncan was asleep. So she quietly closed the door, and then made her way over to the bed. He seemed so peaceful while asleep. His hair, which was getting longer, was like ink spilled over the pillow. His face was turned so that I couldn't see the side which had become partially invisible. She could see smooth skin without a flaw. The blanket was pulled up to his neck, hiding his invisible limbs.

Lily silently pulled the nearby chair closer, and sat down. Not in any hurry to wake Duncan, and not in any hurry to see the relaxed look he held fade away, she was content to wait for him to wake. She looked around the room instead. The pictures moved about her, and she smiled as she caught images that she remembered. And on the wall she could see some of her pictures from the magazines. He must have had Gordon put them up.

The sound of shifting fabric brought Lily's eyes back to Duncan's form. She watched as his eyelids began to flutter. Then they opened and stared up at the ceiling. He didn't seem to notice her.

"Duncan?" Lily whispered gently.

He didn't move for a tense moment, but then Duncan turned his head without moving it off the pillow. Then she could see the missing part of his face, and moved her eyes to lock onto his. But she wished she hadn't. His eyes seemed hollow, empty. It was a haunting look.

"Hi, Lily," he greeted quietly, his voice thick with leftover sleep. Other than sleep, his voice was just as empty as his eyes.

Lily did her best to smile. "Hey there, Duncan. How have you been?" Lily regretted the question as soon as it slipped past her lips.

But Duncan's face didn't change. It was still just blank. "Depends on how you look at it," he mumbled.

Lily wet her dry lips, feeling her heart stutter with sadness and nerves. "How do you look at it?"

Duncan shifted so that he was looking back at the ceiling. And when he did, Lily felt a bit of distance grow between them. And he didn't speak, but just stared at the ceiling. But as Lily watched him, she felt as if he was staring past the ceiling, up at something no one but he could see.

After what must have been five minutes, Duncan's voice came out in a whisper that echoed. "Every day, I get worse. Never better. So today I feel the best I ever will again. I'm at the top of my health. Each day, my health will get worse, but I will still always be at the top of it. That's how I see it."

Lily thought over what he said. Always the best he'll ever be, and it will get worse every day. It was almost like a riddle.

And maybe Duncan sensed Lily's uncertainty about what he said. Maybe he knew she was a little confused. So he spoke again, in that same, unemotional whisper. "I'm dying, Lily. I will never get better than how I feel each day. And each day I will feel worse than the last. That's not only how I look at it. It's also how it is."

Lily brought in a bit of a shaky breath. "Things can change, Duncan," she told him softly.

"Lily, the longest anyone has gone with Vanishing Sickness before dying is four years. It's been five years for me now, and it hasn't gotten better. My Healers don't know what to do anymore. They do the same thing, or they use an old method again. They're out of ideas. My mum visits a little less because it breaks her heart to see me dying a little more each time. Gordon tries to hide what everyone is saying about me, but I know. I hear what they say when they think I'm asleep, when they think I can't hear their whispers. I know, and I can feel it happening. The odd and tingling feeling in my side is getting more sensitive, hinting that it will be disappearing within the next three days. And then the feeling will be gone, as will my kidney. And then there will be a period where everything seems ok, and then the feeling will come back. But next time, no matter where it goes, it's going to knock out an important organ. My stomach, my lungs, my heart, or my brain. It has no where safe to go after this," Duncan stated quietly.

"Duncan-,"

"Lily, I see no point in pretending," Duncan told her. "I'm dying, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. Day by day, I'm going to sit alone in this room, until I fade away. That's what my future is. I don't need to be a Seer to know that."

Lily reached forward to cup his good cheek. "You're not going to be alone Duncan. I'm going to come and see you every week. And in a couple of minutes, Jacob's going to be here too. We're not going to let you go through this alone."

"No, we're not." Lily turned to see that Professor Brown had come into the room. How had she not heard him? He moved forward to stand next to the bed, and then sat down on the edge. He placed his hand on Duncan's hair. "We're going to be right here with you. All the way until the end."

Lily nodded, although the thought scared her. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see the end when it came. She wasn't sure if she could handle it.

Duncan's emotionless look finally changed into a face with a small and soft smile. "Well, it is nice to know that I won't really fade away." And he was right.

He would never fade from Lily's memory.


	51. A Light of Your Own

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I know this chapter is probably a bit shorter than my usual ones, but I thought that this was the best place to end it. Really this chapter was set up to just be a bit of foreshadowing to future problems with some of our characters. But I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-One: A Light of Your Own

"Ok, so I know that the whole Quidditch team is going to watch Gryffindor's tryouts to make sure that Potter doesn't cheat," Megan commented as the five fifth year girls walked to the pitch, "but will someone please tell me why the rest of us girls are going?"

"You're going because Izzy and I are going," Shannon replied. "And Izzy and I are going because Lola asked us if we wanted to go, and Lola's going because Hugo will be there."

"What's with the attraction to Weasley, Lola?" Megan demanded. "I mean, not that he's ugly or anything, but . . . I don't get it."

Lola shrugged. "I think he's cute. Tall, kinda strong, athletic, and amazing hair."

"I still don't see it," Megan sighed.

"Well I don't get what you see in Matt, but you still date him," Lola pointed out.

"I'm not sure what I see in him either," Megan joked. The other girls laughed as well. "But, let's move on to talk about a more interesting relationship. So, Lil, any more changes since Scorpius felt you up? Has he finally moved below the bra?"

Lily shook her head as she giggled. "Only you could word that so delicately."

"Don't ignore the question, though," Izzy teased.

Lily sighed as they began to climb the steps of the stands. "Not really, although he's much more confident about moving his hands beneath my shirt."

"What have you grabbed of his?" Megan mocked with a laugh.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Nice. And like I said, we haven't done much more since he felt me up. Excuse our slow pace."

"You're excused," Megan retorted with a grin.

"You know, you give Lily so much crap about how slow they move physically, but you haven't done as much as they have," Lola told Megan.

"I know that. I just like messing with her," Megan replied.

Lily laughed. "Well I enjoy the taunting."

"Over here, girls!" Tanner yelled out from the top of the stands. They trailed over there, moving between kids from other Houses that had come to watch. Lily noticed a big group of Gryffindors.

Lily moved to sit next to Scorpius, kissing his cheek. "They start yet?"

"Just getting ready to," Scorpius answered. "We gotta make sure Potter doesn't try to get back at Hugo and kick him off the team."

"Yeah, we'll call him out on it," Lars agreed. "That kid is good."

"Yeah, and was he kinda cool to hang out with the other night," Tanner commented. Lily smiled. The night of Slytherin tryouts, Hugo came down to the common room with them. And she was happy to see Hugo getting along with the guys from the team, and the others from Slytherin. He really did fit in with them.

Lola sighed as she looked down at where the Gryffindors were waiting for tryouts to begin. "Why couldn't we sit so that we can see them better?" she asked.

"Because when they start to fly, we don't have to tilt our heads up to see better," Scorpius replied.

"When are our practices going to begin?" Lance asked as Albus began to droll on about his expectations.

"As soon as possible," Scorpius told him. "But I have to wait before I book the pitch. Hufflepuff has yet to set a date for their tryouts. But I'm hoping for a schedule of three times a week."

"That sounds awesome," Lance replied.

"You're pretty eager this year, kid," Lars commented. "What's the deal?"

"Well, I've decided that I want to play Quidditch professionally after I graduate," Lance told them.

"Good for you," Lily told him.

"You're good enough that with a few more years of playing, you'll be fantastic as a professional," Tanner told him.

"Hey, he's doing Keepers first," Scorpius announced. They all turned to see a couple of kids standing in front of the line. Then they watched as Hugo mounted his broom and shot into the air.

Lola stood on her seat. "Go, Hugo!" she cheered loudly. The Slytherin girls began laugh and giggle. Shannon pulled Lola back down into her seat. But Lily could see Hugo turning to see who had yelled. Lola waved her hand, and Hugo grinned at her, nodding toward her.

"You know, I don't think Lily's pissed off Wilde more than you just did," Megan laughed. Lily looked at where Megan had been looking. And sure enough, Paige Wilde, who was sitting with a group of girls, was glaring balefully at Lola.

Lola simply grinned. "Not my fault I'm more supportive of her boyfriend than she is."

Hugo was on the top of his game. He caught all five shots, each in a different and stylish fashion. "He's gotten better," Scorpius muttered in Lily's ear. "We're going to have to work harder to get by him."

Lily squeezed his hand. "You can do it," she murmured. "You've done it before."

Hugo was obviously the best of the Keeper tryouts, not that Albus looked extremely happy about that. But to the Slytherins' dismay, Rose was the second best of the tryouts, securing her spot. But Lucy was far better, and Lily was content with Lucy remaking the team. Lucy never caused Lily trouble. Cody Thomas kept his place as Beater, which Lily thought was ok, since he wasn't fantastic at it. But Lily was a bit surprised to see Roxanne trying out. She was a sixth year now, and it was a surprise that she was suddenly forming an interest in playing Quidditch again. She was good, just like always, and was the right pick for a Beater.

But the best part came when they needed to fill in the last Chaser spot. Out of all the options, none were great. They were all kids that Lars and Tanner could easily take out on the field. And Albus was forced to choose the best, which happened to be a tiny fourth year girl, Miley Jordan. Her name sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember from where.

"We'll cream them," Lars stated as he watched the newly formed team talk.

"They're dead," Tanner agreed.

"Potter's going to regret challenging me," Scorpius growled.

* * *

"Hey, Lil, can you help me?" Jace asked as they all sat in the common room. It was Saturday, and most of the fifth years were stuck doing homework, while others enjoyed their time away from lessons.

"What are you working on?" Lily asked she flipped through her Transfiguration book with boredom. Normally, she would have been with Scorpius rather than studying a bunch of things she already knew. But he had been dragged away by the others in seventh year to study for N.E.W.T.s. That left her studying as well.

"Herbology. I don't get this thing on the Fanged Geraniums," Jace told her.

Lily reached over and glanced at his paper. Then she flipped the page of his book. "The topic is more than one page of the book," Lily stated.

Jace looked over the page. "Oh!"

"Idiot," Lola mumbled.

"Hey, guys!" Lily looked over in a bit of surprise as Hugo walked in through the door of the common room. She hadn't really grown used to seeing Hugo walking in. But she got used to Dominique doing it, so she knew it wouldn't be long until she got used to Hugo doing it. After all, since the Slytherin tryouts, he'd been coming down a lot more.

"Hey, Hugh," Lily greeted, happy to do something other than flip pages.

"Hi, Hugo," Lola said coyly.

Hugo grinned as he plopped onto the couch next to Lily. "Guess what I got today."

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

Hugo pulled a paper out of his jacket pocket. "A letter from my dad. You're mentioned, Lil, although I'm sure he doesn't want you to read it." Lily looked at him with interest and a grin. Hugo was grinning too. "Wanna read?"

"Of course," Lily replied, taking the letter from his hand. She unfolded it, and looked it over.

"_Dear Hugo,_

_I got a letter from your sister, and she told me that you've been acting out lately. And she also said that it was because you were hanging out with a bad crowd. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm glad that you and Lily have become friends again. I think it would be good for her to make a few friends that won't get her into trouble. But from the sounds of it, you're falling the same way she has. I love Lily, but I can't ignore that she's been acting out a lot and getting into trouble. Not to mention the people she hangs out with. And I'm not about to let my son go down the same path. You are a Weasley and a Gryffindor. And you are my son. Act like it. I don't want to hear about you acting out again._

_Love,_

_Dad"_

"I'm not really surprised," Lily told Hugo after she'd read it. "Your dad only stopped making rude comments about Slytherins because I became one. But I'd bet he still says them when I'm not around. And he's always one of the first to explode when I do something 'un-Potter' like."

"He's a prick. He's just like James," Hugo muttered. "I have to be just like them. I have to be a good boy. Study hard, play Quidditch, hang out with Gryffindors, be a kiss ass, don't misbehave. _He_ didn't even do have of that stuff when he was a kid."

"You should deck your sister," Jace grumbled. "That's what I'd do if I was you."

Hugo sighed. "I wish I could, but that whole 'boy hitting a girl' thing gets in the way." He paused. "Would you hit her for me, Lola? Since I can't."

Lola giggled. "I would, but I think Lily would be the better choice. She's much stronger."

"I do my best to avoid Virgin Rose," Lily retorted.

"Hmm," Hugo hummed as he crossed his arms, sitting there. "Hey, Lil, what did you do when your dad became a prick about how you acted and who you hung out with?"

"I dressed the part," Lily told him. "I changed my wardrobe, which I've actually really come to love, I pierced my ear multiple times, pierced my bellybutton, not that he knows about that, and then dyed my hair."

Lily glanced at her cousin, who was now running his finger over the stud in his ear. "Maybe Lana could pierce my ear a couple more times. And maybe over our first Hogsmeade visit, we could get me some better clothes," Hugo thought aloud.

"Oh! Can we dye your hair?" Lola asked eagerly. "Because I know what color would be perfect!"

Hugo looked at her curiously. "What color?"

"Black," Lola answered. "It would look great with the way I cut your hair, if we dyed the layers black, and maybe make your normal red a darker shade."

Hugo shrugged. "Sure. I'll let you plan that out."

"So, are you going to hang out with us on the first trip to Hogsmeade? It's always a blast," Jace asked.

"What do you do?" Hugo questioned.

"Well, _they_," Izzy stressed, "hang out with some of the older kids and end up getting wasted as the end of the night."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Let me fix that statement. Lola, Lily, and I hang out with some seventh and sixth years. We hang out, eat something, and then start drinking. Now, we've been doing this since our third year, so it's all planned out and taken care of."

Hugo glanced at Lily. "So, you've been drinking since you were thirteen?"

Lily shrugged. "Another, more private, way of rebelling against my dad," she joked.

Hugo laughed. "Man, I can't miss this. Count me in!"

"Awesome," Jace said, giving him a high-five.

"No offense, Hugh, but you aren't dragging along your banshee girlfriend with us," Lily warned.

Hugo's answering sigh was heavy. "Nah, I'm not that dumb. She'd just throw a fit. Besides, she'll probably throw a fit when I tell her that I'm not taking her out to Madam Puttifoot's or something crappy like that."

"Why do you put up with her?" Megan questioned. "She's annoying, bitchy, commanding, and a total fake."

Hugo scratched at the back of his head. "Well . . . she has her better moments. But lately, . . . yeah. Those good moments are becoming rare."

"She hates that you hang out with me," Lily pointed out. "She hates me, and therefor hates anyone that hangs around me. But now her boyfriend is hanging around me, and is no longer a pushover. No offense."

"None taken," Hugo replied. "And you're kinda right. Things did get worse when we started hanging out again. But you're my family. You're more important. And besides, I'm noticing that most of my friends aren't really friends. Just kids you hang out with when you're bored."

"We have so much more to offer," Xavier joked.

Hugo laughed. "You do actually. Like interesting conversations, or fun things to do. Like, when we go to Hogsmeade, it's that same thing every time. Go to The Three Broomsticks, get butterbeer, and try to hang out with the older kids and seem cool. But after awhile I started to realize, the older kids suck and are losers."

"They are in your House," Christian told him. "The older kids in our House rock."

"Lily would know. She sleeps in their dorm," Shannon teased.

Ignoring how the others laughed or giggled, Lily threw a pillow from the couch at Shannon. "Sod off!"

Hugo looked at Lily with interest. "You sleep in Scor's bed?"

"Yes. And before you say anything, we only sleep!" Lily added, stopping him from asking another question.

Hugo held his hands up in a mock surrender. "Ok, ok. I won't joke. Looks like they joke about it enough anyways."

Lily sighed as she glanced at her friends, who were still chuckled. "Yeah, they're a bunch of cackling hyenas about it."

* * *

"So, Lily, I think that we need to discuss the basics of Amortentia. It won't be on the practical exam this year, but it will be on the written," Slughorn commented as he and Lily checked over and graded the fifth years' potions in his classroom.

"That's probably a good idea. It'd be useful for them to know the effects and how to prevent falling for it," Lily agreed.

"My thoughts exactly," Slughorn said with an affectionate chuckle. But then he looked at his watch. "Oh, look at the time. We'd better get to the Great Hall. It's almost time for the assembly."

Lily sighed as she set down the potion she was holding. Last night, Professor Brown had announced that the governors would be arriving today, and that there would be an assembly to greet them all. It had kind of bugged Lily that they had chosen today. She'd been planning on suggesting that she and Professor Brown go and see Duncan.

Visits with Duncan had started to get a bit easier for Lily. Although Duncan didn't seem to get any better physically, he was getting better emotionally. He was smiling more again, and he no longer spoke in an empty voice. But according to his Healers, the skin of his hip was starting to get dry and dull. A warning sign that it would soon disappear.

The Great Hall was full of voices when Lily walked in with Slughorn. She departed from him to wander over to the Slytherin table. She was easily able to find Scorpius's broad form, and moved over to him. Scorpius saw her coming, and immediately waved her over with a smirk. She saw that Jace and Lola were sitting with him as well, next to Mitch, Rex, Lana, Justin, and Lars.

"So, I wonder why the governors are coming here," Rex mentioned

"No clue," Scorpius sighed. "But she's cutting into what could have been time spent on Quidditch."

"Or band practice," Mitch added.

"How is that going, with Dominique singing?" Lily asked.

Mitch glanced back at the Gryffindor table, and so did Lily. She could see Dominique sitting with a group of girls, although she didn't look interested in whatever they were talking about. "It's doing better than ever, actually. The girl's got talent."

"I just hope that she sticks with it," Justin replied.

"She better not pull a Will on us," Rex protested.

"You think she'll bail?" Lily asked.

Mitch ran a hand through his blue hair. "I don't know. She hasn't said anything like that, but . . . I don't know if she's going to want to pursue a more stable career. And I don't want to stop her from doing so."

But Lily shook her head. "I'm sure Dom will stick with it."

Mitch raised a brow. "Why do you say that?"

"Because Dominique will do anything that our family hates. And her dad will hate this. She'll stick with it because it pisses him off, and she because she loves to do it," Lily told him. "Two bonuses with only one action. She wins."

"That's good to know," Rex laughed. "'Cause she's a great singer."

"Attention, students!" Professor Brown called them all to attention. The room became silent, and all eyes were at the staff table. And everyone knew that governors were in the room. They had to be the line of people standing behind the staff. "As you all know, we are all here to meet and be introduced to our school's governors. If I can request that they come to the front?"

The line of people moved in an orderly fashion around the staff table, and lined in front of the table instead. "They look like a bunch of tight asses," Jace muttered.

"These twelve men and women are our governors. If I may give their names to you all. Mr. Benjamin Williams, Mrs. Marigold Brunt," and he continued down the line of people, announcing each of their names. "Now, our governors will be observing us, as I have already told you. They may have a question for you, and I insist that you answer them honestly. Without honesty, we can never have a functioning school or student body," Professor Brown stated. But as Lily watched the line of people, she was a little surprised to see a few faces grow sour with the headmaster's words.

Then Professor Brown clapped his hands. "Now! I thought to honor our guests, we would have a feast in place of our regular dinner tonight. So, let's eat and be merry!"

The food appeared at the table, and a clamor of noise rose steadily as people began to fill their plates. Lily did as well, but kept an eye on the governors. Professor Brown was talking to them, but then they all began to take seats at the staff table. One woman, the first he'd introduced, Marigold Brunt, immediately began to talk to Professor Bell.

"The only reason the governors would get involved in the school is if something was wrong," Lars commented, catching Lily's attention. "I mean, why else would they come here personally. I've never heard of it."

"The only time I've ever heard of the governors getting involved in Hogwarts's affairs was during our fathers' times. Back when the Chamber of Secrets opened again," Scorpius commented.

"What could be as bad as that, though?" Lana pointed out.

"Maybe it doesn't have to be that bad for them to step in," Mitch replied. "Maybe whatever they came for is bad enough."

"But that's what I don't get," Lola told him. "What's bad at Hogwarts? I mean, besides the obvious teenage things, I can't think of anything that would involve anything extreme, such as the governors getting involved."

"She's got a point. I mean, it's rare for there to be a secret at Hogwarts, so it must be big if the staff has been able to keep it under wraps," Jace agreed.

Lily sighed as she watched the staff table, where the governors each seemed to be talking with a different teacher, while Professor Brown happily ate in apparent silence. "I don't know, but I'm sure we'll find out."

* * *

"That is the stupidest thing ever, big ears!" Lola hissed with annoyance. The three were walking to Defense Against the Dark Arts, and it was no surprise that Lola and Jace were already fighting. Lily was just staying out of it. It was the first class of the morning, which meant that it was too early to deal with interfering in the fight. It was easier to ignore them.

"No, it is not!" Jace retorted hotly. Lily rolled her eyes. What was the point of arguing about whether or not it was stupid to race a Muggle airplane with a broom? Honestly, Lily couldn't even remember how it started.

"It's idiotic! You'd be spotted in a second!" Lola argued. "Anyone with a brain knows that!"

"Do they also become home wreckers and steal other girls' boyfriends?" Jace mocked.

Lola glared at him. "Flirting is harmless. And if he breaks up with his girlfriend, that's his choice."

"Yeah, well he'll make up his mind pretty quick with how you flash your panties at him," Jace growled.

"Ok, both of you stop it!" Lily hissed. "It is too early, and it's not going to end well, so shut up!"

Lola and Jace did settle into a silence, but they both glared ahead of them. The rest of the walk along the halls was in silence. Being some of the first kids into the classroom, the three chose a table in the back.

"Why do we never sit in the front?" Lola asked as she set her things down.

Jace opened his mouth, but Lily stomped on his foot. Now was not that time for a nerd joke. "Because it's like a habit now," she told her.

Other kids began to walk in as well, Slytherin and Hufflepuff fifth years, and the noise level began to rise. But when a woman walked in instead of Professor Creevey, the room fell silent. Lily immediately recognized the woman as Marigold Brunt, one of the governors. But up close, Lily was able to get a better look at her. She was a short woman, but was obvious close to forty-years-old. Her hair was an ugly platinum blonde that seemed frozen in its style.

"Ok, children, let's get started. As you know, I am Mrs. Brunt, one of your prominent school governors," Marigold Brunt began.

Craige Preece, a Hufflepuff, brought his hand up. "Where's Professor Creevey?"

"Professor Creevey will be here later. But right now, we are going to have a class discussion," Brunt told them.

Lily glanced at her two friends, who looked just as confused.

"A discussion about what?" Hunter asked.

"Students need to raise their hands before speaking," Brunt corrected.

Shannon raised her hand. "What kind of discussion?" she asked.

"We are going to talk about Hogwarts," Brunt told them. "We are going to openly discuss your feelings about the school."

Megan lazily raised her hand. "What do you mean by feelings?"

"Exactly what I said. Your feelings about how its classes, your teachers, how it's run. Everything," Brunt explained. "So, let's start with . . . you." She pointed at Manny. "If you had to describe Hogwarts with one word, what would it be?"

Manny bit her lip as she glanced at her Xavier, who only shrugged. After a thoughtful moment, Manny finally spoke. "Um, I guess I would say it is educated?"

Brunt nodded. "Hmm. Ok. Now . . . how about you?" Now she pointed at Monty.

Monty just shrugged. "I don't know. Cool."

"Ok. And you?" Now she was looking at Lily.

Lily sighed. "Experience," she replied.

Brunt nodded, now looking interested. "And why do you say that?"

Lily raised a brow. "Well, it is where we gain our experience in everything. Experiences with other people, certain subjects, sports. Most life experiences come from Hogwarts, right? At least for us students."

Brunt was still looking at Lily with interest. "And what is your name?"

"Lily."

"I meant your full name, sweetie."

Lily licked her lips, already bored with this. "Lily Luna."

Brunt looked at Lily with narrowed eyes, as if trying to recognize her. But to Lily's dismay, it seemed she finally had. "You're Lily Potter. Harry Potter's daughter."

Lily kept from rolling her eyes. "My name is Lily Luna. And yeah, that's my dad," she replied.

"Well, Miss Potter, I-,"

"Lily Luna," Lily interrupted sharply, "is my name. Not Potter."

Marigold Brunt began to look at Lily with surprise, and now something that was almost like distaste. "It's rude to interrupt."

"And it's also rude to call people by the wrong name," Lily retorted. "So, you were rude first. Do not chide me for responding in kind."

"Do we need to discuss detentions?" Brunt threatened.

"We can, but I see no point. You've no authority over students. You may have a slight authority over the staff, but not without the other governors. Alone, you are nothing," Lily pointed out. She was annoyed when the woman called her Potter, but this woman was getting more irritating by the second.

A look of rage settled over Brunt's face, but it was obvious that Lily was right. And it was obvious that trouble was in the future.

* * *

Over the next few days, Lily became increasingly suspicious of the governors' intentions. It appeared that they were all asking questions about the students' opinions of the school. And Marigold Brunt seemed to be looking at Lily whenever she was near the woman. But she also noticed that Brunt was spending a lot of time talking to the members of Lily's family. Especially Albus and Rose. She attended the prefect meeting that was held, and afterwards, Lily caught sight of her talking quietly with the Head Boy and Girl.

"Has she been talking with you, too?" Lily asked Hugo after explaining all of this to him. The two were sitting by the lake. The others were all studying inside, but Hugo and Lily found it too nice out to stay in. Their brooms laid next to them, ready for another flight.

"She did once," Hugo told her. "It was in the common room. She asked me about what I thought of the headmaster and Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

"What did you say?" Lily asked.

"Well, I told her that Professor Brown was an ok guy, and then I liked the class. That was it," Hugo told her. "She hasn't talked to me since."

Lily sighed. "Something is not right about them being here. I mean, some of them just set me on edge."

"Well, I've noticed something odd about them," Hugo mentioned.

Lily looked at him with curiosity. "What?"

"Well, have you ever noticed that at meals, they all talk with the staff, but none of them ever talk with Professor Brown?" Hugo commented.

Lily thought about it. She had noticed that the governors were always talking to the staff. But she never had seen any of them talking to Professor Brown. "That's sort of strange, isn't it? If there was a concern about the school, you think that they would talk to the man in charge," Lily murmured.

"It is weird," Hugo agreed.

"You know, whenever that Marigold asks a question about the teachers or the school, she never seems to care when someone says something good. But if someone says something different, or admits to a problem, she suddenly becomes interested," Lily stated.

"I have noticed that," Hugo replied. "Paige complained about the discipline, and she got really interested . . . and almost excited. It's like she's looking for something bad."

Lily stared out at the lake, trying to piece it all together. "There is something about the school they don't like. And they want to change it," she suggested.

"But if there was something bad, then why wouldn't Professor Brown fix it?" Hugo questioned.

"Maybe it's not something he considers bad," Lily thought. "Maybe . . ." Things began to click in Lily's mind. Everything began to piece itself together. "Maybe _he's_ what they consider the problem."

"But why would anyone consider Brown a problem? He's a good guy," Hugo replied.

"Why would the ministry once consider Dumbledore a problem?" Lily retorted.

"We can't be sure though," Hugo pointed out.

Lily grinned as a thought came to her. "Well, then let's find out, shall we?" She grabbed her broom and stood up.

Hugo scrambled up, grabbing his own broom. He followed after Lily. "Where are we going?"

"Headmaster Brown's office," Lily told him.

Hugo looked at her skeptically. "You really think he's just going to tell us?"

Lily shrugged. "He might, but I don't plan on asking him."

"Then why are we going to his office?" Hugo asked as they entered the castle.

"Because there are two men in there that will be completely honest with me when we ask them," Lily told him.

"Who?" Hugo inquired.

"Dumbledore and Snape," Lily answered.

Hugo looked at her with surprise. "You mean the Dumbledore and Snape from our parents' time?"

"The exact ones," Lily assured.

Hugo chuckled. "I gotta see this," he muttered.

So the rest walk to the headmaster's office was in silence. When they reached the gargoyle, they stopped. "Pixie," Lily stated, hoping that the password hadn't changed. Luckily, the gargoyle moved aside, and the two were able to step onto the stairs, which then began to move them up.

Lily didn't bother to knock on the door, and she wasn't surprised then the room proved to be empty except for the portraits. But Lily stopped in front of the two she liked the most.

"Whoa," Hugo mumbled at the sight of the men.

Lily smiled. "Hello, Albus, Severus," she greeted.

"Hello, Lily," Dumbledore greeted with a smile. Snape simply nodded in greeting.

"This is my cousin, Hugo," Lily introduced.

Hugo nodded to the portraits. "Hello. It's an honor to meet you both," he told them.

Dumbledore smiled. "You must be Ron and Hermione's son," he commented. "You look an awful lot like your father, although his hair wasn't as curly. A trait from your mother, I assume."

Hugo nodded. "You're right."

"Albus, Hugo and I would like to ask you and Severus a question, if that's ok?" Lily asked.

"Of course," Dumbledore assured. "Go ahead."

"Well, we're curious as to whether or not you know the reason the governors are here?" Lily asked.

"We do indeed. Little is spoken in the office that we don't hear," Dumbledore told them.

"Does it have to do with Professor Brown?" Hugo asked.

"Yes it does," Dumbledore answered.

"Some of the governors want him kicked off of his position as headmaster. Not all of them are fond of his methods," Snape told them in his normally bored tone.

"What's there to hate?" Hugo asked.

"There are things that in everyone that one angry person can find to hate," Dumbledore told him.

"Mrs. Brunt is particularly unsure about the headmaster," Snape added. "She finds the way that is more personal with the students rather than a formal disciplinarian with you students."

"She hates that he's a nice guy?" Lily questioned. "Really?"

"That's one way to put it," Dumbledore admitted. Then he looked at Lily with interest. "Tell me, Lily, has she tried to befriend you at all?"

Lily shrugged. "She might have tried at first, once she knew who my father was. But . . . let's say that we're now on less than friendly terms. Why?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Because it is the belief of some of the staff that she is going to try and bring a few certain students to her side. Students who's parents could be very influential if she is able to convince the rest of the board to have a vote about Professor Brown's position."

"Like our parents," Hugo stated.

Dumbledore nodded. "Exactly."

"Any war heros, ministry officials, popular media figures," Snape listed. "And I'm quite surprised that she hasn't tried harder to get you on her side, Lily."

Lily raised a brow. "Why? I'm pretty sure that she's got Albus on her side. She doesn't need me to get the influence of my father on her side."

"Because you are popular on your own," Dumbledore told her. "You are popular among women and young girls for your modeling. You're a role model to younger students as a prefect. You are popular and well-known to older students for your Quidditch skills. You are popular with the staff based on the fact that you are the top of your class. You are the most popular student in Slytherin alongside Mr. Malfoy. The name Lily Luna is known because _you_ have made it known."

Lily felt an embarrassed and flattered blush rise and move across her cheeks. "You make it sound as if I'm as famous as my father," she muttered.

"Lily, your father is a worldwide hero to the wizarding community," Dumbledore stated. "And thanks to him you and your generation will never have to go through the things he did. So in a way, none of you will ever be in the same light as him. But unlike your brothers, you have broken out of your father's shadow, and now live in a light of your own."


	52. How to Look Like a Slytherin

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry if there was a misunderstanding on whether or not I was ending this story soon. I assure you that I'm not at all done with the story of Lily Luna. There's much more to come. So, please, stick with me and enjoy the rest of it as it comes. And also, enjoy this chapter. Sorry if it's a bit shorter than my usual ones, but to make it longer would be getting into too much for one chapter. So, enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Two: How to Look Like a Slytherin

"So, quick question," Jace said as he, Lily, Lola, and Hugo walked into Hogsmeade. "Why isn't Scorpius, or Tanner, or Lars, or even Mitch suffering through this too?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "They're getting things ready for later tonight."

"And why didn't I go with them?" Jace muttered.

"So I wouldn't have to go shopping with girls alone," Hugo told him. "So thanks."

Jace chuckled. "You owe me."

"There you guys are!" Shannon exclaimed as they approached Gladrags Wizardwear. She, Megan, and Izzy were standing in front of the store.

"You take forever!" Megan groaned. "Some girls have a date waiting for them."

"You didn't have to come," Lola pointed out as the seven walked inside the shop.

"Yeah, but it is always fun to make a Gryffindor look like one of us," Megan joked.

"You couldn't have brought Matt or J.R. with you?" Jace groaned. "It would be so nice to have a little more testosterone in the group."

"Quit bitching," Megan retorted. "Now, what are we looking for, exactly?"

"Well, we know he looks good in a dark blue. So that, some black, a bit of green, and maybe a little grey," Lily listed.

"Add some dark red to that list too," Lola suggested.

"Like this?" Izzy asked, holding a black polo with red trim.

Shannon looked at it. "With a flipped up collar, that could look good on him."

"Take it," Lily told her, and Izzy passed it off to Hugo. "Will it fit?"

Hugo looked it over. "Yeah, it'll fit," he told them.

"We'll alter what doesn't," Lola mentioned.

"Throw this in the mix," Megan said, holding out a dark blue, long sleeve roll up shirt. Hugo took it, looking it over.

"And this," Lily said, pulling out a black sleeveless shirt.

"This should look good on him," Shannon commented as she picked up a dark grey sweater with a v-neck. Soon, Hugo and Jace both had their hands full of clothes.

"Ok, now pants," Lola mentioned.

"What!" Jace exclaimed. "You mean these are just shirts?"

"There are a couple of jackets in there," Izzy told him.

"Kill me," Jace groaned.

"I am so sorry, dude," Hugo apologized with a chuckle.

"Me and Megan are going to go and find a few accessories," Shannon told them.

"Good. Izzy, can you go and find a good pair of shoes for him?" Lily asked.

"I'm on it," Izzy said before rushing off.

"Lil, I have a question," Hugo said as Lily and Lola began to search for jeans. "How am I paying for this?"

"You're not. I am," Lily told him.

"That's not necessary," Hugo protested.

"Please, Hugo, I've got more money than I know what to do with. Let me spend it," Lily retorted. She picked up a pair of black jeans and threw them on the pile of clothes in Hugo's arms.

Ten minutes later, the girls had regrouped, and were looking over what they had found.

"Ok, so Megan and I found a few studded belts, some chains, an awesome leather bracelet with a dragon on it, we got a few small hoop earrings incase Lana does pierce his ear more, a cross chain necklace, and a cool skull ring," Shannon listed.

"I found an awesome pair of black boots with a couple of buckles. And I grabbed a pair of hi top leather sneakers," Izzy told them. "And I found a cool black-billed beanie hat."

"That is cool," Shannon agreed as she took it to get a better look.

"Ok, and Lola and I found a lot of cool jeans, and some pretty cool hoodies and jackets," Lily sighed. "So, I think we're ready."

"One more thing!" Lola suggested. She skipped over to a display of sunglasses, and after staring at each of them, she picked a pair. "I think these will be great on you," she told Hugo.

"Can we just pay and go?" Jace pleaded.

"Yes, now we can," Lola told him. And with their large amount of clothing, it took a while. But Lily had no problem counting out the amount of money, which sadly didn't put too big a dent in what money she had brought to school.

"Ok," Lola sighed as they walked out of the shop, the boys carrying three bags on each arm. "Now, Lana said she was going to get what we would need to dye your hair."

"Awesome," Hugo replied.

"Hugo Weasley!" a shrill voice shrieked.

They all cringed at the voice, but Hugo flinched. "Shit," he muttered. They all turned to see an angry Paige Wilde, flocked by a few other girls, storming over to them.

"Did she know you were hanging out with us?" Lily questioned.

Hugo cleared his throat. "Actually, I just didn't say anything to her. In my defense, I didn't say I was hanging out with her either," he muttered.

"Just don't be a bitch, dude," Jace warned.

"Want me to hit her?" Megan almost pleaded.

But Hugo shook his head and moved to step in front of the group, putting down his bags. When Paige reached them, she seemed to be even more furious. "What the hell, Hugo? You stand me up for _this_?" she shrieked.

Hugo ran a hand over his hair. "Paige, calm down. There's no need to be that loud."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Paige hissed. "You ditched your girlfriend! And for what? To go shopping with a bunch of Slytherin girls?"

"Dude, I'm here," Jace pointed out.

But he was ignored. "You're overacting," Hugo told her. "I'm hanging out with friends. You and I had no date planned."

"You should always assume!" Paige told him.

"I'm not a freakin' mind reader!" Hugo exclaimed, finally snapping. "I'm sorry if I don't know how your hormones are feeling at certain moments!"

Paige glared at him. "You've changed, Hugo. This is what happens when you go and hang out with _them_," she pointed out. "When you hang out with a bitch like your cousin, and a whore like Pritchard!"

"Call her that again," Lily warned.

"No," Hugo interrupted. "You call her that again, and you and _I_ are going have a problem!" he growled. "Leave them out of this. You being an over controlling and self-centered bitch has nothing to do with them! You are the problem!"

"No! You changed when you started hanging out with them!" Paige argued.

"No, I just began to realize that you really are a bitch!" Hugo spat. "And I'm tired of being your little _pet boyfriend_, so we're fucking done!"

Instead of looking angry, like Lily had expected, Wilde looked shocked. "What?" Paige gasped. "You're really going to dump me because of them?"

"No, because you're a bitch," Hugo snapped. He picked the bags back up, and looked back at Lily. "Lead the way, cuz."

Lily grinned at her cousin, and then looked at Wilde. "See ya around, Wilde." And without looking back, the group walked away from a distraught Wilde and surprised friends. Lily glanced at her cousin. "You ok?"

Hugo chuckled. "I feel as if a giant weight is off of my shoulders."

"The last of that high and mighty Gryffindor falling off of ya," Jace told him. "Now you can relax and just be cool."

Hugo nodded. "It's a great feeling."

* * *

"Is this going to hurt?" Hugo questioned hesitantly.

After separating from the other girls, Lily, Lola, Jace, and Hugo had met up with some of the others at The Three Broomsticks, and had made their way to the Shrieking Shack. So now, Tanner, Hank Harper, Lance, and Christian were all talking about Quidditch near the couch, Xavier, Justin, Rex, and Derek Bole were talking about music close by, while Lily, Lana, Lola and Tamara Nott were sitting around Hugo.

The girls had made him change into better clothes, so he was now wearing a pair of baggy black jeans, a studded belt with chains, the dark blue long sleeve roll up shirt, with the collar flipped up, his new boots, his skull ring, cross necklace, and his dragon bracelet.

"I promise it won't," Lana said as she picked up one of the small hoops that Shannon had picked out. "Now, are you sure that you want your lip pierced?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. And my eyebrow. Can you do that?" he questioned.

"I'll try. Do you want me to do your ear a couple more times?" Lana asked.

"Sure, if you have some hoops left over," Hugo told her.

Lana nodded, and then glanced at Lola, who was getting the things ready for his hair. "Do you need help, Lola?"

"No, I've got it. Go ahead and start," Lola assured her.

Lana nodded, and pointed her wand at Hugo, and let out a few whispered spells. "Ok, so I've numbed the nerves in your lip, eyebrow, and your ear, so you shouldn't feel the pain. Don't worry if you see blood, it won't be much. Ready?"

Hugo nodded. Lana picked up a pin, and carefully took his bottom lip between two fingers. Then she stuck the pin swiftly through. Lily did her best not to wince. Hugo didn't. Working slowly and carefully, Lana stopped the bit of blood, and then placed the hoop into his lip, screwing on the tiny ball at the end. Lily watched as Lana expertly did the same to his eyebrow. For never having done an eyebrow piercing before, it looked good on Hugo. Then with the three hoops she had left, Lana pierced his ear near the top and side.

"All done," Lana said, and gave a flick of her wand, probably to get his nerves working again. Then she held out a mirror to Hugo.

Hugo turned his face in each direction to get a look at the work. "It's awesome, Lana," he complimented.

"That looks good on ya, Hugh," Xavier complimented as he walked over, two butterbeers in his hands. He held one out to Hugo.

Hugo put down the mirror and took one, and popped it open. "Thanks. When are you doing my hair?" he asked Lola.

"Well, with our excellent timing, it's ready now!" Lola said with a smile. She looked at Lana. "Ready?"

"Let's do this," Lana said with her own smile. She glanced at Hugo. "This may take a bit of time, since we're doing two colors and layers."

"Take your time," Hugo assured.

"Looks like the party's here!" Mitch cheered as he walked in. Following him were Dominique, Lars, and then Scorpius. They all had a large bag in their hands. "And we brought the good stuff!"

"Sweet!" Tanner exclaimed, jumping from his seat. He took one of the bags from Mitch, and dug out a bottle. "You guys rock!"

"Hold on, dude," Scorpius told him. "We gotta toast our new year first. Make sure everyone gets one." Taking a bag, he walked over to the girls. He passed a bottle to them each, and then gave Lily hers last, kissing her as he did. "Hello, beautiful."

Lily kissed him again. "Hey, stud," she said with a smile.

Scorpius sat down on the floor next to her, placing an arm around her shoulders. "Nice look, Hugh," he told him.

Hugo grinned. "Thanks, dude."

"Ok, can we start now?" Tanner asked.

"Chill out, dude," Rex laughed. "We'll start."

Scorpius raised his bottle. "Here's to another year," he said.

"And to our new teammates," Tanner added.

"And not to mention Hugo's journey to being one of us!" Jace threw in.

Scorpius laughed. "Here's to luck."

"To luck," the rest of the said, before they all took a drink. Lily sighed as the warm liquid ran down her throat. Whatever it was, it was good. She could feel her veins jump once as the liquid went down.

Jace sighed. "And now that Hugo isn't dating that battle-ax, luck should be on his side," he joked.

"Man, you finally ditched Wilde?" Xavier asked.

Now that Lana and Lola had begun to work on his hair, Hugo couldn't really nod. "Yeah, earlier today. We had a bit of a disagreement," he told them.

"She was a bitch," Jace corrected.

"Basically," Hugo laughed.

"Isn't she always?" Dominique questioned. "I can't believe that our other cousins like her."

"She as bitchy as they are," Lily pointed out as she leaned against Scorpius's chest. Scorpius wrapped his arm fully around her, pulling her into his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"So, I've got some awesome news," Lars told them as he sat next to Justin. "In two days time, I will have a girlfriend."

"Oh boy," Lana muttered. "Who?"

"Ashley Anderson. A _hot_ Gryffindor girl, who's not a bitch," Lars bragged.

"Dude, that's awesome!" Tanner told him.

"Way to go!" Rex cheered.

"She is like one of the hottest girls in school," Justin commented. "Like second or third."

"Do we even want to know who you boys ranked first?" Tamara mocked dryly.

Most of the boys looked at each other, and then at her. "Lil," they stated.

Lily looked at them in surprise and confusion. "What?"

"You're hot, Lil," Mitch replied. "Like _the_ hot one."

"You're bangin'," Rex agreed.

"And mine," Scorpius added, giving the other guys a dry look. "Wanna keep going?" he said, with a mild threat in his tone.

None of the boys said anything more, and Lana scoffed and rolled her eyes at Scorpius. "You are such a primitive ass," she teased.

Scorpius shrugged lightly. "I'll let you know when that bothers me."

By the time that night fell, Lily felt her nerves shivering, despite the warm air. The alcohol was running through her, but she was glad that her mind was still working properly. Some of the others . . . not so much. Tanner and Rex were singing a song that Lily couldn't recognize, and she was thinking that it wasn't really a song. Just something their drunken minds made up. Hugo, Xavier, Jace, and Christian were all wrestling shirtless, stumbling due to their drinks. Lola, Lana, and Tamara were watching them, giggling and cheering them on. Dominique and Mitch had disappeared upstairs about an hour ago.

A puff of warm breath fanned against Lily's ear. "Go outside with me, beautiful?" Scorpius whispered.

Lily felt a shiver of excitement run through her this time. She nodded wordlessly, and took his offered hand. Without a word to the others, Scorpius led her outside the shack. It was a bit cooler outside than inside, yet was still warm. A slight wind blew across the grass in the darkness. The moon and stars were the only source of light offered to the two as they stepped outside.

Scorpius pulled Lily down to sit on the grass with him. Then he dropped onto his back. Lily followed suit, only she laid her head on his chest instead of the grass. Scorpius's hand came to rest in her hair.

"I like this," Scorpius murmured.

Lily smiled. "I think I can agree with that."

"If this is what I'm to expect this year, I'm really gunna like seventh year," Scorpius chuckled. Then he sighed, and Lily noticed that it was a bit heavy. "Lily, can ask you a question that may seem . . . presumptuous?"

Lily nodded against his chest. "Sure."

"Well, . . . when I graduate, would you want to break up before going back to school? Be unattached for the rest of your schooling?" he asked.

Lily felt her heart squeeze painfully at the thought of that. "You mean like Lana and Dante?" she whispered.

"Yeah. I sometimes wonder if my sister is happy with her decision. And when I see her with Justin, she's seems ok. But then I try to imagine you and me in that situation, and I hate the idea of you dating someone else," he muttered.

Lily ran her tongue along her lips, feeling them and her throat go a bit dry. "I don't think I would want to, no," she murmured. "It would be hard, but I think I would rather deal with it than to risk losing you."

"That's good," Scorpius mumbled, "because I don't plan on letting you go any time soon."

And that was something that Lily was very glad to hear.

* * *

"Nobody warned me of a killer headache," Hugo mumbled as the group all began to walk away from the Whomping Willow. All his bags in one hand, he held his head with his other. Lily tried not to laugh at the annoyed expression on her cousin's face.

"You didn't warn us that it would be your first time drinking," Lily countered. She patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. Come down to our common room with us, and I'll give you something to get rid of it. Then we'll walk you back to your common room and let you sleep it all away."

Hugo sighed. "I appreciate that," he replied. He squinted his eyes as they walked. "It's too damn bright out this morning."

"Tell me about it," Xavier groaned.

Hugo began to dig through his bag, and then finally pulled out his sunglasses. "Thank you, Lola," he chuckled as he slipped them on.

Lola shrugged with a coy grin. "I am a genius."

"Yeah right," Jace scoffed quietly.

Lola glared at him, but Lana was quick to intercede. "You two, it's too early, and some of us have hangovers. Can this wait?" Jace and Lola only looked away from each other.

"Scorp, we don't have Quidditch practice today, right?" Lance asked with hope.

Scorpius just scowled, and Lily was sure it was because of a bit of a headache. "Nah. I don't think any of us are up for it," he answered. "We'll just practice a little harder next time."

"Fabulous," Lily grumbled. Scorpius just wrapped his arm around her.

By the time they got down to the common room, the group was exhausted. Most of them trailed up to their rooms, planning not to emerge until either late at night, or the next morning completely. Lily wished she could do the same, but doing as she promised, she took what felt like an extremely long walk up to the girls' dorm, and then came back down with a small glass filled with a pale blue liquid.

"Drink a little of this. It'll clear your head," Lily told Hugo, yawning softly as she handed it to him.

Hugo took a lazy drink, handing it back to her. "Thanks, cuz. Don't worry about walking me. I'll go myself."

Lily shook her head. "No, I said I'd walk with you."

"Here, I'll go with him," Lola offered. "I had no where near the same amount either of you two had to drink. My head's fine. Lily, go sleep it off. I've got him."

Lily raised a brow at her friend, who only looked back innocently. But Lily knew better. Lola was up to something. Any Slytherin with an innocent look had an underlying idea. It was the beauty of their minds. But she simply shrugged. "Ok. If you say so. Later, Hugh," Lily said as she moved toward the stairs.

Hugo waved a hand. "See ya around," he told her.

Lily staggered up the stairs as Hugo and Lola left the common room. Being as quiet as she could be, Lily stepped back inside the girls' dorm room. She placed the potion on the bedside table, not wanting to bother with reopening her box. She slowly dressed for bed, trying not to fall asleep as she did. Then she finally dropped onto her bed, barely able to roll under the covers. It felt so weird to her, sleeping in her own bed when she was so used to Scorpius's. It seemed so much bigger without Scorpius in it too. And not as warm.

When she woke up, it was late afternoon, and she really didn't want to get up at all. She rolled onto her stomach, hiding her face into her pillow. She was so thankful that Scorpius had decided to refrain from practicing with the team today. She didn't think she'd be able to get a foot off the ground, let alone thirty feet.

But after laying in her bed for another couple of minutes, Lily slowly got up from the bed. She was a bit sluggish as she got dressed, and just messily threw her hair up. Then she opened her potion collection. She replaced the potion she'd given Hugo, and then looked for another one. A dark purple one. When she founded it, she took a small sip and then felt energy jolt through her. With a smile and an actual bounce in her movements, she left the room and descended the stairs. The common room was buzzing with noise and filled with kids, although Lily noticed that most of the kids from last night weren't around. She mused that they were still passed out. But she did see one that was up.

"Hey, Lance," Lily greeted with a smile.

Lance grinned as she sat at the table with him. "Hey, Lily. How are you feeling?"

"Better now," Lily sighed.

Lance nodded. "Yeah, me too. I got up an hour or so ago. I haven't seen any of the others."

"Lola and the other girls are probably revising for O.W.L.s again," Lily muttered.

"Everyone else is probably sleeping away a hangover," Lance chuckled. Then he sighed. "You know, seeing as how I feel pretty good now, I'm kinda up for a good Quidditch practice. I wish the others hadn't gotten so messed up."

Lily smiled. "Well, I'm just too lazy to want to practice now," she joked.

Lance chuckled again. "So, Lily, do you know what you want to do after school? Are you going to stay with Quidditch?"

Lily shook her head. "No. For me Quidditch is just a competitive sport I play for fun. And if I play it as a professional then I'll just be scrutinized, and rumors will fly about me following my mother, and people will begin to compare us. I'd rather stick with something my own."

"Kinda hard, considering your family's size, isn't it?" Lance inquired.

"Yeah, but no one in my family has been a model," Lily replied. "I could always stick with that, which, lately, is something I've kind of been considering."

"That's not a bad idea," Lance said. "I mean you're . . . . um, really pretty." The last part came out in a whispered voice that was accompanied by a blush.

Lily bit her lip to keep from giggling. She'd almost forgotten about Lance's supposed crush on her. "Thank you, Lance. You're quite handsome yourself," she complimented.

His blush grew. "Thanks," he muttered.

"How do you not have a girlfriend?" Lily questioned nicely, doing her best to bolster his confidence. "I mean, you're a cute boy. Girls have to be lining up to go out with you."

Lance cleared his throat clumsily. "Um, . . . I'm not really good with girls," he mumbled.

"You know, girls aren't _that_ scary. Just talk to them. Take the girl you like on a date," Lily suggested.

"She's got a boyfriend," Lance said, avoiding her eyes.

Lily smiled gently. "Then the next greatest girl," she told him. "You're a sweet boy, Lance. How could a girl not want to date you?"

Lance shrugged. "I don't know. I just get nervous."

"Well, how about I tell you a secret," Lily teased lightly. "When a boy asks a girl out, she's just as nervous as he is."

Lance grinned a little as he finally looked back at Lily. "I guess I could try it."

Lily giggled lightly. "Face it, Lance. You're going to have it made. One day in the future you're going to be handsome, a famous Quidditch player, have millions of fans and friends, and a beautiful girl at your side," she assured.

Lance sighed as he leaned back in his chair, looking as if he were trying to picture it. "It seems fabulous when you paint that kind of picture," he murmured.

Lily smiled. "Yeah. And I'll be one of the those millions of fans and friends," she promised.

* * *

"It was nice of you to bring Salazar," Duncan said as he stroked the tiny dragon's head. Lily had thought that Duncan would like to see him, so she brought him with. Salazar was currently sitting on Duncan's lap, which was covered by the blanket.

"I thought you'd like a bit more company than just me," Lily replied, happy that Duncan's mentality seemed to be getting better. "If you would like, he could stay here with you," she offered.

Duncan shook his head. "No, no. He was a gift to you. Keep him. Besides, he seems pretty attached to you."

Lily nodded as she leaned back in her chair, resting against the soft leather of the back. "Still, I'd feel better if you had someone around to keep you company. Like maybe some kind of pet. An owl, a rabbit. Anything you want," she replied.

"You don't have to do that, Lily," Duncan told her.

"I want to," Lily retorted. She really wanted him to have a bit of company while she wasn't around, especially now that his hip had finally disappeared, along with his kidney. She didn't want him to feel lonely.

"Then you can choose what you get me," Duncan told her. "It doesn't matter what kind of animal."

"Then maybe a Pygmy Puff," Lily replied. "They're really small and cute. And, from what my uncle George says, they're great companions to have. Cuddly, cute."

Duncan smiled a little. His smile seemed able to get bigger each time she saw him now. "That sounds just fine." He then sighed. "So, why didn't Jacob come with you?"

"Oh, things are a bit hectic as school. The governors have come to observe the school, so he couldn't leave. He wanted me to tell you that he's sorry, and that he's going to try and come out as soon as he can," Lily told him. Inside she was cursing the governors with spite. Some of them were causing more trouble each day, and now Professor Brown couldn't even visit a sick child.

"Well, you tell him that it's ok. He's got a lot of responsibility, and it's best if he takes care of them before rushing over here," Duncan assured.

Lily nodded, and then finally took up the courage to ask the question she'd been wanting to ask. "So, Duncan, how do you feel?"

Duncan looked down at Salazar, who seemed to be asleep now. "I've had an irritating itch the last couple of days. It's not the normal tingling feeling, but my Healers are wondering if it's the sign of the area becoming infected."

"What area?" Lily inquired gently.

"It's over the lower ribs on my right side. They say it's not near my lung or heart, so that if it were to disappear eventually, it won't affect anything major," Duncan whispered. "It just means that another part of me will disappear into nothing."

Lily's heart pumped hollowly once at his words. Her mind and thoughts rushed back to what she always pondered at moments like this with Duncan. How long would he have left to live? Months? Another few years? How long would he suffer?

"I'm sorry, Lily," Duncan said softly.

Lily brought her mind and eyes back to Duncan. "Sorry for what?" she asked.

"I know that you're scared too. That you're sad. And I know that it's hard for you to hear me say things like that," Duncan apologized.

Lily sighed, smiling a little. "Duncan, that doesn't matter. I'm here for you, and if you need to say things, then say them. Don't worry about what might scare me. Because what scares you is much more important."

"I don't want to scare you," he whispered.

"And I want to know what's scaring and bothering you," Lily retorted.

Duncan looked back down at the tiny, sleeping, dragon that laid in his lap. His voice was another soft whisper. "I used to think that if I pretended that I would be ok, if I pretended that I was ok, that everything would get better. My Dad always used to tell me that with imagination, anything could happen. But that's a lie. Pretending that it's all ok won't help me. I'll die no matter what I do or think." Duncan pulled in a shaky breath during his pause. "And . . . it scares me."

Lily leaned forward to brush his bangs away from his eyes. "Duncan, would you like me to tell you a story?" she asked.

Duncan looked over at her and nodded, trying not to let his hair fall back into his face.

Lily sighed. "Well, when I was little my uncle Ron got hurt during an Auror mission, and we were all afraid that . . . well that he wouldn't make it through." Lily closed her eyes briefly. She remembered that day only in parts. She had been so little, and no one really told her what was going on. But James had told her what they were all afraid of. "Anyways," Lily continued, "I asked my dad what would happen to Uncle Ron if he did go."

"What did he say?" Duncan asked softly.

"He told me that he'd almost died once," Lily replied. "And that when he did, he saw an old friend that had died a year before. And he said that he was the same as he'd remembered. He looked well, and he seemed happy."

"You mean that your dad really died?" Duncan questioned.

Lily nodded. "Sort of. I guess you could say that he was supposed to, but . . . special reasons kept it from happening."

"So . . . you think that when I do die, that things will be ok?" Duncan whispered.

"I do. Because believing that makes it easier for me to listen when you say certain things," Lily told him with a small smile.

Duncan's eyes stared off into the air for a few quiet moments. Lily was silent, letting him gather his thoughts. Then a smile spread across his lips, and his eyes refocused and looked back at Lily. "Then maybe believing that everything will be ok will work better than just pretending that things will be ok."


	53. Front Page Material

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I decided to show a bit more of Professor Brown, so I brought him in. Also, a few appearances of some Gryffindors, the favorable ones at least. And I brought in a lot of Lily and Scorpius action, and a few things that will lead to future incidents and problems. So read away, and excuse any mistakes I made (I'm terrible at editing sometimes), and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Three: Front Page Material

October came with a chilly wind and more Quidditch practices. And more often than not, Lily found herself exhausted at the end of the night. Lessons each day, each teacher giving them homework. Teaching Potions got to be a hassle, mainly because Paige Wilde was always attempting to cause trouble. The governors were still questioning and observing each class, which was getting annoying. Marigold Brunt still seemed to flit around Lily, talking to others about her. And now she was receiving many glares from the others in her family, especially when Hugo was around with her. She had a good idea that Wilde had spun a fantastical story to them all about how because of Lily, Hugo had changed and crushed her little heart. And after seeing Hugo's new friends and looks, it probably only backed her story up. But there was always a bright side to each day for Lily.

Scorpius.

* * *

"Scorpius, I have class in five minutes!" Lily giggled as Scorpius's lips trailed across her neck once he'd removed her tie. She had History of Magic next, and although she wouldn't hate to miss the class, she still needed the notes. And since she had been dragged into Scorpius's dorm room, she would need five minutes to get there on time.

"Well I have a free period," Scorpius mumbled against her skin. "It's only History of Magic. Skip."

Lily gasped as his lips sucked at her pulse. "It's my O.W.L. year, Scor. I might need the notes," she said between short breaths.

"Get them from Lola," he retorted, not giving up. His hands trailed up her shirt, unbuttoning the top one. "Why'd you button the top one? That's unusual for you."

"It's a bit colder this month," Lily whispered. Basically giving up, she trailed her hands up his arms, tracing patterns along his skin.

"I'll warm you," he murmured, his lips reconnecting with hers. He walked her forward, and Lily could feel his bed bumping against her back. With strong hands, he lifted her onto the bed, and was following her. Lily moaned against his lips as she found herself on her back, Scorpius above her. As their lips and tongues meshed, she could feel his hand trailing up her shirt, lightly rubbing her sides as he moved up. She eventually felt his hand come to her bra, and rest over her pounding heart and breast. She could feel him trying to move his arm a little, but she could tell that her shirt hindered his progress.

Wanting air and to tease him, Lily pulled away from his lips. "Trouble?" she asked between pants.

Scorpius kissed her cheek, trailing down her jaw, and returning to her throat. "Slightly," he mumbled, groaning when her fingers squeezed his shoulder lightly.

Lily moved her lips to nibble and then suck on his earlobe, running her tongue along the three piercings. "Want a little help?" she whispered.

She could almost feel the scowl coming over his face, but his lips didn't miss an inch of skin. "What?" he asked lowly.

Lily took her hands off of his shoulders, and then brought them to the buttons of her shirt. The blush that was already apparent on her cheeks got hotter and brighter, but she didn't back down. She slowly undid the second button of her shirt. Gaining confidence with that one action, she began to unbutton the others.

Scorpius seemed to freeze against her neck. "Lily?" he mumbled.

"Shh," Lily hushed softly. She undid the very last button, letting the white blouse fall open a little, revealing the soft pink bra she wore underneath it.

Slowly, Scorpius moved away from her neck, and reared back to sit on his knees, hovering over her. With dark eyes filled with an obvious desire, he scanned the newly exposed skin. Lily felt her skin flush under his gaze, but she didn't look away from him. With slow movements and sure hands, Scorpius moved her shirt aside a little, fully exposing her tummy and bra. Then his hand curled around her side, and a heat rushed over her. Her eyes fluttered, wanting to close and to just submerge herself in this feeling.

"Damn," she heard him whisper. His eyes locked with hers, and Lily felt another surge of heat at the look in his eyes. The desire, the amazement, and the passion. She didn't need to hear if he thought she was pretty or beautiful. She could tell that he thought so by the way he looked at her. Just another layer of warmth to wrap around her.

Scorpius moved to lean over her again, his lips kissing hers roughly. His hands kneaded her exposed skin firmly, sending a rush through her each time. She moaned against his lips, and he groaned in response. She felt one of his hands move down to her knee, pulling it so that it bent slightly. Then his fingers began to trail down her skin, moving under the fabric of her skirt.

Lily dropped her fingers to the buttons of his own shirt, and hastily began to undo each one. Once she finished, she moved her hands to push aside the fabric. But Scorpius was quicker, and pulled his hands away from her to slip the shirt off completely, tossing it aside. And then his hands were back. One on her thigh, the other stroking its fingers along the skin just below her bra.

Lily ran her fingers along the expanse of muscles on his back and shoulders. His skin was hot, and his muscles firm under her fingers. She moaned when his lips moved to her collarbone, just above her breast. It made her heart miss a beat, and she wondered if he'd felt it. But she did feel his hand move higher up her thigh, dancing along the hem of her panties.

She gasped and moaned all at once. "Scorpius," she whispered like a prayer.

Scorpius groaned against her skin. "Too fast?" he asked, his voice muffled.

Lily shook her head vigorously. "No, no. It's fine . . . it's . . . perfect," she got out through pants. Scorpius groaned, moving his lips a little farther down, bumping against the fabric of her bra. Lily dragged her hands up, one tightly held his shoulder while the other curled through his hair.

Scorpius pulled his lips away from her skin, and moved so that she could see his face fully. She dropped her hand from his hair to his other shoulder. He raised a brow, and that irritating yet arousing smirk graced his lips. "Still want to go to class?"

Lily felt her cheeks burn slightly as she rolled her eyes. "Shut up," she muttered, and then she arched slightly so that the skin of her stomach pressed firmly against his abs. She reached forward to press her lips against his chest, biting and sucking. Scorpius groaned, and his arms moved to wrap around her middle, pulling her tight against him as he laid her back onto the mattress, his weight warm on her, and his breath fanning in her hair. It was then that Lily noticed that one of his legs was between her own. Mainly she noticed because she felt his knee brushed against her panties lightly. Now she was moaning into his skin. Scorpius shifted so that he was level with her again, his lips kissing her again. Lily let her hands wander and roam over his chest again, and Scorpius's hands moved up her back slowly, teasing the edges of her bra carefully.

Something brushed against her hip, and Lily brushed to realize that it was _him_ that she had felt. She gasped lightly against his lips, which then began to move lower again, this time taking a different path. His lips skipped over her bra completely, and soon began to kiss the area of her stomach and sides. Then playfully, he nipped at the skin of her side. At her squeal, he sucked at the skin and lapped at the small mark of teeth.

Lily felt her head spin happily and her heart pound beneath her ribs. "Scorpius?" she murmured.

Scorpius kissed his way back up to her ear. "Yeah?" he whispered, his tongue teasingly playing with one of the hoops on the side of her ear.

"I-I-I," Lily trailed off momentarily as his hand caressed her hip lightly. She brought in a gulp of air. "I . . . I don't think we should go much farther than this," she admitted with a guilty blush.

She felt his hair brush against her skin as his lips moved to her cheek. "That's fine, baby. We can take this as slow or fast as you want to," he assured.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. She could still feel the bulge in his jeans pressing against her hip.

Now Scorpius chuckled. "Don't be. I don't mind waiting for you to be ready," he told her, kissing her jaw.

"Really?" Lily asked softly.

"We've got all the time in the world, babe. I'm in no rush. Besides, I don't wanna push you," Scorpius replied, still pressing kisses on her skin.

"So you're ok with not going any farther than this?" Lily asked.

She could feel the smirk on his lips. "As long as we don't have to stop, I don't care at all."

Lily giggled lightly, running her fingers through his hair and along his shoulders again. "I can agree to that."

* * *

"Ok, so we've waited all day. Now where were you when you skipped History of Magic?" Shannon asked eagerly and quietly. The five girls were in the library, working the homework they'd received today. And since Lily's luck was so great, they'd been given an essay for History of Magic. Luckily, Lola promised to help her if Lily helped her get an O on the Potions essay.

Lily grinned at the memory of early that afternoon. "I'm sure you know," she teased as she studied Lola's History of Magic notes.

Megan playfully and lightly kicked Lily's leg under the table. "Details!" she hissed softly.

Lily glanced behind her at Madam Pince. The woman didn't seem to notice or hear the girls, and the other students in the library paid them no mind either. She turned back around, grinning slyly at her friends.

"I spent the hour with Scorpius," Lily whispered.

"Can we expect to see your underwear on the dorm room floor?" Lola teased, making the other three laughed quietly.

Lily smacked her friend's shoulder. "No!" she said, finally giggling with them. And so being quiet enough so that no one around would hear, Lily filled them in on what had happened with Scorpius. The other girls giggled, slightly too loud, as they listened. They were glared at angrily by Madam Pince at least four times.

"So, how hot is his upper body now?" Megan questioned. "Because he looks huge with a shirt on."

"Bigger than you'd believe," Lily answered with a grin.

"Miss Luna!"

The girls all tensed at the sound of Marigold Brunt's voice. Slowly, Lily turned her head to see the woman walking toward them. Madam Pince was glaring at this woman too. Probably because she'd made no attempt to sound quiet.

"Yes?" Lily said through gritted teeth.

"You need to button up your blouse completely. Even if it is only one button," Brunt instructed.

Lily turned her back. "Well, go tell one of the teachers and have them come and yell at me," she muttered. Lily would admit that since finding out what some of the governors thought about Professor Brown, she'd become a bit frosty toward them.

"Miss Luna, I'm a bit tired of this increasing attitude problem," Brunt said in a steely voice.

Lily grinned humorlessly at the woman. "That line didn't work when my father said it, and it sure doesn't work when you say it."

"You know, Miss Luna, I think you and I need to talk and fix the problems between us," Brunt commented.

"You mean you want to suck up and get me on your side?" Lily mocked.

"And just what does that mean?" Brunt demanded.

"It means that I know why you guys are here. I know that you don't like how Professor Brown runs our school. And I happen to like Professor Brown and how he runs things. We all do. And don't even attempt to suck up to Potter, because my father happens to like Professor Brown, as do all of the parents in my family. So why don't you go suck up to someone who cares," Lily hissed.

Brunt narrowed her eyes at Lily, glaring. Lily glared right back. The woman practically sneered. "You know, I've noticed that there are days when I just can't seem to find you anywhere around this school. Where do you go?"

Lily grinned. "I go and visit a sick child in the hospital," she responded.

"I'm not buying the little lies that you spread to teachers. Where do you go?" Brunt demanded.

"I already told you. It's up to you to decide if you believe me or not. And really, I don't care if you do or don't. Just don't blame me if you look stupid after finding out it's true," Lily sighed, looking back toward the girls' essays.

"I promise you, Lily Luna, that this attitude of yours _will_ change!" Brunt sneered.

"And I promise you that your time here will be hell," Lily commented breezily. "So, I guess you could say, the game is on."

The only response she got from Brunt was fading footsteps.

Lola rolled her eyes. "Must you always cause trouble with authority figures?" she mocked.

"Must they always cause trouble with me?" Lily quipped.

"Brunt's a bitch and was asking for it," Megan agreed. "She's been on Lily's case since they got here."

"You've got to remember though, they're still going to try and get her on their side. It's common knowledge now that Lily's probably one of the more popular students in our school. More so than Potter or Virgin Weasley," Shannon pointed out.

"It would look better if a student who was popular with others yet still very involved with the staff of the school had their backs," Izzy commented.

"Still, you can't politely refuse them?" Lola laughed.

"Where's the fun in that?" Lily asked with a smile.

* * *

"I never thought I'd hate to be a Gryffindor," Hugo muttered as he dropped down onto a chair at the Slytherin table. Despite it being a Tuesday, he didn't look ready for classes. His piercings were still in, and he wore his black beanie. You could see dark red and black hair poking out under it. His collar was popped up, and two buttons were undone. His wrists were adorned with bracelets, some with studs, some leather. His cross necklace hung around his neck, and his skull ring adorned his middle finger.

"Potter and Virgin Weasley make it unbearable," Hugo mumbled as he began to make a plate. No one at the Slytherin table was really surprised to see Hugo, a Gryffindor, eating with them. They'd all become accustomed to having him around, and they embraced having Hugo as a part of their "family."

"I'm telling you, I will hit your sister for you," Megan assured.

Hugo chuckled. "I might take you up on that," he replied.

"What'd they do this time?" Lily asked as she took a piece of bacon off of Scorpius's plate. He retaliated by taking a bite of her toast.

"Threw another fit about my looks. They do it every spare moment they've got," he groaned. "I feel like I never have a moment of peace."

"You should come and stay down in our common room until curfew. Gives them less time to bother you," Lola suggested.

Hugo grinned. "That might be a good idea."

"It might give them more ammo, though," Jace pointed out in a quick tone.

"They won't have time to give it though," Scorpius replied.

The sounds of owls screeching filled the room as the post owls began to fly in. Surprisingly enough, Teddy's owl dropped down in front of Lily, dropping a letter into her hand, and then taking off again.

"Was that Ted's?" Hugo asked.

Lily nodded as she opened the letter. "Wonder what he wants," she mumbled.

"_Dear Lil,_

_Great news! Vic and I are having another baby! She's about two months now. I'm hoping for a girl this time. We told the family a couple days ago, so I thought I'd write to you and let you know._

_On another note, your mum wants me to tell you that you need to write home more. She's not exactly happy with only getting one short letter from you last month. You might want to write to her soon. I guess Albus, though, has written more letters than usual. Surprise, huh?_

_And tell Hugo to ignore his sister. If he's got a new look that he likes, he should stick with it. I'm glad that the kid's coming out of his shell. He seemed like such a robot these last few years. Anyways, I'll see you when you guys come back for the holidays. Tell Scorpius hi for me._

_Love,_

_Teddy"_

Lily smiled at the letter. "Victoire's pregnant again," she told the others.

Hugo looked at her with surprise as the others, mostly the girls, gave sounds of happiness and excitement. "Really?"

"Yeah, two months through. Teddy's hoping for a girl this time," Lily told him as she threw the letter in her bag. "Oh, and he says to ignore your sister. Keep the new look."

Hugo chuckled. "I'm glad someone at home is on my side. Now I really can tell Rose to shove it."

"And he says 'hi', Scorpius," Lily said with a smile.

Scorpius smirked. "Well if you write back, tell him hello for me," he joked lightly.

"I probably will. And I guess my mum is wanting me to write to her more. I just never see the point. What's there to write about?" Lily muttered. "Lately, she's just been weird whenever I say that I'm going off to have fun."

"Can't blame you for not writing then. I don't write to my parents either," Hugo sighed.

"We'd better get to class soon. Defense Against the Dark Arts will be starting soon," Lola mentioned as she began to push away her plate.

"Yeah, and we've got Herbology," Justin mentioned to Rex and Scorpius.

"Let's go," Lily sighed as she stood up. "What do you got first today, Hugh?"

"Charms. Start it off easy," he said with a chuckle.

"Want me to walk with ya, babe?" Scorpius asked.

Lily shook her head as she picked up her bag. "No, you go on. No point in having you go up three floors just to go back down them and then outside."

"If you're sure. See ya around, baby." Scorpius kissed her quickly before following Rex and Justin out of the Great Hall.

"Anyone else get the feeling that it's going to be a hellish day?" Jace sighed as they all began to leave the table.

"Sure does feel like it," Hugo agreed with a yawn.

* * *

Lily yawned as she sat on Slughorn's desk. The other fifth years of Gryffindor and Slytherin were all working on today's potion assignment. Lily had taken over today, explaining the dos and don'ts, and the process of making the potion. Slughorn had just beamed proudly as she taught. But it was a simple potion, and so far, no one needed any help. That left Lily sitting around, bored. She was tempted to leave and see what Scorpius was doing, but she didn't want to leave Slughorn alone, especially when she had taught the entire lesson today.

A knock sounded on the classroom door before it opened, and Lily internally cringed. Marigold Brunt was walking inside the room. She glanced at each of the tables as she came closer to the desk where Lily sat, and where Slughorn sat behind.

"Ah, Mrs. Brunt, what a pleasure. What can I do for you?" Slughorn asked politely.

Brunt smiled, but Lily knew it was fake. The way her eyes kept glancing back at Lily was a sign of hesitancy and confusion. "Yes, well according to my notes, I have yet to observe this class during this day and period. So I thought I would drop by," she said with a sickly sweet voice.

"Well, by all means," Slughorn said with a wave of his hand. "Oh! I'm sure you've meet Hogwarts's own Lily Luna. She's my assistant teacher this period."

Brunt looked at me in surprise and shock. "Excuse me? A fifth year is teaching fifth years?"

"Oh yes. Once she has some free periods next year, I hope to have her teaching some of my younger and older students," Slughorn said with a proud smile.

"Well, I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but how can a fifth year be a teacher? Especially when it comes to the complex making of potions," Marigold all but hissed.

Lily bit back a smug grin as Slughorn spoke. "Oh, Lily is a prodigy when it comes to potions. She took her O.W.L. her third year, got and O. Took her N.E.W.T. last year and got an O as well. I've never had a better student," he bragged.

Marigold recoiled with a withering look that hid in her eyes. "Really? This wasn't something that I had heard about," she muttered through clenched teeth.

"Well, when rumors go around they do get distorted," Slughorn replied. "But this girl is an angel and a genius."

Lily smiled at her professor. "You flatter me, Horace," she teased. He had insisted she call him that when she taught with him.

"You seem to be awfully popular around this school, Miss Luna," Marigold said.

Lily finally let a grin show. "I'm quite the _influence_ around here I guess," she said with a shrug.

Practically glowering now, Brunt turned away from her to look at the class. She began to move around the room. "Mr. Weasley, please remove your hat," she requested.

Hugo gave a look of annoyance and minor disgust as he pulled his hat off. His black and blood-red hair stuck up at a few odd ends.

"Is odd colored hair allowed in this school?" Brunt questioned in a polite and fake tone.

"Black and red are _normal_ hair colors," Lily pointed out. "But if the question is 'may kids dye their hair another color,' then yes, it is allowed."

Brunt shot her a sharp glance, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She turned around to begin looking around again. She would whisper something to a student every couple of minutes, and the student would whisper something back. Lily observed how she avoided the Slytherins.

"Um, Lily?" Stacey Finnigan raised a timid hand.

Lily raised a brow. "Yes, what is it?"

"Um, I think I got off track, could you help me?" she asked.

Lily dropped off the desk and began to approach her. She noticed how Brunt was now closely watching her. Lily came to Stacey's table, which also sat Hannah and Connie Wood. She leaned over to look at the color of the potion, along with the smell. Both were off, but if she was correct, it could be fixed. The color was still murky and light.

"Ok, now what did you just do?" Lily questioned.

"Well, I think I added three extra rat tails. Can it be fixed?" Stacey asked with a bit of worry.

Lily smiled reassuringly at her. "Of course. What you're going to have to do is balance it out. Now, the way to do that is to add more knotgrass. And to keep from putting to much of that in, just multiply the normal about by three, and put that much in," she explained. "Got that?"

Stacey nodded and gave Lily a grateful smile. "Thanks, Lily."

Lily shrugged as she straightened. "No problem. Just ask if you need help," Lily told her. Not wanting to go back to sitting and doing nothing, she began to check that each of the fifth years were on the right track.

"Hunter, if you put all those beetle eyes in there, it'll over flow," Lily commented as she passed. Hunter looked at her in alarm. "Only twelve," she instructed.

"Thanks, Lil," Hunter sighed with relief.

"Since you're over here, Lil, is this the right color?" Christian asked.

Lily glanced over his cauldron. "It's close, but once you add the knotgrass, it should be darker."

"Ok, cool," Christian said with a grin. Lily continued to move around and check the potions. But when it seemed everything was ok, she made her way back to Slughorn's desk.

"You know, Lily, I think our next potion will be Draught of Peace. Normally, it's one of the first potions I teach, but I wanted to get a few lectures in on the harder studies," Slughorn commented.

"It'll be difficult, but they should learn how to make it," Lily agreed. "But unless we want to fail them, we might want to be a bit easy on the grading. Honestly, I'm not sure how well they'll all do with something that hard."

"I think you should grade them as always," Brunt retorted as she came to the desk. "These kids need to know what they actually get for their work."

Lily raised a brow, and now she wasn't going to try and be quiet. "So, you want me to fail all of these kids because, like most fifth years, the potion is too advanced? You want them to fail and possibly dash their hopes and send them into panic attacks about their O.W.L.s?" she snapped.

"Well . . . students must–,"

"And I should fail a student who accidently makes one mistake? Because making one mistake on a potion that difficult could ruin the whole thing. I should fail someone for one simple mistake? I shouldn't grade them on what they did right?" Lily continued.

Brunt fidgeted where she stood, and glanced around at the people around her. Quite a few of the other students looked either hostile or uncertain. Slughorn just observed the two that stood in front of him. Lily didn't move her eyes from Brunt.

"Well?" Lily demanded. "Should I do that?"

Brunt pursed her lips as she glared weakly at Lily. But then she quickly turned to Slughorn. "Professor, was Miss Luna teaching approved by the headmaster?" she asked swiftly.

Lily tensed and looked at the woman with new suspicion. But Slughorn nodded his head. "Yes, it was. He believed that Lily would be a fantastic assistant teacher, and that if she agreed, it was ok. After all, why make her take a subject that she passed easily years ago," he reasoned.

Brunt began to write on her little clipboard. "And this is the only class she teachers?"

"Yes just this one class. Like I said, I'm eager for when she can help teach other years next year," Slughorn told her.

Brunt kept on scribbling words down. "Well, I think that we'll have to take another day to observe this class, and we'll have to begin asking students on her teaching too," she stated.

Lily sighed as she leaned against the desk. "Cool. I like hearing how good I teach," Lily mocked.

* * *

The next morning, Lily had practically forgotten about the incident in Potions class. Until breakfast that is.

"Ugh! I hate Wednesdays!" Jace groaned as they sat at breakfast. "Why, oh why, must there be Wednesdays?"

"Oh, why must you whine?" Lola mocked.

"Why must you be a bitch?" Jace retorted.

"How lovely it is to hear an argument so early in the morning," Scorpius sighed as he sat next to Lily.

Owls began to fill the hall as they arrived with the post. A _Daily Prophet_ owl dropped down in front of Scorpius, who paid it before unfolding the paper. "Oh, shit. Um, babe?"

Lily looked at Scorpius with a bit of worry. "What is it, Scor?"

Scorpius was scowling at the paper. "You've made the front page."

Now she looked surprised. "What?" she demanded.

Scorpius put the paper down for them all to see.

"_POTTER PRODIGY: by Rita Skeeter_

_Hogwarts's own Lily Potter, daughter of the Chosen One, has not only become a famous model among the fashion world, but also a prodigy among academics. According to one of the governors of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry, Lily Potter completed her Potions O.W.L. in her third year, receiving an O for her perfect score. And it seems that last year, she took her N.E.W.T., which she also received a perfect score on. But that's not all. Apparently with the permission of the headmaster, Jacob D. Brown, she has begun to assist the teaching of Potions to some of the fifth years. But I think the real question is: is it wise for a fifth year to be teaching other fifth years, even if they have completed their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. already?_

_But is this all there is to know about the mysterious Lily Luna Potter. According to my sources, she has completely renounced the Potter name, now being known to all as 'Lily Luna' and no more. Anyone who calls her 'Potter' is immediately corrected. What could have happened? What family tragedy could have caused this young girl to completely renounce her family name? I promise to have the story for you all, my loyal readers." _

Lily felt her anger rise and her nerves shaking. How . . . ? Lily gnashed her teeth. Brunt!

"She's a dead woman!" Lily hissed.

"She gave this story to Skeeter?" Lola said in horror.

"You never renounced your name," Jace argued. "Just your brothers. But this makes it sound like you hate your entire family."

"I'll kill her," Lily whispered.

Scorpius wrapped his arm around her. "Just take a deep breath, babe. Be calm."

"Kill her when she comes to observe Potions today," Jace told her.

"Either way, you have a whole period before that. So just stay calm," Scorpius instructed.

But Lily ended up having difficulty with being calm. Even as she walked with the others to Care of Magical Creatures.

"You do know what she's trying to do, right? She's trying to discredit you. If she can put you in a bad, dramatic, or suspicious light, it dwindles the influence you have. Adults will be a little less trustful of you," Lola pointed out.

"I got that, and really, I don't care. I just want her dead now," Lily muttered.

"Lily!" Hagrid called as they got closer to his hut. Lily tensed a little as they neared him.

"Yes, Professor?" she asked.

Hagrid looked at her friends. "You kids go on with the others. She'll join ya in a moment." Lily tried to ignore her dread, and Hagrid seemed content to wait until the others had all left. Then he looked at Lily. "I reckon ya saw that paper?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I saw it. And?"

"How did all this happen?" Hagrid asked.

Lily sighed. "Look, most of that article was total crap. The only truth was about my O.W.L. and N.E.W.T., and that I'm helping to teach the class. Nothing more," she replied. Then she bit her lip before adding, "Well, I don't really prefer to be called 'Potter' but not because I've denounced it or anything. I just like being known as myself."

"Do your parents know about all of this?" Hagrid questioned as he led Lily over to the rest of the class.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "They do now," she mumbled.

* * *

Lily hadn't thought much of how her parents would react to all of this, but after Hagrid mentioned them, the thought plagued her. How were they going to react? But when she got to Potions, the reminder of Brunt coming to observe brought her back to 'anger and murder' mode.

"Kill her, Lil," Jace whispered as she walked up to the front.

But Lily did her best to look calm while she and Slughorn set up for the class lesson for the day. And just before they were ready to begin the start of class, the door opened. Lily felt her anger begin to rise . . . until she noticed that it wasn't Brunt who walked in. It was a man. He was tall, his height almost imposing. But as Lily looked at him, she decided that it was the only imposing thing about him. His face seemed just plain curious. Nor hostile or friendly. He had short cropped sandy hair. He was dressed in teal colored robes. He walked to the front of the classroom, and he held his hand out to Lily.

"Hello, Miss Luna. We haven't properly met. I'm Benjamin Williams. I'm one of your school's governors. I'll be the one observing your assistant teaching," the man introduced.

Lily shook his hand, a bit surprised at how polite he was. She was so used to the governors being fake friendly or overly superior. "Um, it's nice to meet you too, Mr. Williams. Would you like to start by asking questions?"

"Oh, no! Go on and teach. I'll just be watching for now. I'd hate to interrupt the lesson," Williams insisted.

Lily nodded, and watched from her peripheral as Williams moved to stand by the wall. She was aware of Williams the entire time she taught. He didn't interrupt once. And when he wrote something down, it was quiet. No loud scratching. When Lily had them all begin their practical portion of the class, Williams finally moved from the wall. And while the students worked, he quietly talked to one student, and then went to another. He didn't skip Slytherins or Hugo, but talked to any random one. Lily watched, just as curious about this guy as this guy seemed to be about this class.

"Such a polite young man, isn't he?" Slughorn asked as he too watched Williams.

"I've never actually met him before today," Lily replied.

"Oh, he's a great man. Very polite, very fair. I taught him. That man could have been a wonderful potioneer. His curiosity is his greatest asset. He could discover the most amazing things if he tried," Slughorn said with a sigh. "He could be so much greater than a governor."

Lily grinned at her mentor. "Some people are happy settling with a simple career," she teased.

Slughorn chuckled. "Oh, I know. I just like to see students using the best of their abilities in the world. Plus, it does have its benefits for me."

Lily laughed lightly. "I'll remember to have you invited to a model shoot sometime," she mocked.

Slughorn smiled. "I'm still hoping to light a fire under you about starting a career regarding potions," he joked.

Lily nodded. "Well, I look forward to your attempts with that."

* * *

"That Benjamin dude was kinda cool," Hugo commented as they all left the potions classroom.

"He was much nicer than Brunt," Lola agreed.

"He was nicer," Lily murmured, her mind still thinking over the differences between Williams and Brunt.

"Hey, Hugo! Wait up!" a voice called. The four stopped and were surprised to see who was trying to catch up. It was Cody Thomas. Like the others in her family, Lily had grown up knowing the Thomas family, and she used to play with Cody when they were younger. But after her Sorting that had drifted away, although lately, she'd had no real problems with Cody.

He finally caught up to them, and Lily looked him over. He had changed quite a bit. He was pretty tall, although Hugo was taller than him. His hair was black and thick, although straight. He smiled as he looked at them.

"Hey, Cody. What's up?" Hugo asked as he slipped his hat on.

"Oh, I just thought I'd walk with you guys, if that's ok?" Cody asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't care."

"Sure, come on," Hugo told him. They all began to walk again. "So, what's up, C?" Hugo asked.

"Nothing really. It's kinda been boring," Cody said with a small laugh.

"You should get out and do more then," Lily suggested.

Cody's cheeks turned a little pink. "Yeah, but my friends don't really get into that kind of stuff."

"What, having fun?" Lola quipped. "I mean, what do you think we go out and do?"

Cody shrugged. "I don't know. You guys just seem a bit more . . . free than other kids."

Hugo and Jace laughed. "Give the guy a break," Hugo defended. "He's kind of right. Most of the other Gryffindors are only fun at Gryffindor parties. Otherwise, they can be tight asses."

"Tell 'em to get a life," Jace joked.

"Cody! What are you doing?" Lily almost rolled her eyes at the sound of Wilde's voice. They all looked ahead to see Wilde standing with McLaggen and two other boys.

Cody cleared his throat. "Oh, I thought they'd already gone ahead. Well, I'll just go catch up with them. I'll see you guys around," he said with a quick wave. Then he was jogging away.

"Whipped bitch?" Jace asked Hugo.

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. Money says that he and Paige start dating soon."

"Why do you say that?" Lily asked curiously.

"He's easily whipped, and because he likes you," Hugo teased.

Lily looked at him with a bit of surprise. "What?"

"Lil, I think all the guys in our year in Gryffindor have boners for you. I've seen quite a few of your magazines around our dorm room," Hugo laughed.

Lily rolled her eyes, trying not to blush at the idea of that. "Don't let Scorpius know about that," Lola giggled. "The boys in your dorm would be in the Hospital Wing within one night."

Hugo raised a brow. "Really? Because I would love if Logan Murdock got his ass kicked," he mentioned.

Lola smacked his shoulder. "Be nice," she scolded playfully.

Hugo grinned. "I'm serious. That dude's been a real dick lately. Think Scor would kick his ass if I told him that he wanked off to pictures of you, Lil?"

Lily closed her eyes. "I don't know, but thank you for telling me," she muttered.

Hugo and Jace just laughed all over again.

"Lily!" Again, the four stopped, but this time it was to the voice of Professor Slughorn.

"Yes, sir?" Lily asked curiously.

"I just got a note from Professor Brown. He wanted me to tell you to go to his office before your next class," Slughorn told her.

Lily nodded. "Ok. I'll go now." She looked toward the others. "I'll see you guys later." And with a wave, she excused herself, making her way out of the dungeons and to the headmaster's office.

Once she was finally at his door, she knocked once and then stepped in. Professor Brown was sitting at his desk. Hades was on his perch next to the desk. Professor Brown looked up at her entrance. "Ah! Lily, come in, come in," he urged.

Lily closed the door, and moved to sit in the chair across from him. "Hello, Jacob. What did you need to see me about?" she asked.

In answer, he dropped a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ onto the desk between them. Lily immediately tried not to groan. "Now, it's not that you're in trouble or anything, but there is something that you should know," he told her.

"What is it?" Lily questioned hesitantly.

Professor Brown leaned back in his chair. "Well, I was sent a letter from your parents early this afternoon."

Lily did groan this time. "About what?" she asked.

"They were concerned about some of the things in this article, and they were hoping that I would allow for them to come and speak with you tomorrow after you finish classes. I told them 'yes,' but I thought that you should be prepared," Brown explained.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Was there anything else in the letter?"

"Well, that was basically it. They seemed quite shocked by the things in the article," he replied.

"Because most of it was lies, and what was true they had no clue about," Lily admitted.

"So, you haven't told them about how advanced you really are in potion making?" he concluded.

She shook her head. "No, I haven't."

He didn't press on it more, which was something Lily really appreciated. But she couldn't stop herself from continuing. "I just knew that if I said something about it that James or Albus would say something and ruin it. And I'm proud of what I've done." She sighed heavily. "And I feel guilty about it."

Professor Brown raised a curious brow. "You feel guilty about achieving?"

"No, I feel guilty that I don't feel comfortable telling them! That I can tell Astoria and Draco about it easier than them. That I feel like I'm a part of the Malfoy family more than I am of my blood family!" Lily exclaimed. She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. "It's just really taxing."

"I can only imagine. Feeling slightly obligated to your blood family yet becoming more happy and comfortable with another family that you consider your own," he mused.

"Does that make me a terrible daughter?" Lily muttered softly.

"No, it doesn't. You, Lily, I have always believed that family isn't about blood. It's about who loves you. Who supports you, takes care of you, and loves you no matter what happens," Professor Brown told her.

"I feel like the Malfoys are more my family," Lily whispered. "Even if I mess up, they never explode or seem disappointed in me. And if I fail, they're happy that I at least tried. I just . . ." She trailed off, not knowing what to say anymore.

"No one can really help how they feel about things," Professor Brown told her. "Certain things are in our nature as an individual. But just because you feel more at home with the Malfoys, doesn't mean that you don't love your blood relatives."

"I know. Just . . . sometimes I wish that I lived with Astoria and Draco, and just visited my actual family," Lily murmured.

"I believe that things will work themselves out. Don't fret too much over it. It is your O.W.L. year," he told her with a smile.

Lily almost scoffed. "So, you think that the governors wanting to kick you out will work itself out?"

Professor Brown grinned wryly. "You know about that?" he stated.

"Yeah, I do. Why do you let this happen?" Lily demanded.

He sighed. "I can't stop their opinions, Lily. Some of them don't like me and my style of work. But, some of them do. So the ones that don't have simply come here to find a reason to persuade the others to their side, and to find a reason to request a vote. They think that if there are enough students and parents that don't like me that other governors will agree with them. That's why they're here," Professor Brown explained.

"I'd tell them to eat my shorts," Lily grumbled.

Professor Brown laughed. "From what I've heard. You've basically been telling some, especially one woman in particular, that very thing, although different wording."

Lily laughed a little too. "Yeah, I guess I have. But you're great at your job," she defended.

Professor Brown smiled a little. "Thank you, Lily. It's always nice to hear that."

* * *

"You know, it's not that I don't like to hang out with you guys, but why is it that all we do is revise for O.W.L.s?" Lily demanded as she and the other four girls walked back to the common room. "I mean, we could be doing something much more fun," she pointed out.

"You just want to spend more time with Scorpius rather than study," Shannon argued with a giggle.

"Oh please! Like Megan and Izzy wouldn't rather be with their boyfriends," Lily retorted. "Or like Lola wouldn't rather be with Hugo."

"I may like Hugo, but I still care about my grades," Lola quipped.

"You still know what I mean," Lily replied as they walked inside the common room.

"Um, I think I see trouble stomping toward us," Shannon commented.

"What do you mean?" Lola asked.

Shannon nodded to their left. "Look," she told them.

They all looked to see Scorpius marching toward them, his normal scowl looking very angry.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen him look that pissed off," Megan stated.

"This cannot be good," Lily muttered.

Scorpius stopped in front of the girls, his eyes locked on Lily. That wasn't strange, but the intense and enraged look in them was. "I need to talk to you," he said through a clenched jaw.

Lily nodded and, with one last hesitant look at her friends, followed her furious boyfriend upstairs to the boys' dorm. When she stepped into the room, Scorpius kicked the door shut, and she could hear it lock.

She dropped her books onto his bed. "What's up with you?" she questioned.

Scorpius glared, although Lily could tell that it wasn't actually _her_ that he was angry with. But it was obvious that it had something to do with her. "You're not modeling anymore," he hissed.

Lily raised a brow. "Um, I didn't know that," she said dryly.

"Well now you do! You're not being a model anymore!" he snapped.

"And since when did you get to decide that?" Lily demanded.

"When I became your boyfriend! That's when!" Scorpius growled.

"So, that means that you get to control what I do?" Lily retorted.

"No, but I get to put a stop to you showing your body for fucking any little boy to see!" Scorpius argued hotly.

Lily straightened where she stood. "What did Hugo tell you?" she questioned, her anger staining her voice.

"The truth! And really, I should have known. I knew what little boys thought!" Scorpius ranted.

"You know, you make it sound like I'm naked in those pictures, or like they're actually doing something to me," Lily mocked.

"They would if they could! And you don't have to be naked for them to get ideas!" Scorpius snapped. "And I'll be dammed if I'm letting a bunch of prepubescent boys run around with pictures of my girlfriend!"

"And you're going to tell me that I won't find one of my pictures in your trunk?" Lily retorted.

"I'm allowed to have them!" Scorpius argued.

"What makes you different?" Lily demanded.

"Because I'm your boyfriend, so that means your body's mine to look at!" he replied.

Lily raised a challenging brow. "Really?"

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "You know what I mean," he growled lowly.

"No, why don't you elaborate!" Lily hissed.

"It means that as your boyfriend . . . it means I get to make sure that little boys aren't going around and fantasizing about you!" he raved, his face getting angrier and more flustered.

"They're going to fantasize whether they have pictures or not!" Lily argued. "They don't need one of my magazines for that!"

"I still don't want them wanking off to pictures, real or mental, of my girlfriend!"

"Yet you can?"

"Damn right!"

"Why can you?"

"Because . . . because . . . why are you defending them?" Scorpius spluttered, his body seemingly getting tenser as the argument continued.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm not defending them. I'm just trying to get you to realize that you're no better. Can you really look me in the eye and tell me that you didn't do that while I was still dating Lysander?"

Scorpius looked away from her with an even more pronounced scowl. "Ok, fine. I did. But if Lysander had ever had the balls to try and kick my ass for it, I'd have understood it. It's not my fault he was a pansy. But _I_ am damn sure going to kick some little boy's ass if he even thinks about _my_ girlfriend like that," he growled.

Lily sighed as she moved to sit on his bed. "Lana was right, huh? You really are a primitive ass," she mocked lightly. Her anger was subsiding into minor annoyance and amusement.

"Is that a bad thing?" Scorpius mocked back as he approached the bed. He towered over her, so she simply fell onto her back.

"Well not entirely. I'm sure it'll have some uses that I can take advantage of in the future. Plus, as I'm sure I've mentioned, that scowl of yours is quite attractive," Lily stated, placing her fingers on his stomach, and letting them walk along his shirt.

He twitched slightly under her touch, but then began to relax. "Good, because you're stuck with me," he joked dryly.

Lily grinned and raised a brow at him again. "This whole situation really bugs you, doesn't it?" she teased.

He scowled again. "Yes. Call me selfish, but you're _mine_. _My_ girlfriend, however you want to word it. It just irritates me. Especially when I know that even though I'm demanding it, you won't stop modeling," he muttered.

She smiled. "I'm glad you understand that." Scorpius rolled his eyes, his scowl deepening. She giggled. "Hey," she grabbed his hand and tugged, pulling him to sit next to her on the bed. She sat up and moved so that she was straddling his lap. "You should focus more on the fact that _you_ actually get to touch me. Not getting angry over a bunch of boys that wish they could," she teased lightly, bringing her lips close to his.

His breath was warm and heavy across her face, and his forehead pressed against hers, his lips hovering just near hers still. "You might have a point," he whispered.

Lily smirked, although she was sure that it was nowhere near as impressive or as cocky as a Malfoy smirk could be, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Just focus on what's _yours_," she murmured.

His lips smashed onto hers.


	54. Full of Guilt and Full of Love

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - So, here is the next chapter. I mostly focused on the relationship between Lily and Scorpius. Mainly on it's development since its beginning. There's also the start of some new feelings, good and bad. Fights are brewing and problems are arising. Let me know what you think, and enjoy the chapter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Four: Full of Guilty and Full of Love

Lily hated the odd feeling that kept clawing her in her gut. Her classes were almost done, which meant that she would be talking with her parents soon. And since her last class today happened to be History of Magic, she had a lot of time to think since she didn't have the focus to listen to Professor Binns.

She hated Brunt with every fiber of her being. She wanted to watch that woman burn, and Lily had promised herself and her friends this morning that she would. No one crossed Lily Luna without getting bit in the ass.

"Lily! Wake up! Class is over!" Lola exclaimed, pushing on Lily's shoulder.

Lily blinked a few times, coming out of her thoughts. She stood up and picked up her bag, her movements on autopilot. Hugo, Jace, and Lola were all waiting for her.

"So, what's your next move, cuz?" Hugo asked as they left the classroom.

"I'm supposed to go straight to the Brown's office. My mum and dad are waiting there, I guess," she muttered.

"Just tell them the truth," Lola told her.

"Aunt Ginny does like brute honesty," Hugo said with a small scoff. He glanced at Lily. "Want me to come with?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I think I need to go this alone." They stopped walking just near the stairs. She sighed. "Well, I'll see you guys later. Hugh, you coming to our common room after dinner?"

Hugo nodded. "Totally. I need help with that Transfiguration essay, so Lola's gunna help me," he replied.

Lily nodded, ignoring her best friend's eager look. "Cool. If I don't come to dinner, I'll see you there."

"Alright. Later, cuz."

"See ya 'round, Lil."

"Good luck, Lily."

Lily watched as the three descended the stairs, and hurried to get onto another set before it moved away from them. Then with another sigh, she turned around and began to walk towards the headmaster's office.

"Hey, Potter!"

Lily tensed at the name, and at the sound of Wilde's voice. Lily turned and glared immediately at her and McLaggen. "What the fuck do you want, Wilde?" she hissed.

"Keep your boyfriend away from Cody and Logan!" Wilde exclaimed angrily.

Although still annoyed and angry, Lily looked at Wilde with suspicion and confusion. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Try to keep your boyfriend's leash a bit tighter. I mean, I didn't think he and his friends were really low enough to jump two fifth years for no reason," Wilde spat.

Lily's mind flashed back to her and Scorpius's argument from the night before. He'd been furious, but it hadn't actually crossed her mind that Scorpius had beaten anyone up. But as Lily thought about it harder, he did slightly hint at it. And his friends? Had he really gotten his friends to jump two boys? And now that she thought more about it . . .

"I didn't see Cody or Murdock in class today," Lily mentioned quietly.

"Yeah, they're resting in the Hospital Wing. They're waiting for their bruises and cuts to fade, and for some of their bones to move back in place," McLaggen sneered.

Lily rubbed her temples. This was too much to deal with today. "Look, I've got to go to the headmaster's office, which is much more important than two little boys getting their asses kicked," she told them. Then without a thought, she brushed by them, walking away.

She sighed as she waited for the gargoyle to move. Another thing to deal with. How to react to Scorpius's actions. The odd thing for Lily was that even though they all seemed to know that Scorpius and the other guys jumped those boys, Scorpius wasn't in trouble. No detentions that she heard of, nothing. Why hadn't those girls or boys ratted him out?

Lily knocked, but this time waited before walking in. She was in no hurry for this to happen.

"Come in, Lily!" Professor Brown called.

With a deep breath, Lily opened the door and stepped inside. Her insides churned at the sight of her mum and dad in the room. Her mum was sitting down, but her dad was pacing the floor. Professor Brown was standing behind his desk.

Lily forced a smile. "Hello, sir. Mum, Dad," she greeted as she stepped farther into the room. Professor Brown moved around his desk.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "They've requested to speak to you alone," he said quietly. "Be calm, and good luck." And then he was leaving her alone in the room . . . with her parents.

Lily glanced over at both of them. Her father had stopped pacing, and now stood next to the desk. Her mum was still sitting. "So, you wanted to talk to me?" Lily ventured, feeling awkward around them.

Harry pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. Lily could tell that it was a clipping from a newspaper, and her money was guessing that it was the article about her. "Imagine our surprise when we read this," he said, his face eerily calm.

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, a lot of that article was a lie. Except for the part about my excellence at potions," she admitted.

"So you really took your O.W.L. your third year? And your N.E.W.T. last year?" Ginny questioned.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Perfect scores on both."

"And you didn't tell us this? I mean, Lily this is fantastic!" Ginny told her.

Lily shrugged as she moved a little closer to them. "James and Albus were always around, and I wasn't going to let them downgrade something I was proud of."

"They wouldn't do that," Ginny argued.

"Yes they would have, Mum," Lily retorted. "That's why I hate that it's public. If I ever run into Albus, he's probably had time to line a dozen half-witted remarks about it. Like, I cheated, Slughorn showed favoritism, the list could go on. And Merlin knows what James could cook up!"

"Look, Lily, your brothers love you, no matter what fight you're having," Harry protested.

Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Love me? James denies having a sister. Albus calls me a tramp and attacks me during Quidditch matches. They ostracize Hugo because he hangs out with me. They hate me. And honestly, that's fine with me, because I hate both of them," she replied.

"You three are family," Ginny pointed out.

"Family has to do with love, which has nothing to do with us three anymore. Teddy is the only brother I admit to having now. I want no part of James and Albus. They are both terrible and disgusting egomaniacs. My image happens to be a bit cleaner than theirs," Lily told them.

"This fight–,"

Lily interrupted her father. "It has nothing to do with the fight anymore!" she exclaimed. "I've seen and heard of what they've done. I want no part of it. If I'd been a Gryffindor with them, I probably would be a whore. James sleeps around, even with his brother's girlfriend, Albus has sex with a drunk girl in a closet, they both hate all Slytherins just because of a past that has nothing to do with them, and then they try to act superior while they do it all. I want nothing to do with them!"

"So that's what the article meant by 'renouncing the Potter name?'" Harry said with steel in his tone.

"I haven't renounced my name," Lily argued.

"Even the headmaster admitted that you don't like to be called Lily Potter," Ginny told her.

"No, I don't. Because at Hogwarts, it's associated with Albus and James. And you know my feelings about them. And I don't like to be called it outside of school because when I model, I like that I'm popular because of myself and not my father. I like being out of a shadow and in my own light," Lily explained. "The social idea of the name Potter is like a chain, and I don't want to be tied down with it. But that doesn't mean I hate it or renounce my family. I just like being known by _my_ name without my dad's legacy trailing behind."

"Lily," Ginny said softly, "I can understand that you don't want be cast in your father's shadow. It's a lot to live up to. But this thing with your brothers . . . it has to stop."

"It's not just with them," Lily retorted. "Rose follows along too. And it's not just with me. They hate and disregard anyone who doesn't conform to the 'high and mighty ways of Gryffindor.' They argue with, and disapprove of, Dominique because she's in love with Mitch, they hate me for being a Slytherin, and they ignore Hugo because he finally got tired of being a robot. Don't make it seem like it's just between me and James and Albus. We might have started it, but they went and spread their attitude around to whoever they could." She looked at both of her parents firmly. "And honestly, I think it's time that _people_ learn that they _aren't_ saints!"

A silence rang around the room, and Lily almost felt choked by it. She knew it was pointless. Her parents would probably never see James or Albus in the way they really were. Yet they could see how Lily was making mistakes easily.

"And you are a saint?" Harry asked.

Lily scoffed. "I'm no saint, and I've never claimed to be one. And it seems that some people will never understand that I'm not perfect," the last part came out as a whisper. Her parents looked at each other, and then her mother opened her mouth to speak, so Lily beat her to it. "Is there anything else we need to talk about? I told the others I would meet them in the common room. And I need to talk to Scorpius before he goes and studies for his N.E.W.T.s."

Harry wrapped his knuckles on the desk. "You know, from what I hear, you spend an awful lot of time with Scorpius," he mentioned.

Lily raised a brow. "He _is_ my boyfriend. But, who is your source?" she demanded.

"This is according to Albus and Rose. I hear that he hardly leaves your side. And that he punched your brother," Harry commented.

"Yeah, he did. After Albus called me a tramp. I know, it's terrible that a boy would stick up for a girlfriend. Lysander had it right when he let other guys call me a bitch," Lily mocked.

"From what I'm hearing, I don't like this relationship between the two of you," Harry replied.

Lily glared at her father. "Isn't that a tragedy, because I'm not breaking up with him. And besides, what you've probably heard is a crap ton of biased lies, seeing as how Rose and Albus don't like Scorpius or me."

"What your father is afraid of," Ginny interceded, "is that you and Scorpius might be moving a little too fast. You haven't been dating for that long."

"I never thought we were moving too fast," Lily replied.

"From my understanding, and my own eyes now, you're wearing his ring!" Harry argued.

Lily glanced down at the Slytherin ring on her finger. "Yes, I am. It was a birthday gift."

"So you started wearing his ring after, what, a month or so of dating? And that's not moving too fast?" Harry retorted.

"You're putting too much meaning into it," Lily argued. "It simply means that I'm important to him."

"And he's a bit too old."

"He's only two years older than I am. We've been over that," Lily sighed.

"But you know what boys his age think!"

Lily rolled her eyes. Hadn't she just had this discussion last night with Scorpius? "Yes, Dad. I know that he thinks he's ok with waiting until I'm ready. And I know that I'm not," she mumbled, her cheeks turning slightly pink. She ran a hand through her hair. "Look, can I go now? Because as fun and uncomfortable this conversation is, I still have homework to do, people to see, and a boyfriend to talk to."

"About what?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"About something concerning me and him," Lily retorted dryly. "Don't worry. Your thoughts are probably worse than what it's actually about."

Ginny sighed as she stood from where she sat and approached her daughter. "Look, sweetie, we're not angry or anything. We just want this problem with you and your brothers to be done. It's been five years now."

"As long as Albus stays away from me and keeps his mouth shut, then we really won't have a problem. As long as we avoid each other. We only have problems when we're together."

* * *

When she stepped into the common room, Lily scanned the people. She saw her friends over in a corner, but at the moment, they were the low on her priority list. And then the person she wanted to see came down the stairs with Lars and Mitch in tow. She stormed over to him.

Scorpius saw her coming, and smirked. "Hey, babe," he greeted. "Where were you, ya missed dinner?"

Lily grabbed his wrist. "We need to talk now!" she hissed, and began to pull him back up the stairs. She pulled him into his dorm room, and found Rex and Justin there, looking over a magazine with a band on the cover.

"Hey, Lil, Scor," Rex greeted.

Lily glared at them. "Get out," she commanded.

They both quickly stood up and moved out the door. Lily heard Rex whisper, "Good luck, bro." to Scorpius as he went by. The door closed, and Lily turned on her boyfriend.

Scorpius looked hesitant. "Is everything alright, babe?"

Lily glared at him too. "Where were you and the others when I was studying with the girls last night?" she demanded.

Scorpius's face contorted into thought. "We were hanging out around the common room. Why?"

Lily raised a brow. "Oh, so you and your friends weren't out jumping Logan Murdock and Cody Thomas? That wasn't what made you demand that I stop modeling?"

Scorpius's eyes shone with understanding. "Yeah, we were out doing that too. Why do you ask?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "You beat up two little boys! Five big guys jumped two little boys!" she exclaimed.

Scorpius shrugged. "Shouldn't have had sick thoughts toward my girlfriend," he commented.

Lily made an exasperated sound. "You're impossible!" she groaned.

"You didn't mind when I hit Potter after he called you a tramp," Scorpius pointed out.

"Yeah, but these boys didn't actually do anything to me," Lily retorted.

"They treated you like a tramp in their heads. I consider it just as bad," Scorpius argued calmly.

She rolled her eyes again. "I think I actually give up," she muttered. She leaned her back against the door.

Scorpius chuckled as he moved to hover over her, placing his hands on the door, trapping her. His body vibrated as he chuckled. "Good, because you're stuck with me," he murmured, his lips brushing against hers. He then fully kissed her, his lips gentle and warm. He bit softly at her bottom lip, so Lily parted her lips. His tongue slid into her mouth immediately, probing and rubbing the inside of her mouth.

Lily sighed as she pulled away from his lips. "I guess I can live with that," she teased.

* * *

"I don't think I'll ever have a conversation with my parents that doesn't leave me feeling guilty," Lily whispered as she laid next to Scorpius that night. Her head was resting on his chest, his arm around her, the other under his own head. "Every time we talk, I never feel comfortable. My mind reminds me how I feel much more at home with your parents, and then I can't get rid of the guilt."

"It's not your fault. You can't help how you feel. Besides, it's not your fault they've found a way to see faults in you but not Albus or James," Scorpius murmured.

"It seems like all I ever do is disappoint them. For fighting with Albus and James, for going to a party, for getting in fights, having detentions. Like anything I do good is small and tossed aside." Lily closed her eyes and side. "They probably don't mean to."

"Don't feel guilty for feeling appreciated by those that love you," Scorpius told her. "My parents adore you. They're proud of you no matter what trouble you get into."

"That's the thing though. If I get into trouble, my parents are always disappointed in me, and then are suspicious that I'll make a mistake again. Like it's a crime for me to make a mistake. But . . . your parents are happy that I tried not to, and they understand that people make mistakes," Lily replied softly.

"My father understands the concepts of making mistakes. He admits that most of the things he did at Hogwarts and during the war were mistakes. He understands that all you can do is move on and try not to make another. And he understands when other people make mistakes," Scorpius explained. "Actually, if this problem with your parents starts to really get to you, you should write to him. He would probably understand the feeling of obligation toward parents more than anyone."

That idea floated around in her mind as Lily began to fall asleep. Yes. She would write to Draco.

* * *

Lily tapped her quill against the table in Transfiguration. She was still trying to figure out what to write in her letter to Draco. She didn't want to say something that could accidently offend him. Finally, she dipped the quill and ink and began to write.

"_Dear Draco,_

_It might seem kind of weird that I'm writing to you, but you're probably the only person that can help me. It has to do with me feeling like part of the Malfoy family. Now, don't get me wrong, I _love_ feeling like you're my father. But . . . I think that my feelings are starting to cause problems with my mum and dad. It's just that . . . every time we talk I'm not completely comfortable talking with them. And it makes me think of how comfortable I feel talking to you and Astoria. And then it makes me feel guilty. I . . . I feel like a bad daughter! I mean, I don't feel like their daughter. But . . . I feel guilty about it! I feel like I should feel more like their daughter! I . . . I just don't know what to do. Scorpius said that you would understand the most about feeling obligated to your parents. What should I do?_

_Love,_

_Lily"_

Lily finished her letter and quickly folded it up and put it into her pocket. Then she looked back to Professor Bell, who was explaining what they would be working on for the next couple of lessons. She didn't pay full attention, her mind still on the letter in her pocket. Maybe she should write a letter to Astoria too.

"Now, let's all give it a try!" Professor Bell stated with a smile.

Lily sighed. Well, maybe she'd write it later.

"Thank Merlin it's time for break!" Jace said with a bit of cheer as they walked out of the classroom.

"I actually agree with you. I still need to finish up part of my Arithmacy essay," Lola murmured.

"You are no fun," Jace mocked.

"Um, Lily," a small and timid voice said from behind the three. They stopped and turned to see a surprising sight. Well, a sight that made Lily hesitant. Cody Thomas and Logan Murdock were standing there, their eyes looking anywhere but her, and their stances a little shaky.

"Yes?" Lily asked hesitantly. The two looked ready to melt or explode.

They both thrust something toward her. Lily looked at it in surprise. Each boy had a small stack of magazines in their hands. And on the top cover were pictures of her. "Here," Cody said with an almost hysterical voice. "Take 'em!"

"And we're really sorry if we upset or offended you," Logan rambled. "Please, just take them."

Lily heard Lola sighed. "I think a certain leader among Slytherins had something to do with this," she stated.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure he did." But at the boys' insistence, she took the magazines, and tried to tell them that it was "in the past and forgiven." The boys just nodded and then hurried away.

"Dude, Scor is the man!" Jace laughed.

"Little boys beware," Lola mocked with a laugh. "Lily's dating the B.M.C."

Lily laughed, but Jace looked confused. "The what?"

Lola rolled her eyes, but Lily spoke before she could. "It means 'Big Man on Campus,'" she told him.

"Oh," Jace said with a nod. Then he laughed. "Yeah, you are, huh?"

"Idiot," Lola muttered. Thankfully, Jace either ignored her, or just didn't hear her.

When the three entered the common room, Lily caught sight of Scorpius sitting with Lars and Tanner near the fireplace. She walked over to them, and without a word, dropped the magazines onto the table with a small slam. Tanner and Lars both looked over what she'd dropped, but Scorpius looked at Lily.

Lily raised a brow. "Explain?"

Scorpius shrugged as he grabbed the stack of magazines. "I couldn't very well let them keep them. They might do it again. So I told them they had three days to give the magazines to you and apologize for their disgusting actions," he explained, leaning back on the couch.

"When was this one taken, Lil? It's hot," Tanner complimented, looking at one of her in a green top and black lace skirt. Scorpius picked up one of the magazines, rolled it up, and smacked his cousin on the top of his head. "Ow!" Tanner complained, dropping the magazine in his own hands.

"Did you learn nothing from when we all jumped those two idiots?" Scorpius demanded.

"You're an idiot, man," Lars laughed.

Tanner just rubbed his head with a bit of a sour look. "Sorry, sorry. Just asking," he mumbled.

Lily picked up a magazine, rolled it up as well, and then smacked Scorpius lightly on the head. But he didn't complain like Tanner. He just looked at Lily with a raised brow of his own. Lily dropped the magazine. "Look, I don't want these. I have my own copies. So do what you want with them. In fact, you can prove me right on how you are no better than they are," she said as she walked away from the couch. But what she heard from Scorpius's mouth made her blush.

"Maybe I will."

* * *

"I am so pumped for the match next month!" Tanner exclaimed. The Slytherin team was walking to the pitch. It was their day to practice. One of the many days they practiced a week. And despite the chilly wind in the air, Tanner was the most pumped of any of them.

Lily stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets, trying to stay warm. "Yeah, let's just pray it's not this freaking cold!" she muttered.

Scorpius pulled her closer. "Ah, it's not so bad, babe. Once we get in the air and moving, you'll warm up," he assured.

Lily rested her head against his arm. "Air gets colder the higher you are," she pointed out.

"Don't be a downer, Lil! Be pumped!" Tanner told her as he opened the door to the locker room. Lily, and most of the others, sighed in relief once they walked into the warm locker room. They each moved to their individual lockers, and began to open them. Lily kicked off her shoes and pulled off her jacket. She slipped her shirt off, and she soon felt the burning gaze of Scorpius on her figure. Although Lily had kind of gotten used to his stare while she changed for practices, it still made her blush. Not that she was embarrassed really. It was always her back, and his gaze always left when she slid off her pants. But it was the intensity that made her flustered.

Once they had all gotten dressed, they each picked up their brooms. But Scorpius stopped them. "Wait a minute. We need to discuss our tactics for our match against Gryffindor," he told them.

"What's our plan?" Lars asked as he dropped down onto one of the benches.

"Well, remember Potter's challenge from earlier this year. I want their team crushed! I want Potter's mouth knocked off his face. He needs to remember just which team has been at the top of the school for years now. And if possible, I want Potter taken out!" Then he rolled his shoulders and sighed. "And I obviously got no problem with the guy, but I want Hugo taken out of the match. The best way to demolish them is to take out their Keeper and their Seeker. But, since he's a good kid, let's play fair with Hugo. Potter . . . play dirty if we have to when taking him out," Scorpius told them. He smirked. "Now let's go practice and freeze our asses off."

After practice, Lily was slow to shower. She was eager for the warmth of the water to take away the icy feel from her skin. She was practically shivering where she stood. She had been right. Once they were in the air, it was colder than on the ground. And when it started to sprinkle, the water only made it worse.

Lily could hear a muffled pounding on the door that led to the girls' showers. Then she could hear a quiet voice. "Babe? You still in there?"

Lily sighed as she turned off the water. The boys were probably dressed already. She'd been in there a long time. "Yeah, I'm just drying off," she yelled back as she picked up her towel.

"Well, I'll wait for ya out here then," he called back.

Lily sighed against she began to dry off. She didn't want to keep him waiting too long, so she quickly got dressed and threw her towel and practice uniform into the hamper for the elves to clean. When she stepped back into the locker room, Scorpius was the last one there. She smiled at him, and he smirked back. They were in a comfortable silence as she closed up her locker and slipped on her shoes. She picked up her broom and looked at him. He was looking back at her serenely.

"What are you thinking about?" Lily asked softly, not wanting to break the calming mood around the two of them.

"I'm thinking that I have the most beautiful and the loveliest girlfriend in the world," he murmured, his eyes never leaving her.

Lily blushed lightly as she stood from where she sat on the bench. "You seem very sure about that," she whispered as she approached him.

Scorpius wrapped his arms around her middle, his smirk turning into a small smile. "I am. I've yet to see anyone more beautiful, and for the most part, I have been around the world," he said gently. He pushed her hair away from her face.

"You are quite the charmer," she mocked weakly, trying to ignore how her heart was hammering.

He shrugged. "I call it being in love."

Lily felt her blood, her limbs, and time itself freeze. But her mind was still running. Running too fast for her to really focus. But one thing was obvious in her mind.

_Love_? Scorpius said he was in love. Scorpius admitted to being in love. Scorpius was in love . . . with her! Scorpius loved her! Scorpius Malfoy loves her! But . . .

Lily pulled away from his embrace and ran for the door. "I've gotta go!"

* * *

Lily slammed the door to her dorm room open. She opened her mouth to speak, but was beat to it by an ecstatic Lola.

"Hugo asked me out!" Lola squealed. "Can you believe it! He's got some awesome date planned! Says it's a surprise!" Lola was practically dancing where she stood.

"Yeah, we've been listening to this for fifteen minutes. Thanks for joining us in the torture," Megan muttered.

But Shannon seemed to notice Lily's windblown hair and uncertain and freaked out eyes. "Lily? Did something happen?" she asked carefully. Now, the other three girls also seemed to notice Lily's look. Lola stopped bouncing, Izzy put down her book, and Megan recapped her lip gloss.

Lily closed the door and took in a few deep breaths. "Scorpius . . . Scorpius told me that he loves me," she told them.

Four squeals sounded after her statement.

"That's fantastic!" Shannon exclaimed.

"You are soo lucky!" Izzy told her.

"Only you could bag a man like that," Megan complimented.

But before Lola said anything, she seemed to notice that Lily still wasn't excited or happy. "Lily, what happened?"

Lily pulled in a slow gulp. "He basically said that he loves me . . . and then I basically ran away," she admitted.

"You what?" Megan demanded.

"You ran away from him?" Lola asked a little more gently. She grabbed Lily's wrist and slowly pulled her to a bed, and forced her to sit. "Explain."

Lily sighed as she fell onto her back. "I don't know. It just . . . it threw me off guard! I didn't even know what to say."

"Well do you love him?" Lola asked gently.

Lily closed her eyes as the question ran across and paced her mind. Did she love him? Was that what she felt? She knew in her heart that Scorpius would always be a part of her life. Her mind couldn't even conjure an image of her future without him in it. Life without Scorpius seemed like an impossibility. And she knew that if she were to try and imagine the perfect man that Scorpius would come first to mind. He was the perfect balance of imperfections and perfections, as odd as it sounded. He knew when to be a gentleman, but he knew when to fool around and be a bit of a jerk. He knew when to take it slow, but he knew when Lily was in no mood for a slow pace. And yeah, he could be territorial, recent incidents being proof, but she knew that in the back of her mind, she thought it was slightly sweet. Not to mention thrilling.

But most of all, Scorpius balanced _her_. He helped her be calm when she was angry. Helped her feel better when it came to problems with her parents, or fights with her cousins or James and Albus. And he made her feel safe. She knew that when she told him something that he listened. That he cared. And when she was scared or hurt, or even just depressed and upset, he was comforting, and she always felt better.

Lily grabbed the pillow and brought it over her face. "How do you tell a man that you _do_ love him, but just got freaked out when he said it?" she muttered through the pillow.

Squeals issued around her, but there was also a comforting pat on her knee. "You tell him exactly that. It's Scorpius. He'll understand," Lola assured.

"I hope so," Lily whispered.

* * *

Lily slept in her bed that night, and she found it painfully cold and depressing. Her morning was much the same, with the added worry that Scorpius would avoid her, or worse, break up with her. Of anything, that was her biggest fear.

"You're about to bite your lip off," Lola mocked lightly as she and Lily walked to the Great Hall. Lily had been biting her lip at different intervals since they woke up.

Lily licked where she'd just bitten. "Sorry. I'm just . . ."

"Nervous?" Lola offered.

"Among other things," Lily sighed. But then she pushed thoughts of the possible doom her relationship was about to face, and looked at her friend. "So, I never asked you how Hugo ended up asking you out?"

Lola giggled girlishly, which made Lily giggle as well. "Well, he asked me if I would help him revise for our O.W.L.s, since he had nothing going on and you had Quidditch practice. So we met up in the library, studied for a couple hours. But then he offered to walk me back. And when we got to the outside of the common room, he held out a book to me, and asked me to open it. Well, a page was marked by something, so I opened to that page. Inside was a pressed rose and a little paper that said 'Will you go out with me?'" she explained.

Lily almost laughed. "Wow. Huey thought of something semi-romantic?"

Lola did laugh. "Oh, I'm sure he had help with the idea. But the fact that he wanted something cute and romantic for me is enough in my mind," she sighed.

"And speaking of your knight in shining armor," Lily mentioned as they came up the stairs into the Entrance Hall. Hugo was standing near the doors to the Great Hall, apparently waiting for _someone_.

Hugo grinned as the two girls approached. He wore his sunglasses, which Lily guessed had to do with his look more than necessity. "Well, I wait for one of my favorite girls, and then I end up getting both," he complimented with a chuckle. Then, like a flash, he stuck his hand in his bag and then pulled it out again. In-between his fingers now laid a pale pink rose. He held it out to Lola.

Lola took it with a giggle. "Thank you," she murmured with a blush that matched the rose.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she smiled. She was happy for the two of them. Hugo grinned at Lily, as if he knew her thoughts. "So, where's Jace. Doesn't he usually walk with you two?" he asked as they turned to step into the Great Hall.

"No clue," Lily answered, since Lola didn't seem to care, and was too engrossed with looking over her flower. "We asked Xavier where he was, but he said Jace was gone by the time he'd gotten done with his shower."

"I don't seem him at the table either," Hugo said as he scanned the Slytherin table.

Lily scanned their table's occupants as well, but her target was completely different. And she found him, sitting among the other seventh year boys and the guys on the team, who were all talking around him. He, on the other hand, didn't seem to be saying or listening to a thing.

"Maybe you should talk to him now," Lola suggested to Lily.

"Talk to who?" Hugo asked.

"Later," Lola told him. Then she looked back at Lily. "You might feel better."

Lily began to bit her lip, but stopped herself. "Well, he actually has a free period when we have Potions, so I thought that I might tell Slughorn that I can't make it to help teach. It's just a continuation on what we went over yesterday, and it's not overly important to the O.W.L.s," Lily told them. So when they got to the Slytherin table, they walked passed the group of guys to take seats near the middle. But Lily had continued to look at Scorpius.

Too bad he wouldn't look back at her.

So, she stopped and walked back to the group. The boys got noticeably quieter as she approached, but Scorpius still didn't look at her. Mitch at least gave her a bit of a smile. "'Sup, Lil," he greeted.

Lily nodded. "Hey, Mitch," she greeted in return. Then she looked down at Scorpius. "Hey," she greeted, a little quieter.

Scorpius didn't look at her. "Hey," he said dully.

Lily felt her heart ache at his tone. "Um, can I talk to you after first class?" she asked.

"Don't you have to teach Potions?" Scorpius asked with the same droning voice.

She held back a flinch at his voice. "I'm telling Slughorn that there's something I need to do . . . if you're not doing anything."

He shook his head slowly. "No, I'm not."

Lily nodded, ignoring that sinking feeling in her gut. "Ok. I'll see you in your dorm room then?"

"Ok."

With another nod, Lily walked away from him. But her heart didn't follow her. Only its pain and uncertainty.

* * *

Lily and Lola finally saw Jace sitting alone in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. It was a bit surprising to already seem him ready for class.

"Wow, you're actually early?" Lola mocked playfully.

But Jace slowly turned to look at them, and his eyes were hard and angry. "Wow, you're still a bitch!" he spat lowly.

Even Lily was surprised at his attitude. Usually he was a bit more . . . well a little less hostile when he and Lola exchanged morning banter.

"What the hell is your problem?" Lola hissed.

"Your face!" Jace snapped. "Now why don't you go and sit with the other girls, so you can ramble on and on about all the worthless things you like!"

"Fine, I will!" Lola exclaimed. She picked up her books and moved away from Jace's table, sitting in one closer to the front. Lily just stood in the middle, unsure of what to do. They were both her friends, and Jace was obviously angry with something. But as Lily looked him over, it was obvious that he wasn't going to talk about it. So she trailed over to where Lola was now sitting.

"What's got his wand in a knot?" Lola muttered as she angrily pulled a quill from her bag.

"I don't know. I haven't talked to him since before practice last night," Lily replied. "What's happened since then?"

"How the hell would I know? I was with Hugo," Lola grumbled.

Lily sighed as she glanced back at their other friend. Xavier and Christian were now sitting with him, and they seemed to be talking with each other, obviously trying to include Jace. But Jace was still glaring ahead of him, quite pissed about something.

"I hope he's ok," Lily murmured.

"Well he better get over it, and pull that stick out of his ass!" Lola growled quietly.

Lily rolled her eyes. And just when she thought that fifth year would have a little less drama.

* * *

After Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lily gave Lola a note for Slughorn, giving an excuse as to why she wouldn't be there today. And then she rushed back toward the common room. Her heart was pounding at the prospect of finally talking to Scorpius. Why was it that last night seemed like an eternity ago?

When Lily got to the closed door to his dorm, she hesitated. Normally, she would have stepped right in, but now fear gripped her. What if he _did_ break up with her? She wasn't eager to rush into that. So instead, she knocked.

"It's unlocked," Scorpius called out.

Lily closed her eyes. He still had that same tone to his voice. But she still opened the door. Scorpius was laying on his back on his bed. His hair was a mess around his head, his tie was loose, his collar popped up, and three buttons undone on his shirt. He looked relaxed, but by the look of his clenched jaw, she could see his tension.

She closed the door and stepped farther into the room. "So, . . . how was your first class?" she asked lamely, hating that she'd opted for small talk.

"Same as always. What did you want to talk about?" Scorpius demanded, getting straight to the point.

Lily sighed as she put down her bag and walked over to sit down next to him on the bed. "Can you please stop talking like that, it scares me," she whispered, wanting that tone to leave his voice.

"Like what?" he asked dully.

She closed her eyes briefly. "Like you've been around a dementor too long," she retorted.

"Maybe that's how I feel," he quipped.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, and then felt like an idiot for asking. But Scorpius jumped on it.

"Perhaps I feel like I can't be happy. After all, I admitted to loving a girl, and she ran away from me. I don't know, maybe I'm overacting." As he spoke, his voice slowly got louder, and slowly got angrier.

Lily sighed. "That's what I want to talk about," she told him quickly.

"If you're breaking up with me, then just do it, don't drag this out with a conversation!" Scorpius snapped lowly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "How about you shut up and I explain something," she said with a humorless laugh.

Scorpius shut his mouth and finally looked at her. He nodded, but didn't say a word.

So Lily started, trying to ignore the small blush forming on her cheeks. "Look, Scorpius, . . . when you told me that . . . I was surprised. It kinda shocked me, and . . . I didn't know what to say," she murmured.

"Saying 'I gotta go' was the perfect thing to say," he mocked.

She ignored him. "But once it all sunk in, I thought it over. And . . . and well it didn't take long to realize that . . ." she trailed off, unsure of how to say it. But that was stupid. It was three words, how hard was it to put them in order?

Scorpius sat up, and his gaze on her was intense. "That what?" he urged her to continue.

Lily licked her lips, her throat feeling slightly dry all of a sudden. She looked back at him. Even if his tone had been a bit dull today, his eyes were still stormy as he looked at her. But it was when she looked at him that her fear dissipated. Why was she so afraid to tell Scorpius something? After all . . . it was _Scorpius_!

"I do love you," she admitted bluntly and proudly. She brought in a deep breath. "I don't care that I'm fifteen, and I don't care if we apparently haven't been dating that long. I still love you."

A weight lifted off of her heart, letting it pound and bounce around her chest. Actually saying it out loud, and to Scorpius especially, it seemed so natural. Like it was the right thing to say. Like she was supposed to say it. It felt . . . right!

Scorpius was quiet for a moment, but it didn't unnerve Lily. He glanced down, his scowl overtaking his expression. "So, I'm not . . . crazy for feeling that way?" he muttered.

Lily shook her head. "No. And even if you are, then I'm ok with being crazy with you," she teased lightly.

Scorpius smirked, and a scoffed escaped his lips. "That's comforting," he murmured. He pulled one knee up and rested his chin on it. His gaze came back to her eyes. "So, you aren't going to break up with me? You don't think I'm too . . . possessive or quick-moving?"

Lily smiled at him, then leaned forward to brush her lips lightly against his. "I think you're just right."

Scorpius kissed her back, his hands moving to her hair like usual. But he pulled away not long after. He dropped back onto his back, but this time he pulled her down with him. She landed with a bit of a bounce next to him on the bed. But she welcomed it. She laid on her side next to him, a hand resting on his cheek. She gazed at him. His hair fell around his forehead and brow. And since he'd taken out the piercing from his brow, he claimed it was too much work to put in each morning, his brow had a slight pink mark from where the piercing had been. The storm that his eyes had been had calmed into a soothing silvery-grey. His jaw and chin were strong. His cheeks were covered in a bit of stubble, showing that he hadn't shaved that morning. Each of these little things made him . . . right.

"So, you really love me? Despite all the problems I include?" Scorpius asked teasingly.

Lily laughed softly. "I think I bring about more problems than you do, so I wouldn't even go there. And secondly, you may be overprotective and a 'primitive ass,' and you may have a tendency to be violent towards those that irritate you. But your pros outweigh the cons. Besides, I even love the cons about you."

Scorpius wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer. He buried his face into her hair. "I think that I fell in love with the right girl," he murmured. "Good work for my first try," he joked.

Lily sighed happily, her breath fanning across his neck. This was right. This was perfect. This was home. This . . . this was love.


	55. Blacking Out the Guilt

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here is my next update. Now is the time where I'll start to really delve into the parent issues that Lily feels. And we'll of course have a little sibling conflict, some guilt, a Quidditch match, and terrible injuries. Christmas break should be coming for the Hogwarts students within a few chapters, so be ready for the drama. Read, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Five: Blacking Out the Guilt

When November came, it was swift. Instead of dragging out the time until the match against Gryffindor and Slytherin, Lily found it swooping down on them faster and faster. Not that she minded. Lately she had other things on her mind.

Jace was still avoiding them. Well, not really _them_. He was avoiding Lola. Whenever Lily was away from Lola, he was happy to be around. But he was still tightlipped about what she had done to piss him off. And according to Lola, she didn't know and she didn't care. Lola was content to spend any time away from Lily with Hugo. In fact, Lily found that Hugo and Lola were almost inseparable. But then again, she and Scorpius had spent a lot of time together at the start of their relationship too.

Another thing was that Hugo was spending more and more time in the Slytherin common room. That wasn't what had Lily worried. It was that she got the feeling that he was being turned into an outcast by Albus and Rose. Hugo never mentioned it, but that was what had Lily thinking. Hugo rarely spoke about Rose or Albus when they were grilling _him_. And Lily was sure that they were behind him staying out his own common room.

Brunt and her group of hostile governors were also causing more trouble. Brunt had taken Williams's place, and was now sitting in on every Potion lesson that Lily taught. She shadowed Lily each time she moved to help someone. And thanks to a 'necessary' observation, the Hogsmeade visit that they planned for the last weekend of October. The only result was a bunch of pissed off students.

And she had yet to get a response back from Draco about the letter she'd sent to him. It almost made her nervous. And then . . . there was Scorpius.

Now that Lily and Scorpius had both admitted that they loved each other, Lily found mind coming to one subject. Sex. Now that she knew she loved Scorpius, sex was the only other "milestone" for them to hit. Lily always thought that when she loved a guy, she'd be ready . . . but that had been wrong. She still wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

* * *

"So, you found out what's up with Jace yet?" Scorpius asked as he and Lily sat on the couch in the common room. "It feels kinda weird without him around as much."

Lily shrugged. "No clue. Something to do with Lola though," she sighed as she glanced over at her best friend, who at that moment was sitting on the lap of her cousin, their lips connected.

"I'm sure it'll blow over soon," Scorpius assured her.

"Hopefully it ends by the match next week. Last thing we need is a downer at our victory party," Lily joked lightly.

"Is Hugo coming to that, by the way?" Scorpius asked he began to play with a strand of her hair.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. As he claimed 'anytime Rose or Albus get beaten is a time for a party.'" Then Lily smiled. "Besides, I don't think Lola would let him skip the party."

"I doubt he'd skip a party she'd be at anyways," Scorpius laughed.

"Ok, I have a question!" The couple turned their heads as Lana came to sit on a chair next to the couch. She looked at them seriously. "Is it wrong to take the virginity of a guy that you know you'll never love?"

Scorpius groaned. "I don't want to hear about my sister's sex life, Lana!" he complained.

Lily ignored him. "Is Justin wanting to?"

Lana sighed as she nodded. "Yeah, he does. And I was ok with it until I found out that he was a virgin, and until Rex joked about how Justin has been saving it for the one he was 'madly in love with.' So, would it be wrong of me?"

"Can I leave?" Scorpius asked.

"Well you have two options," Lily told Lana. "You could tell him that you don't think you two should, although if not handled correctly, it could lead to a breakup. Or you can have sex with him, assuming that he's ok either with the fact that you aren't in love with him, or on the basis that he wants to have sex with the girl he loves, even if she doesn't love him. Either way, you've gotta talk to him."

Lana leaned back against the chair. "I don't know. Maybe we should break up. I mean, I never thought Justin and I would last, and I'd hate to lead him on."

"Can you discuss this somewhere else?" Scorpius demanded.

Lily smacked his shoulder, and Lana rolled her eyes. "Oh, can it, Scor," Lana muttered.

"Excuse me for not being fascinated by my sister's sex life," Scorpius grumbled.

"I'm not fascinated by yours and Lars's, but you guys still talk about sex around me!" Lana retorted. "And I never really need to hear that Lars felt up Ashley Anderson, or that you've slipped your hand up Lily's skirt."

Lily raised an amused brow as she looked at her boyfriend, who was obviously avoiding her eyes. "Well, it's nice to know that I'm a subject around the common room when I'm not around."

"Not the common room, just the guys," Scorpius argued. Then he closed his eyes and tilted his head back. "Well, you're not a _subject_ either-,"

"It's ok, Scor," Lily laughed. "It's not like I don't talk about you with my friends."

Now Scorpius looked at her with interest. "You talk about me?"

"Well not to Lana. I don't want to subject her to listening about her brother's love life," Lily teased.

"Yet I'm forced to listen about hers," Scorpius muttered.

"I don't ask you to listen," Lana retorted.

* * *

On the day of the Quidditch match, Lily was slow to open her eyes. She felt too comfortable and too warm to even want to get up. But the pressing knowledge of the match forced her to at least open her eyes. The first thing that met her eyes was an expanse of bare and broad chest. Lily sighed and closed her eyes again, snuggling closer into the warmth that Scorpius provided.

"Babe?" Scorpius's groggy voice.

"Hmm?" Lily hummed in response.

"We gotta eat before the match," he whispered.

Lily groaned. "Why?" she mumbled.

She felt his chest vibrate against her as he chuckled. "Because I don't want either of us playing on an empty stomach," he replied. Then he began to shift under her, forcing Lily to open her eyes again and move. She laid on her back as Scorpius sat up. The blanket fell slightly, giving Lily an open view to his broad and muscled back. She brought a hand up to brush against the skin of his back, drawing small and unknown shapes. The muscles under her fingertips twitched once, but then relaxed under her touch. Scorpius turned his head to look at her with a smirk.

"You're not getting up are you?" he chuckled.

Lily smiled. "We have time. Besides, I think it'd be better if we waited a bit before getting up. I think I hear someone getting up, and I'm sure you don't want me rolling off your bed half naked," she teased.

Scorpius growled and twisted to hover over her, his arms holding his weight above her. His face nuzzled against her neck, his hair tickling her cheek. Lily giggled quietly, but it turned into a slight moan when Scorpius's lips closed around a bit of skin on her neck. Lily wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Hey, Scor?" Lars's muffled voice pervaded through the thick fabric of the curtain around the bed.

Scorpius pulled away from her. "What?" he yelled back, irritation in his voice.

"What time do you want us at the pitch this morning?" Lars asked.

"After we've all finished breakfast. Aren't you eating with us?" Scorpius asked.

"Yeah, but I gotta talk to Ashley afterward. I'll make it quick." Then there was a pause. "By the way, I'm the last one in the room, Lil. You can get up in a minute."

Lily rolled her eyes, but after a moment, she could hear the almost inaudible sound of a closing door.

Scorpius sighed as he moved away from her completely. "Come, babe. Let's eat and then kick some ass."

"It sounds fun, but it also sounds like work," Lily joked after a yawn.

"There are pros and cons to everything. Now, let's go," Scorpius urged. Then he playfully smacked her blanket-covered thigh.

"Ow," Lily yelped, although it hardly hurt. She glared lightly and weakly at her boyfriend as he pushed aside the curtains and rolled off the bed. But then, knowing there was no way she could avoid it, she too got up from the bed. She picked up the clothes from the day before, and when Scorpius had stepped into the bathroom, she slipped off his shirt, which had become her nightshirt, and slipped on her previous outfit. Then she stepped over to the bathroom door.

"Hey, baby, I'm going to go and change really quick. I'll meet you in the common room," she called to Scorpius.

"See ya then," he yelled back.

Lily left the room, and quickly made her way to the girls' stairs, and walked into her and the other fifth year girls' dorm. The other girls had gone, most likely to breakfast. Lily decided to forgo a shower, after all, she'd shower after the game anyways. So she quickly dressed into her uniform, although not bothering with the tie or robes. She picked up her broom, slipped on a pair of shoes, and made her way out of the room.

As he said, Scorpius was waiting for her at the stairs. He was dressed nicely in his uniform, his collar popped up. His hair was ruffled around his head, making an irresistibly cute mess. His own broom was in his hands.

"Ready?" he asked with a smirk.

Lily smiled at him. "To crush Potter? Totally."

* * *

Once the game had begun, Lily kept her eye on Potter. This was technically her last match against him, and she didn't trust him at all. It would be just like him to try and showoff, going out with a bang. And Lily would be damned if she fell for some trick of his.

"And Pritchard takes the shot, but Hugo Weasley catches the score attempt. The score is still twenty to twenty, an even match up and tie. Both teams have old and new members, making this a close match. And it's only the beginning," Elizabeth Peakes announced to the crowd. "Although it seems to me that the Slytherins have the advantage in the end. Not only do they have the fastest and more advanced brooms, but they have Lily Luna as a Seeker, who has become a Hogwarts Quidditch legend. Some even say that she outshines her father by having an undefeated streak throughout her school years so far. But will this be the end of that streak? Will Albus Potter be able to pull through and catch the Snitch first?"

Not likely, Lily thought. She was not about to let him beat her. He hadn't yet, and he wouldn't now.

"And Rose Weasley has the Quaffle. She swerves past Pritchard, and passes it over Higg's head. Lucy Weasley catches the Quaffle out of the air, but it's popped out of her grip by Malfoy. Higg's take it in his grasp and flies around Jordan, making his way to the goal posts."

Lily risked a glance at the action below her. She watched as Lance flew down the field, and took the shot at the left goal. But Hugo was quick and kicked the Quaffle away, and into Lucy's grasp. Lily turned away. Part of her was proud of her cousin's skill, but her competitive nature hated it. If they wanted to crush Gryffindor, they would have to take Hugo out, or at least injure him.

Potter flew by Lily, and then swerved to a stop, looking at Lily with narrowed eyes. Lily glared mildly at him, untrusting of his actions.

"You've turned our Keeper against us," he stated, his voice flat. Lily kept silent. "Your captain beat the hell out of one of our Beaters. How else do you plan to pick apart our team?" Albus demanded.

Lily scoffed. "We don't give a damn about taking your team apart. We know we can beat you with your team fully intact. We've done it before, dozens of times. Hugo turned against you because he started to see the horrible boy you are. Cody got his ass kicked because he pissed off my boyfriend on a completely different topic from Quidditch. Get over yourself, _Albus_, and stop assuming that everything we do is about you."

"I hope you understand what you've done to Hugo," Albus snapped. "You've not only made him an outcast in his own House, but you've also made him a disappointment to his parents. You've put him in the same pitiable position that you put yourself in."

Lily felt a pang in her stomach. Parents. It _was_ obvious that Ron hadn't been exactly . . . ecstatic with the small changes he'd seen in Hugo. And she was sure that he was going to hate what Hugo had done to his looks. Lily didn't care that she was no longer accepted by some of her cousins and Albus and James. After a small bit of time, she'd lost all care about that. But parents . . . they were the worst to disappoint. Guilt about that still hadn't left Lily.

But Lily kept from showing any emotion to his words. "I don't consider my position _pitiable_," she spat mildly. "I consider myself lucky. I'm free of the Potter shadow. Unlike you, I've become my own person."

Albus looked ready to retort, but before either of the two Seekers could blink, a Bludger screamed by, smashing into Albus's shoulder. The collision resulted in a sick crunch. Lily watched with wide eyes as Albus rocked on broom, his left arm lifeless. Backing away, Lily flew away, not wanting to be anywhere near the Bludger that had just rendered Albus partially disabled.

"And Albus Potter takes a nasty hit! His arm looks pretty bad. A good shot from Lars Goyle."

Lily climbed higher into the air, trying to create distance between her and Albus, while also trying to forget what he'd said. She wasn't ruining Hugo. She was letting him be whoever he wanted to be. If he had decided that her friends' way of living wasn't for him, she'd have respected that.

"And Albus Potter takes another hit! This time by Tanner Zabini. Looks like Slytherin wants Potter out of the game. But Potter seems to be ignoring the pain, and he's staying firm on his broom," Elizabeth Peakes commented.

Lily refrained from glancing down where the "action" was taking place. She kept her eyes looking for the Snitch. But that glint of gold was no where to be seen in the sky or air around her and the pitch.

"And a Bludger hits Hugo Weasley. That looked painful, but he's still on his broom and in the air. But Higgs takes the chance for the shot, and he makes it! Forty to twenty, Slytherin's lead!"

The game kept going, and it was obvious that it was coming down to not who could score the most, but who could knock out the most members. Miley Jordan didn't last long, and she was knocked from the air easily by a single Bludger. Lance had taken one to the side of the head, resulting in a quick black-eye. And when they had called a timeout to check on him, he claimed that he couldn't really hear from one of his ears. Tanner and Roxanne had "crossed bats" and had accidently hurt each other. Tanner had a few broken fingers, and Roxanne's hand turned red and swollen. Potter had taken the most hits, but to Lily's surprise, he was still on his broom. Rose had taken a nick to her shoulder, making her play with her left hand. Lucy had thrown the Quaffle at Bobby Pritchard, hitting him in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him. He only threw up once when he reached the ground.

"And Malfoy makes the shot! It's now a hundred and twenty to ninety, Slytherin still in the lead. This is a brutal and close match!" Elizabeth said in excitement.

Lily kept circling over the pitch, watching for the Snitch, and watching Albus with distrust.

"And Hugo Weasley throws the Quaffle to Lucy. Lucy tosses it to Rose. Rose tosses it back to Lucy, but her bad arm makes the toss shaky . . . and Malfoy picks it out of the air. He takes off, swerving past both Weasley girls, he gets closer to the goal . . . Oh! And Malfoy's hit by a Bludger! He drops the Quaffle, and it's grabbed by Pritchard. He takes the shot and makes it, but Malfoy looks bad!"

Lily stopped midair, and she quickly looked down to see Scorpius hunched over, curled in on himself. Instinct had her flying down in a dive toward him, her heart filled with worry. A whistle rang through the air.

"And Madam Hooch is calling a timeout as she heads over for Malfoy. It seems the rest of his team is as well."

Madam Hooch reached Scorpius first, she grabbed his shoulder and angled him down to the ground. By the time Lily reached them and the others on the team, they were on the ground. She jumped off her broom and rushed to her boyfriend.

"Are you ok?" Lily asked quickly.

Scorpius hissed as Madam Hooch touched his side. "I'm fine," he spat out through gritted teeth.

"I'm feeling at least three broken and cracked ribs," Madam Hooch countered. "You can't play with this. We need to get you the Hospital Wing."

"No!" Scorpius argued. He pulled away from her and took his broom from Lance. "I'm fine, let's play."

"Malfoy, I'm warning you, it's only going to get worse if you play with those ribs like that!" Madam Hooch warned.

"Don't care," Scorpius muttered.

Lily stopped him though, standing in front of him. "Are you sure about this?" she whispered.

Scorpius nodded. "I'll be fine. I'll make it through the game, I promise. I'll go to the Hospital Wing straight after."

Lily looked a bit skeptical, but then she nodded. "Ok. I'll go with you."

Scorpius smirked. "It's a date," he mocked dryly. But he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Let's finish this game."

So the Slytherins each mounted their brooms again, and took off in the air.

"And the game is back on, and Malfoy is still playing. What a resilient guy," Peakes commented.

Lily sighed as she climbed through the air. Part of her was still worried, but she knew that she couldn't stop him. After all, she would have stayed in the game as well. But she would be dammed if she made him play for too much longer. She'd find the Snitch quick.

But lucky wasn't on her side. After another twenty minutes of searching, she saw no sight of the Golden Snitch. She was beginning to fear that it had flown completely away from the pitch.

"And Pritchard passes the Quaffle off to Higgs! Higgs moves past Rose Weasley, and tosses it over Lucy Weasley's grasp. Malfoy catches the Quaffle, but he's flinching, most likely due to the injury he just received. But he's continuing down the pitch. He makes it to the goals. He takes the shot and . . . Hugo Weasley catches it! He quickly tosses it to his sister, but Higgs intercepts the pass! He throws the Quaffle and he makes it! Higgs is moving like lightening in this match, despite taking a hit from a Bludger."

Lily practically paced on her broom . . . until a twinkle near the crowd caught her eye. Like a flash Lily was gone, moving toward that sparkle, that was getting more golden as she came to it.

"And Lily Luna is zooming across the field! I think she's seen the Snitch! Potter is moving after her, but it looks like he's too far back to catch up!" Peakes announced.

Lily didn't bother looking back and see how far or close Potter was. She kept her eyes on what she could see was obviously the Snitch. She followed it as it flew higher up, then zigzagged down low. She reached out her hand, trying desperately to grab it. She lunged forward slightly, closing her hand around empty air. She steadied herself, and then did it again. This time she felt the fluttering wings of the Snitch under her clenched fingers, and she brought her hand up high.

"And Lily Luna has caught the Snitch! Slytherin wins with three hundred points!" Peakes cheered.

Lily smiled as her teammates and House began to cheer loudly, and she began to descend to the ground. But she didn't make it before she heard gasps, dismayed cries, and Scorpius's voice.

"Lil, move!"

Then there was pain. And then there was darkness.

* * *

"I think we'll need to contact a parent. It's been over a day," a voice spoke in a low tone.

"Well there was quite a bit of damage to fix. It takes time," another voice, a bit more stern and motherly, retorted.

"Still, I'm sure that Ginny and Harry need to know."

"Brutal and bloody sport. I can't believe it's legal."

"If she doesn't wake up today, then we'll have to contact her parents. If she does wake up, then we'll see if she still wants us to."

"I doubt she will. Lily's headstrong. Like her mother."

"And her grandmother," a new voice spoke with a small chuckle. "She reminds me more of her each day."

Silence, and then footsteps. More silence, and then another round of footsteps. Lily felt a little confused as the darkness around her no longer had voices. But then again, she'd been confused since she could begin to hear them. Who did the voices even belong too? They sounded familiar, really familiar, but her brain wasn't putting faces to them.

"I swear, if that Malfoy boy comes around again, I'm going to lock him in a separate room! That's three times in thirty minutes!" the woman's voice exclaimed.

But that name she spoke struck a cord with Lily's mind. Scorpius. He wasn't here? What had happened? She remembered that he'd gotten hurt during the game, and he promised to get his ribs fixed . . . but what about after that?

"And I expect he'll be around again in ten minutes. That boy has been worried sick," one of the men's voices commented.

"He's been preoccupied since it happened. He was even distracted during my class," a different woman spoke.

"Well because of him I've had to lock the door. Otherwise he'd be in here, and he'd never leave!"

"I don't doubt that," a rich voice laughed.

"So how bad was the damage to her?"

"You haven't heard, Katie? Students have been talking about it since it happened."

Suddenly a memory hit Lily. Katie . . . Katie Bell! Professor Bell! That was the voice of one of the women in the room. But who were the others.

"I even had to explain it to my morning class. They all demanded to know what was wrong, especially Miss Pritchard."

"I've only heard rumors," Professor Bell replied.

"Well, she was bleeding quite badly when they brought her in. Her skull was cracked near the back. Her jaw and nose were broken. My guess is that her jaw broke when the Bludger turned her head sharply, and her nose must have broken on the fall."

It hit Lily again. A Bludger! She had caught the Snitch . . . and then something had happened. Painful, but then that was all she could remember. But a Bludger? The game had ended, why would a Bludger hit her?

"She had multiple bruises and gashes over her body because of her fall and landing. Her wrist was shaken and sprained, a few broken fingers, and her shoulder had popped out of place. Normally they would be easy things to fix separately. But since I have to fix them at the same time, . . . it's a slower process," the other woman, who Lily was now thinking was Madam Pomfrey, explained.

"The poor girl," Professor Bell murmured.

"And I'm sure that Mr. Thomas received the proper punishment?" one of the men asked.

"I assure you he did. He has detentions until Christmas, and he won't be going to Hogsmeade until next term either," someone replied. Was that Professor Brown?

"What about Albus?" Professor Bell asked. "It's apparently common knowledge among the students that he had put Cody Thomas up to it."

"I talked to Albus. He claimed that he meant for Cody to try and take Lily out before the game ended. It had been an accident," Professor Brown replied.

"And when we both talked to Cody, he claimed much of the same, and that he hit the Bludger before Lily had caught the Snitch," another voice said.

Lily felt a red fury run through her. Albus. Why was she not surprised that he would try to attack her unawares? She was sure that it wasn't an accident, and she hadn't even heard what others were saying yet.

Tired of being confused on who was talking around her, Lily forced her eyes to open. Above her was a tiled white ceiling, and light flooded into her eyes, blinding her. She blinked rapidly for a few seconds before her eyes adjusted. She closed them for a quick reprieve before opening them again. She tried to move her arms. Her left one hurt terribly, and there was something thick wrapped around it. That was the bad wrist she'd heard about. So she used her other arm, which felt heavy and sore, and did her best to move it and prop herself up. It was a fail, but she gained some attention.

"Lily? Are you up?" Soon Madam Pomfrey's face was above hers, worry written in her expression.

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but her throat cracked and burned at the effort, and only a squeak came out.

Madam Pomfrey looked away. "Could two of you help to prop her up?"

Quick footsteps, and then Professor Slughorn and Professor Longbottom appeared at each side. Then hands carefully slid under her, and began to lift her back. It hurt. It hurt badly. But Lily kept her lips closed. Soon she was sitting, her back against the head of the bed, which must have had a hundred pillows to support her. Then she could see everyone in the room. All the beds seemed empty, and close by stood Professor Brown and Professor Bell.

"Drink this, Lily," Madam Pomfrey said, holding a glass of water to her lips.

Lily complied, and the water felt like a cool comfort to her throat. She sighed. Her throat still felt scratchy, but it was better.

"Lily?" Professor Brown came closer. "Lily, would you like us to contact your parents?"

Lily started to shake her head, but her jaw shot a pang of pain through her nerves. So she opened her mouth carefully to speak, but that hurt too. "Can you Floo Astoria and Draco?" she whispered roughly.

Everyone but Professors Slughorn and Brown looked surprised at her request. "Of course," Professor Brown assured. He looked over at Professor Bell. "Professor Bell, could you Floo Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy?"

She nodded. "Of course. I'll be quick." Then she headed for the door.

"How do you feel, Lily?" Professor Longbottom asked her.

"Sore," Lily spoke slowly, her jaw hurting with every move it made. Her head pounded harshly, her left arm was heavy, her shoulder felt off, and there was a painful pressure on her nose.

"That's to be expected. Because of the extent of your injuries, they'll be slow to heal," Madam Pomfrey told her. "But your cuts, scrapes, and bruises are beginning to disappear."

Lily carefully licked her lips. "Where's Scorpius?" she whispered.

There was a round of chuckles. "Mr. Malfoy has been attempting to check on you ever ten minutes," Professor Brown told her.

"You have a very insistent boyfriend, Lily," Madam Pomfrey grumbled.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon. When he comes by, we'll let him in," Professor Slughorn told her.

Lily let her eyelids fall slightly. She wasn't really _tired_, just kind of exhausted. But after all that had apparently happened to her, she thought that she was allowed to feel however the hell she wanted. She glanced down at her body. The blanket now only covered her legs. She had been dressed in a large, light blue shirt. It hung around her loosely. The sleeves went to her elbows, and on her left arm, she could see thick bandages that went from her fingers to past the sleeve. Her other arm had a few light and fading splotches of yellow and grey. The disappearing bruises. If her arms looked like this, she could only imagine what her face looked like.

"Do you have a mirror?" she asked hoarsely.

Professor Longbottom picked up a handheld mirror from the bedside table, and he held it up for her. Lily looked at herself, and she tried not to flinch. There were dark circles under her eyes, probably because of her nose, which was a little oddly shaped, and still a deep bluish-grey color. Her jaw and right cheek were dark bruises, but they looked to be fading quicker than the bruise on her nose.

"Wow," she mumbled.

"You took quite a spill," Professor Longbottom told her.

"You got a Bludger to the back of your head. And your landing was from pretty high up, and it was awkward when you landed," Professor Slughorn continued.

Lily sighed. She'd already assumed so after listening to them. Professor Brown came to sit on the edge of her bed. "You've become a popular topic around the school. A couple of the governors have been wanting to speak with you, and you've received quite a few gifts from friends, fans, and admirers." Normally, Lily would have turned her head to look, but she didn't want to risk the pain. "Quite a few people are outraged at what happened."

"As are the staff. That hit was uncalled for," Professor Longbottom said with a scowl.

"Rightful punishments have been administered. Mr. Thomas is in trouble," Professor Slughorn assured.

"I don't blame him," Lily whispered with a rasp. "I'm sure it wasn't his idea."

But none of the adults said anything about her words.

But after a few quiet minutes, they didn't have to worry about talking, because the door was pushed open a bit roughly, catching everyone's attention. Lily was a bit relieved to see Astoria and Draco rushing into the room, Professor Bell closing the door behind them.

"Oh, Lily, sweetheart!" Astoria cried when they stopped by the bed. The professors each moved, giving them room to move closer to Lily. "Are you ok?" Astoria questioned.

"I'm ok," Lily whispered.

Draco came to her other side. With gentle movements, he pushed hair from her face. "It looks bad, Lily," he murmured.

"It is bad, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Brown admitted.

Astoria looked upset over that, and moved closer to fuss over Lily. Draco moved to stand with the teachers. "And the boy who did this was punished, yes?" he demanded.

"Rest assured, we took care of it," Professor Brown told him.

"I want to know exactly what's being done later," Draco told him. But then he moved back to Lily.

Astoria was putting a glass of water to Lily's lips, so she took a drink. Again, the refreshing water was cool on her throat. "I'll be ok, really," she tried to assure them.

"I know you will," Draco said softly. "Professor Bell told us what the damage was."

"Do you feel ok? Do you need something?" Astoria asked.

"No, I'm fine," Lily told them. "I just knew that they wanted to contact an adult for me, so I told them to contact you. I knew you'd want to know, and I wanted you here."

"We'll stay until you can get out of this bed," Astoria said with a sad smile.

Draco chuckled. "We'll stay as long as you want us too," he corrected.

Lily smiled, ignoring the pain in her jaw. "Thank you." She looked at Madam Pomfrey. "How long until I can get up?"

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Well, with how many bruises you have, and with how bad they are, they might take time to heal. And your bones won't heal properly until the bruises leave. But I did fix your skull, which was the first thing I did. Your jaw only had a small break, so it should heal first and quickly. So, personally, I'd like to keep you here until they're all fixed. But once some of the bruises on your legs fade, and they aren't so sore, you can probably get up and go to classes," she told her.

"How long will that be?" Lily asked quietly.

"Well perhaps some time tomorrow, or the morning after at the latest. But, if you decide to get up, we'll have to take serious precautions so that nothing happens that can make your nose or arm worse. Probably a small face guard, and thicker bandages on your arm," Pomfrey listed.

Lily sighed and closed her eyes. "Perfect," she whispered.

She felt a hand on her hair, and she smelled Astoria's floral perfume. "Why don't you just rest, sweetheart? The more you rest the faster you'll heal," Astoria murmured.

"We'll be here when you wake up," Draco assured. She felt his hand on her good one, his touch light, like he was trying not to hurt her. "You _should_ sleep."

Lily couldn't argue. Her body had listened, and she had fallen asleep.

* * *

When Lily woke up again, she felt better. Her limbs felt less sore, although there was still pain where bones had been cracked, broken, or popped out of place. But when she opened her eyes, she was happy to see some of the others standing and waiting around. And Draco and Astoria really had stayed.

"Lily!" Lola squealed when she noticed that her eyes were open.

Everyone looked toward Lily, and began to move toward her. Scorpius moved to stand next to the head of the bed. A scowl was on his face, but she recognized the worry in his eyes. Instantly, she felt his hand in her hair, gently moving his fingers through it.

"Hey, beautiful," he whispered. "How do you feel?"

Lily licked her lips, which felt really dry. "Fine," she whispered back.

"Don't worry, cuz. I punched Cody in the nose for this," Hugo assured.

Lily smiled, biting back the pain in her jaw at the action. She was happy to see that even Jace was there, although he was far away from Lola. "Really, I'm fine," she tried to assure. She looked at Draco and Astoria. "How long have I been sleeping?"

Draco looked at his watch. "Oh, a few hours. Not too long. But these kids wanted in, and I thought you'd like to see them," he told her.

"You were right," Lily replied.

"Mind if I have a Chocolate Frog, Lil?" Tanner asked as he looked over the gifts and candies she'd been given.

"Go ahead," she mumbled quietly. Tanner heard her though, and pulled two out from the large pile.

"Good thing you're up. Scor was going crazy," Lars joked.

"Sod off," Scorpius muttered, although there was no embarrassment on his face. His eyes were still locked on Lily, and her eyes were frequently on him. "We were updated on the extent of the damage. I'm going to kill Potter and Thomas," he hissed.

"Leave Cody alone. I doubt it was his fault or idea," Lily murmured. "Besides, I'll get better."

"We heard you might have to wear a face guard though," Lola said with sympathy. "That sounds horrid."

"I'll deal with it," Lily said with a suppressed laugh in her cracked throat.

"Brunt tried to come in to see you," Scorpius whispered.

Lily looked at him sharply. "For what?" she demanded.

"Wanted to wish you well on behalf of the governors. And I think she wanted to talk more with you," Scorpius told her.

"Probably to leak another story out to Rita Skeeter," Hugo spat. Then he sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, his finger intertwined with Lola's. "So, do Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry know what happened?"

"Probably not. Professor Brown didn't say that he wrote to them, and I didn't ask him to," Lily replied.

"Do you want one of us to?" Lola asked curiously.

"No, don't bother. I'm sure that Uncle Neville will eventually write to them. I just want it to be quiet for as long as I can keep it that way," Lily whispered.

"We can leave and let you sleep," Lana offered.

"No," Lily said quickly, rubbing her thumb along the hand that Scorpius had placed over hers. "Stay. I don't think I'll sleep again for a while, and being alone would be boring."

"I didn't plan on leaving anyways," Scorpius retorted.

Again, ignoring the pain, Lily smiled.

* * *

The next morning, Lily found herself alone with Draco and Astoria, which didn't at all bother her. She like the company while her friends all had classes. Astoria fussed over her, making sure she ate and got plenty to drink. She was careful to check over her bruises, which were taking forever to really fade. But Lily was happy to tell them that her legs were feeling a little less sore every hour, showing that she would be able to get up and move maybe that night. But unfortunately, she was also right about something else.

Neville had written her parents.

It was probably mid-afternoon, and Lily had taken to moving her legs as she sat on the bed, hoping the soreness would soon soothe and disappear. Draco was eating a licorice wand that someone had given Lily, and Astoria was checking the bandages on Lily's arm.

"I forgot how peaceful the Hospital Wing was compared to every other room in Hogwarts," Draco mentioned with a chuckle.

"Are you hungry, Lily?" Astoria asked curiously as she secured the last bandage around Lily's shoulder.

"No, I'm ok. Thank you, though," Lily replied.

That was when the doors burst open, and Lily was shocked and a bit dismayed to see her mother and father hurrying in, Professor Longbottom behind them.

"Lily, sweetheart, are you ok?" Ginny cried as she came closer to her daughter. Astoria and Draco quickly moved away from the bed, giving Lily's parents room to stand by her.

Lily felt a quick run of betrayal as she glanced at Professor Longbottom. He wrote her parents, and he had known she didn't want them to know. Part of her had known that he would write to them, being loyal to old friends and all, but another part of her mind still resented him a little for doing it.

"I'm fine, Mum," Lily mumbled.

"The bruises on your face say differently," Harry argued gently.

"Do you need anything, honey?" Ginny fussed.

Lily sighed. "Why don't you go deal with your son, who issued the attack on me?" she demanded quietly, yet loudly enough that they could hear her.

"We were told about that, and also how Albus meant for Cody to try and knock you down during the game. Now, we're not thrilled that he wanted his sister knocked out, but we do understand that it's how the game goes," Harry replied.

Lily scoffed, fully ignoring any pain she felt. "And you believed that crap? I didn't believe it when Professor Brown told me that, and I don't believe it now. And I'd bet that Professor Brown doesn't believe it. He was angry that I beat him again, and he attacked me for it. But just like James, he did it without getting his hands dirty," she hissed.

"Lily-,"

"No!" Lily cut her father off. "This was why I didn't want anyone to write to you guys! I knew that you weren't going to see things how they really were. Albus was a saint, and Cody just misunderstood him. I was just a victim to an accident. I knew you'd see it like that! Because heaven forbid the _Saint Potter_ boys ever do anything wrong!" she exclaimed, biting back a flinch at the pain in her jaw and nose.

Both of her parents looked away from her, and Lily saw unshed tears in her mother's eyes. Despite her best efforts to push it all away, an angry guilt tore apart her heart and chest. She looked away as well, and caught sight of a corked and familiar potion sitting on the bedside table.

"Draco, can you hand me that potion?" she asked quietly.

Draco stepped forward to pick it up, but he hesitated before giving it to her. "Lily, are you sure that you want to drink that?"

Lily nodded. "The more I rest, the quicker I heal," she said mockingly. Draco uncorked the potion, and she took it with her good hand. With a quick flick of her wrist, she had swallowed a mouthful of the cool liquid. And immediately, her mind felt heavy. So she closed her eyes, laid back, and let sleep drift her away. And before succumbing to sleep, she only hoped that her parents would be gone . . . along with her guilt.


	56. Glad You're Well, Lily Luna

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note- Well, here is the last chapter before they all go back for Christmas break, so sorry if seems so full of tiny pieces. Just tying up loose ends and getting ready for future trouble. Be prepared for a bit of family drama over Christmas. Well, more like major family drama. Now, some people think that I've made it so all Gryffindors are bad and all Slytherins are good. That's not completely true. Lily has even admitted to not being perfect. And it's also more of a point of view thing. Once I, if I do, write about some of the others in the family, the Gryffindors, they aren't about to see themselves in bad lights. It's all about perspective, and how you look at it.**

**Other Small Note - Also, someone asked me for a couple of pictures of characters (Lola, Jace, Lana, Mitch, Paige, and Professor Brown). Those pictures are up, along with a few others. Remember, if you're ever curious about how someone might look, just ask me. Anyways, read and review.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Six: Glad You're Well, Lily Luna

Lily was felt grateful and immensely guilty the next morning, when she saw that both of her parents had left. Professor Longbottom had told her that they said the family would all talk once Christmas came. Lily dreaded the thought. But Draco and Astoria stayed. And she found that she had company while Madam Pomfrey got things ready so that Lily could be up and walking within the hour.

"Ok, Lily," Madam Pomfrey said as she brought things over to the bed, the bedside table was full of gifts still. "We're going to add some more padding and bandages to your arm and shoulder. Most of the bruises and cuts are gone now, and if not are fading. I was able to fix your jaw, although it will probably be sore for another day or so. Your nose, fingers, wrist, and shoulder will take a bit more time though, as everything begins to fix itself. I've got a plastic guard for you to fit around your face. It'll be easy to see, but will protect your nose."

Lily picked up the plastic thing with her good hand. "It just looks hideous," Lily mentioned dryly. It had padding where it would touch her forehead and nose, and openings for her to see out of, so her view wasn't obstructed by the plastic.

"You shouldn't have to wear it long. And it's what you get for playing such a dangerous and brutal sport," Madam Pomfrey retorted as she finished up the thick bandages on Lily's arm, hand, and shoulder. Then she took the face guard from Lily's hands, and delicately placed the plastic against her face. "Hold this there, please?" she asked.

Lily did as she said, and with her good hand, held the mask in place. Meanwhile, Madam Pomfrey began to hook the straps together behind her head, keeping it fixed onto her face. Lily put her hand down, and the mask stayed firm in place. Lily grimaced. She hadn't seen herself, but she already hated how it felt on her. Bulky, ugly, and it made her feel like she was disfigured.

"Why am I wearing this again?" Lily asked as Madam Pomfrey moved away.

"To keep from your nose or jaw getting hurt worse while they heal. If you want to get up and walk about, then this is the precaution you have to take. Or, you can stay here until you heal, and you won't have to wear it," Madam Pomfrey told her.

Lily sighed. "No, I'll wear it. Can I get up?"

Madam Pomfrey was the one to sigh next. "Yes. Let me pull the curtain around, so you have some privacy to change. Miss Pritchard brought you your uniform," she told Lily. Draco and Astoria stepped back, and Madam Pomfrey pulled a curtain around Lily's bed. A light blue hue was cast around the bed. With a deep breath, and the help of her good arm, Lily moved her legs off the bed. It took a bit of effort, they felt so heavy, but only a little sore. Nothing to worry about. She grabbed the clothes that Pomfrey had placed at the end of her bed, and she carefully began to change. It was difficult. It took her longer than normal since she only had one hand at her disposal, and she threw away the jumper. It was too difficult to get over the face guard. She stuck with buttoning up the white blouse, and calling it good.

She pulled the curtain back, and looked at Astoria. "Could you get my tie for me? I can't do it with one hand," Lily asked.

Astoria smiled as she stepped closer and picked the tie up off of the bed. "Of course, sweetie," she assured. She began to put the tie around her neck.

Draco stepped closer as well. "How does it feel to be on your feet?" he asked.

Lily shrugged with her one good shoulder. "It's not too bad. A little work, but nothing I can't handle."

"That's good to hear. Astoria and I will probably be heading back home, now that you're able to move around," Draco told her.

"Unless you need us to stay," Astoria argued as she finished up the tie.

Lily smiled, and was happy to feel that her jaw was only a little sore now that Pomfrey had fixed it. "No, it's ok. I'll be fine. And it's not long before Christmas," she assured.

"If you're sure," Astoria said hesitantly. Then she sighed. "Well, I'm going to talk to Madam Pomfrey quickly. I'll be right back." She left the two, and disappeared through a door on the far side of the room.

Lily looked over at Draco. She hesitated before speaking, but then went for it. "You never answered my letter," she stated, trying not to sound like she was accusing him.

Draco smirked, and Lily almost smiled at the similarities between him and Scorpius. "Actually I did . . . the day we were contacted about your incident. I'd planned to send it out the next morning," he replied. Then he reached for his cloak, which had been set on a chair, and pulled out a letter from a secret pocket. He held it out to her. Lily took it, and saw her name written in his elegant script. "I think you should read it once we've gone. And I apologize for the delay, but I was careful about how to write it," he told her.

Lily nodded as she looked at the envelope. Then she held it back out to him. "Can you put in my bag over there?" she asked.

Draco took the letter, and moved to put it in the bag that Lola had brought. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

Lily looked over at the mountain of gifts sitting next to her bed. "Did my parents say anything to you before they left?" she whispered.

But Draco heard her. "They did. Your father questioned why we were here. I was honest with him, told him that you requested us."

"How did they respond?" Lily asked.

"Your mother just began to fuss over your sleeping form again, and your father seemed unsure of what to say," Draco answered. "Then I was asked if there was anything that he should know about."

Lily finally glanced back over at him. "What did you say to that?"

Draco didn't shy away. "I told him that if there was something you wanted him to know, you'd tell him. Then he just paced for a few minutes, ran his hands over his face and through his hair, and then excused himself and your mother, leaving only the message Longbottom told you about earlier," he explained.

Lily bit her lip. "I hate this," she whispered.

Draco sighed and stepped closer to her. He carefully placed a hand on her good shoulder. "Look, I'm going to tell you something I didn't say in my letter, but was implied. It's not easy to hear, but it's true. Life is hard. It's full of things you love and things you hate. Things you can change, and things you can't. And to each of these things, you will have feelings, good and bad. All you can do is go with what you believe to be right for you." He pulled a deep breath, and Lily saw a heavy sadness in his eyes. "And you must go with it, even if it hurts you or those you love. I know it sounds harsh, but sometimes even the right thing has consequences. But you must stick with it. Otherwise, it'll be an even bigger mistake, and you'll only hurt more later."

Lily began to feel even more heavy at the thought of his words. But she could see the obvious truth in them. He was right, and hopefully, his letter would help even more.

"Are you ready to go, Lily?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she and Astoria walked back into the room.

Lily nodded as Draco dropped his hand. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"Well, second class has just begun. You go from there. Be careful, and at the first sign of trouble, you come back here," Pomfrey told her. "Now, I'll have all your gifts sent to your room."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Lily said with a bit of a smile.

"It's no problem, Lily. Now, you go ahead and go," she told her.

"We'll walk you out," Draco told her as he picked up her bag.

Astoria carefully wrapped an arm around Lily, and the two adults led her from the room. Draco closed the door behind them, and they stopped walking.

Astoria looked at Lily with worry. "Are you sure you'll be ok?"

"I'll be fine," Lily assured.

Draco held out her bag, and Lily carefully took it, placing the strap over her good shoulder. "Take care, Lily. We'll see you at Christmas."

Lily nodded. "Of course. I can't wait until then."

Astoria hugged her gently, taking care not to jostle her, or hurt her. Then Draco did the same. "Have a good day, Lily," he told her.

Astoria smiled. "Take care, sweetheart. Go off to class now," she urged.

Lily smiled too, but nodded and began to walk down the hallway, making her way to the dungeons. She was sure she could make it to potions in time.

* * *

Lily knocked on the classroom door once before opening it. Immediately the classroom chatter filled her ears. But it died away quickly once she stepped in. She ignored it all as she walked toward the front of the classroom. But she knew they were staring. The bruises on her jaw and nose, the obvious face guard, and the thick wrapping around her arm. She got to the desk and placed her bag on it.

"Keep working, class," Slughorn demanded as he rushed to Lily's side. "Lily, you're up?" he asked quietly.

Lily nodded as she looked at him. "Yep. I'm cleared. I just have to be careful and take it easy," she reported.

Slughorn looked hesitant as he caught her up to what he'd taught them for the day. Lily listened carefully. She refused to fall behind just because of her injuries.

"Are you going to be ok helping them?" Slughorn asked quietly.

Lily nodded slowly. "I'm fine, Horace. Really." A hand shot up, and Lily was quick to move toward it. Stacy Finnigan. Lily did her best to smile at Stacy when she stopped by her cauldron. Luckily, she was sitting with Hannah Belle and Connie Wood. Not Wilde or MacLaggen. "What is it, Stacy?" she asked.

Stacy only smiled. "I'm glad to see that you're ok, Lily," she said softly. "We were kind of worried."

"And we're sorry that you're stuck with the mask and bandages," Connie apologized with sympathy.

"We're glad that you're going to teach us again," Hannah added.

Lily felt a modest blush settle over her cheeks. She hoped the plastic mask hid it from sight. "Oh. Well, thanks. I'm really ok," she assured. Then she cleared her throat. "Just, let me know if you need help." She moved to walk toward the desk again. That had been a bit odd. Even though she had known Stacy and Connie since they were young, and even though Hannah was a known fan of her modeling work, Lily hadn't expected words like that from the three of them. Even if they were the more tolerable Gryffindor girls of their year.

"Glad to see ya up, Lil!" Hunter said as she walked past him.

Lily smiled. "Thank, Hunter." When she reached the front desk, she looked over the students. Cody Thomas was sitting in a corner with Logan Murdock and Adam Dumas, his eyes downcast. Lily looked away from him. Confronting or talking to him wouldn't help her. She knew it would only make it worse.

* * *

When Potions had ended, Lily hurried to the common room, ignoring the voices of her friends as she moved past them in the hallways and corridors. She couldn't wait anymore. Draco's letter was practically burning a hole through her curiosity, and she had to know what he'd said. She sat on her bed, the curtains closed. She opened the letter, and by lighting her wand for a little extra light, Lily began to read.

"_Dear Lily,_

_Scorpius was right. I do understand the feeling of obligation to one's parents. Most of the events of my young life were all based on my parents' ideals, or were done to earn their love and approval. But the thing is Lily, you don't need to earn a parent's love. You get it unconditionally. So no matter how you feel, they will love you. And only you can decide what you want. And no one can control how one feels. All you can do is try to discover why it is you feel that way. And if you want to fix the problem you seem to have between you and your parents, then you have to discuss the problems you found with them. You have to do it together, but it takes one person to take the first step toward recovery. You are not a bad daughter. You are a beautiful, bright, and sweet girl that bad things have happened to. Those bad things may not be the same things had happened to your parents and our generation, and we're all happy about that. But the things you have gone through are still bad. And I commend you for taking what you've been given, and moving on._

_If I've learned anything, feeling complete obligation to your parents can lead to personal trouble. You are more obligated to yourself than to anyone. You need to do what you know is right for you. Don't let guilt for your feelings cloud and ruin something that you love or enjoy._

_Talk to your parents, Lily. They love you, no matter what. It's the burden of being a parent. We always love our children. If you talk to your parents, they'll listen. And if you work with them, you can come to a conclusion that will make you happy. You just have to talk to them._

_Sincerely,_

_Draco Malfoy._

_P.S. Astoria is demanding that you come over during Christmas break, and not just for modeling. Don't make her look for you, she's quite a whirlwind."_

Lily bit her lip as she read the letter twice, and then again. The words floated before her eyes and in her mind. Talk to them? Hadn't she tried to talk to them before? Yes. With modeling and her new style. And they had worked it out. But when Lily had tried to talk out her relationship with Scorpius, her father had thrown a fit. And could she openly admit that she feels like she is more like Draco and Astoria's daughter than theirs, _without_ hurting their feelings?

Weren't they wanting to talk during Christmas break? Yes, but about the problems between her and James and Albus. And Lily could already see the coming disaster that talk would cause. But could she talk to them then? No. James and Albus would make it worse, blow it out of proportions. She would have to wait until after that talk.

"Lily?" Before Lily could react, the curtains around her bed were pulled open to reveal Lola, a worried look on her face. "Are you ok? Are you hurting?"

Lily smiled. "No, I'm fine. I was just reading Draco's response to my letter."

Lola smiled a little. "Ok. I'm glad that you're up. Although, I was right, that mask is kind of hideous."

Lily laughed, ignoring the slight strain she felt on her jaw. "I know. Hopefully, I won't be wearing it long."

* * *

Lily was starving by the time lunch came around. She was walking with the others, minus Lola, who had gone to find Hugo, which meant that Jace had joined the group. And since they'd had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, Xavier had dragged Manny with him.

"I still can't believe that you and J.R. broke up," Shannon said to Izzy.

Izzy shrugged. "It just wasn't working for us," she replied.

Her friends had taken to ignoring the mask on Lily's face, and the wrappings on her arm. But most of the other students around them hadn't.

"Professor Longbottom seemed happy to see you back in class," Manny mentioned to Lily. "Probably because you're the only one that ever answers questions in his class."

Lily laughed with her. "Must have been quiet without me."

"No, Jace and Lola had a fight yesterday," Xavier told her.

Lily rolled her eyes. "They never will grow up, huh?"

"Probably not," Hunter muttered.

"Watch where you're walking, Potter!" Megan suddenly exclaimed.

It was suddenly quiet and tense through the group. Lily looked forward to see that Megan really had run into Albus, who was looking straight at Lily, an unknown expression on his face. He seemed to be ignoring Megan's glare.

"What the hell do you want?" Jace sneered.

"Yeah, why don't you go cause someone else trouble," Manny muttered.

He ignored them too, and kept staring at Lily. Lily stared back at him, not backing down. His eyes were running over her face. Well, running over her _mask_. Then she noticed his eyes trail down to her bad arm, and then back up. Lily just stared at his eyes, not wanting to seem timid or shaken.

"You're up," he finally spoke.

"No thanks to you. Now beat it, Potter!" Monty hissed.

Lily just narrowed her eyes. "Yeah? What of it?"

"Albus, what are you . . ." Rose stopped as she came to their group, and now tension really appeared. "Oh Merlin, Lily, are you ok?"

"If it isn't Virgin Weasley," Lily said dryly. Rose's eyes narrowed and glared as well. "And I'm fine, although our Head Boy here wishes different. After all, it was his attack on me that caused it."

"It was a misunderstanding," Albus argued.

Lily glared now, and she moved so that she was standing in front of him. Thanks to his short stature, she was almost his height. "You know, I don't care if you bullshit the staff and our parents, but don't give me that crap. I don't believe it. You wanted him to attack me like this. You just didn't know _this_ would happen, and now you've got to backpedal faster than you can walk. Eventually, you know, you're going to trip," she mocked.

"Don't blame him for an accident!" Rose argued.

"This doesn't concern you!" Lily retorted. "You didn't maliciously attack me, nor did you demand it. _He_ did." Lily glared at him. "And I just don't want to be lied to my face."

Albus's jaw twitched, but he didn't scare her. He was just like James. Only Albus was worse than James. Couldn't handle things himself _at all_. James at least had a little courage about these kinds of things.

"Back the fuck away from my girlfriend," Scorpius's low voice growled. He came up from behind them, and Lily felt herself relax at his presence. His arm wrapped around her, his hand resting on her good shoulder. "Come on, you guys. Before Potter issues another attack," he spat.

The group walked away, but Lily could feel Albus's eyes still on her.

"What a prick!" Megan hissed.

"I wish the school paper had ripped him apart harder," Christian grumbled.

Lily looked over at him. "Roxanne's paper wrote something about all of this?"

Christian nodded. "Yeah. It just came out this morning." As they entered the Great Hall, Christian grabbed one of the papers from the small stand near the doors. He handed it to her. "Take a look."

When they had all sat down, Lily unfolded the paper. On the front page in a large font was "POTTER HANDICAPS STAR SEEKER IN FOUL ATTACK." And below the print was a picture that almost took Lily's breath away. It was of her slowly descending, hand raised proudly with the Snitch. And almost slowly, she watched the Bludger swing into the frame. It brutally smashed into the back of her picture's head, making her want to hold her own head in sympathy.

"_In the match of Gryffindor versus Slytherin, Slytherin picked up the victory in what had been a brutal game (read more on Vaisey's Quidditch Column). As Lily Luna was descending to the ground, Cody Thomas, apparently on Albus Potter's orders, hit a Bludger, smashing into the back of Luna's head. She fell more than twenty feet from the air, and landed on the ground with a sick crack. Blood coated the grass within the seconds it took for help to get to her. According to sources, she was diagnosed with: various bruises and cuts, broken fingers, sprained wrist, a dislocated shoulder, broken jaw and nose, and a cracked skull. But it has been said that she will be fine and will make a long but full recovery._

_Rumors have been spreading about whether or not the attack was an accident or on purpose. It has been said that Albus Potter had told Cody to take her out of the game. Cody admitted to misunderstanding him, and when he hit the Bludger, it had been before she caught the Snitch. But an anonymous source claims differently._

"_Thomas hit the Bludger long after Lily caught the Snitch. I saw it from the Hufflepuff stands. And we all know about the fights between Potter and Lily. It was no accident."_

_Whether or not it was an accident, students are outraged. We all wait for Lily Luna's return with hope that she'll be ok."_

"Taryn Towler wrote that one," Christian told her once she'd put the paper down. "I thought she did a great job. She stayed objective, but yet concerned."

"That source was right," Scorpius mumbled. "An accident my ass."

"Hey, Lil! Thank Merlin you're back!"

Lily smiled as Hugo and Lola moved to sit across from her. Hugo was dressed in uniform, but he wore his beanie. It was a habit of his now. He would carry his hat in his bag, and every change he got, he put it on.

"Hey, Huey. How's it been?" she asked.

"Boring. But it's school, so what do ya expect?" he joked. Then he seemed to take an even better look at her. "You look hot in that mask, cuz," he teased.

Lola elbowed him. "Hugo, be nice!"

But Lily laughed. "I agree. I'm thinking of making a permanent accessory," she joked.

"You should," he said with a laugh.

"Guys!" everyone looked quickly to see Tanner running toward them. He moved to stand between Shannon and Megan's chairs. "Have you heard what the governors are considering?"

Lily tensed a little. "What are you talking about?" Scorpius asked.

"They're considering banning Quidditch games!" Tanner exclaimed.

"What!" Lily and the boys at the table exclaimed.

"They can't do that!" Scorpius argued.

"Since Lily got hurt so bad, they're talking about it!" Tanner explained as he moved to sit down in a nearby seat.

"They're going to ignore the fact that it had nothing to do with the game?" Lily questioned.

Tanner shrugged. "I guess. What are we going to do?"

"Like hell they're banning it!" Scorpius retorted. "It's not happening."

"Over my dead body is that happening!" Christian agreed.

Lily just ran a hand through her hair. "Fuck my life," she mumbled.

* * *

Later that night, Lily sat alone at a table in the library. She was copying her friends' notes from the lessons she'd missed, and she really needed to be alone. So much had happened. Quidditch close to being banned, guilt with her parents, Albus's attacking her, and her body still feeling a little sore. She really just needed the solitude.

Lily hissed as one of her broken fingers cracked and itched. That was the signal that it was beginning to heal. It had already happened to her pinky before dinner. It had been a shock to her, so she'd gone to talk to Madam Pomfrey. She had just smiled and told her not to worry. It would be a bit painful and uncomfortable, but it would pass.

"Lily, I need to talk to you."

Lily turned her head, and tried not to growl when she saw Rose standing behind her. She turned back to her notes. "What do you want, Virgin Weasley?" she hissed.

"_Muffilito_." Rose moved so that she was sitting across from Lily. "First of all, I want you to _stop_ calling me that! I am Head Girl after all."

"I'll let you know when I care," Lily muttered, focusing on copying her notes.

"Look, Lily, we need to talk about Hugo," Rose stated.

Lily froze for a moment, but then set down her quill, and finally looked at Rose again. "What about Hugo?" she asked.

"I don't like the changes he's been going through. His hair, his clothes, his appearance in total, and mostly his attitude!" Rose said with a firm expression.

"There are a lot of things _I_ don't like. But there's nothing I can do about it. You should learn that sometime. The world isn't sunshine and daisies," Lily mocked.

"I want my brother back the way he was. The right way!" Rose argued.

"You mean the wimpy robot with no personality or opinion?" Lily inquired mockingly. "I'm wrong for letting him be who he wants to be? I'm wrong for letting him make his own choices?"

"These aren't choices! They're mistakes!" Rose snapped.

"Then they're his mistakes to make!" Lily snapped back. "You can't control him, _Rosie_! Let him have a life of his own! Why does he need to live somebody else's?"

"I don't want him making the same mistakes you did!" Rose exclaimed.

"You don't want him to live life," Lily argued. She leaned closer to her. "Look, _Rose_, in all seriousness; I'm not going to tell Hugo what to do. I'm letting him make his own choices. If he wants to go back to the way he was, all the power to him. But if he likes the way he is now, I won't argue. And if he wants go off and become a Muggle accountant like grandmum's distant relative, then I'll accept it. And no matter what, I'll do my best to stay by him. I failed once, I won't again."

Rose glared at her, but didn't speak. Lily ignored her again, and went back to looking over and copying her notes. She finally heard Rose speak again. "Well you better be there before he does something that kills him!" she whispered angrily.

Lily glanced up at her with a raised brow. "I will be. Unlike _others_, I wouldn't make him feel like an outcast in his own House," she muttered. She looked away from Rose again. "And if you want a new nickname, why don't you go find Lorcan and act like a _girlfriend_, Virgin Weasley."

Rose's chair scraped the floor harshly as she stood and stormed away from the table. Lily didn't bother watching her go. "Be quiet in the library, Head Girl," she mocked.

Rose didn't respond.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to sleep in here tonight?" Scorpius asked hesitantly as Lily came out from his bathroom in short shorts and one of his shirts. Her arm was freshly wrapped, and she had checked her body over, and saw that only the bruises around her nose and eyes were still visible.

"I'm sure," Lily said with a giggle. "I've missed sleeping next to you," she admitted as she climbed onto his bed.

"But, what if I roll over and hit your arm or nose on accident?" Scorpius said with worry.

Lily laughed again. "You never have before, and you won't now." She turned her back to him. "Will you unlatch the straps to the mask?" she requested.

"Wait, you're taking it off? Isn't that dangerous?" Scorpius exclaimed mildly.

Lily looked back at him. "It will be fine. I'll sleep on my back tonight, or on my good side. It will be ok, Scorpius, I promise. Now, please, undo the straps?"

She felt his hands on the straps, and then there was a small rustling, and she felt the mask subtly move. She reached up, and found that he'd done it, so she pulled it off. She sighed with content as she felt Scorpius's hands move through her hair.

"You feel ok? I didn't bump anything?" he whispered.

Lily smiled, and moved to press her back against his chest. "Don't worry. It's fine," she assured softly.

She felt him kiss her hair softly. "Ok. Let's do this then," he sighed. He pulled the curtains closed as Lily crawled under the covers. She lay on her back, which was a little different for her. She was so used to laying on her side.

There was a shifting on the bed in the newfound darkness, and she felt a familiar heat next to her. An arm wrapped around her middle, and she felt breath fanning against her hair. Carefully, Lily tilted her head so that her forehead gently pressed against his chin. Scorpius shifted slightly, and she felt his lips against her skin.

"G'night, babe," he whispered.

Lily closed her eyes. "Good night."

* * *

"When do you get to take that ugly ass thing off?" Dominique asked as she sat with Lily and the others in the common room. Jace, Hunter, Christian, and Monty were up in their dorm. Most likely because Lola was sitting with them, and Jace had yet to forgive her for whatever it was that she did.

"Whenever my nose heals," Lily retorted. "And since my shoulder popped back into place this morning, I'd imagine sometime tomorrow at the latest." Thinking of her shoulder painfully moving back into place, Lily looked at her hand. It was bandage free now. Her fingers had fixed themselves throughout the night before, and her wrist had fixed itself during her sleep. And according to the others, the bruises around her nose and eyes were practically gone, which meant her nose would be fixed soon. And she no longer felt sore anywhere but her nose. Not even her jaw.

"Good, because it's hideous," Dominique mumbled.

Lily ignored her, and stroked the tiny dragon resting on her stomach, since she was laying on her back on the floor.

"So, that little guy's name is Salazar, right?" Hugo asked as he looked at the tiny dragon.

"Yep. Duncan gave him to me," Lily told him.

"Another ugly thing," Dominique muttered.

"Want him to bite you again?" Lily teased lightly. Dominique just rolled her eyes.

"Ok, so I'm thinking that we do a few gigs over the break," Mitch thought aloud. He looked at the others from the couch. "What do you guys think? Would you come?"

"Dude, we've got more important things to worry about. Like Brunt banning Quidditch," Lance pointed out.

"It won't happen," Lily assured. "She wants influential students on her side. Students with big last names. Potter would never let it fall, nor Lucy, nor Lorcan. Too many 'influential' students love the sport. She won't risk losing their support."

"Let's hope so. Otherwise I'll jump her in a corridor," Hank Harper grumbled.

"Shit, I'd help ya," Hugo assured. He pulled off his hat and patted down his hair, which was getting long enough to begin to curl again. Then he tugged at one of the tiny hoops in his ear, something that was seeming to become a habit. "So, Lil, are you ready for break?"

"Not one bit," Lily sighed.

Scorpius hummed as he sat next to where she lay, playing with a strand of her long hair. "It'll work out, babe. Just relax," he told her.

"I know, I know," she sighed. "Doesn't make it any easier."

Hugo suddenly began to chuckle. "Oh, who wants to hear something funny?"

"What is it?" Lola asked from where her head rested on his shoulder.

Hugo threw his arm around her. "Rosie wants to be an Auror now."

The others chuckled, but Lily and Hugo were the two to truly laugh. "I can't wait to see the fit your dad throws about that. His _precious little girl_ having such a dangerous career like being an Auror?" Lily laughed.

"I know right? If Dad doesn't rip into her ass for this, then I'm ripping into his. I want to see that smug look get smacked off her face by mum or dad," Hugo said as his laughter died down.

Lily glanced at her cousin. "Are you ready for break, Huey?"

Hugo looked back at her, then pulled at the hoop in his ear again. "I'll tell you on the train."

* * *

A sharp pain that ran like a shot through her body woke Lily up like being struck by lightening.

"Dammit!" she screamed, sitting up like a shot.

Scorpius, although sluggish, quickly sat up. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked, his voice heavy with sleep.

Lily pressed her fingers against her nose. "I think my nose just healed," she groaned with a bit of pain. But as she touched about her nose, she felt no break or bump any longer. Just a bit sore, but she knew that would fade. "Damn that hurt!" she hissed.

"Are you ok though?" he inquired, resting his head on her shoulder, sleep ready to take him.

"I'm fine," Lily told him, her voice a bit distorted from how her nose was fixing itself. "I probably won't have to wear that damn mask again."

"That's good," Scorpius said amid a yawn. He began to fall back, and pulled her down with him, her head landing gently on his chest. "Sleep again," he mumbled, his words slurring and mixing together.

Lily sighed as she closed her eyes, trying to block out how sore her nose felt with nothing but the _air_ touching it. She felt like punching Albus or Cody in their _nose_ for how much it hurt. It was the most it had ever hurt since she started wearing the dumb mask. She guessed it really must have protected her then.

* * *

When December came, Lily didn't welcome the season. It was too damn cold, and too damn close to the time she'd have to come home. But now that her injuries had healed, Lily was finally comfortable enough to return to Quidditch practice, which Scorpius had banned her from until she healed. And weeks after she'd healed, the boys were still careful that she didn't get hurt again. Heaven forbid she get something as simple as a paper cut lately. Their watchful protection was sweet in intention, but Lily found it slightly annoying.

* * *

"You know, I've been trying to think of what to get you for Christmas, and I'm drawing a blank," Scorpius mentioned as they walked to lunch. Scorpius had an open period, so Lily had found him waiting for her outside the greenhouses after Herbology, snow falling around him. "And before you say that you don't want anything, know that I'll get you something regardless, so it'll be easier for us both if you just give me an idea."

Lily smiled and bit back a laugh. "Oh, I don't know. You usually do a good job of getting me Christmas gifts," she replied.

"Well not this year. I'm lost," Scorpius told her as they sat together at the Slytherin table.

"How 'bout a date?" Lily suggested.

"But I did that for your birthday. That's not very original anymore," Scorpius pointed out.

"I loved it as a birthday present. Basically a whole day away from my family? And with you? It's perfect. And if you insist, we can go out to Diagon Alley and then you buy me something material-wise," Lily suggested.

Scorpius looked as if he were thinking about as he chewed a bite of his food. Then he swallowed, and smirked at her. "Alright. We can do that. Sounds like a plan."

"What day?" Lily asked before taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

"I'll decide that when the time comes," Scorpius replied. "You never know what happens during the holidays."

"Good point," Lily sighed. "And I do have a few things I know I have to do. A talk with my family, which is sure to be awkward and excruciating. I have to visit with Duncan, teach Hugo how to fend off annoying cousins, buy Christmas gifts, figure out what I'm getting Theo for Christmas."

"Your nephew gets his own day of planning for what you get him?" Scorpius asked with a chuckle.

Lily smiled. "My nephew and _godson_," she corrected. "I can't get him just anything."

"What did you get him last year?" he inquired.

"A stuffed dragon. Although, I'm not sure what I'll get him this year," she murmured.

"Should I get him something?" Scorpius asked.

Lily looked at him with a slightly raised brow. "If you want. I'm sure he'd love it."

Scorpius nodded. "I'll send him one then. That or give it to you. Anything in particular he likes?"

"Anything with bright colors that he can imitate."

"Does he like any particular color?"

"Green."

"Tyke's got good taste," Scorpius said with a chuckle.

* * *

Lily yawned as she sat in the library with the other girls of her year. They had dragged her away from Scorpius to study for their O.W.L.s, not giving her a choice. But it had been ten minutes, and she was already bored. She looked around her, gazing briefly at those milling about or studying at other tables. She caught sight of a group of Ravenclaw seventh years, Lorcan among them. He looked just as bored as she felt. They locked eyes for a moment, and he grinned, waving a little. Lily waved back. Lorcan glanced at his friends, but then stood up, and motioned for Lily to follow him.

Lily straightened in her chair, and stood up. "I'll be right back. I'm going to see if I can find another book on this," she whispered, receiving a few agreeing nods. She walked away, and followed Lorcan to the shelves dedicated mostly to wizarding history. A desolate section at the moment.

"Hey," she greeted. "What's up?"

Lorcan stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Hey. Sorry to pull you over here, but I wanted to talk to ya for a bit. And if we'd done it in front of the others over there, they'd of ratted me out to Rose."

Lily raised a brow. "Miss Rosie forbid you from talking to me?"

Lorcan sighed. "No, but she's not happy with you at the moment, and knowing that I'm still having civil conversations with you might upset her slightly," he replied.

Lily nodded, moving to lean against the shelves. "Surprise, surprise. She's still sore at me?"

"Yeah. Usually she's quiet when it comes to things with you. Doesn't care if I mention a conversation I have with you. But lately . . . she's a bit sore about anything concerning you," Lorcan explained. "I think it has a bit to do with Hugo and her infamous nickname."

Lily wet her lips. "Well, take no offense to her nickname. We've been calling her Virgin Weasley for a long time now. It's more because of her dad."

"I'm staying out of any and all drama. My eyes are on Quidditch," Lorcan assured. "I'm only studying because one of my friends asked me to around Rose. She'd flip if she learned that I only studied when forced."

"That's not too surprising. But she's probably not as bad as Molly ever was," Lily mumbled, trying to give a compliment to her.

"I doubt anyone was as serious about studying as Molly was," Lorcan agreed. Then he sighed again, and scratched at the back of his head. "Well, I'd better go back to my group." He grabbed a random book from the shelf next to him. He gave a nod as he passed her. "I'll see ya around, Lil."

"Later, Lorcan," she whispered. She went the opposite direction, and circled around when going back to her table. The others were immersed in their studies, and didn't question when she came back without another book.

* * *

Lily sighed as she packed her bag for Christmas break. She wasn't too eager about leaving for home tomorrow, but the option wasn't with her. She was sure her parents would just come and get her if she stayed behind. Besides, Scorpius insisted she go back every time she mentioned wanting to stay at Hogwarts. And one argument of his was stable: did she really want to stay back with Brunt around? No. And then he brought about an even better argument: Could she really leave Hugo alone to defend himself? Of course not.

"Lily!" Lily turned to look at Lola as she rushed in, slamming the door shut. "I've got a serious problem!" Lola exclaimed as she ran to plop down on Lily's bed.

Lily raised a brow, not really sensing an actual problem from her friend. "What's up?"

Lola dropped onto her back. "What do I get Hugo for Christmas?"

Lily rolled her eyes. She was right. It wasn't serious. "What does he want?" Lily asked.

"That's the problem! He says he doesn't care!" Lola groaned.

"In Hugo language, that means he doesn't care," Lily sighed as she threw another set of skirts into her trunk. "Just buy him something."

"But what?" Lola exclaimed.

"Get him a new hat! A book. A pet for all I know!" Lily retorted as she threw in her last pair of shoes.

Lola sat up quickly. "You think he'd like a pet?" she asked quickly.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. When we were little, he always talked about getting a cat when we started Hogwarts, but then his dad wouldn't let him. Said that an owl was much better, and that he and his sister could just share one."

A gleam caught in Lola's eyes. "So, you think he'd like to come with me, and we could pick out a cat for him?"

"Ask him. Couldn't hurt," she pointed out.

Lola nodded, but didn't speak for a few moments. Lily took the silence to pack away a few books to study over the break. She packed some of the small gifts that she'd been given from others when she was in the Hospital Wing.

"Lily," Lola finally spoke again, "Hugo asked me to come of to the Burrow on Christmas Eve."

Lily smiled. "I think that sounds fun. And I'm sure that our grandmother would love to meet you. She loves meeting any boyfriend or girlfriend any of us grandchildren have," Lily assured.

"Yeah but . . . what about his parents and sister?" Lola whispered. "I already know that Virgin Weasley doesn't like me. And what if his parents don't?"

Lily let out a sigh. "Well, I know that his mum will give you an honest chance. She's usually one of the fairest adults in the family, behind our grandpa that is."

"But his dad?"

Lily bit her lip momentarily as she packed away her last few things. "Well, he's a bit more biased. He'll be a bit more begrudging, especially if he's already angry about the changes Hugo has been going through. And if Rose says anything, then he'll probably believe her."

Lola groaned as she dropped onto her back again. "Great."

"Welcome to the inner workings of the Potter-Weasley clan."


	57. Cracks in Family Foundations

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here is the first chapter of the Christmas break. I'm thinking that this will be about two or three chapters total before they're back in school. And be ready, because this is going to be the start of a lot of drama. There's a lot more to come around for Lily to deal with. Let me know what you think.**

**Extra Note - A lot of people seem curious when certain things are going to happen, or ask if I know when things are going to happen. To kind of clear it up, I have a time line, short bios, and family tree for just about every character except for five of my characters, and even so, I still know more of the important events that will happen to them. Although there are some events that are kind of spur of the moment.**

**Note on Fred and James - Just a quick note. Someone asked me if we would ever learn about what happened between Fred and James. The truth is that there is a good chance that we won't. At least not through Lily's perspective. That's more of James and Fred's business, and unless I decide that one of them needs to divulge into the details in front of Lily, we probably will never learn the reasons behind the fight. Sorry.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Cracks in Family Foundations

Lily tugged at the frilled lace hem of her skirt. Despite the cold air and snow outside, Lily had chosen to wear a green v-neck shirt with mid-length sleeves, a black rose clip pulling her hair back, her Slytherin pendant, her and Scorpius's rings, her Liz Canvas shoes, she had put her hair in the slight curls that Scorpius was fond of, and wore a black and short skirt. Well, Lily didn't think it was short, but Scorpius had almost thrown a fit at the sight of it. As he said, "That skirt is too damn short for you to wear around anyone _but_ me." Lily had simply rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Lil," Christian spoke from his seat by the train window, "who's patrolling the train after Scor and Lana?"

"Not us," Lily assured. She glanced at her cousin, who was lip locking with her best friend. "I think it's Hugo and Stacy Finnigan."

"Awesome," Christian sighed. "I think Scor and Lana should be done soon. I might go and find Jace, Hunter, and Monty. We're going to talk about getting together for a Quidditch game over break."

Lily sighed as she looked around the compartment. It was her, Hugo, Lola, Christian, Shannon, and Xavier. Jace, of course, refused to sit near Lola. Lily had been talking with Christian and Shannon for the majority of the ride to King's Cross. Lola and Hugo had rarely parted for air, and Xavier was out like a light. He'd looked tired all morning, and Christian mentioned something about Xavier apparently not sleeping much.

"So, what's up with Xavier?" Lily asked, although she _had_ asked before.

"I'm not sure. He told us guys that he wasn't sleeping well lately. Never said why," Christian explained.

"You think something's wrong?" Shannon asked with a bit of worry.

"Nah, I'm sure he's fine," Christian assured.

"Who's fine?" Scorpius asked as he stepped into the compartment.

"The sleeping dragon over there," Christian said, nodding toward Xavier's sleeping form.

Scorpius looked at the sleeping teen, then shrugged. "Yeah, he's fine." Then he moved to smack the back of Hugo's head, knocking his hat out of place.

Hugo pulled away from Lola. "Dude, dick!" he chuckled, looking up at the older guy.

Scorpius smirked. "Finnigan's waiting for ya. You two have to patrol now." Then he took Lily's wrist, and pulled her up from her seat. "And you're coming with me for a moment. Excuse me while I steal her," Scorpius said, and gently pulled Lily out of the compartment.

Lily smiled, and let him pull her down the train, until he finally stopped in front of a different compartment door. But when he opened this one, it was empty. He closed the door behind them, and pulled the small curtain down over the glass, making sure no one could see in.

Lily looked at him with a raised brow as she sat down. "What are we doing in here?"

Scorpius smirked as he dropped down next to her. "First of all, how about the twenty-third for our date?" he asked.

Lily shrugged. "That sounds fine to me."

Scorpius nodded. "Good. I also have an invitation to give you. I wasn't sure about it at first, but then my mum threatened me through a letter."

Lily giggled at the thought of Astoria yelling at her son through words and paper. "And what is the invitation to?"

"Well, it's understandable if you have things happening on Christmas night. After all, time of family and all that crap. But, my mum and dad want me to invite you to come over to our annual Christmas dinner this year," Scorpius told her. "So, what do you say?"

Lily smiled brightly. "I think that's wonderful! I'd love to go."

Scorpius smirked as he brought his lips closer to hers. "Good. Because I think that I might be able to sneak you away for at least a couple of minutes while you're there," he murmured. Then his lips descended onto hers.

* * *

"You're hair still looks like hell," Lola commented as the group all got off of the train.

Lily sighed as she ran a hand through the back of her hair. After her and Scorpius's "session" they had returned in a slightly disheveled state. Lily had fixed the clip in her hair, but she was sure the back would "look like hell" until she actually had a brush in her hand. The curse of having hair similar to her father's.

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered.

"Come on, sis!" Marsha urged Lola, with Bobby standing close by. "Mum and Dad are over there! And big brother Martin's with them!"

Lola rolled her eyes at her siblings' excitement. "Keep your pants on!" she grumbled. But then she looked at Hugo with a smile. "I'll write, ok?"

Hugo grinned. "You got it, babe. See ya around."

"Bye," Lola giggled. The two shared a brief kiss, one that Mitch whistled mockingly at. But the couple ignored it, and Lola walked away with her little siblings, obviously ignoring Marsha's giggles and Bobby's blush.

"You better hope her big brother doesn't try and give ya crap, Hugh," Lars joked as they all began to walk again.

Hugo shrugged. "I'm not too worried," he replied, although Lily was sure that wasn't true.

"I think I see a sea of red," Mitch commented as he spotted sight of the Potters and Weasleys. "And since I said goodbye to my girl, I don't have to get any closer to the lion claws."

They all laughed. Hugo grinned as he began to walk forward, but then turned and walked backwards. "I'll see you guys around!" he said as he moved farther away.

"I'll be there in a minute," Lily called to him. He nodded once, then turned his back and walked forward again.

Lily turned to look at Scorpius, ignoring the fact that Lars, Lana, a still sleepy Xavier, and Mitch were still standing around with them. "Will you be stalking me when I start working again, or will you settle for waiting until our date?" she teased.

Scorpius smirked. "I'll probably stalk ya," he joked. "That bug you?"

Lily shook her head. "I think it sounds wonderful," she replied.

"Good, 'cause I would have done it anyways."

She smiled. "I'll see you later then."

He nodded. "You bet, babe. Good luck with the big talk." He leaned down, and Lily reached up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips eagerly against his. She felt his hands wrapping around her, and she moved her hands to wrap around his neck. When he bit her bottom lip carefully, she didn't shy around, and parted her lips for him. His tongue swept past, brushing intimately against her own.

"Lily Luna Potter, let's go!" they all heard her father bark.

Lily pulled away from Scorpius's lips, cringing at how he'd called her. She hadn't been called Potter in a long time. At least it felt like it had been awhile. She sighed as she looked up at Scorpius, who looked ready to roll his eyes.

Scorpius sighed next, then brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. "You'd better get over there before he explodes," he whispered.

Lily nodded, although she was not up for leaving the emotional safety Scorpius and her friends provided her. But she knew she had to. "Yeah, that would be messy," she muttered.

Scorpius gave a chuckle, then leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Love you, babe," he whispered next to her ear.

Lily closed her eyes briefly, taking in a relaxed breath. "Love you too." The couple pulled away from each other, and Lily waved to the others. "Later, guys. I hope you start to sleep better, Xavier."

"Me too," Xavier joked weakly.

"I'll send you the date of our next gig," Mitch told her.

Lily nodded as she slowly backed away, until finally turning around and walking away completely. As she approached her family, she looked over the group. Hugo was standing close to his parents, but by the look of Ron's hand holding Hugo's shoulder, Lily guessed that it wasn't by choice. Teddy and Victoire weren't around, which did nothing to ease Lily's nerves. The two peacemakers were gone. And oddly enough, James was standing with their parents and Albus. And worse yet, Lily's godmother, Luna stood there with her husband. And Lorcan and Lysander were standing with them. Rose was standing next to Lorcan, talking to each other softly. Lysander was staring at Lily, which just unnerved her even more. When Lily reached the group, she scanned them all again.

"Where are Dominique and Louis?" she asked.

"They and their parents left already," Hugo answered her.

"And we need to be on our way as well," Harry said gruffly. "Come along. Ron, Hermione, Luna, Rolf, we'll see you at all at the Burrow." He turned and began to walk toward the Apparation point as goodbyes were issued. Lily and Hugo shared a quick and hesitant glance at one another, before Ginny placed her hand on Lily's shoulders and began to lead her away.

"This talk should be wonderful," Lily mumbled.

"He's not angry at any of you kids," Ginny whispered to her. "He's just a bit angry at seeing his daughter kissing a boy."

Lily rolled her eyes. Her mum was probably right. Not that it made it less annoying for her. When they all stopped walking, Lily let her mother take her hand, while Albus, James, and her father each Apparated on their own. Then she and her mother were being sucked through the air, feeling like a tight tube. When her feet touched back down on the ground, Lily was a bit surprised to find that they were standing in the front hall.

Ginny must have noticed Lily's confused look. "Your father took down the Anit-Disapparation wards," she explained. "He's eager to get this talk started."

Lily tried not to look grim. "Joy," she mumbled.

"Kreacher!" Harry yelled into the empty space.

There was a resounding 'CRACK', and then Kreacher was standing in the middle of the room. "Yes, what can Kreacher do for Master?" he asked, ignoring how he wasn't supposed to call any of them "master" or "mistress." Lily just guessed that old habits die hard.

"Please take Lily and Albus's things into their rooms for them," Harry requested. "And if you need to speak to one of us, we'll all be in the kitchen."

"Of course, Master," Kreacher said with a small bow. Then with another 'CRACK' he was gone.

"Into the kitchen, now," Harry said, looking at each kid. Lily didn't argue or roll her eye like she normally would have. Instead she just did as he said, a little happy that her father didn't seem as annoyed now.

When she stepped into the kitchen, she took a seat at the table. James and Albus did the same thing, taking the seats across from her. Their parents sat at the ends of the table. Lily kept from fidgeting uncomfortably. She felt alone on her side of the table, making her wish that Teddy was there to back her up.

"Ok," Harry began, "now these little fights have gone too far, and have gone on long enough. Now, I don't care how it started or who started it. But we need to fix this, now!"

"Look, I was done with this dumb little House rivalry thing when I graduated," James stated.

"Yeah, you wiped your hands of the whole thing that you started in the first place," Lily hissed lightly.

James glared at her. "I didn't start anything!"

"Oh, like Albus did? He can't even have a thought without asking your permission," Lily mocked.

"I have my own thoughts!" Albus argued.

"You were the one that turned on us!" James yelled.

"You hated me before I could talk to you! I can't help the fact that I was put into Slytherin!" Lily exclaimed.

"We tried to help you get through it!" James growled.

"I didn't need help! They had all been nice to me!" Lily argued.

"They were Slytherins! I'd known them for three years prior! I'd fought and dealt with them longer than they'd been _nice_ to you!" James snarled.

"Quit!" Harry yelled, his voice booming above them all. James and Lily fell silent quickly. Harry looked at them both with narrowed eyes. "This is what I am talking about! It needs to stop."

"Look, Dad," Albus spoke, "when Lily was first made a Slytherin, we just wanted to help her."

"And I didn't need help!" Lily repeated. "Unlike you, I listened to Mum and Dad when they said that House prejudice led to more problems during their school year than if they had just been accepting to each other! Unlike you, I didn't drag up old rivalries that had nothing to do with me, and that happened years before I was even born!"

"Excuse me for not trusting the son of the man who tried to murder our father!" James exclaimed. "And excuse me for not trusting the guy's father like you do!"

"Draco and his family have done their best to make up for their mistakes!" Lily yelled. "And Dad always talks about how he'd be dead if it wasn't for Narcissa Malfoy!"

"Kids!" Ginny intervened. Again, they went silent, and they all turned to look at their mother this time. "James, your sister is right. Slytherins are not the enemy. Not anymore. And if we hadn't treated them as such during our years at Hogwarts, perhaps so many of them wouldn't have been. That was _our_ fight. We don't need you to continue it, especially now that it's over."

James's eyes were still narrowed when he looked back at Lily. "Fine. Let's put that aside then. Either way, you still jumped down our throats the first day!"

"I tried to tell you it was just a House! That it didn't matter! You were the one that shot that down! And then you call all Slytherins a bunch of filthy and dirty snakes! Guess what, I am a Slytherin! I was a Slytherin when you said it, and I'm still one now!" Lily argued.

"And when you knocked Albus out in the first match you played?" James demanded.

"That was all in the game," Lily hissed. "Legal moves, not my fault he wasn't quick enough to stop. But if we're on the subject of Quidditch, let's talk about you guys! Albus punched me in the back once, illegal move. After I caught the Snitch this last match, Albus had Cody hit me with a Bludger, hurting me more than I've ever been hurt!"

"It was an accident!" Albus exclaimed, standing from his seat.

Lily stood too, her chair falling back in her haste. "Don't lie to me, Albus Severus!"

"I didn't think you'd get hurt that bad!" Albus yelled.

"It's a fast-moving Bludger, not a freakin' feather!" Lily argued. "You knew I'd get hurt! You just didn't know it would be that bad. And when it did, you had to backpedal. We've been over this! So look me in the eye and tell me I'm wrong!"

Albus didn't say anything. He just looked at her with narrow eyes and a glowering look.

But Lily wasn't done. "And that's not that half of what you've done to me. You've both threatened me! James here had me attacked by a group of girls, James denied having a sister, you both have done your best to turn our cousins against me. And that's just to me! That's not even counting all the horrible things you've done in general!" she hissed.

"At least I'm proud of my name!" James argued.

"At least I haven't sucked the popularity of our last name dry!" Lily retorted. "You and Albus had been sucking all the fame you can get from it with a straw! 'I'm James Potter, worship me!' 'I'm the little brother of James. I'm better than all of you!'" she mocked. "At least I'm where I am by my own _first_ name and talent."

"Yeah, because you are such a saint!" Albus sneered.

"I'm _not_ a saint!" Lily exclaimed. "Unlike James, I don't pretend to be one! Unlike you, I have my own personality! I may not be perfect, I may get into trouble and cause problems, but at least I'm honest about it! I don't hide behind Dad when I make a mistake!"

"No, you hide behind the Malfoys! You get your big bad boyfriend to pick your fights!" Albus argued.

"When?" Lily demanded. "He punched you because you called me a tramp? Excuse him for defending me!"

"And when he beat up my Beater? And don't blame that on him hitting you with a Bludger, because it was a long time before that! He beat up both Cody and Logan Murdock!" Albus pointed out.

Lily sighed. "Yeah, because your Beater and his friend were stashing my modeling pictures and having dirty thoughts. And I already yelled at _him_ about that!"

"Ooo! That must have put him in his place!" Albus mocked.

"Why do you care?" Lily questioned harshly.

"Because he's beating up my players!" Albus snapped.

"No, I don't mean that! You've been paying a lot of attention to my relationship! You told Dad that we spend a lot of time together, that we were moving too fast, _and_ that I was wearing his ring! You seem to have taken a big interest in my relationship!" Lily stated.

Albus fidgeted and didn't look at her for a moment. But then, looking flustered, he glared at her. "It's not like you make it a secret! You two snog in the hallways all the time!"

Lily raised a brow. "Look, I know all you've ever done is have a drunken one night stand in a closet, but sharing one kiss before separating for classes isn't snogging!"

Albus's face turned Weasley red. "Oh, that's right. You two just screw every night in his bed. After all, you sleep in there every night!"

Lily froze as her parents and James's eyes zoomed in on her. She tried to stay firm in appearance, but when she spoke, she resented out her voice wavered slightly. "And how the hell would you know that?"

Albus now looked smug. "Dominique and Mitch aren't very quiet when they're discussing their friends," he mocked.

Lily felt her insides shake a little. "It's none of your business," she muttered.

"You sleep in that snake's bed?" James exclaimed. "Are you insane?"

"It's none of your business either!" Lily hissed defensively.

"No!" James argued. "No, there's a line! The guy's a total waste of space, he's a brute, and all he probably wants is to sleep with ya! Once he gets what he wants, he'll drop ya!"

"James," Ginny started.

But Lily ran right over her. "What do you know about him? And what do you know about our relationship? Don't pretend you do. You don't even know a damn thing about me!" Lily turned and stormed from the room.

As much as she hated it, James had won. Maybe he knew it, and maybe he didn't. But he won. He won because he had gotten to her. As she walked out into the hall, she felt her eyes begin to burn with tears, and she felt hurt hammer in her heart. And she didn't even know why. Why did she care what James thought? He was wrong. But . . . why did it still hurt? Why did his dumb, and _wrong_, opinion matter to her?

She'd made it up the stairs before she heard him.

"Lily Luna Potter, I want to talk to you," Harry demanded as he came to the second floor.

Slowly, trying to fight back that dammed burning feeling in her eyes, Lily turned around to look at her father. And she almost cringed when she saw that her mother wasn't around to help her. Because she knew what he wanted to talk about.

"What is it, Dad?" she mumbled.

"You're sleeping in that boy's bed?" Harry said, anger staining his tone.

Lily took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "We haven't done anything, Dad. I mean, he's never even tried anything when I stay in his bed," I assured.

"You're still sleeping in a seventeen-year-old's bed!" he argued.

"Nothing has happened!" Lily told him.

"I don't know, Lily, I'm starting to find that hard to believe. You wear his ring, you sleep in his bed! Is there anything else I need to know?" Harry demanded.

"There is nothing else, Dad!" I told him.

"And I'm supposed to believe that? I'm supposed to believe that this . . . _boy_ hasn't even attempted anything with my fifteen-year-old daughter in his bed? I know what boys his age think, Lily Potter! And I'm sorry, but I have to think that James could be right," Harry stated.

Lily felt a blush of hurt run across her cheeks. "Dad, you knew him before we dated! You liked him! You thought he was a good kid!"

"Before he grew up and put his hands on my daughter! And excuse me for trying to keep him from breaking your heart!" Harry retorted.

"He would never do that!" Lily argued. "He loves me!"

Harry rolled his eyes, and began to pace back and forth. "Oh, don't do that! Don't tell me you think you love him!"

Lily glared at her father now. "What do you mean '_think_'? I know how I feel, Dad!"

He stopped pacing. "You're fifteen, Lily. You may think you love him, but you don't."

"So, Mum was lying to me when she said that she loved you when you two were dating? I believe that was her fifth year, making her _fifteen_!" Lily pointed out.

"That's completely different!"

"Why? Because it was you and Mum? Because Grandpa liked you? Because you somehow evaded the thoughts of other _sixteen-year-old boys_?" Lily hissed. "What makes you so different? I mean, you were younger then than Scorpius is now!"

Harry just fumed where he stood, as if he were trying to gain an argument. But Lily didn't bother waiting.

"Forget it," she muttered. "Why do I bother trying to persuade you about him? I have to remember that since I'm not a boy, I can't make good choices about relationships."

"That's not what I'm-,"

"That's exactly what you're saying!" Lily interrupted. "When James brought that one tramp to Teddy's wedding, you didn't mind her. You welcomed her. You were nice to her. Why should I have expected the same for Scorpius?" She shook her head. "Look, just take your double standard and shove off. Ground me. I don't care." And before her father could say anything, she walked into her room, slamming her door behind her, locking it.

Harry finally responded. "Fine! If you want to throw a fit, then you can just stay in there all day!" he yelled. And then she heard fading footsteps.

Lily pressed her back against her door, sliding down to the floor. So much for calmly talking with her parents about her feelings.

* * *

Hours later, Lily was laying on her bed. She'd taken the last few hours to occupy herself by unpacking her things and letting Regal out of his cage. It took all her willpower not to cry. She hated James, and now, part of her really resented her father. But part of her was still confused as to why it bothered her what James had said. When had she ever cared what he thought . . . well, since she was sorted that is?

There was a knock on her door, making Lily tense. "Who is it?" she called hesitantly.

"Your two favorite people!" she heard Teddy's voice call back.

Unable to help it, Lily smiled, and got up from her bed. She unlocked her door, curious as to who was with Teddy. But when she saw little Theodore in his arms, her smile grew.

"Theo! Ooh! You're so big!" she exclaimed happily as she took him from Teddy's arms. She moved aside to let Teddy in, and walked to her bed. Teddy closed the door, and she was grateful when she heard the lock click.

"Harry and Ginny said you were up here, so I thought I'd bring the party up to see ya," Teddy told her.

"You know about the fight?" Lily guessed as she placed Theo on the floor, letting him walk around and roam. Almost immediately, he grabbed at her bed. Lily helped him up, and Theo quickly crawled to her pillow where Salazar was resting. Lily sat down, keeping watch so that Theo didn't irritate Salazar, and Salazar didn't nip at Theo.

Teddy sighed. "Yeah. But no worries, I got the info from your mum. The story's straight."

Lily groaned at the memory of the "talk" they'd all had. "Their idea worked so well," she mumbled. Theo looked at Salazar, and then looked at Lily. His hair, which had been a pale blue, turned as black as the dragon's scales.

"Parenting isn't easy, Lil," Teddy told her. "I've only been one for a year and like . . . seven months, but I still think it's hard. I'm just so eager for when I've got kids that are teens."

Lily smiled at the thought. She showed Theo how to stroke Salazar's head, trying to distract him from pulling on his tail. "Just promise me that if you have a daughter, you won't pull some big ass double standard on her like my dad did today."

Teddy sighed again as he came to sit on the edge of the bed. "Lil, . . . it's hard for a . . . respectable man not to feel protective of a girl he cares about. I mean, you think I don't worry about Vic working with a bunch of idiot male Healers? I worry . . . I'm just better at repressing the urge to take action on it."

"Be ready, it pisses daughters off," Lily muttered.

Teddy fell gently onto his back. "Well, I'm going to try not to." There was a brief pause. Lily handed Theo a little piece of food, showing him how to feed the small dragon. "Lily, this is all a lot for your parents to take in."

Lily tensed a little, but since Theo was looking at her and giggling, she kept smiling. "And that's my fault?"

"I'm not saying it's your fault. Look, when kids grow up . . . that already is a lot for parents to take in. Now, your parents are having to deal with the fact that James has moved out and has his own career that keeps him moving. That's tough. Then let's add up everything that they have learned about Albus. What he did to you, how he lost his virginity, and the fact that he will soon be graduating and moving out. Now, let's throw in what we know about you. You're dating an older guy, you're wearing his ring, you sleep in his bed, you've been badly injured, you wanted the Malfoys there more than your own parents, and you've kept a lot of things about yourself from them. And then let's top it off with the fact that their children are in constant war with each other," Teddy listed. "That's a lot to say, so imagine how much strain that's putting on them."

Lily sighed. He said it all like that and she felt like a bitch. And she already felt guilty for some of those things. "I don't mean to keep things from them," she whispered.

"I know that. But you see, I don't know this as fact yet, but this is according to my grandma: the amount of kids you have, or how old they get doesn't matter. Parenting will always be hard. It's never easy. And almost nothing is certain. The only thing that is certain is that at the end of each day, you love your children even more," Teddy told her.

Theo squealed and giggled when Salazar snorted a bit of fire.

* * *

Dinner that night was a tense affair, but luckily not silent. Since Victoire, Teddy, and Theo had joined, conversation didn't fall to silence. Although, Lily was silent. She just ate her food and listened as people talked around her. There was no mention of what had happened earlier that day. Albus went on about school, James talked endlessly about his fabulous new life as a Quidditch player, Teddy and Harry discussed work topics, Victoire and Ginny discussed Theo, and Theo just smashed the food on his plate into even tinier pieces.

"So, I hear that the Scamanders are coming over to the Burrow with the rest of us," Victoire mentioned. Lily looked up from her plate sharply.

"Yes," Ginny confirmed. "Neville and Hannah are coming as well. It should be an even more lively affair this year. I didn't think it possible though."

Lily tried to ignore the newly formed knot in her stomach. Lysander would be coming for Christmas. Bloody fantastic! Then Lily remembered Scorpius's invitation to go to the manor for Christmas. Should she mention that to her parents? At first she thought perhaps she should just as her grandma. After all, Grandma Weasley was usually the final decision in things concerning Christmas. But . . . would her parents just be even more angry with her if she just flew by them and didn't ask?

"Mum," Lily spoke, for the first time the whole meal. And she hated how it gained everybody's attention. Except for Theo who was still mashing food with a spoon.

Ginny looked at Lily with a bit of surprise, but also even . . . hopeful? "Yes, what is it, sweetheart?"

Lily sighed quietly. "Well, Scorpius invited me to have dinner with his family and extended family Christmas night. So I was wondering, if it's ok with you guys and grandma, if I could go? I'd be back at the Burrow by the end of the night of course," she explained.

Ginny and Harry looked at each other briefly. Harry looked furious at the idea, while Ginny seemed unsure. "Well . . ." Ginny trailed off for a moment, " . . . why don't we talk with your grandmother first? I'm sure she'll probably want you to stay on Christmas."

Lily nodded. It was better than she'd imagined. She thought she'd get a 'no.' But she could deal with a maybe.

"Actually, I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Ginny," Harry commented. "Christmas is a time for family. I think it should stay that way."

Lily quickly bit her lip. The urge to say that the Malfoys _were_ her family was on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed the words away. "It's just one evening, and I'd be back at a reasonable time," Lily assured, trying to stay calm. Arguing wouldn't help her now.

"Still, you'll have all of the break to visit with his parents. There's really no reason for it to be on Christmas," Harry retorted, his voice just as calm.

"The invitation is _for_ Christmas," Lily argued gently, fury rising, but it didn't show. "I just think it would be rude not to attend. They've always been _very_ nice."

"_Politely_ decline. You can go and see them any other day this break," Harry told her.

"Really? You mean you won't try and talk me out of it like you're doing now?" Lily mocked lightly, almost cringing at the bit of bitterness that had snuck into her tone.

"No, you would just do it anyways. You always do whatever you want," Harry remarked, a bit of steel coming into his own voice.

"Oh, that's right. I'm a terrible child. I cause so much trouble. It just seems to find me. I guess I must be just like my father," Lily snapped carefully.

Harry's fork clattered against his plate as he forcefully dropped it onto his plate. Lily finally looked up from her own food to stare at her father. Everyone at the table was staring at the two of them in hesitant silence. Her father was looking at her sternly, almost glaringly.

"The answer is _no_, Lily Luna _Potter_," he hissed.

Lily grinned grimly as she stared at him. "Well, isn't it lucky that I, apparently, do whatever I want to?"

"You are not going to the Malfoys on Christmas!" Harry snapped, standing from his chair. "You are staying at the Burrow, with your _family_!"

Lily rose from her chair too. "Well guess what, _Dad_. The Malfoys are my family! And I'd rather be Draco's daughter than yours! At least he's proud of me!" And with that, Lily hurried from the room, ignoring any and all voices calling her back or speaking rapidly behind her. She ran up the stairs, and when she entered her room, she slammed the door, locking it. She paced the room for a minute.

She'd done it. She'd really said that to him! She'd admitted her feelings in the worst possible way. Lily closed her eyes, trying to block it all out. How could she do that? She'd just gotten so angry and . . . she hated her Weasley temper. But she couldn't take it back. And with her stilled fury, she wasn't ready to want to take it back. And she sure as hell wasn't ready to face her family. Not even Teddy. So there was only one thing she could do.

Lily hurried to her desk, and ripped open the top drawer. There, sitting on top of everything, was her key to Malfoy Manor. She'd just put it away after unpacking. She picked it up and then re-closed the drawer. She hurried over to her closet, and then pulled out a small backpack out from the bag. Quickly, she began to shove a few clothes inside, then carefully placed her potion kit inside a smaller pocket. She grabbed the potion book of Severus Snape, and from within its pages, took out her picture of Lily Evans. She placed the book inside the main pocket of her bag, and the picture in the pocket with her potion kit. She carefully picked up Salazar, who was sleeping. He twitched once but didn't wake up, so she placed him in her bag, resting him on a thick shirt.

Then she zipped it all up, leaving it open a tiny bit for Salazar to get fresh air, and quickly changed into a pair of jeans, and slipped on a pair of shoes, and grabbed her leather jacket. Then she took the clip out of her hair, and instead put it all up in a side ponytail. She placed her wand in her jacket pocket, shouldered her pack, and then picked her broom up from where it rested against her dresser. She shut off her light, and then moved over to her window, throwing it open. Thanks to the winter months, it was darker out, despite how it wasn't too late in the night. Below, she could see the lights from the first story of the house leaking out of the windows onto the snow below.

Carefully, she maneuvered herself so that she was sitting on the windowsill, her feet dangling outside. Then she brought her broom between her legs. Despite the fact that she'd done all of this before when she'd snuck out to the Burrow once, she still felt her heart pounding in her chest. She then sucked it up, and jumped. Her broom caught her with ease, putting her fears to rest. She floated in the air for a moment, before she turned herself around, and reached in to close her window.

Then Lily rose higher in the air, and moved to hide behind the roof as she looked out over the street. Thanks to the dark sky, cold air, and snow on the ground, there wasn't a single Muggle about. So she rose above the roof, and while still on the watch, flew over the house, and toward the nearby park. When she saw that no one was there as well, she slowly descended down onto the shoveled path, her shoes crunching under the very thin layer of snow on the stone. She dismounted her broom, and hurried over to the street, away from the park. Then she pulled out her wand, and pointed it toward the street.

A loud "BANG" sounded, and a large purple bus stopped dead in front of her after appearing from thin air. It opened, and a man stepped down. He spoke in a bored voice, just like usual. "You've called the Knight Bus. Transportation for the stranded witch or wizard. Where is it you need to go?"

Lily held her head high. "Wiltshire. Malfoy Manor."

* * *

Lily thanked the driver as she got off the Knight Bus. As soon as she put both feet on the ground, the Knight Bus was gone with another "BANG." Lily looked forward at the large and familiar manor in front of her. She moved past the front gate, and walked up the long pathway to the front door of the house. She considered knocking instead of just using her key. But how late was it now? Surely not late enough that Astoria and Draco would be in bed? But . . . did Lucius and Narcissa sleep early?

Unsure of what to do, Lily decided to use her key. The door unlocked and opened easily, and she stepped inside. Although the long hall was dim, it was warm. She closed the door, and it seemed to lock automatically with a loud "click." She slipped off her shoes, and hung her jacket up on one of the coat hooks. Then she looked around the hall, finally taking a really good look at it.

"Hello, Lily."

Lily jumped and whirled around, her heart hammering. She was relieved to see Draco was the one standing there. He was smirking, although he did look slightly sheepish.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you," Draco assured.

Lily smiled. "No, it's ok. But . . . how did you know I was here?" she asked.

"An old precaution from my younger days. An enchantment has been placed on the doors. I'm alerted when someone comes into the house," Draco explained.

"Even like, Scorpius, or your wife?" Lily questioned.

"Even then. It's why we all usually use the Floo Network," Draco explained. Then he looked at her with an inquiring gaze. "And, why did you take the time to use your key? Not that I find you intruding."

Lily bit her lip, not sure what to tell him. Would he send her home if she told him? Contact her family? But then the answer washed over her. No. He wouldn't. "I need somewhere to stay . . . at least for a night. I just . . . can't be at home," she whispered.

But he heard her. And he didn't look disappointed, even if it was obvious that she had run away. "Astoria would be glad to see you. Come along," Draco urged. Lily followed him all the way to the sitting room, where Astoria was sitting on a couch, sketching something. "Dear, look who came to stay for a night," Draco spoke.

Astoria looked up with curiosity, but when she saw Lily, she smiled, put her things down, and ran to hug the life out of Lily. "Lily! I'm so happy to see you! And you're healed!" Astoria squealed as she looked Lily over. "Are you hungry at all? Do you want something?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I've already had dinner," she told her. Even though she hadn't eaten much.

"Well, come and sit down! Tell me how your year is going so far. How studying for your O.W.L.s is. Tell me everything!" Astoria said with excitement.

It was hours later before Lily was able to excuse herself for a few quiet moments. She found herself in _her_ room. She smiled at the thought. Her own room in Malfoy Manor. She unpacked her bag. She put her clothes in the dresser and closet, and found that the closet already had a few outfits in there. Probably due to Astoria. She put Salazar, who was still sleeping like a rock, like usual, on one of the pillows on the bed. Then she pulled out Snape's potion book. She flipped through the pages. She'd looked over and studied each potion in the book, and she'd made just about every one of them, except the ones she saw no use in making. So she put the book in the bookcase, the first and only book there. Then she pulled out her potion kit and picture. She placed the potion kit on the desk. The top of the desk was neatly organized with some paper, and case of quills, and a bottle of ink. She opened each of the drawers, and thankfully found a thing of Spellotape. And with a small piece, she taped the picture of Lily Evan's on the wall in front of the desk.

"What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into now?"

Unlike when Draco had done it, Lily didn't jump when Scorpius's voice appeared behind her. Instead she simply smiled and continued to put back the tape. "Just the usual. Parental issues, idiot Gryffindors in the house."

"I'm guessing the talk didn't go well?" Scorpius questioned as he came to stand directly behind her. His front was lightly brushing against her back, and his arms wrapped around her middle.

"It went terrible. Helped nothing. All it did was bring up memories of why we argue. And then Albus laid out the fact that I sleep in your bed in front of my parents," Lily told him.

"How the hell does he know?" Scorpius muttered into her hair.

"I guess he heard Dom and Mitch talking. Now my dad refuses to trust my word, refuses to believe that I could love you at fifteen, and is probably doubting that I'm a virgin," Lily listed off.

Scorpius sighed and turned her around in his arms. Lily looked up at him. He had obviously combed his hair, which was sleek and fell to his eyes. His cheeks and chin were a bit scruffy, showing that he still hadn't shaved. He was wearing a silk black sweater, a Slytherin pendant, and dark grey jeans.

"You ok?" he asked softly.

Lily pulled in a deep breath. Was she ok? No, not really. Now that she had calmed, the impact of James's earlier remarks about her relationship came back to her, along with her father's, and the guilt of what she had said to her father. No, she was hurting. She wrapped her own arms around Scorpius, burying her face into the soft fabric of his sweater. "I'll get better," she whispered.

Scorpius groaned. "I fucking hate this," he mumbled.

Lily pulled away from his embrace, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Scorpius sighed as he moved away from her, looking like he was ready to start pacing. "I hate this whole affair. I mean . . ." Scorpius dropped to sit on the edge of the bed. Salazar hissed as the motion woke him up. "All I'm trying to do is make you happy, but . . . with all of this crap, that's never going to happen, is?" he said dejectedly.

Lily smiled sadly as she walked over to him. She stood in front of him, brushing the hair from his face. Then she straddled his lap, bringing herself closer to him. "Scorpius, you knew that a relationship with me came with a lot of baggage," she pointed out.

He closed his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"And, I _am_ happy when I'm with you. They're the happiest moments of my life. When all the crap with my family starts, you're like the perfect breath of fresh air," Lily assured. "I love you. You love me, and that's all I need to be happy."

Scorpius opened his eyes. He leaned his forehead against hers, leaving their lips only a breath apart. "This is a bit backwards. You're the one who just had a terrible fight with your family. Isn't it my job to be comforting you now?" he murmured.

Lily smiled at him. "You're a comfort just by being here."


	58. Understanding Yourself

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Ok, so here's another chapter. I know it's short, but this was the best place to end this chapter. I'm thinking that the next chapter might be a bit longer.**

**Malfoy and Potters - People seem to be eager for the Potters and the Malfoys to confront each other. Don't worry, they eventually will, but not for some time.**

**Family - Christmas time at the Burrow will be the next chapter. Expect a lot of drama. Lily will be confronted by a few people about what she's said and done. So, enjoy the chapter, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Understanding Yourself

Lily sighed as Scorpius's lips moved across her neck. He stopped at the hollow of her throat, pressing a kiss and letting his tongue swipe across the skin there. She giggled at the ticklish feeling, and then she could feel him smirking. Lily smiled and ran her fingers through his blonde and green streaked locks. He groaned appreciatively, making Lily giggle again.

Scorpius pulled his head to look up at her. That permanent smirk was on his lips. "You might want to be a bit quieter. Otherwise my parents may hear and start to wonder what's happening in here," he warned with amusement. They were in her room at Malfoy Manor. It was early in the morning, and Lily had just finished dressing for the day when Scorpius had come into her room. Scorpius had stayed over at his parents' house with her, and had snuck into her room to wake her up and have a little time to themselves.

Lily smiled. "Then maybe you should behave yourself," she teased.

Scorpius's grin grew wider. "Where's the fun in that?" He moved his lips back to her throat.

Lily bit back a giggle this time. "Oh, my studly rebel," she joked. Again, she twisted one of his green locks between two fingers.

Scorpius's lips moved down to the collar of her shirt. "I believe that this," he pulled at the hem of her shirt, "is in the way."

His voice was teasing, but Lily didn't feel even a shred of embarrassment or hesitance this time around. "Then do something about it," she told him with a grin.

His voice was a bit muffled by her skin when he replied. "With pleasure." Then he was pulling the hem of her shirt up past her naval. Lily arched up a bit to make it easier for him to slide the shirt off of her body. He threw it in some unknown direction, and he backed up onto his knees. He gazed at the newly exposed skin with an eager grin.

"Having fun?" Lily teased. After all their time spent slowly exploring each other and becoming more comfortable, Lily was no longer shy when Scorpius gazed over her when wearing only a bra and skirt.

"Yes I am," he murmured, his tone taking on a serious mood. Then he moved to place his lips near her own, teasing. Lily giggled quietly this time, and moved so that her lips were pressed against his. Lily could feel his smirk before he swiped his tongue across her bottom lip. She parted her lips, and Scorpius's tongue swept past to rub against her own. Feeling a bit brave this morning, she moaned softly and moved her fingers to the button on his jeans. He had already been lacking a shirt when he had stepped in. She took her time as she unsnapped the button, and slowly pulled down the zipper. But she didn't move to remove the pants.

Scorpius growled softly and pulled away from the kiss. "You know, if you're going to start something, the least you could do is finish it," he teased as he kicked off the jeans.

Lily smiled up at him, a blush surfacing on her cheeks. She knew it was ridiculous. She'd seen him in swimming trunks. But actually seeing her boyfriend in just his boxers . . . a heat pooled in her stomach. "I could, but that scowl you get when I don't is cute," she teased, running a finger along his brow.

He moved away from her finger and pressed his forehead against her own. His breath fanned against her skin making her shudder. "You're cuter," he whispered, his lips brushing against hers all the while he spoke.

Almost as if on instinct, Lily licked her lips, and her tongue brushed along his bottom lip as she did. "I wouldn't say you're cute overall," she mocked lightly and breathlessly.

Scorpius tilted his head slightly. "What would you call me?" he mumbled against her lips, although it still wasn't really a kiss.

"A stud," Lily replied, and Scorpius finally pressed his lips hard against hers in a rough, yet still loving, kiss. His fingers danced along the skin of her sides, sending warm tingles through her nerves. Finally, one of his warm hands wrapped around her side, holding her closer. Then other moved to her thigh, and slowly began to trail up to the inside of her skirt. Lily moaned softly at the feel, and allowed her hands to explore the expanse of his chest and shoulders, remembering each muscle and tiny scar she'd seen and felt before. Quite a few she'd asked about. Most seemed to be from Quidditch games and broom rides.

When his hand reached the hem of her panties, his other hand slowly moved down to the top of her skirt. Then one finger hooked under the fabric, and he pulled his lips away from hers. His breath was heavy on her cheeks, but Lily felt her own breaths coming in pants. "Is . . ., is this ok?" he asked carefully.

Lily hesitated for a slight second, and then nodded gently. "Go ahead," she whispered, her cheeks feeling even hotter, and the heat in her belly becoming a tight coil.

Slowly, Scorpius used both hands to pull the skirt down her legs, and then dropping the skirt near the edge of the bed. She watched as his shifted his position, and his eyes trailed up her legs, taking in every new inch of skin. Her heart was beating faster, and a rush went through her veins. His eyes burned through her skin, sending a deeper pressure on the feeling in her tummy.

Scorpius's eyes closed, his expression looked to be one of concentration. When they opened, they seemed even more focused and intense. And it was when he locked his eyes onto her own that she became very aware of their situation. She was half naked, and he practically was, Scorpius was on top of her, one leg between her own. And a feeling was in her lower stomach that was beginning to become very familiar to her in moments like this.

Scorpius brought his lips against hers again. It was harsher, and he nipped at her bottom lip roughly before taking it between his own and sucking on it, hard. Lily moaned breathlessly, her hands sluggishly moving to hold his shoulders. Scorpius let go of her bottom lip, but instead of continuing the kiss, he moved down to her neck, where he began to bite and suck at any skin he found there. His hands wandered across her body, leaving burning touches on her skin. He groaned into her neck, sending another rush through her body.

A knock on the door made both of them jump and pull away from each other. Lily's cheek felt hot enough to be on fire. "What is it?" she called, feeling even more of a blush at how weak and breathless her voice sounded.

"Miss Lily, Mistress Malfoy is wondering if you are hungry for breakfast in the dinning hall?" Pitch, the house elf, asked.

Lily took in a deep breath, closing her eyes. "Yes, tell her I will be there in a couple of minutes. Have you woken Scorpius yet?" she asked.

"He did not answer when I knocked," Pitch answered from behind the door.

Lily opened her eyes and glanced at her boyfriend. All she could see was the back of his hair. "I'll wake him up," Lily assured.

"Ok. I will inform the mistress," Pitch told her. Then there was a loud "CRACK" outside the door. Lily fell back onto her back, trying to get her heart to stop beating so fast.

Scorpius released a sigh and turned to look at her. A smirk was on his lips. "Well, I guess I'd better get fixed up and out of here. So you can 'wake me up,' which I'm looking forward to."

Lily smiled and rolled her eyes, but then it dropped. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

He got off the bed and picked up his jeans. "You don't need to apologize, Lily. It's not your fault. Someone knocked on the door and threw the mood off. It's fine. In fact, it's probably better that it happened," he assured.

Lily felt confused as she sat up. "What do you mean?"

Again, he chuckled, and tried to fix his hair. "It didn't feel like the right moment, ya know?" He zipped and buttoned up his jeans.

Lily blushed as she pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms around them. "Maybe I wouldn't have stopped you," she whispered, her blush coming back again.

Scorpius looked at her and smirked. "Even better that Pitch knocked then."

Lily felt her heart stutter, and a pit in her stomach came around again. One that could be full of hurt of happiness. "You mean . . . you don't want to?" Lily didn't know why she asked. Part of her was still hesitant on whether or not _she_ was even ready!

Scorpius moved so that he sat next to her, and Lily became aware that she was still half naked. "I've never wanted to do something so bad," he murmured. He pushed a strand of hair away from her face. "But, I don't want either of our first times to be in a room where either of my parents could barge in at any moment. And I'd rather it feel like the right moment than just like any normal snog." Then he leaned down, and when he sat back up, he held her shirt in his hands. He held it out to her.

Lily took it from him, a smile on her face, and that pit turning to happiness. "Thank you," she whispered, meaning more than just handing her the shirt.

Scorpius smirked and leaned forward, kissing her briefly. "Of course, babe." Then he pulled away, and took her hand in his. "And, I'd also rather be completely sure that you want this. And when you do, . . . well, we'll go from there."

* * *

Breakfast with the Malfoys proved to be much more enjoyable than breakfast with Lily's actual family had been the past few years. But as she conversed with Draco and Astoria, something pressed at the back of her mind. Her previous situation with Scorpius. Was she ready to take that step with Scorpius? That was the farthest the two had gone, the most he'd ever seen of her. Would she have asked him to stop? The thought hadn't crossed her mind at the time. So . . . did that mean that she was ready? Just the thought sent butterflies into her stomach, but . . . wasn't that normal? She could just chalk it up to nerves, and who wouldn't be nervous in her situation? It would be her first time . . . and it would be with _Scorpius_. The man she loved.

"So, Lily," Astoria spoke, shaking Lily from her thoughts, "would you be interested in doing a more festive shoot in three days?"

"What do you mean by festive?" Lily asked curiously.

"Well, it just means that the outfits will be more . . . Christmas-like. Greens and reds, some white. _Witch Weekly_ is looking to release an issue on Christmas. I've already given them some pictures of my older models, but they requested that I send in a few of you as well," Astoria explained.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I could do that. Sounds fun," she said with a smile.

"What's this?" an angry voice demanded.

All four of them looked to the door to see Lucius Malfoy standing in the doorway, looking as elegant and posh as ever.

Draco set down his fork. "Well, good morning, Father. Planning to join us for breakfast?" he asked casually.

"What is that _Potter girl_ doing here?" Lucius hissed.

Lily tried not to cringe at the name he used, but before she could speak, Draco had. "She came over last night."

"So we're taking in strays now are we?" Lucius mocked.

"No, we're taking in our family," Draco said calmly.

"She is no family of mine! She is not a Malfoy!" Lucius argued.

Scorpius turned and finally glared at Lucius. Lily quickly took his hand, hoping to calm him a little. "She will eventually. What are you going to do then?" he retorted angrily.

Lucius glared at his grandson. "She will _not_ be a part of this family."

"She _is_ part of this family!" Scorpius argued.

"Scorpius, Father," Draco intervened. "Let's not argue. Now, Lily," he looked at her kindly, "since we are sort of on the subject, when will you need to be returning home?"

Lily bit back a groan at the thought. She felt more at home here. But . . . she would have to go back soon. Otherwise, they'd probably notice that she was gone, and not just pouting. But . . . how awkward would it be going home after what she'd said? Could she handle that?

"Probably after breakfast," Lily sighed.

"Would you like me to take you home?" Scorpius inquired.

"I think you and I need to have a talk first, Scorpius Malfoy!" Lucius stated.

But Scorpius seemed to ignore him, and squeezed her hand reassuringly. And even though it would probably just upset Lucius even more, Lily nodded. "I'd like that."

* * *

When Scorpius had Apparated Lily to the park in Godric's Hollow, she pondered on how to reenter the house. Should she go back through her window, or through the front door? James wouldn't be there. He'd probably be back at his own flat. Her father usually had to work until about the twentieth. That was when he took his break for the holidays. And her mum had told Victoire of an article that she had finished that morning. That would mean that she would have to run it into her editor. Only Albus would be home, and he never got up this early. Could she risk it?

When the house came into view, Lily decided to go with the door. If she got caught, what did it matter anymore? Could it really get worse for her at that house? Answer: No. So she brought Scorpius up to the front step, where they stopped.

Scorpius looked at her with a slight bit of worry. "Are you sure you don't want to try and sneak in?" he asked softly.

"No one but Albus should be home. And his lazy ass is probably asleep," Lily assured. "I'll be ok."

Scorpius sighed and nodded. He leaned down and kissed her quickly. "Ok. When do you start working?"

"Tomorrow. I'll probably take the twenty-first and twenty-third off. And I don't have to work again until after Boxing Day," Lily told him.

"Ok. I'll be sure to drop by. And I'll see if I can make my way over to the manor on the day of your photo shoot," Scorpius replied.

Lily nodded. "Ok. I'll see you then. Love you."

Scorpius smirked. "Love you too, babe." He kissed her on the lips briefly before slowly walking backwards, away from her.

Lily waved shortly before opening the door and stepping inside. There was complete silence. She closed the door, and listened around her. No on seemed to be downstairs, and she heard no footsteps from the ceiling. So, with careful steps, she walked across the hallway, up the stairs, and to her bedroom. She came across no one. But when she stopped in front of her door, there was a piece of white paper stuck to it. Lily peeled it off. She pulled out her wand.

"Alohamora," she whispered. She was glad she wasn't Muggleborn. She could get away with doing magic in her own house since the Trace couldn't tell who was doing the magic around her. She walked into her room, re-locked her door, and then put down her broom. She set her bag down on her bed, and unzipped the rest of it. Salazar was sitting on a shirt. She picked him up carefully, and set him down on her desk. Immediately, he stumbled over to where she kept his food. Then she went and let open her window for when Regal would come back. Then, after doing all she could to avoid it, Lily sat on her bed and unfolded the paper.

"_Lily,_

_Your father and I talked, and you can go to Scorpius's parents' house for Christmas dinner. I will discuss it with your grandmother. I think you, me, and your father need to talk and work things out over the break. I know things have been bad, but maybe this is the time for us to fix them. I should be home some time after noon, and your father will get off of work as soon as he can. We'll talk then._

_- Love, Mum"_

Lily sighed. She was tired of "talking." It wasn't working. So far, each attempt had failed. But, perhaps it was time to come completely clean about her feelings about the Malfoys. Maybe . . . maybe it was hopeless, and she really should just . . . do it.

There was a knock on her door, making Lily jump.

"Hey, are you in there? Open up!" Albus's voice demanded.

Lily glared, but she did move to unlock the door and rip it open. Albus was still in his pajamas, his hair a bit of a mess, and glasses askew. "What do you want?" Lily questioned harshly.

"Mum wanted me to check up on you ever few hours. See if you were up," he grumbled.

"I'm not a child. I don't need someone to check up on me," she muttered.

"Well I don't like acting like your keeper," Albus snapped back.

"But you don't mind being James's pet brother," Lily mocked.

Albus glared at her now. "And you're Malfoy's whore."

But Lily ignored his attempt at riling her. "You do whatever James's tells you. You let him step on your back, and you allow the footprints to show. He wants to fuck your girlfriend, you let him. After all, it was a misunderstanding. James deserves whatever he wants." She stepped closer to him. "And now that James has graduated, you expect to be able to take his place. You demand and expect people to let you step on them, and when they don't, you throw fits. You try to do what James would have done, but you suck at causing the trouble like he did. He was a disaster, and you're just pathetic! So why don't you grow up, gain a personality, and just leave me the hell alone so that we can stop tearing at Mum and Dad's insanity?" Lily stepped back and slammed her door shut, locking it.

She expected to hear him walk away. But instead, she heard his voice. "You know, I could hear Mum and Dad yelling at each other last night. All about the crap _you've_ done and said. So before you talk about me and James tearing at Mum and Dad, why don't you think about what _you've_ been doing to tear at them!"

Then, she finally heard his footsteps.

* * *

Lily heard her mother come home a couple of hours later. She had been laying under her covers, dressed in pajamas, and trying to kick away the guilt that was clawing at her. Her parents were fighting . . . because of her? Now, Lily had heard her parents argue before. She never liked to hear it, but as a child, you sometimes overhear things. But . . . Lily had never heard her parents fight because of _her_.

A knock had sounded on her door soon after her mum came home. "Lily?" her mother's voice was soft and hesitant. "Lily, are you awake? I see that you got my note. We'll talk later. Ok, sweetheart?"

Lily didn't respond, but instead hid her head under her pillow. But she could still hear the footsteps fading away.

It was a couple of more hours before her father finally came home from work, earlier than usual. But in that time, Lily had time think through her thoughts. Put everything into perspective, and plan out what she could do to fix it all. There really seemed to be only one option. So she when she was called downstairs by her mother, she didn't try to fight it.

Lily felt guilt and hesitation dwelling in her stomach as she sat with her parents at the kitchen table. But she didn't push it away this time. In the short time she'd had before her father came home, she'd come to a conclusion. She would not push away the guilt. She deserved it, and it was time that she dealt with it.

"Look, Lily," Ginny began, "we know that things have been difficult for you since you started going to Hogwarts. And I think that now is the time to fix it." She looked sharply at her husband.

Lily waited patiently as Harry clumsily cleared his throat. "Lily, . . . you're my daughter. My _only_ daughter. I'm going to be unsure of any boy you date."

Lily rolled her eyes instinctively. "You weren't like that when I dated Lysander."

"I knew I could trust Lysander. But I don't know Scorpius as well," Harry started.

Lily held up her hand to stop him from continuing. "I don't want to fight about it anymore," she told him. "In fact, I just want it to stop."

Ginny smiled encouragingly, and Lily felt the guilt rise. "That's good, sweetheart."

"But," Lily spoke, "that's not going to happen. Not with me around."

Both of her parents look confused. "Lily, what are you talking about?" Ginny questioned.

Lily sighed. "I'm fifteen. I'm a lot to handle. I'm trouble, and fights happen around me. I start and finish them. I'm not mature enough to stop them. I've come to understand this. I care too much about myself to be the bigger person," she told them.

"Lily, all teens are like tat," Harry argued gently.

Lily shrugged. "Maybe so. But it doesn't help an already delicate situation. You guys are fighting because of me. Albus and I still fight, as do James and I. It's just making things worse."

"What exactly are you saying, Lily?" Harry asked.

Lily took in a deep breath. "I'm saying that maybe I should stay away for a while."

"What?" both adults shouted.

Lily nodded. "I think it's for the best."

"Lily, you're our daughter!" Ginny argued, only it was worry in her voice. Not anger. "We can't have you living somewhere else. We can fix this!"

"We can fix it, but not yet," Lily told her. "I'm not ready for that. I need to work things out for myself. Pushing Albus and I together will just make it worse. So, I think that I should stay somewhere else during the break. And in the summer until Albus has moved out on his own. Then, I think I can come back and begin to slowly fix this. One step at a time. But not now. The wounds are still too fresh, and we're still picking at them."

"So you want to just run away?" Harry demanded.

"I guess you can call it that. But I need to be away. I'll still go to the Burrow on Christmas Eve, and stay over Christmas day. I know Grandma would hunt me down if I missed it," Lily said.

"Are you implying that you wouldn't go to the Burrow if we let this happen?" Harry questioned.

Lily shook her head. "No. Grandma has a good heart, and she would just try to do what you and Mum have tried to do. No. I think that the best place for me to go and get away is at Malfoy Manor."

"Absolutely not!" Harry yelled. "The Burrow was questionable, but you staying at your boyfriend's house is _not_ happening!"

"Scorpius doesn't live in Malfoy Manor anymore. He moved out when he turned seventeen," Lily said calmly.

That seemed to throw Harry off, and Ginny was the one to ask the question. "Then why have you been going over there so often?"

Lily didn't shy away from their stares. It was time to be truthful and open about this. "Because, Astoria and Draco have become family to me. And this probably sounds harsh, and I don't mean for it to, but whenever I felt out of place here and in our family, they were there for me. And when I started to feel like a bad kid and began to feel guilty, Draco was there to help me. And I've never feared their disappointment, because they're always proud of me. They _are_ my family. And in the future, I know that I'll legally be part of the Malfoy family," Lily said firmly.

"Lily, we have always loved you! And we always will!" Ginny protested.

"I know, Mum. I've never doubted that. But I still feel out of place here. I don't feel that way with them," Lily murmured.

"I never thought I would regret sending my children to Hogwarts. None of this would have happened," Harry muttered.

"Dad, that doesn't matter," Lily replied. "Just tell me: Will you let me go, or will we wait until I run away? Because if I'm forced to stay, something will push me to run. And I'd rather leave for a while and come back, than leave forever."

With a somber air, her parents looked at each other. Then Ginny looked at her daughter with sad eyes. "Lily, how about your father and I discuss this, and then-,"

"No," Lily interrupted. "I don't want a fight to start. I just want to be able to get away and figure all of this out for myself. I just . . . I want to figure out what _I_ want for myself. To figure myself out a little better. Please," she pleaded. "Just . . . trust me."

Both parents sighed heavily and looked at each other again. And to Lily's surprise, it was her father that spoke.

"Ok."

* * *

Lily hadn't thought that she'd have to re-pack her trunk until she was getting ready to return to Hogwarts. But there she was, in her room, packing up her things to take to Malfoy Manor. She had let Regal out again, and Salazar was waiting to be held as he sat on her desk. She packed up both of the animals' food, her clothes and accessories, textbooks, potion kit and collection. Things she would need.

There was a knock on her door. "Come in," Lily called. She hadn't bothered locking it this time around.

The door opened, and Ginny was the one that stepped in. Lily glanced at her mother briefly before continuing to put the last few things into her trunk. Ginny didn't talk as she moved to sit on the edge of her bed, staring at Lily. Lily waited until she had zipped up her trunk before looking up. "What's up, Mum?" she asked, trying to be completely polite and gentle with her voice. She'd probably hurt her mother enough today.

Lily hated how sad her mother's eyes looked. "I just wanted to make sure things were going ok in here," she said softly.

Lily nodded. "I think I've got everything."

"So quickly?" Ginny asked.

"I don't want to bring much," Lily told her. "It'll be less I have to pack up when I come back." She wanted to keep reminding her mother of that fact. Her parents were treating this like she was never coming back. Her father had yet to speak another word to her, and it had been a couple of hours.

Ginny reached forward to push Lily's hair away from her face. "You know to write, yes?"

Lily nodded as she moved to sit next to her mother. "I know. And I will."

"And you be sure to be at your grandparents' by noon on Christmas Eve," Ginny told her.

"I will be there, Mum."

Ginny sighed as she looked at her daughter. "Are you sure about this, sweetheart?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. I think it's best for the time being. I have a lot of things I need to fix, and I need to fix them one at a time. And first, I need to find out what I need and want. And I can't do that when all my other problems are floating around me," she explained.

Ginny nodded this time, but she wasn't looking any happier. "I'll trust you, honey."

Lily smiled a little. "Thank you." She pulled in a deep breath. "Well, I should probably go."

Lily heard her mother take in a hiss of breath too. "Yes, it is getting late."

They both stood up, and Lily began to grab her trunk, but her mother had already flicked her wand at it, lifting it into the air. "I'll get this," Ginny offered.

Lily smiled genuinely this time. "Thanks, Mum." She picked up her broom, and then picked up Salazar, setting him on her shoulder. He perched there, balancing easily. His scaly head nudged her neck with affection. Then she picked up her wand and put it in her jacket pocket. Her mother was the first one out of the room, the trunk floating out first. Lily looked around the room once more. She'd taken all of her pictures of her friends down, and planned to hang them around her room in Malfoy Manor. Her desktop was bare, and her bookshelf was practically empty.

Lily shut off the lights, and closed the door.

When she got down to the front hall, both of her parents were standing by the door, and surprisingly, so was Albus. Her mother had placed the trunk down. The door was open, and Lily could see that one of them had called the Knight Bus. She hadn't wanted to Floo with so much stuff with her. Lily placed her broom against her trunk, and placed Salazar down as well. Then she turned to look at her parents.

"I'll be at the Burrow in a couple of days. And I start work tomorrow if you need me for something. And you can always come to the Manor," Lily told them. "I'll be back soon."

Ginny stepped forward and pulled Lily into a tight, and awkward hug. "You take care of yourself then," she whispered. "And know that whenever you want to come home, we'll be waiting for you on the front step."

"Ok, Mum."

Ginny pulled away, but still held her hands on Lily's shoulders. Lily hated how teary her mum's eyes looked. "I love you, sweetheart."

Lily nodded, and smiled a little. "I love you too, Mum."

Ginny let her go, and then glanced at her husband and son. Harry was staring flat ahead at the bus. But, looking churlish, Albus stepped forward a tiny bit. "See you at the Burrow," he muttered, and Lily could sense that their mum had put him up to saying something.

But Lily did call him out on it. "Yeah. See you there." She placed Salazar back on her shoulder, picked up her broom, and took a hold on her trunk. Then she looked back at them once more. More so at her father.

"Bye, Dad. Love you," she said. And not bothering to wait for his silence, she walked out the door, her trunk clattering behind her as she went down the steps.

As she approached the man standing by the door of the bus, he hurried to take her trunk. "Your parents have already paid for the ticket," the man told her. "Please follow me."

Lily ended up in a seat near the back, sitting in a more secluded part of the bus. She looked out the window. Her parents and Albus were still standing at the door, looking at the bus. Looking at her. She felt a low rumble start up under her seat, and could hear the bus start up. And like a shot, they were moving. And like a flash, her family was gone from her sight.


	59. Christmas Break the Malfoy Way

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's another chapter of our Christmas break. I could have connected this chapter and the next one, but I thought it would be too much for one chapter. So I have broken it into two. So, I may make the next chapter the last one before they go back to school. But, read and enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Christmas Break the Malfoy Way

"She is not living here!" Lucius Malfoy yelled loudly, his voice echoing around the sitting room.

Lily sighed as she quietly sat on the couch. It had only been a couple of hours since she'd arrived at Malfoy Manor. She hadn't even had enough time to completely unpack before Draco decided to take Lily to Lucius so that they could tell him she would be living with them temporarily. Astoria was speaking with a magazine editor about the Christmas edition, and apparently, Scorpius was still unawares of her new living conditions.

"Father, she needs a place to stay, and this is the best place for her," Draco argued. So far, Lily had stayed silent. She felt her voice wouldn't help her here.

"Oh, so since she's a Potter outcast, _we_ should take her in!" Lucius exclaimed.

"Father, she is practically a part of our family," Draco said calmly.

"She is not part of _my_ family!" Lucius snapped. "That little tramp will not be living here!"

"Well she's part of my family!" Draco snapped back, anger finally seeming to hit his voice. "Lily might as well be my daughter, and I will not have you calling my little girl a tramp! And if you don't like the idea of her living here, then you don't need to be around the rest of us! It's a big house, Father. But she is living here, and that is that!"

Lily stared at Draco in surprise. She'd never seen Draco snap at Lucius like that. Usually when Lucius started a fight, Draco just skirted the issue and calmly changed the subject.

Lucius looked equally as shocked. He stared at his son with wide and furious eyes. Then he turned his angry gaze on Lily, who felt the need to move away from his eyes. But instead of saying something like Lily had expected, Lucius stormed out of the room.

Draco sighed heavily as he dropped into an armchair. He ran a hand over his slicked back hair, and looked at Lily apologetically. "I'm sorry about him. He knows how to be a stubborn old man," he said with a wary chuckle.

Lily smiled a little. "It's ok. Thanks for sticking up for me at least."

Draco nodded. "Well I meant it. I won't have him talking to the girl who might as well be my daughter like that. You don't deserve that."

Now, Lily really did smile. "Thanks," she said quietly.

There was an obvious moment of silence before Draco spoke again. "So, do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Lily leaned her head back against the couch. "I snapped at my Dad yesterday, and I told him that I'd rather you be my dad than him," she whispered.

"Ouch," she heard Draco hiss.

"Yeah," Lily muttered. "That's why I snuck over last night."

"Yeah, I was sure your parents were unaware," Draco replied.

"So, when I got home, I saw a note saying that my parents wanted to talk to me when they both got done with work. So, while I waited, I kind of found that I'm too immature to fix things. I just . . . I need to be away from it all to figure out what I want," Lily told him. "I'm sorry if it's an imposition."

"It's no imposition. Astoria will be thrilled when she comes home to find out," Draco assured. "So, just so we're at an understanding, I work until the twenty-third."

Lily nodded. "Well, I work the nineteenth and twentieth, twenty-second, and basically every day after Boxing Day," she listed.

"Leaky Cauldron, right?" Draco asked.

Lily nodded. "Same place. Usually I work ten to six, but sometimes I work later shifts. Oh! And on the twentieth, I have to go to St. Mungo's. I promised a friend I'd go and see him."

Draco didn't question it. "Ok. And you'll be going to your grandparents' on Christmas Eve?"

"And Christmas, but I'll be back here for dinner," Lily assured. "It's just become a family tradition for everyone to stay over at the Burrow on Christmas Eve and Christmas."

Draco nodded. "That's just fine."

"And . . ." Lily hesitated, not wanting to push the limits. "Well, would it be ok if my cousin, Hugo, came over some days?"

"Of course. I remember Hugo from your birthday. A fine young man from what I remember," Draco commented.

"He is a great guy. But now he's going through the beginnings of what I went through when my problems started, and I don't want him drowning in them. Especially when it's kind of my fault," Lily sighed.

"How could it be your fault? Every teenager has problems with their parents," Draco pointed out.

"Yeah, but now that he's been hanging out with me, he's been . . . acting less like a Gryffindor robot. It's not really welcomed by his dad," Lily told him.

"Which one is his father? Because after seeing him, my guess would be Ronald. His hair is curlier, but I'd guess that he got that from Granger," Draco guessed.

Lily nodded. "Yep, those are his parents. His dad is still kind of . . . hesitant of Slytherins. He only lightened up on it because of me, and after all the things that have happened, he's practically reverted to his old feelings."

Draco nodded without speaking for a moment. "Pitch!" he called. Pitch appeared with the normal loud "Crack."

"Yes, Master Malfoy?" Pitch asked.

"Can you get Lily and I something to drink?" Draco requested.

"Of course, Master. What would you like?" Pitch asked.

Draco looked at Lily with a curious looked. Lily shrugged. "Butterbeer?" she said.

Draco nodded one. "And get me a glass of elf wine."

"Of course." Then Pitch was gone.

Draco looked over at Lily. "So, since we're on the topic, do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your family? I haven't really been keeping tabs on them. All I know is that the size has grown immensely over the years."

Lily shrugged. "Sure. Ask away."

Pitch came back with the drinks, handing them both to Draco. Draco handed the butterbeer to Lily, who took a drink.

"So, does Hugo have any siblings of his own?" Draco asked curiously.

Lily swallowed her drink. She liked how Draco seemed purely interested and not prying when he asked. Most adults she wasn't related too always sounded too eager to know more about her family. "Yeah, he's got an older sister. She's in Scorpius's year. Rose Weasley."

Draco looked to be in thought for a quick moment, but then nodded. "Yes, I think I've heard Scorpius and his friends mention that name. Although, it wasn't particularly flattering," he sighed.

Lily nodded. "No surprise. I don't say very flattering things about her either. Lately, she's even more insufferable than usual."

"I used to think that of her mother," Draco said with a chuckle. "But, if she's in her seventh year as well, then it might be the upcoming exams that are making her frantic. They are tough."

Lily looked at him curiously this time. "No offense, but I thought you never went back to Hogwarts after your sixth year?"

Draco took a quick drink. "I didn't. I was . . . I guess you could say home schooled for about a year, and then I took the exams from here."

"Oh. I don't think my dad or uncle Ron did that. They just skipped them. But, my aunt Hermione has mentioned that she went back to Hogwarts to finish her schooling," Lily commented.

Draco nodded as he took another sip. Then he sighed. "So, I hear that you're an aunt and a godmother?"

Lily smiled. "Yeah. Teddy and Victoire had a baby a year and a half ago. He's adorable. I have a couple of pictures I can show you later, if you'd like."

Draco smiled. "Sure. What's his name?"

"Theodore John Lupin," Lily told him. "Actually, Victoire's pregnant again."

Draco chuckled. "Well, no offense, but I've always thought that breeding was a special Weasley talent."

Lily laughed too. "No, I've thought the same. But, I've kind of expected Victoire and Teddy to have kind of a big family. Victoire is very . . . nurturing. Motherly," Lily told him.

"I remember meeting Teddy, but he was a very young boy then. It wasn't too many years after the war. What's he up to now?" Draco asked.

"He works in the ministry. In the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. In the Beast Division," Lily answered.

"So, what are you thinking of doing after school?" Draco asked curiously.

"No clue," Lily replied. Then she laughed. "Hell, with how much I've made with modeling for Astoria, I won't have to work for years after I graduate. Honestly, I think I'll just stick with modeling unless I find something that interests me."

"That's not a bad idea," Draco told her. "Go with what you want."

"My dad hates that I model," Lily stated. "He acted like I was an underwear model."

Draco chuckled. "Well, I wasn't sure about it at first, but, Astoria talked me down," he admitted.

"My dad calmed when I told him I hadn't planned it to be my life career. I haven't told him what I've been planning lately. I don't tell him much of anything about my life lately," Lily sighed.

"You're a teenager," Draco replied. "I didn't tell my parents much about my personal life when I was your age. And I know Scorpius held information about himself from Astoria and me. And as odd as it sounds, he's opened up a bit more now that he's living on his own."

"Really?"

"It's odd but true," Draco said with a laugh. "So, will you be moving out on your own when you turn of age?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. That's not part of my future I've really thought about, I guess."

"You've got plenty of time," Draco assured. "Despite the different situations of our generations and time, I was still hesitant about what I wanted with my life."

Lily looked at the bottle of butterbeer in her hands. "You know, now that I help Slughorn teach some of the other fifth years, I find that I really like the feeling. Teaching them things that might need to know later in life, not just for O.W.L.s. Helping someone to understand a subject that used to confuse them. It's nice," she admitted. Then she laughed dryly. "But, my guess is that it starts to suck when you run into a group of snotty kids."

Draco chuckled. "I'd imagine."

Lily sighed after taking a big gulp of her drink, and licked her lips. "You know, I don't know who to hate or trust anymore," she murmured.

"Elaborate?" Draco requested.

Lily leaned her head against the back of the sofa, pushing her bangs to the side. "After I was sorted, there was kind of a clear line on who to trust. Slytherins. Never trust a Gryffindor. And some time later, it was easy to distinguish which Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs I could trust. But now . . . now I don't know. I'm finding that a lot more Gryffindors are becoming supporters of mine, I've lost the trust of some Ravenclaws, but I'm gaining more people that _say_ I can trust them. I just . . . I don't know if someone's going to turn on me anymore," she told him.

"If I could suggest something, don't look at it as who to hate and who to trust," Draco said. "When you distrust every new person who tries to come to your side, you start to fear new people at every turn. And when you start to fear each corner, you lose time to live."

* * *

"I'm so glad that you agreed to come shopping with me, Lily," Astoria said as they entered Diagon Alley.

Lily smiled. Astoria had been very excited to learn that Lily would be temporarily be living with them. She had then insisted that Lily join her on a shopping trip. Lily couldn't refuse her. "It's no problem. Actually, I need to stop by my uncle's shop and pick up a gift for a friend," Lily told her, thinking of Duncan.

"Well that's no problem. We'll stop by there before we leave," Astoria assured as she pulled Lily into a clothing shop. "So, have you told my son that you're staying with us?"

"No, I haven't talked to him since this morning," Lily replied.

"Well, I wouldn't expect him to come over tonight. Not after his talk with his grandfather, which I'm doubt went well," Astoria said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry if I'm causing trouble with him," Lily apologized.

"Oh, don't worry about it, honey. Lucius is stubborn in his ways, but he'll eventually accept it," Astoria assured, although she didn't look as sure as she sounded.

"I just don't want to cause any more problems," Lily muttered as she followed Astoria around the store, while Astoria began to look through different shirts and other outfits. Lily glanced around the store. It looked very expensive by normal standards. Lily had never been in it before.

"Oh, you're no problem, sweetheart," Astoria told her. "I think it's great that you're trying to fix things between you and your family. I'm glad you're mature enough to take that first step, even if it was hard."

"I'm sure I really hurt them," Lily sighed as she thought of her parents. "My dad didn't even say anything to me after he said I could go."

"It must have been very hard for them. It was hard for me when Scorpius moved out, even when he assured me that he'd visit often," Astoria told her honestly. "But it got easier, and you won't be away from them forever."

"I know," Lily murmured.

"Anyways, I think I have the perfect dress for you to wear at the Christmas dinner, if you don't mind me picking it?" Astoria stated.

Lily laughed lightly. "I'm sure I'll love it."

"It was one that I was going to have you wear for the Christmas shoot, but it's not going to be ready in time. But, I may have the pictures taken in that dress after Christmas," Astoria explained.

"What color is it?" Lily inquired.

Astoria smiled mischievously. "That's a surprise."

* * *

"He's cute," Duncan commented about the red Pygmy Puff that sat in his lap.

Lily smiled as she watched Duncan stroke the small animal. "What are you going to name him?"

Duncan bit his lip as he thought about it. Lily leaned back in her chair, and couldn't help but look over Duncan. He no longer wore a hospital gown, leaving his chest and back bare. He said that it was so the Healers could monitor his body's progress easily. The lower part of his hip was gone, and a small piece of skin near his ribs was looking like a sickly bruise.

"How about Dwayne?" Duncan suggested.

Lily raised a brow. "Why Dwayne?"

"Well, that's Jacob's middle name, so why not?" Duncan said with a smile.

Lily smiled. "Well, I think it's a great name," she told him. Then she brought up her courage. "So, how's the spot?"

Duncan glanced down at the spot near his ribs. "It still doesn't tingle. Just itches. A couple of weeks ago, it got so bad that I ended up scratching the skin off of it. So they put up an invisible barrier around the spot so I can't scratch. Now, I'm kind of used to it," he explained.

"Have they found out why it's itching like that?" Lily asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Gordon said that he found an infection in the skin there. Something that wasn't on any of the other areas before they disappeared."

"Will the infection do any harm?" Lily asked.

"Well, he said it's a simple infection, and that they can repress it and keep it from spreading. Actually, they can get rid of it," Duncan told her.

"Well, why don't they?" Lily inquired.

"I told them not to," Duncan answered. At Lily's look of confusion, he continued speaking. "Gordon said that the infection was minor, but it was keeping the area from turning grey or disappearing. That's why it's itching so badly. It's fighting away what's trying to kill it, which is the Vanishing Sickness. But eventually, it would get worse, and they'd have to get rid of the infection before it did permanent damage. Then Gordon gave me the option on whether or not I wanted to let the infection stay. And I said yes, because if the dieses is being fought, then my Healers should have more time to figure out how to fix all of this."

Lily reached forward, and she could feel her fingers brushing against an invisible wall near his ribs. "So, it doesn't hurt?"

Duncan shook his head. "It only itches. But, they say that it will eventually hurt. I guess it'll try to eat away at the bones of my ribs. Once that happens, they need to get rid of it. Otherwise, the Vanishing Sickness will have easier access to my heart."

Lily pulled her hand back. "Do they know how long until they'll have to get rid of the infection?"

"Gordon said that it varies person to person. But since it's fighting more than just my normal immune system, they're guessing that we'll be able to keep it in me longer than what's normal," Duncan told her.

"Well, I hope they figure something out for you," Lily said, not knowing what else she could say about it.

Duncan smiled. "I've got a gift for you," he told her.

Lily looked at him with surprise. "You didn't have to get me a gift," she replied.

"I wanted to," he assured. "Besides, you gave me millions of pictures, so I wanted to give you one," he said as he looked around his walls, which were covered completely with pictures of rooms and students from Hogwarts. He turned and looked at the bedside table. "It's in that drawers," he told her.

Lily turned in her seat a little, and opened up the drawer. She pulled out a normal-sized picture, but it was what the picture was of that had Lily silently staring at it. It was of a little boy, three or four, with thick black hair that was falling around his face, making his bright blue eyes stand out. He was standing on a couch, making poses with him flexing his tiny arms.

A taller man was standing behind the couch. This man was either a father and an older brother. The man looked similar to the boy. He had thick black hair, although it wasn't as long, but instead curled around his forehead. His eyes were a darker blue than the boy. The man mirrored the boy, making the same poses, with a white smile.

"That's me and my dad," Duncan told her. "My mum said that I'm about three in the picture."

Lily smiled as the little boy in the photo made a new pose. "I like the poses," she teased lightly, although she did find them cute.

Duncan laughed a little. "I wanted to be a Quidditch star back then. I told my mum and dad that I would grow up and be really big and strong. I was going to be a Beater. Just like Vasco Santini from Spain's team. He was my Quidditch hero back then," he told her.

Lily looked up from the picture to see that Duncan had a look of reminiscence on his face. "What changed?" she asked.

"I got sick. My dad wasn't able to take me to Quidditch matches anymore. When he would visit, he would tell me all about some matches, or would bring the articles your mum wrote in the _Daily Prophet_ about some matches and he would read them to me. But then he had to increase his work hours, so I've lost touch with the sport and its players," Duncan said with a sigh.

Lily felt sad that Duncan had lost the chance at his dream. She hadn't known that Duncan had wanted to be a Quidditch player. Not that it was such a strange dream. A lot of kids did. In her family it had been James, Fred, Albus, and Hugo. Really, Louis was the only boy that didn't seem to care about Quidditch. To him, it was just a sport to watch for fun.

"Lily," Duncan spoke, wakening her from her thoughts. "Didn't you say that you had to go to work today?"

Lily quickly glanced at the clock as well, and noticed that she did need to be at the Leaky Cauldron soon. She sighed. "Yeah, I'd better go." She stood from her seat, but was a little hesitant to go.

But Duncan smiled. "Ok. Bye, Lily. I'll see you soon, right?"

Lily smiled as well and nodded. "Of course. As soon as I can." She leaned forward and pushed his hair away from his forehead. Then she laid a short kiss on the smooth skin there. "Bye, Duncan. Take care."

* * *

"Three butterbeers," Lily announced as she approached a table, setting the bottles off of her tray and onto the table.

"Thanks, girlie," a middle-aged man said as he picked up one of the bottles.

"No problem," she said as she turned to walk away. She stepped back behind the counter, setting the tray down.

"Lily, take the bar for a minute, I need to do something," Hannah said as she hurried to the kitchens. All Lily could do was nod.

"Hey, Lily, grab me the pumpkin juice?" Hugo asked as he came to the bar, holding his own tray.

Lily moved to a pitcher, and took it to Hugo. "Here ya go, cuz," she said.

"Thanks," Hugo said with a sigh. "I'll be back." And then he walked away toward a table near the back. Lily occupied herself with putting a few stray glasses left on the bar on the back shelf to be washed later.

"Hey, Lily."

Lily froze at the sound of that voice. She turned around quickly. Lysander was sitting at the bar. He looked different from the last time she'd seen him. Then, he'd had a look of betrayal and fury on his face at learning of her and Scorpius. But now, he looked humble. His normal mop of silvery blonde hair was a bit tamer than usual, and a little shorter. It stopped just a little over his forehead.

"Lysander," she mumbled quietly. She gulped. "What are you doing here?"

Lysander tapped his fingers on the counter, but his eyes never strayed from her. "I, um . . . I wanted to apologize for what I did and what I said," he murmured. "I was angry. And it's no excuse for what I said, but I want you to know that I do regret saying what I did."

Lily looked at him carefully. He looked sincere, and Lysander was usually a terrible liar. Lily relaxed a little. "It's ok. I deserved some of it," she replied.

Lysander shook his head. "You didn't deserve any of it. I jumped to conclusions, and I didn't give you a chance to explain."

"I think I deserved some of it. I did cheat on you," Lily admitted, happy that the old guilt didn't come back. She was moving past it. That was good.

"Then, are we ok?" Lysander asked.

Lily hesitated for a moment, unsure of herself and the situation. But then, she nodded. "Yeah. I guess we're ok," she told him.

Lysander smiled. "I'm glad. Maybe I'll finally stop feeling guilty about what I did."

Lily laughed dryly and humorlessly. "Believe me when I say that guilt will never get better. It's better to get past it than to try and live with it."

* * *

"So, this is your permanent room here?" Hugo asked as he looked around Lily's room at Malfoy Manor. Work had ended for the two of them, and Lily had invited Hugo over. He practically jumped with excitement at the idea.

"Yep," Lily said as she closed the door. She moved over to sit on the bed. "This is it."

Hugo nodded as he continued to look around. "It's awesome," he told her.

Lily nodded, but she didn't want to skirt the issues. "So, how have things been with the family?"

Hugo sighed as he moved to sit at her desk. "Everyone has kinda reeled in shock at the fact that you've temporarily moved out."

Lily grinned at the news. "Thanks for letting me know, but I meant with you and your parents?"

Hugo chuckled. "Oh. _That." _He took in a hiss of breath. "Tense. My mum and dad freaked out at my appearance and attitude. My dad flipped the most. Once Mum was done yelling, he grounded me, forbid me to date Lola, and forbid me to hang out with you. Then he demanded that I lose the piercings, hair color, clothes, and attitude."

"What'd you say?" Lily asked.

"I said I wasn't into the idea of being a bald and naked waste of space," Hugo said with another chuckle.

Lily laughed as well. "I can't imagine that he took that well."

"Nah, he just said I was only allowed to leave the house to work. Luckily, he's not privy to my work schedule, so I plan on tell him that I worked late tonight. And when it comes to my date with Lola in a couple of days, I'll just tell him that I'm picking up an extra shift," Hugo told her.

"Speaking of, have you talked to Lola yet?" Lily asked.

"Yeah. I picked up an extra shift on the eighteenth, and she in her sister stopped in before shopping," Hugo replied. "We've got a date on the twenty-second."

"Scorpius has decided to take me out on the twenty-third. It's kind of a Christmas gift, although I'm sure he'll still buy me something else. He did on my birthday," Lily told him.

"What are you getting him?" Hugo asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Lily sighed. "I never know what he wants."

"Besides sex?" Hugo joked.

Lily blushed lightly. "Shut up," she muttered.

Hugo raised a brow at her. "Trouble in paradise?" he asked.

Lily sighed as she fell to her back. "Well, let's just say that sex is a hot topic in my arguing thoughts," she muttered.

"You mean that you're thinking about having sex with Scor?" Hugo said with surprise.

"I think we almost did," Lily admitted. "But, now it's kind of all down to if _I'm_ ready or not."

"Well, are you?" Hugo asked.

Lily bit her lip. "I _think_ I am, but . . . it's kind of . . . intimidating."

"Sex is intimidating to you?" Hugo stated with a small grin.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't know. I mean . . . I know that things are going to change if it happens. I know it's going to hurt when it happens -,"

"Hurts? After all your Quidditch injuries, you think that's really going to compare?" Hugo teased.

Lily finally cracked a smile. "Yeah, but you hear about how it's going to hurt for so many years and from so many people, the idea of the pain becomes really painful."

"And ya know, things might change, but do you really think the way you two love each other will?" Hugo questioned. "I mean, you think he'll care any less? Or that you'll love him less?"

Lily closed her eyes. "No. I can't imagine loving him any less."

"And if you think about it, you two having sex would be like sharing another part of your love with each other, right?" Hugo said.

Lily opened her eyes and looked at her cousin with a raised brow. "Um, I guess."

"Then, wouldn't your love increase between the two of you?" Hugo suggested.

Lily stared at her cousin for a moment, and then began to laugh. "When did you get so preachy about love?" she teased.

Hugo shrugged and grinned. "I know what I know, ya know?"

* * *

"That dress looks so beautiful on you!" Astoria gushed as Lily walked out from behind the screen. She was dressed in a soft green dress with white trim at the bottom. The green part of the dress glittered in the light. Thin straps rested easily on her shoulders, and the dress danced around her knees.

Lily raised a brow at Astoria. "I'm not wearing some green Santa hat, am I?" she joked.

Astoria laughed. "No, I didn't think you'd like to. No, I've got other ideas for the shot to make it even more Christmas centered. But, first, let's get your hair and makeup first."

Once it was all done, Lily found her hair the straightest it'd ever been, making it longer. It fell smoothly to far below her shoulder blades. The pink in her bangs had been temporarily covered with red, but the green streaks in the back were kept. Her lips had been painted a deep shade of red, and work had been done to really bring out her eyes.

"You look quite festive," Draco commented as he stepped into the workroom.

Lily smiled from her seat. "Thank you. I believe that's what your wife was going for."

"Yes it is," Astoria said with a smile.

Draco smiled as he walked in further. "Well, Scorpius and I are going to have lunch. There's something that we need to discuss."

"Well, when you two men are finished, bring him back with you, and we'll go out and have dinner somewhere," Astoria told him.

"Of course, dear," Draco agreed, kissing his wife on the temple. Then he leaned over and kissed Lily on her hair. "Good luck with this, Lily. Scorpius and I'll be here in a couple of hours."

"Bye, Draco," Lily said.

"We'll see you in awhile," Astoria said with a smile. Then once her husband was gone, she sighed. "Well, the sitting room should be already. I asked the house elves to set it up as we got you ready. Come along."

Lily followed Astoria down to the sitting room, and she stared at it with awe. The room had been decorated to the max. floating lights of every color hung around the room. The fireplace was lit with a roaring fire, and a thick and circle red rug lay in front of it. Garlands hung from the mantle and the doorframe. A large and fantastic tree stood in the corner, decorated elegantly. And already, a multitude of presents laid under the tree.

"Astoria, it's beautiful," Lily murmured. "Do the elves do it like this every year?"

"Oh, they change it a little each year. But it's always very pretty," Astoria told her.

Lily kept looking at the room and all its decorations. The house elves had done a magnificent job. But then a memory crossed mind.

* * *

**Flashback**

"Daddy, can I put the star on this year?" Five-year-old Lily asked sweetly. It was the holiday season, and the Potter family was decorating their house.

"Well, we got to finish decorating the rest of it before we put on the star on," Harry told his little girl.

"But can I put it on when we're done?" Lily asked, bouncing on her toes.

"Of course, princess," Harry assured with a chuckle.

"Shouldn't she help us decorate it first?" a seven-year-old Albus complained.

"She is helping," nine-year-old James defended. "She's been putting on ornaments."

"Exactly," Harry said as he picked up his tiny daughter. Then he handed her a small ornament, and Lily daintily put it on the tree. So Harry began to hand her ornament after ornament, letting her decide where to put them.

"Harry, you know you are spoiling that girl something terrible," Ginny teased as she walked into the room, a tray full of cups of hot chocolate floating beside her.

"Hey, it's my job. What else am I supposed to do with my little princess?" Harry said with a laugh.

Lily giggled. "Yeah!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Well, set the princess down so that she can have a drink."

Harry sighed. "Ok, ok."

"No!" Lily protested. "We've gotta put the star on!"

Harry laughed. "Ok. We'll do that first." He moved her to sit on his shoulders, and kneeled down next to the box of decorations. Carefully, he picked out the star, and handed it up to her. Lily held it tightly, afraid to drop it. Harry stood up tall, and moved next to the tree. Lily reached forward, and put the star on the tip of the tree.

"That looks beautiful, Lily," Ginny complimented.

"Just like our beautiful little princess," Harry teased as he pulled his daughter around to tickle at her sides.

Lily giggled again.

* * *

**End of Flashback**

Lily shook the memory from her head. That had been ten years ago. Why remember it now? Not wanting to dwell on it, she moved more into the room.

"So, where should we start?" Lily asked.

* * *

The photo shoot had been quick and easy. Lily had only changed once, into a red dress that thankfully hadn't clashed with her hair. Draco and Scorpius had come back after a couple of hours, and Astoria ushered Lily into her room to get ready for the dinner. Lily had wiped off the lipstick, and instead went for a subtle gloss. She kept her hair down and straight. And she changed into a black dress. She uncovered the pink in her bangs, and slipped on a pair of black dress shoes, which were thankfully flats. Then she slipped on both her and Scorpius's Slytherin rings, and placed each of her piercings in.

"You look ravishing."

Lily smiled at the mirror, where Scorpius's reflection stood by the door. He looked very dashing. He wore a black button-up shirt, the collar popped up. His hair was combed down, but his bangs were combed to the side to keep them from covering his eyes. His slacks were a midnight black as well, as were his shoes.

"You look quiet handsome yourself," Lily told him as she picked up her Slytherin pendant.

Scorpius moved so that he was just behind her, and took the necklace from her hands. He placed it around her neck, and she heard the clasps "click" as he set them together. Then his hands moved to rest on her shoulders, running up and down the bare skin of her arms. "They're waiting for us downstairs. Ready?"

Lily sighed and nodded her head. "Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

"This is one of our more favorite places to eat," Draco told Lily as he pulled out a chair for Astoria. Lily had been surprised at where they were eating. It was fancier than the place her family had all gone to when Victoire had graduated from her training to be a Healer. It was very obviously a Muggle restaurant by the decor of the room and clothing of the people.

Scorpius pulled out Lily's chair as well. "They take any chance to come here," he said with a chuckle. He took a seat next to her, and gently grasped her hand. Smiling, Lily interlocked their fingers.

"This place has a lot of meaning for us," Astoria offended with a smile of her own, and then gave her husband a look that seemed to hold a meaning for the two of them.

Draco gave a soft smile. "Yes, it does." He leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on his wife's cheek.

Scorpius turned to Lily with a sheepish, and almost embarrassed smirk. "My father proposed to Mother here," he explained.

"Really?" Lily said, interested. She'd never really asked or heard about how Draco and Astoria came to be.

Astoria laughed lightly. "Oh yes. He was nervous the whole night. Spilt an entire glass of water, almost choked a couple of times on his meal."

Lily bit back a laugh. Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, we'll never forget how funny that was," he mocked dryly, but still with a smile on his lips. Then he handed the others menus. "Here you are, Lily. Know French?"

Lily almost did laugh this time. "I grew up with a French aunt, and three cousins that made habits of occasionally speaking it. I've got a good grasp of it." Draco chuckled as well.

"Dominique speaks French?" Scorpius asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. The only time she speaks French now is to her French relatives or when she swears."

Scorpius chuckled. "Surprise, surprise."

But Lily ignored him. "So, how did you and Draco start a relationship, Astoria?" she asked curiously.

"Well, he was actually set up on a date with my sister at a formal dinner," Astoria told her.

Lily raised a brow. "Really?" Lily knew Astoria's sister. Daphne Zabini. She taught Arithmacy at Hogwarts. Lily obviously didn't have her as a teacher, but Lola did, and she said she was really nice. Tanner never spoke about his mum. But Lily did know that Daphne, like Astoria, was very beautiful.

Draco cleared his throat. "Yes, Daphne and I were in the same year at Hogwarts, although we never spoke much. About a year after the war, my parents worried about me, and thought that perhaps a wedding would keep my mind off of my worries."

Lily smiled at the thought of Draco planning a wedding. "But, how did you end up with your date's sister?"

Draco shrugged. "She was prettier."

Astoria rolled her eyes. "Actually, Daphne skipped the dinner when she found out that our parents were trying to set her up with someone. She was always very independent. I was actually a little surprised that she ever married at all." She laughed for a moment, but then shook her head. "Anyways, I ended up talking with Draco the rest of the night. He invited me to another dinner after that night, and it just went on from there."

Lily smiled. "That's really sweet."

Astoria laughed lightly. "So did I, although Draco refuses to say so."

"That's just not how I would word it," Draco muttered.

"I can agree with that," Scorpius told him.

Astoria rolled her eyes again. "Men," she scoffed with a laugh.

Lily laughed as well. "We choose to live with them," she pointed out.

"That we do," Astoria agreed.

A waiter came by to take their orders. Lily watched the man carefully. He seemed very polite and obedient towards Draco. She was waiting for him to start bowing almost. He took their orders with great care, and said that it would be ready as soon as possible, and made to perfection.

"They have very polite workers here," Lily mumbled.

Scorpius chuckled. "Nah, it's not that. They know my father owns the place."

Lily looked at him with surprise. "Really?"

Scorpius nodded. "Father bought it a couple of years after their wedding. One of the many establishments our family owns now. Real-estate is now probably one of the biggest contributions to our family's wealth," he told her.

"How many places does your family own?" Lily asked.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair, but then quickly patted it back down. "Um, a couple more restaurants, a few Muggle corporate buildings, we support most of Madam Malkin's finances, and we own quite a few residential homes," he listed.

"That sounds like a lot," Lily murmured.

"It is. Lucius always told my father that they were risking investments, but they've paid off well," Scorpius told her.

"Apparently," Lily teased lightly.

Scorpius chuckled as the waiter came, holding a tray of drinks. He quickly set one down in front of each of them, then hurried away. He picked up his own glass. "So, where should I take you on our Christmas date?" he asked.

Lily shrugged as she picked up her own glass. "I don't know. You can decide that. After all, it's your Christmas present to me." She took a small sip of her drink. It was sweet, fruity, but it was strong and almost made her flinch. She looked at the liquid in her glass. It was a velvet red color.

Scorpius didn't at all seem affected when he took a long drink. "Well, . . . I might have an idea."

"And what would that be?" Lily asked, setting her glass down.

Scorpius glanced at his parents, who were immersed in their own conversation, and then smirked at her. "I'll tell you later tonight, and then you can tell me what you think."

The rest of the dinner turned out to be a fabulous affair. The food had been fantastic, and she got used to her drink, which, she found out from Draco, had been a Muggle wine. As the night fell, they returned to Malfoy Manor, where the talked with each other for a while longer in the sitting room. But Scorpius soon excused himself and Lily, and led Lily to the large backyard of the manor.

"Scorpius, it's cold outside," Lily protested mildly.

Scorpius chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll put a heating charm around us both. Besides, you've yet to see the manor's backyard during the winter," he told her. So Lily followed Scorpius outside. He performed a simple heating charm around both of them before they stepped out. Lily looked around the yard with surprise. The elves must have decorated the yard too. Festive lights floated around, and the snow was perfect and white. A pathway had been cleared to lead through the gardens. And thanks to Scorpius's spellwork, she didn't feel the biting cold of the season.

"It's beautiful out here," Lily commented quietly.

"Different spells and charms keep it that way," Scorpius told her. Then he took her hand and led her further into the gardens.

"So, are you going to tell me your date plan?" Lily asked.

Scorpius smirked. "Well, I kind of got the idea from what I set up for your birthday. Only it'll be a bit different."

"How so?"

Scorpius cleared his throat. "Well, I was thinking that I would take you to the beach house we went to last time. Just me and you. Spend the day there. How about it?"

Lily blushed as a train of thoughts and images assaulted her mind. Her and Scorpius. Alone. A whole house. A date. Just them! "Um, sure that sounds great," she told him with a small smile. But her mind was still spinning around the idea.

* * *

When the day for Lily and Scorpius's date came, nerves were still running through her veins. Scorpius had suggested that she pack a bag, just incase there were things she needed. Lily pondered on bringing another set of clothes. After all . . . maybe tonight . . . maybe they would take that next step. But doubts fluttered around in her minds.

Lily looked over the contents of her bag. Another set of clothes, a bathing suit on Scorpius's request, her potion box, a nice dress, again at Scorpius's request, a few accessories and some makeup. Scorpius had said that he would have her back at the manor by midnight, but they were leaving after breakfast, which Lily had just finished minutes ago. They would be together the entire day.

Lily knew that Scorpius was probably waiting for her, so she quickly zipped up her bag. Then she glanced at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a black skirt and tights, her Liz Canvas shoes, a red and black striped, low-cut, top. Of course, she wore both hers and Scorpius's rings, and her Slytherin necklace. And, hoping that Scorpius would enjoy it, she put her hair into loose curls. But she noticed that her hair _really was_ getting pretty long, and even when curled, it still flowed down her back.

There was a light knock on her door, making Lily jump lightly. "Come in," she called.

She had honestly expected Scorpius to be the one to walk in, but to her surprise it was Astoria that walked into her room.

Astoria smiled at her. "Draco wanted me to say goodbye for him. He had to stop in at his office."

Lily raised a brow. "But I thought he started vacation today?"

Astoria laughed and rolled her eyes. "He's supposed to. But he always fears that he left something undone, so he has to go and check every year."

Lily giggled. "I can't say that's shocking."

Astoria walked around the room, looking at the pictures Lily had hung. "But, I wanted to talk to you about you and Scorpius's date today."

Lily looked at her curiously as she sat on her bed. "What about it?"

Astoria held up a finger, a signal to wait, as she looked at a picture. Then she moved away from it and came to sit next to Lily. Lily tried to get a glimpse at which picture she'd been looking at. It looked like the picture of her as part of Teddy and Victoire's wedding party. "Well, Draco told me that Scorpius planned to take you to one of our beach houses."

"Draco knew?" Lily asked.

"Scorpius told Draco. Asking permission to use it," Astoria explained.

"Oh," Lily muttered, a blush crossing her cheeks. She had been contemplating sex with this date, and she hadn't thought if Scorpius had told Draco or Astoria about the date. By of course he would. He wouldn't just disappear with her for a whole day without letting them know where they would be. The fact that Draco and Astoria knew where they would be, and that they would be alone, made the idea of sex even more intimidating.

And Astoria was on the mark. "And I know that you and Scorpius will be alone all day," she continued.

Lily's blush grew. Astoria wouldn't give her the same talk her own mum had, would she? Because with her own mum, it had been embarrassing. She couldn't see it being any better with her _boyfriend's_ mum.

Astoria sighed. "Look, Lily, I know you're a smart girl, and my son is an intelligent man. And I think it's very obvious that you two love each other. I don't think age really matters when it comes to the heart."

Lily looked at her, a bit confused. "Then . . . what is it that you want to talk about, exactly?"

Astoria put an arm around Lily's shoulders, and squeezed reassuringly. "And how do you feel about that?"

Lily looked at Astoria with surprise now. Astoria wanted to know how she felt about it? But, Lily couldn't help but be honest. "I'm kind of nervous," she admitted quietly.

Astoria nodded in understanding. "It can be nerve-racking. Being truly alone when you've reached that certain point in your relationship." Astoria looked at her with concern. "Do you think you're ready for something like this?"

Lily bit her lip as she thought out her answer. "Well, I'm sure that I'm ready and ok with being alone with him tonight. But, I know that him and I are going to need to talk."

"Do you know what you're going to say?" Astoria asked gently.

Lily pulled in a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I do."


	60. No Man Better

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Wow. A long chapter. And I know, I know that I said I would finish the Christmas break in this chapter, but it got way too long. So, there will be one more chapter about the break, or I may just combine it with when they go back to school. But, next chapter, we'll see the return of a past character. And we've got more drama when they go back to school. So, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Rating note - Just so all my readers have a heads up; I will probably be changing the rating to M at some point, although I'm not going to say for which chapter until it comes. But I will change the rating ahead of time, before I post the actual chapter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty: No Man Better

When Lily had gone to the Malfoy's beach house during that summer, she thought it was beautiful. And when Scorpius Apparated her that morning, she found that it was just as beautiful in the winter. Probably due to magic, there was no snow on the sand, but it neatly covered the grass. The stone pathway that led up to the house was clean of snow. The trees around the house were still full of leaves and also covered in snow.

"My parents have the house elves perform spells to keep the leaves on the trees year 'round," Scorpius explained to her as she looked around. "And it keeps the water warm to a certain distance from the property."

"They really are amazing beings, aren't they?" Lily murmured as they began to trek up the pathway to the house.

When they reached the door, Scorpius stopped and turned to Lily. He gently took her hand, and smiled gently at her. "Before we walk inside, you look beautiful, Lily," he murmured. Then he pulled her hand, and placed his lips on the back of her hand in a soft kiss.

Lily felt her heart flutter at his words, and an involuntary smile spread across her lips. "Thank you," she whispered. And then to reciprocate, she reached up and softly and quickly, kissed him on the lips.

Scorpius squeezed her hand, and then opened the door. Scorpius brought her inside. The house was of course open and light, and very elegant. Lily smiled as memories of their summer trip here came back to her. The circle in the trees, swimming, streaking Scorpius's hair, the moment when things really began to grow between her and Scorpius.

She heard him close the door behind her, the placed his palm on her back as he came to stand next to her. "Well, we've both had breakfast. We're here. So, what shall we do first?" he asked.

Lily shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

"Ah, but this is your Christmas gift, so you get to choose what we do. So, what would you like to do? We could swim, visit the circle, or we could go and visit the small town not far from here. Anything you want to do," Scorpius assured.

Lily bit her lip gently as she thought about it. "Well, how about we swim for a while?"

Scorpius kissed her forehead. "Whatever you like, princess."

* * *

As the day rolled on, Lily found the date to be much more enjoyable than her birthday date. Lily found that the water really was warm. Scorpius had coaxed her farther out into the water than she'd ever been. But he stayed by her the entire time, making sure she kept above the water's surface. After swimming, Scorpius had a few house elves make them lunch, which had been delicious. Then Scorpius took her to the little town not far from the house, which Lily had found very homey and friendly. Scorpius had taken her into a tiny shop and bought her a flower clip for her to put in her hair.

"It's not as pretty a flower as you, but I don't think there is a flower that is," he had said with a smirk. Lily had only giggled, rolled her eyes, and teased him for giving such a cheesy line.

Once it began to grow dark, Scorpius had brought her back, and had instructed her to get dressed up and ready, for he was taking her out to dinner instead this time. Lily agreed, but inside wished that they could just stay in, alone. But she didn't speak her thoughts. Instead she took her bag and walked up to the guest room she'd used when she was last there. She dressed in a silvery dress, flats, and her usual accessories. She re-curled her hair, which had kind of flattened after swimming earlier, and put the flower clip in it, and finally applied a light bit of makeup.

When Lily walked down the stairs, her thoughts were still on her desire to stay in. But they flew from her mind when she saw Scorpius. His hair, still streaked, was surprisingly combed completely to one side, staying out of his face and eyes, but covered half of his ear with its length. His cheeks and chin were a bit scruffy, but looked very handsome on him. He wore a forest green button-up shirt, which did wonders for showing how broad his shoulders were. The shirt fit his chest nicely, showing how strong he was. His tie was a subtle silver color. The sleeves were practically stretched tight around the muscles of his arms. The cufflinks were polished silver. His slacks were black, as was his belt. He wore a nice pair of dress shoes to go with it. And even from the bottom step, she could smell a hint of a cologne and that smell that just purely Scorpius. The entire combination took Lily's breath and words away.

But Scorpius had no problems. "Wow," he murmured as he stepped closer. "You look stunning." He held out his hand.

Lily took it, and stepped down the final step, moving forward to stand next to him. "So do you," she said quietly. And suddenly, her desire to stay in rose tenfold. "Do we really need to go out? It's not necessary?"

Scorpius smirked. "Yes, we're going out."

"But I thought that since it was my Christmas gift, I got to choose what we do?" Lily pointed out.

He kept smirking. "Yes, but I think we should go out to have dinner. Besides, I'm proud of the fact that I have you as a girlfriend, and I want to show you off."

Lily blushed lightly, at his words and at her slight arousal at his appearance. "If you say so," she mumbled.

Scorpius chuckled as he leaned his forehead against hers. "Oh, I do." His breath fanned over her, and Lily caught the scent of cinnamon on his breath, and another rush went through her. She bit back a moan. What was wrong with her tonight?

Lily licked her lips nervously. "Well, shall we go then?"

Scorpius let go over her hand, and went over to where he had hung their coats. He grabbed her leather jacket, and held it out for her, helping her into it. Then he placed on his own, and held out his arm. "We've got to Apparate first," he told her. "We're not going to a local restaurant."

Lily raised a brow as she took his arm. "Then where are we going?"

He didn't answer. Instead he simply Apparated them away. Lily held her breath until the feeling of going through a tube was gone. Then her feet touched down on the ground, and Lily looked around them. And she immediately recognized where they were.

"Paris?" Lily questioned. She'd been to Paris before with her family. They'd all gone to see the Delacour family.

Scorpius began to lead her along a sidewalk. "Well, I wanted to take you out to a fantastic place, because it's exactly what you deserve. And instead of dealing with either a long waiting period or crappy service, I thought I'd take you to one of the fancier restaurants my father owns," he explained to her.

Scorpius stopped in front of a moderate sized building. It looked elegant on the outside, so Lily could only imagine the inside. And sure enough, when Scorpius brought her inside, it was a rich and fancy setting. It was busy for being so close to Christmas. Although, it was obvious that Lily and Scorpius were the youngest people there. Dozens of smart and elegant older couples sat at tables alone or in small groups. And there were some couples obviously waiting for seating by the hostess's stand.

Ignoring the stares and odd looks from the older couples that were still waiting, Scorpius guided Lily up to the hostess. And without pausing or hesitating, Scorpius began to speak to her in French. Lily knew enough French to get by when visiting Paris, but she was lost on what Scorpius said to the woman. The only thing she caught was "Malfoy."

But the woman's eyes widened with obvious recognition, and also surprise as she looked at Lily and Scorpius. But she spoke in rapid French, and motioned for the two to follow her. Lily looked around as they walked. There was an obvious romantic atmosphere in the restaurant. The room was dim with only candlelight, flowers decorating the room. Couples were murmuring to each other, although some were now looking at the two of them. Lily wasn't too surprised. It must have looked odd to see two teens coming into what Lily was sure was an expensive restaurant.

The woman seated Lily and Scorpius at a table near the middle of the floor, a single candle in the middle of the clothed table. Scorpius pulled out Lily's chair for her, then sat down himself. The woman spoke again, and handed them both menus. Then she spoke to Scorpius in French, and turned and walked away.

Scorpius smirked as they were alone. "Like my choice?"

Lily smiled. "Well like usual, we stand out."

Scorpius chuckled. "I figured we would, but I think you'll like it. Anyways, hand me your jacket, and I'll go and check them."

Lily slipped off her leather jacket, hating how it was getting a little tighter. She hated the idea of outgrowing her leather jacket. It was so comfortable. She handed it to Scorpius, who excused himself to go check them. While she waited for him to come back, Lily looked around. Besides herself and Scorpius, it looked as if the youngest couples in the restaurant were maybe mid-thirties in age.

When Scorpius came back, a young waiter soon came as well. He looked well dressed and cleaned up, but as he looked at Scorpius, his face was nervous and scared. Scorpius spoke to him quickly and casually, and the young man wrote something down quickly, before nodding and hurrying off.

"Any reason why that guy seemed terrified of you?" Lily asked.

Scorpius shrugged as he opened his menu. "Because he knows I have the power to fire him. Or because the manager is probably pressing them all to impress the owner's son and his date," he replied easily. "I'd imagine that's pretty intimidating."

Lily giggled lightly. "I feel like I'm dating a very powerful man." She paused, then smiled. "Then again, I guess I actually am."

Scorpius shrugged. "My power is in my father. They just think I'll be working with him once I've finished school. When I actually plan to do something completely different."

"But you'll still inherit all of the estates and businesses that your father owns, wouldn't you? Whether it's the total business or just shares of it," Lily asked.

Scorpius nodded. "Of course. Since I'm an only child, I'll inherit everything. The house, estates, companies, shares, money, social status. Everything."

"Are you going to keep it or sell it off once it's yours? I mean, I know it's a long time from now, but out of curiosity," Lily inquired.

Before Scorpius could answer, the waiter came back with a tray of two drinks. With hands that shook slightly, he placed down two glasses on the table. Then he looked at Scorpius, and spoke with a shaky voice. Lily just watched, unable to understand what was completely said. Only a few words.

Scorpius looked at her with curiosity of his own. "Do you know what you want to eat?" he asked.

Actually, Lily hadn't even looked at her menu yet. She was sure she wouldn't know what half of it was. Whenever she ate French meals that her aunt Fleur made, she never asked what it was. But it was always good. "Um, no. I don't," she admitted.

Scorpius smirked. "Do you trust me?"

Lily smiled. "With my life."

Now he smiled. He turned to look at the waiter, and spoke to him. The waiter scribbled on his notepad quickly. Then nodded, spoke something quickly, and hurried off.

Lily looked back at Scorpius. "What did you get me?"

He chuckled. "That's another surprise," he told her. He reached across her table and took her hand, holding it on the table. He gently ran his thumb over the skin on the back of her hand. With his free hand, he took a drink from his glass. He sighed after swallowing. "That is good," he commented.

Curious, Lily picked up her own glass and took a drink. It was tangy, but very good. She licked her lips. "What is it?" she asked.

"A French drink that my father always ordered for me when we came here. It has only the tiniest bit of alcohol in it," Scorpius told her.

"What did you and Draco come here for?" Lily asked curiously.

"Business meetings. My father used to take me, just so that I would know what it would be like if I _did_ choose to work with him after graduating," he answered.

"Do your parents know that you plan to be an Auror?" Lily inquired before taking another drink.

Scorpius nodded. "Yes. I told them. My father was surprisingly accepting of it. My mother doesn't like the idea. She finds it too dangerous. But she says that she won't stop me."

"I've yet to tell my parents that I'm considering taking modeling as a career after school," Lily sighed. "I'm sure my father would throw a fit. I think the only reason he's accepted it as just a summer job is because he thinks I'll quit after I graduate."

Scorpius scowled, although it was lighter. "I'm not sure I like the idea entirely. I already dislike it now."

Lily smiled. "Well, I promise that I will stay away from modeling underwear," she assured.

Scorpius chuckled. "I'll be dammed you model underwear for anyone but me," he mocked.

Lily blushed. But she grinned coyly. "I can't imagine wanting to model it for anyone else."

Unlike her, Scorpius didn't blush. But she could see his eyes darken slightly. He didn't respond, but took a long sip from his drink. After another round of light conversation, their food was brought to them. Lily looked at the plate in front of her as Scorpius spoke to the waiter. It looked delicious, so she picked up her fork and took a bite . . . it was good! She took another bite, and had taken three or four by the time the waiter had left them alone.

Scorpius chuckled as he let go of her hand, and grabbed his own fork. "Like it?" he asked.

"This is really good!" Lily replied before taking another bite.

"I'm glad you like it. It's my mother's favorite French dish," Scorpius told her. Then he sighed. "But, have you really decided to make modeling your career?" he asked.

"I guess you could call it a backup plan. Unless I find something that interest me, then yes, I'll stick with modeling." Lily looked at him carefully. "Does that bother you?"

Scorpius sighed again, and then ran his hand smoothly over his combed hair. "Well, if it's what you want to do, then I'm going to accept and support it. But I won't lie and not say that I hope you find something different before graduating."

Lily smiled. "What if I make it so that you can approve of the pictures first?" she asked teasingly.

Scorpius chuckled. "Be careful. I might hold you to that, babe."

Lily shook her head and smiled. "You know, I could worry and fret about you wanting to be an Auror. But I don't," she pointed out.

Scorpius shrugged. "So I'm more protective. Your point?"

Lily only smiled.

* * *

"I thought that was a fabulous walk after dinner," Lily complimented as she and Scorpius walked back into the house. Scorpius had taken her on a walk around Paris. He'd insisted on buying a couple of flowers, and when he past a small gift shop, he wouldn't be diverted from buying her a small stuffed bear. It had been the romance that most teen girls dreamed about, and the kind Lily had never expected to be the recipient of.

Scorpius chuckled as he helped her slid off her jacket, and then hung their jackets up. "I thought you'd enjoy a walk around Paris at night," he told her as he slipped off his shoes. Lily slid off hers as well.

"The flowers and bear weren't necessary though," she told him.

"Do you like them any less?" Scorpius questioned with a smirk.

Lily smiled. "No."

"So it doesn't matter. As long as you like them, I'm ok with it," he told her. He took her hand, and then lead her through the house easily, even through the dark. Now that the night sky was almost pitch black, the millions of windows offered no light to the inside of the house. But Scorpius stopped, and then with a wave of his wand, the fireplace lit up with a quiet roar, as did a multitude of candles around the room. He turned to look at her, and Lily found him increasingly handsome in the dim light.

Scorpius took a hold of her hand, and brought it to his lips again, kissing the back of her hand, and then his ring that rested on her finger. "Stay here, and I'll be right back. Make yourself comfortable," he assured.

Lily nodded, and watched his back as it disappeared into the darkness of the house. Then with a fluttery feeling in her heart, Lily moved to sit on the couch. She placed the flowers and stuffed bear on the table, and tried to calm her nerves. It was still kind of early in the night. Hours before Scorpius planned to take her back. And now they were really going to be alone, at night, in a dimly lit room with a romantic atmosphere. This was really going to happen, and Lily had never been so nervous, yet so . . . excited for something.

Lily quickly took off her pendant, took out her earrings, and the clip that held back her hair. She leaned back into the couch, trying to get her heart to calm.

"Relaxed?" Scorpius's deep voice asked softly.

Lily turned her head to look at where Scorpius stood in the doorway, and her heart started up again. It seemed as if he'd relaxed and made himself more comfortable as well. His tie was gone, the collar of the shirt popped up. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, showing a teasing hint of the broad chest beneath the fabric. His sleeves were now rolled up, the ends bulging around his biceps.

Lily felt herself flush with a bit of arousal at his appearance, then gulped silently. "Um, yeah," she finally spoke.

Scorpius smirked as he stepped closer to the couch and her. "Good. I thought that you would like to try one of the best elf wines ever," he told her. It was then that Lily noticed that he held a bottle and two wine glasses in his hands. He sat next to her on the couch, and began to open the bottle and pour the drinks. Lily found herself a little enticed by his scent and cologne, which seemed much better now that she was so much closer to him.

He held out a glass to her. "Any kind of elf wine you've had before will pale compared to this. My father won't notice it's gone," he assured, "so I thought I'd treat you to something even better than what we'd drank at dinner."

Lily took the glass, and then took a sip. It was very rich on her tongue, but not strong when going down her throat. And its taste was uniquely fantastic. "That is good," Lily agreed with a small smile.

Scorpius nodded as he took his own drink. Then he leaned back on the couch, placing his arm around her shoulders. So Lily leaned back as well, leaning into his side. She pulled her legs up onto the couch, moving them under her. She could soon feel Scorpius's fingers running through her hair.

"I love your hair like this," he murmured near her ear. His fanning breath made her shiver pleasantly.

Lily smiled. "Scorpius, why do you love my hair like this? I don't think I've ever asked."

"I just think that it fits your style. It's full of life, fiery. It's just like you," he replied, still running his hands through it.

"Thank you," Lily whispered, then took another sip.

"Hey, babe, I got you another gift for tonight," Scorpius stated.

Lily pulled back to look at him. "Another one?"

Scorpius smirked. "I couldn't help it," he admitted. He put his glass down, and stood from the couch. Picked his wand up from the table. "Accio." And from the doorway, a thin, box zoomed into Scorpius's arms. It was wrapped in green, shiny paper, and a silver bow topped it off. He held it out to her.

Lily put down her own glass, and then took it from him, and undid the bow. Then she carefully tore off the paper, and pulled off the lid to the box. She almost gasped with surprise. She pulled out a leather jacket. It was darker than her old one, and almost softer. It looked as if it would fit her better than her old one was fitting her now.

"I remember you talking about how the one you have now was getting smaller on you. I saw this one, so I grabbed it," he explained. "And, I understand if you'd rather wear your old one, but this is just incase it ever gets to where you can't wear it."

But Lily smiled widely at him. "No, I love it! It's great."

Scorpius chuckled, and kissed her temple. "I'm glad."

Lily set aside the box and the jacket, and turned to kiss him fully on the lips. Scorpius kissed back, but then pulled away a little. But Lily kissed him again. She felt his hand finally burry itself in her hair, and his other hand resting against the small of her back. Lily placed on her own hands on his cheek, and the other holding tightly to his shoulder. She kissed him passionately, and Scorpius was on par with her. His tongue brushed against her lips roughly, pushing them open before she could do it for him. He swept through her mouth, exploring and dominating as he did. Lily moaned into his lips.

Scorpius's hands dropped to her hips, pulling her onto his lap, making her dress ride up slightly. Lily adjusted herself so that she was straddling his lap. Her dress then rose to thighs, making it easier for her. His lips pulled away from hers, and started to trail down to her neck. Again, Lily moaned softly at the feel of his lips on her skin. As his hands began to skim up and down the exposed skin of her legs and thighs, Lily tilted her head to give his biting teeth and sucking lips better access to her throat. Even though her hands were trembling lightly as she dropped them to his shirt, and began to unbutton the rest of it. The shirt was silky under her fingers, but it was the last thing she wanted around right now. She then pulled his shirt untucked, and pushed it off his shoulders.

Scorpius's hands left her body for a moment as he began to roll his sleeves down, and then threw the shirt away from them. His lips found hers again, and began a rougher and even more passionate kiss. Lily ran her hands through his hair, turning the combed style into a styled mess. She felt one of his hands trailing up her back, and then grab the zipper of the dress. The sound of the zipper being pulled down was surprisingly quiet in the silence of the room. The straps loosened slightly as the zipper was pulled completely down, ending at the small of her back, just above her ass. The dress itself got looser around her form. Lily took her hands from his hair, and slid them out from under the straps of the dress, letting it fall and bunch around her waist. Then Scorpius's warm hands were on her bare sides, drawing her closer to him.

Lily let her hands wander over his shoulders and chest. His muscles were strong and tense under her fingers. She couldn't help but have one hand trail back to run through his hair. It was soft between her fingers. Then she felt Scorpius's hands pulling her flush against his chest. It was skin against skin, with the only barrier being her bra. Again, Scorpius pulled his lips from hers, and began to press smaller kisses across her cheek, her jaw, stopping to nip at her earlobe, and then moving lower to her neck. Repeated rushes of warmth and desire ran through her, almost making her want to squirm or go insane. She shifted, and then gasped. Scorpius groaned. Lily swallowed roughly as she now felt _him_ pressed against her thigh from inside his slacks.

Scorpius pulled his lips away, and this time pulled away from her completely. Lily could finally see his extremely messy hair and slightly pink cheeks. "Lily, . . . Lily, we gotta stop," he muttered.

"No, no it's ok," Lily assured him, kissing him softly once.

But Scorpius broke the kiss. "No, Lily, if we don't stop now, I don't think I will later," he told her.

Lily shrugged. "That's fine," she replied. But before she could move, Scorpius took a gentle hold of her arms, and began to slowly run his hand up and down her skin.

"Lily, I didn't bring you here with expectations," Scorpius said. "I just thought that you would like it."

"I know, and I do," Lily assured. "But it's ok. I'm ready for this. I won't lie and say that I'm not nervous, because I am. But I am ready to take the next step. I've thought about it, and I know that I am."

Scorpius sighed. "Lily, I . . . I just don't think that this is the right time for it."

Lily didn't bother with feelings of hurt or rejection. She could _feel_ his lack of rejection still pressing into her thigh. "Why not?"

His hands moved to her sides, and began to knead the skin there, relaxing her even more. "There's a lot going on now, Lily. You've got to return to your family for two days tomorrow, and you have to face everything that happened. Things are going to happen, and I don't think that we need to take this step in the midst of it," he told her.

Lily sighed. Scorpius was right. She knew that something about her relationship would come up. And what if she told Hugo and someone overheard? The risk would be great, and so would the resulting fight. And besides, Luna would be there, and she was very intuitive about things people tried to hide.

Lily rested her head on his shoulder. "You're right."

"I always am," he teased, tickling her side lightly. She giggled and avoided his fingers. As payback, she nipped at his neck. At the sound of the groan that escaped his lips, she did it again. "Ok, ok," Scorpius said, pulled back to stop her.

Lily pulled in a breath and ran a hand through her hair. "When are you taking me back?"

"Soon, so we should probably get cleaned up," Scorpius said with a chuckle.

Lily nodded, and being careful to not brush against him again, she stood up, pulling her arms through the straps. "Zip me up?" she asked.

Scorpius stood from the couch, and turned her around. She felt his warm knuckle brush against the skin of her back, before his fingers grasped the zipper and pulled it completely up. When his hands dropped from her, Lily moved over to a nearby mirror, and looked at herself. Her face was flushed, her lips were red and kiss-swollen, and her hair was a wild mess. Behind her in the mirror, she could see that Scorpius was an equal mess as he slipped back into his shirt. Lily adverted her eyes, not wanting her arousal toward him to grow any more than it already was.

But that seemed impossible to stop.

* * *

Lily sighed heavily as she zipped up her bag. She was now officially ready to go to the Burrow for Christmas Eve. She couldn't stall anymore, like she'd been attempting in her mind all morning. But it was the twenty-fourth, her bag was packed, and Scorpius was waiting to Apparate her there.

Lily looked herself over quickly before leaving her room. She was dressed in black tights, a black and red skirt with lace for the hem, and wore a silk black top. It was a v-neck, and its sleeves were slightly ruffled, covering her shoulders. She put her hair up with a silk, black ribbon, and then placed the flower clip from Scorpius in her hair. Her makeup was light as usual. She did a little to bring out her eyes, and put a little gloss on her lips, making them shine. Her nails were a dark green color. She wore both rings and her pendant, and put in small hoops for each of her piercings. She looked good, good for family time during the holidays.

"Baby, you ready to go?" Scorpius's voice was deep when it spoke, sending that rush through Lily. That desirable rush, that was getting harder for Lily to suppress.

"Yeah, I'm ready," she sighed, picking up her bag.

Scorpius took it from her, and then took her hand. "Do you need to say goodbye to my mum and dad?"

Lily shook her head as she put on her new leather jacket. "I already did." Unable to stop herself, she gazed at his handsome face. He still hadn't shaved his cheeks or his chin, so he still looked a little scruffy. His hair was a mess again, and was falling into his eyes. His normal smirk was placed on his lips.

"Then, let's go," he replied. And then squeezing her hand, they turned.

Her feet slammed down onto the shoveled walk up to the Burrow. Looking up to the house, Lily could hear the noise of a dozen people from inside. She was probably one of the last ones to arrive. She looked back at Scorpius, and then took her bag from him.

"I'll be back for dinner on Christmas," she promised.

Scorpius nodded. "I'll be here to pick you up." Then he glanced up at the house, then back at her. "Tell Hugo I said hi."

Lily nodded. "I will." He wrapped his arms around her, and she did the same, happy for the warmth he provided her in the cold. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he murmured into her ear. Then he pulled away. "Now, get inside. I can't believe I let you leave with only a skirt."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine." Then she smiled, and reached up to ruffle his hair. "You should cut your hair a little. It's starting to hide your eyes."

Scorpius smirked. "I'll talk to Lana tonight. Later, babe."

"Bye, stud," she said with a wave. Then she turned her back and began to walk up to the house. She didn't wait to hear him Apparate. She knew he wouldn't until she was in the house.

As Lily got closer, she debated on going in through the kitchen door, or going to see if her grandfather was in the shed. But she knew that she couldn't avoid this. She needed to stay strong, look strong, and act strong. She did this. She wanted to be the one to leave, so she couldn't be a coward. She had to prove to her father that she _was not_ running from it all. So when she got to the door, she casually opened it, and stepped inside.

Immediately she noticed that it was as warm as always. Hotter even with so many people inside. The house was as festive as usual as it was during the holidays. But once she closed the door, it all grew silent as everyone in the room saw that she was the one to enter. She saw that almost everyone in the family was there, Scamanders included. Sadly, Lily didn't see Hugo or Louis, and Dominique was missing. The three at Hogwarts she could stand.

Lily pulled off her jacket and hung it up, and then kicked her shoes off. She was trying to decide what kind of looks she was receiving from the majority of the room. There were glares, hesitant looks, scared glances, and worried stares. It seemed that there was more hesitance than anything else. She turned to face them.

"Hey," was the only weak greeting she could get out.

Thankfully, Uncle George seemed to know how to clear the air. "Hey, Mum! Lily's finally here!" Then he looked at Lily and winked. "She's been waitin' for ya all day," he teased.

Lily cracked a small smile. "Oh, joy," she chuckled.

But then Grandma Molly was coming through the kitchen door, wiping her hands on an apron. She looked over at the door where Lily was standing, and a bit smile spread across her face. "Lily! Sweetheart! How have you been?"

Before Lily could think to respond, she was wrapped into a tight hug. She could barely breathe, let alone speak.

"Mum, let the girl breathe," Charlie joked.

Grandma Molly let her go, but was then pulling Lily more into the room. "Get in here, girl. You look so pretty! You didn't have to dress so nicely for a normal family Christmas," she told Lily.

Lily looked down at her outfit. She hadn't realized that this wasn't considered casual to her family. In fact, this was one of her more casual outfits. Had she really lost touch with the Weasley kind of casual clothing? Maybe modeling had really changed her tastes.

"Thanks. And I've been good," Lily told her.

"Oh, tell more than that!" Molly insisted as she had Lily sit next to her on a couch.

Lily sighed, aware that all eyes and ears were on her. "Well, I worked for Hannah for a couple of days. I did another photo shoot for Astoria."

"Oh! When will that come out in a magazine?" Molly asked excitedly.

Lily smiled. Since she'd started modeling, her grandmother was open in telling her that she kept all the pictures Lily did. And according to her grandfather, she bragged about how Lily Luna was _her_ granddaughter. It almost made Lily smile to think about it. "It's supposed to come out tomorrow," she answered.

Molly practically squealed. "Oh, that's so exciting! Anyways, keep going. What else have you been up to?"

Lily kept from laughing. "Well, I spent a lot of time talking to Draco. Scorpius came over a couple of times. I went shopping with Astoria, helped her with some of her designs, went to visit a friend of mine, we all went out to dinner one night, and then Scorpius and I had a date yesterday," she listed. And it was very obvious when Harry looked at his daughter with narrowed eyes when she said that.

"Really, and where did you two go?" Molly asked curiously.

Lily mentally hesitated on what to say. So, she improvised. "Well, he took me to a restaurant in Paris, actually."

"Oh, how fun! And what did he get you for Christmas?" she asked.

Lily almost laughed at how many questions her grandmother had for her. "A new jacket," she answered. "So, where's Hugo?"

"Oh, he and Louis went for a walk. They should be back soon," Molly assured her. She stood, and Lily was sure that she was going to go back to the kitchen. But she spoke once more before leaving the room. "Freddy, introduce Lily to your girlfriend."

Surprised and curious, Lily looked to where Freddy was sitting in an armchair. A woman that Lily hadn't noticed before was sitting on the arm. She was very pretty. She had thick auburn hair and green eyes. But then Lily looked back to Freddy. His hair had been cropped short, and his brown eyes looked very bored. But his head raised a little as he took in their grandmother's words.

"Lily, this is Janie Dumas. Janie, this is my cousin Lily," Freddy introduced dully.

The woman held out her hand. "Yes, Lily Luna the model. I've seen you in magazines," she commented.

Lily smiled politely as she shook her hand. "Yes, that's how I'm usually recognized now," she said with a bit of a laugh. But then she could still feel the stares of others, and she began to grow uncomfortable. So, since her grandfather wasn't in the room, she stood up, and went to get her shoes and jacket. "I'm going to go and say hello to Grandpa," she announced.

"I'll go with you," Teddy said quickly, and he too grabbed his shoes and jacket.

Lily almost winced, but she didn't let it show. "Ok." Inside, she was scared of how Teddy was taking what she'd said to her parents. Did he know that it was out of anger? Would he believe her if she said that she was still feeling guilty about it?

No one stopped them from stepping outside, and no one said anything when they went out the front door instead of the kitchen door. As soon as Lily's first step crunched into the snow, Teddy spoke.

"I'm going to say something, and I'm not going to say it to hurt you," he started off.

Lily nodded as she stuffed her chilled hands into her pockets. "Ok. Go ahead," she told him.

"Your parents are pretty cut up about you leaving," Teddy admitted.

Lily took the blow to her guilt in stride. "How badly?"

"Well, your dad refuses to talk about it, but you can tell. And he closed your door and pretends like it's not there. Ginny says that he's just pouting," Teddy told her.

"And Mum?"

"Ginny asks Hermione and Victoire if me or Hugo have said anything about you. She's been on a serious cleaning regimen. She's been fussing over Albus, James, and I even more. And she's always checking to see if you've written a letter," Teddy sighed.

Lily pushed her bangs back. "I'm not doing this to hurt them," she mumbled.

"I know. And they know. It's hard on them, and you need to know that," Teddy replied.

Lily and Teddy stopped just by the shed, not yet going inside. "I've been trying to figure out ways to fix everything. I just don't know how yet. I still don't know if I'm ready for it."

Teddy put a hand on her shoulder. "And I don't want you to rush it. This is big, it's necessary, so don't just go head first. But . . . after what happened at that dinner, I think there needs to be an understanding."

Now Lily did wince a little. "Yeah, I know."

"Look, what you said was harsh. Hurtful. And I know that you were angry. But I think that we need to avoid something like that happening again," Teddy said. "So, just know that this is hard for your mum and dad. And know that it's not going to make your father happy to hear things that make it sound like you're having the time of your life."

Lily sighed. "I don't want to be a downer about everything," she argued.

"And I'm not asking you to," Teddy quipped. "Just . . . tone it down around your dad I guess. Ok?"

Lily nodded. "Ok."

Teddy nodded as well. "Good. Now, go say hi to Arthur, and then come back inside. Hugo should be coming back soon."

Lily smiled. "Did he need to get away too?"

Teddy grinned. "Actually, he had Louis walked down to a Muggle payphone. He's going to call his girlfriend."

Lily laughed. "Oh, he's gotten clever."

Teddy chuckled. "Yeah, I guess he wasn't allowed to invite her over. Anyways, just come back inside, ok?"

Lily nodded. "You got it." Then she stepped inside the shed, and found her grandfather tinkering with a Muggle object. Typical Arthur Weasley. "Hello, Grandpa."

Arthur turned, and smiled at her. "Hello, Lily. How've you been?"

"Good. You?"

"Well, after much delaying due to Kingsley, I've finally gotten the man to accept my request for retirement," Arthur told her.

Lily smiled. "I'm sure he hated to lose you."

"That's what he said," Arthur said with a chuckle. He set down what he was working on. "Escaping the stares of two dozen eyes?"

Lily chuckled dryly. "Yeah, pretty much."

"You've been quite the hot topic in the family lately," Arthur admitted.

Lily didn't inquire on it further. She was afraid to know what the others said.

* * *

"My dad's been a total dick!" Hugo complained as he dropped onto Uncle Charlie's old bed. "It's gotten worse since I last talked to you. I mean, I had to lie about a walk just to call my girlfriend on a Muggle phone. Is it really so bad if she came over? He can't meet her before judging her?"

Lily listened without talking as Hugo ranted. She knew from experience that you felt better after letting it all out.

"I mean, just because I'm not dating a Gryffindor, or some girl that dad knows, it's not allowed? Because I'm not like Rose, and I don't date the daughter of a family friend? What crap is that?" Hugo continued. But then he stopped, and he looked at Lily. "You've been quiet," he commented.

"I'm letting you get it all out. I know I always feel better when I do," Lily told him.

Hugo sat up straighter. "Well, I feel better once I forget about it. So, how have you been since we last talked?"

Lily bit her lip, unsure of what to tell Hugo when traitorous cousins could be wandering the halls. So she got up and locked the door, just to be safe. Then she went back to sitting on the bed next to Hugo. "Scorpius and I . . . almost, were going to, had sex," she admitted.

Hugo looked at her in surprise. "No joke?" Lily shook her head. "Wow. This may be a bit personal, but, why didn't ya?"

Lily laid on her back. "Well, Scorpius felt that it would be too much at one time. It was yesterday, and I was going to have to come here the next day and face everyone. He just thought that another time would be more fitting," she told him.

Hugo chuckled. "Can't imagine how tough that was for _him_."

Lily raised a brow as s he looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

Hugo dropped onto his back next to her. "Well, I don't know about girls, but it ain't easy for us guys to get rid of a hard on. And if it's caused by a girl that we're really hot for, then it's even harder."

Lily closed her eyes. "Well, thanks for making me feel better," she mocked.

Hugo chuckled again. "Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to make ya feel bad or anything."

Lily sighed. "No, you didn't. I just have a lot to think about lately." She started to twirl her bangs around her finger. "Hugo, what have some of the others been thinking about me since I left to the Malfoys?"

She heard him let out a low sigh. "Honestly?"

"Don't hold back."

"Well, my dad called you a spoiled brat, Rose called you an insensitive bitch, Dominique said you were lucky, Louis said you had your reasons, Lucy and Fred said nothing, Roxanne said it sounded kinda cowardly, and Molly said that you were a spoiled baby," Hugo listed. "I just told most of them to shut their faces. My dad included. Then I got grounded double hard."

Lily smiled. "You don't have to stick up for me. I don't want you to get into any more trouble."

"What kind of friend would I be if I didn't stand up for ya, though?" he pointed out.

And oddly enough, those words made her feel a little more safe.

* * *

Lily awoke to the cries of a baby on Christmas morning. She opened her eyes, blinking as the dim morning light came into the room. The small cries came to a hushed stop, but Lily didn't bother with trying to go back to sleep. Instead she pushed off her blanket, and stood from her pallet on the floor. All around her were the other kids, minus Victoire and Teddy. Now that they'd had a baby, Grandpa had added on an extra room for the couple.

Lily maneuvered around the others, not wanting to step on someone and wake them up. Once she'd made it through the maze of teens, she made her way to the kitchen. Grandma Molly was already up, and was cooking breakfast.

"Good morning," Lily greeted with a smile.

Molly turned to look at her, and smiled happily. "Oh, good morning, Lily. Have a good sleep, sweetheart?"

"Not bad for sleeping on the floor," Lily joked lightly. Then she walked closer to where her grandmother was cooking. "Do you need help?"

Molly smiled. "I've got most of the breakfast already cooking. But, I still need something for you kids to snack on later."

Lily smiled. "I could make those cookies that you taught me to make years ago."

"Oh, that would be wonderful! I swear, you make them better than I do," Molly complimented. Lily couldn't help but beam at the compliment as she began to pull out what she would need.

* * *

**Flashback**

"Grandma! Albus won't let me play with the boys!" seven-year-old Lily cried as she ran into the Burrow's kitchen.

Molly looked down at her tiny granddaughter. She and Arthur were babysitting their grandkids, giving their parents a day off. It had been their pleasure. And she wasn't surprised that Lily would rather play with the boys. She seemed to get along with them better.

"And why not?" Molly asked, closing the cabinet door.

"Because he's a meanie!" Lily exclaimed.

Molly bit back a smile. "Well, instead of playing with a bunch of boring boys, how about you help me with something? I'd really appreciate it."

Lily lightly kicked her foot at the floor. "With what?"

"I'm making snacks for you kids. If you make the cookies, you can have as many as you want," Molly offered.

"But I don't know how to make them," Lily replied.

"Oh, I'll teach you, honey. They're easy," Molly assured.

So for the next hour, Molly taught Lily the recipe to making a batch of cookies. And she was happy to see that Lily took to it like a pro. She was soon able to let Lily take care of them by herself, while she prepared other snacks. And once they were finished, she helped Lily put them on the counter to cool.

"I smell food!" ten-year-old James cheered as he and the other boys trailed into the kitchen.

"Lily just got done making cookies," Molly told them.

"They smell good," nine-year-old Albus mentioned as he moved closer to the counter.

Lily took the plate. "And you don't get one," she retorted, keeping them away from him. Then she threw one to James.

"Why does James get one?" Albus demanded.

"Because James wasn't a jerk to me earlier," Lily stated, turning away from him.

James laughed. "I told you, just let her play."

* * *

**End of Flashback**

Lily sighed as, just like years ago, she put the cookies up to cool. It'd been so long since she'd made these cookies, she'd forgotten about how she'd even learned to make them. She almost laughed. She and Albus always seemed to be at different ends of arguments. James was prone to be on her side. That was what always made Albus angry. That James never agreed with him. Perhaps that's why Albus was such a pushover when it came to James?

"Those smell heavenly, Little L," Charlie complimented as he walked into the kitchen.

"Want one?" Lily asked.

"Hit me," Charlie told her, holding out his hands. Lily tossed him a cookie, and he took a huge bite. He moaned. "That is fantastic!"

Lily giggled. "Thank you."

"What are you doing up this early, Charles?" Molly asked.

"Well, Theo's crying woke me up. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. Thought I'd come down and see who else was up," Charlie replied.

"The coolest of the family are up," Lily teased.

Charlie laughed. "You got that right!"

Later that morning, the entire extended family sat around the enlarged table for breakfast. Lily sat between Hugo and Louis, catching up with Louis mostly. But he didn't say much, and inquired more into how she'd been.

"I've been pretty boring lately," he told her.

But then there was a tapping on the window, and everyone looked to see two owls. Lily recognized one of them as Astoria's owl.

"Looks like we've got some mail this holiday," Arthur commented as he moved to the window. Once the window was open, they landed on the windowsill. Lily saw that Astoria's held a large box. Arthur picked it up, and the owl took off. The other looked to have a rolled up magazine. Arthur handed him a few coins, and the owl handed him the magazine, and then took off. He looked at what was now in his hands. "Well, looks like the box is for Lily. And the magazine is addressed to you, dear," he told his wife, handing her the magazine. He gave Lily the box.

Lily picked up the small note that was stuck on top of it.

"_Dear Lily,_

_Here's your dress for tonight. After seeing it, I know you're going to look gorgeous in it. We have to do a photo shoot in it!_

_Love, Astoria"_

"What is it, cuz?" Hugo asked.

"Astoria sent me a dress for tonight," she told him. She placed the box on her lap, and continued with breakfast.

"Oh, Lily! You look so pretty in these!" Molly gushed as she looked at the magazine. Lily guessed that she was looking at her Christmas spread. "And so grown up!"

"Thanks, Grandma," Lily said with a smile.

Uncle George took a look at the magazine. Then he whistled. "Wow, look at you, Lil. Wouldn't think you were fifteen looking at these pictures," he commented. "Seventeen at least."

Lily felt a small blush overcome her cheeks. "Thank you, Uncle George."

"Let me see," Bill said, and took the magazine when Molly held it out to him. His brow furrowed as he looked at them. "Shouldn't a model your age be wearing a bit more?"

"Bill!" Fleur smacked his arm. "She looks lovely."

Lily just kept her eyes on her breakfast plate as the adults took turns looking at the photos.

"Well I must agree with Bill. I'm not sure it's proper for a fifteen-year-old girl to be wearing such a short dress," Percy stated.

"She looks so cute!" Audrey disagreed. "And that dress looks stunning on her."

"I will be the judge," Charlie told them. "Hand 'em over." He took the magazine from Percy's hands, and then took a moment to look them over. Kind of worried by his silence, Lily finally lifted her eyes from the plate, and looked at him. Then he looked at her and grinned. "Looks like ol' Scorpius is gunna have to beat your admirers away from ya after these pictures!"

Lily rolled her eyes, her blush still apparent. But Hugo laughed. "I wouldn't worry about that. After the first time he did that, he's got most boys runnin' scared!" he joked.

Lily glared weakly at him, and punched his shoulder lightly. "Shut it," she grumbled.

Charlie looked at her with a raised brow. "So, prince charming's already scared off a few guys?"

"Psshh," Hugo scoffed. "He put 'em in the Hospital Wing!"

"Isn't that kind of brutish?" cousin Molly argued.

"It was awesome!" Hugo argued with a grin.

"That doesn't sound like something a prefect should be doing," Hermione said.

Lily shrugged. "He gets a kick out of doing it," she replied. "You get tired of arguing about it, so we made a deal. He won't complain about me modeling if he can scare off the boys that stare at my pictures."

"What an ass," Dominique mocked with a grin.

Lily grinned back at her. "It's better than listening to him complain about modeling." Dominique laughed with her.

"Well it's nice to know that you gotta man that's gunna protect ya," Charlie mentioned as he passed the pictures back to his mother.

Lily glanced over at her father, who was looking at his plate with narrowed eyes. "Yeah. I think so too," she murmured.

* * *

Later that night, Lily chose her mother's room to change in. She took her own bag, and the box Astoria sent, upstairs. She put the box down on the bed, and took off the lid. The first thing she noticed was that it was a white dress. So she picked it up, and then spread it out on the bed. It wasn't sheer or thin enough to be see through. It looked to be a moderate length, and it had thin straps. It looked like it would flair out more around her legs. And also inside the box were a pair of white dress shoes. Thankfully, they were flats.

So Lily dug about in her bag, and pulled out a pair of panties and a strapless bra. She almost cringed. She kind of hated strapless bras, but she'd learned how to deal after so many formal occasions. She quickly got dressed, and then slid the dress on. It was soft and smooth against her skin. And she was right. It tightened at her waist, and then flared out, ending at her knees. She slipped on her shoes, and then sat at her mother's vanity.

Soon, she had completely redone herself. She had temporarily gotten rid of the color in her hair. She curled it softly, letting it fall past her shoulders. She took out all of her piercings except for one in each ear. Her neck was adorned with her Slytherin pendant. She wore her own Slytherin ring, and then found herself laying Scorpius's ring in her palm. Part of her, a big part, was considering wearing the ring on another finger. Just putting it on her middle finger didn't seem right anymore. So with a smile, she placed his ring on the ring finger of her left hand. She felt her heart warm a little. It felt right there.

A knock on the door made Lily jump. She muttered a few curses to herself. "Come in," she called, trying to sound more polite than she felt after being scared.

The door opened, and Hugo was the one to walk in. He closed the door and looked at her. He raised a brow in wonder, and whistled. "Wow. Don't you look pretty," he teased.

Lily smiled gently. "Thank you, Hugo." She looked back at the mirror, and smoothed out the skirt of her dress. "You think it's appropriate for a formal dinner?" she asked.

She could see Hugo nod in the mirror. "Yeah, it looks perfect. Scorpius won't be able to keep his eyes off you."

Lily giggled. "Not what I was going for, but thanks anyways."

Hugo wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You look like the girl that any smart parent would want dating their son."

Lily smiled at him. "Yeah, but they already love me. I'm thinking more on all the other adults I'm meeting. His aunt and uncle, some of their friends."

"Trust me. You look perfect," Hugo assured.

Lily looked up at her cousin, wondering when he'd gotten so tall. "Thanks, Hugh."

"No problem," he told her. Then he glanced at his watch. "But you should probably be finishing up. Isn't he going to be here soon?"

Lily glanced at his watch. "Yeah. But, I'm done."

"Then let's rejoin everyone," Hugo said. He kept his hand on Lily's shoulder, and led her out of the room. As they descended the stairs, a few of the men in the room whistled.

Lily looked at Hugo. "I think you have a few fans, Hugo."

Hugo laughed as they continued down the stairs.

"Lily, you look beautiful!" Grandma Molly gushed as she walked toward Lily. She brushed Lily's bangs away from her face.

Ginny came to her as well. "You do look lovely, sweetie," she murmured, kissing her daughter's forehead.

"Thanks," Lily whispered.

"So, this dinner is with him _and_ his family?" Harry asked.

Lily nodded. "Yes. And his uncle, aunt, cousins, and his parent's friends and their children," she listed. As the days with her family had passed, Lily had done her best to not pick a fight with her father. Although, her father had hardly spoken to her.

"The Pritchards?" Hugo asked instantly.

"You're not going with!" Ron said quickly and harshly. But Hugo was obviously ignoring him.

Lily shook her head. "No. Just the Averys, the Flints, the Goyles, and the Montagues."

Hugo sighed. "Ah, oh well."

Lily patted her cousin on the back. "We'll be back at school soon," she told him.

There was a knock at the door, and Lily felt her heart lift, and felt herself smile without thought. She hurried to grab her jacket. "I'll be back before midnight. Promise," she told them.

"Wait a minute!" Harry stopped her. "What's that on your hand?"

Lily froze for a moment, and glanced at Scorpius's ring. Then she looked at her father, whose eyes were glaring. "Scorpius's ring, Dad. You knew I've been wearing it."

"Not on that finger you haven't!" Harry argued.

Lily bit her lip as she looked to the door. "Look, we'll talk about it later. I don't want to make them wait. Love you guys," she said quickly. Then she was out the door, closing all arguments behind her.

"Wow," a hushed voice murmured. Lily whirled around to see Scorpius standing a few feet away from her. His eyes roamed her figure, and his usual smirk was replaced by a true smile. "You look beautiful," he whispered. He moved so that they were only a few inches apart.

Lily felt a rush of heat run through her. "Thanks," she mumbled

His usual smirk returned, probably at the sight of her blush, and he held out his arm. Lily took a deep breath and then grabbed his arm. After the uncomfortable moment of constricted breathing that Apparating caused, she was in the hall of Malfoy Manor.

He brought her into the sitting room, which was still lavishly decorated for the holidays. Sitting around the tree were five young kids who were all playing with Exploding Snap cards. A little girl, who looked to be the oldest, looked over at their entrance, and then smiled.

"Scorpius! You're back!" She stood up and ran toward them, hugging Scorpius's waist. She was barely that tall. She had pretty black curls, and big grey eyes. Her skin was the same tone as Tanner's. Lily thought that she was adorable. But she looked at her boyfriend and grinned.

Scorpius looked a little sheepish, but he ruffled the girl's curls. "I wasn't gone that long, Lydia."

"You left me with them," she said, looking at the boys in the group she'd departed from. She crinkled her nose in disgust. Scorpius laughed, and the girl finally seemed to notice Lily. Then she blushed and looked at the floor. Scorpius noticed.

"Lydia, this is Lily. Lily, this is Lydia. She's one of Tanner's little sisters," Scorpius introduced.

Lily smiled at her. "Hello."

The girl smiled, and then blushed again and hurried back to the group of kids. Scorpius laughed. "Don't worry about her. She's incredibly shy with new people." Then he turned to grin at her. "Shall we wait in my room until dinner is ready?"

Lily giggled. "Shouldn't I meet the others I don't know first?" she teased.

Scorpius shrugged. "You can meet them at dinner. Come on." He didn't give her a choice as he took her wrist and pulled her to the stairs. Soon they were in his room, which Lily noticed was much messier than usual.

"The mess is the result of letting a bunch of young boys run through it," Scorpius explained. He shrugged off his jacket, and then took Lily's leather one. He placed them over his desk's chair. Then, taking her hand, he led her over to his couch. Lily moved to sit down, but Scorpius quickly pulled her onto his lap. Then his lips connected with the skin of her neck. Lily giggled and pulled away from his lips, but he didn't let her get far. He pressed his lips against hers, and when she giggled again, his tongue moved to overtake her mouth.

"I've missed you," he mumbled against her lips before kissing her again.

And Lily didn't know how it happened, but she was soon on her back, and Scorpius was hovering over her, their lips still pressed firmly together and their tongues still fighting. One of his hands moved up to rest just above her knee, while the other rested on her cheek. Lily had moved her hands to rest on his shoulders. One trailed up to run through his hair, which was now only blonde, and she could tell had been cut a little.

Then a set of giggles sounded from the door. Scorpius pulled back, and they both looked to see two pairs of eyes looking in from the door.

Scorpius groaned. "Lydia, Candy, what do you want?" he demanded.

There was another round of giggles, and a different girl, Candy probably, spoke. "Your mum wants us to tell you that dinner will be ready soon." Another round of giggles.

Lily blushed while Scorpius growled. "Get away from my door!" he barked. Two sets of footsteps started running away from the door, getting quieter and quieter. Scorpius sighed as he stood up, holding out his hand. Lily smiled as she took it. He pulled her to her feet with a smirk. Lily moved to look into his mirror. She was fixing her hair when Scorpius came to stand behind her. He smoothed down his hair, and fixed his dress shirt. Lily also smoothed out her dress.

When they were both once again presentable, Scorpius held out his hand. Lily smiled as she intertwined their fingers. Scorpius smirked as he opened the door, and then led her back down the stairs.

When they came to the hall, Lily could hear voices. And when they approached the dining room, Lily felt a bit nervous. When they stepped into the dining room, Lily noticed that it had been decorated for the Christmas dinner. And the large dinner table was practically filled with people. Teens that she knew, young adults she recognized, and parents that she could hardly place.

Lana was sitting at the table. She was grinning at the two of them. "Two little girls told us that you two were having quite a bit of fun upstairs."

Lily blushed again, and Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Yes, and having two little girls start giggling was the best part," he mocked, looking at the two bashful looking girls.

Before anything else was said, Astoria came in, looking as beautiful and graceful as ever. "Lily! Oh, you look perfect in that dress! Oh, we are so doing a photo shoot with this one!" she cheered as she approached the couple.

Lily smiled. "I figured you'd want to. And I love it. It is perfect."

Astoria smiled. "I'm glad that you love it. And your Christmas photos turned out so well!"

Scorpius sighed. "Excuse me while I escape this womanly conversation," he mocked with a smirk. Then he walked away from them, squeezing Lily's hand once before leaving.

Astoria rolled her eyes at her son. "Oh, that man. Anyways, I hope that Christmas with your family went well," she said as she led Lily to the table.

Lily nodded. "It wasn't too bad. I don't know how tonight will go when I get back," she replied as she took a seat at the table.

"Astoria, can I speak with you for a moment?" a woman that Lily recognized as Professor Zabini, Astoria's sister, called.

"Of course," Astoria told her. Then she looked back to Lily. "I'll be right back." Astoria walked away, moving toward her sister.

But before Lily could think to get up and sit next to Lana, the empty seat next to Lily was filled, and its occupant was looking solely at her. He was tall and lean, with an athletic build. Like a Seeker, or maybe a Keeper. He had midnight dark hair that swept across his forehead. He had dark blue eyes beneath a pair of dark brows. Lily would admit that he was handsome in an aristocrat way. He had pale skin and a smooth jaw. He was cleanly shaven, and had a white smile.

"I don't believe I've ever met such a pretty girl at a Christmas dinner at Malfoy Manor before," he commented, and his voice was smooth and deep as well.

Lily gave him a hesitant smile. "That would be because I haven't been to one before."

The man gave her an interested and curious look. "Really? Well, then my guess is that your last name isn't Flint or Montague?"

Lily shook her head. "Nope, you're right."

He scratched at his cheek. "Hmm. So, what might your name be then?"

"I'm Lily," she told him.

The debonair man held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lily. I'm Nathaniel. Nathaniel Avery," he introduced.

Lily looked at him with surprise, and a more critical eye. The more she looked at him now that she knew, she could see similarities between this man and Mitch. "Are you one of Mitch's brothers?" Lily asked.

Nathaniel looked a little surprised. "Oh, you know Mitchell?"

Lily bit her lip. Mitchell? She'd never heard him be called that before.

"Give it up, Nate," Xavier said as he passed by the two. "That's Scorpius's girlfriend," he warned. Xavier winked at Lily. "This is my older brother Nate. He tries to sound sophisticated and noble when he flirts and talks to pretty girls."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "Just because you don't know how to charm a girl."

"Well put away the charm and back off my girl, Nate," Scorpius warned with a chuckle. Lily smiled at the sight of her boyfriend. In her opinion, he was much more charming or handsome than Mitch and Xavier's brother could ever be.

Nathaniel stood from the chair quickly. "Of course, Scorpius."

Xavier chuckled as he leaned against the back of Lily's chair. "He's also afraid of getting his ass kicked," he joked in her ear.

Lily bit back a laugh. Then she took a closer look at Xavier. "You look a little better than the last time I saw you," she mentioned.

Xavier pushed his hair back as he nodded. "Yeah, I finally slept. My sister gave me a calming solution. She said I was probably losing sleep because of stress of the upcoming O.W.L.s," he explained.

"Well I'm glad it's nothing serious," Lily told him.

"Hey there, Lily Lu," Aaron Goyle greeted with a grin. He looked really cleaned up since she'd seen him at her birthday party.

Lily smiled at him. "Hey, Aaron. Glad to see you here."

"Same. Nice Christmas spread by the way," he complimented.

"Yeah, they looked really good," Adrian Flint said as he came closer.

"They were really nice, Lil," Tanner added.

"Never would have thought you were only fifteen," Lars told her.

"Ok, can we ogle my girlfriend later?" Scorpius hissed with narrowed eyes. He held out his hand, which Lily took without argument. Her cheeks were already a little warm with the compliment she'd received. "Come on, there's someone who wants to meet you."

Lily nodded as she stood. "Of course."

Scorpius pulled her away from the group of boys. "You see why I hate you modeling. They know that I can't hit them in front of our parents. But I'll be dammed I don't make Lars and Tanner work harder at practices," he grumbled.

Lily squeezed his hand. "You're fretting over nothing," she told him.

Scorpius didn't respond, but brought her to a tall man who was talking with a woman that Lily didn't recognize. But when the man saw Lily and Scorpius, he seemed to excuse himself, and then walked toward them.

"Is this the beautiful girl I've heard so much about, Scor?" the man asked. His voice was deep, but rumbled with laughter. This man was _tall_. Taller than Scorpius, probably taller than even her uncle Ron. He had black hair, and his eyes were a bright brown color. And he had an infectious smile.

Scorpius smirked. "Yes, this is Lily. Lily, this is Brandon. He's the oldest Avery child."

The man held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Lily."

Lily smiled and shook his hand. "Same here," she replied.

"Brandon here works with my mum occasionally. He represents a few models in the fashion world," Scorpius explained.

Brandon grinned. "Some of my models have worked for Astoria before," he said. Then he raised a brow. "So, do you plan to make modeling a career after you graduate?"

Lily glanced at Scorpius, who looked ready to roll his eyes. "I do actually," she admitted.

"But before you pitch a campaign, Brandon, she's still in her fifth year," Scorpius interrupted.

Brandon only nodded. "Either way, take this." He pulled out a small card from his pocket, and handed it to her. "It's address of my building. Once you graduate, work with me and I guarantee that I'll take your career to new heights," he promised.

Lily took his card, curious about his offer. But before she could speak, Scorpius did. "Anyways, we'd better all sit at the table. I was told dinner would be starting soon."

Brandon nodded. "Of course. It was great to meet you, Lily."

Lily smiled. "Likewise." Then she let Scorpius lead her to two seats near the front of the table, where Draco and Astoria were sitting. She looked at Scorpius, who had a scowl on his face. She almost sighed. Was he really going to throw a fit over her modeling?

When the dinner started, Lily found herself talking to Mitch, who sat on her other side. Scorpius still seemed to be brooding, and was speaking to his uncle, who was across from them. Lily couldn't help but ask Mitch about his brother, Brandon.

"Brandon? He's a really cool guy. He was always known as a womanizer at school, so it was no surprise that he went into a business that surrounded him by beautiful woman. But he was never rude or a pig. He was always a good guy. And he's done wonders for careers. I mean, some of his models have gone to Muggle magazines, witch magazines. He's really good at negotiating deals," Mitch had told her.

Then Lily brought up another topic. "What's wrong with Scorpius tonight?" she asked.

Mitch grinned as he sent a quick glance at his best friend. "Ah, he's a bit on edge. He's been hearing how much the other guys like your recent modeling job all day. It irritates him," he told her.

"I don't see why. He's actually dating me," she mumbled.

Mitch chuckled. "Scor can be selfish like that. Really protective. And you're pretty smokin', Lil. He worries a lot that you'll leave him for someone, quote, 'better,'" Mitch said with a roll of his eyes.

"There's someone better than him?" Lily replied before thinking. Then she blushed lightly.

Mitch just kept laughing. "Maybe you should tell him that."

By the end of the night, Lily had officially met each of the adults there. And she was able to see Tanner's little brother, Ryan, who had just turned three. And she had also found herself catching up with Megan and Shannon, whose families were obviously in attendance to the dinner. Megan told how she had broken up with Matt Cornfoot, but refused to tell the story until they were all back at school, so she could tell them all the "wonderful story."

"Are you ready to go, beautiful?" Scorpius whispered in her ear.

Lily turned to look at him. He'd been scowling at just about any guy that talked to her, and almost seemed to be pouting. So she smiled at him, deciding to wait before talking to him about it. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Scorpius nodded. "I'll grab our jackets again. Just give me a moment." Then he turned and left the sitting room, where everyone had retired to after the dinner.

"He seems to be in a fabulous mood," Shannon commented as they watched him leave.

"He's pouting about me contemplating modeling as a career," Lily said with a sigh.

"If he tells you not to, you're not going to stop, are you?" Megan asked.

Lily shook her head. "No, I'm not. And he knows that," she assured.

"Good, because the last thing we need is every girl's idol turning into a man's bitch," Megan told her.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'll remember that, Megan. Thanks."

"Just saying," Megan retorted with a look of surrender.

Lily caught sight of Brandon talking with the woman from earlier, who turned out to be the Avery sister, Kim. "Hey, I'll see you guys later. I want to say something to Brandon before I go," she told them.

"Ok. We'll see you at school, Lil," Megan said.

"Yeah. Later, Lily," Shannon said with a wave.

"Bye," Lily said, and then hurried over to Brandon. "Hey, Brandon."

Brandon turned from his conversation, and smiled when he saw her. "Ah, Lily."

Lily smiled back. "I just wanted to say goodbye before I left."

"Well, I hope to see you again. And I hope that you'll keep that card for when you graduate," Brandon said, holding out his hand.

Lily shook it. "I will. And I hope that I'll get to see you next year at Christmas."

"Lily?" Both Lily and Brandon turned to see Scorpius standing by the doorway, holding two jackets.

Lily looked back at Brandon. "Goodbye, Brandon."

"Goodbye, Lily," he said with a smile.

Lily said a goodbye to Kim, and then left to Scorpius. He was silent as he helped her into her jacket, and then slipped on his own. Then he walked with her to the hallway. They were still silent as he Apparated her onto the shoveled pathway of the Burrow. He began to walk to the door, but Lily stopped him.

"Wait. Come here," she told him. And then she led him away from the house, and toward the shed. She knew her grandfather wouldn't be in there. He was always inside with the family on Christmas. She took him inside, glad for the charms that kept the inside warm during the winter.

"What's up, babe?" Scorpius asked as he let go of her hands and shoved his into his pockets.

Lily grabbed his arm, and pulled him over to the couch, forcing him to sit down. She sat next to him. "You have been pouting and brooding all night," she commented.

Scorpius scowled and turned away. "I have not," he muttered.

"You can't do this every time a magazine comes out with my pictures in it," Lily told him.

Scorpius groaned. "I'm not pouting!"

"Yes you are," Lily said with a laugh. "It's been obvious to everyone."

Scorpius's scowl deepened, and he stood from his seat. "Well I hate this! Maybe it makes me a selfish jerk, but I don't like the idea of other guys staring at pictures of my girlfriend! And, I know you're hot with an awesome body. I don't need a thirteen-year-old boy telling me that! I don't like the fact that a bunch of boys going through puberty are wanking off on pictures of my girl!" Scorpius ranted.

Lily grabbed one of his fisted hands, and pulled him back down onto the couch. "Open your hand," she commanded. Still scowling, he did as she asked. Lily placed her left hand in his. "Now look," she told him.

Scorpius looked at their hands, and seemed to freeze momentarily at the sight of his ring on her ring finger. He looked up at her. "You've worn it like that all night?" he questioned.

Lily nodded. "And I want to wear it there from now on. It seems more like a . . . sign of how important our relationship is to each of us. And with it comes a promise," she replied.

Scorpius raised a curious brow. "What promise?"

Lily smiled. "A promise that as long as I keep it on that finger, you're going to be the only one that _actually_ gets to touch me. And the only one that I'm going to love and want to be with," she promised.

Scorpius didn't say anything, but stared at the emerald gem in the ring.

"You know," Lily murmured, "you can worry about me leaving you for someone better all you want. But personally, in my mind there is no one better. I've yet to see a man more handsome. And I've yet to meet a man that's loved me, supported me, and made me feel as safe as you have. You're stuck with me, Scorpius Malfoy, just as I'm stuck with you." She interlocked their fingers, and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips softly.

When she pulled back from the kiss, Scorpius was still quiet for another moment. Then he looked at her. "I've got a promise to add to that ring," he whispered. Lily waited for him to continue. "I promise that I'll do my best not to brood with every new picture of you that comes out. And I promise that you'll never fear our relationship coming to an end. And I promise that once we've both graduated, I'll replace this ring with another ring, and another promise."

Lily smiled at his words. Because she understood what he meant. And even if she was only fifteen, the idea of marrying Scorpius sometime in the future sent ecstatic butterflies flying around her stomach. "I'd like that," she murmured.


	61. From Troublemaker To Peacemaker

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I have to say that I really like how this chapter turned out. The main points of this chapter was to show how some of our characters have grown, mainly Lily and Hugo. No Lily and Scorpius action, sorry. But I'm still going to go ahead and bump the rating up now ahead of time. Next chapter we'll be getting some surprising news. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think, and let me know of any questions you have. I'll try to answer them, as long as it won't give anything away.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-One: From Troublemaker To Peacemaker

When Lily stepped back into the Burrow after she and Scorpius left the shed, she wasn't surprised that most of the family still seemed to be up, waiting for her probably.

"Now that you're here, I want to talk about that ring!" Harry said immediately.

Lily sighed as she took off her jacket and shoes. "Good evening to you too, Dad," she mumbled.

"No jokes, Lily Luna Potter. I want an explanation," Harry demanded as he stood from his seat.

She turned to look at her father full on. "I've decided that I like wearing the ring on this finger better. So we're calling it a promise ring now," she told him. "It's not an engagement ring, so don't worry about it. Once again, your thoughts are worse than the reality." She sighed again. "Now, if I may be excused, I'm going to grab a snack."

But as she left to the kitchen, she heard her father following her. "I don't trust this relationship, Lily! You're moving way too fast! I don't trust him!"

Lily turned to glare at her father. "You're right, Dad, it's not a good relationship." She picked up a cookie, and made her way to the living room again. "It's a terrible relationship, and you should never trust Scorpius. I mean, why should you trust a man who protects your daughter? Or one who supports her? Or, better yet, why should you like that man that makes your daughter feel safe? Why should you trust or like the man that your daughter has _never_ doubted?"

By the time Lily had finished, they were back in the living room, all eyes on them. Harry now looked hesitant, but still angry.

But Lily just shook her head. "Forget, never mind. I'll just go back to Malfoy Manor. I'm not going to fight."

"Lily, you can't leave," Ginny told her.

"If I stay, Dad's just going to keep ignoring me, glaring at me, or complaining about my relationship. Either way, I can't take it," Lily replied. "I'm getting my bag."

"Wait, a minute," Arthur spoke loudly, making all noise cease. "Lily, how about you and Hugo go and hang out in the shed. That way you can get some air, and everyone can calm down?"

Lily nodded reluctantly. "Ok, fine."

"Well how about you get Louis instead of Hugo?" Ron suggested. "I think Hugo needs to take some time to hang out with his other cousins."

Lily bit her lip harshly, pushing back every remark she wanted to make. "I'll just get both of them," she said through a fake smile and gritted teeth.

"No, I'd rather Hugo stay in the house," Ron told her.

"No, you'd rather he not hang out with me," Lily quipped, unable to stop it. Then she closed her eyes and sighed. "Whatever. I'll just get Dominique."

"Lily," Hermione called.

"I won't take Hugo out of the house," Lily assured as she went up the stairs, not wanting to hear what else her aunt would have to say.

She could hear voices coming from Uncle Charlie's old room. She hesitantly opened the door, and was happy to find that _everyone_ was in there. Louis and Hugo were playing chess, and Dominique was flipping through a magazine.

"Hey, Dominique, want me to save you from this hell?" Lily asked.

That had caught most of the attention, but Dominique perked up at her offer. "Really? How?"

Lily grinned. "Yeah, I've got permission to hang out in the shed for the rest of the night. Wanna join me?"

Dominique shrugged and closed her magazine. "Yeah, why not." She stood up and came to the door.

Hugo stood up too. "I'll come with," he offered. "Louis and I can take our game out there."

Lily shook her head. "No, why don't you two just stay in here?" Lily suggested.

Hugo looked at her confused. "Why?"

"Just stay with us, Hugo," Rose said.

But as Lily looked at Hugo, she knew he wanted to know. And she knew she couldn't, and wouldn't, lie to him. "Your dad wants you to stay in the house. And I don't want to start a fight anymore tonight," she told him.

Hugo scowled heavily, but Rose spoke. "That's a good idea! You should stay in here."

"Shut up, Rose!" Hugo snapped. He stomped over to the door, but Lily put a hand on his chest.

"Wait, Hugo, don't start a fight," Lily protested.

"He can't forbid me from hanging out with you!" Hugo argued.

Lily sighed. "At least let me and Dominique get out of the house first. Ok?"

Hugo was still scowling, but he nodded.

Dominique reached up to pat his shoulder. "Good boy," she mocked. Then the two girls walked from the room, and down the stairs.

"You girls come back in when you get tired," Arthur told them as they got their jackets and shoes.

Dominique scoffed. "Please. I would much rather sleep out there," she mumbled.

But Lily smiled at their grandfather. "We will, Grandpa," she told him. Then the two girls walked into the kitchen. But Lily could hear stomping feet above her, and she knew that Hugo was coming down. "Let's get the hell out of this house," she muttered to Dominique.

"You said it," Dominique mumbled. They left to the shed, quiet as they walked. They shed their jackets when they got into the shed. "Sounds like Ron's been a real dick lately," she mentioned.

Lily nodded and sighed, dropping onto the couch. "Yeah, he's not taking Hugo's changing well."

"Hugo needs this change!" Dominique retorted. "Maybe his life won't be a bore, or a disappointment."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I was thinking that too. But I'm not going to tell him how to live."

"That's probably one of the reasons Hugo likes hanging out with you. Unlike you, his dad probably tells him how a 'real Weasley man' should live. Hugo may have been his little boy at six, but now that he's gotten older, Ron's been cracking down on him harder," Dominique told her.

Lily looked at her curiously. "How do you know that?" she asked.

Dominique sighed as she sat next to Lily. "It's not surprising that you don't know. You've been avoiding the family for five years now. But to us that have been stuck with them all, it's obvious."

Lily ran a hand through her hair again. "I regret not being there for Hugo. I really regret hating him because of a simple fight that wasn't his fault."

"Don't regret it! If you'd stuck with him, you might not have turned out as cool as you have. Count your blessings. Unlike some of us, you aren't stuck in our family's name. People don't look at you as a Weasley or a Potter. They look at you and say 'Lily.' Be grateful, because some of us don't have that luxury," Dominique stated firmly.

Lily stared at Dominique. She looked passionate about what she'd said. "Dominique, can I ask you something?" Lily questioned.

Dominique shrugged. "Yeah, go ahead."

"Why are you so anti-Weasley? I mean, I know that you care about us, but why are you so against everything that people stereotype as 'Weasley?'" Lily asked.

"Because being a Weasley just rips away every choice you ever get!" Dominique replied. "If you aren't a certain way, then you're an outcast. Weasleys have to work for the ministry, we have to be Gryffindors. Weasleys have to have an overbearing hunger, and must have a hot temper. Well maybe I like being a singer. Maybe I hate being a Gryffindor. Maybe I like eating like a normal person, and maybe I have a better control over my anger. But that's not right, because that's not what Weasleys do."

"You know, Victoire wasn't a Gryffindor. She doesn't have any of the qualities that you listed, but she's ok with it. We're all ok with it," Lily pointed out.

"But Victoire's always been a good girl. But me, my dad rides my ass because I don't conform. I don't go along with what he says, and that makes it even worse. Personally, even if you are a Potter, I think you're lucky. There may be a lot of expectations for you, but your dad isn't pressing them on you. You were able to get out before it got bad. You don't conform, but people don't hate you for it," Dominique told her.

"People don't _hate_ me?" Lily repeated her words with incredibility. "You don't think people hate me for not conforming? My blood brothers can't stand me for not being a Gryffindor. Paige Wilde hates me for acting different than what Gryffindors expected. Most Gryffindors hated me for not being what my brothers wanted. Uncle Ron dislikes me because I'm a Slytherin, and because I'm helping his son become his own person. Lucius Malfoy hates me not matter what I do. And you think people don't hate me?" Lily scoffed. "Your dad may press on you, but he's always going to love you, and you're never going to doubt that. Be happy that _you_ have that luxury."

Despite their opposing views, there was no tension in the air. Lily was beginning to suspect that she and Dominique only got along when they were disagreeing on something. But Dominique probably found it hard to get along with anyone without arguing.

The door to the shed opened wide, and Lily was surprised to see Hugo and Louis walk inside.

"What are you doing out here? I thought your dad was keeping you inside," Dominique asked.

Hugo was scowling as he sat on the floor, and began to set up a chess board with Louis. "We argued, and I couldn't stay in there. Louis offered to come out here with me."

"I thought it'd been calmer if I went out with him," Louis explained.

Lily glanced at Hugo, who was placing his pieces on the board. "You ok, Hugh?"

Hugo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't want to talk about it. Ok?"

Lily nodded. "Whatever you want," she told him.

The hours went by, and the four stayed in the shed, conversing, and the boys played chess. Dominique flipped through her magazine, and Lily picked up a rag and wiped the dust off of her bike. But eventually, Dominique complained about being tired and demanded to go inside. So finally, the four trailed inside the dark house. It seemed that everyone had gone to bed. Dominique kicked off her shoes and jacket, and then moved to where a pallet had been set up for her. Louis whispered his goodnights, and made his own way to his blankets and pillows.

But Hugo was walking to the kitchen, so Lily followed him. He flipped on the lights and sat at the table, he looked at Lily curiously. "You aren't going to bed?" he asked.

Lily shook her head. "I'm not all that tired yet." She moved past the table. "Thirsty?"

"Yeah, kind of. Thanks," he muttered. Lily grabbed a pitcher of pumpkin juice, and began to pull out two glasses. "Hey, Lil?"

"Yeah?" Lily poured the drinks into two glasses.

"I'm sorry," Hugo said softly.

Lily turned to him, confused. "What for?" she brought him a glass, and then sat down next to him.

Hugo sighed. "For leaving you like I did years ago. For dropping you as a friend," he apologized.

Lily smiled. "We apologized for this before," she reminded him.

But Hugo shook his head. "No, no. I mean . . . when I first apologized, I never really understood. But, now that I'm going through all the fights with my parents and sister, I'm really understanding a little of what you went through. This sucks, and it had to have been ten times worse for you. I mean . . . I'm sorry I let you go through all of this alone."

But Lily still smiled. "I wasn't alone. I had my friends."

"But not at holidays. Not at family functions. And I'm sorry," Hugo told her.

Lily sighed and looked down at her glass. "Yes, it was hard." She looked up at him. "But, Hugo, it _did_ get better."

"Lily, you moved out of your house," Hugo argued softly.

She nodded. "Yeah, I know. But that's because things got so bad, that I had to leave to fix it. But, Hugo, I'm going to be here for you. I'm going to help to make sure that it never gets that bad for you. Because I know how much it hurts, and I know how hard it is. I won't let it happen to you," she promised.

Hugo sighed and leaned into the back of his chair. "Thank you, Lil. Really."

Lily shrugged. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be going through this," she replied.

Hugo looked at her. "It's not your fault, Lily. You gave me a chance to be the person I want to be. It's my dad's fault for not accepting who_ I want_ to be."

"It took me years to get people to understand that I wasn't acting out. I was just being _me_. The bad thing is that I don't think some people, like my dad, completely believe it yet," Lily sighed.

Hugo took a long gulp from his drink. "Lil, for years, you were like . . . the perfect Potter princess. You were a daddy's girl, not saying that's bad. But then once we started Hogwarts, you started growing up, and because of what we all put you through, you were forced to grow up faster in order to deal with it. I just think it's hard for your dad to accept that you're no longer a daddy's princess, but a completely independent girl with a mind of her own," he explained.

Lily took a drink as she thought about that. It _did_ make sense, but she'd been trying to explain that she was different for years. Was her dad really just trying to deny it the entire time? "You know, when I started growing up and finding who I was, I never once renounced being a daddy's girl. But it was obvious as time went by that we were losing our connection. And now, now it's almost like I'm not his daughter anymore."

Hugo ran a hand through his hair. "I can empathize. I feel like my dad doesn't see me as his son anymore."

"Sure he does, Hugh," Lily assured. "It's overbearing, but he wouldn't push so much if he didn't see you as a son."

Hugo grinned humorlessly. "Sometimes I wish he _didn't_ care so much. Maybe he wouldn't drive me crazy then."

Lily nodded. "I used to think so too. My dad just started ignoring me instead. Turns out, I prefer anything over being ignored."

* * *

Lily was happy when the morning came, and she could get ready to return to Malfoy Manor. She threw everything in her bag happily, ready to leave, but was stopped and "forced" to eat breakfast before leaving.

She yawned as she picked up a piece of toast. She and Hugo had been up for most of the night talking, and she was starting to feel the after effects.

"So, Lily, when are you leaving?" George asked.

"After breakfast. I might be doing another photo shoot, and I'm not sure when Astoria is planning on doing it," Lily answered.

"Didn't you just do one though?" George asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, but one of the dresses wasn't ready in time. But she still wants me to model it."

"So, Hugo," Percy spoke loudly, "the fifth years must be having career advice meetings soon. What are you going to tell your Head of House?"

Hugo shrugged. "I don't know." Then he chuckled. "Actually, that's probably what I will tell him."

"You should tell Neville that you want to play Quidditch," Ron said. "You could have a great career in that field. And I'm sure James could help you get a chance with the Chudley Cannons."

"Oh, no doubt, Huey," James assured.

Hugo looked at his plate and shook his head. "Nah. That sounds really boring to me."

"Traveling and playing an amazing sport is boring?" Ron fired back.

Hugo nodded as he looked back up, trying to look casually, and not tense. "Yeah. All that moving around, no time for friends. Boring. Always having to practice. And if you get really famous, then you lose time for a personal life. I get enough attention being a Weasley," he replied.

"Well then you could be an Auror. The training can be a little tough, but after it's done, life's easy. You travel enough, yet still get time to have friends and spend time with family," Ron suggested.

"Nope. I don't want to be an Auror either. Too generic."

"What's wrong with being an Auror?"

"Too hard of training, and I lack the ambition or drive for that. Plus, I'd rather see family on family occasions, and not work with them."

"So working with your father would be a bad thing?" Ron demanded.

"So, Lily," Teddy intervened quickly and loudly, pulling eyes to him, and stopping Ron and Hugo, "what are you going to tell Slughorn when it comes to your meeting?"

"Oh, I'd guess something with potions. She amazing at it," Ginny said with a smile.

But Lily shook her head, staying calm and casual. "No. I don't want to make a hobby a career."

"So, what's the plan?" Charlie asked.

"Well, at first I wasn't putting too much into the thought, but I've actually really begun to consider keeping modeling, and making it a career," Lily admitted, avoiding her father's eyes.

"That's not a bad idea. Aren't you pretty popular in that area?" George asked.

"When it comes to teen models, yeah. But Astoria thinks I'll be even more popular once I graduate and become an 'adult.' I actually met an agent that's very interested in representing me once I graduate, if I take his offer," Lily explained.

"So, you want to let pictures be taken of you, instead of having a meaningful career?" Harry asked casually, although Lily knew he was fuming.

"Harry," Ginny warned.

Lily sighed. "I like being a role model for younger girls. I like being someone they can idolize," she replied easily.

That had been the end of that conversation.

Her goodbyes to her family had been quick and easy . . . mostly. Her father had been terse and tense. But she assured her mum that she would write once she was back at school, and she told Hugo she'd see him at work. And then she was back at Malfoy Manor, and she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She'd done it. She made it through the Christmas holidays, with relatively no big fights. She stopped herself from fighting. She was calm. She was collected. And she was proud of herself.

* * *

"What time does your shift start today, Lily?" Astoria asked curiously as they all began to finish breakfast.

"Eleven o'clock. I'm working past the lunch shift," Lily replied.

"Master Malfoy," Pitch the house elf announced his presence, "the mail has been retrieved."

Draco held out his hand. "Thank you, Pitch."

Pitch placed the mail into Draco's hand, and then bended into a low bow. "Anything, Master." Draco flipped through the envelopes. "Darling, you've got one from _Witch Weekly_," he commented, passing one to her.

Astoria squealed. "Oh! It must be about those pictures I sent in yesterday!"

Lily chuckled and shook her head. Astoria had taken pictures of Lily in the white dress, and then refused to let Lily see them. She had done something to them, and apparently, it was a surprise for Lily.

"Lily, you've got one too," Draco said. He handed her a thick, and slightly bigger envelope. "It says that it's from your father."

Lily took it with surprise. But when she looked at it, her father's name was written on the front. Curiosity peaked, she tore it open, and pulled out a normal sized envelope, and a folded piece of paper. She unfolded the paper first, and saw her father's messy scrawl.

"_Dear Lily,_

_You received a letter from the Muggle postman. It's apparently from your . . . well I guess your 'distant' relative, Marcus Dursley. I'm glad that you've kept contact with someone from your distant family._

_Love,_

_Dad"_

Lily laid her father's letter aside, and then picked up the other envelope. It read Marcus's name. She tore it open, and began to read.

"_Dear Lily,_

_Hey, sorry I haven't written to you. But I wanted to tell someone something, and you seemed to be the best person to tell. I'll be in London on the first of January, think you could meet me there? I need to tell someone. - Marcus"_

There was an address written at the bottom of the paper, and the name of a coffee shop. It asked her to meet him atnoon on the first. Lily smiled. She knew she would meet him. He'd been such a cool and great guy. And she understood what it was like to be different and estranged from your family. Of course she'd meet him there.

* * *

When the first came around, Lily had asked Hannah if she could pick up a later shift at the Leaky Cauldron, that way she would be free at noon. She told Astoria that she would be going to London, and admitted to Scorpius that she would be meeting up with a distant relative.

So Lily got off the Knight Bus, and approached the chosen café. The front was decorated with large windows to the inside, and she could see Marcus sitting inside near one of the windows. He held a coffee mug in his hand, and was blowing on it.

Lily walked inside, a bell ringing over her head. She moved over to his table, and sat across from him. "Hot?" she joked.

Marcus grinned broadly as his eyes caught sight of her. "Hey, Lily. I got you something too." He motioned at the mug near her end of the table.

Lily smiled. "Thanks." She picked it up, but after feeling the heat of the drink through the mug, she decided against taking a drink. "So, what's up?"

Marcus sighed as he set his cup down. "I told my parents about how I dropped out of Smeltings," he told her.

Lily looked at him with surprised, and raised a brow. "Really? How'd they take it?"

"My dad flipped his lid. But then I told them that I was planning to leave, and I wasn't coming back," Marcus admitted.

Now she was really shocked. "You said that to your parents?"

He nodded. "I know, I know. It sounds mean and harsh, and it was. And I know it's selfish, but I need to look out for myself. And to do what I want and love, I had to leave. I said I would call and keep in touch though," he replied.

"What are you going to do then?" Lily asked. "Boxing?"

Marcus sighed. "I've made a lot of money by going to underground rings. Enough to take me to the states to meet my trainer."

"Your trainer?"

"He scouted me out at an underground ring. He offered to take me to America. He's willing to give me room and board at where he lives until I have the money to get my own place. And he thinks I've got a lot of potential. I'm going to be entering the _real_ leagues," Marcus said, his pride obvious.

Lily took a small sip, and then smiled. "Well I'm glad things are going well for you."

"And you?" Marcus asked. "Still have troubles with your brothers?"

Lily sighed. "Well, at the moment I'm not living at home either."

"Really? Where are you staying?" he asked curiously as he picked up a sugar packet.

"I'm staying with my boyfriend's parents. I just needed to get out of the house and . . . well fix things I guess," Lily told him. "So, how's your sister?"

"Well, she had her baby. Gave birth to a girl and named her Emma," Marcus answered. He hesitated, and then looked at Lily sheepishly. "Would you like to see a picture?"

Lily bit back a small laugh as she nodded. "You keep a picture of her?"

Marcus began to pull out his wallet. "Well, she's the one person in my family that I can stand at the moment. Plus, she's adorable." He handed Lily a picture. "This was taken at the hospital a few hours after she was born. I got to hold her."

Lily looked at the picture, ignoring how strange it seemed when not moving. It was of Marcus, and he was holding a tiny baby in his arms. She was wrapped in a pink blanket, her eyes closed. There was a small bit of dark hair on the top of her head. "She's cute," Lily told him as she handed it back to him.

Marcus nodded as he put it back into his wallet. "Yeah. It's weird to think that I'm an uncle."

Lily nodded as she swallowed a drink. "I know what you mean. I became an aunt over a year ago. It's a little strange."

"One of your brothers knocked up a girl?" Marcus asked.

Lily shook her head. "No, surprisingly not. My god-brother and his wife had a baby. He's practically my brother, so I'm an aunt and godmother. Actually, his wife's pregnant with their second child."

Marcus grinned. "Do you have a picture?"

Lily laughed as she grabbed her purse, and dug through it. "Yeah, so I can't really laugh at you. But in my defense, he's adorable too." She pulled out her picture of Theo. It had been taken last summer when Teddy and Victoire had come by the house for a visit. Thankfully, he had changed his hair red to match Lily, who was holding him. She handed it over to Marcus.

Marcus actually smiled as he looked at it. "He is cute. Is that your god-brother in the background?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. His name's Teddy."

He nodded. "I like his hair. Never seen a guy dye his hair purple."

Lily took a drink of her coffee to keep from smiling or laughing. Imagine what Marcus would think if Teddy had made his hair pink for that picture. "Yeah, he dyes his hair a lot of strange colors," she said casually.

"I'm buzz cutting mine once I'm in the states," Marcus said after passing back the picture. He ran his hand over his dark curls.

Lily sighed. "I like your hair. I think very few guys can really pull off having curls in their hair. I think you and my cousin are the only two that do it well," she told him.

"Well I like my hair too, but it gets bothersome when it falls in my face during training or matches," Marcus retorted.

Lily took her last drink from her cup. "So, where exactly are you going when you get to the states?"

"My trainer is taking me to New York City, New York," Marcus told her. "I'll write you once I'm there, that way you have the address. Should I just send the letter to your parents' house?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, they'll forward it to me."

For the next few hours, Lily found herself trading stories with Marcus. She told him of what had gone on in her life, editing parts that included Hogwarts and magic. He told her of how it went after dropping out of Smeltings, and of some of his recent matches. A few months ago, he'd been in a match that had almost broke his hand. Lucky for him, it had healed quickly, and he was able to get back into the ring.

But when the sky slowly began to darken to a deeper blue, Lily knew that she would have to be at work soon.

"So, where do you work?" Marcus asked as he laid down some Muggle money for the coffees.

"I'm a waitress at my parents' friend's inn," Lily told him. They stepped outside, using the collars of their coats to shield their necks from the biting wind.

Marcus nodded, and then grinned at her. "So, we'll see each other again?"

Lily smiled. "Of course. Maybe I'll be able to come and visit you once I graduate in two years. I'll come see a match of yours."

"I'd like that," Marcus replied. Then almost hesitantly, he held his arms open. Lily hugged him, sad to see him go. "Take care of yourself, Lily."

"You too, Marcus. Write if you need anything," she told him.

"Right back at ya," he mumbled. They pulled away from their hug, and Marcus shoved his hands into his pocket. "See ya around, Lily." Then with a wave, he turned and began to walk away.

Lily sighed as she saw him disappear into the crowd. But then she turned, and began walking in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. If her geography and time were right, it wouldn't be too long a walk from the café.

* * *

"So, you and Matt really broke up over a pair of shoes?" Lola said with disbelief. Lily didn't bother biting back a laugh, and neither did Shannon. They were on the train back to Hogwarts, and they had just heard the story of how a fight about shoes between Megan and her, now ex, boyfriend Matt Cornfoot had resulted in their breakup.

"Well if he wouldn't be so stubborn about it!" Megan replied with a roll of her eyes. "I mean, if you're going to wear dress shoes, at least make them match your outfit!"

Lily and Shannon couldn't keep from laughing, and now Izzy couldn't either. But once they settled down, Shannon looked at Lola. "So, what did you and Hugo do over break?"

Lola smiled. "Well, we went and bought him a cat for Christmas." Lily smiled, remembering when Hugo brought the kitten over to Malfoy Manor, wanting to show off his gift. "And he even used a Muggle phone to call me."

"You didn't see each other much?" Izzy asked.

Lola shook her head. "No, apparently his dad was throwing fits about him dating me."

"More like for dating a Slytherin," Lily muttered. "Hugo was throwing fits about it all break."

"Well at least he cares enough to throw a fit over it," Shannon teased.

"What about you and Scorpius, Lily?" Megan asked.

Lily glanced at the door to the compartment. It was just the five girls. Hugo was doing prefect rounds with Stacy Finnigan, and Scorpius had been dragged off by Lars and Tanner. And she couldn't see anyone through the window in the door. So she looked at the girls. "Well, Scor took me to Paris for dinner, and then to one of their beach houses as a Christmas date/gift," she told them.

The other girls squealed.

"That's so cute!" Izzy gushed.

But Lola seemed to sense that there was more. "What else happened?" she asked.

Lily ran a hand through her bangs, pushing them back. "Well, . . . I'm thinking about having sex with Scorpius."

"No way!"

"Shut up!"

"Are you serious?"

"I can't believe it!"

The girls were all gushing and squealing at the same time, and it was hard for Lily to take in what they were all saying. "Woah! Woah! One at a time!" she told them.

Lola scooted closer. "You're really thinking about having sex?"

Lily leaned her back into the seat's cushion. "Yeah. I know now that it's something that our relationship is ready for, and it's something I'm ready for. We were going to on our date before Christmas, but it wasn't the right moment."

"So, when do you think you will?" Megan asked.

Lily sighed. "I don't know. I mean, it was Scorpius that thought we should wait."

"Woah! You mean that the boyfriend was the one that wanted to wait?" Shannon said with surprise. Then she groaned. "Why do you have the most amazing boyfriend?"

Lily smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation. "I'm just that lucky."

"So, do you think that you'll just wait and see what happens?" Lola inquired.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, at least for now. Maybe the moment will come by."

Megan grinned. "Well maybe it'll come quickly, and then we'll get to hear all about it."

Lily rolled her eyes, but felt those damn nerves began to jump again.

* * *

A few days went by after coming back to school, and they went peacefully. But Lily found herself in a mental panic. With thoughts of sex coming and going, Lily wondered if Megan was right. What if that moment did come quickly? Sure, she was ready mentally and physically, and all that crap. But . . . safely? Lily had never made a contraceptive potion, and as she began to look through all of her books, she found that she didn't even have the directions to make it. That was when panic began to set in. She'd even once made the excuse of needing to study for O.W.L.s, and went to the library to see if one of their books held what she needed. But she had found nothing, and it was the last thing she wanted to ask Madam Pince about.

Five days after being back, Lily and Hugo were instructed to patrol the castle together. Well, it was originally supposed to be Lily and Christian, but Christian and Hugo decided to trade patrols.

"So, cuz, you've been preoccupied lately. What's up?" Hugo asked, apparently seeing through her.

Lily fiddled with the hem of her shirt and with her prefect badge. "Well, remember what I told you about me and Scorpius and . . . taking that next step?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. What about it? Change your mind?"

"No, no. It's not that. But . . . well, you know how big our family is, so you know how big my chances of getting knocked up would be if we weren't careful about it," Lily told him.

He nodded again. "Yeah. So, what's the problem?"

"Well, I know that I could probably make that potion. And I'd rather do that than tell his or my mum, or Pomfrey, or any adult. But I don't know how to, and I can't find the directions to make it in any of my books, or in the library. And I'm running out of ideas," Lily said.

Hugo hummed in thought for a moment, then looked at her with a smile. "Well, why don't you ask Vic? She's a Healer, so she would know. And you know Vic won't tell anyone if you ask her not to. So, why not write to her?"

Lily thought about that. He was right, Victoire probably did know, and she was good with secrets. Maybe Lily could write to her cousin. "That's not a bad idea, Hugh," she told him.

Hugo grinned with obvious pride. "I'm smart when I wanna be."

Lily chuckled. "Of course you are."

They continued walking when they heard a commotion coming from a nearby hallway.

"What time is it, Hugo?" Lily questioned as they hurried down the hall.

"Way past curfew," he told her. "So no matter what they're doing, they're breaking at least one rule."

Lily and Hugo heard voices just as they got to the end of the hall, and the words made them moved faster.

"Furnunculus!"

"Tarantallegra!"

Lily and Hugo quickly rounded the corner to see two groups of kids standing in front of each other. One boy from each group stood in front, pointing their wands at each other. The two spells hit each other, shooting them into the ceiling. But the boys weren't done.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Expelliarmus!"

A littler girl from the closer girl had also pulled out her wand. "Slugulus Eructo!"

Lily quickly pulled out her wand. "Protego!"

Hugo had done the same. "Expelliarmus!"

The jinxes quickly died when they hit Lily's shield, and the three wands flew from the students' hands thanks to Hugo's spell. The groups quickly, and with frightened looks, looked at the two approaching fifth year prefects. Lily was surprised, and a bit exasperated to see that the two groups were made up of three Slytherins and four Gryffindors. And Lily was a bit surprised at the three Slytherins she'd caught. Marsha and Bobby Pritchard, and Alec Avery. She didn't recognize any of the Gryffindors, but Hugo seemed to.

"What are you kids thinking?" Lily demanded. "For one thing, it's far past your curfew. And you could have seriously hurt one another?"

"How'd this start?" Hugo questioned with a scowl. He picked up the three wands from the floor, but didn't give them back.

"He called Bobby a queer!" Marsha said quickly, pointing to a blonde boy in the other group. The boy glared at Marsha.

Hugo looked at the boy severely. "Dustin?"

The boy kicked at the ground. "Well he shoved me this morning!"

"You walked into me!" Bobby argued.

"Well you should watch where you're going!"

"It's not my fault you're blind!"

"Well you're a filthy snake!"

"You're an idiotic kitten!"

"Hey!" Lily yelled, her voice echoing around them. The boys stopped arguing, and Lily narrowed her eyes at Bobby. "Robert Pritchard. Have you learned nothing from what has happened recently and in the past?" she demanded.

Bobby avoided her eyes, and an embarrassed blush covered his cheeks.

"For centuries our two Houses have been fighting a losing battle," Hugo added. "And you kids creating petty arguments like this doesn't help anything!"

Lily sighed as she saw how embarrassed and flustered the young kids were getting. It was obvious that most of them were thirteen, Marsha being the youngest as a first year. "Look, we know what you kids are doing. Hugo and I used to fight all the time. I used to hate every Gryffindor. But it helped nothing and no one. It just hurt us."

Hugo nodded. "Doesn't it get tiring? All this fighting? And can you guys look at us and each other and say why you hate the other House? Or are you just doing what you think you're supposed to do?"

The seven kids looked at each other, looking confused and hesitant. And then the kid, Dustin, looked back at Hugo and Lily. "I don't know about them, but I don't know why we're supposed to fight."

Lily smiled. Marsha moved over, and stood next to Lily, smiling at her. Lily smoothed down the girl's hair. "Don't be embarrassed. I don't think anyone knows why they're fighting against other Houses for anymore. But maybe now you can stop fighting. I'm not saying you all have to become best friends, but maybe you can learn to accept and tolerate each other?"

Bobby looked at Dustin, who looked back at him. And then he nodded. "You're right, Lily. I don't want to fight anymore. If you don't want to, then neither do I."

"Yeah, why fight when we don't know why we're fighting," Alec agreed.

"There's really no point in fighting," Dustin added. And the others soon began to agree as well.

Lily and Hugo looked at each other, and then they grinned. "Well, then let's make a deal," Hugo told them.

Dustin looked at them curiously. "A deal?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, you see, Hugo and I always used to sneak out after curfew, so we don't really like punishing other kids for it. So, how about if you guys promise not to fight when you don't know why you're fighting, then Hugo and I will walk you guys back to your common rooms, and we'll let you guys off of any punishments."

"We gotta deal?" Hugo asked.

They all began to agree adamantly.

Lily smiled at them. "Ok. So, we're close to Gryffindor Tower, so let's stop there first."

Once they had dropped off the four Gryffindor third years, they went down to the dungeons, and brought the three kids to the wall leading to the Slytherin common room. But they stopped, and Marsha looked at Lily hesitantly.

"Lily, you aren't going to tell Lola are you? She'll be really mad, and she might write to our mum and dad," Marsha pleaded.

"Yeah, I don't want my brother to give me crap about this," Alec added.

Lily shook her head. "No, this will stay between us. I promise."

Bobby looked at Hugo. "You won't tell her, will you Hugo?"

Hugo grinned. He reached over and ruffled Bobby's hair. "Nah. I'd feel bad. I would have hated for someone to tell my sister all the crap I did."

Bobby gave a relieved smile. "Well, thanks guys."

"Yeah! Thanks!" Marsha said happily.

"No problem. Just get in there," Lily urged, waving them into the common room. She and Hugo watched as they stepped into the common room, and the wall slid closed again. Then they turned, and made their way to continue their patrols.

Afer a couple of silent minutes, Hugo cleared his throat. "So, for the first time ever, I just reprimanded a group of kids as a prefect."

Lily laughed shortly. "Yeah, we really did."

Hugo grinned. "Never thought I'd ever have to do that."

"Neither did I," Lily agreed. She smiled. "It feels kind of strange."

"Yeah. But . . . I feel good about. Like, I did a good job," Hugo said proudly. "I mean, we just got a young group of kids to stop hating each other for reasons that they don't know. We might have just prevented the early creation of another James Potter."

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It's a great feeling."


	62. Our Cousins, Our Saviors

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, here's another chapter. It turned out pretty long, and I'd actually planned to make it longer, but ended up deciding to break up. In this chapter we're going to have the showings of some future peace, and also some future drama. So, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think. (Also, I have some new pictures up of some characters due to a request. Let me know if you're curious as what someone looks like.)**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Two: Our Cousins, Our Saviors

"_Dear Victoire,_

_Hey, I know it's probably weird for me to be randomly writing to you. I'm sorry I don't do it more often. But actually, I need your help with something. Well . . . more like I need to ask you something. But before I ask you, I want to know that you won't tell anyone about it. I know that you'd never tell a secret, and that you would never betray anyone's trust, but this is really important and really big, so I'm a bit hesitant about it. In fact, I'm hesitant even writing it down. So, can I trust you with this? Because it's something I don't even want my parents to know. Actually, especially not them. Please, write back to me soon._

_Love,_

_Lily"_

Lily read and reread her letter again. She felt nervous about this letter. What if Teddy got a hold of it? What if he read it? Or, what if Victoire didn't write back? What if she told Lily's parents about the letter?

"Give me that," Jace took the letter from her hands, and placed it in the envelope that Lily had sitting on the table. He sealed it, and then put it on her lap. "There. Now, do I need to walk you to the Owlery to mail it too?"

Lily sighed. "I don't need you to, but would you?" she asked.

Jace nodded as they both stood up. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go." They stepped out of the common room, and made their way through the castle.

Lily looked at her friend. "So, Jace, you seem much calmer than you were before break," she commented.

Jace shrugged. "I guess."

"You gunna tell me what was up?" Lily asked.

Jace shook his head. "No offense, Lil, but I don't want to tell anyone. I just wanna keep it to myself."

Lily nodded. "That's fine. I'm just glad that you've started hanging around with me and Lola again. And I know Hugo likes having another guy friend when he's down in our common room."

"Yeah, and I really like hanging out with Hugo. Despite past fights, he's a really cool guy now," Jace said.

When they reached the Owlery, Lily didn't even have to whistle. There was a loud flutter of wings, and she caught sight of Regal dropping from a high perch. He landed on her shoulder, and rubbed his feathery head against her ear.

"Hey there, Regal," she greeted with a soft whisper. "I've got a letter for ya." Regal shifted his position, and looked at her with wide eyes. Lily held out the letter, and he clamped it carefully with his beak. "Take this to Victoire for me, buddy. And don't give it to Teddy. It has to be to Victoire," Lily instructed. "And make sure they feed you something before you come back."

Regal blinked, like a nod of understanding, and then took off from her shoulder. He flew out of the door, flying by Jace, and then he was gone.

* * *

Lily sighed as she flipped through a Herbology book. She had an essay due the next day, and she had yet to finish the paper. So she sat in the library, trying to get three more inches so that her essay could be complete.

Lily groaned as she stood from her table in the library. She picked up the book, and made her way back to the Herbology section. She let it float back to where it belonged, and then began to search the spines for another book. She loved her uncle Neville, but she really didn't care about gillyweed.

It was a sudden feeling, but Lily felt eyes on her. She quickly stood straight, and looked around her. There was no one but a Hufflepuff at a far away table, but he seemed very intent on his book. Lily turned back to the bookshelf, but then heard steps, and felt that feeling again. Looking from the corner of her eye, Lily looked to the end of the aisle. She saw the bright blonde hair of Marsha, and the dirty blonde hair of Christian's little brother, Riley.

Lily looked back at the shelf. "Riley, Marsha, why are you following me?" she asked softly. She didn't want Madam Pince sweeping down and glaring at her.

She heard two sets of footsteps approaching, and then stopping. But Lily didn't look at them until she had finally picked out another book. Then she looked at them with a raised brow. "So?"

"What are you doing?" Marsha asked curiously.

Lily moved past them. "I'm getting a book to finish up my essay with. So, why are you following me." She led them back to her table. And when they sat down with her, she pulled out her wand. "Muffalito," she muttered. Then she set down her wand. "Ok, so why are you following me?" she repeated in a normal voice.

"What was that spell?" Riley asked curiously.

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "It makes it so that other people can't hear our conversation. I don't want Madam Pince breathing down our necks."

"Wow, that's so cool!" Marsha gushed.

Lily stared at them both. "Will you answer my question?" she demanded.

Riley looked down at the table with a blush, but Marsha didn't shy away. "You're a really cool person," she said honestly and bluntly.

Lily looked at them with interest and with confusion. "Well thank you. But . . . what does that have to do with following me?"

"Well . . . we wanted to ask you something," Marsha admitted. Riley was still looking firmly at the table, surprising Lily with how shy he seemed.

"What is it?" Lily inquired.

"How did you get to be such a cool person? I mean, you've been friends with my sister for years, but personally, you're still cooler. I mean, I love Lola of course, but still . . . I've got to be honest," Marsha said bluntly.

Lily had to stop herself from laughing. "How I got cool?"

Marsha nodded, and it was actually Riley that spoke. "Well, you're really popular. You're a prefect, really smart, likable, and a model."

"You're like an idol to younger students. Most girls in my year talk about you," Marsha added.

Lily simply cleared her throat, stalling. She wasn't really sure what to say to that information. "Um, well I guess that I'm glad to be an influence," she said lamely.

"You're more than an influence. At a lot girls aspire to be like you," Marsha said. "So that's why we're curious."

Lily sighed. "Well, I don't know what to tell you. I never planned to be anyone's inspiration or idol. I am who I am."

Marsha looked a little disappointed at the lack of information, but Riley nodded a little. "I think that's even cooler. That you didn't have to change yourself to be as liked and popular as you are."

Marsha began to nod fervently as well. "Yeah, that is pretty cool!" she agreed.

Lily finally did laugh a little. "Well, thank you. And I'm sorry I don't have more to tell you." She flipped open her book, and began to search the pages.

"It's ok," Marsha said with a smile and a sigh. "But, Lily," Lily looked up to Marsha's face, "I have one more thing."

Lily raised a curious brow. "What is it?"

"Well, I thought that you were right about us kids fighting without a reason. And I thought about how you and Hugo became really good friends after fighting for a long time. So, I was wondering, how did you two become friends again?" Marsha asked.

Lily set down her quill. "Well, Hugo and I had an advantage. We'd been great friends beforehand. And luckily, Hugo was braver than I was, and took the first step to patch things up." Lily glanced at the two first years. "But, that's the key. One person always has to be the one to take the first step to fix things."

"Well, how do you do that?" Riley asked.

Lily smiled. "Bravery and courage. Despite possible belief, you don't have to be a Gryffindor to have those traits."

Riley looked down at the table. "Well, I don't have those traits."

And even Marsha looked hesitant. "It does seem hard to do," she agreed with a mumble.

"Then you just need a bit of help." Lily sighed as she looked around the library. Then she spotted what she was looking for. She stood up. "Come with me," she said, motioning for them to stand as well. Once they did, she canceled her spell, and began walking across the library.

"Where are we going?" Riley asked quietly.

Lily didn't say anything until she had come to a table that was seating seven kids, but had three extra seats open. She smiled at the group of young kids, each looking to be no older than eleven or twelve. "Hey, kids," she greeted.

The first years looked at Lily with surprise, but then with eager smiles. "Hi, Lily!" one of the girls greeted. She wore the yellow and black tie of a Hufflepuff.

"Yeah, hey, Lily," a Gryffindor boy greeted. "What's up?"

Lily smiled. "Well, I was wondering if anyone was occupying those three seats?" she asked.

A Ravenclaw boy shook his head. "No, no one is."

"Great," Lily said. Then she moved aside, and urged Marsha and Riley forward. "This is Marsha and Riley, and I was wondering if they could join you guys? I want to make sure they actually study and do their homework," she improved.

Marsha rolled her eyes. "Studying is boring," she muttered.

A Hufflepuff boy pointed at Marsha. "See! She agrees with me! Why do we have to study?" he groaned.

A Gryffindor girl rolled her eyes. "So we don't fail, Jake!" But then she smiled over at the three Slytherins. "Sure, they can join us. Maybe they can get Jake to actually try and do his homework."

Lily pushed the two toward the empty chairs. "Thank you, guys. Have fun." Without another word, she made her way back to her own table. But as she looked at her open book, almost finished essay, and ink-stained quill, Lily found that she'd lost her interest in finishing her essay. She began to clean up, and put her things away into her bag. She'd just have to get a bit more information from Lola to get the needed length for her paper. She grabbed the book and put it back, and then made her way for the library door. But before leaving, she looked over at the table of first years. Although she couldn't hear them, she could see muted words coming from their mouths, and smiles and laughs on their lips. Lily smiled.

Maybe there was hope for House unity.

* * *

Lily sighed quietly as she sat in Transfiguration. It was one of her last classes. The last one before a short break for the day, and then she only had History of Magic before classes were over for the day. Normally, she didn't mind Transfiguration lessons, but when Professor Bell just gave lectures without practical practice, it got tedious and boring for Lily. And what made it worse was that one of the school governors was sitting off to the side, observing the class. Her name was Patricia Stewart, and she was apparently in agreement with Brunt's ideals. It didn't help Lily's mood.

"Mr. Davies!" Professor Bell snapped, dropping a stack of books next to the sleeping Randy Davies, it made everyone jump, and Randy Davies woke up and fell from his seat, making everyone laugh and giggle. "I know it's a lot to ask of you, but do you mind not sleeping in my class?" Bell demanded.

Randy Davies's cheeks turned bright red. "Yes, Professor," he said humbly as he got back into his seat.

"Thank you," Professor Bell said dryly. Then she turned on all of them. "I hope that you are _all_ paying attention to this. Vanishing Spells can prove to be very difficult, and dangerous to those who don't know what they're doing. And some find it to be the hardest thing on their Transfiguration O.W.L.s," she said, obviously trying to intimidate them all.

Lily quickly raised her hand, hoping to stop Professor Bell before she began to lecture them on the importance of O.W.L.s again. It was worse than any lecture about any lesson.

Professor Bell caught sight of Lily's hand, and looked at her with a bit of surprise. "Yes, Lily?"

"Well, concerning Vanishing Spells, is harder to vanish material objects compared to live beings?" Lily asked, throwing out a random yet relevant question.

Professor Bell smiled. "That's an excellent question." And then she began to ramble and lecture on about what Lily had asked, eventually segueing back into the original lecture.

But again the lecture was interrupted, but this time by the opening of the classroom door. People were surprised to see Lana's dad, Mr. Goyle, stepping into the classroom. Lily glanced at Jace and Lola. Although he was the caretaker of the castle, they hardly ever saw him during the school year.

"Professor Bell," Goyle addressed.

Professor Bell looked at him curiously. "Yes, what is it, Mr. Goyle?"

Goyle walked over to the front, and then began to whisper to Professor Bell. Lily caught sight of a note being handed to the professor, and then more whispers. Finally, after five minutes, Mr. Goyle stopped whispering, and spoke normally. "Thank you, Professor. Sorry to interrupt," he apologized.

"Oh, it's no problem," Professor Bell assured. And once Mr. Goyle had closed the door behind him, she walked over to Lily. "Lily, after class, the headmaster would like to see you," she said. The other kids in the class began to goad and tease, but Professor Bell handed her the note and began to shush the other students. Lily pick up, and read, the note.

"_Lily, you're not in trouble. Someone wants to speak with you. -Professor Brown_"

Lily stared at the note with a bit of curiosity and confusion. Someone was here to talk to her? Well, it obviously wasn't someone she wouldn't want to talk to. The note said that she wasn't in trouble. So . . . who was it?

She was thankful when the end of the lesson came around, and with a quick goodbye to Lola and Jace, she hurried from the room. She didn't run, but she wasn't taking her time while making her way to Professor Brown's office. When she got to the door of his office, she would have normally just walked in. But since she wasn't sure who was in there waiting for her, she knocked.

"Come in, Lily!" Professor Brown called out to her. Lily opened the door and stepped inside. And she was shocked at who was sitting in a chair around the office's fireplace with the headmaster.

"Victoire! What are you doing here?" Lily asked, although she had a good idea why. Victoire had gotten her letter.

Victoire smiled at her. Her beautiful blonde hair was falling around her face and shoulders in loose ringlets. She looked radiant, and her obviously pregnant belly showed her advanced pregnancy. "Well, I came to speak to you about your letter," she said honestly.

Professor Brown stood from his seat, and motioned Lily forward. "I'll let you two talk alone. Besides, I'm supposed to be directing a staff meeting in a couple of minutes. Make yourselves comfortable," he told them. Then he passed by Lily and left the room. The door closed with a muted bang.

Lily walked forward, and after setting her bag down, sat in a chair by the fireplace as well. "You didn't have to come all the way here to talk about my letter," Lily told her.

Victoire smiled as she picked up a teacup from the end table by her chair. "Well, you seemed very worried about someone finding out what you need my help with. I thought coming to see you and talk to you one-on-one would help."

Lily glanced at the portraits. "Well I'm not sure about that," she mumbled.

Victoire laughed. "Oh, don't worry. Jacob and I have already taken care of that. They won't hear us," she assured. She took a drink, and then set her cup back down. "So, what is so important, Lily?"

Lily bit her lip for a moment. It had seemed easier to just write about her problem. But actually saying at out loud? Actually admitting to Victoire in person about her contemplating the idea of having sex? It seemed a lot more . . . scary.

"Well . . ." Lily trailed off, not sure how to start.

Victoire gave Lily a gentle look. "Lily, whatever it is, I'm not going to be mad or freak. And I'm not going to tell a soul. Not even Teddy. You can tell me."

Lily sighed, honestly feeling a little better. "Well . . . you know that Scorpius and I have a very serious relationship, right?"

Victoire smiled. "Of course. It's obvious by how hard you fight against your father on the subject."

Lily almost laughed at that. But the topic kept her mood somber. "Well, lately it's gotten a bit more serious for us. And . . ." Lily hated how hard this was to say!

When Victoire giggled lightly, it caught Lily off guard. But then Victoire looked Lily fully in the eyes. "Lily, have you had sex with him?"

Lily was glad that she hadn't had anything to drink, because she probably would have spit it out everywhere, or dropped it in shock. "What?" Lily asked in surprise. How had Victoire come to that conclusion?

Victoire laughed again. "You have the same look on your face that I had when I approached my mother about sex. So, either you've had sex and have a question concerning it, or you are thinking about having sex."

Lily sighed, feeling a bit better now that the topic had been fully broached. "I'm thinking about it. Actually, I know that I probably will soon," she admitted.

Victoire nodded, not judging, even with her gaze. "Well, you seem very sure about it. So, what's your question then?"

Lily ran a hand through her bangs, nervously tightening her ponytail. "Well, awhile ago, my mum talked to me about safe sex, and she gave me a bunch of options, and told me that I could come to her," Lily explained.

Victoire nodded. "But, you don't want to talk to her because you're afraid that your mum will tell your father?" Lily nodded. "I had that fear at first too, but I knew I could trust my mum. She hated how overprotective Father was about me and boys."

Lily sighed. "Yeah, but I don't think Mum hates it as much as your mum does. I mean, I love how honest my father and mother are between each other, but it sucks when it comes to when I have a touchy subject I need to talk about."

"It can be. But, so what is the problem?" Victoire asked.

"Well, I don't want to ask my mum to take me to St. Mungo's for the potion, and I don't want to go myself, because I don't want I don't want people speculating why I'm there," Lily explained. "And I'm really good at potions, and I'm sure I could make it myself . . . I just don't know how. And, since you're a Healer, I thought you might know."

Victoire smiled. "Oh, that's easy. I thought this would be a difficult question," she teased.

Lily smiled too. "It's easy for you," she quipped.

Victoire laughed. "Well, honestly, I'd bet you _could_ make it, especially with your skills with potion making. And I do know how to make it."

Lily looked at her with hope. "So, you could give me the directions?"

Victoire got up from her seat, and went over to Professor Brown's desk. She rummaged around, but then came back and set a quill and ink bottle on the table. Then she sat down with a book, and a paper on top of it. The grabbed the quill, dipped it into the ink, and began to write. "Ok, there are a lot of variations of this potion, and it always depends on the girl taking it. Personally, this one works well for me. And I think that it always works better for the woman if she makes it herself," Victoire told her.

"How do you know if it doesn't work with you?" Lily asked.

"Usually you feel nauseated, or you'll have constant headaches. It just won't work with your system. But it would still work as a contraceptive. But the side effects are never worth it," Victoire said with a laugh. Then she put the quill down, and handed Lily the paper. "Ok. Here it is. It takes maybe a half hour to make, and then you just let it sit for an hour. It's all explained on there. You need to take it every month, on the same day. Doesn't matter what time though. Once you take it, it'll kick in immediately. I recommend taking it a couple of weeks before having sex, that way you can see how it will affect your system."

Lily nodded as she took all of the information in. And as she looked at the potion, it didn't look too complicated. Lily had obviously made harder potions than this one. She could do this. "Ok." She looked up at her cousin. "Thanks, Vic."

Victoire smiled. "Oh, it's no problem, Lily. You're like a little sister. And either way, you're family. Of course I'm going to help you. Besides, I'd rather you ask for help than to just rush into sex without thinking."

Lily smiled, and then glanced briefly at Victoire's pregnant belly. "How's the baby? Do you know what it is yet?"

Victoire's smile brightened and glowed as she too glanced at her stomach. She rested a hand on it. "Well, it's finally started to slightly kick, but not like Theo had. Theo used to kick so hard it'd wake up me _and_ Teddy," she joked. Lily laughed with her. "But, we've decided to let it be a surprise on whether it's a boy or a girl."

"What do you want?" Lily asked.

"Well, honestly I wouldn't matter to me if it were a boy or a girl. Teddy's been talking nothing but about how he wants a little girl, and his excitement is almost contagious. At times I find myself dreaming about having a little girl as well," Victoire told her.

"So, do you think you'll have another baby after this one? You know, once it's a little older?" Lily asked curiously. Honestly, she missed this. Although it was usually Teddy that Lily went to talk to about advice or problems, Victoire was just a great person to talk to. She was honest, never judged, and really nice about everything. And she had to be one of the best listeners Lily knew.

"Oh, of course! I mean, I've always dreamed of having a big family of my own. And Teddy and I had even talked about having another child after Theo. But we had never talked about when, so it was kind of a surprise," Victoire said with a laugh. "We're hoping to actually have a child that's _not_ a surprise."

Lily smiled. "Well you know as well as I do, three kids in the house is a lot of fun," Lily said teasingly.

Victoire laughed. "Oh, I know." Then she sighed and looked at Lily with a curious but serious gaze. "So, Lily, have you ever thought about how many kids you'd ever want to have?"

Lily felt her cheeks flushed a little, and she looked at her cousin in surprise. "Me?"

Victoire shrugged. "When I was fifteen, I was sure that I wanted at least two kids. I mean, it was until I began working as a Healer in the maternity ward that I knew I wanted more than that, but still . . . do you ever think about it?"

Lily sighed. "Not really," she admitted.

"Well, do you have an idea? I don't mean to pry or be insistent," Victoire amended.

Lily nodded. "No, I know what you mean. And . . . I guess I know that I wouldn't want more than three kids. I've seen the terrors they can do to a house, and any more than that seems too much."

Victoire smiled. "I think that's a good number."

"Do you want more than that?" Lily asked.

Victoire looked slightly sheepish. "Kind of," she admitted. "I just don't know if Teddy does. I mean, we've talked about having more kids, but he's never actually said how many he wants and doesn't want."

"Well after Theo, how could he not want a couple more kids?" Lily replied.

Victoire ran a hand over her belly. "I wonder the same thing," she murmured.

* * *

It took a couple of days for Lily to get all the things she needed for her contraceptive potion. She found that she had some of it, but there were things that she was obviously missing. She'd had to get some from Professor Slughorn, while not letting him know what she was picking from his storage. He'd allowed her full use of his supplies, but Lily didn't want him figuring out what she was making.

Once she'd finally had it made, and after it had set for an hour, Lily found herself staring at a light pink liquid sitting in her cauldron. Lily looked at the paper of directions. It said that it made enough for a year. Well, at least she wouldn't have to make it every month. She fumbled around with her large potion box and kits, and found enough bottles to hold the potion. She filled eleven of them completely, and then put the last bit of the potion into a different glass.

Lily looked at the potion with hesitation. If she drank this . . . it was like _really_ admitting this was going to happen. At some point soon, she and Scorpius would have sex. Lily brought the glass to her lips. The smell of the potion danced around her nose. It smelled . . . almost fruity but yet flowery. She sucked up her courage, and drank the potion in one huge gulp.

Lily almost flinched. It was _very_ strong, and had a sharp taste. It was gross or disgusting, and she was sure that she would get used to it with time. It was just surprising when tasting it for the first time. Lily glanced at the calender in the dorm room. It was the seventeenth, so she would have to remember to take it on that day every month. Quickly, she took her wand and marked a seventeen on each potion's bottle. Just as a reminder. Then she put them at the top shelf of her expanding potion box, and then closed it, and cleaned everything up.

Lily found herself going down to the common room, and joining Lola and Shannon, who were studying for O.W.L.s with each other.

"Do you two do anything else as of late?" Lily teased as she joined them at their table.

"Well not everyone is as freakishly intelligent as you are," Lola pointed out.

"I know, and everyone wishes they could be," Lily joked with a grin.

"Lily?" The girls all turned at the sound of Scorpius's voice. Lily was a bit surprised to see Scorpius approaching them with a quick pace and a small and thoughtful scowl.

Lily stood up from her chair. "What's up?"

When Scorpius stopped in front of her, he didn't answer her. Instead his lips slammed down onto hers, his hands wrapping around her tightly. Despite her shock and surprise, Lily slowly began to respond, bringing her hands to his shoulders. There was a wolf-whistle sounding, but Lily hardly registered it. In fact, she hardly registered anything but Scorpius's hands and lips on her.

When he pulled away, Lily found her breath coming in small pants, and felt her heart pounding in her chest. Scorpius leaned his forehead against hers, his own warm breath fanning across her cheeks. "Want to go upstairs?" he murmured softly.

Lily gulped, her mind still reeling. "Sure," she said breathlessly.

Scorpius gently took her wrist, and led her away from the common room, pulling her up the stairs to the seventh year boys' dorm. It was empty when they entered. Scorpius kicked the door shut behind them, and then was kissing her again. Unable to help herself, Lily melted against his insistent lips. Although demanding, his kiss was passionate, and it was loving. The amount of emotions and feelings that began to run through Lily's mind and body threw into a confusing spiral, where thoughts disappeared as soon as they appeared. She felt his hand in her hair, pulling it from her ponytail. Her hair fell around her in waves, and she felt his fingers running through her loose locks. His lips slanted against hers, and his tongue passed through her lips, and soon began to dominate her own mouth.

Scorpius ended the kiss, but didn't move away from her. His hand was still in her hair, his other arm still keeping her close, and his lips still brushing against hers with every breath he took. "You know that I love you, right?" he whispered softly.

Lily nodded, still trying to catch her breath, and trying to get her heart to calm down. "Of course I do," she told him.

"You know that I'd do anything for you?" he murmured.

"Yes," she mumbled, her body starting to feel that tight and warm pressure in her body again. Was it because his hands were warm around her, or because that while being so close, she could definitely smell that heady scent that was purely Scorpius?

Scorpius wet his lips, but perhaps on accident, his tongue also brushed against her own lips briefly. Lily restrained herself from kissing him again. It was obvious that something was on his mind, and it was obvious that he was trying not to show it.

"Scorpius, what's wrong?" Lily asked gently, her pants become softer as her breath returned to her.

"Nothing," he whispered. His hand left her hair, and moved to also wrap tightly around her. At first, she thought he'd kiss her again, but instead he pulled her to him even tighter into a warm embrace. His cheek rested against her hair, and Lily felt his breath brushing across her ear. She wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his chest. She didn't ask him again, because she was sure he would dismiss it again. But she could tell by how tense his muscles were that something was on his mind. She just wondered what it was.

* * *

"So, what are you doing on the Hogsmeade trip tomorrow?" Scorpius asked Lily. They were sitting in the common room with the others. Scorpius was laying on the couch, his head resting on Lily's lap. Lily gently stroked his hair, playing with his blonde and green locks. Jace and Hugo were sitting on the floor, playing Wizard Chess. Jace was losing miserably. Hugo's back was leaning against an armchair, which Lola was sitting while studying for her Arithmacy class. Lana was sitting in another chair, while Rex sat on the floor in front of her, and was cutting, dyeing, and styling his hair. Justin was sitting on the arm of Lana's chair, strumming a few strings on his guitar. Mitch and Dominique had disappeared up to the boys' dorm room awhile ago, and Lars was off somewhere with Ashley.

"I don't know yet. Us girls have yet to make a plan, but I think Megan wants us girls to help her scout out another boyfriend," Lily told him. Scorpius still hadn't told her what had been bothering him a few days ago, but it seemed to have passed from his mind.

"I told her I wasn't going with her," Lola said. "Hugo and I are going on a date."

"I didn't want my girlfriend aiding in the destruction of another guy due to Megan," Hugo joked.

Scorpius chuckled as his eyes closed. "Hugo's got a point. Perhaps I should keep you from helping Megan destroy another boy's heart."

Lily tugged at his hair playfully, but still smiled. "Well you better decide before Megan drags me off tomorrow."

"Tell her you've got an important day with the Quidditch team," Scorpius told her.

"Doesn't my brother have a date with his girlfriend though?" Lana asked as she began to rub something into Rex's hair.

"So the whole team minus Lars," Scorpius amended. "And if I need him there, I'll just tell him to bring his girlfriend."

"Is he still dating that Gryffindor girl?" Justin asked. "What's her name?"

"Yeah, he is. Her name's Ashley. She's not so bad. She came to our house of Christmas break," Lana admitted.

Hugo turned to look at Lana. "Wait, Ashley Anderson?"

Lana nodded. "Yeah, that's his girlfriend. Know her well?"

Hugo scoffed as he looked back to his game. "Everyone in Gryffindor knows Ashley. She's like . . . the 'it' girl of Gryffindor. She's probably the most popular girl in my House."

"I'd rank her about top five of most popular girls in the entire school," Rex agreed. "But you totally beat her, Lil."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Thanks ever so much."

"Check," Hugo stated loudly.

"Damn it!" Jace groaned. He looked at Scorpius. "Scor, will you play for me now? Hugh's killing me!"

Scorpius scoffed. "I've never beaten him either."

"Nobody beats Hugo," Lily replied. "Only his dad can beat him."

Hugo grinned proudly. "'Cause I'm that damn good."

"Of course you are, sweetheart," Lola said dismissively, flipping to another page in her book.

"The smell of victory!" They all jumped or looked at the door to the common room with surprise. Lars was striding toward them, a smug look on his face.

"Thanks for scaring the hell out of us," Lana mumbled as she began to take a comb to Rex's hair.

"What victory are you talking about?" Justin asked.

"A victory over Albus "baby" Potter!" Lars cheered.

That immediately gained everybody's attention.

"What do you mean?" Hugo asked.

"I mean that I have one of the best girlfriends ever!" Lars exclaimed as he sat on the arm of the couch.

"What did Ashley do?" Lily asked.

Lars grinned eagerly. "Ok, ok. So I guess for a while now, Potter's been sending my girlfriend dumb crap, like flowers and that all that kind of shit. So, apparently Ash was just throwing them away and ignoring it. But I guess yesterday, Potter walked up to her and asked her out."

"What's Ashley say?" Rex asked.

Lar's grin got bigger and even more smug. "So, she obviously told him no, saying that she had a date with me. Now, this is according to Ash's friend Jenny Stover from Hufflepuff who saw this, that Potter laughed and asked again. And apparently Ash just flat out humiliated him! Merlin, I wish I'd been there!"

The others all laughed. Hugo looked ready to cry he was laughing so hard.

"Oh man! You have got to bring her to The Three Broomsticks tomorrow!" Scorpius told him. "The rest of us from the team are going to hang out, and you've got to let us meet her!"

"I've never been so proud of her!" Lars said happily.

Hugo took in a deep breath as his laughter stopped. "You know what they say," then he looked at Jace. "Checkmate."

"Dammit!" Jace swept the board, making all of them laugh again.

* * *

"Who are we waiting for?" Hank Harper asked as he brought a round of butterbeers to the Slytherin team's table at The Three Broomsticks.

"Lars is going to bring Ashley, and then we just got to wait for Lance," Scorpius answered as he grabbed to bottles. He handed one to Lily before taking a swig from his own.

"Hey, guys!" Lance said as he came to the table. He took a seat to Lily's right.

"Hey, kid. What took you so long?" Scorpius asked.

Lace grinned sheepishly as he grabbed a butterbeer. "Well, I was figuring out where I was going to meet up with my date later."

A couple of the guys whistled. "You gotta date?" Tanner asked with a grin. "Who?"

Lance gulped lightly. "Courtney Derrick."

Scorpius and Tanner laughed. "Rex's little sister?" Scorpius said with surprise. "You'd better not let him find out. He's super protective of his sister."

Lance nodded. "Yeah, that's what she said."

"He'll stalk you everywhere!" Tanner joked.

"He might kick your ass, dude," Scorpius laughed.

Lily pinched Scorpius's arm, and leaned forward to smack Tanner on the shoulder. "Leave him alone!" She smiled at Lance. "I think it's cute," she told him.

Lance blushed. "Thanks, Lil."

"So, why are we meeting today, Scor?" Bobby asked. Lily could see his excitement, probably to be hanging out with a group of older kids. Being a third year, he was the youngest.

"Calm yourself, Pritchard," Tanner said with a grin. But then he looked at Scorpius. "But, how long will this take, cause if it's not going to be long, I might be able to get some action."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I'm not letting my cousin run off so that he can score with Ami Waters," he mumbled.

Tanner looked at Scorpius in surprise. "How'd you know?"

"Because everyone knows that Ami Waters will have sex with any guy, as long as he's in Slytherin too. That's what makes her a House favorite among guys," Lily replied.

"I'm not letting you get a disease. I surprisingly care about you, dude," Scorpius muttered.

Tanner groaned. "Come on! Ami is showing an interest in me!"

"Because you're on the Quidditch team," Hank laughed. "It may not be a requirement for her, but she prefers them big, on the Quidditch team, and rich."

"So she's a gold digger?" Bobby said with a small laugh.

"Basically," Lance told him.

"That and annoying," Scorpius muttered.

"That's because she's always coming onto you," Hank joked.

"What a tragedy," Tanner mumbled. "You've got the hottest model as a girlfriend, and another pretty girl that hits on you. Your life sucks."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "You whine too much."

"Just because you're still a virgin, doesn't mean you have to bitch so much," Hank teased.

Tanner threw a napkin at Hank. "Hey! Scor's a virgin too!"

"Yeah, but he doesn't care if you make fun of him about it," Hank laughed.

"You are easy to rile up," Scorpius agreed.

"Hey, looks like we're the last to arrive," Lars said as he approached the table, his arm around a very pretty girl. She was slender, with dark blonde hair pulled up into a thick ponytail. Her eyes were dark, but she looked friendly. "Guys, this is Ashley. Ashley, this is the team. Tanner, Hank, Bobby, Lance, Lily, and Scorpius," he introduced.

The team greeted her, and Ashley smiled lightly as she took a seat. "Hi," she greeted. She looked over at Lily. "I hope you're cooler than your brother," she said jokingly.

Lily raised a brow. "I don't recall having a brother," Lily retorted.

Ashley chuckled lightly. Lars grinned. "I'll be back. I'm going to grab us a few butterbeers," he said before walking off.

"So, Ashley, nice job knocking Potter down a notch," Tanner complimented.

Ashley shrugged. "It got him to stop, and that was the point." She looked around at each of them. "So, is this meet up to discuss your Quidditch match next month?" she asked.

"Slightly," Scorpius replied. "We've yet to think up tactics to play against Ravenclaw."

"And you're captain, right?" Ashley asked. Scorpius nodded. "Ok. I don't watch many of the matches, so I don't really know who plays what. Although I do remember seeing a match with Tanner and Lance playing. And I've of course seen Lily play in a match."

"Well, Hank and Bobby are new to the team this year," Tanner told her.

"So, what do you do instead when everyone else goes to watch the games?" Lily asked.

Ashley shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever I feel like doing really."

"I used to love watching the matches. Although, it's much more fun to play in them," Lance said. "I can't wait to play in the pros."

"You'll do amazing, kid," Scorpius assured.

"Amazing at what?" Lars asked as he sat down at the table. He handed Ashley a butterbeer.

"Playing professional Quidditch," Lily told him.

"Oh, no, you'll do great, man," Lars told Lance. "You've got the dedication for it."

"What team do you want to play for?" Ashley asked.

"I wanna play with the Kenmare Kestrels in Ireland," Lance told her.

"Do you have a favorite team, or do you pay little attention to national leagues?" Tanner asked Ashley.

"I only hear what my brother and his friends arguing about," Ashley replied.

"How old is your brother?" Lily asked.

"He's my twin," Ashley answered. "Although, we're completely different. He idolizes total jackasses, and I have a brain."

Lily blew out a breath. "Why do I have the feeling that your twin and Albus Potter share a common idol?"

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Because they do. What deluded boy doesn't idolize James Potter?"

* * *

When January finished, February came with lighter snow, bluer skies, breezier winds, and sunnier weather. And the beginning of February brought around some surprising news.

"Wow," Megan said as the mail came at breakfast of the first of the month. "Dante wrote me." She tore open the letter, and began to read.

"Look like you've got a letter too, babe," Scorpius commented. Lily followed his eyes, and she too identified Teddy's recognizable owl. He landed on the table, luckily not knocking anything over. In his beak was a sealed envelope. Lily took it from him, and then tossed him a piece a crust from her toast. As he flew away, Lily opened the envelope, and unfolded the letter.

"_Dear Lil,_

_Well, two things talk, or write, about. First, the big one. Remember Janie Dumas? Fred's girlfriend? Well, he asked her to marry him. So, they're getting married this month. I know it's quick, but it's what they want. All the parents are writing to their kids to let them know. I asked Ginny and Harry if I could write to you. I need to tell you something. But, anyways, the wedding is on the twelfth. Of course, it will at the Burrow. You guys will all be excused to go on the seventh, and if permission is given to them by their parents and the headmaster, you guys are allowed to bring a date along. Although, since Scorpius is of age, he might not need permission from his parents._

_But, onto what I wanted to talk to you about. Remember the talk we had when you came to the Burrow for Christmas? You told me that you wanted to fix things, and that you needed to take one step at a time. Why don't you try taking one soon? Let them know that you're trying._

_Love,_

_Teddy"_

"So, was your letter more interesting than mine, Lil? I can tell that my parents forced Dante to write me," Megan muttered as she tossed her letter aside.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. My cousin Fred is getting married on twelfth," she told them.

"That's cute! Do you get to go?" Lola asked curiously.

"We're all getting out on the seventh." Lily looked at Scorpius with a smile. "And, I get to bring a date. Wanna come?"

Scorpius raised a brow. "I can get out too?"

"Well if we bring a date, they're supposed to get permission from their parents and from the headmaster. But, since you're of age, you might not need permission from your parents," Lily told him.

Scorpius smirked as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Well then I wouldn't miss it," he replied, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Lola looked at me with concern. "Do you think Hugo will ask me to go?"

Lily smiled reassuringly at her friend. "Of course he will. Why even ask?"

Lola bit her lip as she twirled a piece of her hair with a small bit of worry in her eyes. "Well, I know that his parents don't like that we're dating. I wasn't sure if he'd invite me."

Lily rolled her eyes. "First of all, his dad doesn't like it. I've never heard Hugo complain about how his mum disagrees. And secondly, Hugo has been doing anything he can to talk or see you when his dad tries to prevent him. So why wouldn't he this time?"

Lola finally smiled a little. "I guess you're right."

Lily smiled. "I always am. And, I'll probably be asked to stay at the Burrow, since I'm not staying at home. I'll bet I could convince my grandparents to let you stay there too. Then I could bring you around Hugo's house," she offered.

Now Lola smiled fully. "Really? Oh, thank you!"

"Think I'll get invited?" Mitch joked with a wink

"I can't imagine why you would," Lily mocked lightly.

Mitch ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Because of my dashing good looks?" Then he grinned. "Or because I'm always the life of a party?"

"Because my cousin is weird enough to date you," Lily quipped.

* * *

A few days later, Lily found herself sitting at a table in the common room, a blank paper sitting in front of her, and a quill in her hand. She dipped it into the open bottle of ink, and then with her hand poised over the paper . . . she froze.

Lily carefully set down her quill, then rested her head on the table, and refrained from banging it on the table. Why was this so hard? A simple letter to her parents. To let them know how she was. To show that she was trying to fix things. To tell them about all the random crap she does each day, just to let them know she cared. One letter!

Lily brought her head up, and picked up her quill. One letter. Just tell them what she'd been doing. She could do this. Finally, after a couple more motivating thoughts, she touched the quill to the paper.

"_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I know that I will be seeing you guys soon because of the wedding, but I thought that I would still write to you. I hope work has been good and easy for the two of you. I've been doing pretty well. A lot of Quidditch practice. My team's next match is coming up soon. I've also been doing prefect patrols with Hugo more. We've been trading with others. Rose and Albus have yet to make us an actual pair._

_Also, I thought that I would let you know that I've asked Grandma and Grandpa if I could stay with them. They said yes, and they may have already told you this. I just thought I should tell you. Also, Lola will be coming as well, and I'm going to ask Grandma and Grandpa if she can stay with me at the Burrow. Obviously, she's coming as Hugo's date. _

_Well, I don't really have much more to say. It's been pretty routine lately for me since coming back to school. I'll see you in a couple of days._

_Love,_

_Lily"_

Lily reread her letter and smiled. She was proud of herself. She had finally written them a letter. Nothing bad, nothing to start an argument. Just a simple and casual letter, to let them know she loved them, and that she was trying.

"Lily, we have a major problem!" Lola exclaimed as she took a seat next to Lily.

Lily looked at her obviously worried and upset friend. "What's wrong, Lola?"

Lola fidgeted in her chair. "I think Hugo's avoiding me!"

Lily felt confusion run through her. Why would Hugo avoid his girlfriend? He wasn't like that . . . but now that Lily thought about it, _she_ herself hadn't seen Hugo for days now. Since the end of January. He hadn't come to the common room, hadn't talked to them in classes. Nothing. "When was the last time you talked to him?" Lily asked.

Lola sighed. "Days ago! I've been waiting for him to ask me to the wedding, but he hasn't talked to me since before you got the letter about the wedding." Then Lola looked desperate. "You don't think he's found someone else, do you? Or that whore, Wilde, tried something? Maybe he's finally going to listen to his dad and sister, and is trying to figure out how to tell me!" she ranted.

Lily normally would have laughed, but she too was concerned about Hugo's behavior. "Look, Lola, something's up, but I'm sure it's none of those things. Just . . . just give me a day. I'm sure I can figure it out by tomorrow," Lily assured.

Lola didn't look very reassured. "How?"

Lily sighed as she folded her letter, and put her things back into her bag. "Being a prefect has its benefits. Take my bag to our dorm will you?" She could mail the letter later. "I'll be back later."

Lily left Lola looking curious and confused, and walked out of the common room. She made her way out of the dungeons. The halls were quiet. It was past curfew for the younger kids, and most of the older students were in the library at this time, studying for tests that were months away still. She knew that it was where Scorpius and the other guys were now. But also, the only kids that were really walking the halls, were the prefects on patrol and lookout for younger kids breaking curfew.

Being a prefect had shown many benefits to Lily. First of all, even if she didn't like some of them, they all knew things about each other. She knew that she could ask the seventh year Hufflepuff prefect, Gary Fleet, about the seventh year prefect from Ravenclaw, and Lily would receive hours worth of information. No one could gossip about a prefect better than another prefect. So she was sure that if she found one of the patrolling prefects, they would be able to tell her what was up with Hugo, or at least where he was.

And since she was a prefect, she had excuses to be anywhere. Really, most of the staff knew which prefect was patrolling when. Only the headmaster and the deputy headmaster, which was Professor Brown and Professor Longbottom. And luckily, they both trusted Lily to keep from trouble.

It took Lily awhile to find one of the prefects on the patrol. But after her search took her to the fourth floor, she found Chris Summerby, the sixth year boy prefect from Hufflepuff.

"Chris! Wait up!" Lily called, quickening the pace of her walk.

Chris stopped walking, and turned to look at her with a bit of surprise. "Oh. Lily, what can I do for you?" he asked.

Lily stopped in front of him. Although he was only a sixth year, Chris had a pretty deep voice. And he was tall. But Lily thought that was where his looks went from cute to average. He had mousy brown hair that was always combed down, and his eyes were an olive green. But he was nice, and that was something Lily liked about him. Whenever she and Hugo had asked him to switch patrols, he was always accommodating. Lily kind of hoped that _he_ would be Head Boy next year.

"Um, I was wondering if you'd seen Hugo anywhere. I can't seem to find him," Lily said. It was partly true, which Lily was thankful for. She always felt that Chris was just too nice to lie to.

Chris scratched at his hair. "Oh, uh . . . I think I saw him and a few other Gryffindors in his year in the library. That was less than an hour ago, so he may still be in there," he told her.

Lily hid her confusion. Hugo was hanging out with the other Gryffindors in his year again? Last time she knew, he was still angry with Logan Murdock and Cody Thomas. McLaggen and Wilde were still annoying to all. Lily would admit that Hannah Belle, Connie Wood, and Stacy Finnigan were ok. Was Hugo with them?

But Lily didn't ask. She just smiled. "Ok, thank you, Chris," she said. She began to turn to head toward the library.

But before she could, Chris had placed a hand on her shoulder. "Wait!" he said quickly. Lily turned back to him, looking at him curiously. Chris on the other hand now looked nervous and flustered.

"What is it, Chris?" she asked.

She could see _and_ hear him gulp. "Well . . . uh, . . ." Lily kept from laughing at how bad he was stuttering. "Um . . . I was wondering . . . if, uh . . . does your friend Shannon have a date for the upcoming Hogsmeade trip?" he blurted out.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Shannon Flint?" Then Lily was unable to hide her eager but sly smile. "You like Shannon?"

Chris's cheeks flared with color. "Um, well sorta. We've talked a few times, and she's been really nice, and really pretty. I just . . . I just thought that I'd ask her out . . . if she doesn't have a date already," he admitted.

Lily almost giggled at how cute he was acting. The upcoming Hogsmeade visit was on Valentine's Day, meaning that it was going to be _full_ of dates, and not groups of friends. Romance was probably on everyone's minds, and single teens were probably trying to get the courage to ask out those they liked. "No, she doesn't have a date yet," Lily told him. "But I bet she'd appreciate being asked out by a really nice guy."

Although his blush was still persistent on his cheeks, he smiled. "Really? You think she'd say yes?"

Lily nodded. "I know she would."

Chris sighed with relief. "Ok. Thanks, Lily. Know what kind of flower she likes?"

Lily did laugh a little this time. "Daffodils. And no problem. Thanks for helping me too. I'll see you around."

He nodded. "Yeah, see you around."

Lily left with a small wave, and turned to hurry to the library. She didn't want Hugo to leave before she got there. All of Lily's instincts were telling her that something was up. When she got to the library, she found that most of the tables were occupied by fifth and seventh years, and also some sixth years. Lily scanned the area. She could see the seventh year Slytherin boys near the back corner, although they didn't look to be studying too hard. But it was after just another moment of searching that Lily saw one of the biggest surprises of her life.

Hugo was sitting in the library . . . but it was the crew that he was sitting with. A nightmare group. Cody Thomas, Logan Murdock, Clay Angel, Julie McLaggen, and Paige Wilde. Lily stared for a moment in confusion. Why was Hugo hanging out with . . . well with people that she and the others considered part of the enemy? But instead of feeling betrayal, Lily felt skeptical. Hugo had plainly admitted long ago that he didn't like Logan Murdock, and that he was glad when Scorpius beat him up. He'd punched Cody Thomas personally after Cody injured her in the Quidditch match. He had openly humiliated Paige Wilde and Julie McLaggen.

Lily moved toward their table. Something was wrong.

"Hugo," she addressed as she walked toward them.

The entire group of Gryffindors looked up. Five of them looked hesitant or hostile, and Hugo was the only one that looked relieved.

"Get out of here, snake!" Wilde hissed. "We're studying!"

Lily ignored her. "What's up, Hugh?"

Hugo began to close the book in front of him, and grabbed his bag from the floor. "Professor Longbottom was told that I didn't have the best study habits as of late, so he set me up with this group to study with," Hugo said calmly, although Lily could sense there was more to this.

"Well, you're supposed to patrol tonight. Nadia Belby is waiting for you," Lily lied.

Hugo nodded. "Thank you for reminding me. I'd almost forgotten," he said, playing along.

"Why don't you take his place? He has to study," Wilde spoke with malice.

Lily looked at her and raised a brow. "You know, I'm going to have to ask Professor Longbottom why he didn't just have me help Hugo study. After all, I am the top of our years," Lily commented casually.

"Well, I'd bet you can help me more than this did," Hugo said with a pleasant laugh. He stood up and shouldered his bag. "Show me where Nadia is?"

"Of course," Lily told him. And without a goodbye, the two walked away from the Gryffindors, and out of the library.

Once in a deserted hallway, Hugo wasted no time. "My dad said specifically in his letter to me that I wasn't allowed to bring Lola. And then I've come to guess that he told Rose in her letter to keep me away from Lola. She's been on my case ever since. She got Professor Longbottom to force me into that study group. She got the Fat Lady to not open for me unless I was accompanied by her, or going to classes or on patrol. She's gotten Albus to help escort me to and from Quidditch practices," Hugo ranted, his jaw tense.

Lily sighed as she tried to keep from glaring at anything or anyone. "You want me to have Jace and the guys make a makeshift bed for you in their dorm room? At least until we leave for the wedding?" Lily asked.

Hugo nodded. "I'd appreciate that." He hesitated, but then Lily could hear worry in his voice. "But what about Lola? I can't ask her to go with me. I'm not allowed. Since my dad didn't approve, Uncle Neville says I can't bring her."

Lily ran a hand through her hair. But she grinned. "Oh, Uncle Ron, how smart you think you are," she mumbled.

Hugo looked at her with hope. "You've gotten an idea?"

Lily nodded smugly. "We're going to show your dad that he can never be more clever and sneaky than a Slytherin," she told him.

"What do you got in mind?" Hugo asked eagerly.

"The person we bring doesn't have to be a date. We can just bring a friend," Lily told him. "So, how about you and I don't bring dates," Lily suggested.

Hugo looked at her with a bit of confusion. "What?"

Lily grinned slyly. "How you about you bring your friend Scorpius, and I'll bring my friend Lola?"

Hugo stared at her for a moment, and then burst into laughter. "That's brilliant! I love it!"

Lily chuckled. "So, how about tomorrow, you and I bring this idea to the headmaster?"

"Sounds awesome . . . thanks, Lil," Hugo said humbly.

Lily patted her cousin's shoulder. "Never a problem, Hugo. Never a problem."

When Lily brought him into the common room, the other girls, excluding Lola, had practically pounced on them.

"How could you _not_ invite Lola as your date to the wedding?" Megan demanded with a glare.

Lily held up a hand to calm them. "Chill, chill. It's settled. Where is Lola?"

"Up in our dorm," Shannon answered.

"Can you go get her?" Lily asked. Shannon nodded and hurried off, and Lily brought Hugo to the table she'd previously been sitting at.

Hugo looked a little nervous as he sat. "How has Lola been holding up since my imprisonment?" he asked.

Lily tried to give him a reassuring look. "Not too bad, although she's pretty worried."

"Hugo?"

They both turned to see Lola coming down the stairs from the dorms. Hugo quickly got up from his chair, and kissed her soundly. Lily waited patiently for Hugo to pull away from the kiss. When he did, he was quick to speak. "I'm really sorry, La. It's a long story, but I didn't mean to worry you."

Lily bit back a laugh at her cousin's quick words. "Come here, Lola, we've got a plan," Lily told her.

* * *

Lola hadn't been too happy about Hugo not being able to take Lola as his girlfriend to the wedding, but she admitted that she was happy to at least be able to go at all. Then she immediately started on a letter to her parents asking if she could go. Lily told Scorpius the plan when he returned. He had laughed and agreed to it, saying that he was proud of his girlfriend's tricky mind. When Lily and Hugo had told Professor Brown about their idea the next day, he had laughed, called Lily clever, and then approved it. Lola had gotten a letter from her parents, saying that she could go to the wedding and stay with Lily, and Lily got a letter from her grandparents, saying that they wouldn't mind one bit if Lola stayed at the Burrow too.

Hugo slept in the fifth years' dorm room. He didn't skip going to Gryffindor team practice the next day, but the entire Slytherin team accompanied him to and from, making sure that Albus and Rose didn't try anything. And after promising she would to Professor Longbottom, Lily studied with Hugo, making sure that he understood the lessons.

Then the seventh came around, and the group would all be leaving on the Hogwarts Express. And as they all assembled, Lily was able to see who was going. Albus had his arm draped around Kelly Epcot from Ravenclaw, probably a rebound from how Ashley had humiliated him. Lily only remembered how much Epcot had hated Lily while she was dating Lysander. Rose had obviously brought Lorcan, just as Dominique had obviously invited Mitch. Lucy was practically wrapped around Tyler Creevey. Louis had surprisingly brought a girl along, who he introduced to Lily as his friend, Nadia Belby. And he was the one that explained to Lily that it was Roxanne who had invited Lysander. Apparently, Roxanne hadn't intended to bring anyone, until Lysander asked if she could take him as friend.

And of course she and Hugo had brought Lola and Scorpius. Glares and looks of incredulity came from Albus and Rose, but Lily ignored them as she looked at this assembled group that was waiting to board the train.

This was going to be an interesting couple of days.


	63. One Down, A Hundred To Go

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Wow, another chapter. Having Easter break has given me a lot of time to work on this. So glad I had a five day weekend. But, anyways, as usual we'll see the solutions to some problems, and the start to some others. The next chapter should be the wedding, and then we'll be back to Hogwarts. Read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Rating Note - This chapter itself isn't in need of a M Rating, but like I said, I'm changing it early, and ahead of time. But, be ready, because I will tell you that the need for the rating isn't far off.**

**Small Note - It was brought to my attention that I accidently made two sixth year boy Hufflepuff prefects in the last chapter. My bad. Gary Fleet is supposed to be the **_**seventh**_** year prefect. I went back and fixed it, but I just wanted that to be cleared up.**

**Scorpius's Actions - People are wondering what was up with Scorpius. I think this chapter might shed some light on it if you connect the dots.**

**Other Note (there is a lot you guys were curious about) - I'm not completely sure how long this story will go, but I can tell you it will go beyond Hogwarts. And the ending will be one I'm sure you guys will be happy with, although the journey there will be full of drama and will be sad. (And finally, that's all the notes for this chapter. Now read and enjoy)**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Three: One Down, A Hundred To Go

There were two distinct groups on the train, and they didn't interact. In fact, they were on opposite sides of the train. And even though they were all far away from each other, the ride still felt tense, at least to Lily and her group. Perhaps it was because of the inevitable blow up that was bound to happen when Uncle Ron saw Lola come off the train. Maybe because Lily hadn't mentioned that Scorpius was coming. Maybe because Uncle Bill wants to strangle Mitch.

As casual as Lily, Scorpius, Dominique, Mitch, and Hugo were, Lola was extremely nervous. Not that Lily blamed her. Lola had yet to be placed under the scrutiny of the family. Sure, Lily's parents had met Lola a few years ago, and they had liked her. But Lily had learned the hard way the opinions changed when a person began dating someone in the family. After all, her father's opinion had changed to Scorpius, and had even changed slightly of Lysander.

"Are you sure your mum will like me?" Lola asked Hugo, practically gnawing on her bottom lip practically. Lola had dressed as nicely as she could while still looking casual. Her hair was pulled up, and there wasn't a bit of makeup. Mainly because Lily had warned her that Hermione appreciated when a girl was confident in herself without makeup.

Hugo chuckled as he placed a comforting arm around her. "Chill out, baby. I'm sure she will. And if she doesn't, I still don't care."

Lola didn't look assured. "Well I care. I'd rather that at least one adult in your family likes me! And personally, I'd like it to be your mum."

"She's got good instincts," Dominique commented. "If Hermione likes her, she'll shut Ron up."

Lola leaned into Hugo, a scared look on her face. "It was so much easier when I met Rex's parents last year," she muttered.

"Yeah, but Rex's parents don't give a shit whom he dates really," Mitch pointed out. "They have a lot of faith that their kids will make good choices on that end."

When the train came to a stop mid-afternoon, Lily and the others were the last ones to get off the train. Platform Nine 3/4 was empty except for a few members of the Potter-Weasley family. Lily noticed that it was only their parents, although Aunt Angelina wasn't there. Lily guessed that she was working with Grandma Molly on the wedding.

"I got this, babe," Scorpius said as he took her bag from her shoulder. Then he wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. Lily watched as Albus and the other cousins all began to head over to the adults. Lily was a bit distraught to see that neither Teddy nor Victoire were around.

"I'm so excited," Dominique muttered sarcastically.

"I know I am!" Mitch said with a laugh.

"Well, it's going to be interesting," Hugo agreed. He turned around to where Lola was stepping off the train. "Here, I'll take your bag," he offered.

Lola smiled and lightly blushed as she handed it to him. "Thanks," she replied.

Hugo smiled as he too placed an arm around her, then placed a kiss on her temple. "No problem," he told her.

Lily glanced over at the adults. She tensed, although wasn't surprised, to see the fury on Ron's face at the sight of Lola. Lily could see Rose's mouth moving, obviously telling her father something.

"Let's get this over with," Dominique said dully. Taking Mitch's hand, she began to walk toward the family. A bit slower, the others followed them.

"So, someone remind me, what's the plan today?" Scorpius asked.

"We're all going back to the Burrow for a couple of hours," Lily told him.

"Even us?" Scorpius asked, motioning toward himself and Mitch.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I think this is our grandmother's way to meet everyone's dates."

"Most likely," Hugo said with a sigh.

"Hugo Arthur Weasley!" Ron said harshly as soon as they were close. "What did I tell you?" he demanded.

Hugo cast a steely gaze over his father. "I didn't disobey you this time, _Dad_," he hissed.

"I brought Lola along as a friend," Lily defended. "I thought it would be fun."

"You were only allowed to bring _one_ person, Lily," Ron said tersely.

"I did," Lily assured.

"_I_ brought Scorpius," Hugo amended.

Ron ran a hand through his hair, his face full of held back anger. "Hugo, we need to talk when we get home."

"Sure, but we've got to go to Grandma and Grandpa's first," Hugo said with too happy a grin.

Ron looked ready to say something, but surprisingly, Scorpius spoke. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Potter," he greeted with a charming smile.

Ginny smiled back at him. "Well I'm glad to see that you came along. We could always use another pair of hands and another wand to help out."

Scorpius nodded. "Well I'd be glad to help any way I can," he assured.

Ginny smiled, and then Lily noticed her mother stomp on her husband's foot with subtle movement. Harry scowled momentarily, but then his face smoothed out into a blank slate. "How kind of you to come, Scorpius."

Scorpius gave a nod. "Of course, Mr. Potter. When Hugo asked me to come and keep him company, I couldn't refuse. Besides, it would have been quite boring without Lily around. She keeps most people on their toes," he said.

A few of the woman, and Uncle George, began to laugh lightly. Lily rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha. Shall we leave now?"

"Yes, your grandmother is probably eager to have you all there," Hermione commented.

* * *

Later, Lily found herself sitting in her mother's old room with Lola. Lily had taken her upstairs, hoping to escape the tense looks from Uncle Ron. Scorpius and Hugo had been recruited to help set up things for the wedding. As Lily looked out the window, it looked as if they were all mainly clearing out the snow in the yard, while the men, including Fred, Scorpius, Mitch, and James, were putting up a large tent over the yard, while Uncle George and Percy seemed to be casting charms around the yard.

"So, I 'formally' met Hugo's mum," Lola commented.

Lily turned away from the window to look at her friend. "How did that go?"

Lola shrugged. "Pretty well. She was really nice."

Lily nodded as she sat on the bed by her friend. "Aunt Hermione usually is nice to newcomers of our family. Besides, she gets on Uncle Ron all the time about not accepting those from Slytherin House. I knew she wouldn't hate you because of that."

"And your grandma is really nice," Lola commented.

Lily grinned. "Did she call you skinny?"

Lola giggled lightly. "Yeah, she did."

Lily sighed. "She tells me that all the time."

Lola's smile faded a little. "I was also formally introduced to Hugo's dad," she mentioned.

Lily raised a brow. "What was his reaction?"

"Well, he seemed like he wanted to glare, but he didn't. But his wife was sitting next to him. So, he acted pretty nice," Lola explained.

"Well, he'll get used to it, or he'll deal," Lily told her.

The door opened, and Lily smiled to see Scorpius walk in. Flakes of snow were sprinkled in his hair. "You know, you're about to have a very fat boyfriend," he joked.

Lily laughed lightly. "Why do you say that?"

Scorpius smirked as he sat next to her on the bed. "Your grandmother has stuffed at least five rolls into my stomach," he joked.

"Well, I'm going to go and find Hugo. Maybe help out a bit," Lola said as she stood from the bed. "I'll leave you two alone." And then she closed the door behind her.

Lily rolled her eyes as she looked at the closed door, but then she felt warm breath on her ear and neck. "I'll thank her for that later," Scorpius murmured against her skin. He placed a kiss on her jaw, then his lips brushed along her skin, finally connecting to her own lip. Lily turned so that she was facing him, and brought her hands to his shoulders. Scorpius's arms wrapped around her, and then pulled her closer.

Lily soon found herself on her back, with Scorpius hovering over her, their lips still connected firmly and wetly. His tongue brushed across her lips before moving between them and rubbing against her own. Lily brushed her fingers along the exposed skin of his neck and collarbone, before slipping beneath the fabric of his shirt, and dancing across his shoulders. Scorpius's hands had already slipped under the hem of her shirt, and trailed along her sides. The feeling ignited a glorious heat in her veins, and Lily couldn't help the soft moan that escaped her throat and entered into their kiss.

"Hey, Lily, Grandma — Woah!"

Scorpius was off of Lily in a flash, and Lily felt heat flood her cheeks as she sat up and saw Louis standing in the doorway, looking at nothing but the ceiling.

"Louis," she said breathlessly. She placed a hand over her pounding heart. How lucky was she? What if that had been someone different? Like her father or one of her uncles?

Louis looked ready to either smile or laugh. But he didn't look at her or Scorpius. "So, Grandma wants you to come down and help cook. She was hoping you'd make those cookies for the wedding," he told her. Finally he lowered his eyes onto her, and slowly, a grin took over his lips. "I'll tell her that you'll be down in a minute."

He began to leave, but Lily spoke. "Wait!" she called.

She heard a small chuckle. "Don't worry. I'm not going to tell them that Scorpius is up here." Then he shut the door.

Lily closed her eyes, trying to feel a little less embarrassed. At least it was only Louis. She opened her eyes when Scorpius spoke. "So, I see why you would make it a habit to lock doors in this family," he stated.

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Yeah, exactly." Then she sighed and ran a hand through her hair, which she could tell was messy now. "Scorpius, my potion box is open on the dresser over there. Can you grab my Calming Solution?" she asked. She needed to get her heart to stop pounding, and for the redness to leave her cheeks. The women in her family were undoubtedly in the kitchen, and they would definitely know that something was up.

Lily moved to her mother's mirror, and began to run her fingers through her hair, hoping to tame at least a little. But when it seemed hopeless, she grabbed a hair tie, and pulled her hair up into her normal side ponytail. Then she glanced at her boyfriend's back in the mirror. "Scorpius, did you find it?" she asked.

She heard the small sound of clinking glass, and then watched as Scorpius slowly turned to face her. But the potion he was looking at made Lily's cheeks turn red all over again. Because in his hand, under his inspection, was a light pink potion that Lily easily recognized. Her contraceptive potion. Suddenly, Lily regretted labeling the area where those bottles sat. Why didn't she just trust that she would remember which potions they were?

"Lily, when did you start taking this?" Scorpius asked, his eyes moving to lock eyes with her through the mirror.

Lily cleared her throat nervously. "Um, last month. I learned how to make it from Victoire."

Scorpius walked closer, until he was just behind her. "But why?" he asked.

Lily didn't turn to look at him, and she didn't look at his reflection. "Scor, I told you over Christmas that I was ready," she mumbled.

"Lily, will you look at me?" he whispered.

Lily turned around, leaning her lower back against the desk. "What?" she asked softly.

Scorpius took another step closer, and then placed the bottle on the desk. Then gently, his hands settled on her waist. "You really are ready for that? You're serious?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "I've put thought into it, Scorpius. I'd like to think I'm not rushing into this," she murmured.

Lily looked into his eyes. She could see his own hesitation, but she could also see a hint of happiness. "I'll be honest, when you first told me, I just figured it was the heat of the moment," he told her.

But she shook her head. "No, I meant it. Although, I'll admit, it was stupid of me to want to then. I was in no way ready for it to happen right that moment. I mean, I didn't learn how to make a contraceptive until like a month later," Lily said with a sigh.

She felt Scorpius's fingers gently began to massage her skin over her shirt. "Lily, _I_ don't want to rush into this, no matter how much the guy part of me wants to," he joked lightly. Lily laughed a little as well. But his gaze turned gentle and serious. "I want that moment to be right. Perfect."

Lily smiled at him. "Scorpius, I'm not expecting it to be perfect."

"Well I am," he countered. "Because I think you deserve it, so I'm going to make sure it happens that way."

Lily did laugh a little. "You seem more hesitant about this than I am now," she teased.

Scorpius rested his chin on the top of her head when he'd pulled her closer. "Can I tell you something?" he asked.

Lily nodded against his chest. "Of course you can," she told him.

"I'm kind of scared," he admitted.

Lily felt surprise run through her, but she didn't move from their embrace. "Why are you scared?"

She heard him scoff, and felt his chest move as he did. "Lily, I'm just as new to this as you are. And as said before, while the guy part of me is eager for this . . . the rational part of me is a bit hesitant," he said.

"But why?" Lily inquired.

He didn't answer right away. Instead he was quiet for a moment. "Well," his voice was soft as he spoke, "I guess I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

Lily felt her gut tighten a little at the thought. She'd momentarily forgotten about the pain that would result. "It's not really your fault that it's going hurt. That's just life, I guess," she assured.

"I know," he whispered. "It's still a bit . . . well, scary."

"I'll be ok," Lily told him. "After all the Quidditch injuries I've lived through. I'm sure nothing could be as bad."

Scorpius chuckled. "Yeah, maybe." Then he sighed. "Well, why don't you go down and help your grandmother. I'll sneak back outside and start helping again."

Lily reluctantly pulled away from their embrace. "You go ahead. I need to do something quick first," she told him.

Scorpius nodded. "Ok. I'll see you around." He kissed her softly and quickly. Then with a bit of a smirk, he left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him. Lily sighed, her eyes immediately going to the light pink potion. She quickly picked it up and put it back in its place in her box. Then after a moment of looking, she found her Calming Solution. She uncapped it, then took a quick and small swallow. Immediately she felt the effects running over her. Her heart calmed, her cheeks cooled, her shoulders and all other muscles lost all tension. With a contented smile, Lily placed the cap back on it, put it back in the box, and then closed and shrunk the box. After Scorpius found the potion, the last thing she wanted was to leave it open for anyone in the family to find it. And again, she was thankful that it required a password to open it.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming down," Grandma Molly teased as Lily finally walked into the kitchen. She had been right. Basically all the women were in there. "I sent Louis up almost ten minutes ago."

Lily smiled. "Sorry. I was messing with my potion collection, and it took me a few minutes to put everything back in its place," she lied easily.

"Well your uncle Charlie requested that you make those cookies that you made over Christmas again," Molly told her.

Lily nodded and immediately began to grab what she needed. "No problem."

"I like your friend, Lola," Molly told her, and a bit of a hush came over the other women in the room. "She's such a sweet girl. And so polite."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, she is. She was very happy to be able to meet everyone. She was nervous on the train."

"Well I was happy to meet her. Besides, Hugo seems to be very smitten with her," Molly commented.

Lily took a very small and very quick glance over to where Rose was sitting, looking a bit cross. But then she looked back at what she was doing. "Yeah, sometimes they're practically _inseparable_," Lily said.

"And Scorpius is a darling!" Molly squealed with excitement. "Such a polite young man! So charming."

Lily smiled and felt a small blush come over her. "Yeah, I think so too," she joked lightly.

"How are things with you and him, Lily?" Aunt Audrey asked her.

Lily shrugged lightly, her hands and eyes focused on her work. "We're doing fine. Nothing new really," she answered.

"Now that man seems quite taken with you," Audrey mentioned.

Lily's blush got a little bit hotter. "That's one way to put it," she said with a weak laugh.

"Think it'll last over your time apart?" Fleur asked.

"Yeah. Easily," Lily said without a single doubt, or a bit of hesitation.

"Yeah, I can't see anything happening to you two," Dominique muttered. "Although, I'm not letting Mitch drag me to hang out with him when you go back to school. I don't want to hear him moan about how he misses you."

Lily laughed. "I'm sure he'll be in better check of his emotions than that. He always is," Lily retorted.

"Still not risking it," Dominique replied. Then Dominique sighed heavily. "I'm going to see where Lola is. Maybe help her with whatever she's doing."

Once Dominique was out of the room, Hermione spoke. "Lily?"

Lily turned to look at her aunt before looking back at what she was doing. "What is it?"

"Out of curiosity, how serious are Lola and Hugo?" Hermione asked.

"They're pretty serious," Lily told her. "I'm not saying that they'll be together forever, but they're in it for the long-run. It's not just a fun fling for them."

"So it's not just a . . ."

Lily looked back at her aunt again, an amused grin on her face. "Just a physical relationship?"

Hermione looked a little nervous. "Exactly."

Lily laughed as she turned away. "No, it's not. It's all commitment with them."

"Well that's good. Lola seems like a lovely girl," Hermione stated.

"She is. And she's just as used to big families as us. She's got like ten siblings," Lily said.

"Really? Are some of them half-siblings, or step-siblings?" Angelina asked.

Lily shook her head. "Nope, they're all blood. One of them was born just a couple of years ago. I think Lola is one of the older ones . . . I think there's only two siblings that are older than her," she told them.

"Well then she'll fit in perfectly!" Molly said with a laugh.

"I can't believe her mother had eleven children," Audrey said with a small laugh. "Two was enough for me!"

"Well doesn't Mitch have a big number of siblings as well?" Fleur asked. "I think he's said something about having too many to deal with."

"He has six. Five brothers, one sister," Lily told her. "Actually, one of his brothers is in my year."

"I feel bad for his sister. I remember living in a house with six brothers," Ginny said with a laugh.

Lily smiled. "Yeah, but his sister is the second oldest instead of the youngest."

"Lucky girl," Ginny replied.

"Molly, I need to borrow Lily for a moment," Arthur said as he poked his head into the kitchen.

"Just give me a few minutes to finish this, Grandpa," Lily told him.

"Oh, go on," Molly told her. "You haven't got much left. I'll finish it for you."

Lily smiled. "Ok, thank you." Lily followed her grandfather into the living room. "What do you need me for, Grandpa?" she asked curiously.

"Well we need another set of hands to go down to the village and pick up an order that Molly placed at their florist. So I'm sending you and a few other girls to go and get them," Arthur explained to her.

"Who else?" Lily asked.

"You, Nadia, and Kelly," Arthur told her. "Now, there should be about seven to ten boxes that you girls need to bring back. Ok?"

Lily nodded as she slipped on her shoes and jacket. "Yeah. No problem."

"Ok. The other girls should be waiting outside still," Arthur told her. He kissed her forehead. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"You're welcome," Lily replied before stepping outside. It wasn't too cold out, despite the snow. Outside, Kelly and Nadia were standing around on the shoveled path. Kelly wore a puffy pink coat, her blonde hair a shock against any color. A white hat with pink trim was over her head. Her hands were shoved in her coat pockets.

Nadia Belby was someone Lily knew by looks. Nadia was a Chaser on the Ravenclaw team, and the sixth year prefect. She had dark-brown hair that barely brushed her shoulders. She wore a navy blue coat, and a Ravenclaw scarf was wrapped around her neck.

"Are you the one coming with us, Lily?" Nadia asked when Lily stepped outside.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. You guys ready?"

Kelly just looked away from her, a steely look in her eyes. But Nadia smiled warmly. "Yeah, just lead the way."

The three girls began walking, with Lily leading the way. Nadia walked next to her, but Kelly walked a bit further behind. Nadia seemed to be skipping with what had to be excitement.

"I've never been to a Muggle village before," she told Lily.

Lily raised a brow. "Really? How could you not have?"

"Well, I live in a big country estate. It's a far way from any Muggles. I've only been to Diagon Alley and Hogwarts," Nadia told her. Then she laughed a little. "I've been very sheltered."

Lily chuckled. "I guess. So, do you have Muggle neighbors even?"

She shook her head. "Not that I know of. I mean, my older brother Greg told me that our neighbor was a Muggle. But they live pretty far away."

"Why do you live on such a big estate?" Lily asked.

"Well, my dad said that after the war, he feared what kind of state the wizarding world would be in. And he didn't think it would be a great place to raise a family. So after a few years out of Hogwarts, he was able to buy our house, which then was just a small bit of land. But then as time went by, and with some kind of inheritance he'd gotten from a relative, he was able to expand the land, and then was able to start working from home," Nadia explained.

"So, no offense, but your dad is . . . afraid of the world now?" Lily inquired.

"Basically," Nadia agreed with a small smile. "I never thought anything of it when I was little. It was just the way things were. But once I start going to Hogwarts, I've been questioning my dad's fear. I see nothing wrong with the ministry's state of being. It looks like it picked itself up pretty well."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, Kingsley's done a really good job."

"Not to mention some of the people in your family. Your dad, Hugo's mum, your uncles. They've been a big help . . . at least that's what we're taught in History of Magic," Nadia told her.

"You still take History of Magic?" Lily asked with surprise. It was a rare student to take History of Magic after fifth year.

"Well, I got an E in the subject, and I had way too many free periods for my tastes. I like to always be doing something. Besides, my dad never really told me much of the war or any other history concerning wizards and witches, so it interests me," Nadia told her.

"So, quick question, Nadia," Kelly said, finally speaking. "You do know that Louis's gay, right?"

Both of the girls looked back at Kelly, and Lily did so with mistrust. "Yeah, I know. Why?" Nadia asked.

Kelly shrugged. "Just curious as to why you chose to accompany as his date to a wedding," she replied.

"Well, Louis said he wanted to bring a friend along, so he asked me," Nadia told her. "Why do you ask?"

Kelly just kept her eyes up toward the sky above Lily and Nadia. "Just curious. I know a few girls were wanting to be asked to go to the wedding. According to the _Daily Prophet_, it's supposed to be the wedding of the year. All weddings in the Weasley and Potter families are."

"Which is why you agreed to go with Albus," Lily sneered.

Kelly's eyes finally flashed down to Lily, anger burning. "What?"

Lily stopped walking. "I know exactly what kind of girl you are. You're just like every other tramps James has gained as followers. And that's a long list. Lyla Stretton, Elisa Ogbourne, Jessie Hooper, the list goes on and on. The only difference between them and you, is that by following Albus, you got the short end of the stick, and the least amount of notoriety from dating a Potter," Lily spat.

Kelly glared at her. "I don't have to listen to this, _Lily_!" she hissed.

Lily glared right back at her. "Then you shouldn't have come to the wedding. Because believe me, what I say about you will just be the beginning of the criticism you get. The media will be all over you. Another girl using the Potter name, or true love? I can see the headline now! And you think you're going to be liked in this family? The women will tear you apart to make sure that your intentions are pure with my brother," Lily threatened.

"I'm out of here!" Kelly snapped. She turned on her heel and stomped away.

"Good freakin' riddance," Lily muttered. She shoved her own hands into her pockets, and turned to look at Nadia, who looked unsure of what to say. "Sorry," Lily apologized. "I'm trying to keep from fighting . . . but I guess I kind of suck at it."

Nadia smiled. "It's ok. I think she got so angry because you were right. And if you were right, then she deserved it."

The two began walking again. "You know, those are the people I hate the most. People who use our last name to up their social standing. It's one of the things that bug me the most about my brothers," Lily admitted.

"I can see how it would irritate you," Nadia agreed.

"I know my brothers," Lily said. "I know what they're capable of. And I'd never say it to their faces, but they could do great things. They could be famous all on their own, and without Dad's name. But they don't try. They've both taken the easy way out."

"I hear James is making a name for himself in the Quidditch circuit. First string after just coming out of Hogwarts," Nadia mentioned.

Lily shook her head. "That's the sad thing. In my mind, he tainted himself long before this. And he didn't even need to. James has always been funny. Likable, a great athlete, handsome, and strong. He has all of these things, but he doesn't ever use them to further his personal popularity. He spouted off our dad's name, and then added his own personality in later. He's a leech."

"I never really knew James personally," Nadia admitted. "I really don't even know Albus."

"I'd rather know James than Albus," Lily warned.

"You think Albus is worse?" Nadia asked.

"He's a coward. He follows James without a personality of his own. He pretends to be James and our father, and doesn't realize that he's a completely different person from either of them. Neither of them tried to copy someone else's personality. Dad was never afraid to be different, and James at least gained his deplorable personality on his own," Lily replied. Then she ran a hand over her bangs. "I shouldn't be dumping all of this own you."

Nadia laughed. "It's ok. Listening is the one thing I can do better than playing Quidditch. I think learning about other people is interesting. People are the variety of life. Each different, each unique. I like seeing how different people can turn out to be, even after growing up together, such as siblings."

Lily thought about that. "I guess it is kind of curious. I never really figured out how James turned out the way he did. I never even really thought about it."

"Well, like I said: I lived a very sheltered life. I grew up knowing my siblings and my parents. But once I finally got to go to Hogwarts and see other people . . . I guess it just sparked my curiosity," Nadia said.

Lily grinned. "Be ready. If you hang around my family, you'll see a lot of conflicting personalities."

* * *

"So, Hugo's mum really likes me?" Lola said with nervous excitement. The two girls were sleeping in Fred and George's old room, since there were two beds. It was late, and the rest of the family had finally left, the guests returning to their homes, although Lily and Dominique had guessed that Mitch went with Scorpius to his flat.

Lily smiled at her friend's excitement. "She said that you seemed very lovely. Polite, nice," she told her. She pulled her hair from her ponytail and began to brush it out.

Lola practically bounced around as she dressed for bed. "I'm so glad! I know Hugo says that he doesn't care, but really I think he does."

"Honestly, years ago, he would be more concerned about his dad's opinion," Lily told her. "But since things have changed, I'm not sure if Hugo really does care at all." Lily began fixing the blankets on her chosen bed.

Lola moved so sit on her bed. "Really?"

Lily nodded. "Uncle Ron was Hugo's idol when he was little. Rose may be their dad's princess, but Hugo is his son. Chin off the old block, so to speak."

"Personally, . . . I'm kind of scared for Hugo," Lola whispered.

Lily climbed onto her bed, looking at her friend with curiosity. "What do you mean?"

Lola sighed as she shifted so that she was facing Lily. "I know that Hugo cares about his dad's opinion more than he lets on. I know that he hurts when his dad doesn't accept things about him. But, being a guy, he won't admit it," Lola told her. She sighed again. "I just don't want him to hurt anymore. And I'm not just saying that because he's my boyfriend. Hugo's a great guy. He doesn't deserve to hurt like he does."

Lily looked down at the blankets beneath her, and began to smooth them out. "I know," she murmured.

Later in the evening, when both girls were in bed, Lily found herself unable to sleep. Her mind kept going back to what Lola had said. Because Lola was right. Hugo didn't deserve to hurt like he was. He didn't deserve the disappointment and hatred he was getting from his father and cousins. He _was_ a good guy. But Lily could remember Scorpius saying similar things to hear when she had moved out during Christmas. She could remember how she felt. Guilty . . . and pained. She had been hurting that night. The hurt in the guilt had mixed, and it had forced her to feel the need to get out. To move, or to run away. How far away was Hugo from that stage? Thanks to Lola, Lily knew that Hugo was hurting. But . . . was he feeling guilty? Was he feeling anything to mix in with the hurt? Was he feeling the need to run away? Or was her support enough?

Lily closed her eyes, her thoughts still heavy. No matter what Hugo said, this was Lily's fault. And even if it wasn't, she felt like it was her fault. So she had to do something. She couldn't let him get to the point that she had gotten to.

* * *

The next morning, Lily immediately talked to her grandfather, asking who would be coming over to help for the day. Once she'd found out that the people she wanted to talk to weren't coming, she was slightly relieved. She'd be able to talk to them alone. So she waited until those people showed up, and was even happier to see Hugo show up. She wouldn't have to leave Lola alone with people she still didn't really know.

"Coming to help with the wedding was the perfect excuse to get out of the house," he had told her.

Then Lily had told the men outside that she was going to be inside helping Grandma Molly. Then she told her grandmother that Uncle Charlie had needed her help outside. But to be safe, she told her grandpa where she was really going.

"Normally, I'd let you take your bike, but it's too cold and too light out to be flying around. Take the Knight Bus," Arthur had told her.

So Lily had listened to him.

She stepped off of the bus, letting it take off with "BANG!"

Lily pulled in a deep breath as she stood outside of the brick house. This was the house she'd visited a million times, but hadn't set foot inside of for five years. Holding onto her courage, Lily knocked on the door. This was it. No going back. It was time to start fixing the problems she'd caused. And it was time to fix one of the easier ones.

She waited, and soon heard muted steps on the other side. The door opened to reveal Hermione, looking at Lily with a surprised look.

"Lily? Hugo isn't here. He went to the Burrow to help with the wedding," Hermione told her.

Lily nodded. "I know, I saw him. But I'm here to talk to you and Uncle Ron," Lily said.

Hermione looked even more surprised. "Oh! Well, come on in. Ronald's in the kitchen."

Lily followed her aunt into the house, shutting the front door behind her. Lily hadn't needed to follow her aunt. She could have walked to the kitchen with her eyes closed. She knew by heart that to get to the kitchen you had to step into the living room, and then walk to the other end to step into the kitchen.

When Lily walked in, she caught her uncle's gaze, but he looked away quickly.

"Ronald, Lily's here. She says that she wished to speak with us," Hermione said as she sat next to her husband at the table.

Ron raised a brow as he put down the paper. "Really?" He did look genuinely surprised.

Lily sighed as she sat across from them. She decided to get straight to the point. "I've done stupid things," she admitted. "I've done and said hurtful things, and I've said and done things that I regret. I've made mistakes. But really, making mistakes, it's like the right of being a teenager."

"What's your point, Lily?" Ron demanded, ignoring the mean look his wife shot him.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "And I've been though a lot of problems. I've caused a lot of problems. But I want to fix them, and first, I want to fix the problem concerning you and me," she said, looking at her uncle.

Ron looked to be repressing a scowl. "What problem?"

"I never meant for you and Hugo to start fighting," Lily stated. Ron's shoulders tensed. "When Hugo and I patched things up, I planned to just support him. I want you to know that I never pressured him into changing or hanging out with me."

Hermione smiled and patted Lily's hand. "We know, dear. And we don't blame you for any of that. But, nonetheless, thank you for coming to tell us yourself."

Lily nodded. "But, I hope that I can say something without upsetting you?"

"Of course, dear," Hermione assured.

Again Lily pulled in a deep breath. This was where she made it up to Hugo. "Uncle Ron, I think you should ease up on Hugo." Ron opened his mouth angrily, but Lily continued. "Just wait! He's having a tough time figuring out who he is. He feels like he was disillusioned for years. And you being angry and disappointed in hi won't help anything. Trust me, I know."

Ron scoffed. "You know?"

Lily stayed calm and firm. "A parent's anger and disappointment is the worst thing a kid could be subject to. And thinking that my parents were upset and disappointed in me just made more problems. I felt like I couldn't tell them anything. Like I had to hide things about myself. It made me more defensive, and it made us fight more. It led to me moving out temporarily. And I don't want Hugo to go through what I've been going through, and I know that you don't want that either."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Then Ron looked away, and Hermione looked at Lily, her face hesitantly scared. "Lily, you and Hugo are in different situations."

Lily shook her head. "No, I've wanted to run away because of that disappointment. I have run away because of their anger. I don't want that to happen to Hugo. Because it hurts, and you don't know where he'll choose to run to."

Lily stood from the table and looked at the troubled parents. "I'm not saying to keep from disciplining him when he needs to be. But let him know that you love him. That you're proud of him, and that you aren't disappointed him. And do it before he looks for it from somewhere else," Lily pleaded calmly. "I'll see you around at the Burrow."

Lily left the house with one weight off her shoulders. That was one problem down. Now there were just a hundred or so left to fix.

* * *

"Ok, so we're taking you girls to shop for dresses tomorrow, on the tenth," Angelina told the girls at what was considered a "family meeting" in the Burrow's living room.

"I have enough dresses," Dominique retorted.

"But we want it all to match the theme," Fleur told her.

"Which is?" Lucy asked.

"Blue and white. So you girls will be in blue," Angelina told them.

"How original," Dominique muttered to Lily.

"I think you two will look good in blue," Lysander complimented.

"Don't care what you think, Scamander," Dominique retorted.

There was a knock on the door, surprising them all. Lily glanced around. Everyone in the family was here, plus the Scamanders, and plus Aunt Hannah. Who was it then?

Arthur was the one to open the door, and although she was surprised, Lily was happy to see Scorpius standing on the other end.

Scorpius gave a polite smirk to Arthur. "Um, hi. I thought I'd come over and see if you still needed help setting things up." He must have noticed that the entire family was sitting in the room together, looking at him. "But, if I'm interrupting something, I can just go back home," he amended with a chuckle.

"Oh, no! Come in, Scorpius!" Molly said, ushering him inside. "We're just going over the last few wedding plans. We could use all the help."

Scorpius stepped in, slipping off his jacket and shoes. Lily noticed that for a casual day, Scorpius had dressed a little nicer than everyone else in the room. His black sweater had to be silk, and he wore grey slacks, with an actual belt. And his hair, although still green and blonde, was nicely combed.

"Actually, Scorpius, once this is all done, I'm assigning some of the men to start putting things up for the wedding," Angelina told him. "And you're a strong lad, so I'm sure you could be a big help."

Scorpius nodded. "I'd be delighted to help," he assured. Lily hoped that he would choose a spot on the floor near her, but instead, perhaps to be polite in her father's eyes, he chose an open seat on the couch next to Charlie and George.

"Lily, Lorcan, would you two be willing to take pictures during the ceremony for me?" Angelina asked. "And afterwards?"

Lily nodded. "Sure, I can do that."

Lorcan cleared his throat. "Um, I can, but I suck with cameras," he admitted sheepishly.

"I'll do it," Lysander offered.

"Ok, so Lily and Lysander," Angelina said as she began to write it down on the paper in her hand.

Lysander smiled at Lily. "I'm sure we'll make a great team," he replied.

Lily smiled back a little. "Yeah. It's just pictures, it can't be that hard."

"And after the ceremony, we'll just take shifts on taking pictures," he suggested.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," she agreed. But it was then that she felt the heat from a burning gaze. She turned to see that it was coming from Scorpius. But oddly, it wasn't at her. It was at Lysander.

As the rest of the wedding plans were announced, Lily found herself staring at Scorpius, who began to look like he did at his family Christmas dinner. Brooding.

"Ok, let's get to it," Angelina said once she'd finished.

Dominique sighed as she stood up. "At least they put me, you, and Lola together to work on those dumb flowers," she said to Lily.

Lily tried not to look surprised at her cousin. Perhaps she should have been paying attention. "Yeah, I guess."

"Hey, Lily, can I talk with you for a minute?" Scorpius asked in a low voice.

Lily jumped slightly, wondering when he'd come up behind her. But at the brooding look he held, Lily felt a bit of trepidation at what was going through his head. But she nodded. "Yeah, sure." Lily hesitated, wondering where to take him. She grabbed his hand. "Come on," she told him.

Lily pulled him upstairs, away from the rest of the family, and prayed the no one that would interrupt noticed them go alone. She took up to her uncle Percy's room, and locked the door behind them. When she turned to look at him, he was standing in the middle of the room, his hands in his pockets, shoulders tensed, and scowling.

"What is it, Scorpius?" Lily asked, moving closer to him.

Scorpius didn't look at her, but let his eyes scan the room around him under his scowl. "Um, do you want me to take the pictures for the wedding? That way you can uh . . . actually watch and enjoy it?" he asked in a mumbled tone.

Lily looked at him in honest confusion. "What?"

He shrugged. "I just thought I'd offer."

"Um, no it's ok. I'll do it. Personally, I'm not a fan of weddings anyways. The ceremonies are kind of boring, so I'd rather be doing something," Lily told him.

"Are you sure? Because I can do it. I don't mind," he insisted.

"Scorpius, what is this about?" Lily demanded.

"Nothing, just wanted to be nice," he retorted quickly.

"Don't lie to me," Lily said firmly.

"Well I can't say anything without sounding like an ass," Scorpius muttered.

"Say anyways," Lily told him.

Scorpius closed his eyes, and a heavy sigh left his lips. "Fine. I would just feel better if you didn't hang around Scamander too much," he said.

"What?" Lily replied with exasperation.

"You wanted to know!" Scorpius retorted.

"Well I didn't know it was something that dumb!" Lily replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Well excuse me for not trusting Scamander," Scorpius hissed. "Excuse me for not trusting him after what he's done."

"He apologized for how he acted and what he said!" Lily argued.

"He's made it clear to me that I can't trust him!" Scorpius countered.

"What has he done? I've hardly talked to him since he apologized over Christmas!" Lily exclaimed.

"Well he hasn't been hiding from me! In fact, he's made it very clear that being your friend is that last thing on his mind!" Scorpius snapped.

"Ok, first of all, I have no idea what you're talking about. Lysander has done nothing to prove that!"

"To you!" Scorpius argued.

"And second," Lily said, ignoring his comment, "it's not like it would matter! What would Lysander ever do? Nothing! Because Lysander's not like that! He knows I'm with you, and he's not going to try anything!"

Scorpius scoffed. "Then you really _don't_ know much about Scamander now," he growled. "I don't trust that kid _not_ to try something."

"Maybe _you_ don't know him then," Lily snapped.

"Yeah, well when he proves you wrong, don't get pissy at me when I kick his ass," Scorpius grumbled. He moved past her toward the door.

"Oh, you are such a child!" Lily mocked.

"At least I'm not ignorant!" he snapped back.

The door slammed behind him.


	64. The Trials of Undying Love

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter. I also do not own the song I Will Be.**

**Note - Wow, I did not think this chapter would take this long. But then again, I didn't think this chapter would be this long either. I felt this chapter needed a lot of attention and work, so I took my time with it. I hope you guys enjoy it.**

**Song Note - The song used in this chapter is I Will Be by Avril Lavigne.**

**Rating Note - The majority of this chapter includes (mainly the ending) includes an M Rating (Hint, hint). So if you don't like/want to read any of it, I suggest you skip the ending and wait for the next chapter.**

**Pictures - Also, just to make sure every one is aware, I've been asked for a few new pictures of certain characters, and I've put a few others onto my account. I've also changed a few, so check it out if you're curious.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Four: The Trials of Undying Love

Lily sat in the corner of the dressing room, where the women of the family had dragged all the girls, and had forced them to try on a multitude of dresses. Lily hadn't been in a good mood since her fight with Scorpius the day before. Unlike Lily expected, Scorpius had stayed at the Burrow to continue helping, but he didn't stay for dinner, and had left without saying a word to her. Lily didn't say anything to him either. Lola had tried to talk to Lily about it, but Lily had dismissed it, not wanting to think about it. But that seemed impossible.

Lysander hadn't done anything to betray Lily's trust. She wouldn't lie and say that it was impossible for him to have feelings for her. But she knew Lysander. He was a gentleman. He was never going to make a move on her while she was dating Scorpius. Scorpius was just being paranoid.

"What the hell are you pouting for? They haven't forced you into those dammed dressing rooms yet," Dominique muttered as she sat next to Lily.

"I'm not pouting," Lily mumbled.

"She and Scorpius had a fight, but she won't say anything about it," Lola said as she came to sit with them. A dress was in her hands, the color ice blue.

"Oh, joyful," Dominique said with a sigh.

"Just leave it alone," Lily warned. Then she looked at Lola. "So, found a dress yet?" When Ginny had insisted that Lola come along to buy a new dress, Lola had told her that she could easily get her parents to send one of her dresses from home. But Lily had demanded she come along too, and told Lola that she would buy whichever dress she wanted.

"Consider it a birthday present," Lily had told her.

"My birthday is in May, Lily," Lola had protested.

"An early present then." Either way, Lily hadn't taken no for an answer.

Now, Lola stood up and showed the dress to Lily. It was very pretty, and Lily knew it would look good on Lola, especially since she had made her hair completely blonde. "That'll look really good on you," Lily told her.

"Really?" Lola inquired. She looked down at it. "You know, it still doesn't feel right to have you buy it for me."

Lily just waved it off. "I want to. I've got a lot more money than I ever know what to do with."

Lola smiled. "Well, thanks." She sat back down. "So, are you ever going to tell me what's wrong with you and Scorpius."

Lily just sighed. "He's just being a baby again, that's all." Lily looked around at the other girls around them, wanting to change the subject. "So, I haven't seen Roxanne around. Where is she?"

"I heard she went back to Hogwarts," Dominique said quietly.

Lily and Lola looked at her. "What for?" Lola asked.

Dominique turned toward them, obviously not wanting to be overheard. "Well, I heard Aunt Angelina talking with others this morning before we left. Apparently Roxanne and Fred had some fight last night, so Roxanne demanded to go back to school. She left this morning before her parents came to the Burrow," she explained.

"Did you hear what the fight was about?" Lily asked.

Dominique shook her head. "No. Victoire yelled for me from upstairs to help her get one of Theo's toys that had rolled under the bed." She rolled her eyes. "Her pregnancy is really starting to hinder her movements again."

"Lily, I think I found one for you!" Fleur called to her.

Dominique rolled her eyes again. "I think they enjoy dressing us like dolls."

Lily sighed and nodded. "I think so too," she muttered as she stood up. She moved to where her aunt Fleur was standing. "What's it look like?" she asked politely.

* * *

When the girls got back to the Burrow, it seemed that Grandma Molly had put all the men to work already.

"They got back from getting their clothes about an hour ago. I wasn't going to let them lay about when there's work to be done," Molly had said.

Lily watched from the backdoor as the boys worked. As if on instinct, Lily's eyes found Lysander working with Lorcan, setting up a few tables. As Lily looked at him, he looked as he always did. Nothing new, nothing had changed. So why should she believe that he'd take a drastic turn on his personality, and hit on her?

Maybe it was a female thing, or maybe it was something she'd picked up from her mother, but Lily found herself walking over to the twins, wanting to prove Scorpius wrong in her mind.

"Hey, Ly, Lorcan," Lily greeted with a smile.

Lorcan smiled and nodded toward her as he hauled one of the tables up onto its legs. "Hey, Lil."

Lysander's smile was obviously bigger, but he kept working on adjusting the legs on one of the tables. "Hi, Lily. How'd dress shopping go?" he asked.

"As well as it could have," Lily answered.

"Hey, is Scorpius coming around today? We could use help, and he'd be good at flipping these tables over," Lorcan muttered as he looked at what seemed to be a hundred turned over tables.

Lily shook her head. "Not that I know of. So, how have you two been?"

"Getting ready to whip your team during our match," Lorcan said with a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes, but still smiled. "Yeah, right."

"I haven't been up to much," Lysander admitted. "Just doing what I normally do."

"Which is nothing," Lorcan laughed.

"Leave him alone," Lily defended. "There's nothing wrong with following a personal routine."

"Like you follow a routine," Lorcan laughed.

Lily shrugged. "I said there's nothing wrong with it, not that I do it too."

"I like the stability," Lysander said.

Lily smiled. See, same old Lysander. He hadn't changed one bit. Scorpius was just overacting.

* * *

When the twelfth came, Lily started her morning by packing her bag. After all, they would all be going back to school the next day. But she and Lola had barely finished when they were dragged out of the room to help get all the last details ready for the wedding which was still hours away. Lily had helped decorate the tables for the reception, make sure the seats were in even rows, and checked the flowers were all right. After three hours of this, Lily was able to escape by claiming that she was going to get ready. She'd decided that she would get ready herself instead of having the other women do it this time. After all, she was fifteen, she knew how to do it this time around.

Lily did her hair first, choosing to softly and lightly curl the ends of her hair, and put in the flower pin that Scorpius had gotten her. Then she laid her dress out on Uncle George's old bed. It was a soft blue, almost white really. It was strapless, which was forcing Lily into a strapless bra, something Lily wasn't at all fond of. She could tell that this dress was going to hug her body, although not tightly. She could see that it would tighten at the waist. The skirt fluffed out, and when held against her it looked as if it would fall to cover sight of her shoes even.

Lily quickly disrobed, and then slipped into the dress, zipping it as far as she could by herself. That was when there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Lily called, trying to get the zipper done by herself. It was hopeless.

"It's me," she heard Scorpius's voice come as a rumble from the other side.

Lily felt her body tense and stand straight. "Unlock it," she told him.

She heard a muffled whisper, and then the lock of the door. She didn't look as she heard him come in and shut the door again. And she didn't turn as she heard his footsteps coming closer. Then she felt warm hands on her own. "Let me help," he murmured. She moved her hands, and Scorpius slowly slid the zipper up the rest of her back. But then his hands slowly slid down, and wrapped around her. She could feel his breath against her hair, his chest against her back.

"I'm not going to believe that Lysander is going to attempt anything," Lily whispered firmly, although her body had instinctively relaxed into his arms.

"Ok," he mumbled into her hair. "And I'm still not going to trust him." Then he sighed. "I'm just not good at being mad at you. Not when you look this beautiful."

Lily turned in his arms, and she felt her heart stop short. It was hard to be mad when _he_ looked that handsome. He had covered the green in his hair, and it was all combed to the side. He had shaved, leaving his cheeks smooth. He wore a silk, black, button up shirt, the collar folded down. The shirt fit nicely, and showed his broad shoulders and arms.

But Lily stayed firm in her feelings. "Scorpius, how many times are we going to have this fight? How many times am I going to see you brooding because another guy has an interest in me?"

Scorpius closed his eyes, and she felt his arms tense around her slightly. "I'm trying, Lily, but it's not easy," he muttered. He opened his eyes, and they were dark and intense. "And . . . I just really can't trust Scamander."

"You aren't like this about Xavier, and I dated him. In fact, I'm sure I kissed him a lot more than I ever did Lysander. Because Lysander was too much of a gentleman," Lily retorted.

"Because I know that Xavier doesn't have an interest and rekindling your guys' relationship. But Scamander does," Scorpius replied.

"How would you know that?" Lily demanded.

"Because he told me!" Scorpius snapped. Then he reeled back, his mouth shutting, and his arms dropping from around her.

But Lily looked at him with mild surprise. "What?"

Scorpius shook his head. "Nothing. Forget it."

"No, what, Scorpius?" Lily insisted.

"It's nothing."

"Scorpius, I tell you everything you want to know when something bugs me. The least you can do is do the same!" Lily argued.

Scorpius pulled in a breath, his shoulders losing tension. "Scamander told me flat out that he still has feelings for you. That he wants to date you again. He made it very clear for me to understand," he told her.

Lily bit her lip lightly as she looked at him. Lysander had told Scorpius that? Was that why Scorpius had been acting a little weird lately? Why he was reminding her that he loved her at random moments?

"I still don't see why that matters. Why does that mean he'll make a move?" Lily stated.

"I just don't trust him. Something isn't right, and I don't trust him," Scorpius replied.

"Well I just got Lysander back as a friend. I'm not going to avoid and ignore him just because you're being paranoid," Lily said.

Scorpius moved to sit on one of the beds, looking ready to ruin his nicely combed hair by running his hands through it. "I know you're not," he mumbled.

Lily moved to stand in front of him. She held her hands out to him, which he took gently into his own. "Scorpius, do you remember what I said to you when we talked about me wearing your ring on this finger?" she asked.

Scorpius nodded. "I remember," he murmured.

"Then why do you worry about me and other boys? Because let's say that you're right, and Lysander oddly enough tries something. So what? I get mad at him, probably hit him, and then come straight to you. It's not like I'm going to leave you for him. I went through enough guilt leaving him for you," Lily said gently.

"It's not that I'm worried you'll leave me," he replied.

"Then what is it?" Lily asked.

He sighed and rested his forehead against their hands. "It's a guy thing. And you're going to think it's dumb," he mumbled.

"Scorpius, just tell me," Lily insisted.

"I just really hate when guys hit on _my_ girlfriend. Really, really hate it. Almost as much as what I know boys do with your model pictures. It bugs the shit out of me," he explained.

Lily sighed. "Scorpius, I don't want to go through this every time some guy tells me I'm cute or something," she whispered.

"I can't help the fact that I hate it," Scorpius argued softly.

"Scorpius!" Lorcan's voice came as a muffle yell from the hallway. "We've got a couple things to take outside still before guests arrive. Can you spare a moment to help?"

Lily glanced over at the closed door, like she'd be able to see Lorcan through it. When she turned back, Scorpius was looking up at her. "Go help them," she murmured. "I've got to finish getting ready."

Scorpius stared at her for what felt like a long and intense moment. But then he stood up, and, again without a word, he left the room.

Lily sighed as she sat on the bed, resting her chin on her hands. Of all the drama she could have faced during this wedding, she rather it be with anyone but Scorpius. It was harder when it was with him.

* * *

Just before the ceremony started, a camera was thrust into Lily's hands, and then she was ushered to the back. Lysander was already standing there with a camera of his own. And when the ceremony started, they silently took the occasional picture. Lily found that it was a stale old ceremony, just like any other wedding. Lily didn't recognize Fred's best man, or any of the groomsmen. She remembered someone telling her that they were guys that Fred worked with in the ministry. It was still surprising to Lily that Fred had taken a job in the ministry. It was so . . . unlike how Lily had remembered him as kids.

Once the ceremony was done, Fred and Janie had their dance, which Lysander and Lily took pictures of as well. But once that was done, the reception started with a full swing, and Lily and Lysander were finally able to talk as they took the occasional picture of a dancing couple.

"So, I noticed that something's been up with Scorpius all morning. Something wrong?" Lysander asked curiously.

Lily looked at him with a bit of surprise. They hadn't even talked of Scorpius before. "Um, we're just having a bit of a disagreement. Nothing terrible," she told him hesitantly. She didn't really want to talk about the fight with anyone, especially not with the person it was about.

"Well, are you ok?" Lysander asked.

"I'm fine, Ly," Lily said with a half smile. But honestly, she wasn't sure how she felt.

"Hey," a low voice rumbled behind them. Lily felt her entire body tense as she turned to look at Scorpius. This could not be good, not if he was coming around Lysander. But Scorpius wasn't even looking at Lysander. "Dance with me?" he asked.

Lily glanced at the camera in her hands, and then at the dancing crowd. The song was fast, something Lily wasn't in the mood for. "I don't know, Scor. I'm not up to dancing to this kind of song," she replied.

But Scorpius took the camera from her hands, and pushed into Lysander's. "It's going to end soon. They're playing a slow one next." He took her hand and led her closer to the dancing crowd, when just like he said, the song ended. And to Lily's confusion, Aunt Angelina came up to the stage where the hired band was playing, and the band stepped off the stage.

"Ok. We're going to give our band a break, and everyone a treat. After a bit of convincing, we've gotten the groom's cousin, Dominique, to sing a song for us. Playing guitar will be her boyfriend, Mitch Avery," Angelina announced.

Applause went around as Dominique and Mitch stepped onto the stage. Mitch took a seat on a stool, a guitar in his hands. Dominique stepped up to the front. "Well, our band has never written a slow song before, and I the only one I do know is by a Muggle artist. So, sorry if you don't know it, but I hope you like," she told them, her usual sarcasm only slightly in her voice.

Mitch's guitar started soft and slow, not missing a beat. Scorpius pulled Lily onto the dance floor, pulling her close. He started their dancing, moving to slow, gentle beat of the song. And then Dominique began to sing.

"_There's nothing I could say to you,_

_Nothing I could ever do,_

_To make you see,_

_What you mean to me._

_All the pain, the tears I cried,_

_Still you never said goodbye,_

_And now I know,_

_How far you'd go._

_I know I let you down,_

_But it's not like that now._

_This time I'll never let you go."_ Dominique's voice was soft as she sung. Honestly, it was beautiful. After hearing Dominique's voice rock at a gig in a club, it was surprising to hear it glide gently through the notes of the song at a wedding.

Scorpius's gentle breathing brushed against her ear. "Are you still mad at me?" he murmured.

Lily sighed as she rested her cheek against his chest. "Mildly irritated," she replied.

He pulled her a little tighter. "I can help how I feel about things."

"I know," Lily whispered. "I know."

He kissed the top of her hair. "I love you," he said softly.

"I love you too," she assured. "I may not like _certain_ things about you, but I still love you. I'm always going to love you."

"Well that's good to know," he said with a sigh. "I don't want to fight every time I feel like this."

"I don't either," Lily replied.

"So, I'll do better to keep my irritation to myself," Scorpius promised.

"And I'll quit snapping at you every time you start brooding over your irritation," Lily said with a bit of a laugh.

"And I'll try to do less of that," Scorpius said with a chuckle of his own. He sighed. "I don't like having you angry at me. And I'm not a fan of being angry at you."

"I don't think I'm very good at being angry at you," Lily replied with a roll of her eyes and a small smile. "Irritated maybe, but anger is hard to keep around you. You're too relaxing."

"That's good. Because I've seen small flashes of your anger, and it's quite frightening," he teased.

Lily couldn't help but smile. "So, we're ok?"

"I am."

"So am I," Lily whispered.

She felt him pull her just a little closer. "I like this," he mumbled.

Lily sighed softly, taking in the warmth of his embrace, and then love and tenderness of his hold on her. She closed her eyes. "I do too," she agreed.

"_And all my life,_

_You know I'll be with you forever,_

_To get you through the day,_

_And make everything ok."_ Dominique's voice slowly faded into a whisper that carried around the room, as the strumming of Mitch's guitar slowly continued until it too faded into a whisper in the air. And then there was silence.

That silence was followed by tremulous applause from everyone around. Lily just stayed in her and Scorpius's embrace, watching with a smile, as her cousin and Mitch gave a nod and wave to everyone, and then stepped off the stage. Angelina came back up, and began to talk.

But Lily looked up at Scorpius. "Those two get better each time I hear them. I never thought I'd hear Dominique do such a pretty song," she commented.

Scorpius nodded with a smirk. "Their band is going to go far. They're really good."

Lily sighed as another song began, one that was a bit faster. "I should probably go back to taking pictures," she told him.

But when she dropped her hands away from their hold, he held onto one. "I'll help you catch a few moments then," he offered.

Lily smiled. She already knew that the best moment had ended with Dominique's song.

* * *

It was early evening when they had all finally entered Hogwarts's doors the day after the wedding. Lily, Scorpius, Lola, Mitch, and Dominique had walked a bit slower than the others, purely to avoid them. Louis had sent a few looks back at them, and even a wave, but he had stayed with the other group, mainly talking with Nadia and Kelly it seemed. Lily wondered how he could stand Kelly.

"You coming back to our common room with us, Dom?" Mitch asked as they stepped into the warmth of the castle.

Dominique shook her head. "No, I didn't do any of that homework I was supposed to do while we were out of classes, so I need to copy someone's," she replied.

The others kept walking toward the dungeons as Mitch and Dominique said their "goodbyes."

"I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get to stay out longer," Hugo said with a sigh.

"But if we had, we wouldn't be able to go to Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day," Lola retorted. "Besides, we came back on a Friday, so we have a weekend."

"Yeah, you complain too much," Lily teased.

"Well not everyone is intelligent. I'm with Dominique. I've got to do that homework we were given to do," Hugo muttered.

"I'll help you," Lily assured.

"Well that means I don't get to copy," Hugo joked.

"Not a chance," Lily agreed. "It's too easy for me to let you."

"Babe, what do you want to do tomorrow?" Scorpius asked. Although it had been a slow process over the rest of the wedding and the morning after, she and Scorpius had finally let their argument go. Lily had dropped her irritation, and Scorpius had stopped brooding completely.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Honestly, I don't really care."

Scorpius smirked. "Good, because I've got an idea already."

"Then why ask?" Lily said with a laugh.

He shrugged. "Just checking. Because if you wanted to do something, I would gladly change my plans to accommodate your idea."

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. "Your plans are always better than mine anyways. I'd have wanted to stick with yours. What is it?"

"It's a secret surprise," he teased. "So, you'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

Lily sighed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Because you know me so well."

"Yeah, we're all just waiting for you two to converge into one person," Hugo joked.

Lola smacked his arm lightly. "Be nice. They're cute." A joking debate began between the two of them, but Lily tuned them out as she looked at Scorpius. Now that he wasn't trying to keep up a nice impression for her family, he had gone back to looking casual. He wore baggy pants and a band tee. His hair was ruffled around his head, all three of his piercings in. To be honest, she liked his casual look better. It was rugged and more . . . well more like Scorpius. Not that he wasn't extremely handsome when he dressed in "formal" and "proper" clothing.

"What's on your mind, beautiful?" Scorpius whispered next to her ear.

Lily glanced up at him, his handsome face one of curiosity. She smiled. "Nothing. Just thinking the same things I'm usually thinking," she said.

* * *

"I don't know what to wear!" Lola complained as the girls were all getting dressed for their dates to Hogsmeade.

Lily rolled her eyes at her friend as she pulled a red plaid skirt over her legs. There was a thin black layer under it, and the waist band was black and studded. Despite the snow, it wasn't too cold out, and there wasn't any wind. Besides, she wouldn't be outside too long . . . she hoped. She didn't know what Scorpius was planning for the day.

"Wear something blue," Shannon told her. Then she turned to Izzy. "So, who are you going out with today?"

"Kyle Yale. He's a sixth year in Ravenclaw," Izzy said with a smile.

"Don't you and Megan have a double-date?" Lily asked Shannon as she pulled on a green and black top.

"Yeah. Chris's friend Gavin asked Megan out, so we thought we'd just make it a double," Shannon told her as she pulled on a pair of dark jeans.

Lily slipped on her Liz Canvas shoes. "That's probably not a bad idea. Might ease any awkwardness."

"What are you and Hugo doing, Lola?" Megan asked.

Lola was still choosing between two different blue tops. "Well, we're not completely sure. We figured we'd just do whatever we felt like."

"How romantic," Megan teased.

Lola smiled as she finally picked a shirt. "We weren't really concerned about romance. We were going for comfort."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Shannon commented.

"I think that's really smart," Izzy agreed.

"What about you and Scor, Lily?" Lola asked. "Figured out what he's planning?"

Lily shook her head. "No clue. I'm not really trying to figure it out. I'll jut let him lead," she told them.

"Think tonight will be the night?" Megan asked, her brow raised with question. "After all, you did take your potion this morning."

Lily knew what she meant, as did the other girls, who were all looking at Lily too. Lily sighed as she put the last stud into her ear. "Well, I've made it a habit to take it in the mornings now, but I don't know. I guess we'll just see what happens."

"Part of me thinks that it would be perfect, but another part of me thinks that it would be totally cliche," Megan said with a laugh.

Lily laughed too. "After all the problems and odd things about our relationship, we deserve at least one cliche," she joked.

"She's got a point," Shannon said.

"Well, I'm ready," Megan stated as she grabbed her own coat and Slytherin scarf. Her thick black hair fell in voluminous curls down her back. She wore dark blue skinny jeans and a green v-neck shirt. It was so dark it was close to being black.

"So am I," Izzy said. Her light brown hair curled at the ends, barely brushing her shoulders. She wore a frilled black skirt and a white top that bared one shoulder, the sleeves long but thin.

"I've been ready," Lily said as she set on her bed. Along with the skirt she wore a basic black v-neck shirt. She had on her usual accessories and her favorite shoes. She'd curled her hair loosely again.

"I'm just about done," Shannon said as she began to play with her hair. Along with the jeans, she wore a red cloud wash T-shirt. She seemed to be pulling her long black hair up. "I really need to cut my hair. It's getting really long."

"I've been waiting for you to trip over it for weeks now," Megan joked.

Shannon just stuck her tongue out at her as she finished her hair. "Bite me."

"And I'm done!" Lola said with a happy squeal. She wore a turquoise shirt, the sleeves only covering her shoulders. Her jeans were white, as where the short boots she wore. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail.

"Among us, you stick out like a sour thumb," Lily teased.

Lola shrugged and smiled as she grabbed her jacket. "Makes me unique."

"Whatever, 'angel,'" Megan mocked with a grin. "Let's just go."

Like most people were, the girls were meeting their boys in the Great Hall. They left the common room, and made their way through the dungeons. Once they entered the Great Hall, Hugo was the first one they saw, mainly because he was making his way toward them. Lily had to keep from laughing at how hard her cousin had obviously tried with his appearance. He wasn't wearing his hat, and his black and red hair was obviously doused in something to keep it straight, and was combed. All his piercings were in still. He wore a black shirt with a band on it, and black jeans. He was wearing his pendant, but his wrists were bare. And in his hands, he held a bouquet of white roses.

"Aww! How sweet!" Shannon gushed as Hugo held them out to Lola.

"Happy Valentine's Day, La," Hugo said with a smile.

Lola blushed and smiled. "Thank you."

Lily resisted the urge to reach up and ruffle his combed hair, and began to walk over to the doors, where Scorpius was standing. "I'll see you guys later."

"Later, Lil," the other girls said, although Lola and Hugo were too occupied with themselves to notice her leaving. Lily appraised Scorpius's own appearance as she walked toward him. His hair was ruffled, and Lily could tell that he'd been running his hands through it. The piercings in his ear were in, and the stud on the bottom was an emerald. Although he wasn't too casual, he wasn't very formal in his clothing. It was a nice place in the middle. His shirt was a green v-neck that hugged his chest nicely. The rest of it was covered by his own leather jacket, the collar popped up. His jeans were black, but weren't frayed or baggy.

Scorpius noticed her coming toward them, and his normal smirk came up on his lips. "You look absolutely stunning," he complimented. And he held out a red anthurium flower. "I know you're not a fan of bouquets, so I settled for getting you just one."

Lily laughed lightly as she took it from him. "Well thank you for that."

Scorpius chuckled. "I was tempted," he admitted. Then he held his hand out to her. "Well, the school has brought out the carriages to take us to the village in spirit of the day's romance. Shall we?"

Lily put on her jacket, then took his hand. She loved the warmth that immediately rushed into her from his hand. Scorpius led the way outside. The chill in the air was small, so Lily didn't regret wearing the skirt. Lining the path, the usual carriages that took them to and from school at the beginning and end of the year waited for passengers. When the two stepped onto the path, the first one rolled closer, the door opening for them. Scorpius helped her in, and then climbed in after her.

Just as Scorpius began to close it, a hand shot out to catch the door. "Hold it. We're joinin' ya." Hugo's head popped into view, a grin on his face. Lola climbed in first, with Hugo following her in.

"How fun," Scorpius said with a chuckle.

It was a couple more minutes before someone else joined them to fill their carriage. And Lily smiled with Xavier helped Manny inside. "Hope you don't mind us sitting with you," Manny said with a bit of a shy smile. Lily was always surprised at Manny's timid nature. You'd think she'd be used to being around them all after dating Xavier for over a year now.

"Not at all," Lola assured her.

"Well I didn't care if you did," Xavier joked as he shut the door. Once he did, the carriage began to move at an amble pace toward the village.

"So, how have you been sleeping, Xavier?" Lola asked with slight concern.

Xavier grinned. "I'm fine. Really. My sister gave me enough of that potion to last me until the exams. But I haven't needed it lately. I've been sleeping fine on my own," Xavier told them.

"I still think you should keep taking it, just to make sure you get enough sleep," Manny replied.

"I'm fine," he repeated with a small smile.

The rest of the ride was filled with casual conversations. But once they had reached the village, Scorpius took her away from the group. Lily had expected to go to maybe The Three Broomsticks, but Scorpius instead brought her to Honeyduke's.

"What are we doing here?" Lily asked.

Scorpius smirked. "Well, I want you to buy whatever kind of candy you like, while I run off and set something up really quick. I'll be back in ten minutes at the most," he assured. He held out his hand, and when Lily opened hers, he placed a handful of coins into her palm.

Lily sighed. "Scor, I can buy my own candy," she protested.

But Scorpius shook his head. "No. This is one of my many gifts you'll receive tonight. I would have gotten it earlier, but I wasn't sure what kind of candy you'd want. Letting you choose will keep me from spoiling you," he said with a slight tease.

Lily rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Ok, ok. But you better be quick," she joked with a threat.

Scorpius chuckled, then placed a small kiss on her lips. "I will be," he murmured against her lips. He pulled away, and then waved her into the shop as he backed up. "Ten minutes. I promise." He turned his back and began to walk away.

Lily shook her head as she turned into the shop. As always, the store was bright with a million colors and candies. Lily immediately went to grab a box of crystallized pineapple. She grabbed a couple of Licorice Wands and Chocolate Frogs. And knowing that he loved them, Lily got a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans. Lily could never understand why Scorpius loved them. Probably for the challenge of finding a good one, and stomaching a bad one.

"Oh! Hey, Lil!"

Lily turned at the sound of Lorcan's voice, but then felt herself instinctively tense up at the sight of Rose, her and Lorcan's hands interlocked. "Oh, hey, Lorcan," Lily greeted with a forced smile. "What are you doing here?"

Lorcan grinned. "Well, I suck with gifts, so I thought I'd let Rose pick out what kind of candy I bought her," he said with a laugh.

"I'm going to go pick something out," Rose said quickly, dropping Lorcan's hand and walking away.

"I'll be here," Lorcan assured. Then he looked back at Lily with a bit of a sheepish and apologetic look. "Sorry 'bout that."

Lily shook her head. "No, I'm just as uncomfortable with her as she is with me. Although, I'm sure she's more angry with me than uncomfortable."

Lorcan blew out a sigh. "She hasn't been happy with the changes in Hugo. I've been trying to get her to understand that Hugo's making his own choices, but . . ."

"But she refuses to see her brother as anything but an innocent victim," Lily finished. She let out her own sigh. "I know all about that. It took forever for my dad _and_ your brother to understand that I acted on my own."

"I don't see how they couldn't have known. I mean, when have you ever done something you didn't want to do?" Lorcan joked.

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I know."

"Rose is just really protective of her brother," Lorcan said.

"I know she is. I've known that about Rose for a while," Lily replied. She began to walk to the counter to pay for the candy, and Lorcan followed her.

"So, can I ask what started the fighting between you two?" Lorcan asked. "Rose won't say anything about it."

Lily refrained from biting her lip. This wasn't a story she was proud of. "Well, I was really defensive the few months after I was Sorted. I kind of snapped at her when she tried to tell me that I should spend more time with family than with my new friends. But . . . well thanks to both of us, it spiraled out of control after all these past years," she explained.

"A lot of things have changed over the past years," Lorcan said with a wry grin.

Lily smiled without humor as she took the bag of candy the lady behind the counter handed her. "Well, I'm going to go out and wait for Scorpius. I'll see you around, Lorcan," Lily said.

Lorcan gave a joking salute. "Yeah, see you at our match for sure!"

Lily walked out of the shop, and looked to see if she could see Scorpius anywhere. But all she saw was other teens, snowy rooftops, and bright sunlight.

"Lily!"

Lily smiled at the sound of Nadia's voice, but when she turned to the source, she internally froze with shock. Nadia was practically skipping toward her, her hand pulling along Clayton Cornfoot. Clayton seemed hesitant about coming toward her as well, but he relented and let Nadia pull him along.

"I didn't think I'd see you here!" Nadia said with a smile.

"Oh, why wouldn't I be in Hogsmeade?" Lily inquired.

Nadia shrugged. "Well, your boyfriend has gained a reputation for being really romantic. I just thought that he'd have something big planned."

Lily couldn't repress her small pink blush. "Well, he does have _something_ planned. He wants me to wait her while he sets something up, so he made me buy candy."

"He didn't buy you any?" Nadia asked with slight surprise.

"No, he said that if he got to choose, he'd have bought all he could, so he gave me the money to buy and choose myself," Lily said with a small laugh.

"That's so sweet!" Nadia squealed.

Clayton cleared his throat. "So, how have you been, Lily?"

Lily shrugged. "I've been ok. You?"

Clayton grinned a little. "Same, I guess."

Lily smiled. "So, I didn't know you two were dating," she commented, trying to sound casual and hide her curiosity.

Nadia blushed herself this time. "Well, this is our first date."

"I asked her out a few days before you guys all left to the wedding," Clayton explained.

"Well I don't know who's luckier," Lily complimented lamely. Then, like she was unable to stop herself, Lily blurted out a question she didn't want to ask. "So, where's Lysander?" Roughly, Lily bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to feel stupid. She wasn't supposed to care what Lysander did. But . . . as a friend, she could be curious, right?

"Uh, he didn't come out today. He said he wanted to stay in and work on N.E.W.T. revisions. I'd wager that he's in the library," Clayton told her, his expression unreadable.

Lily nodded. "Sounds like him. But . . . why didn't come out?"

"Yeah, why didn't he?" Nadia asked, as if the thought hadn't occurred to earlier. "I mean, I know a lot of girls asked him to come out here."

Lily hated that she felt awkward after hearing Nadia's confirmation of other girls being interested in Lysander. But, well maybe it was because he obviously hadn't accepted any of them, and that was just adding to Scorpius's remarks of how Lysander still had feelings for her.

And it was obvious to Lily that Clayton was purposely not looking at her. "Oh, he just didn't feel like going on a date. After the wedding, he wanted a relaxing weekend," he told Nadia.

Lily felt her stomach churn lightly, and again it was with guilt. But why? Why did she feel guilty because Lysander "apparently" carried feelings for her? It wasn't her fault. And they had wiped the slate clean of what went on between them. She wasn't supposed to feel guilty about how she'd hurt him by kissing Scorpius. She was supposed to be past that.

So when she saw Scorpius approaching from down the street, Lily took the chance to forget the topic, and rid herself of any feelings, good or bad, concerning Lysander. "Well, I see Scorpius is on his way. I'll let you two get back to your date," Lily excused herself.

"Ok. I'll see you around, Lily. I think we have a patrol together this week," Nadia said with a wave as Lily began to walk away.

"Bye, Lily," Clayton said with a nod.

Lily smiled at them both before turning her back completely and walking to where Scorpius was now stopped, looking into a window display. As Lily got closer, she saw that it was a large Valentine's display.

"Don't even think about it," Lily teased, knowing he was contemplating buying her another gift.

Scorpius turned to look at her, then smirked. "I'll buy you whatever I want to buy you," he mocked, standing straight and showing off how broad he was. But although it was probably intimidating to most, Lily just rolled her eyes, and tried to ignore the rising desires in her heart. Teenage hormones were starting to be irritating.

"Did you finish what you went off to do?" Lily asked.

Scorpius took the bag from her. "Yes, I did. And what did you get?"

"Candy," Lily said mockingly.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I thought everyone bought brooms at Honeyduke's," he retorted. Then he grinned. "Aw, you got me a box of Bertie Bott's," he said, pulling out the box.

Lily smiled. "Even if it was your money, consider it a gift from me."

"I'll cherish each bite," he joked, kissing her on the cheek. He put the box back into the bag, and then took her hand. "So, are you ready?"

Lily nodded. "I guess I am."

"Well, come on then," he said, and began to gently tug her along, leading the way.

"So, where are we going?" Lily asked as he took her along the streets.

"Somewhere special," Scorpius replied simply. "Also, if you see Rex, Justin, or Lars, you should thank them, because they helped to set this up while we were at the wedding."

"They set this up?" Lily said with a laugh.

Scorpius smirked. "I called in old favors. I told them what I wanted done and how to do it. And since I have seen it, I know that it looks wonderful. So, don't worry."

After a couple of minutes, they began to leave the main part of the village. And just by the direction they were going, Lily could tell what their destination was.

"You're taking me to the Shrieking Shack?" Lily asked, not hiding that she knew. She was curious as to why he was taking her there at all. She wasn't normally . . . well "girly," but she had honestly been expecting a bit of a more romantic setting than the shack.

"Yep. I had the guys fix it up. Trust me, it looks great," he assured.

Lily raised a skeptical brow. "I doubt they could have cleaned it up _that_ much."

He glanced back at her before looking ahead again. "Trust me."

When they came to the gate, Scorpius helped her over it, and then again led her over to the house. The first thing Lily noticed as that there was a soft glow coming from the windows. Light of some kind. And then she saw that the door was fixed from how they had originally broken it so that they could get in. It was actually neatly upright and on its hinges.

"They fixed the door?" Lily commented.

"They fixed a lot of things in here," Scorpius told her. "At least in a few rooms. I only saw the sitting room, but they claimed to clean and fix up most of the first and second floors." Scorpius opened the door, allowing Lily to step in first. And she was amazed.

What had once been a ramshackle room, now looked like an average home's living room. Not a spot of dust anywhere. The couch and two armchairs that were once ripped with stuffing popping out were now together without a stitched, not a hint of stuffing anywhere. The once rickety table was now standing proudly on four legs. Grimy windows were now bright and clear, and the once broken chandelier was now hanging normally, candles giving off soft glows. The stairs that once looked way too dangerous to even stepped on, now looked perfectly capable of holding someone's wait as they went up.

"They did an amazing job," Lily admitted with aw as she looked around.

She heard Scorpius close the door. "Well I told them I would settle for nothing less than amazing when it came to doing something for you," he told her as he slipped off his jacket to show the full view of his green sweater. He kicked off his shoes next.

Lily looked at him with a smile. "Really?" She then pulled off her own jacket and shoes.

Scorpius smirked. "That and that if it wasn't perfect, I would add on more Quidditch practices for Lars, and that I would tell Virgin Rose where the band practices after hours," he joked.

Lily smacked his arm lightly. "You did not!"

Scorpius chuckled. "I did, but I would never do that to them. Point is, it got them to do the job right."

Lily wrapped her arms around Scorpius's middle. "Well I love it," she told him.

"Then I'll tell them that they're in the clear," he assured. He kissed her briefly, but then pulled back to take her hand and lead her to the sofa. He urged her to sit. "Just stay here, and I'll be back. I've got to get something."

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

"Another surprise," Scorpius teased. And when she sat, he set the bag of candy down, and then jogged up the stairs, disappearing from sight. Lily took the time to look around a little more. The ceiling was no longer cracked, there were no holes in the walls, and not a bit of paint was chipped.

"I hope you didn't eat a big lunch, because I had something brought," Scorpius said from the stairs. And he came down them completely, a covered tray in his hands.

"What is it?" Lily asked.

"Something I know that you love," Scorpius replied casually. He set it down on the table, but didn't take off the cover. Instead he moved to sit down first. Then with slow movements, probably to add suspense, he pulled off the cover. And Lily was delighted at what she saw under it.

"You brought me a chocolate cake?" Lily said with excitement. What girl didn't love chocolate after all?

Scorpius chuckled. "Ok, cool. Don't notice that it's in the shape of a heart," he said with a fake snobby attitude.

"Did you do it?" Lily asked, still looking at the cake.

"No," he laughed.

"Then bite it," she retorted, and picked up the fork next to it, and broke off the first piece. She didn't hesitate to bring it past her lips. And she practically moaned as the taste hit her tongue. "That is fantastic," she said past her mouthful.

"Well thank Madam Rosmerta. She made it for me. She may be getting on in age, but she can still cook," Scorpius replied.

"It's delicious!" Lily said as she took her third bite.

Scorpius picked up a different fork. "I'm glad I chose it then." He took his own bite, but the frosting stuck to his lip, then slid to his chin.

Lily giggled. "You've got frosting on your chin," she teased.

Scorpius looked surprise. "What?"

Lily leaned forward. "Here." With one finger, she swooped up the tiny bit of frosting, leaving his chin clean. She began to bring the finger to her mouth.

"Woah!" Scorpius exclaimed and grabbed her wrist. "That was my frosting!" he protested.

"I cleaned it off!" Lily argued.

"Not the point!" Scorpius replied, and began to pull Lily's fingers to his lips. Still giggling, Lily tried to pull back, but Scorpius was much stronger, and brought the frosting and her finger into his mouth. When he let her go, the frosting was clean from her fingers.

"You jerk," Lily said with mock anger, and a laugh that gave her away.

Smirk still plastered on his lips, he leaned forward and kissed her, and his tongue swept past her lips and brushed against her tongue. The taste of chocolate frosting swam on her tastebuds when his tongue rubbed across hers. Lily pulled back from the kiss, unable to stop herself from licking her lips.

"Taste good?" Scorpius asked in a low voice.

Lily smiled. "Even better," she whispered. She leaned forward to press her lips against his again. This kiss was harder and much more passionate than the last teasing one. She held tightly on his shoulders, feeling her veins and skin burn lowly, building. And when he placed his hands on her hips that heat increased tenfold almost, especially in the pit of her stomach.

But Scorpius was the one to pull away this time, clearing his throat roughly. But his hands didn't move, and Lily was grateful for that. "Um, you know they left me a note telling me that I needed to show you the _one_ upstairs room they fixed up. I wasn't allowed to look at it unless it was with you, apparently," he said in a low voice.

Lily looked at him in a little confusion. "What did they do?"

"They didn't say," Scorpius replied. He pulled his hands away and stood up, leaving Lily feeling slightly colder, despite the comforting warmth of the room.

Lily sighed and stood up as well. "Ok. Lead the way then." She followed Scorpius to the stairs, her mind still whirling around their kiss, and their moment. Why, oh why did he have to end it? Was it because he was still unsure about hurting her? She'd done her best last week to reassure him about it, but had she not helped at all?

"It's this one," Scorpius said as he stopped in front of the first door on the second floor. Unlike some of the doors on the floor, it didn't have holes, nicks, and it was on its hinges perfectly. Scorpius reached out to the polished knob and twisted it. Then he pushed the door open, and they were both silent at what they saw.

The guys had taken the liberty to fix what looked like the master bedroom to the shack. It was a bit bigger than what the other rooms seemed to be. The floor was wooden, but obviously polished. The walls looked to be a red color, but it was a little hard to tell. The room was dim, and the boys had placed at least a hundred red, white, and pink candles around the room, giving off a dim glow and subtle scents. Lily thought they were giving off the scent of flowers, but it wasn't easy to tell, mainly because they had scattered red and pink rose petals everywhere in the room. And the bed in the middle was obviously the center of the room. Unlike in most rooms, it wasn't against the wall, but instead was directly in the middle of the room. And it was huge. The comforter was a rich green, and the sheets and pillows were midnight black. Two mahogany end tables stood at the sides.

"I'm going to kill those guys," Scorpius muttered.

But Lily stepped into the room, looking around her completely. She'd expected the wood to be cool under her feet, but it was surprisingly warm. "Why?" she asked him. "I like it." At her admittance, she felt the heat and pressure in her body to tighten, and felt a blush rush onto her cheeks.

There wasn't a response for a short moment, but then Scorpius finally spoke behind her. "Really?"

Lily turned to look at him. His body was obviously tense, but it was his eyes that hooked Lily in. His grey eyes were stormy with the intensity of his gaze. The gaze that was locked on her. Lily took a subtle deep breath, part of her fearing what she was stepping into, and yet exhilarated by the thought. "Yeah, I really do," she said.

Slowly, Scorpius's hand reached back to close the door, and with the click of the door closing, Lily felt her heart speed up. It felt ready to explode. Lily had hoped he would come closer, but he stayed firmly by the door. He almost looked ready to bolt he was so tense. "Lily, I need you to be absolutely sure about this," he said softly.

No longer able to take the distance, she moved closer to him. She placed a hand on his chest, just over his heart. She could feel that his heart was pounding as well. "I am sure," she whispered. "I meant what I said, and I'm ready for this." Lily hesitated, but then had to continue. "Are you? I mean . . . is this something that_ you_ want to do?" In a way, she felt silly for asking. After all, how many girls had to ask a guy if he was ok with them having sex? But there was something about how tense and hesitant Scorpius seemed that made Lily unsure about what he wanted.

"I don't want to hurt you," he mumbled. Lily opened her mouth to speak, but Scorpius continued. "But I know that I can't avoid that. No matter how I approach this, I'm going to hurt you."

"Scorpius, it's the way things are," Lily replied gently. "And I'm willing to go through the pain of it."

She could hear the deep breath he took. "I've never done this before, Lily."

Lily laughed softly and lightly. "Well neither have I. So, why not go at this together?" she teased.

She could see the smirk wanting to appear on his lips. "I guess," he murmured.

Lily placed her hands on his cheeks, and moved so that her lips were just centimeters away from his. "Then relax," she whispered. She moved to kiss him, but Scorpius was quicker, and pressed his lips against hers softly, but still quite passionately. She felt one warm hand be placed on her waist, and felt the other tangle itself into her hair. Lily kept her hand over his heart, and placed the other onto his shoulder. She could feel the tension slowly leaving his muscles, but she could still feel it lingering.

Lily stopped the kiss, and moved to take his hands into hers. Scorpius's eyes were dark under his scowling brow. But Lily recognized that it wasn't a look of anger. It was one of intensity and desire. Slowly, she took steps back toward the bed, pulling him along with her. Then she dropped his hands, and brought hers up to unclasp her Slytherin pendant. She put it down on the table. Scorpius simply watched her. Feeling her pulse beating through her veins, Lily climbed onto the bed and sat down. She looked back at Scorpius.

Scorpius moved closer to the bed, and then stopped. His hands moved, but then hesitated. But after a moment, he continued and pulled his sweater over his head. As he pulled his arms out of the sleeves, Lily was able to take advantage of the sight before her. Even though she'd seen him shirtless countless of times, she was sure she'd never be use to it. He was so strong and broadly built. His skin was a little tan due to Quidditch practices out in the sun. It looked as if there wasn't an inch of fat on him. It was all muscle.

Once his sweater was off and on the floor, his eyes locked with hers once again. He brought himself onto the bed, moving closer to her while on his knees. He towered above her, but as intimidating as it may have seemed, Lily only felt a growing arousal at his build, and at the soft but serious expression on his face. He cupped her cheeks gently, his fingers barely brushing her skin. But then he lowered his lips down onto hers again. Lily felt her lips light on fire with the start of the kiss, and felt that fire trail slowly down her body, alighting every part of her. Lily moved her hands to his arms, slipping them down to his hands. She brought them to the hem of her shirt, urging him to slip his hands onto her skin underneath the fabric. But instead he took a hold of the shirt, and breaking the kiss, pulled it off of her. Lily moved to kiss him again, but he surprised her by practically picking her up, and then placing her in the center of the bed on her back. Lily reached for him, and he moved to hover over her. She felt one of his knees move between her legs, and felt the heat of his body press on her when he moved so that he was even closer to her, holding all his weight on his arms. Lily prayed he'd move his lips back onto hers, but instead he moved to her neck. Immediately, he planted repeated small kisses on the pulse in her throat before he bit at the skin there. Lily gasped instinctively at the tiny sting, but Scorpius had soon began to lick and suck at the small bite, taking away any slight pain he'd caused, and replacing it with a pressured and wonderful feeling that swam through her.

Lily let her hands roam the expanse of his chest and back, as always, amazed at the muscles she felt. With how strong he was, how was he not a Beater? But then she felt Scorpius's hand move to her side, and gently began to massage the skin. Lily couldn't stop the moan that escaped her throat at the warm feeling that erupted due to his hand. How did he seem to know every part of her that was sensitive? How did he seem to know exactly what her body wanted?

But then his hand trailed further down, and he pulled his lips away from her, sitting on his knees. While his eyes stayed on her own, he slowly slid her skirt down her legs, and then dropped it onto the floor. Then he removed her tights, his eyes never straying from hers, and his hands not missing a beat. His knuckles would occasionally brush against the skin on her legs, making a small shiver run up her spine. Once he'd dropped the tights somewhere, his eyes once again raked over the sight of newly exposed skin. Lily felt herself burning under his gaze, and that pleasurable feeling was growing bigger in her lower body. She could feel her underwear becoming damp.

"Fuck," she heard him mumbled softly. Then his eyes slowly came back to hers, and he was moving so that he was hovering over her again, his teeth biting gently at her earlobe. "I sometimes wonder if you understand just how beautiful you are," he murmured.

Lily felt a pleasant flush run over her cheeks. She parted her lips to respond, but then he was kissing her, his tongue taking her previously parted lips as an invitation. He rubbed along her own tongue, and then seemed to take time to map and memorize every part of her mouth. Lily moaned softly into the kiss, resting her hands on his chest, drawing unrecognizable shapes on his skin. She felt one of his hands gripping her hip a bit tightly, but Lily only felt a pressure, and not a bit of pain. She moved one of her hands into his hair, curling her fingers around his soft hair.

Scorpius broke the kiss and began to trail his lips down to her throat, licking and biting at every bit of skin he could get to. But when his lips trailed to her collarbone, Lily felt her body tense with anticipation, especially when his hand moved from her hip to cup her right breast over her bra. A gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it. Scorpius groaned into her shoulder before sucking on a small patch of skin.

Lily moved her hand to rest behind his shoulder, his skin hot under her finger tips. Scorpius's lips slowly moved past her collarbone, biting just above her bra, making Lily's breathes come in smaller and quick pants of anticipation. His hand slid under her, and she could feel them slide across her skin, leaving a trail of fire. And when they stopped at the clasp of her bra, Lily felt her own body getting even hotter at what was to come.

Scorpius leaned his forehead against her shoulder. His own breath sounded a little ragged. "Lily, are you sure?" he asked again.

"Mm-hm," Lily hummed, not trusting her voice to actually try and speak words. She pressed her fingers into his skin, feeling the rigid tension underneath. But she felt his fingers moving, and then felt her bra loosen around her, and the straps fell off her shoulders, falling slightly down her arms.

Scorpius pulled back from her a little, his hands moving to the straps. Lily was almost awestruck at the sight of the seriousness, yet still gentle look he cast over her. She hadn't even noticed that he was pulling the straps over her arms. But when she felt the fabric of her bra brush over her before disappearing, Lily felt her breath catch in her throat. Warm air brushed along the now exposed skin of her breasts. Lily closed her eyes on an instinct. Everything around her was magnified. She could even hear her bra drop to the floor.

"Open your eyes, Lily," Scorpius whispered lowly.

Relaxing herself, Lily did as he said. The first thing she saw was his burning gaze locked onto her face. And almost to her surprise, he leaned forward, his lips brushing against hers. "Don't hide from me," he mumbled. Then he kissed her softly. Then his hand cupped her breast again, only this time it was hot skin on burning skin. Instead of a gasp, it was a moan that came out from Lily's lips. When her lips parted, Scorpius's tongue gently brushed across her lips before overtaking her mouth again.

Lily brought her hands to his sides, his skin sending little shocks through her fingers. She let her fingers trail up and down his sides, stopping once to draw an unknown shape on his skin. Then she moved her hands down to the top of his jeans, moving them to meet at the button. She blushed heavily at the feeling of his arousal pressing into his jeans. She could feel it through the denim.

Scorpius pulled his lips from hers, burying his face into her neck, groaning lowly. The hand that had cup her breast tightened its grip, sending a jolt through her, and forcing another moan from her lips. He bit her neck again, lightly. "You drive me insane," he mumbled into her skin. But then his lips trailed down and latched onto the skin above her heart. His lips seared onto her skin, his tongue wet. Then his nibbled lightly. Each action seemed to run pleasure through her body. Lily couldn't help but start to clench her fists, and felt her nails slightly scratch into the skin of his lower abdomen.

His other hand gently palmed her other breast, the combined sensations making Lily arch into him. And when she did, she could feel the bulge in his jeans press against her thigh. Almost as if in response, he moved his lips to leave another mark on her breast.

Feelings of pleasure and heated sensations were running through her at rapid paces, making anticipation ride through her. She finally unbuttoned the snap to his jeans, and pulled the zipper down. She could feel his bulge even more when she did. She moved her hands back to the hem of his jeans, and began to tug them down, but with little success. Again, Scorpius pulled away a little, making Lily whimper at the loss of the feelings he'd provided. But he was still close enough that heat radiated from him, hotter than usual. He began to pull off his jeans, and Lily reached up lightly to kiss along his jaw. She felt his jaw tighten beneath her lips, but she trailed up to his ear to bite on his lobe, and then pulled it between her lips and sucked lightly on it.

He growled, and she could hear the sound of denim hitting the floor, and could then feel his bare knee pressing against her inner thigh, and then against her panties. She gasped, letting go of his ear. She brought her hands to his cheeks, turning his face to hers. She pressed her lips to his, taking one of her hands to run through his hair.

Scorpius's hands came back to her, but this time is was on her hips. Then one fell to her thigh, surprising her. And she almost tensed when he parted her legs even more, placing himself between them completely. He pulled his lips away from hers to brush them along her jaw with small kisses, before finally stopping near her ear.

"Are you sure about this, beautiful? You really want to do this?" he whispered.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure," she murmured. She ran her hand through his hair once again, massaging his scalp as she did.

He made a small sound in his throat, kissing the side of her neck in response. His hands dropped to her knees, bending them and pulling her closer. He pressed himself into her panties, making Lily gasp, and then moan. He grinded himself into her slowly, making her nerves tighten, and making her want to whine at the slow motion. She couldn't even care about how desperate she must have sounded.

Scorpius's hands gently ran across the skin of her legs, before one of them finally trailed up and pressed against the wet spot in her panties. Another moan ripped through her throat as Lily's body tightened with pleasure and surprise.

"Scorpius!" she moaned, her eyes closing at the feeling. _Merlin, this man is incredible_, she thought.

He pressed his hand against her harder, and rubbed a few fingers against her firmly. Lily dug her nails into his back, the sensations running through her becoming almost too much. For having never done this, he was certainly having no troubles.

Both of his hands slowly came up to the top of her underwear, and tugged at them. Lily knew what he meant without opening her eyes. But she did, and found herself looking at his intense, but very loving and hesitant gaze.

Lily licked her dry lips, then parted them. "Go ahead," she urged.

A few of his fingers hooked under her underwear, and then slowly pulled them down her legs. Once he'd pulled them away from her ankles, he dropped them somewhere. Lily was too occupied with being locked under his eyes. But then he pulled back onto his knees, and she watched as his eyes roamed over her. And then it hit Lily like a Bludger. She was now completely, fully, and for the first time, naked under him. She was sure her cheeks were way past having turned pink. But this time, she didn't close her eyes. This was Scorpius. Why should she be so embarrassed about Scorpius seeing her naked? She knew that he was always going to love her, no matter what, and vice versa.

With those thoughts, Lily felt herself relax into the bed, the only tension in her body the pleasurable one that wanted to explode in her veins. After a relaxed and quiet moment, Scorpius's eyes finally locked back onto hers. Resting his hands next to her, and putting his weight on his arms, he leaned close to her, his lips brushing against hers. "Beautiful," he mumbled, kissing her lightly.

This time when she blushed, it was because of his compliment. Somehow, Lily had never felt more proud about having taken care of herself so much. His one worded compliment was better than any sentence full of compliments she'd ever received.

Again, she felt his hand going lower, until he touched her core. A gasp flowed into their kiss, and Lily shuddered at the feeling of his fingers on her most private and sensitive place. But thankfully, Scorpius didn't shy away. Actually, he seemed to grow bolder. Because it was her own surprise when one of his fingers thrust into her.

Lily's lips broke away from his. "Scorpius!" she cried out in shock and in pleasure. She would admit that the feeling was new. Maybe a bit uncomfortable, but still amazing in its own way. But honestly, she was waiting for something to hurt.

But his finger was smooth as he kept a steady pace, keeping a steady amount of moans and pleasured whimpers escaping her lips. Scorpius groaned lightly into her shoulder where he'd taken to leaving kisses and marks. Then he unexpectedly added another finger. Lily bit her tongue carefully. Although the first feeling of discomfort had disappeared after a few thrusts with one finger, the second had brought about a small sting of pain. But as she rationalized in her head, the pain was nothing compared to what she'd been through due to Quidditch. And as she kept that in the small part of her mind that was currently keeping rational thoughts, the small bit of pain practically vanished.

But once it had faded, Lily found that tight heat in her lower body getting tighter, and she felt like exploding. She bit her lip, a soft moan making itself known. She felt her nerves becoming jumpy and impatient. She wanted this to happen. There was absolutely no going back, any upcoming pain be dammed.

Lily felt her body growing hotter at the movement of his fingers stretching her, and her lungs couldn't seem to get enough air. She dropped her hands down to the top of his boxers. His arousal was obvious, pressing against her hand. A bit hesitantly, she stroked the bulging fabric.

Scorpius hissed into her skin. "Fuck, Lily," he groaned out, and then thrust himself into her hand.

Lily felt herself flush with pride at knowing she could gain this kind of reaction from him. Still unsure of what exactly she was doing, Lily gently squeezed his arousal through the fabric. A low growl was what vibrated through her skin from his lips. Feeling a bit emboldened by the sounds coming from him, Lily tugged lightly at the hem of his boxers, attempting to pull them down. Scorpius brought his own hand down to help, and eventually kicked them off. Taking in a deep breath among her lustful pants, Lily glanced down. She was able to bite back her gasp of surprise, but not the hot blush that ran across her cheeks at what she saw.

She'd never actually seen a guy before, except for those glances you get when your brothers don't lock doors as children, but even those are fleeting. But even without having anything to compare him to, Lily could tell that Scorpius was beyond average. He was huge! She blushed harder at the thought, but there was no other way to put it. The sight almost intimidated her. This really _was_ going to hurt. And with how big he was, she had a bad feeling that it was going to hurt more than she could ever expect.

"Lily?" Scorpius whispered into her ear, his voice soft and soothing.

Lily licked her lips, feeling how kiss swollen they were from the many times he'd bitten and sucked on them. And with as much courage as she could muster, she reached out and placed a gentle hand on his length. She could see his shoulders tense when she touched him, but he didn't make a sound. Going on instinct, Lily closed her fist around him, and pumped him once.

"Oh fuck," he mumbled, his lips brushing against her cheek. She could feel his breaths slowly turn into pants. So she began a slow, but steady rhythm. Scorpius groaned and cursed softly. Lily moved her lips to his jaw, and nipped lightly. She trailed her lips down to his shoulder, leaving kiss after kiss.

But then he suddenly grabbed her hand, stopping her. Lily looked up, and his eyes locked onto hers. He pulled her hand away from him, and brought to his cheek. He placed a kiss on her palm, and then interlocked their fingers. His eyes were dark with desire and intense with arousal. He lowered his lips onto hers. His kiss was rougher than the others had been, and Lily could feel more passion leaking through his lips than normal. He broke the kiss, and looked at her carefully.

She'd expected him to question if she was ready to do this, but he surprised her again. "Do you trust me?" he asked. His voice was gruff and raw with lust and passion. It made Lily's heart pound.

Lily nodded. "With my life," she assured. She brought her lips up to his again. "I love you," she murmured.

Scorpius groaned softly. "As I you," he whispered. He kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

Normally, Lily probably would have told him not to be, but then she felt him at her entrance, and her chest tightened with anticipation. His lips crashed down onto hers as she felt him slowly began to enter her. Lily swallowed a bit thickly. It wasn't painful, but uncomfortable in an unrecognizable way. The further he went in, the more uncomfortable it got. But she wasn't going to tell him to stop. Not now. But then he did stop.

"Just tell me when to stop," Scorpius whispered in her ear.

Lily dragged in a deep breath. "Keep going," she told him.

Scorpius hesitated, but then kissed her again, and pulled back slightly. Lily almost protested, until he fully sheathed himself in her. Lily broke from his kiss with a pained gasp. _Oh, fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck _she thought. It hurt like a bitch! Pain etched itself into her lower body, and her thighs trembled. She'd been right. Nothing had prepared her for how much it really would hurt.

Scorpius hadn't moved an inch since she'd broken their kiss in pain. She could see his arms trembling, and his shoulders were more tensed than ever. His hair hid his eyes. For a long and painful moment, they stayed like that. Scorpius tensed and unmoving, Lily trembling and trying to overcome the pain of it all. It seemed like hours to Lily before the pain finally receded into a dull ache, one that was sure to turn sore later. But she knew mentally that this was as small as the pain was going to get.

"Scorpius," she whispered, unsure of how he was feeling through this.

"I'm so sorry," he said through obviously gritted teeth. "We can stop."

Lily placed a hand on his cheek, turning him to look at her. His jaw was tight under her fingers. "Scorpius, move," she demanded, feeling a lighter blush suffuse her cheeks.

He stared at her for a brief moment, so Lily kissed him reassuringly. So with slow movements, he pulled almost completely out of her, and then push back in. Pleasure was there, but that dull ache pulsated through her.

She pulled her lips away from him. "Scorpius, I'm not up for prolonging the pain. Just move faster," she said bluntly.

Scorpius slammed his lips onto hers roughly, and this time when he pulled out, he thrust back in harder and a lot faster. Lily yelped in surprise. There had been that small ache again, but it was nothing compared the shot of pleasure that ran through her body, making that coil of arousal in her lower body tighten.

Scorpius built up a steady pace, pumping in and out. Lily moaned insistently. Her hands grabbed his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. Scorpius had taken to leaving small marks on her neck and shoulders. After leaving a mark or two, he always came back to leave another bruising kiss on her lips. She began to meet his thrusts, and he hissed and growled when she did.

"Damn, Lil!" he spat through gritted teeth. He seemed to move faster in response.

Lily moaned in response. "Scorpius!"

He soon began to move at a faster pace than Lily could keep up with. She gasped each time he pulled back, and moaned helplessly when he thrust back in. That tight spring in her body was ready to explode, and she could feel her nerves hanging by a small thread.

"Scorpius, . . . I . . . I'm . . ." Lily found herself unable to even finish a broken sentence. But it was unneeded, for Scorpius suddenly gave a sharp thrust. With that thrust, everything snapped. The spring that had tightened so much in her body finally exploded with the most unimaginable pleasure. The thread holding her finally snapped, and she toppled over the edge into a fantastic bliss.

"Scorpius!" White stars flashed in front of her eyes, her heart beat harder, and a pure nirvana and satisfaction ran through her entire being.

When her body finally calmed, and small explosions of pleasure stopped bursting through her, Lily was surprised to feel Scorpius still thrusting inside of her. But then she felt his body tense on and in her

"Oh, shit!" he cursed. And then she felt his orgasm run through her. She felt something warm inside her, and blushed to know that it was his cum. His arms trembled as he continued to hold up his weight as he continued to thrust into her as he rode out his orgasm.

He finally stopped moving, and he dropped to lean all his weight onto his arms and elbows, pressing them into the mattress. His head fell to her shoulder, his hot and ragged breath blowing across her skin.

Lily closed her eyes. She brought a hand up to push a lock of sweaty hair away from her face. Her whole body was still hot, and she could feel a light sheen of sweat covering her skin like a film.

She felt the brush of Scorpius's lips across her shoulder. "Are you ok?" he asked softly.

Lily reassessed herself. She could feel that ache slowly coming back, but it was still dull compared to what she'd felt when he'd broken her hymen. She was hot, a little sweaty, her legs felt weak, and yet she still felt completely satisfied.

"I'm ok," she assured. She brought a hand to his hair. It was damp with sweat, but she ran her fingers through it, smoothing it down where she'd ruffled it earlier.

Slowly, Scorpius brought himself back up, placing his weight on his hands as he looked at her. She could see a slight bit of worry in his expression, but his eyes were obviously glassy with calmed pleasure. "Are you sure?" Lily nodded, but then gasped when he suddenly pulled out of her. A small whimper escaped her lips at the empty feeling that overcame her. But then a sore ache practically made her legs numb.

Scorpius moved to lay beside her, and then pull the blanket up to cover them both. It was unneeded, because there was no way that Lily was chilled. But it was comforting. Carefully, she rolled onto her side to look at him. Scorpius was resting his head on his arm, looking at her as well. He reached a hand up to brush his thumb across her cheek.

"Do you want to head back to school?" he asked gently.

Lily shook her head. "No, not even if you carried me." This moment was too perfect to end. And taking back to Hogwarts where she could have to deal with family, school governors, or curious friends would definitely ruin it.

Scorpius smirked and closed his eyes. "Good, because I don't feel like moving either. So I can't imagine how little you want to move," he murmured.

Lily smiled. "We can always sneak back into school later," she pointed out.

Scorpius moved so that he was flush against her, his body providing way more heat than the blanket. "Good plan."

Lily closed her eyes, resting her head against his chest. It didn't take long for sleep to overcome her.


	65. The Damages of Rivalry

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I didn't think this chapter would take me as long as it did, but here's then result. A bit of drama, but really just a touch of the problems that are about to arrive. There's a lot more on the way. So read it, enjoy it, and let me know what you think.**

**Pictures - For those readers that have liked seeing ideas of what my characters look like, I've been putting up more pictures of some characters. And if there's ever someone you want to see, let me know.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Five: The Damages of Rivalry

Lily awoke to the sound of a closing door. Slowly she opened her eyes, blinking the sleep away. She was on her back, and above her was a wood ceiling. It took Lily a moment to gather herself, and remember everything. The first thing that came to her was a very sore feeling in-between her thighs. Then the memory of her and Scorpius's date. Valentine's Day, the Shrieking Shack . . . Lily blushed as she remembered it all. They had finally taken that step. They had really had sex. She smiled happily, the sore feeling having nothing on how content she felt.

"Good morning, beautiful," a husky voice murmured.

Not getting up, Lily turned her head to see Scorpius standing next to the bed, redressed in his jeans, but still shirtless. Her smile brightened at the sight of him. "Hi," she greeted a bit shyly.

He smirked. "Hi," he said back.

Lily licked her dry lips. "It's morning?"

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah, I just checked outside. It looks like the sun just came up, so I doubt it's even time for breakfast yet." He paused. "Should we head back now?"

Lily sighed heavily. She didn't want to, but she knew they had to. The governors had probably kept tabs on who left to Hogsmeade, and Lily was sure that her and Scorpius's absences were noticed. "Yeah, I guess so."

Scorpius nodded, then his eyes roamed over her blanket-covered form. He looked back at her. "Should I carry you?" he asked.

Lily shook her head. "No, I'll be fine." She sat up, holding the blanket to her. It hit her then that, she was still naked. And for some reason, she felt embarrassment run lightly through her. Why did it matter? Scorpius had very obviously seen her naked . . . and within twenty-four hours!

But Scorpius must have noticed her flushed cheeks, and must have sense it was due to modesty. "I'll go get your shoes and the candy," he told her. He grabbed his shirt, and then he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Lily sighed and dropped the blanket. She hated that modest part of her. Of all the times to show up? Pushing away the thought, she pushed off the blanket, and moved her legs so that they dangled off the bed. She hissed raggedly at the pain that jolted through her. That sore feeling could really pack a punch when she moved! But she sucked it up and pushed herself off the bed, putting her weight on her feet. Immediately, her knees wobbled and almost gave out. She caught herself on the bed, and bite her tongue to keep from cursing at the pain. Very slowly, and with as little movement as possible, she picked up her clothing that littered the floor around the bed, and slowly dressed. She didn't bother putting on her tights again, and settled for sitting back on the bed once she was done, putting her Slytherin pendant back on.

It was a few minutes before Scorpius hesitantly opened the door. He stepped in, a bit more relaxed and carefree once he noticed she was dressed. Now Lily felt embarrassed at her previous modesty. "Are you ready?" he asked, her shoes in one hand, and the bag of Honeyduke's candy in the other. Her jacket was slung over his shoulder. He was completely dressed now too, shirt on, shoes tied, and jacket on with the collar popped up.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Just hand me my shoes." Scorpius moved closer, holding her shoes out. Lily took them and placed them on the bed next to her. Then she pulled her leg up to slip her shoe on, and hissed at the pain. "Dammit!" She couldn't help the small outburst.

Scorpius was instantly there, one hand on her knee, the other on her shoulder. "Babe, are you ok?" he asked hurriedly.

Lily nodded as she unbent her leg and took a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just a little sore," she finally admitted.

Scorpius looked at her with concern. Then he took her shoe from her, and kneeled down in front of her. He slipped it on her foot, and began to tie the laces. When he finished, he took her other shoe and did the same. Lily smiled thankfully at him. She brought a hand to his hair, running her fingers through it.

"Is that offer to carry me still open?" Lily inquired as he stood up and held her jacket out to her. Lily took it from his hands.

Scorpius smirked. "It's always open for you," he replied.

Lily slid her jacket on, stuffed her tights into the pocket, and then smiled coyly at him. "Mind if I take you up on it?"

Without a word, Scorpius lifted her bridal style from the bed, doing it with what seemed like little to no effort. Then he picked up the candy bag. He chuckled as he looked at her. "I love it when you accept my offers," he teased. He leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the lips.

Lily giggled into the kiss. "Then I'll try to remember to do it more often," she assured as he began to walk. He went down the steps slowly, obviously trying not to jostle or hurt her. Lily repressed her urge to roll her eyes, although her heart squeezed at his concern. As he reached the first floor, Lily noticed that he'd cleaned up the room, and had opened the way to the tunnel. But he didn't waste time, and stepped down into the tunnel, taking one careful step at a time. After less than a minute of walking, darkness wrapped around them. But Scorpius still didn't falter in his steps. He seemed to be very confident in where he was going. It took long minutes to get through the tunnel. They were quiet the entire way, but it was in contentment. Lily had even closed her eyes, the tired feeling still running sluggishly through her veins, and that sore ache still settled in her lower body.

But then the light of the opening to the tunnel washed over them. Scorpius shifted his hold on her, and then with a now free arm, stuck it out of the tunnel to hit the knob on the Whomping Willow. Then he brought his arm back, and then supported her with both again, and stepped out of the tunnel. Lily blinked at the dim light of the sun. Scorpius had to be right. It could only be early morning, and no way was it time for breakfast. She could probably convince him to let her go back to sleep.

Scorpius kept a steady walking pace as he made his way up to the castle. Lily rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes again. With how careful he was not to jostle her, she could probably fall asleep. It was tempting.

After a few long moments, Scorpius whispered into her ear. "We're inside the castle. Are you up?" he asked with a chuckle.

Lily nodded, not opening her eyes. "Yeah, I'm up," she murmured.

"Want to go back to sleep when we get to the common room?" he asked. She could feel that they were moving down stairs.

"I would love that," she sighed. His walking leveled out, bringing Lily to assume that they were now in the dungeons. Knowing that they were practically home free, she relaxed completely. And then she was again succumbing to sleep.

* * *

Lily groaned as she turned over. Then she cursed silently at the pain that roared through her lower body. She opened her eyes warily. A green curtain circled around the bed she laid on, a bed that she laid on alone. Slowly and carefully, she sat up and looked around. When had she fallen asleep? Either way, she must be on Scorpius's bed. He couldn't have been able to take her to her own. She found a note sitting on the pillow next to her, so she picked it up.

"_Lil,_

_I've kicked all the guys out of the room until you wake up. And I had Lana go and bring a set of your clothes from your dorm room. They're in the bathroom, incase you want to shower."_

Lily smiled and put the note back down. She leaned over and pulled the curtain back. Light flooded her sight. But she ignored it and took a deep breath. Then she moved her legs over the bed. She gritted her teeth at the ache. Sure, she'd had worse pain, but it was the constant pain that made it suck. But she bit her tongue and got off the bed, and slowly took small steps toward the bathroom.

Lily was grateful when she made it in there, but she didn't bother with a shower. She was not putting more weight on her legs than she had to. Instead she ran a bath, and sat on the edge while she waited.

Did it hurt for everyone like this? When did the soreness leave? Lily blushed at her next thought. Maybe it was so long lasting because of how . . . _big_ he was.

When her bath finished filling, Lily turned off the knobs, and while sitting, slowly began to undress. Then she carefully climbed into the warm water. She sighed with relief. That felt much better, and that ache soothed out and disappeared. Sadly, she was sure it would come back later after the bath. Relaxing further into the water, Lily found herself looking around the bathroom. It was obvious that it was in the grasp of a bunch of guys. Clothes were everywhere, and there were a multitude of male hair and soap products. But to her surprise, Lily saw a few of her own shower products sitting by her clothes on the closed toilet seat. Then she smiled. She was going to have to thank Lana later.

So Lily took an extensive bath, taking the time to wash her hair and clean up. She felt so much better now that the feel of dried sweat was off of her skin. Once she was finished with her bath, she looked at the outfit Lana had picked out for her. A pair of black short shorts and a thin white shirt. Again, Lily knew she'd have to thank Lana, this time for picking a loose and comfortable outfit. Lily put on the underwear and bra Lana had brought her, and then slipped on the shorts and shirt. After a quick examination, Lily was sure that the shorts were long enough to be approved if she felt like leaving the common room. She loved dressing casual on Saturdays and Sundays. She just hated that they had to follow a certain code. Lily took her clothes from the previous day and her bath products, and left the bathroom. She had to admit that now, even though the ache and sore feeling was still there, it was much easier to deal with.

Lily left the boys' room and made her way to the girls' hall. She was surprised that she didn't pass anyone, and was even more surprised when she opened her dorm room to see that none of the other girls were in there. So Lily threw the clothes into the girls' hamper for the house elves to take, and then grabbed her wand. She dried her hair with a quick spell, and then pulled her hair up. Then she slipped on a pair of socks and pulled on her shoes. Always wearing socks and shoes was part of their dumb "casual dress code" that Lily hated. She grabbed her potion box, took her contraception potion, and then put it away. Then she looked around herself. She couldn't think of anything she needed or wanted. So she placed her wand into the small pocket of her shorts, and then left the room.

When she walked down into the common room, Lily was again surprised to see how many kids were there. Ten at the most. Lily glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. Then she understood. It was a little past noon. Everyone was probably eating lunch.

At the thought of lunch, Lily's stomach clawed at her, warning her of how hungry she was. So Lily made her way out of the common room. She walked through the dungeons, happy that the still existing ache was now easier to manage.

"Ah! Lily!"

Lily stopped and turned to see Slughorn coming toward her. He had a large smile on his face, making Lily smile herself.

"Good afternoon, Professor," Lily greeted. "On your way to lunch?"

Slughorn started to walk with her. "Indeed I am. And the same for you?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. I'm starving."

Slughorn chuckled. "Well, then we'll just hurry along. But, I'm glad that I caught up with you. I was planning to speak with you at breakfast, but I couldn't find you," he told her.

Lily nodded, doing her best not to blush or give away that she was hiding something. "Sorry, I slept in this morning. But, what was it you needed to talk about?"

"Well, I was thinking about throwing a small get together during Easter Break, and I was wanting to add a few new members to the Slug Club. I was hoping you could help me," Slughorn explained.

Lily smiled. He wanted her to help him figure out who was going to be famous after graduating. She almost laughed at his antics. "Of course I'll help you, sir. When should we start?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe twelve or so people, not including myself and you. And I was hoping to have at least three new prospective members there. I'll give you a list of current members, and I'll let you go from there," Slughorn told her. "I'll get the letter to you later this afternoon. Sound good?"

Lily nodded as they stepped into the Entrance Hall. "That sounds perfectly fine, sir."

Slughorn smiled. "Wonderful!" He stepped aside to let her into the Great Hall first. "Now, I'll let you settle your starving stomach, and I'll settle mine," he joked.

Lily chuckled. "Of course. I'll see you later, Professor."

"I'll be waiting," he teased lightly.

Lily moved over to the Slytherin table. Not far from the middle, Lily caught sight of the girls, each looking at her and practically bouncing in their seats. Lily had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. And unable to help herself, Lily instead chose to sit next to Lana, who was sitting with a few seventh and sixth year girls.

Lana didn't look as surprised as the other girls did when Lily sat down. "Hey, Lil. Glad to see you liked my choice of clothes," Lana commented with a friendly grin.

Lily nodded as she began to pile food onto her plate. "Considering the situation, they were perfect," Lily told her. "So, thank you very much for everything this morning."

"Oh, it's no problem," Lana assured.

"So, Lily," Miley Flint addressed, "why are you sitting by us? Just curious, that is."

Lily glanced over at Lola and the others, catching their glares and irritated and impatient looks. Then she laughed slightly.

Lana seemed to get the idea too. "You know, they look like they want to kill you," she mentioned.

The other girls sitting with them looked over that the other fifth years too. "Are they mad at you?" Layla Reeser asked.

Lily shook her head. "No, it's not that. They were expecting to interrogate me today, but I didn't sit by them."

"Won't that just make it worse later?" Tamara Nott asked with a laugh.

Lily shrugged. "It's worth the current entertainment at their faces." Conversation soon flowed easily around them, and Lily was easily able to talk with them. After all, girl talk was girl talk no matter the age. It consisted of a few basic things at Hogwarts: boys, other girls, and current school or personal issues. But once some of the girls began to discuss N.E.W.T.s, Lana glanced over at Lily and quietly spoke.

"So, I made an assumption on what happened after Scorpius asked me to do him that favor. Can I expect to be right?" she asked.

"You generally are," Lily pointed out.

Lana grinned teasingly. "Hurting?"

Lily swallowed the food in her mouth. "Not so much after taking a bath, but a little yes."

"I didn't stop hurting for hours afterwards. But it did stop," Lana assured.

"Well I'm glad to hear that. And I've been through worse pain thanks to Quidditch matches, so it's easy to ignore now," Lily replied.

"How bad did it hurt when it first happened?" Lana inquired.

"Like a bitch," Lily said casually.

"Welcome to the club. But on the bright side, the worst of the pain is over. I mean, it kind of hurt a tiny bit the second time Dante and I had sex, but after that it was smooth sailing," Lana told her.

"Well I'm glad to hear that," Lily said with a grin.

"Hey, you're finally up." Each of the girls turned to see Scorpius, Mitch, Lars, and Rex coming toward them. They stopped just next to where they sat. Scorpius pulled a chair out to sit next to Lily. "I wasn't sure if you'd get up at all today," he teased lightly.

Lily smiled as she refilled her cup with pumpkin juice. "I would never miss a Sunday."

"Good because we've got Quidditch practice today," Lars said. "And if we all have to work our asses off, you need to join us."

But Scorpius looked at her with a concerned gaze. "You can just watch if you'd prefer," he told her.

"Why should she get off easy?" Lars complained.

"Shut it, Lars!" Lana snapped quickly.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she smiled at Scorpius. "I'll be fine. I'll be there."

"So, Lil, how are you feeling?" Rex asked slyly.

"Rex," Scorpius warned.

"I'm just checking on our resident princess," Rex said innocently. Then he looked sneakily at Lily. "Are you walking straight?"

Scorpius reached back and punched Rex in the gut. Then he looked at Lily a bit sheepishly. "They guessed what'd happened when I kicked them out of the room," he explained.

Lily shrugged. "It's ok. You really think my friends are going to let me go all day without telling them basically every detail?" she pointed out.

"See! So you can tell us all the details!" Rex assured. "Like we tell you."

"I don't ask you to tell me all about your trysts," Scorpius argued. He looked back at Lily. "By the way, the guys covered for us not coming back last night. They covered it with Lars's dad."

"Good, because the last thing I want to deal with is Brunt," Lily sighed.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Scorpius paused before continuing. "So, what do you have planned for later?"

"Give the girl a break, Scor," Lana teased.

Lily giggled lightly. "I think Izzy and Shannon were wanting us girls to study for O.W.L.s later this afternoon," she told him.

"And you boys should be studying for N.E.W.T.s," Lana pointed out. "They're not that far away."

"It's February. They're in June. That's like . . . a lot of months," Mitch assured. "And why should I care? I'm gunna be a rockstar. That doesn't require N.E.W.T. scores."

"And I'm in the same position," Rex said, both him and Mitch high-fiving each other.

"But not for Lars and Scor," Lana argued. "They need to study."

"Thanks for the reminder, sis," Lars muttered.

"What do you want to be, Lars?" Lily asked curiously.

"I plan on working with the Department of Magical Transportation in the ministry," Lars said proudly. "I even sent in an early application to apply there. I've just got to wait for my N.E.W.T.s now."

"Which shows that they are important to your future, and that you need to study for them," Lana pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah," Lars mumbled.

"Lily Luna!" Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing when she heard Lola's irritated voice ring out. The group turned to see the four other fifth year girls standing behind them, each of them with expectant looks.

Lily raised a playful brow. "Hey, girls. How did your dates go?" she asked jokingly.

"Lily Luna, you cannot disappear for a whole day practically, and then not tell us what happened!" Lola exclaimed.

Lily shook her head and laughed. "Ok, ok." She pushed her plate away and stood from her seat. She leaned down and kissed Scorpius quickly. "I'll see you at practice."

"It's at three o'clock," he told her.

Lily nodded, and then looked toward the other girls. "Well, where to?" Immediately, Lola grabbed her wrist and began to tug her along. "Hey, hey, easy!" Lily warned. Sure, it didn't hurt as bad, but that was because she'd been taking careful steps.

Lola glanced at her a bit weirdly, but then slowed her pace, but still didn't let go of Lily's wrist. As if she thought Lily would run off. Lily just rolled her eyes and shook her head.

It was silent around them as they left the Great Hall, and Lily let Lola lead her around. "You know, while we're walking, could I at least hear about your dates?" Lily requested.

Shannon pounced on the opportunity. "Chris is such a sweetheart! After the double-date, we went for a walk around Hogsmeade before coming back to school. It was wonderful!"

"What did you and Hugo end up doing, Lola?" Lily asked curiously.

"Well we went to a few different shops, and then just to see if I could get him to go, we went to Madam Puttifoot's," Lola said with laughed.

Lily laughed as well. "He actually went?"

Lola smiled as she nodded. "Yeah, I could tell he hated it, so we left early. I was just curious if he'd go if I asked."

"That boy is smitten with you, of course he would go," Megan pointed out.

"Well it's nice to see proof," Lola joked.

The five girls entered the common room, and they immediately dragged Lily up to their dorm room. Lola dragged Lily to one of the beds while Shannon closed the door. Then the girls gathered around on the bed.

"Ok, spill," Lola demanded.

Lily sighed and began to untie her shoes. She knew this was going to be a long talk. "What do you want to know?" she asked teasingly.

"What happened yesterday?" Izzy said.

"What about yesterday?" Lily mocked with a grin as she threw her shoes off the bed.

"Lily!" Lola gave Lily a playful, but still forceful shove.

"Did you and Scorpius have sex?" Megan asked bluntly, no shame at all in her question.

Lily didn't answer for a moment, and instead pushed her bangs away from her face. Then she couldn't hold back her smile. "Yeah, we did."

The squeals and gushes of excitement that came from the other girls at that moment were ear shattering, and Lily almost thought her ears would bleed. But her smile still didn't fade.

"No way!" Shannon exclaimed.

Then a million questions flowed into Lily's ears, making it impossible to understand any of them.

"Woah, woah. Can we calm a minute?" Lily asked with a laugh.

"Well this is like a really big thing, Lil!" Lola replied. She leaned a bit closer. "Did it hurt as badly as people say it does?"

Lily ran her tongue across her teeth. "Well, it hurt like a bitch. Still kind of hurts, that's why I had to get you stop pulling me so quickly. But, I mean, it's easier to handle now. I've had Quidditch injuries that have hurt more. It's just that it's a consistent pain, and that's what makes it suck," she explained.

"How big a damper was it during?" Megan asked.

Lily shrugged. "It kind of lost importance in my mind. I wasn't really focused on it during the act," she said with a laugh.

Megan fell to her back. "So, they say most girls don't have an orgasm their first time. Did you?"

Lily nodded as she pulled a pillow onto her lap. "Yup."

"And?" Megan urged.

Lily grinned. "Bloody fantastic."

"So, how was Scorpius?" Lola asked with a sly grin.

Lily smoothed the pillowcase out. "So perfect that it's almost hard to believe that it was his first time too."

"How big is he?" Megan asked.

Shannon shoved Megan, at least the best she could while Megan was laying down. "Megan!" she chided with a laugh.

Lily laughed too, despite the light pink blush that took on her cheeks. "Big," she answered simply.

"Happy that it happened?" Izzy asked.

"Ecstatic that it happened," Lily replied.

"Think anything will change?" Shannon asked.

Lily raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Well they say sex always changes a relationship. Think yours will change?" Shannon elaborated.

Lily sighed. "Well, I can't imagine it changing really. But, I guess time will tell on that," she answered.

From then on, the other girls grilled Lily on how the entire date had gone. With how many questions they asked, and how often they interrupted, Lily wasn't even half way through explaining all they wanted to know when she noticed that she needed to get ready for Quidditch practice. So she explained a little more as she dressed in slightly warmer clothing and grabbed her broom. But then she told them she would meet them at dinner, and go with them to study for O.W.L.s later. Then she was heading out the door.

Her walk outside and to the pitch was by herself. She was still taking careful steps, but the pain was lessening every hour. When she reached the pitch, she entered the locker room to see that the guys were already changing into their practice clothes.

"Didn't think you were gunna come, Lil," Tanner commented.

"Sorry, I kind of lost track of time," Lily replied as she opened her locker.

"The point is you made it before we started," Lars teased.

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled as she began to change into her practice uniform. She was obviously the last one to finish getting ready.

"Alright, I just want a normal practice today," Scorpius told them. "So, let's get out there."

As they all headed for the door, Scorpius took Lily's wrist, pulling her to a stop. Lily looked at him in question. "What is it?" she asked.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" he asked. "If you're still hurting, you don't have to practice today."

"Scorpius, it's not that bad. And not that I don't think it's cute, but you don't have to keep asking me that," Lily said with a smile.

"Babe, I had to carry you back to school," Scorpius argued gently.

"And since I woke up and had a bath, I've been getting better. It's getting to where I barely feel it when I walk. I'll be fine," she assured.

Scorpius didn't look convinced, but he let go of her wrist. "Ok. But first time it starts to hurt more, sit out. And if I think you look like you're hurting, I'm sending you out," he threatened with a smirk.

Lily smiled as she leaned up to kiss him quickly. "You got a deal," she replied.

They walked out to see that the others were all in the air, throwing a Quaffle around. Scorpius mounted his broom quickly, and took off. "Ok, guys! I want us to do a few passing drills first!"

Lily walked over to the box and grabbed the practice Snitch, keeping it tightly in her fist. She tucked it into her pocket, and then mounted her broom. She leaped into the air, and then winced harshly. She hadn't thought about the fact that the broom would have to be between her legs while she rode it, so she hadn't expected the ragged pain that shot through her lower body.

"Holy hell!" Lily hissed through gritted teeth. She instinctively lowered her broom back to the ground. She bent over slightly, holding her knees, waiting for the sting to subside.

"Babe, are you ok?" Scorpius called from the air.

Lily blew out a breath. "I'm fine," she called back.

"Do you want someone to walk you back to the castle?" Lars asked.

Lily shook her head. "I'm going to the locker room," she told them. Then slowly, she put the Snitch back, and walked back into the locker rooms. She tossed her broom down in irritation and then laid on her back on one of the benches. The last thing she wanted to do right now was change clothes. She didn't even feel like standing anymore.

_Note to self: Don't do anything to aggravate the soreness. It makes it feel worse for a long ass time!_ Lily thought to herself. She closed her eyes and laid there for an amount of time that she lost track of. But as the time passed, she found that the ache slowly reverted back to the dull state that it was before she'd gotten on her broom. It wasn't until a few minutes after that though that she finally got off of the bench and opened her locker to redress. A shower was unnecessary, so she dressed quickly and then grabbed her broom again. She stepped out of the locker room, and went to the stands instead to watch the practice go on. But as she watched them pass the Quaffle, take shots, hit Bludgers around, and fly laps around the pitch, Lily wished desperately that she was actually out there with them. She felt overly lazy by sitting around and not doing anything during practice when she was actually on the team. It felt like slacking.

"You ok there, Lily?" Lance asked as he came to a stop by the railing of the stands.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to walk you back?" Lance insisted.

Lily smiled. "Really, I'm fine. Just continue with practice. I'll be fine."

Lance gave a nod and then flew off again, rejoining the guys. Lily found herself watching Scorpius. She would quickly admit that he was amazing. He had quick reflexes, and his throws were strong. He caught every pass that was thrown to him. He could easily palm the Quaffle, holding it with one hand easily. Lily blushed heavily as flashes of the previous night replayed in her mind.

Shaking the thoughts with her head, Lily stood from the stands. She needed to get out of the cold, to a place she could rest, and a person to talk to about everything and anything.

She needed to go find Hugo.

Lily left the stands, and began her walk back up to the castle. Once she was back inside, she was happy for the warmth from the slightly chilly air. But then she immediately made her way toward the common room. When she passed through the opening in the wall, she looked around. She saw Hugo hanging out with some of the boys.

"Hugo," she called calmly as she walked over to them.

Hugo looked over at her, then he grinned. "Hey, cuz. What's up?"

"Can we talk?" Lily asked.

Hugo shrugged. "Yeah, sure." He stood up from the couch, grabbed his hat from the table, and placed it on his head. "Lead the way."

Knowing that Scorpius's dorm room would probably be empty, since the other guys probably had band practice, she led Hugo up to his room. Hugo walked past her to sit on one of the beds as she closed the door.

"So what's up, cuz? How'd your Valentine's Day go?" Hugo asked.

"Lola hasn't said anything?" Lily asked with a bit of a grin. She went over to Scorpius's bed and moved to lay on it.

"Surprisingly no. I thought I'd hear all about how romantic a day you'd had, and then think to myself about the new bar of standards I'd have to live up to," Hugo joked as he switched over to sit on Scorpius's bed with her.

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. "Oh, well we just go back to school this morning. And then I crashed out until lunch."

"Where were you guys?" Hugo asked casually.

"The Shrieking Shack," Lily told him. She glanced over at him, and then sighed. "We had sex last night."

Hugo moved to lay next to her on his stomach. He grabbed a pillow and bunched it up. Then he rested his chin on it. "And how was that?"

Lily grinned, knowing his real _and_ his joking meaning. She chose to answer his real meaning. "I think that it was the right thing to do."

"What if word gets out to someone like Albus?" Hugo threw out.

Lily shrugged. "I don't care. Even if he were to tell my dad."

"You'd face the wrath of Daddy Potter?" Hugo joked.

Lily scoffed. "What worse could happen between us?" She paused, then sighed. "Can I talk to you about something with me and Scorpius? Something besides the topic we're on already?"

"Shoot."

Lily blew her bangs away from her face. "During the break for the wedding, we had this fight about how he doesn't trust Lysander. That Ly still has feelings for me, and Scorpius thinks that he's going to make a move on me," she explained.

"Why does he think that?" Hugo inquired.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I guess Lysander said something to him. But . . . Lysander is still acting like Lysander. I just . . . I don't get his paranoia."

Hugo sighed quietly. "You know, Scor doesn't see himself as a prince or anything."

"I know," Lily replied.

"In fact, and I'm sure you know this too but I'm reminding you, Scorpius sees himself pretty low on some lists because of how some of the media sees his family." Hugo put one hand on the bed, and then raised the other into the air as an example. "Now, he puts you on this high ass pedestal. So, his fear of losing you is as high as that pedestal."

"But-,"

"Hold on," Hugo stopped her. "I'm on a roll. Now, when you add in the fact that you've obviously cheated on a boyfriend before, it could be playing on the insecurities in his thoughts."

"Ok, stop!" Lily interrupted. "Now, we all know I cheated on Lysander because of my really strong feelings for Scorpius, and my fast dwindling and already practically gone feelings for Lysander."

Hugo nodded. "Still, when us guys are dating a girl that we see as higher up than ourselves, we get paranoid. And when you love them, it gets even worse for us. And it's not that we don't trust our girls. We don't trust other guys. We know how we all think," he ended with a laugh.

Lily sighed. "I guess now I'm just hoping that maybe taking this step will get him past his 'insecurities' and leave it in the past."

"Could happen," Hugo assured. "So, can I talk to you about something?"

"Absolutely."

"How did you know that you were ready to have sex?" Hugo asked.

Lily raised a brow. "That's an unexpected question."

"Sorry," Hugo apologized.

Lily waved off his apology. "It's fine. It's fine." She pulled in a breath as she thought of how to word it. "Well, it was kind of a mental and emotional thing. I mean, I didn't hesitate in my mind on whether or not I was ready. Yeah, I was nervous, but I still knew I was ready." Then Lily quickly glanced over at Hugo. "Are you thinking about having sex with Lola?"

Hugo sighed as he moved to sit up. He began to play with the skull ring on his finger. "I won't lie and say that I don't think about it. But . . . I just, . . . I want to bring it up with her. Just the topic in general. You know, seriously. But I'm not sure how she'd take to me bringing it up. I don't want her to think I'm trying to pressure her or something."

"Lola is one for honest talks. If there's something you want to talk about, she's usually willing to wait and listen completely," Lily told him. "Just tell her that you think that you need to talk about it with her."

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. La's pretty good at talking things out." He ran a hand through his hair. "You know, as oddly as it seems, I don't think I would be as comfortable talking about anything like I am with you. Not even guy stuff." Then with a grin, he scoffed. "It's like being little kids again, and hiding up in the tree house and just talking about anything we thought of."

"Like when you asked me if I could smell the cooties on you?" Lily teased.

Hugo rolled his eyes. "I was four!" he protested. But then he chuckled. "But yeah, kinda like that." He sighed. "I miss doing that."

"We'll have to do it again," Lily agreed. "They were better days."

"Well, you've still got the old tree house," Hugo said with a grin.

"And soon, we'll have a whole summer," Lily replied with a smile.

* * *

After studying for their O.W.L.s the Slytherin girls were glad to be back into their common room, and away from a million library books.

"I hate it when you guys make me study for those dumb tests," Lily muttered.

"You need to study," Lola argued.

"I'm just studying things I already know! It's like writing an essay twice. Pointless!" Lily countered. But then she sighed. "We could at least add some actual practice in with the boring studying."

"I agree," Megan replied. "It's way too dull for me."

"You two just bore easily," Izzy retorted.

"Your point?" Megan asked.

Izzy shook her head. "That was it."

"Well that was a dumb point. I already knew that," Megan muttered.

Shannon stretched her arms above her head. "Ok, I'm tired. Anyone else?"

"My mind's exhausted," Lola agreed. "I'm going to bed."

"I'm in," Megan said.

"Hey, Lily!" Lily turned to see Scorpius getting off the arm of the couch and heading toward them.

Megan elbowed her in the side. "Guess we'll see you in the morning," she teased quietly. Then she and the other girls walked toward the stairs.

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled when Scorpius was in front of her. "Hey there," she greeted coyly.

Scorpius smirked. "What are you up to?" he asked.

Lily sighed. "Well I just got done with O.W.L. studying and revisions, and I'm a bit tired. I think I'm going to go to bed," she admitted.

Scorpius stuffed his hands into his pockets. "You want me to come with? I don't mind turning in a bit earlier," he offered.

Lily bit her lip. "Um, actually, Scor, I was thinking that I might sleep in my dorm tonight."

Scorpius scowled with confusion. "What? Why? Did I do something?"

She shook her head. "No, no."

"Is it because you're still hurting?" he asked with concern.

"No," she replied. The ache felt ready to disappear altogether now. "It's just that . . . well now that we have . . . you know, I think that maybe sleeping in the same bed wouldn't be a great idea."

"I don't follow," he told her.

Lily shifted the weight of her bag on her shoulder. "Well, I don't want things to change totally."

He looked even more confused for a minute, but then he seemed to understand, and he smirked. He took one of her hands into his, and then placed a small kiss on it. "Babe, I'm not going to expect us to have sex every night now. I didn't when we first shared a bed. I'd like you to sleep in my bed for the same reason that I wanted you to the first time. The comfort," he assured. He kissed her forehead this time. "Besides, I've grown used to you sleeping next to me in that bed. It'd feel weird without you there."

Lily smiled. Her heart gave that small squeeze that it always did whenever Scorpius said something like that. "Well . . ."

Scorpius pulled her into an embrace, his lips blowing breath next to her ear. "Please?" he pleaded with amusement.

Lily sighed as she wrapped her arms around his middle. "You make it hard to say no," she joked lightly.

"Then say yes," he laughed lightly.

Lily sighed as she pulled back slightly to look up at him. "Ok then. Yes," she replied.

Scorpius smirked. "Good. And since you're tired, how about we go to sleep?"

"You're not tired," Lily pointed out.

He shrugged. "So? I don't mind. And if I end up not being able to fall asleep, then I'll wait until you do and then come back down."

Lily moved to rest her cheek on his chest. "Ok. Whatever you say."

* * *

Lily stopped in front of the door to Slughorn's quarters and knocked. Since it was far enough into the second term for everyone to get back to normal routine, which meant it was time for the fifth years to begin having their Career Advice Meetings with their Head of House. Slughorn had requested that she come to his rooms, so that after they talked through her career choices, they could work on his small party.

"Come in, Lily, come in!" Slughorn called to her.

Lily opened the door and stepped inside. She closed the door behind her and looked around. Slughorn was bent over his desk, writing something down. "Make yourself comfortable," he told her. "Shouldn't take a minute."

Lily dropped her bag by the couch, and then went over to his wall of favorite students and former Slug Club members. She liked looking at all the pictures, some of people she recognized, some she didn't. Gweong Jones. Lily had met her years ago when she'd come to visit her mother and have a chat. It was the one good thing about not being allowed to go to Hogwarts while her brothers had gotten to go.

There was a picture of her mother, and one of her father. Her aunt Hermione was sitting on one of the shelves. Lily Evans was there as well.

"Ok, I'm ready," Slughorn said. Lily turned around and saw Slughorn moving to sit in an armchair. Lily moved to take a seat on the couch. Once they were both settled, he looked at her. "Ok, Lily, I know you're pretty straightforward, so that's how we'll conduct this."

Lily grinned. "Perfect. Then let me start. I've decided to keep my modeling career for after school," she said frankly.

Slughorn didn't hide his small look of disappointment. "Oh, I really wish you'd have chosen to stick with potion making. You'd be fabulous at it!"

Lily smiled. "I know. But making a hobby into work isn't my idea of fun. I'm not a terrible fan of deadlines. And I like modeling. And apparently I'm good at it," she chuckled.

Slughorn chuckled as well. "Well then, from my knowledge, being a model doesn't exactly require any specific N.E.W.T.s," he commented. "So, have you thought about what classes you want to take your sixth and seventh years?"

Lily shrugged. "Well, I thought I'd see how I do with my O.W.L.s, and then pick what I like based on what I pass."

He grinned. "I can't imagine you not passing something. But, do you have no other ideas or fall back plans on what you would like to do?"

Lily sighed. "Not really. Honestly, I'd never thought about what I'd want to be when I graduated. Not since I started school. But after a couple of months of thinking, I've come to the decision that I want to keep modeling. I mean, ever since I started, I've been told by younger girls that I'm like a role model to them because I'm smart and because I'm pretty. They look up to me because most models aren't seen as intelligent, but they know I'm smart. I guess it gives them encouragement to see that a girl as smart as me can be seen as beautiful, or vice versa. And maybe it makes me arrogant or egotistical to think like that, but I like the thought," she explained.

Slughorn nodded. "I don't think it's arrogant to think like that. Not when it's true. And I think that picking a job so that young girls can possibly have a beautiful and intelligent role model is a wonderful idea."

"Thank you, sir," Lily replied.

"Oh, let's go with Horace for now. Because since we seem to be done early with your advice, I thought we'd work on the party plans," Slughorn said.

Lily nodded. "Ok, let's get started then."

"So, have you thought of three prospective members?" he asked.

"I have. I've thought of Lance Higgs from Slytherin, Chris Summerby from Hufflepuff, and Clayton Cornfoot from Ravenclaw," Lily listed. She'd been thinking of decent students, smart and talented ones, because that was who she knew Slughorn would want. Those were her first three ideas.

Slughorn leaned back and pondered for a moment. "Three good young gentlemen. I currently am teaching all three of them. Mr. Summerby is quite the potion maker as well, although no where near your level," he assured.

Lily smiled. "I thought you'd like Lance."

"And he's on the Quidditch team, yes?"

She nodded. "Yes, he's a Chaser. Actually, he plans to be a professional player one day for the Kestrels," she informed him.

"Hmm. He is a pretty good player from my memories," Slughorn mentioned.

So for the next hour or so, Lily explained more about why she chose the three boys. Slughorn soon happily agreed and commended her choices. Then they went on to picking nine other members of the club to have at the dinner. It was eventually put on a guest list: Scorpius Malfoy, Hugo Weasley, Lucy Weasley, Lana Goyle, Zack Creevey, Louis Weasley, Liz West, Violet Anderson, and Connie Wood.

Lily looked over the guest list one last time. Perhaps this time when she went to one of Slughorn's little parties, it wouldn't end in disaster.

* * *

Over the next few passing days, Lily found herself becoming completely involved in Quidditch. The match against Ravenclaw was creeping up on them, and Scorpius wanted everyone to be prepared. Lily was able to come back to practice after the ache left after the first day.

When the day of the game came, Scorpius required that they all eat a good-sized meal. Enough to get them through the match, but small enough to keep them from puking.

"Good physical condition requires a healthy meal," he had said when Tanner asked.

After eating, they all went back to get their brooms, wanting to get to the pitch. Scorpius wanted to test how the weather was, and everyone else was just eager to get out there. But of course, luck couldn't be on Lily's side.

"Lily!"

Lily whirled around to see Lysander jogging toward them. Quickly she glanced at Scorpius, who scowled and looked at Lysander with distrust. She waved the boys off. "Go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

Scorpius looked like he was ready to argue, but he slowly began to walk away. "Come on, guys," he muttered.

Lily watched them walk away, and then turned to see that Lysander was already coming close. "Hey, Lily," he greeted with a smile.

Lily forced a hesitant smile as well. "Hi, Ly. What's up?"

Lysander cleared his throat, ran a hand through his hair, and tried to straighten his collar. It was obvious to the world that he was nervous. "Well, I wanted to talk to you for a moment. There's . . . well there's something I wanted to say."

Lily felt her stomach churn. She was getting a very bad feeling from this already. "Um, well can it wait until after the game?"

"No, I think I should say it now," he retorted. "I want to say it before something happens in the game, or before one of our team wins and gets dragged off to a party. This is the one time I know I can get it all out."

"Ly," Lily trailed off, really not trusting this conversation.

"Lily, when we broke up . . . when you broke up with me, I was hurt. And since then, I've been trying to figure out what happened, what went wrong. What I did," Lysander told her.

"You didn't do anything," Lily replied.

But Lysander kept going. "And, I came to conclusion that it was something about me. But, Lily, I'm willing to change."

"Ly . . ."

"I can be aggressive. I can be a jerk. I'll be whoever you want to be. I can act like Malfoy if that's what it takes. But, Lil, I just want to be with you. I want us to have the chance we deserved. I want to do this right," Lysander told her.

Lily felt her heart pounding in her ears. "Lysander."

"Lily, I love you," Lysander stated proudly. "I've never felt this way, and I know in my heart that I never will again."

Lily began to collect her thoughts of guilt and surprise at his confession. But before she could even begin to speak, Lysander had placed a hand on her cheek, and had placed his lips on hers.

Lily felt herself freeze in shock. She couldn't move. She couldn't think. She couldn't react. When Lily had told Scorpius that if Lysander were to ever try something that she would hit him, but now that he actually _had_ done something . . . she . . . she was clueless on how to get her body to even respond now.

"You son of a bitch!"

It took Lily a moment to realize that Lysander had already stopped the kiss, and took her a moment to notice that the every guy on the team was holding Scorpius back, who looked ready to commit murder. And she was slow to react. Time just seemed to move slower. But when Scorpius threw a punch at Lysander's jaw, everything seemed to go quicker. The guys were jumping on Scorpius again, trying to push him back.

"Scor, calm down!"

"Chill out, dude!"

"If you kill him, they won't let you play in the match!"

Lily found herself trying to stand in front Scorpius. There was rage in his eyes, obviously aimed at Lysander, who was just finally standing back up.

"Scorpius," Lily said, "let's just go to the pitch!"

Scorpius looked down at her, his attempts to push off the other five guys stopped. Then with a harsh shove, he broke away from all five of them. Then he turned to glare at Lysander. "Watch your back, Scamander!" he hissed. Then he turned his back and began to storm off. "Let's go!" he commanded.

Lily and the rest of the team hurried after him. While the others all looked back at where Lysander was still probably standing, Lily stared straight ahead, her mind reeling. Although time had seemed to pick up its normal pace, her mind was still sluggish.

He . . . loves her? It was hard for Lily to comprehend and believe. Love? She knew love. She felt it whenever Scorpius spoke something sweet to her, or when he would smirk at her from across the common room. She knew the intensity of that feeling. And Lysander thought he felt that for her? He couldn't really love her. Maybe he still had feelings . . . but love was more than Lily believed was possible for Lysander to feel about her. After what she'd done to him? After seeing how different they were, and all the different things they wanted in a relationship? No. No, it wasn't love.

But that didn't mean she didn't feel a little guilty about it. Maybe it was a stupid thing for her to feel. But even if it wasn't really love, he believed it was, and Lily knew that faith in something could be strong for people. And she knew that to break that faith could be painful for that person. To find out that what you thought was true, was a lie? It was like what she'd felt when James had basically denounced her as a sister. It hurt. How bad was he hurting because of her? How long has she been hurting him? _Why_ was she still hurting him? She broke up with him so that she could stop hurting him! She was never going to stop hurting him, was she?

Once in the locker room, she noticed Scorpius storm to his own locker, punch the one next to his, and then open his own to change. Lily winced when she saw the dent his fist had left. Now that she was in the familiarity of the locker room, Lily was now able to worry about Scorpius. Fury didn't really describe the feeling that seemed to radiate from him. It was a lot darker. Murderous perhaps. She was mainly afraid of what he would do. Scorpius had a bad habit of taking his anger to violence, and thrusting the violence onto other guys.

When they were all changed, Scorpius simply paced the room back and forth, not bothering to give any kind of pep talk or speech. He simply paced. Lily's eyes followed him with worry. He wouldn't even look at her. Finally, just before it was time for them to go out, Scorpius stopped, and looked around at them all, then his eyes bored straight into the door leading outside.

"Kill 'em," he mumbled. Then he picked up his broom, and stormed off to the door.

When both teams were out on the pitch, the rules were given, and an obvious tension rose. Lily avoided looking Lysander. She kept her eyes on the handshake between Lorcan and Scorpius. The Quaffle was thrown to the air, and the game began. Scorpius practically threw his shoulder into the Ravenclaw Chaser, Hayden Stretton, knocking him back. Scorpius took the Quaffle and was down the field before people could even really process it.

"And it looks like Malfoy's taking an aggressive stance during this match. He's already got the Quaffle and is to the goals! Keeper, Sam Goldstein, looks a bit unsure. Malfoy throws the Quaffle with impossible looking force and strength. It flies right by the head of Goldstein, making the score ten to zero!" Peakes commentated.

Lily felt her stomach churn as she hurried into the air. It'd only been a few seconds, but she just wanted to end this game already. She climbed higher and higher, wanting to get a good look at the open air around her. She just wanted to find the Snitch and end it. Although honestly, she just wanted the Snitch to be caught. The other Seeker was the least of her worries now.

"And Malfoy makes another viscous steal! He's got the Quaffle again. He tosses it off to Higgs. It's a hard toss, and Higgs almost drops it. But he put it into his grasp and then passes it off to Pritchard. Pritchard throws it back to Malfoy, and the triangle of the Slytherin makes their way down the field, passing it back and forth. They're at the goals. Higgs has the Quaffle. He tosses it and . . . it's good! That's another ten points to Slytherin!"

The game seemed to go the same way as time kept going. Every so often, Ravenclaw was able to scrounge up a goal. But otherwise, Scorpius was brutal about getting the Quaffle from them, and taking it down the field. Soon, Lorcan was obviously trying to take Scorpius out. Scorpius took two Bludgers, one on the back, the other on the shoulder, but he hadn't stopped. And so far, Scorpius had fouled four times, which was where Ravenclaw had gotten two of their points.

"And Pritchard makes the shot! That makes the score two hundred and thirty to a hundred and ten, Slytherin's lead!" Peakes announced the score. "And Belby catches the pass, and she's making her way down the field. Looks like she's expecting Malfoy to smash into her, but he looks like he's giving orders to his Beaters."

Lily glanced over at where Scorpius really was talking with Tanner and Lars. What was he saying to them?

"But Malfoy isn't needed! Pritchard makes the steal, and he tosses it off to Higgs. Higgs evades Davies and zooms down the pitch. Malfoy seems to be back in it, and Higgs makes the pass to him, and Malfoy throws it for a goal! Another ten points to Slytherin. This is a brutal match for Ravenclaw."

Lily circled the pitch, her eyes always moving as they looked and searched for the elusive Snitch. She wanted this game to end before Scorpius really blew up. She wanted to end it, and she wanted to talk to him. Calm him. And although she probably wouldn't tell him . . . she needed to speak to Lysander. Part of her was furious at what he'd done. It had obviously been intentional, and he couldn't have missed Scorpius standing not that far away. But another part of her was again filled with guilt.

Guilt was starting to become a daily emotion it seemed, with a few breaks between. And this situation she was in . . . like all the others, it was her fault. When she had broken up with Lysander, she was young, not that she wasn't young now, but she had thought that his pain and feelings for her would automatically end. She never really fixed it. Never really took care of what she started. And it was about time she did.

"And Malfoy's got the Quaffle . . . but he passes it off to Higgs, who flies down the field with Pritchard. Malfoy's hanging back, maybe to defend the middle. But . . . what's he doing?"

It seemed that everyone had their curious attention on Scorpius, because it was where Lily was now looking too. He, Tanner, and Lars were flying a little lower in strong formation. Then they leveled out and flew straight and swiftly . . . but it was toward the Slytherin goals. Lily looked at them with confusion, and looked to where they were heading. Then her stomach dropped.

Lysander.

"Well Higgs passes it to Pritchard, who after dodging Belby, passes it back to Higgs, he kicks the Quaffle . . . and he makes it! What a great . . . Oh!"

There was a loud and collective gasp from the crowd of spectators and fans, and for the first time, Lily felt her breath leave her of its own accord at what she'd witnessed.

Lars and Tanner had fanned out a little, but Scorpius was moving like a straight shot. He smashed into Lysander, his bigger build rocking Lysander on his broom. And that was when both Beaters had moved to crisscross, both "accidently" smashing Lysander with their bats. Tanner's had caught Lysander on the collarbone, and Lars's had caught him on the head. And when they separated, Lysander fell from his broom.

Part of Lily knew that she should try to help him. That this was partly her fault. That it wasn't right to let him fall. She'd thought the same thing when Kimberly Rickett had been knocked out years ago. But for some reason, she didn't move. Nobody in the game did. But at least the Ravenclaw team tried to reach Lysander before he hit the ground. Lily was sorry that they didn't make it.

Whistles were blowing, and teachers and Madam Hooch were yelling. Madam Hooch was flying fast to the field, and teachers were already making their way onto the pitch from the stands. The Ravenclaw team was now on the ground, each surrounding Lysander with the staff. But the Slytherin team just simply floated on their brooms, and watched. When Lysander was finally loaded onto a stretcher and was made to float in the air, Lily cringed. There was blood. A lot of it.

Madam Hooch was in the air again, and she looked to be in a furry. "Three foul shots for Ravenclaw! And another move like that will end the game! And, Mr. Malfoy, if you cause one more foul, you're out of the game, and you'll never play the next one!" she screamed.

The Ravenclaws all returned to the air, casting an array of different looks at Scorpius, Tanner, and Lars. Hate, mistrust, fear. But Lily turned away, unable to look at any of them.

"And after that surprising and sick display of a foul, the Ravenclaw Chaser, Nadia Belby, takes the Quaffle, and gets into position to make her foul shots," Peaks announced.

It was eery to Lily how quiet the crowd was now. Even when Nadia missed her first shot. Not a single Slytherin cheered. But thankfully, the rest of the crowd seemed to finally cheer when Nadia made the second and third. But Slytherins were still silent. And Lily knew why. They knew Scorpius. Something had happened. Lysander had done something outside of the match. And just like Lily would have feared if she hadn't been the real cause of it, they probably feared that it was something prejudice against Slytherin House. They already felt defensive about something they didn't know the truth of. Lily closed her eyes. The rivalry among Houses . . . it was really getting out of hand. Had it always been like this? Had it been this bad when she and James first started fighting?

Lily shook her head as she began to move again. No, it hadn't. They had made it this bad over five years. And if it kept going . . . it was going to boil over, and something unchangeable would happen. But what could she do to stop it? One girl change the minds of thousands? It was easy to change the mind of new and younger kids, but the older ones that have been dealing with this for as long, or longer, than she had?

A flash of gold glinted in the sunlight, bringing Lily back to the game. She took off toward it, but a second too late. Robbie Ackerley, the Ravenclaw Seeker, was already on his way, and was closer than she was. She was thankful she had the faster broom, making it a little easier to catch up to him. Robbie held his arm out, hand open. Lily did the same, but she didn't have the reach he did. She glanced over Ackerley. He was big compared to her, and there was a scowl of concentration on his face. And when his eyes looked over at her, she saw utter hatred.

Ackerley lurched forward, and missed the Snitch. Lily tried to reach out farther, but she still didn't have the advantage he did. Ackerley made another try for it, and missed again, but barely. So Lily took her chance. Taking both hands away from her broom, she lunged forward. The Snitch hit her hand, and she closed her fingers around it, effectively catching it. But then she began to fall, her legs still tightly wrapped around her broom. She waited to be upside down, for the sky to become the ground. But then she felt as if her upper body was floating. She opened her eyes, and looked.

Robbie Ackerley was holding her up by her Quidditch robes. He pulled her back, roughly letting her settle onto her broom once again. He was still scowling, but he nodded once, and then flew away. Lily watched him go.

Maybe . . . maybe there was hope.


	66. Undetectable Changes

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I know that this chapter is shorter than my recent ones. But I figured everyone would want to see what happened with Scorpius and Lysander. Plus, I was feeling just a tad bit cruel today, and left you guys a small cliffhanger. I still hope you guys enjoy it, and let me know what you think.**

**Rating Notice - Just for those that aren't into reading anything part of the story that includes an M Rating, I'm going to try and give you heads up if there something like that in a chapter. There isn't any in this chapter, but I thought that I would just let you know for future scenes.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Six: Undetectable Changes

Normally after a big win, Slytherin House was all for throwing a huge party. But not this time. This time, a somber mood fell over them all. Lily had been silent as she showered and changed. She left the locker room without saying a word to any of them.

Lily wasn't completely sure how she felt yet. Disbelief, obviously. She thought she felt a bit of anger floating around and burning in her stomach. Uncertainty maybe? She made her way to the castle, hoping to avoid everybody. She didn't want to go to the common room. She didn't want to be the one to answer everybody's questions. She thought about checking on Lysander, but she knew that the Ravenclaw team would be there. So she only had one place to go where she could talk to someone that would be calm and unbiased.

Lily hoped that Professor Brown was in his office as she went up the stairs. When she got to the door, she raised her fist to knock, but then stopped at the sound of loud voices. She could hear them clearly.

"Once again, a child has gotten seriously hurt! We cannot allow this sport to continue in the school!" a shrill voice practically shrieked. Lily winced as she recognized the owner of the voice. Brunt.

But Professor Brown's voice was calm. "Look, the other students will be furious, and they will argue and fight against it. We only have three matches left anyways. But I assure you, there will be consequences for those boys. I plan to get the full story."

"You could be endangering their lives!" Brunt argued.

"Or perhaps I'm preparing them for the world? Isn't that the point of learning? Must it all be about academics? Are they to learn nothing of life? I'm sorry, Mrs. Brunt, but I don't plan to just throw those children out into the world without a shred of knowledge of how it works," Professor Brown argued casually. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe there is someone outside my door, wishing to speak with me."

Lily was always surprised by his awareness. He always seemed to know if she was waiting behind his door to speak with him. She knocked once and then walked inside. The portraits' eyes followed her as she walked further into the office. She was surprised to see that it wasn't just Brunt. There were about five of the governors standing in the room.

"Ah, Lily, come and sit down. We were just finishing up," Professor Brown said with a pointed look at the governors. Brunt looked at him coldly, but turned to leave. Lily waited patiently for the governors to leave the office. When the door was slammed shut, Professor Brown sighed. "I'm sorry you had to hear that argument. I'm sure you're one of the students that would protest that the banning of Quidditch."

"Yes, but I can't say that I blame them for worrying. Two major injuries within three games?" Lily muttered. She ran a hand through her hair. "So, do you want my side of the story, or can we just talk?"

"Can we do both?" Professor Brown asked.

Lily was the one to sigh this time. "Lysander told me that he loved me. Then in front of Scorpius, he kissed me," she explained.

"And are you angry at Lysander?" he asked.

"Sort of. It's not secret that Scorpius is . . . well fiercely protective. And he knew that Scorpius was watching. He knew it would cause problems between Scorpius and me. But he still did it," Lily replied.

"How else do you feel?"

"Guilty. I just want to stop hurting him, but it seems impossible," she whispered.

"Well, they say that absent makes the heart grow fonder. That, and that we never choose whom we love," Professor Brown commented.

"I don't believe he truly loves me," Lily retorted. "Maybe the idea of me, but he doesn't know me enough to really love me. I've changed drastically from how he remembers me."

"And how did Scorpius react when it happened?"

"Punched him in the jaw, and it took five guys to keep him from murdering him," Lily muttered.

"So in a way, there was slight provocation, but Scorpius took it a bit too far," Professor Brown stated.

"A bit? Way too far," Lily corrected.

"Are you angry with Scorpius?"

"Again, sort of. I guess I'm more surprised than anything. I never actually thought that he'd take it that far. But . . . I just don't know what to say to him," Lily admitted.

"Tell him how you feel."

"But what if I don't really know how I feel yet?"

"Then you tell him that." Professor Brown leaned forward on his elbows, looking at her with a sympathetic and serious look. "Lily, you claim to love him. He says he loves you. If that's true, then honesty should be a priority. And with time, I'm sure it'll become easier for you two."

She nodded. "Thank you, Jacob."

"Of course, Lily. But, the dissatisfied look on your face tells me that there's something else in your thoughts," Professor Brown pointed out.

Lily licked her lips. Her whole mouth felt dry. "You know, I've had so many problems within my family, I've never really focused on the problems I've caused at Hogwarts."

"Describe problems."

"James and I brought most of our fights to school. James got multiple people to hate and distrust me, and I know I've been the reason a lot of people haven't trusted Gryffindors. We made an already delicate rivalry worse," Lily replied.

"Lily, not everyone believes in the old rivalries as much," Professor Brown argued calmly.

"But the ones that do are making it worse. I've made it worse, James made it worse, and a ton more are making it worse, and no one is trying to fix it," Lily exclaimed. "And it feels like if it gets any worse, things are just . . . I don't know!"

"From what I've heard, you've been a bit more of an advocate of House unity to younger students," Professor Brown countered.

"That's one person. I can't change it by myself!" Lily argued.

Professor Brown raised an eye. "Really?" He hummed for a moment as he seemed to think. "You know, I've had a theory . . . well more like a belief. To make a change, you need support and help. But a group needs a leader to speak for it. Otherwise, the group for peace becomes a group full of chaos."

"I guess that makes sense," Lily admitted. "But what can I do?"

"You know, many great people in our world's history have often thought the same thing. What can we do? Each had a different answer, each with different results. Only you can decide what to do," Professor Brown explained.

A thought and concern struck Lily. "Jacob, have the governors said anything about the House rivalries? Surely, they've noticed."

He looked at her for a moment before answering. "Yes, they've mentioned it." He paused, ran a hand over his hair, then looked at her again. "Lily, how about you and I go and visit Duncan on the sixth?"

Lily looked at Professor Brown in surprise. Since things had been so hectic, Lily hadn't been able to visit Duncan in a while, and Professor Brown was always having to deal with the governors. She was still writing to him of course. But why the impulse visit?

"Um, sure. That sounds just fine." She refrained from asking his reasons. She was sure he wouldn't answer. But she knew she was right about one thing.

Things were changing at Hogwarts.

* * *

Professor Brown gave Lily a pass to enter the Hospital Wing after curfew, that way she could talk to Lysander alone. Madam Pomfrey had looked skeptical, but had let Lily in, and pointed her over to a bed on the far side of the room. She could see Lysander sitting up on the bed, a book in his hands. She was glad to see that he was up, but she could see bandages around his forehead.

"Please be quick. I want him to sleep. He'll heal faster," Madam Pomfrey said as she walked past Lily.

Lily nodded as she walked over to where Lysander was. He seemed to notice someone else was in the room, because he looked up from his book, and his eyes found her quickly.

"Lily!" he said. His happiness was evident. He quickly marked his place in the book, set it down, and looked at her eagerly. "You came! I wasn't sure if you would."

"We need to talk," Lily said curtly. She sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"Of course. Where do you want to start?" Lysander asked with a smile.

Lily personally wished he'd stop smiling. It made it harder for her, because she knew she was going to probably crush him. "I can't feel completely sorry for what happened to you. You asked for Scorpius to do something to you when you kissed me. Although, I do wish that he hadn't done something this harsh," she admitted.

"I know, I know. I hadn't expected it to be this bad either," Lysander replied.

Lily sighed. "Lysander, I've tried everything. I tried to be mean to you and break your heart. I tried to say it gently. I've tried everything I know to get you to get over your feelings of me. But no matter what, you're sticking to a memory of me, and you've fallen in love with it."

"It's not an idea, Lily," Lysander protested.

"Yes it is, Lysander. When we first started dating, I had changed. And I've changed since we broke up. I'm a different person, and you refuse to see it," Lily argued.

"Lily, I trust my feelings," Lysander stated firmly.

"And I trust mine," Lily replied. "And I love Scorpius. I'm always going to love him. Nothing will change that, because I love every thing about him. Not an idea of him. And I'm sorry that I've been hurting you, but I can't love you, Lysander."

"We never gave it a chance," Lysander argued.

"Never gave it a chance?" Lily said with incredulity. "I tried so hard to feel something for you when we were dating! I tried, Lysander! But . . . but we just want different things. You're a gentleman, and that's a great thing, but I don't want to be with someone who is constantly a gentleman. And you're not a fighter. I like when the person I love defends me. I can respect you for the person you are, and I don't want you to change. But I can't be in love with the person you are."

"Lily, I've known you so much longer than he has. We grew up together," Lysander said.

"As children, yes. But not as teens. We've separated, Lysander. And he's been with me through it all. And he's seen me at my worst and most vulnerable, and he still loves me. Just like I've seen it all in him. Even though I don't like how far he went with all of this, I still love him."

Lysander scowled lightly. "He's not a good choice! You know what he's eventually going to want you two to do! He has no sense of values!"

Lily sighed. "First off, I doubt you know anything about his ethics and values. And secondly, so what? It's not like I'm abstinent," Lily pointed out, doing her best to keep completely calm.

Lysander just scowled for a moment, but then something seemed to dawn on him, and Lily was sure that she was about to witness someone blowing up. "You've slept with him, haven't you?" A look of disbelief came across his face. "How could you, Lily? How could you take something that should have special, and just throw it away like that?"

Now Lily began to glare, indignation welling up in her throat. "You have no idea what you're talking about! I didn't throw anything away! I gave it to him, because I wanted _him_ to have it. And it was special to me. You have no idea what lengths he went through to make it special!"

"How special is it going to be when you don't see each other for two years, and he meets someone else?" Lysander countered.

"This is why I can't love you!" Lily snapped as she stood from her chair. "Do you realize how hypocritical you are? You're graduating too! I wouldn't see you for two years either! So you're just so much better than him that your eyes would never stray? When we dated, I remember seeing girls hang all over you, and you let them. At least Scorpius has the decency to push them away and tell them to stop. And you know what he tells them? That he has a girlfriend that he loves! So don't tell me what he's going to do, because I know him. And now, I'm really starting to see that he was right. It's not just him that can't trust you, because I can't trust you anymore either." She began to storm away.

"Lily, wait!" Lysander called.

Lily shook her head. "No, you got even. Way to go. I hurt you, and you hurt me. Great job," she retorted, trying to figure out her main emotion. Anger, or hurt.

"I didn't mean-,"

Lily stopped at the door. "Just stay away from me, Lysander. For both of our sakes. Just stay away from me, don't think about me, and just do what you can to forget about me. Because I'm tired of feeling guilty about hurting you. I don't care anymore. I'm done."

She left the room, her eyes feeling the burning sensation of upcoming tears.

* * *

When she entered the common room for the first time since before the match, Lily felt the intense tension in the air. It was quiet too. No one was talking. Groups of kids were either just sitting around, silently entertaining themselves, staring into the fire, or studying by themselves. But she also noticed that Scorpius wasn't around. But she could see Mitch sitting with Rex and Justin at a table in the corner. She made her way to them, but they didn't look at her.

"Mitch?" she whispered.

Mitch turned to look at her. That usual spark and casualness in his eyes and face were gone. "What did that son of a bitch do, Lily Lu?" he demanded.

Lily sighed. "Nothing against us," she assured.

Mitch stood up. "If he did something to anger him that bad, then he did."

Lily fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "He kissed me in front of Scorpius," she told him.

An anger seemed to show in Mitch. "Is he insane?" he hissed.

"Just leave it be," Lily warned. "I want it to be over. He got what he basically asked for." She paused, then brought out her courage. "Where is he, Mitch?"

Mitch sighed this time, and sat back down in his chair. "No one is going to be happy about what he did."

"But it's between me, Scor, and Lysander. Now where is Scorpius, Mitch?" Lily repeated.

Mitch clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "All I know is that he's not here. According to Lars, after they all came back inside, he stormed off. We haven't seen him since."

Lily groaned quietly. "Perfect," she mumbled.

She began to turn away, but Mitch gently grabbed her wrist. "Lil, . . . maybe he just wanted some air," he hinted.

Lily smiled with gratitude. "Thanks for the tip," she said. Then she turned and hurried to leave the common room. Lily was careful as she made her way through the castle. She didn't want to run into any other prefects, or any of the governors. But she was lucky enough to make it up to the Astronomy Tower without a problem. The door was already open. Lily stepped in, closing the door behind her. Then she quietly walked up the stairs. The air was getting cooler as she went up. And as she got closer to the top, she could see Scorpius sitting at the top of the steps.

"Scorpius?" she whispered. She saw his body tense. She climbed the rest of the stairs, and looked at him. "Scorpius, what are you doing up here?" Instead of answering her, he got up and stormed down the stairs. Lily felt her heart drop into her stomach as she hurried after him. "Scorpius, wait!"

Once on the ground floor, he whirled around to look at her. "I was being paranoid? I was being a bad guy?" he snapped.

Lily bit her lip momentarily. "You were right," she replied softly.

"You think?" Scorpius hissed. "But did we have to prove that I was right? Every time I warn you against something, do we have to keep doing it until something bad happens to prove how right I am?"

"Scor, I'm sorry," Lily apologized. "But what do you have left to be angry about? I was wrong. I'm admitting that! You got your extreme payback against Lysander! What else is there?"

"A persistent rage!" Scorpius snapped. "Just let me be angry!" Lily watched him storm around. "You know, sometimes people just want to take a moment and be angry! Can I have that?"

Lily sighed. If it had been a different situation, she might have laughed. The thought that Scorpius just wanted to pout and throw things was amusing. But at this moment, she walked forward and wrapped her arms around him. "How long are you going to be mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you," he countered. "I'm just angry in general."

She rested her head on his chest. "Well how long are you going to be 'angry in general' because I would really like to just go to bed and forget this whole day, but I can't do that until I know you're going to be fine."

"Then just go bed," he muttered.

"It's not the same without you there," she replied gently.

"You'll get used to it." He pulled away from her arms and stalked over to the small window.

Lily tried to ignore the pulsing hurt that kept beating in her heart. "Scorpius, please?" she pleaded.

"I can't just calm down and go to sleep!" he snapped. "I'm sorry, but I'm not that kind of guy! When I'm angry, I move. I get mean, and I hurt people, so would you just leave so I don't say anything more hurtful than I already have?"

Lily shook her head. "No. No, I'm not leaving until you leave with me." Scorpius growled and turned his back. Lily took a small step forward. "You know, I'm trying to understand why you're this angry after you've gotten back at him, but I'm lost. Help me?"

Scorpius didn't turn around. And he was quiet for a moment, but Lily waited. "There are rare things that I'm allowed to get mad at," he mumbled.

Lily looked at his back in confusion. "What?"

"You know, Potters and Weasleys aren't the only families put in the media's spotlight. The Malfoys are too. It's just never anything good," Scorpius stated. "Even when we do something good, the media tries to pick apart an ulterior motive. We're a family of death eaters, we aren't to be trusted, we can turn on you any moment." He scoffed. "You know, parents read that, believe it, and then pass it on to their kids. Just like your family probably did."

Lily nervously ran a hand through her hair. "Scorpius, you have to admit that it's gotten better."

"But it hasn't stopped!" he argued. "My father told me what would happen when I went to Hogwarts. He told me not to fight. To keep my head held high, because Malfoys have dignity. We have pride. So for seven years now I've taken every comment made toward my family in stride. And I have done everything I could not to fight back. Sure, I've failed a couple times, but for the most part I've succeeded." He sighed heavily. "But that doesn't take away the anger you feel. If anything, it just sits and festers and grows. And at the first chance, it just pours out, and you can't get rid of it until you've let it all out."

He turned to look at her. "So no, I can't just be calm. Not when I've got seven years of anger pouring out of me." He closed his eyes, and Lily watched as he pulled in a long breath. "So just leave and go to bed."

Lily pulled a nearby desk chair closer, and sat down. "I can wait," she murmured.

Scorpius marched to where she sat, and placed his hands on her shoulders. His grip wasn't tight, but she could tell they were tense. "Lily, just go."

Lily placed her hands on his, and stood up. She brought their hands down, and she wrapped his arms around her. "Scorpius, you have always sat with me while I ranted, raved, or cried. Let me do the same for you," she murmured.

He pulled her closer, his arms crushing her to him. Lily rested her cheek on his chest. His shoulders moved with every ragged and angry pant he dragged into his lungs. She could feel one of his hands tangle in her hair, his grip harsh and almost pulling. But she didn't pull away from him. Then he moved to grab her hips, and then surprised her by lifting her up. She instinctively grabbed onto his shoulders as he placed her on the nearby writing desk. His grip was still bruising as he laid his head on her shoulder. His breaths were hot and heavy on her neck. Lily moved her hands to his head, cradling him as he obviously tried to calm. Tried being the important word.

His lips brushed against her shoulder when he finally spoke. "I don't like being this angry. I feel like a brute," he mumbled.

Lily stroked his hair. "It's never a great feeling," she agreed.

"Nonetheless, thanks for staying anyways," Scorpius muttered.

"It's never fun to go through it alone."

* * *

Lily was surprised to wake up in a bed at all that morning. She couldn't even remember ever going to bed the previous night. Last she remembered, she was sitting with Scorpius in the Astronomy Tower, waiting for him to calm down at least a little. How long had they stayed there?

There was a low groan behind her. It was then that Lily noticed the arm around her, and the warm body behind her. Lily turned over to see that Scorpius was still fast asleep. His hair fanned around his forehead like a halo, and his face was as peaceful as an angel's. His body was relaxed. It was all such a big change from what she remembered of last night.

Enjoying the warmth and comfort, Lily stayed in the bed, cuddling more into his body. She wasn't sure what time it was, and she didn't know how long she laid there before she finally felt Scorpius stir. His arm tightened around her, and then he groaned quietly again. Lily watched as his peaceful face turned into a bit of a scowl, and his eyes blinked rapidly until they opened fully. But then he closed them again.

"What time is it?" he mumbled as he turned his head into the pillow.

Lily smiled. "No clue. When did we come back last night?"

"I carried you back after you fell asleep," he answered.

"How do you feel?" Lily whispered with concern.

She heard him sigh. "You know, after having that much anger pent up for seven years . . . it feels really good to be free from it."

Lily nodded. "You know, I understand anger. But I am here for when you're mad," she mentioned.

"I know. But yesterday was a bit more than just mad," he replied. But he pulled her closer to him. "But thanks."

* * *

March came with a calmer air. It seemed that once everyone in Slytherin was assured that the cause of Scorpius's anger wasn't due to someone's prejudice against Slytherin House, things slowly eased back into comfort. Only a few knew about what had really happened, and none of them were thrilled. Jace had given out a brutal punishment idea for Lysander. Lola just kicked him under the table, and told him to shut up.

The match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff came and went without serious injuries. Gryffindor came out victorious. The only person the Slytherins were happy for was Hugo. Again, Lily saw how badly House rivalries were getting.

But she was grateful when the day to visit Duncan came around. Professor Brown had sent her a note, telling her to meet him in his office after lunch. They were to go by Floo. She was curious as to why they didn't just travel to Hogsmeade and then Apparate like normal, but she didn't question it.

"So, when do you have to go?" Scorpius asked as they all ate lunch.

"Once I'm finished eating," Lily replied. "He wants to be back at dinner apparently."

"We must be having something delicious for dinner then," Lars guess over a mouthful.

"That is disgusting," Lana muttered as she looked at her brother.

Lily pushed her plate away. "Well, I'm done, so I'm going to go to his office now."

"I think he's still eating though," Lola mentioned, nodding toward the staff table. Professor Brown was eating, and seemed to be in a conversation with Hagrid.

Lily shrugged. "Then I'll wait in there."

"Well if we're not cool enough to wait with," Hugo mocked.

Lily rolled her eyes and ruffled her cousin's hair. "You got that right!" she joked. Then she turned to kiss Scorpius's cheek. "I'll see you guys in a couple of hours."

"Later, babe," Scorpius said after swallowing a bite of food.

"Tell us all about it," Lola told her.

Lily's walk to the headmaster's office was quiet and easy, since everyone was eating lunch. She entered his office and immediately went to stroke Hades.

"Well, Lily, what a surprise," the voice of Dumbledore spoke from behind her.

Lily turned to look at past headmasters, Dumbledore and Snape. "Professor Brown and I are using the Floo Network this time," she explained simply. She was sure they knew where they were going. After all, the portraits knew everything that went on in here.

"Ah, I see," Dumbledore murmured.

"Are you ready for the rest of the year, Lily Luna?" Snape asked in that droll voice of his.

Lily raised a brow. "I guess so. Why?"

"Big changes are on the way, wouldn't you say?" Snape said vaguely.

"What do you mean?" Lily questioned.

"Lily, have you ever heard the story of your father's fifth year?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.

Lily looked at both of them with confusion. What were they going on about? "Yeah, I remember it. That was the year he started Dumbledore's Army. Against Umbridge."

"No, that's where you're wrong," Dumbledore corrected. "It was in order to educate his friends and peers on how to defend themselves. It was to educate, not to fight. It brought on a lot of allies. He gained their trust. And some were even from other Houses, although at that time period, it was no surprise that there was a lack of Slytherins."

"Dumbledore, sir, no offense but . . . what's the point of reminding me of this?" Lily asked.

Dumbledore shrugged. "Just curious on whether or not you remembered the story."

Lily sighed. Old men in portraits could be quite strange and cryptic.

* * *

"I'm so sorry I haven't been able to visit you for a while. Things have been so hectic," Lily apologized as she pushed Duncan's hair away from his face.

Duncan smiled. "It's ok. You brought Jake here with you, so that makes up for it," he assured.

Professor Brown smiled. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here more often. I've had to deal with the task of entertaining our school board of governors."

"So, how's the infection?" Lily asked curiously.

"No different," Duncan told her. "It hasn't spread, and no other part of me has tried to disappear either. They've been fighting each other, basically."

"Well on chance of you healing stand point, that's good. But what about medically?" Professor Brown asked.

"They say that the infection hasn't done any permanent damage. They're all things they can fix easily," Duncan answered.

"Well we're glad to hear that," Lily said.

"So, how's your fifth year been, Lily? Have you taken your O.W.L.s yet?" Duncan asked curiously and eagerly.

Lily smiled at his optimism and happiness about grueling tests. "No, not yet. I take them in June. But I've had a . . . a very interesting year so far," she admitted.

"How have Hugo and Scorpius been? You should bring them with you sometime again," Duncan said.

So for the next hour or so, Duncan requested that Lily fill him in on all that had happened at Hogwarts with her. So Lily carefully explained certain parts. She told him about how Hugo and Scorpius were doing, and about her other friends. She told him of some of her modeling shoots, which he claimed he saw, told him about her Christmas dinner at the Malfoys', and of Fred's wedding. She left and negative detail or event out. Then Professor Brown filled him in on a few things as well. And through this, Lily learned a lot about her headmaster. Such as that he had two brothers. His oldest, Marshal, was working in America within their government, and was doing great work for magical creatures. And his younger brother, Gabriel, was traveling all over Europe, simply to see the world. And apparently, their mother was always worrying about their younger one.

"You know, I have a few pictures that Gabriel sent me of his trip to Hungry. Would you like one?" Professor Brown asked.

Duncan nodded with a bright smile. "Sure! I'd love one!"

Professor Brown pulled a picture out his pocket, and held it out for Duncan. He took it, and held it so that Lily could see it as well. She was almost shocked at the man she saw in the picture. He looked so much like Professor Brown, except his hair was a tad bit darker. You could tell he was younger in the face. But Lily couldn't tell how much younger he was.

"How old is Gabriel, Jacob?" Lily asked.

"He's twenty-five right now. His birthday is in July," Professor Brown asked.

Lily was surprised again. Twenty-five, soon to be twenty-six? That means he would have been in Teddy's year at Hogwarts. So . . . "How old are you then, if you don't mind me asking?" Lily questioned.

"Thirty," Professor Brown answered.

Lily didn't hide her shock from him. "Thirty?"

Professor Brown chuckled. "Do I look older?"

"Oh, no!" Lily said quickly. "It's just that . . . well, isn't that a young age to be a headmaster of a school, instead of just a teacher?"

He shrugged. "I guess. They say I'm the youngest one ever to be chosen. My previous headmaster, Headmistress McGonagall, approached me one day and asked me to be the new headmaster. It was quite shocking, but how could I say no? I loved Hogwarts, still do."

"How old were you then?" Lily asked. She remembered meeting McGonagall once in her life when she was very young, and she remembered that she was once Teddy's headmistress. But Lily couldn't remember when she ever retired.

"I was twenty-one when she asked me. I was the headmaster during Teddy Lupin's sixth year, if that helps you imagine it better," Professor Brown explained.

Lily felt almost humbled at the thought. She would have been six-years-old at the time. "So, you've been the headmaster for nine years?" And the governors had chosen now to do something? Not that she wanted Professor Brown to lose his job, but why had they waited so long? What was their benefit?

Something wasn't right.

* * *

When Lily and Professor Brown returned to Hogwarts, she hesitated before leaving his office. Questions about the governors still plagued her mind.

"Something bothering you, Lily?" Professor Brown asked.

Lily turned around to look at him again. "Well, Jake, you've been the headmaster for nine years. My guess is that you've always worked the way you do now."

"You would be right," Professor Brown said as he sat behind his desk.

"Well, then why have the governors chosen this year to try and step in?" Lily asked.

Professor Brown breathed a sigh. "You know, Lily, the last time the governors of Hogwarts stepped in was during your father's time. It was due to not having confidence in Albus Dumbledore to protect the students during a particularly dangerous time."

"I know that story, but this is different. Then, they didn't come to the school. So why are they this time?" Lily asked.

"Because they don't have enough evidence or reason to start a vote due to lack of confidence in me. Some of them don't have a problem with how I work, so those that do need to find evidence and reason to persuade them to start a vote. And since enough of the governors have a lack of confidence in me, they are able to come and observe, so to speak," Professor Brown explained. "It's a complicated system they have worked out, but it's one that I support and trust."

"Even though they're trying to kick you out?" Lily replied skeptically.

He chuckled. "Yes, even though they are trying to kick me out. Because although we disagree, they are doing what they think is best for the students. And I respect that, because that is also what I want. We share a common goal. We just have different approaches to it."

He leaned forward, and spoke honestly to her. "Lily, you can't win everyone's approval and favor. But when you all share the same goal, the least you can do is respect each other."

* * *

More days passed, and soon a few weeks went by. They went by in peace, but for Lily not so much. Her mind was still plagued by the odd feeling of change. A change she couldn't see happening. Something behind the scenes at Hogwarts. The adults she always talked to for answers seemed be even more cryptic. She still couldn't understand what Professors Snape and Dumbledore had gone on about, and some of Professor Brown's words still troubled her. Almost nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

But Easter Break came, and Lily soon had no time to think about anything but homework and revision. She was used to homework on Easter Break, but fifth year had given her the most she'd ever had. And because of all the homework that fifth and seventh years were swamped with, Lily felt as if she hardly had time to spend with Scorpius. If she wasn't studying, he was, and vice versa. Not to mention the couple of detentions he, Tanner, and Lars had been given due to the Quidditch incident. And although it made her blush a little to think about it, they hadn't had sex since their first time a little over a month ago, and it was something she wanted to happen again. But by the end of each night, her mind was exhausted, and she passed out immediately after her head hit the pillow.

"Lily? Lily!"

Lily almost jumped from her seat. She blinked rapidly as she looked over at Lola. "Sorry, what?"

Lola rolled her eyes. "I've been asking you a question for like over a minute now!" she complained.

Lily sighed. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just a bit preoccupied. What was the question?"

"What's bothering ya, cuz?" Hugo asked curiously.

Lily waved it off. "Nothing, nothing. Just continue. I've got a time for a few more minutes of quizzing each other before I have to change to get ready for Slughorn's party."

"What's to get ready for?" Hugo asked. "It's a casual dinner party. I'm going like this." He had all of his piercings in, his hat on, cross necklace, a black polo with red trim, and black jeans.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm wearing a white tanktop that my blue bra shows through, and shorts that are too short to apparently be appropriate. I'm going to have to change."

Hugo simply shrugged. When the time for Lily to change came, she dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a dark red and black top. Then she walked down the stairs to meet the others. They had all decided to walk together. She was surprised by how casual Liz West was. According to Lance, most of the fourth years and younger years thought it was so cool to hang around older kids, but Liz didn't seem to take much notice. Lily was liking her more and more.

When she came down the stairs, Scorpius, Lance, and Liz were there waiting as well, but Lana and Hugo weren't. "Where are the others?" she asked.

"Lana's taking forever to get ready, and Hugo and Lola are bit tongue-tied on their goodbye," Scorpius mocked, pointed at the snogging couple near the fireplace.

Lily rolled her eyes, but then looked over Scorpius himself. His hair was ruffled around his head. He was dressed in a black sweater and grey jeans.

"Am I the last one?" Lana asked as she descended the stairs.

"To be ready, yes," Lily replied.

Scorpius turned his head. "Hey, Hugo! Pull your tongue out! We're leaving!" The common room was filled with laughs and snickers. Hugo pulled away and shot Scorpius an exasperated look, while Lola blushed. Scorpius shrugged and took Lily's hand, and began to walk toward the door. When Hugo caught up with them just outside the common room, he punched Scorpius's shoulder.

"You're a dick, dude," he muttered.

"I told you I was going to yell at you if you didn't finish by the time we left," Scorpius replied.

When the group arrived at Slughorn's office, they saw that some of the others were already there.

"Lily!" Louis greeted from a seat at the table. He was sitting next to Lucy, who was talking with Connie Wood next to her.

Keeping her hand in Scorpius's, she took him with her to the table, where she sat down on Louis's other side. "How's it been?" she asked him curiously. She never really got to talk to Louis much anymore. Something was always going on during family gatherings lately.

Louis shrugged. "Fine. Nothing much has changed."

"Well you've got the relaxing year between O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s," Scorpius joked.

Louis grinned. "Yeah, that's been a bright side, believe me. O.W.L. year was tough."

"N.E.W.T. year is tougher," Scorpius warned.

"Oh joy," Louis laughed.

When everyone arrived, and they all began to eat, Lily found that the air was relaxed, despite the different Houses in attendance.

"The Kestrels are totally going to be playing in the next Quidditch Cup!" Lance was saying to Lucy.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "The Appleby Arrows have the best winning record so far," she pointed out. "And the Bulgarian team has the record for catching Snitch the most this year. Those are the teams going to the Cup."

"Bulgaria is the most overrated team!" Lance argued with a laugh.

Lily was happy to see their argument was all in good nature.

"I actually plan to take a job in the ministry," Clayton was telling Slughorn. "I'm actually quite fascinated with the work of Unspeakables."

Lily looked at Connie, who sat across from her. "So, Connie, I've been kinda surprised that you never tried out for the Quidditch team. Why not?"

Connie scoffed and grinned. "You know as well as I do that I've been dealing with Quidditch games and facts all my life. I don't plan on ever adding more to it," she replied. "I was surprised that you decided to play," she added. "You've been subjected to it almost as much as I have."

Lily chuckled. "Well I love the competition. Not to mention the exercise is healthy. If I didn't play, I'd probably be even lazier than I am now."

"That seems impossible," Hugo joked.

"Coming from you?" Connie teased.

Lily felt even more hope for House unity than as she looked over the dinner party. Lana and Chris seemed to be in a deep conversation over ministry workings, Louis and Scorpius had gone from talking about their current meal to French delicacies, and Liz and Violet Anderson, Ashley's sister, were discussing what they were hoping to do at their next Hogsmeade trip. It was almost perfect.

The dinner party only ended because Slughorn noticed that it was already past curfew, so he dismissed them. But not before whispering to Lily that she had done a splendid job. They all said farewell to the ones from other Houses, including Hugo, and then the Slytherins began to walk to the dungeons.

"That was really fun," Lance commented, starting off a conversation between them.

But with a sudden and inspired thought, Lily took Scorpius's hand and stopped walking. The other three kept walking, not noticing that they had stopped.

Scorpius looked at her curiously. "What's up?" he asked.

Lily blushed a little, but she didn't shy away. She wasn't going to let modesty get to her this time. "I don't want to go back to the common room just yet."

He shrugged. "Ok. Wanna walk for a bit? Anyone asks, we can just say we're on patrol," Scorpius suggested.

Lily played with a strand of her hair. "Actually, I was thinking that since it's been a pretty . . . stressful week, I might go to the Prefect Bathroom and take a bath." She paused, but then continued. "Would you wanna come with?"

Scorpius's surprised face was something Lily would have laughed at if she wasn't trying to push away any embarrassment and modesty she felt. But Scorpius finally spoke. "Um . . . uh, well . . . really?"

Lily sighed as she took both of his hands. "It's been awhile since the first time. And . . . yeah, I want you to come with."

Lily could tell that he wanted to smirk, but as if trying to look modest and casual himself, he obviously fought against it. "Well, I'm not one to argue. Whatever you want, sweetheart."

Lily smiled. "Good, because arguing would get you no where," she teased lightly. Then she began to pull him along. Their destination: Prefect Bathroom.

Once they were there, had given the password, and stepped inside, Lily felt need to gather up her courage again. She didn't need to feel awkward or weird anymore. She was with Scorpius, which meant two things: One, he'd seen her naked before. And two, there was no one she could ever trust and be more comfortable around.

But Scorpius seemed to pick up on her brief hesitance. "Are you sure about this? Because I don't mind that it's been a week over a month since we have," he assured.

Lily giggled as she moved over to the bath nozzles. "Yet you know the exact amount of days?"

Scorpius avoided her eyes as he tried to look nonchalant. "Quick count in my head is all," he covered.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she didn't tease him on it anymore. "Yes, I'm sure." She turned a couple of the nozzles on, and immediately, a heady and flowery scent filled the room as the scented water, foam, and bubbles began to fill the large pool. Because to Lily, it was way too big to be a bath. They were silent as it filled, and once it was full, Lily cut the flow of water.

Lily stood and turned to look at them, and then moved that she was standing in front of him. "Before you say anything, don't ask me if I'm sure again, because I know you want to. I'm sure. Now, are you in, or not?" She didn't wait for an answer as she turned around and walked toward the water. With ease, she pulled her shirt over her head, and then kicked off her shoes and socks. She was undoing her jeans when she felt two arms wrap around her, and heard him speak.

"I'm in," he murmured. Lily closed her eyes and relaxed into him. Now, things really were perfect.

So why would she expect life to go from perfect to disastrous?


	67. Changes Raising Tensions

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry that this chapter isn't very long, but I wanted to stop it before I had way too much into it. But I have a nice portion of the next chapter written already, so it shouldn't be too long before I have it done. Anyhow, this is where things really start to happen with Lily. So, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Changes Raising Tensions

"All staff and students must report to the Great Hall immediately. All staff and students must report to the Great Hall immediately. An important announcement is to be made immediately," a stern woman's voice reverberated throughout the castle.

Lily looked around at her friends, who looked just as confused and curious as she felt.

"If it's an important announcement, shouldn't we be hearing Professor Brown's voice?" Hugo asked as they all stood up.

"Perhaps he's already in the Great Hall," Lola suggested.

"Any idea what's up, guys?" Mitch asked as he, Lars, Justin, and Scorpius came to walk with them. Scorpius wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulders.

"Not a clue," Megan replied.

"If there was something to report, shouldn't they have done it at dinner an hour ago?" Justin said as they left the common room. The other members of Slytherin were all filing through and out of the dungeons, making their way to the Great Hall.

"You would think. Maybe it just happened," Scorpius retorted.

"Must be serious then," Shannon commented.

The Entrance Hall was teeming with students as everyone was making their way into the Great Hall. When the group walked in, they immediately went toward the Slytherin table. Lily looked up at where the staff usually ate, and felt her stomach drop. The governors were standing in front, Brunt standing at the podium.

"Great. Just the person we want to give a speech," Hugo mocked dryly as he sat with them at their table.

It seemed to be at least another ten minutes before the room had filled, and the tables were surrounded by students. Lily glanced at the staff at their table. They looked curious, although she noticed that Professor Longbottom wasn't happy looking. And Lily began to worry when she saw that Professor Brown was absent. A bad feeling was coming over Lily, and it was coming fast.

It took another five minutes for everyone to settle down and become quiet. Brunt cleared her throat, and then she began to speak.

"Attention, Hogwarts students. We, the governors of Hogwarts, have a very important announcement to give to you. It concerns you greatly, and it has been asked by my associates that I be the one to give you the news."

Students stirred and muttered lowly, but stopped after a swift moment. Brunt began again. "It is with an impartial opinion that I announce to you all that Professor Brown is to be replaced tomorrow."

"What!" Hugo exclaimed. And at his voice, a loud vibration of voices arose in the room. People all over the room were muttering and whispering. Rumors were already starting, and truths were being demanded. Lily found herself sinking. Changes. Things were changing. Fast, and badly.

"Quiet! Quiet!" Brunt hushed. When people settled, a tense and confused air settled over the room. "Now, this is not a temporary replacement. He will, at the least, be replaced until the end of all exams. This is simply a test to see how better things are around Hogwarts become with someone new in charge." Brunt took a moment to look over them all. "Now, we will introduce our new, temporary headmaster tomorrow morning when that person arrives. For now, you are all dismissed back to your common rooms."

"What a bitch!" Lars exclaimed as they all began to file out of the Great Hall with all the other students.

Scorpius wrapped his arm around Lily's shoulder. "You alright, baby? You seem preoccupied."

Lily blinked as she looked at him. Then she glanced over at the stairs leading to the next floor. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She hesitated, but then steeled her resolve. "I'll see you guys later. I need to do something."

She heard the others calling to her, asking her questions, but Lily kept moving through the crowd. She eventually fell behind a group of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, and followed them up a couple of flights. She'd almost made it to where she would have to separate, but life's cruelty was rearing its ugly head.

"What are you doing up here, Lily?"

Lily stopped walking, and tensed immediately at the sound of Albus's voice. She turned to look at him, and she felt her nerves shiver even more when she saw that he was accompanied by Rose, Lorcan, . . . and Lysander.

Albus stepped closer. "I said, what are you doing up here? We were supposed to return to our common rooms."

Lily did her best to keep her cool. "I don't remember it being an order. Just a statement. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have something I need to do."

She began to turn, but she was stopped again, this time by Rose. "It's almost curfew for everyone, and I know that you aren't on patrol tonight. So, go back to your common room, and tell Hugo to return to ours."

Lily pushed back her irritation. They were wasting her time! Who knew how much she had left? "It may be close to curfew. But it's not yet. So unless you have a valid reason, you don't have the right to send me back. If you want to question this, we can ask Professor Longbottom. But, for the moment, excuse me. I need to do something," Lily said calmly.

"Planning to tramp around in one of the dark corners?" Lysander said, his voice oddly scathing. Lorcan shot his brother a surprised look.

Lily tensed even more, but she kept her calm. Now was not the time to blow up. "You know, Lysander, I would try to remember why you have those bandages around your forehead still. I don't think you want it to be repeated."

"Are you threatening him?" Rose demanded.

"I'm warning him," Lily retorted. "I'm done hiding things from him. And I don't control him. So if he gets angry at you again, Lysander, I'm not stopping him." Then she turned on her heel and began to walk away.

"Get back here! We aren't done!" Albus yelled after her.

Lily held her head high, and she kept walking.

* * *

When Lily arrived at the office to the headmaster, she didn't bother with knocking. She burst through the door, and found Professor Brown taking things out of his desk.

"Professor! What's this about them replacing you?" Lily demanded.

Professor Brown looked up at her, but then continued to take things out. "I'm not your professor anymore, Lily. You can call me by my name."

Lily sighed heavily. "Ok then. _Jacob_, what are they talking about?"

Now Professor Brown sighed, and looked up at her fully. "It's true, Lily. I am being temporarily, and possibly permanently, replaced."

"But why?" Lily demanded. "You said they needed a reason!"

"They found a reason," Professor Brown replied. "Marigold Brunt and her supporters attacked how I apparently wasn't helping students study, and how I had let house rivalries get worse. They stated that these things had gotten out of control. Students were getting too violent around other Houses, and they weren't getting help with lessons. So, they suggested a temporary replacement to prove that I wasn't doing well and that someone could do better."

Lily scowled. "So, how can we fight against it?"

He shrugged. "We can't. They got two areas that I can't fight against. They know I won't try to hinder students on their studying to make this new headmaster look bad. There's nothing I can do, because they know that I want things to get better just as much as they do," Professor Brown replied.

"We have to do something!" Lily argued.

Professor Brown came around the desk, and moved to place his hands on Lily's shoulders as he stood in front of her. "Lily, there are millions of fights in a person's life. Internal and external. Mental and physical. But we can't win them all. And when it's obvious that we can't win, it's best to hold your head high, and lose with dignity."

Lily watched as he turned back to his desk, and began to empty it out. Then she turned around and began to leave the office. She didn't bother saying goodbye. She knew she'd see him again, and as their reinstated headmaster. Because maybe Professor Brown was right. Maybe he couldn't win this fight.

But she could. Once she figured out how.

* * *

Lily went straight to bed once she'd gotten back to the common room. She didn't say anything to the others, and she didn't bother telling Hugo about how Rose was demanding he go back there tonight.

Scorpius obviously followed her, but she was glad that he let her change and climb into bed without a word. But once he had finally come to lay beside her, he ran a few fingers through her hair. "What happened?" he whispered.

"Professor Brown doesn't think he can win, so he won't fight against them," she mumbled.

"And?" Scorpius urged.

"I want to fight for him. He's a great headmaster, and Brunt's ideals are insane." She sighed. "And what's worse is that they attacked him based on House rivalries. Rivalries that I've made worse over the years."

"This isn't your fault," he countered.

"Sure as hell feels like I've contributed to it though. And I've got to help. He's helped me over the last five years," Lily replied.

"Well, you'll think of something, sweetheart," he assured.

But as the night went on and the morning came, Lily wasn't so sure. She had no idea before sleeping, nothing came to her in her dreams, and was still clueless after she woke up. The Great Hall was silent as all the students anticipated the introduction of their new and "temporary" headmaster. Hugo immediately came to join them at their table. Lily examined the man that stood near the podium with a critical eye. He looked to be an average height, and was lean. His hair could almost be considered long, and was practically white. He looked to be middle-aged, and his expression was oddly blank.

Once everyone was seated, Brunt stood at the podium again. "Attention, students. Before we begin eating, I would like to introduce our replacement for the position of headmaster, _Professor_ Heyes," Brunt introduced.

The applause from students was dull as the man approached the podium. And when he spoke, his voice was as monotonous as his expression. "Good morning, students. I'm happy to take over the position of headmaster here at Hogwarts. I assure you. I plan to raise the bar and expectations of this school." That was all he said, and then he moved away from the podium, and made his way to the staff table. No other adult spoke, so they all began eating.

"I don't like the sound of that," Lily muttered.

"Danger to slackers," Jace sighed.

* * *

They had both been right, and everyone soon saw that. It was obvious with the new messages put on the common room bulletin boards.

"_Newly Placed Rules:_

_1. All students will report to their own common rooms. There will be checks. 2. Any sign of fighting will be punished by immediate suspension or expulsion. 3. Games in common rooms are now banned. This time is to be used for studying. 4. The library will now only be open after lessons, and will close after dinner. 5. Quidditch practices will be held under staff supervision to prevent any injuries. 6. All Hogsmeade visits are now cancelled. Studying for tests should be more important._

_Signed, Professor Roderick Heyes"_

"They're trying to make it worse," Lily complained as she sat with the other fifth years, Hugo included, in the common room. They had books open in front of them, but they weren't bothering to study. "They're going to make it worse, and then make it seem like it was impossible to fix Professor Brown's mistakes."

"You're probably right," Hugo muttered. "It's all getting stupid. I got yelled at for wearing a hat in my own common room last night. It hasn't even been a week yet, and it's already worse!"

"They won't even let us study really," Lola stated. "They're closing off the library after dinner. That's when most of us older students have time to study in there."

"Sixth and seventh years won't have as big a problem. But that's because they have some free periods. Fifth years don't, and we've got O.W.L.s this year," Megan pointed out.

"Now I know how out parents felt during their fifth year," Hugo muttered to Lily.

Lily stood up and began to pace around the table. "We have to do something! We have to fight this. Otherwise, Merlin knows how many of us will fail some of our O.W.L.s because we couldn't properly study for them!"

"But how can we do that?" Shannon asked.

"We just have to prove to the few sane governors that Professor Brown did his best, and that he succeeded," Lily said with determination.

"So, we just somehow have to prove that Professor Brown had made attempts to improve our studying and habits," Hugo said. "Perfect. Easy."

"Well there has to be something!" Lily argued. "They're trying to restrict what we learn, and they're going to make it seem like it's his fault!"

"Well, we'll need help," Lola pointed out. "Adult help."

Jace snapped his fingers. "Hey! Maybe those portraits of Snape and Dumbledore can help you," he suggested. "They've given you advice before, right?"

"But Heyes will never let her in there," Shannon countered.

It hit Lily like a shot as they kept talking and giving out suggestions. Dumbledore and Snape! Suddenly, it all made sense!

"That's it!" Lily exclaimed, making the others jump.

"What?" Megan asked.

"Dumbledore and Snape! They did try to help me! They practically told me what to do before all of this even happened!" Lily said eagerly.

"What'd they say?" Hugo inquired.

"A study group," Lily said.

The others looked at her skeptically.

"A study group?" Megan repeated.

"Lily, we kind of do that already," Shannon pointed out, motion toward their group now.

"No," Lily shook her head. "They talked about my father's fifth year, and what he did. That's the key! A big study group. All of the fifth years join an O.W.L. study group. It's perfect! We just make it seem like it was Professor Brown's idea before he was replaced! It'll raise our grades and House unity!"

"But we don't know exactly what will be on the O.W.L.s," Izzy pointed out. "I mean, the teachers are going over what they can, but they can't get to it all. Some of it we're going to have to remember from the last few years."

"I can find out," Lily replied. "I know that Slughorn has connections to the association that makes up these tests. I can ask him for a favor. He's bound to do it."

"But how do we get kids to join?" Hunter asked. "It won't be easy with how tense things are between Houses."

"We put up signs on all the common room bulletin boards to announce a fifth year meeting. Then we explain the idea, and they can choose to join," Lily replied.

"But how do we study what we don't know?" Monty countered.

"We teach each other. I can work out the details," Lily assured. "So, are you with me?"

They all looked at each other.

"It might be a long shot, but if you think it'll work, then I'm in," Hugo stated.

"We might as well try," Lola agreed.

And as the others all soon began to agree, Lily smiled. This could work.

* * *

Over the next week, tensions got worse around the school. Brunt's group of governors was cracking down hard on the tiniest things. Detentions were getting handed out more than grades. It was getting bad, and something needed to be done quickly. So Lily worked out every detail of the plan. She first told Slughorn about it, and then asked him to sneak in a list of all the topics that would be on their O.W.L.s this year. He first complimented her on her cleverness and wit, and then promised to get it as soon as he could.

Then she told Professor Longbottom, and then asked him if there was a room in the castle that they could use for their meeting. A room that would be undisturbed by others as the meeting went on. At first, he simply smiled at her. Then he told her that he would keep the seventh floor clear, and it would allow them to secretly use the Room of Requirement. Next, Lily was making the paper announcements. She set the meeting for that Saturday. Hugo hung one up in the Gryffindor common room, but they still had the other two Houses. Shannon recruited Chris to put one up in the Hufflepuff common room, and Lily had to hunt down Nadia to hang one up in Ravenclaw's common room.

But then they were ready for their meeting. Lily brought the others with her early. They all watched as Lily paced the hall.

_We need a comfortable meeting room,_ Lily thought repeatedly. When the door finally appeared on the empty wall, she let the others in first. Then she kept the door slightly open for when the others arrived.

"This is awesome," Christian complimented as he looked around. The room looked like a classroom, only there were no desks, except for a table in the front, and the chairs were obviously much more comfortable.

Xavier sat down in one. "These are nice!"

As the others moved around to try the chairs out, Hugo walked with Lily to the front. "Nervous, cuz?" he asked.

She shrugged. "A little. I've never had to face a group of this size, or with that much tension." Lily looked at him. "Will you sit in the front with me? It might look better with a Gryffindor and a Slytherin. More unified."

Hugo nodded as he dragged a chair up and next to the desk. "Of course."

It was almost an hour before the other fifth years began to fill the room. Lola eventually came up to Lily and Hugo.

"Shannon and I counted. Everyone's here now," she informed them.

Lily nodded, so Lola moved to sit back down. Lily took a deep breath as she looked over the room. Thirty-eight eyes, if her math was right, were staring back at her with a million different emotions.

"What's this about?" Randy Davies demanded.

"Yeah,_ Potter_," Wilde said scathingly.

Lily ignored her tone and attitude. "Ok, we'll start. First of all, thanks for coming. There's something we need to talk about, and it's about Professor Brown."

"Isn't he fired now?" Manny asked.

"No, possibly replaced," Lily corrected. "And it's obvious that nobody likes how things are running now. Brunt's group in the board of governors didn't like how nice Professor Brown was to us. But we all liked Professor Brown, so we need to work to get him his job back."

"Why do we have to fight?" Rick Whitby from Hufflepuff asked.

"Because it's our fault that he might be replaced. We need to show that Professor Brown cared about our education, and we need to show that we can all get along," Lily told them.

"And how do you expect that to happen?" Julie McLaggen demanded dryly.

Lily stayed firm. "By forming what we've decided to call the JB Study Group."

"The what?" Randy asked.

"The JB Study Group, in honor of Professor Jacob Brown. The governors think that he failed if we don't do good on our O.W.L.s. That he didn't help to improve our studying. So we need to prove them wrong. So, we form a group to study and work on passing the written and practical tests of our O.W.L. Exams," Lily explained.

"That sounds ridiculous and boring," Adam Dumas from Gryffindor replied.

"Then leave," Hugo retorted simply.

Lily placed a hand on Hugo's shoulder. A fight wouldn't help, especially now that, in a way, they were related to Adam through his sister. "Look, we can't make you stay or join. But at least listen. I've taken an O.W.L. test before, and it wasn't easy. And to make it worse, the governors are trying to limit our studying resources, and limit what we're learning. So we're going to have to teach and re-teach ourselves."

"But how?" Hannah Belle asked.

"I can find out what will be on the tests. And then we can teach each other," Lily replied.

"You mean that a group would go over the topic, and then would teach it to the rest of us?" Connie asked.

"Exactly," Lily told her. "We would be split into groups. That group would study and learn about a certain topic. Then they would teach it to us all."

"But what about our homework?" Tara Epcot from Ravenclaw asked.

"We could help each other," Lola suggested. "It'll be almost like how we normally study, only with a larger group."

There was a thoughtful silence. But then Matt Cornfoot spoke. "How would we start?"

Lily smiled. "Well, I'll need everyone to sign a paper if you want to participate in the group. You can put down your name and best subject. And once I find out what's all on the tests, I'll make up groups and then call another meeting. We'll go over all the groups and make any needed changes."

"I think each House should choose one person to represent their House," Randy spoke. "That way everything is fair, and we can work more on House unity. It would be better if there was someone from each House helping to lead us."

Lily felt relief. They were working with her! "I think that's perfect. So, how about I pass out paper to everyone, and each person can vote on someone from their House to represent them all?"

Randy nodded. "That sounds fine."

So when paper appeared at the thought, Hugo passed it out. Quills and ink appeared next, so Lily handed it out to everyone as well. It was another five minutes before everyone had written down a name and passed it up to Lily. So Lily and Hugo took another few minutes to separate them, and then count the totals.

"Ok, so this is what it looks like it'll be. Slytherin House will be represented by me. Ravenclaw House will be represented by Randy Davies, Gryffindor House will be represented by Hugo Weasley, and Hufflepuff House will be represented by Jaclyn Munslow," Lily announced. She looked around at them all. "So, after all is said and done, perhaps us four should hang back and make sure everything is clear and fair?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Hugo agreed.

Lily nodded. "Ok, so now it's all about who will sign saying that they want to take part?"

Randy Davies stood up. "I'll sign it."

Lily and Hugo moved to stand behind the desk. Lily set out a roll of parchment. She placed a bottle of ink and quill down, and let all who wanted to sign form a line. Randy was the first to sign it. And it looked like everyone was signing it. Even Wilde and McLaggen. Lily was pleased.

Hugo nudged her. "Good work, cuz," he whispered.

Once everyone had signed it and sat back down, Lily rolled up the paper again. Then she smiled. "Ok. Until everything is ready for the next step, we won't be meeting. As soon as it is though, you'll see a notice on the bulletin board in your common room. Until then, you can go," Lily dismissed.

Everyone filed out except for four. Lily, Hugo, Randy Davies, and Jaclyn Munslow. The four gathered around the desk, pulling up a chair. The desk shrunk so that it was more like a coffee table. They were quiet until the last person out closed the door.

"I think we should set up the groups together," Randy said immediately.

Lily looked over Randy. He was pretty tall, and he had an athletic build. His brown hair was dark, and his eyes were grey. His face was serious, but Lily didn't really see hostility. Then she glanced at Jaclyn. She'd never personally met this girl. She was taller than Lily, obviously. Her hair was long and blonde, but she looked very timid.

"I think that's fair," Hugo agreed. "We know our own House members. We'll know how to pair them."

"How big should the groups be though?" Jaclyn asked.

"I was thinking maybe three or four? Just a reasonable number. Not big or small," Lily replied.

"That's a good idea," Randy said. "What if we do four to a group, each from a different House, unless there's an uneven number for who is good with what subject or such."

"That's perfect," Lily told him. "But we need to figure out how to make it known that this group is formed, but we need to make sure that Heyes can't ban us from doing this."

"We send the story to Roxy," Hugo said quickly. "She and Christian can put in the Hogwarts paper."

"And if they try to stop us, we put a smear campaign in the school paper. That makes Heyes look unpopular, and it makes him look like he's against helping us," Randy said.

"If we want to really do damage against him if that happens, we'll need to send that paper to our parents. If we get parents involved, that will get Heyes kicked out. And then when you add in the idea that Professor Brown helped to make our group, that puts him into a better light with parents," Lily worked out.

"The governors wouldn't let that happen," Jaclyn agreed. "But I think we need to figure out which governors are against Professor Brown. Know who are enemies are."

"I remember that a group of them was complaining about how Professor Brown was continuing to allow us to play Quidditch. Including Brunt, I think there was five in there," Lily told them.

"Can you remember any of them?" Randy asked.

Lily shrugged. "There were only two women, Brunt included. But I can't remember their faces or names."

"Patricia Stewart was the other woman," Hugo told them. "I know she's on Brunt's side. I've heard her 'politely' bashing Professor Brown before."

"So we need to figure out who the three guys are," Jaclyn murmured. "But how do we discover who?"

"We need to keep a careful eye out," Randy said. "See who those two women associate with the most."

"And we need to keep them away from group meetings. Can we keep having meetings here?" Jaclyn asked.

"Professors Longbottom and Slughorn know of this group assembling," Lily told them. "With their help, I think I can make sure that we're never caught in here."

"So, I guess that just leaves to when do the four of us meet again," Randy commented.

Lily sighed as she sat back in the chair. "Once I have the list for the tests."

"I think we need to get some of the library books out so that we can study them once we're in our groups," Hugo mentioned.

Lily thought a fully stocked bookshelf with textbooks and library books. It appeared in the corner in an instance. "I think we've got that covered."

"So we'll just make sure that everyone has the books and materials they need before leaving here," Jaclyn stated.

Randy stood up from his chair. "So, when you have the list, we meet again?"

Lily grinned. "I'll see you then."

* * *

Lily felt mentally exhausted when she entered the Slytherin common room. There weren't many kids there. It had been like that since games were banned in the common room.

"Lily," Scorpius greeted as he approached her. He wrapped his arms around her.

Lily rested her tired head on his chest. "Hi," she murmured.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"Really well actually," she replied. "I think it'll work."

"You sound dead tired," Scorpius commented.

"I feel that way too," Lily sighed.

"I should let you get to bed then, huh?" he mumbled. Lily felt like groaning. Now that there were nightly checks, Lily had been forced to sleep in her own bed. It was kind of weird for her, but she was sleeping at least. But she really missed falling asleep and waking up next to his warm body.

"No," Lily muttered. "Not yet exactly."

"It has been a while," he whispered. "These rules suck."

"Suck majorly," Lily agreed.

"Well, maybe we'll steal away to an empty classroom sometime," Scorpius hinted, his breath against her ear. It made her shiver slightly. The thought was very tempting.

"Maybe we will," she whispered back. But she planned to turn a maybe into a definitely. She was not going to let Brunt and her lackeys limit her already dwindling time with Scorpius at Hogwarts.


	68. Perfect Ideas

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, here's another update. Originally part of this chapter was going to be in the last one, but it worked better to split them. A bit of Scorpius and Lily, mainly because I miss having them together. With all their current issues, I'm not able to write much about them together. But, we're getting to meet a lot of new characters in Lily's year, so we'll get to see a few new personalities. So, I hope you guys enjoy it, and let me know what you think.**

**Side note - Just a quick thing. I've had quite a few people ask me about how many Creevey children there are. And I understand, because with Lily we don't see much of them. But to clear it up, there are three. Tyler Creevey is Albus's age, and then there are twins in Louis's year, Zack and Tanner. Also, I've put pictures of them on my profile as well, incase you get curious on how they look.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Perfect Ideas

Lily told Christian about the idea of putting news of their new group in the paper. He said he would tell Roxanne immediately. Later that day, he told her that Hugo had already brought it up to Roxanne, and that it would be in the morning's paper. That just left Lily waiting for Slughorn to deliver the list.

The morning the article came out, Lily began to read instead of making her plate. The article was in the gossip column, which was bigger than normal, and seemed to take center stage this time.

"_The JB Study Group: Professor Brown's Legacy, by Secret Gossip_

_The temporarily replaced Professor Brown has indeed left his mark. Just before his removal, Professor Brown talked with four fifth year students, one from each House, hoping to set up a large study group for all students preparing to take their O.W.L.s this June, and to increase House unity. Sadly, he was replaced before its creation. But not wanting to let him down or waste a perfect idea, those four students have set up the JB Study Group. Most, if not all, of the fifth years are now a part of this group, and they plan to better their study habits, and ace their O.W.L. Exams. But can they do it?"_

"Sounds good, doesn't it?" Christian asked.

Lily nodded. "It's perfect. It's obvious yet simple at the same time."

"Yeah. It was Roxanne's idea to use the gossip column. She said the writer would be perfect. I wish I knew who it was," Christian muttered.

"Well it turned out great," Lily assured.

"Hey, have you eaten yet?" Scorpius asked quickly as he came to stand beside her.

Lily looked at her empty plate. "Um, not really. Why?"

Scorpius's face looked impatient and eager. "Then eat something. I've got a surprise."

Lily raised a brow as she stood from the table. "I'm not overly hungry. What's up?"

Scorpius's eyes scanned the staff table of the Great Hall, then he took her hand and began to pull her along. "Just come with me," he mumbled. He pulled her out of the Great Hall, and then led her up the stairs. Lily waited for him to say something, but he was silent as he tugged her all the way up to the fourth floor.

Finally, Lily's curiosity was too much. "Scorpius, where are we going?"

"Just a moment," Scorpius told her. After they turned down another hallway, he stopped them. Lily examined the door in front of them. It looked like any other door, but Lily couldn't place what was behind it. "Here we are," he muttered.

"Which is where?" Lily questioned.

Scorpius gave her a quick smirk before opening the door. He let Lily walk in first, so she looked around.

It obviously wasn't a classroom, although there were some desks. A few the looked like they would belong to a professor, and some that looked like a student would use. There were empty bookshelves, dusty tables, and even an old-looking wardrobe.

Lily glanced back at Scorpius, who was whispering a spell on the now closed door. "You brought me to a practically empty storage room?"

Scorpius was still smirking as he turned to look at her. "I learned about this room yesterday, and I thought that it might be perfect."

Lily raised a brow. "Perfect for what?"

Scorpius looked a bit sheepish. "Well, I said we might steal away for a bit one day."

Lily looked around them. "So you brought me to an abandoned storage room?"

He shrugged as he walked past her. "I'll admit that it's not the most romantic place or idea. But it's something. At this point in Hell at Hogwarts, it's all I could think of." He turned to look at her. "It sucks doesn't it? We can forget it, if you want."

Lily walked around a few steps for a moment. It was obvious that Scorpius had tried to find a place that they could at least kiss without a governor swooping down and screaming at them about PDA in hallways. And really, was romance such an importance? Because she would easily admit that she missed him just as much.

Lily stopped to look at him, and she smiled softly. "At this point, I don't think either of us can be picky about locations," she replied.

Scorpius looked at her with a bit of surprise. "Really? So, you're ok with this?"

Lily moved so that she stood in front of him. "Yeah. I mean, why not?" she ended with a breathless giggle. "Besides, I'm not going to expect you to be overly romantic every time."

Scorpius placed both of his hands on her cheeks. His palms were warm against her skin. "I love you so much," he murmured. Then he leaned down and kissed her. It was soft and it was passionate. Lily shivered as she realized that she had missed this more than she'd thought.

Once she began to kiss him back, Scorpius's hands dropped her hips, and began to pull her closer. Lily moaned quietly at the feel of him against her completely, and moved her hands to his shoulders. But then she dropped them to the top button of his shirt, and hastily unbuttoned it.

Scorpius broke the kiss and began to brush small kisses along her jaw and cheek. "In a rush?" he teased.

Lily blushed lightly, but she kept on her task of undoing each button. "Well, we don't have a whole lot of time before classes start," she pointed out.

Scorpius groaned. "Well in that case." He lifted her off her feet, making Lily yelped softly in surprise. On instinct, she wrapped her legs around him, trying to find her own sense of balance. But it wasn't like Scorpius would have ever dropped her. With his lips still attacking her neck and jaw, Scorpius walked across the room to place her on one of the larger desks. Then he let go of her, and pulled off the shirt that she had unbuttoned.

Lily gasped as his teeth gently nipped at her skin. "I have a class this morning, so if you leave a mark, I'll kill you," she threatened lightly.

She felt his chuckle against her neck. "I'll try," he said, not sounding too sincere.

Lily ignored it and ran a hand through his hair. Then she tugged on it lightly, and brought his lips back to hers. She felt his fingers tugging on the buttons of her shirt, and after a moment, felt the fabric slide off of her shoulder. She shrugged the shirt off completely, then wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt one of his own hands skim the skin of her thigh, moving beneath her skirt.

Lily felt her heart beat a little harder, and she broke their kiss. This time she placed her lips at his neck, and placed kisses on every inch of skin she passed. She brought her hands to the belt of his pants, and fumbled with the buckle. Lily felt Scorpius's hand run along her underwear before slipping past them.

Lily's initial gasped turned into a moan. Instinct was telling her that she might be late for class. But it was also telling her that she didn't care.

* * *

Lily was out of breath and extremely exhausted by the time she stopped running and was standing outside Hagrid's hut with the other Care of Magical Creatures students.

Hugo raised his brow at her. "Ok there, cuz?" he asked.

"You look like hell, Lil," Jace joked.

Lily took in a couple of deep breaths as she tried to fix her hair. She'd only had time to throw it up messily after she and Scorpius had finished dressing. And as she glanced down herself, she saw that she had done a sloppy job on that too. But at least she was able to get rid of the small sheen of sweat that had been on her skin, not to mention the obvious smell of sex.

"I'm fine," Lily said breathlessly as she pulled out her book. She'd run as soon as she heard the toll of the bell, meaning classes were starting. Luckily, it seemed that she made it on time, or Hagrid was late. Honestly, she was dying to just lie on the ground. Her legs were still a bit shaky, for obvious reasons.

"Damn, Lil, you ok?" Xavier asked as he and Manny came to stand with them.

Lily rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a blush. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You look a little flushed," Manny said with worry.

"Really, I'm fine," Lily insisted.

"All right now, sorry I'm late!" Hagrid said in his normal booming voice.

Lily took another breath, happy that class was starting, and they would stop asking her questions. But once Hagrid began lecturing, Hugo glanced over at her and began to whisper.

"What's up, cuz?" he asked.

Lily glanced at him warily. They were in the back of the group, and everyone else seemed to be either listening or spacing off. "I was with Scorpius," she mumbled back.

Hugo's eyes lit up with understanding, and he grinned as he turned to look back at Hagrid. "Ah," he whispered back. "I get it."

Lily looked back at Hagrid too, but she reached over and pinched his arm. "Shove off," she muttered.

But it was as they were walking back to the castle for their next class that something slightly surprising happened.

"Hey, Potter!"

It was instinctive for Lily to tense when someone called her by her last name, especially when it was Paige Wilde. But when Lily turned to confront her, she was surprised that Wilde didn't even look hostile. She looked oddly uncomfortable and relenting.

Lily watched her carefully. "What?" Lily asked hesitantly.

Wilde sighed. "I was wondering when that study group is going to start," she muttered.

Lily shifted too, also feeling uncomfortable. Was this how her father felt around Draco? The weird feeling of being around someone you'd considered an enemy for years? "Well, we're not sure yet. But, I'll make sure you know once we do. I suspect at least some time soon, but that's no guarantee."

Wilde nodded. "Ok." Then she and Julie McLaggen walked off ahead.

"She could at least have said thanks," Jace mumbled.

But Lily shook her head. "Nah., I'm glad she didn't."

"Why do yo say that?" Hugo asked as their group continued walking.

"Because then I would have said 'you're welcome' and I don't think we're ready for that level of friendship," Lily replied.

"That makes no sense," Hunter remarked.

"We're girls. We don't have to make sense," Lily countered.

* * *

It wasn't until that Thursday that Slughorn finally delivered the list of tested subjects that would be on their O.W.L. Exams. She gave it to her while the potion students were working on their potions for the day.

"This is for studying purposes, yes?" Slughorn asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely, Horace," Lily assured as she folded the paper and stuck into her bag. "We plan on doing the best we can on our exams this year."

Then it came down to planning the next meeting. It took the whole day to plan. Lily had to talk to both Randy and Jaclyn when she could between lessons. But they settled for having their small meeting that night. And at Lily's request, Slughorn allowed them to use his quarters, since there was also a staff meeting that night.

"You've got the list?" Randy asked once they were all seated around a table.

Lily put the list of members, and then the list of O.W.L. subjects. "Ok, so I had Shannon and Izzy organize and make up a new list for our members. It's organized by subject. Now, as we suspected, it goes into odd numbers, so every group might not have four. Especially some of the electives," she warned.

"Well when it comes to electives, I think we should do separate groups for that. Like, only kids in Divination come one day, that way they aren't wasting time with subject matter that they don't have to deal with," Jaclyn suggested.

"How about while the kids in that class learn, the others help each other practice and such?" Hugo added.

"That sounds like a good idea," Randy said. "And when things get odd with our main classes, we'll move kids around if we need to. We'll know if one of our housemates is good at sometime else than what they listed."

"So let's start," Lily said with a sigh. She knew this was going to take a long time.

And it did take a long time. A very _long_ time. It felt like they had worked at it for hours and hours. Too many kids had written down Charms, so they all had to figure out who in their House was the best, and then where to place the others. But Lily learned something she hadn't known even about Hugo.

"I'll take History of Magic," Hugo had told them. "Stacy is probably better, but we need someone from Gryffindor in Ancient Ruins, and she's the best."

"I didn't know you liked that class," Lily had commented.

Hugo only shrugged. "The others say I'm a natural history buff. I really don't care, but I don't want the others to fail."

But once they were finally done, the list of groups was done. But there was still more to be done.

"Ok, so there are seven required classes," Jaclyn commented. "So that's one day a week to work on them. But then there are electives."

"How about we make Astronomy once a week? It can switch off with . . . let's say Divination," Randy suggested.

"And History of Magic?" Jaclyn asked.

"No. Most kids don't get that subject, so we'll need all the time to focus on it. How about Charms? That's an easier one," Lily said.

"Actually, if I'm right, we'll have to double up each day except for two," Jaclyn told them.

"Then let's take those two days to focus on History of Magic and Transfiguration. Those are probably two of the harder subjects," Hugo suggested.

It took another ten minutes to finally set up a schedule that they were all happy with. But then it took another ten minutes to set up when to start, and when to end the meetings. Then it was brought up on what should they learn first.

"I think the groups should pick what to teach first," Lily had said. "So, I'll just write up a list for each subject, and then we'll give it to the respective group." She paused, then continued. "Ok, but there's one more thing. When should we start? Because we'll need to have a meeting to tell them everything, and then we'll need to give people time to go over their first topic."

"Tomorrow's Friday," Jaclyn said, "so how about we have the meeting tomorrow to update them. Then we'll talk with Monday's group . . . ," she paused to look over the list, " . . . Defense Against the Dark Arts, and see if they can pick and research their topic before Monday. If they can, then we'll have our first session on Monday. If not, then we'll just wait a week, and let everyone take the time to look over their subject."

"That's probably best," Hugo said with a sigh. "Also, I wonder if we could get some passes from a teacher. Just incase one of our meetings runs too long."

"I'm sure Professor Longbottom wouldn't mind doing it. But . . . I think we'll be ok. The Room of Requirement might take care of that problem," Lily murmured.

"Then are we done, cause I'm mentally exhausted from all of this," Hugo chuckled weakly.

Lily glanced at the others, and Randy nodded. "Yeah, I think we're good."

"I agree," Jaclyn replied.

"So, can you guys each put up a note about the meeting tomorrow in your common rooms. Same place, after dinner is officially over?" Lily asked. Once she got agreements from each of them, they adjourned the meeting, each wanting to get back to their own common rooms. When she reached hers, she only put up a quick note on their bulletin board.

If needed, she'd tell them in the morning personally. Now, she was tired, and she had to go to her own bed. It always took her a little longer to fall asleep on her own lately. As she crawled into bed, she made a mental note to figure out some way past those nightly checks.

* * *

The next day, the air seemed to be buzzing around the fifth years. Not to mention excitement. Lily was happy to see eager faces smiling at her was she walked by them.

"People are really excited about the meeting tonight," Xavier commented as they ate lunch. "Manny said that it was all the others in Hufflepuff talked about."

"I'm just hoping it all works out the way we want," Lily replied.

Scorpius wrapped a comforting arm around her. "Of course it will, babe. Have a little faith."

"I'm trying," Lily retorted. "But I feel like Brunt's been watching me ever since the story in Roxy's paper came out. I know she's plotting something."

"There's nothing she can do," Lola assured. "It's a perfectly healthy and helpful study group. She can't manipulate Heyes to be that controlling over us. Besides, you and Hugo said that you guys had worked out a plan that would make them look bad if they tried to stop it."

"I know," Lily sighed. She glanced up at where the governors sat at the staff table. Brunt's eyes seemed to be swooping down on the students like a hawk. "But anything could happen."

"What did you guys do when it came to scheduling the meetings around Quidditch practices?" Christian asked.

Lily bit her lip. "That was a problem. We couldn't. We worked out that there were only five Quidditch players in fifth year. Three of them are me, Hugo, and Randy. So we're going to talk to the other two, and let them decide if they would like to miss the occasional meeting, or miss a few Quidditch practices. We're leaving it up to them. If they decide to miss, we'll make sure they at least get a set of notes or something."

"Who are the other two?" Lars asked.

Lily glanced at Scorpius quickly and discreetly, but then looked back at her plate. "Josh Finch-Fletchley, and Cody Thomas."

"I forgot that little perv played Quidditch," Scorpius muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "But, like I said, we're leaving it up to them."

"That's probably a good idea. Let them choose what they want to do," Jace agreed.

"Hey, we should probably head to lunch. We've got Transfiguration soon," Shannon commented.

The fifth years began to finish up their last bite, last drink, or grab their bags as they stood up. They were a bit surprised when Scorpius stood too. But Scorpius was looking solely at Lily. "You want me to walk with you?" he asked. "I've got Charms next, so it's not too far from where I'll be."

Lily bit her lip. It was tempting, and he wouldn't be late if he had Charms. The classrooms weren't that far away from each other. Since their little escapade the day before, Lily had found herself craving more time with Scorpius, mainly because it felt like she saw him even less. She was honestly surprised by her new feelings of neediness when it came to Scorpius, but she chalked it up to how less she saw him due to the new rules.

So she smiled. "Yeah, sure."

"Yeah, walk with us, Scor," Xavier agreed.

"We'll see you in class, dude," Mitch said dismissively, looking across the Great Hall at Dominique, who was looking back at him.

Scorpius took Lily's bag and his own, and then walked alongside her as they began to leave the Great Hall. As the group began to talk as they made their way to the Transfiguration hall, Scorpius was silent. But Lily still felt a warm comfort simply with his presence. She reached and took his hand, interlocking their fingers. Scorpius looked at her, a soft smile playing on his lips. He brought her hand up to his lips, and kissed the ring on her ring finger, then kissed the back of her hand. Lily's heart fluttered, and her smile grew. And she was sure of one thing then.

She was figuring out a way to get around those nightly checks . . . tonight!

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a buzzing and excited blur, and when dinner was close to finishing, Lily got up to leave for the meeting. And almost immediately, she was joined by the other three in the Entrance Hall. They walked with purpose to the seventh floor, and in silence. Lily was the once to pace the hall and "think" of what they needed from the room. When it appeared, she was happy that the room looked the same as last time.

"This room amazes me," Jaclyn commented casually as they made their way to the front of the room.

"It is pretty awesome," Hugo agreed.

Lily placed her bag on the desk, and then pulled out all the papers. She put them down in separate piles. "I copied the subject lists so that each group can have a listing of the topics they'll have to go over," she told them.

"Great. I think this is going to go well," Randy said. "There's been a lot of excited talk today."

The other kids soon began to come into the room as well. Lily was glad to see that they had apparently come in groups. It would have looked odd if all of the fifth years had left at the same time. But the groups were separated nicely with normal numbers. When Lily counted over everyone and found that everyone was here, she glanced at the door, wanting it to close. It did immediately.

_I love this room_, Lily thought with a smile.

Once the meeting started, it was quiet as all the other fifth years stared up at their four "leaders" for instruction. And when the other three looked at Lily, she assumed that they expected her to start. So she stepped forward a little.

"Ok, so we're all here, and the four of us are ready to explain to you how we have worked this whole thing out," she said.

"Then why not have one of them explain it?" Adam Dumas retorted. "For being an equal group, the Slytherin rep is doing most of the talking."

Lily wasn't sure how to respond, but apparently Randy was. "That's because the three of us trust Lily," he told them. He glanced at her briefly. "We know that she wants what's best for all of us. We know she's going to be fair. So, the three of us have decided to make Lily the leader among the four of us."

Lily suppressed her surprise at Randy's words. But she smiled at him and nodded. "Thank you, Randy." She looked at them all again. "So, if everyone is ok with that"

Peter Chambers from Ravenclaw stood up. "Well, if Randy trusts you, then so do I," he claimed. Then he sat back down.

"You've got our support, Lily," Stacy Finnigan assured.

Lily nodded again. "Thank you. So, let's begin then." With the help of the others, Lily explained how they had set up the groups, lesson times, and mixed days. Lily had expected complaining at the thought of doing this every day, but to her surprise, they all looked quite excited still.

Once they finished explaining, and Jaclyn had handed the groups their list of topics, the room was buzzing.

Lily looked at the others. "Is that all? Besides what we need to discuss with a separate few?"

Jaclyn nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"So, how about since we still have time, everyone get into their groups and work out a plan," Randy suggested loudly to the others. It was met by excited and agreeing responses.

As everyone began to move around the room, Hugo looked at the other three. "So, who wants to talk to the Quidditch players, and who wants to talk to the Defense Against the Dark Arts group?"

"Lily and I can talk to the Quidditch players," Randy replied. "If that's ok?"

Lily shrugged. "That's fine with me."

"All right then. Let's go, Jackie," Hugo said with a grin. He began to make his way to the group, a blushing Jaclyn following him.

Lily looked at Randy. "By the way, thanks for what you said."

Randy shrugged this time. "I meant it. The three of us discussed it, and we thought it best. You're the best choice. Even a group of leaders needs a leader themselves."

Lily smiled. "Well thanks." She paused, then sighed. "Well, your voice is louder, so do you mind calling Cody and Josh over?"

Randy nodded, and when he spoke louder than he usually did, his voice seemed to boom. "Could Cody Thomas and Josh Finch-Fletchley come over here, please?"

It only took a moment for the two curious boys to make their way over to the two of them. "What's up?" Josh questioned.

"It's about Quidditch," Lily said bluntly, wanting to get to the point. "We want to tell you about your options."

"Good, because I was a little concerned about that," Josh replied.

"I kind of forgot," Cody admitted with a sheepish laugh.

"Well, we obviously won't force you to miss Quidditch practice if you would rather go to that," Randy assured. "You have a choice to attend the meeting or go to practice. We only ask that if you're supposed to teach that day, then come."

"Also," Lily added, "if you do go to practice instead, we'll make sure that you get some kind of notes on what you missed."

Cody fidgeted slightly for a moment, as if embarrassed. "Well . . . I think that Albus would want me to go to practice."

"That's fine," Randy replied with assurance.

"Well Gary would want me at practice, but I know that he would understand that my O.W.L. scores are much more important to me. I might have to go to a couple of practices, but I'll be here as often as I can be," Josh assured.

Lily smiled. "We understand that. There might even be a few days that Hugo, Randy, or I even need to be gone."

Josh grinned. "Then we'll make sure you get the notes," he assured back.

Lily laughed lightly. Randy clapped Josh on the shoulder. "That's all," he dismissed. As the other two boys walked back to their groups, he looked at Lily. "You know, I think that this can work."

Lily nodded. "I'm beginning to think that too."

Randy grinned. "I'm glad you started this. It's a good idea."

Lily sighed as she looked around her. "Yeah. I guess ideas like this just run in the family."

* * *

Lily waited for the sound of Professor Daphne Zabini's footsteps to disappear down the hall. It had been at least ten minutes since she had checked into their own dorm and moved on to the sixth years. Lily quietly climbed out of bed. She was dressed in one of Scorpius's shirts and a pair of short shorts. She picked up her wand from her bedside table, and held it tightly. Then she tiptoed over to the door, and pressed her ear against it. Once she was sure that Professor Zabini was gone from the hall completely, Lily silently opened the door and slid out into the hall, shutting the door behind her. It was dark in the hall since none of the candles were lighted.

"Lumos," she whispered. The tip of her wand gave off a soft glow. She walked with muted steps down the hall, and then paused above the stairs. She tensed when she heard the voices of Professors Zabini and Slughorn.

"I hate having to do these checks," Professor Zabini sighed heavily.

"I agree that it is unnecessary. I understood slightly when it was just checking the common rooms at curfew. But see no need to check their rooms," Professor Slughorn agreed.

"Well I think it has to do with Marigold Brunt hearing the rumor of Lily sleeping in Scorpius's room," Zabini told him. Lily tensed even more, and her heart pounded in her veins. How had Brunt heard about that?

"Nonsense!" Slughorn dismissed. "I've never caught them like that, and I highly doubt I will." Lily felt a pang of guilt for deceiving her favorite teacher, but not enough to stop.

"Well, they are teenagers, Horace. No matter how much you favor Lily," Zabini retorted. "You can't forget that." She sighed again. "But honestly, I do hope you're right. I don't think it would be wise for the two of them."

Lily felt confusion run through her. What was Daphne talking about?

But she was surprised when Slughorn agreed. "You're right. It wouldn't be good."

"With Scorpius graduating this year, it'll just be harder on them when they have to be apart," Zabini stated.

"Well, they're both intelligent. And we have yet to catch them in any beds but their own. So, how about we let them sleep, and we go on to our own beds," Slughorn said with a bit of a chuckle.

Lily could hear footsteps. "I wish!" Zabini exclaimed. "Headmaster Heyes has put me on staff patrol tonight." She said more, but the common room's door slid closed behind them, cutting off any sounds they made. So Lily took her chance and hurried over to the boys' hall. She opened the seventh year dorm quietly, keeping her wand pointed down. Then she padded over to Scorpius's bed. His curtains were shut, so she carefully pulled them opened.

Lily nudged Scorpius's shoulder. "Scorpius? Baby?" she whispered softly near his ear.

Scorpius groaned, and his brow turned into a scowl as his eyelids slowly fluttered open. But his expression turned to sleepy curiosity. "Lily? What's up, babe?"

She felt a little bad for waking him up, and now looked down at his bedspread a little sheepishly. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to sit with me down in the common room?" she requested in a mumble.

He didn't look annoyed of exasperated though. Instead he threw off his blankets, and got off the bed. After noticing that he was dressed in only pajama pants, Lily forced herself to keep from ogling him in the dim light from her wand. Scorpius grabbed his own before taking her hand, and silently leaving the room. He didn't say anything until they were in the common room, and he had set her down on the couch. "So, what's this about?" he asked curiously, sounding more awake. He pointed his wand at the fireplace, starting up a fire. Warm and low light filled the common room. He moved to sit next to her.

Lily pulled her legs on the couch, moving them under her. "Well, I would have just snuck into your bed, but they have to check us in the morning before we wake up too," Lily muttered.

Scorpius moved so that his arm was on the back of the couch, his hand playing with her hair. "So, why have us come out here?"

Lily bit her lip as she stared out at the fire. She wasn't sure of the exact feelings going through her. Modesty? Embarrassment? Maybe . . . maybe even fear? She wasn't sure. But she was sure of one thing.

She looked back at him, their eyes locking on each other. "I miss you," she whispered.

Scorpius's curiosity and slight amusement softened, and he leaned over and kissed her just as softly. "I've missed you too," he murmured against her lips. He kissed her again. "I'm kind of tired of only getting a few moments each day."

Lily's eyelids lowered in contentment as his lips pressed against hers again. "I know," she agreed. She brought a hand to his cheek. Rough stubble scratched lightly against her palm, but his cheek was warm under her hand. When he moved his lips away from hers slightly, Lily inhaled that scent that was purely Scorpius. That musky smell similar amberwood and rain water. And then that other scent that she probably would never be able describe. But it was intoxicating and masculine. But together, it was one thing to Lily.

It was the scent of love.


	69. Daddy's Perfect Little Girl

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Note - A nicely length chapter. I don't know how it happened, but I felt a need to have a bit of family drama again, so I brought some forward, and am ready to keep it going for a few chapters. And how could I have family drama, **_**and**_** a group like the D.A. without having the famous Harry Potter in the chapter? So as always, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Daddy's Perfect Little Girl

On Sunday morning, Lily found herself sitting with Scorpius at the far end of the table, eating breakfast. Lily was a little tired, and she knew Scorpius had to be as well. They had both snuck down to the common room again, and Lily could see a routine ready to build. But even if she got a little less sleep than usual, it was worth it. Extra time with Scorpius was always worth it.

"So, you start your group lessons tomorrow?" Scorpius asked.

"Surprisingly, yes. The Defense Against the Dark Arts group was positive that they could be ready after the weekend," Lily replied.

Scorpius munched on a piece of toast. "Wish there was a group like that around when I was a fifth year. Things probably would have been easier."

Lily laughed lightly. "Not when you're the one setting it all up though."

Scorpius nodded with understanding. "So, obviously you're part of the Potions group. When are you guys going over your material?"

"I told them that I suggested we start Draught of Peace. Although it's complicated, we only need to know the information and facts about it. It's only on the written portion of the tests," Lily told him.

"Lily! Lil!" Hugo called as he jogged toward the two of them. There was a rolled paper into his hands, and when he came to their spot at the table, Lily noticed the slightly worried look in his eyes. "There's a potential problem," he told her. He laid out what ended up being the school paper.

"_A Surprise but Welcome Visit from Harry Potter"_

Lily stared blankly at the headline. "What?" she said, her voice full of disbelief.

"Yeah, he's coming tomorrow at the request of Heyes and Brunt," Hugo told her. Despite the new and "unspoken" rule of sitting at your own House's table, Hugo sat down in front of them. "He's going to come and lecture for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and also see how the school is doing under Heyes's watch."

Lily sighed. "Then we'll just convince him that it's not going well."

"But how?" Hugo asked. "We can't stage a fight. With these new rules, people would get suspended or expelled. How else could we do it?"

Lily bit her lip as she thought. How could they do it?

"Show him how miserable it is for us students," Scorpius suggested. "He has to remember how awful it was under Umbridge's rule. He'd sympathize, and he would be against them. So if he didn't support her, then the other governors probably wouldn't either, and they'd vote Brown back in."

Lily smiled at him. "I knew there was a reason that I'm dating you," she teased. She reached up to kiss his cheek.

Scorpius smirked. "Because you love me," he joked as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Potter, none of that," a passing governor warned.

Scorpius rolled his eyes and pulled his arm away, but Lily quickly looked at the governor. He was a little short, and he was bald.

"What's his name?" Lily asked quickly.

Scorpius shrugged. "No clue."

But Hugo looked at Lily. "Looks like we've found one of her supporters," he mumbled.

* * *

Lily and Hugo found themselves trying to figure out the name of the man. But it wasn't easy, because they couldn't find the man after breakfast, and Lily soon lost Hugo to his group. The library was open most of the day on Sundays, so they had wanted to take advantage of it and work on their topic. But Lily kept up their search, and as she was wandering the halls, she saw potential help.

"Randy!" Lily called after seeing him turn the corner.

Randy looked up in surprise, but a friendly smile crossed his face when he saw her. "Hello, Lily. What's up?"

"Hugo and I think that we've found one of Brunt's supporters," Lily told him. "But we don't know his name."

Randy's face became serious. "What does he look like?" he asked.

"He's kind of short. Bald. He was wearing dark brown robes when I saw him at breakfast," Lily described.

Randy's brow furrowed in thought. "I know who you're talking about. I can even picture him in my head . . . but I can't think of his name," Randy told her.

Lily sighed. "Well, have you seen him today?"

"Now that you mention it, I did see him walking toward the staff room a couple of minutes ago. I passed right by him," Randy answered. "Should we go there?"

Lily nodded, a bit excited at having a lead. "Come on!" They hurried along the halls, only passing a few students and teachers. After moving to another floor, it struck Lily. "I have yet to see any of the governors since breakfast," she mentioned.

"Do you think that they're all in the staff room?" Randy questioned.

"I hope now. Because it can be good if they are," Lily muttered.

When they reached the door, they stopped. Randy looked around the hall, and when he spoke it was soft. "There's no one around." He looked at her. "So what do we do now? We can't just walk in."

Lily grinned. "According to my uncle George, when you're part of the Weasley family, you'll always have at least one ear." To show what she meant, she pulled an Extendable Ear out from her jean pocket.

"Brilliant!" Randy exclaimed quietly.

Lily chuckled in a whisper. "I'm just glad they haven't outlawed casual dress on weekends, although that'll probably change," she mumbled.

Carefully and quietly, Lily fed a small part of the Extendable Ear under the door, and then moving a small distance, handed part of the string to Randy, and placed her piece into her ear. She watched Randy do the same, and soon she was hearing voices.

"_We need to make sure everything is in great shape for Harry Potter's arrival tomorrow," Brunt said. "Napoleon, have you informed the staff of his arrival?"_

"_Of course, Marigold," a man, Napoleon, replied._

Lily looked at Randy. "I recognize that voice. That's him!" she whispered.

"Napoleon," Randy mumbled.

"_And I have ordered the house elves to make sure that the castle is spotless by the time we all wake up tomorrow," a high-pitch and nasally voice stated._

Lily looked at Randy with a raised brow. Randy whispered to her. "Patricia Stewart." Lily nodded. The other woman that had been in Brown's office.

"_But, since it's just the five of us, Marigold, why don't we move on to more pressing matters?" a deep and rumbling voice suggested._

Lily almost groaned. If it was only the five of them, that was even worse. They were plotting!

"_Such as?" Brunt asked._

"_This so-called study group that's started," the man said. "If this goes on, the others will never vote to keep Jacob Brown out. It's making him look good."_

"_But we can't just shut it down!" Napoleon argued. "That could make us look bad if we shut down a study program. They could write their parents! And some of the kids in that year have very influential parents. Oliver Wood's child is there, the Finnigan girl, Harry Potter's daughter!"_

"_And that's our true problem!" Brunt snapped. "Lily Potter is the thorn in our plans."_

"_Why?" a different man, this one's voice more wheezy, spoke. "You told us what Albus Potter said. She moved out. She's practically a disgrace to that family."_

Lily tensed and felt her insides shake. Albus. That was how they were learning things about her. Albus was supplying them with information.

"_But she's smart. She has influence over other students," Brunt argued. "They look up to her. And not just the fifth years, but the staff and even younger students. Jacob Brown gave the girl too much power. Making her a student teacher and prefect."_

"_Not to mention her being a model," the deep voiced man added. "She's seen as a role model. She'll be hard to thwart. It's not like we can just try to discredit her. Perhaps to Gryffindors, and then raise their distrust of Slytherins, but to other Houses? It won't be easy."_

"_Plus we'd have to be careful to make it seem as if we aren't causing discord among Houses. We have to make it seem as if it's been there since Brown was looking over them," Patricia Stewart replied._

"_So I agree with Brady," Brunt stated. "We need to stop this study group. Potter will just gain more trust from the others, and will only have more influence over them."_

"_So you think Lily Potter is behind that group?" Stewart inquired._

"_I know she is. I doubt that Jacob Brown actually tried to start this. I'm sure it's all Potter. If we can discredit or stop that group, the other students lose faith in the girl," Brunt said._

"_And then the failure of Brown's idea makes him look all the worse to the other governors, and then we can kick Brown out for sure," Brady said with a deep chuckle._

Lily pulled the ear away from the door with a yank. She pulled the string from her ear, and Randy did the same. "We don't need to hear anymore. We know what they're up to," she mumbled.

"And they won't succeed," Randy assured as the two began to walk away from the hall. "We're going to prevail."

"Perhaps. But now we really have to watch our backs," Lily replied.

"But if they're just discussing the group, then they obvious don't know much. They probably don't even know where we have meetings," Randy pointed out.

"Tomorrow, we need to make sure that everyone keeps our location a secret," Lily said. Then with a heavy sigh, she continued. "And we need to make sure that no one says a thing to Albus Potter."

Randy looked at her with surprise. "What?"

"Look, those things they said about me . . . they couldn't have known that without someone telling them. And I'd bet my broom that it was Albus. But to be safe, we need to keep this all from Rose Weasley as well," Lily added.

Randy sighed. "Well, I guess you are right. They would need inside information to learn something like that." He paused, but then seemed to gain a bit courage. "So, um . . . sorry I heard it. That sounded private."

Lily shrugged. "It's fine. It doesn't bother me. They make it sound like I was disowned or something. But it was necessary, and it was with good reasons. Besides, I'll be moving back in eventually. Possibly even this summer."

"Still, I would hate for everyone to know about my private life," Randy replied.

Lily sighed. "That's the thing, Randy. When you're a Potter, you kind of get used to your life being displayed to the public."

* * *

"What are the keys to performing nonverbal magic?" Lily asked as she scanned the textbook Scorpius had given her. She was sitting with him on his bed. Her back was against the headboard, a pillow as a cushion. Scorpius was lying across the foot of the bed, his legs off the bed, and his head resting on his arms.

"Focus," Scorpius mumbled.

Lily raised a brow. "And?" she urged.

Scorpius shrugged. "Eh, I don't remember."

Lily sighed as she closed the book with a snap. "Scorpius Malfoy! You brought me up here to help you study, and all you've done is lie there! Was there a point to this?"

"Yes, and it was to get you away from the others," Scorpius replied with a smirk. He was on the bed, sitting on his knees in a flash. He hovered over her, looking almost predatory. He rested his hands on the headboard, his arms trapping her. "And I think it worked," he murmured as he began to lower his lips toward her.

Lily turned her head at the last second, his lips connecting with her jaw. When he pulled away, there was a scowl on his face. Lily looked at him with an expectant look. "We both have big exams coming in less than two months really. So if you ask me to help you study, that's what I'm going to do."

Scorpius groaned as he fell onto his back. "I should have thought of a better excuse."

Lily sighed. "Scorpius, you do need to know things like this to be an Auror."

"I know, I know. But when I brought you up here, my mood was not intended for studying," Scorpius retorted.

"Well then you better shift your mood, because I'm going to make sure you have the keys to nonverbal magic memorized by the time I leave this room," Lily stated as she opened the book again.

"Will I get a kiss if I get the answer right?" Scorpius asked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Maybe. Do you know the answer?"

Scorpius smirked. "Concentration and mental discipline," he answered correctly.

Lily sighed, figuring that she'd probably fallen for a trap, one she should have seen coming. But relenting, she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "There," she replied as she sat back.

"That's not what I meant," Scorpius complained.

"Then you should have said what you meant," Lily retorted. "If you'd done that to begin with, we wouldn't be studying right now either."

Scorpius groaned. "You tricky witch."

"Love you too," she countered.

* * *

Breakfast that Monday morning was tense for Lily. Every few minutes her eyes would move to the open doors of the Great Hall, waiting and expecting her father to walk in any moment.

"Relax, Lily," Scorpius told her as she caught her looking at the door.

"It's not easy," Lily sighed. "Part of me is afraid that he won't believe me."

"He has to, you're his daughter," Lola argued.

"Over Christmas, if we weren't arguing, then he was ignoring me," Lily countered.

"It will all be ok," Scorpius assured. "Hugo will tell him the same thing. And if Professors Slughorn and Longbottom are helping you guys with the meetings, then they must feel the same about this whole situation."

"And who knows what other staff members feel the same. A lot of our teachers are old friends of your dad," Lana pointed out.

Lily thought about that. She knew that he was friends with Professors Creevey, Bell, and Macmillan. And of course Hagrid. Plus Professors Longbottom and Slughorn. And maybe even Flitwick and Sinstra, since they had taught her father as well.

"Maybe," Lily relented hesitantly. She was still slightly worried.

"Look," Scorpius whispered as a hush fell over the room.

Lily looked to the doors to see her father standing there, talking with Professor Longbottom. And then she saw trouble. Brunt and Heyes were making their way toward her father. Hoping to stop the fire before it started, she quickly got up from her seat, grabbing her bag, and headed toward her father. But they beat her there, making Lily walk even faster. She could hear their conversation as she approached.

"Well it's great to meet you," her father was saying as he shook Heyes's hand.

"Dad?" Lily said hesitantly as she stopped to stand near them.

She got three different looks directed at her. Curiosity from Professor Longbottom, suspicion from Brunt and Heyes, and surprise from her father.

"Lily. What is it?" Harry asked.

Lily swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Well, I was wondering if I could talk to you, if you're not busy?"

Her father's surprise grew, and Lily felt a little guilt. How long _had_ it been since she'd simply asked her father if they could talk? Harry recovered quickly though. "Well of course." He looked at the other adults. "If you'll excuse me."

When Lily led him from the Great Hall, she looked at him. "Have you eaten?" she asked.

"No, so would it be ok for us to talk in the kitchens?" Harry requested.

Lily nodded. "That's fine," she replied.

Their walk to the kitchens was silent, and they still didn't speak until the house elves had brought her father a plate of food, and had dispersed.

"So, this is a surprise," Harry commented. "Are we going to have a talk like I heard you and Ron did?"

Lily shook her head. "Not quite. I want to talk to you about Heyes and some of the governors."

Harry raised a brow. "What about them?"

Lily knew that she should approach the subject and her response with maturity. And that had been her plan. But somehow, it didn't happen that way. "They're ruining Hogwarts, Dad!" she replied, a complaining and pouting tone to her voice. Harry looked shocked. "It's exactly like you described Umbridge in your stories! They're throwing out practically all of our freedom! Quidditch is on the edge, we can't go to Hogsmeade, and they're making it hard to study! They're making Hogwarts worse, and they're trying to pin it on Professor Brown!"

They stared at each other in silence after Lily's small rant. And it was then that a feeling washed over Lily. A feeling of familiarity. Memories.

* * *

**Flashback**

"Daddy, Albus says that I can't go to Hogwarts when I'm older because I'm weird!" five-year-old Lily cried as she ran into her father's study.

Harry smiled and motioned for his daughter to come closer. Lily rushed to him, and Harry brought her onto his lap. "You're not weird, princess. Daddy's perfect little girl could never be weird," Harry told her.

"Well why would Albus say that then?" Lily pouted.

Harry sighed. "Well, sweetie, sometimes boys say dumb things. We say things that we don't really mean."

"Well that's dumb! Why doesn't everybody just say what they mean and tell the truth? Boys are stupid!" Lily ranted.

Harry chuckled. "We can be, princess. So if I were you, I'd stay away from us boys."

Lily looked up at him. "But you're not stupid. Boys are."

He raised an amused brow. "Well if I'm not a boy, then what am I?"

"You're my daddy."

* * *

**End of Flashback**

Ranting to her father was something that Lily had always used to do when she was little. She told her dad about every little problem she had. He'd always seemed to have the power to make her feel better. To make everything better.

A memory must have taken her father as well, because his gaze was far off and distant.

"Dad?" Lily called softly. Harry blinked a few times, obviously coming back to the present. But the way he looked at her, Lily had the feeling she'd had when she was five. That feeling that he was going to make everything ok. That he was going to make _her_ feel better. "Daddy, I need your help."

Harry's eyes softened at her reverting to an old name. And again, Lily felt like a little girl when she looked at him and his knowing eyes. She felt like Daddy's perfect little girl all over again. "Lily, why don't you tell me what's happened this year?"

So, leaving out things about her personal life she didn't want her father to know, Lily went over the year at Hogwarts. She admitted to how she felt like she had contributed to the House rivalries and Professor Brown getting fired. About the challenge between Albus and Scorpius, and about the time Scorpius hit Albus. She told him about every little thing the governors had done, including to the meeting she'd listened in on. And she admitted to her fear of Albus giving Brunt information.

Harry took it all in without interrupting her. Once she'd finished, he sighed. "Sounds like my fifth year, sans the impending war," he commented as he rubbed at his temples. Then he chuckled. "You've even got your own D.A. group."

Lily smiled slightly. "Snape and Dumbledore brought up your fifth year, trying to spark the idea into my head."

"Well it worked once." Then he looked at her carefully. "But it also failed once. Obviously, circumstances are different in your situation, but I would still be careful."

"But what should I do?" Lily insisted.

Harry sighed as he pushed his plate away. "Lily, it seems to me that you're already on the right track. You claim that you made things worse between Houses? Well you're trying to fix them now. You are making sure that everyone in your year passes the O.W.L. exams, and you're promoting House unity while you do it. That's more than I did when I had to make a group."

"There's got to be more I can do though," Lily protested.

Harry stood up, and then led Lily from the room. "There is. You can go on as you have been. Don't start trouble, and follow their rules. They may be ridiculous and annoying, but just follow them."

"But-,"

"And you let me take care of everything else," Harry continued. "When I was your age, all I wanted was help from the adults when it came to these things. Because they can help. So trust me, ok?"

Lily sighed, but she nodded. "Ok," she mumbled.

Harry placed his hands on her shoulders. "You know, Lily, when your mum would tell me that you were just like me, I would tell her that she was crazy. I always thought that you had too much of a fiery personality, which made you just like your mother. But over the years, I've begun to see more and more of what she meant." He brushed her bangs away from her face. "I'm proud of you, princess. No matter what. And even though we don't always agree, and we've got our rough patches, I love you."

Her father kissed her forehead, and then walked toward the direction of the Great Hall. Absentmindedly, she brushed her fingers along where he'd kissed her forehead. An unstoppable smile spread across her lips. It was happening.

They were both trying to fix their problem.

* * *

Lily didn't have Defense Against the Dark Arts on Mondays, so when classes started, she saw not even a glimpse of her father. But when she caught up with Hugo during their last break before their final lesson of the day, he relayed the news that during the sixth years' class, the two governors, Brady Edwards and Napoleon Cross had sat in during his lectures.

"Probably trying to kiss ass," he mumbled. Then he ran a hand over this messy curls, which were getting more pronounced now that it was growing longer.

"More than likely. But have they spoken to him at all?" Lily asked him.

"Well, Zack didn't mention them talking. And Zack's usually pretty honest and reliable," Hugo said.

Lily sighed. Although she hadn't talked to Zack Creevey . . . well probably since she'd started Hogwarts, but if Zack was still like Zack, then Hugo was right. "Well, at least we know that they're trying to get into his confidence. Hopefully, my dad has a plan."

"You're sure he's on our side?" Hugo asked.

Lily nodded with certainty. "Absolutely. But I don't know what he's planning to do, so I can't act accordingly. All we can do is . . . follow their rules and go on as we have," she mumbled the last part.

"Sounds boring," Hugo admitted. But then he shrugged. "But if it's for the best, then I'll go along with it." He stretched his arms over his head. His voice dropped to a low whisper. "So it's Defense Against the Dark Arts tonight, right?"

Since she'd confided in Hugo about the governors' meeting, the four House "leaders" had taken to discussing the group in low whispers. "Yeah. Meeting is right after dinner tonight."

Hugo clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "You know, Wilde is in that group. Think she's trustworthy?"

Lily sighed. "Well, Shannon is in the group too. She says the four of them have been working pretty hard, and that Paige hasn't fought or caused any problems."

"You trust her then?" Hugo replied.

"At this point, it's not about whether we trust each other. I can see that Paige understands the bad situation the school is in. I can see that she wants it to go back to the way it was, just like we all do. And when you have the same goal, the least you can do is respect each other," Lily said, reminded of Professor Brown's words to her.

"I guess you're right. We all have to take what we can get," Hugo agreed. Then he chuckled. "I'm starting to feel bad for our parents. They had to go through crap like this all through their school career? Damn."

Lily laughed a little with him. "Yeah. Things are a bit easier on our side."

"Well I think we've obviously got our own problems," Hugo replied. "Sure, we're not on the brink of a war with a dark wizard. But when it comes to family . . . I don't think we're far."

"I know," Lily whispered. "I can feel it too. It's on the edge. Either we can fix it, or it all blows up."

* * *

Lily was alone in the Room of Requirement. The room was done a little differently. There was one desk in the front, and a good amount of comfy chairs around it in a half-circle. Perfect until it came time for the practical parts of the lesson for Defense Against the Dark Arts, if that was in their plan today.

Dinner wasn't nearly done, but Lily found that she wasn't very hungry. She'd excused herself early, saying that she wanted to get the room ready. Really, she just wanted to get away from all the noise in the common room, and the sight of her father at the staff table between Professor Longbottom and Heyes. There was too much at stake tonight. It was their first lesson, and if this went bad, it could easily dash everyone hopes and faith in the plan. It had to go well.

"I don't think I've ever seen you eat so little food during a meal." Lily jumped from her seat on the desk. She turned her head to see that her father had walked in. He walked over to her, so Lily scooted over a little, making space for him. Harry sat next to her. "Something on your mind?"

"More than just something," Lily sighed. "The future of this group depends on this meeting."

"I remember being afraid and unsure when I started the D.A. in my fifth year. It's nerve-racking," Harry agreed.

Already feeling mentally exhausted, Lily rested her head on her father's shoulder. "Dad, I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Harry sighed as he put an arm around her. "Princess, you did nothing wrong. You just grew up, and I was stubborn about it."

"I'm sorry I was so angry and difficult about it," Lily replied.

"You know, when I was fifteen, a lot of people didn't believe me when I said that Voldemort was back. I remember getting angry and defensive too. I just never notice how much like me you are," Harry told her.

"I didn't mean what I said," Lily whispered. "Over Christmas break, about you and Draco."

He squeezed her shoulder. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that," he murmured.

"I was angry," Lily replied. "I mean, I do see Draco as a father figure. But you're still and first my Dad."

"You know, Lily, it's not easy watching you kids grow up. It's even harder watching my little girl grow up. But I promise that I'm going to try better at watching you get older, ok?" Harry assured. "So, will you come home over the summer?"

Lily closed her eyes. "Maybe. Dad, I know you and Mum don't like it, but I can't move back until Albus has moved out. We have too many problems between us. We don't mix well together." She paused, taking in a comforting breath. "But once he's moved out, then yes."

"Sweetheart, I know you feel responsible, but you're taking a lot of troubles on your shoulders," Harry commented.

"They're my troubles to fix," Lily stated. "You always told us that if we have a problem or a trouble, then we need to fix it. That's true responsibility. I'm just following what you said."

Harry chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to see that my attempts to raise respectable children paid off."

"Thanks," Lily mumbled. She opened her eyes, and lifted her head. She looked at her father. Even though it had been ten years, he still looked like the man who had comforted her as she sat on his lap. The man who fixed every problem she had. She felt so relieved that they had sort of gotten over their problems . . . but Lily knew that there was still one thing.

"You know, Dad, we still have a problem," Lily mentioned.

Harry raised a brow. "And what's that?"

"Scorpius," Lily said simply.

Harry pulled in a big breath, and Lily almost gulped at the steely look that came over his eyes as he looked at the wall ahead of him. "Yeah," he muttered.

"Look, Dad," Lily said, trying to be reassuring, "he's a really great guy. And he's good to me." She sighed. "Look, I'm not asking you to like him . . . but just that you could . . . _tolerate_ him at least. For me?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Lily, it's not easy for me. I know you hate double standards. Your mum hates them, and she hates that I've put them on you. But I can't help it. You're my little girl."

"But could you try, Dad? Just not get mad when someone mentions him, or you see a new tiny development in our relationship? Not glare at him next time Mum demands I bring him over?" Lily pleaded.

Harry sighed and looked grudgingly relenting. "I guess I might be able to do that. Although I make no promises. A glare may slip out every once in a while."

Lily gave a light laugh as she leaned her head on his shoulder again. "That's all I ask for."

They were silent for a moment, but Lily recognized the silence. She'd felt it many times when she was little and had sat on her father's lap while he worked in his study. The silence that meant he was thinking, and he was thinking hard about something he wasn't completely understanding. She was happy to know that he was basically the same man.

"Lily, I always want to say that since you're fifteen, you can't be very serious about your relationship. But then I'm always reminded, by many of the women in the family, that your mother was fifteen too. So, I'm going to ask you. How serious are the two of you?" Harry asked.

Lily didn't shy away from his eyes. "Very serious, Dad. I know I love him, and that it's not teenage hormones or girly delusions. I really do, and I've never doubted his love for me."

Harry sighed, a bit heavier this time. And for the first time, Lily noticed the age in her father. She noticed the ten years in his eyes. But he smiled a little at her and squeezed her shoulder again. "Well, I can't say that I'll like him, but I will say that I'll try."

Lily smiled. "Thanks, Daddy."

Harry nodded. "After all, one day you'll have moved out permanently, and will be leading your own life. And although that's a while off, I guess I'd like to know that someone is taking care of my little girl when I'm not there to protect her."

They heard the door creak a little, and looked to see that Hugo had stepped into the room. But when his eyes locked onto the two of them, he seemed ready to either bolt, or just stand there embarrassed. "Um, am I interrupting something?"

Harry shook his head as he got off the desk. "Not at all, Hugo. How are you, boy?"

Hugo shrugged. "Same, I guess. How's life been treating you?"

"Same ups and downs as anybody," Harry replied with a small grin. He walked by, and as he did, ruffled Hugo's hair. "Be ready, boy. When you go home, your mum's going to be all over you about cutting your hair if it gets any longer."

Hugo laughed. "With how much my girlfriend has been complaining about it, I'm used to it," he joked.

Harry laughed as well. "Well, you kids take care. Lily, I'll send you a letter if anything happens."

Lily knew he meant about the governors. She got off the desk and smiled at her father. "Ok. Thanks, Dad."

"Later, Uncle Harry," Hugo said.

Harry gave both kids a wave before leaving the room.

Hugo looked over at Lily and walked up to her. "What's up?" he asked.

Lily sighed. "I think, for the most part, my dad and I are ok. We both know that we still might disagree and fight every so often, but we're both trying to get past those things."

"So, you going back home this summer?" Hugo asked.

"Once Albus moves out," Lily replied.

Hugo looked at Lily with an honest look. "You know, Lil, you're eventually going to have to settle things with Albus and James."

"But can you see me doing that now, with how they still are?" Lily retorted.

Hugo held up a hand of surrender. "I know, I know. I wouldn't wanna talk to those jackasses either. But I'm just saying. Eventually, you're going to have to patch things up with even them. Just like I'll have to eventually with Rose," he stated.

"I know," Lily sighed. "But for me, that's still a ways off."

* * *

The Defense Against the Dark Arts group consisted of Shannon, Paige Wilde, Jake Cauldwell from Hufflepuff, and Peter Chambers from Ravenclaw. And they had apparently picked an easier subject since their time of study was limited to two days. They picked the Protego spell. After explaining it, and after Paige and Jake did an example, everyone was instructed to grab a partner and practice on each other. The chairs and desk in the room vanished, and became a large and open area for practice. Lily and Hugo chose each other and moved to a more open part of the room. They still had things to discuss.

They faced each other, wands out. Hugo was the first to speak. "I've been trying to keep an eye on Albus ever since you told me about how you think he's spilling information about you to Brunt."

"And? Everte Statum!" Lily cast the spell.

Hugo was quick. "Protego!" Lily's spell stopped short in the air, his shield catching the spell. " I haven't caught him talking to any of the governors. Just spending all of his time with Rose or Tyler Creevey. Impedimenta!"

"Protego!" Lily blocked Hugo's spell with ease. "No offense, but that doesn't ease my concern over it. Before this meeting ends, we'll need to discuss that with everyone here." She lowered her wand. "Think we've got this down?"

Hugo shrugged. "It was easy enough." He paused, but then grinned slyly. "Wanna have fun? Throw a few things at each other?"

Lily grinned as well. "You're on," she challenged. They both raised their wands again. "Just remember, Huey, this isn't chess."

"Not really different though. Ladies first," Hugo offered.

"Incendio!" Lily cast.

"Aguamenti!" A jet of water shot from Hugo's wand, immediately extinguishing the blast of fire that had emitted from Lily's.

"Stupefy!"

"Incarcerous!" But Lily's spell caught Hugo, knocking him back several feet. Lily easily blocked the ropes Hugo had cast with a flick of her wand. Hugo slowly got up, but he hadn't lost his playful look. "Impedimenta!"

"Protego! Lacarnum Inflamarae!" A ball of flame flew from Lily's wand at Hugo.

"Partis Temporus!" The ball of fire split into two, allowing Hugo to stand where he had, the fire missing him completely. "Everte Statum!"

"Petrificus Totalus!" But it wasn't seconds after she'd cast her spell that Hugo's hit her in the stomach, throwing her back until she hit the wall. She fell with a loud thump. When she opened her eyes, she could see worried faces above her.

"Everyone calm!" Randy's voice bellowed.

Lily groaned as she sat up, touching the back of her head, feeling an ache. She looked over to see that she had caught Hugo, his body frozen stiff on the floor. She grinned. "I believe I won, Hugo!" She slowly stood up, feeling a bit sore after Hugo's last hit.

"That was awesome!" Jon Page from Ravenclaw complimented.

"Yeah, how'd you guys do that stuff so easy?" Rick Whitby from Hufflepuff asked.

Lily shrugged. "Practice, I guess." She walked over to Hugo, tried not to laugh at how Lola was fussing over him, but not actually undoing the spell. Lily pointed her wand at Hugo. "Finite."

Slowly, Hugo groaned and sat up, rubbing his head.

"Hugo, are you ok?" Lola asked immediately.

Hugo blinked a couple of times. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." He grinned at Lily. "Good match, cuz."

Lily held out her hand, and then helped to pull him up. "Thanks. Makes up for not being able to beat you in chess." They both laughed.

"You two are crazy. You could have hurt each other," Lola protested.

Hugo shrugged. "We got bored doing the Protego spell, so we upped our game."

Lily waved everyone off. "Go on and keep practicing. We've still got time. We're both fine, so go on."

Lola looked at the two with a bit of a disapproving eye, but she walked back to Megan, who had been her partner.

Hugo just chuckled. "That was fun. We should do that more often."

Lily laughed. "I think Lola might kill us."

"It would be worth it," Hugo replied. Two chairs appeared, and Hugo immediately sat down. Lily rolled her eyes, but she sat down as well.

Lily sighed. "You know, you are really good. An Auror might not be a bad choice for you."

But he shook his head. "I take enough orders from my dad. Plus . . . I don't know. I have no drive to train that much. Seven years of the school training me for life is enough," Hugo replied.

"So, what did you tell Longbottom when you had your Career Advice?" Lily asked.

"I just told him that I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was going to pick my classes based on the ones I like. Then I'll choose what I want to do when I _know_ what I want to do," Hugo told her.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. That's probably what I would have done if I hadn't chosen to model," Lily retorted.

"You don't think it makes me lazy?" Hugo joked.

Lily shook her head. "Nah. I knew you were lazy long before this," she teased.

Hugo laughed. "You know me so well."

"It's my job as a best friend to know you well."

* * *

Once it got close to the end of their session, Lily and Hugo called over Randy and Jaclyn, and told them that they were going to need to tell everyone about what Lily and Randy heard from the governors. So once Randy and Hugo had loudly called for everyone to gather round, Lily thought of how she wanted to the room to change again. It did easily and quickly, chairs reappearing. After their initial shock, the others all sat down, and looked at the four with curiosity.

Lily stepped forward, unsure of how to say it without being blunt. "First off, good job today. Our Defense Against the Dark Arts team did a fabulous job teaching us today, and I think it's one less things we'll have to worry about now."

The others all applauded the four, and Lily and the others in the front did as well. But once it became quiet, she continued.

"But we have concerns, and we think that you need to know," Lily announced. She took in a deep breath. "Now that our group is public, the governors against us are already trying to stop it. They are sure I'm behind it all. They're right. But that's about all they know. They don't know how it works, or where we meet. So it is now very important that we keep our location a secret." Lily looked back at the other three, who urged her on with their eyes. She looked back and sighed. "Also, they are planning to make attempts to discredit me to the Gryffindors, and hope that it will spread."

"But we know better!" Stacy protested.

"Yeah, and we can make sure that anything they say doesn't spread around the older students," Cody Thomas assured.

But Lily shook her head. "There's more." She took a deep breath. "There is a great chance that you all, and the whole school, will hear some sordid story of how I was kicked out of my house and disowned. The reality is that I moved out."

There was a hushed murmur around the room. Hugo reached forward and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. Randy spoke loudly again. "Everyone hush!"

Once they did, they looked back at Lily. "Thank you, Randy," Lily said. Then she looked back at all the others. "It's a long story, and you might hear a lot of bad things. But to save time, I'll just say that it was necessary, and I'll probably be moving back in the summer." Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Now, here's the thing. The fact that Brunt knows this means that she has insider information. And the four of us believe that it's Albus Potter."

Another wave of murmuring.

"You really think your brother would do that?" Connie Wood questioned.

"I never put anything past Albus Potter anymore," Lily retorted. "So, to make sure that nothing more about our group is revealed to the governors, we need to keep any and all information about the group a secret from Albus Potter and even possibly Rose Weasley."

"So you want us to lie to our Head Boy and Girl?" Tara Epcot, the Ravenclaw prefect, said with a raised brow.

"I know it seems crazy, but we believe that those two would tell the governors. Rose Weasley would never keep secrets from an authority figure, and Albus Potter obviously isn't against giving out damaging information about me," Lily told them. "So, we can't let them know anything. If we think that someone would tell those two, we can't tell that person. We can't let the governors beat us, so we have to watch our backs."

The others in the room looked around at their friends, almost unsure of what to do or say.

Peter Chambers finally spoke up. "But what if the governors do find something out? We'll be finished, won't we?" he said with a defeated voice.

Hugo stepped forward. "Look, we're going to do the best we can to fight against that, _all_ of us. But we're not alone. A good amount of the staff is against having Heyes and the governors controlling things. And we have Harry Potter on our side," Hugo admitted.

Again, another murmur, although there was a lot of excitement in this one.

"Lily's dad knows about us? He's going to help?" Summer Vane from Hufflepuff said excitedly.

Lily grinned. "Yeah, my dad is going to be our outside help. I don't know what he's going to do. He didn't say. But he's going to help us from the outside."

"So, we're really going to get Professor Brown back?" Brandy Samuels from Ravenclaw asked with a smile.

Lily smiled, but she made no sign of agreement. "Well, I'll be dammed if Heyes stays the headmaster," was all she said.


	70. Heart to Heart

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this has been a hard chapter to write. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in like forever. But I've had a lot of trouble with this chapter. I've written it so many times now, and it took me a while to decide which one I liked. I feel like it's a little shorter than I would have liked it, but I knew that if I tried to make it longer, I would have taken even longer. So, I hope you guys enjoy this, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy: Heart to Heart

"Lily, are you listening to me?" Lola's voice was sharp and slightly annoyed.

Lily blinked a few times and looked over at her best friend. She was staring at Lily with a raised brow and annoyed frown. Lily sighed. "Sorry, what did you say?"

Lola rolled her eyes. "You and I have only been talking for no longer than ten minutes, and you've spaced off at least fifteen times!"

Lily ran a hand through her hair. The two girls were sitting in the common room during their morning break. Books were opened, giving the illusion to studying, but really they'd simply been talking about anything _but_ academics.

"I'm sorry, but I've still got that whole meeting between the governors in my mind," Lily admitted.

"Lily, that was days ago. What could still be bothering you? We've taken the correct and thorough precautions to keep from being shut down," Lola replied.

Lily bit her lip, debating on admitting what was bothering her. "You might think it sounds ridiculous," she retorted.

"Try me," Lola countered.

Lily looked at her friend, who looked firmly concerned. The firm look was in her expression, the concern in her eyes. Lily hesitated, but she knew that Lola was always willing to listen until all was said and done. "Well, it's the whole thing about Albus giving them information about me," she told Lola.

"What about it?" Lola asked.

Lily sighed. "Well, considering everything, it shouldn't surprise me . . . but it does! And it bothers me! I mean . . . something _that_ personal . . . something that was between only our family? I mean with how bad things are, I wouldn't go off telling the governors about his tryst in the closet! It just . . . I oddly can't believe that he would give information like that to those people," she ranted quietly.

Lola leaned back into her seat. "That's not ridiculous. I can understand why you feel like this."

"Then can you explain it to me?" Lily requested.

"You and Albus . . . when you two fight, Albus rarely fights himself. The things you've told me, it sounds like he's always telling your dad or James, wanting them to pick his fights. He's rarely approached you on his own. But you two have never flat out told a teacher or someone similar what the other has done. You've kept personal things in your family so far. But the idea that he would release something so personal, when you never would have thought to, is what shocks you," Lola explained. Then she grinned. "Sorry, if that made little sense."

Lily shook her head. "No, I understood. And I guess you're right." Lily paused, then sighed. "So, what do I do about it though? How do I get it out of my mind?"

"Confront him about it," Lola suggested.

"It'll just end up in a big argument," Lily dismissed.

"Then maybe that's what you need. The closure. Either way, you need to understand his reasons if you want to get past this. And whether they're good or bad, you can let it go," Lola replied. "So talk to him."

But that was easier said than done. No matter how she approached it, she would never be able to speak with Albus alone. He would never accept a note asking to speak one-on-one, and he was always flocked by somebody, whether it was Rose, or Tyler Creevey, or both. Lily knew that she was just going to have to give up and talk to him in front of a hostile group. So, that was what she decided to do . . . but she was bringing a small group of her own, just to stay even.

So when the fifth years in Slytherin, and Hugo, were walking to the Great Hall for lunch, Lily caught sight of Albus, Rose, and Tyler talking in a small cluster up ahead. So she grabbed Shannon and Jace, pulling them aside.

"What's up?" Jace asked.

Lily kept her eyes on the group of three. "Will you two go with me to speak with Albus?" she asked.

They both seemed slightly surprised. "Wow. I would have thought you'd want Hugo with you," Shannon commented.

Lily shook her head. "No. Having Lola or Hugo would spark a fight in Rose. And having Scorpius with me would cause just as much trouble. I just want to speak with him, and I need two people less likely to cause problems with any of them."

"Thanks for thinking of us," Jace joked.

Shannon rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Of course we will. Lead the way."

So Lily led her way to the small group, hesitant by how many people were still walking around the Entrance Hall. But Lily couldn't wait anymore. Lola was right. She needed to get over it and get it out of her head. Even if a hundred students _did_ see it happen.

So it was with her head up high that Lily approached the three seventh years, whose eyes all narrowed with suspicion once they caught sight of her.

But Rose seemed to be the more mature one. "Do you need something?" she asked, her voice tense but cordial.

Lily kept her eyes on Albus. "I need to talk to you," she said to him.

Albus straightened up, as if trying to seem intimidating. "About what?" he demanded.

Lily took a deep breath. She had to keep calm, no matter what he did. Fights would get them in trouble, and it was against her whole "problem fixing" agenda. "About what you've been telling Brunt."

Surprise shone in Albus's eyes, followed by a look that obviously showed that he didn't want to discuss it. "What stuff?" he muttered, now avoiding her eyes.

"About me. Things that were between our family only. About me moving out for example," Lily stated, hating how her throat was tightening with light anger.

Albus scowled. "She asked me how things were over break, so I told her."

"You knew she hated me," Lily said firmly.

"You're being arrogant and paranoid. Everything is always about you," Albus mocked.

Lily stayed firm but calm. "Don't play that with me. _Everyone_ knew that Brunt and I were on opposite ends. Yet you still told her things that she had no business knowing, just like when you started telling Dad things about me and Scorpius," she argued.

"You know, I've told her a lot of things. I tell her the _truth_. I don't have to contradict and be rude to all authority figures who I disagree with! When she asked me what I thought of a teacher or staff member, I was honest! When she asked me about classes, I was honest! And when she asked about other students, including _you_, I was honest!" Albus insisted, his voice getting noticeably angrier. And his voice was drawing the eyes of others, making a crowd and causing a scene.

Lily kept her voice steady. "So not only did you betray me, but the whole school. You helped to get Professor Brown fired, and you're still helping Brunt. Even though things are bad, and just about every student here is practically miserable, you're still providing her with anything she wants to know."

Murmurs went around at Lily's words, and people were looking at Albus with either muted surprise, or slight distrust. Albus now looked at Lily, avoiding the _crowd's_ eyes. She could see his embarrassment in his eyes. "What did you want me to do? Lie? I had to tell the truth! I'm Head Boy! I don't lie to the staff _or_ the governors."

Finally, Lily couldn't stop the loss of her calm exterior. It was replaced by disappointment and mockery. And she rolled her eyes and scoffed. "How dramatic. You _had_ to? You know, Grandpa James was Head Boy too, but I bet he kept secrets for his friends. And I'd bet my soul that James lied to teachers occasionally as Head Boy. So do not tell me you _had_ to." She shook her head, already wanting to get away from him. So she turned, and Shannon and Jace turned to leave with her. But as people started to move and let her through, Lily turned to look at Albus once more. And she said once last thing.

"You know, you try to make Slytherins out to be bad guys. But guess what. _Peter Pettigrew_ was a _Gryffindor_."

* * *

Lily hadn't expected the reactions her words to Albus would spark from others. She hadn't expected anyone to care. She hadn't meant for others to assume that Professor Brown was fired because of him. She didn't want people to look at Albus with mistrust. And she never expected people to start calling Albus "_Pettigrew_" behind his back, and in a few cases, to his face.

"He deserves the name," Scorpius had replied when Lily mentioned it to him. "People get what they deserve. And after what he's done, he's earned that name."

"It's not just his fault that Professor Brown might get replaced," Lily retorted.

"But even after all Brunt has done, even though us students obviously hate how she's running things, Albus is still supplying her with information to help her keep control. He has, in the eyes of some, betrayed Hogwarts," Scorpius argued softly.

But his words didn't help her feel any better. Lily hated that her calm had slipped. She felt as if she'd just put herself ten steps back in her attempts to fix things. So when others called him _Pettigrew_ around her, she simply called him Albus. When he was accused of being a traitor, she stayed quiet. It was obvious to Lily that people expected her to agree when they said those things and practically start a smear campaign against him. According to Hugo, who wasn't scared to tell her, people were finding her silence toward their opinions of Albus "odd." And Lily knew that everyone could tell how moody she was. But they said nothing, and Scorpius simply let her be, explaining that sometimes a person just needed to brood. But Hugo seemed willing to cheer her up.

"Hey, Lily!" Hugo called as Lily began to leave after a JB History of Magic lesson. It was getting close to curfew, so most of the fifth years were hurrying to get to their common rooms.

Lily raised a brow as her cousin approached her. He'd done wonderful explaining about wand legislation. The fact that he was even interested in some of the topics in History of Magic still amazed her.

Hugo was currently grinning like mad. "Once the room checks are done, meet me just outside the castle. The door will be unlocked, trust me," he instructed.

Lily opened her mouth to protest. She wanted to spend the evening with Scorpius like she usually did as of late. But Hugo turned to leave, obviously not taking "no" for an answer.

Scorpius didn't look any happier when she told him, but he didn't try to stop her or argue. "Should I go with?" he asked with concern.

Lily shook her head. "No. Hugo would have told me to bring you. I think he just wants me," she replied.

So Scorpius nodded. Then he smiled softly. "Well, maybe he can get you to feel better." He kissed her forehead. "Don't get caught."

So once the nightly checks were done, and Professors Slughorn and Zabini had left the common room completely, Lily dressed quietly in a pair of dark jeans and a thin green sweater. Just incase it was a little chilly after dark. Then after making sure she had her wand, she left the common room. She was quiet as she walked, and checked every corner before turning down one. She knew that at least one professor and two prefects were assigned to patrol the dungeons. And they were never Slytherin prefects, and it was never Professors Slughorn or Zabini. So she was careful to stay hidden in shadows, and away from open sight. Once she had finally reached the Entrance Hall, she saw that the door was open just a tiny bit. So quickly, she opened it enough to let her slide out, and with a whispered spell, brought it back to a near close.

"'Bout time you got out here," Hugo whispered jokingly. A soft light came over Lily, and she turned to that Hugo's wand was lit at the tip.

Lily lit up her wand as well. "What are we doing out here Hugo?" she asked quietly.

Hugo grinned. "We're taking a walk," he stated. Then he took her wrist and began to pull her down the path.

Lily looked at him with confusion. "A _walk_? That's what we snuck out here for?"

"Yup," Hugo said simply. But then he elaborated. "When we were little, and one of us got angry, the other always took us up to the tree house, that way we could get away from _everything_ and _everyone_. Remember?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

Hugo let go of her wrist, and turned to look at her. His hair was shorter, thanks to Lana, and now simply curled around his head, but far enough away from his eyes, which were a shocking blue in the wand light. "So, since we don't really have a tree house out here, I'm taking you to the forest."

Lily raised a brow. "So, to get an escape, we're going out to a forest that could kill us?" she mocked, a grin finally starting to show on her face.

Hugo chuckled. "Not exactly. Remember that place Hagrid took us earlier this year when he showed us the unicorns?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It was in the Forbidden Forest."

"Exactly, and he said that thanks to Professor Brown, magic keeps all creatures with dangerous intents and instincts out of that area. That's why he keeps the unicorns there. And I remember where that place is," Hugo told her.

Lily sighed. "Ok, but if something attacks us, I'm blaming you."

"Feel free," Hugo retorted. But they continued down the path, and then turned off toward the forest. It was even darker and eery at night. Lily remembered the stories her father had told her and her brothers about this forest. He'd fought giant spiders, caught sight of Voldemort in his first year, met Hagrid's half-brother, confronted Voldemort, and even sort of died in there. So, what would happen to _her_ in there? Maybe bad luck in the forest would run in the family? But then again, she remembered hearing stories from James about how he'd ventured in there and had come out fine. That had been before she'd gone to Hogwarts.

"Come, it's through here," Hugo said, waving her over. With muted steps, the two took their first steps into the forest, and slowly began to move in deeper.

"You'd better know where you're going," Lily muttered.

"Don't be moody," Hugo quipped casually. "It's not fun."

"I'm not moody," Lily argued.

"Then you would be enjoying this," he countered. "Ah! Here we are!"

He pulled her into an open circle in the trees, and in the soft glow of their wands, Lily could see a unicorn nearby. She smiled at the sight of the beautiful creatures.

Hugo dropped to the ground, and it was then that Lily finally noticed he had his bag with them. He pulled something out from it, and then gave a whispered spell. Lily blinked as a small blue fire appeared before them, blinding her momentarily. It lit up the circle much better than their wands had. Lily watched as Hugo put the flames into a jar, which he closed. They stayed aflame and full of life.

"My mum showed me how to do this years ago," Hugo commented when Lily came to sit by him. "Apparently, she used to do it during the winters at Hogwarts."

"It's pretty cool," Lily told him.

They sat in the silence of the night for a while. They could hear the occasional rustle from the nearby unicorn, and the sounds of other creatures in the night. A wolf howled.

"Werewolf or normal wolf?" Hugo asked calmly.

"Normal wolf. It's not a full moon," Lily pointed out.

Hugo rolled his eyes. "No shit. I mean, how do you tell?"

"I didn't know you brought me out here to quiz me," Lily mocked.

"Answer the damn question."

"Well, if we were to see it, we could tell by its snout, tail, and its pupils," Lily answered with a sigh. They fell silent again, but Lily didn't let it linger. "Hugo, this isn't helping."

"Lil, you can't blame yourself for everything," Hugo retorted. "Yeah, you may have sparked people to start blaming him or calling him _Pettigrew_, but everyone has their own opinion and mind. They call him that because they believe it. And some don't. Roddy Bella doesn't believe that about Albus. He doesn't call Albus those things. People have their own thoughts, so don't try and control them."

"But he's going to blame me. And it's not going to help me and him fix our problems down the line," Lily replied.

"He'll forget about it by the time that comes. You've even admitted that you probably won't patch things up for years ahead," Hugo said.

Lily rolled the sleeves of her sweater up. There was a cool breeze, but it didn't make her shiver. "I know. But . . . I don't know," she mumbled.

Hugo clapped her on the shoulder. "You worry too much. You can't fix _everything_, Lily. You need to focus on one at a time. And right now, us students need you to focus on running JB and helping to get Professor Brown back," he told her. "So no pressure!"

Lily cracked a smile as he laughed lightly. "I guess," she whispered.

Hugo looked at her with a sympathetic and comforting gaze. "Cuz, it took years to make some of these problems. It might take years to fix them. So don't rush it, because you'll just fuck it up."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she muttered.

"Any time," Hugo teased.

Lily bit her lip for a moment, her mind trying to stop swirling, and trying to focus on one thing. "You know, the reason I wanted to go to Hogwarts so much when I was little wasn't because Albus and James got to go first."

"I always wanted to go because Teddy got to," Hugo joked. But he was looking at Lily with a serious look, urging her to continue.

Lily wet her lips. "For years, my dad had always told me the greatest stories about Hogwarts. And our parents always brought up fun and adventurous times. Dad would tell me about how Hogwarts was like a home to him. That it was the greatest place he'd known. That defending it in the Final Battle, was like defending his home, and he had no regrets coming back to save everyone here," she explained. "After those stories, I always knew that this was going to be a special and fantastic place for me. That it would be like a home to me too. That I would do what I could to protect it." Lily scoffed and chuckled. "Sure, not like my dad had to. But from smaller things, like what we're doing now. And even though I may not be a Gryffindor, I'd like to think I'm as loyal as my dad."

"I think you're even with your dad on the loyalty scale," Hugo assured.

"Even after what's happened between me and James and Albus?" Lily retorted.

"Our parents have had fights. Like when our dads apparently avoided my mum that one year at Hogwarts," Hugo pointed out. "But in the end, they came together. Even loyalty has its faults, and sometimes we fall into them."

Lily sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

A more tranquil silence fell between them. Lily's thoughts still whirled around their conversation. It was true. It had been her father's stories about Hogwarts that had really made Lily fall in love with the magical castle. It had been his love that had made Lily so eager to go and see it for herself.

* * *

**Flashback**

"James?" young six-year-old Lily called down from her tree house. She was laying on the wooden floor, her head resting on her arms, looking down at her brothers below, who were playing in the yard.

Nine-year-old James was attempting to polish his broom, which was old and beat up. He'd had it since he was six, and it was too small for him. But he refused to give it away to Albus. "What is it?" James called back.

"Do you think that when we go to Hogwarts, we'll have as many adventures as Daddy did?" Lily asked.

Eight-year-old Albus scoffed as he played with his Chocolate Frog cards. "That's a dumb question," he mocked. "Of course we won't. Dad's time at Hogwarts was during the war. His whole life was full of adventures."

"It's not stupid!" Lily argued. "And he wasn't in the middle of a war until his _fifth_ year. That's over half of his time at Hogwarts!"

But James looked up at Lily. "I think we will, Lily," he told her.

Lily smiled at her brother's agreeing with her. But also at the possibility that he was right. "Really?"

James put down his broom and stood up. He began climbing up to the tree house while Albus pouted in the grass. "Well, yeah." James pulled himself into the tree house. He sat, letting his feet hang over the edge. "Dad said that Hogwarts was full of excitement, magic, and adventure. So, that means every day will be an adventure for us there. Just because it's not war, doesn't mean it won't be an adventure to us."

Lily smiled brighter. "You're my favorite brother, Jamie," she told him.

James grinned. "Well you're my favorite sibling, Lil."

* * *

**End of Flashback**

James had been right. Every day was an adventure at Hogwarts, in a different way. From drama, to school governors, to family issues, to relationships . . . Hogwarts was full of adventures. And even if it was hard, Lily knew she wouldn't want Hogwarts to change anymore, and wanted it the way it was supposed to be.

"You know, before you and I started hanging out again, I always felt a lot of pressure. I was always a little afraid," Hugo said quietly.

Lily looked over at him. "What was there to be afraid of?"

"Well, after you were Sorted, and after the fight . . . I started thinking about how on the train, the others all said that you and I were the two most Gryffindor of anyone. And I always used to think that you were more like a Gryffindor than I was. After you were Sorted . . . I began to think 'That could have been me' and then I would be an outcast like they had done to you," Hugo admitted. "I was afraid that if I were to ever do something wrong or something they didn't like, then they'd hate me."

"So, you feared being where you are now?" Lily teased.

Hugo chuckled. "Basically. I was terrified of it. It's mainly why I always used to fight with you. If I fought with you, then they would think I belonged in Gryffindor. But . . . as I grew up, I noticed that you never seemed to care. You were happy the way you lived. It looked so . . . cool," he joked weakly.

"And?" Lily urged him to continue.

"I wanted it too. I was tired of just being a . . . a lackey. I wanted to do some of the cool things that you were doing. Dyeing your hair, getting piercings, wearing awesome clothes, going to parties, and just having fun. No one's age seemed to matter with you guys. You treated first years like you treated seventh years. First years weren't afraid to look small next to a sixth year, and seventh years had no problem helping out a younger student. You guys were just . . . cool," Hugo finished. He chuckled with a blush. "Maybe that sounds kinda lame."

Lily smiled. "No, it doesn't. It is kind of funny how perfect you make us Slytherins seem."

"Everything looks perfect when what you're in sucks," Hugo muttered.

Lily nodded in understanding. "I can agree with that. I think that's why I connected with Draco and Astoria so easily. Other people's parents are always cooler," she teased. "But, I think that's why I connected with others in the House so easily as well. It substituted for you guys not being with me. And now . . . we're just like a family."

"You guys take care of each other," Hugo agreed. "You take care of me."

"James never did that?" Lily asked.

"He did. But it was different. I never felt like it was really for my benefit. He always had some group of guys, or a bunch of girls swooning around him. It was like he was showing off. Playing a caring older cousin role for his fans. That's why I tried my best to take care of myself," Hugo replied. "Or I'd get help from Louis. I mean, Rose would just give some lecture, Dom scared me back then, and Molly would be a hassle."

"Well, you've got us now. And we've got you," Lily assured.

Hugo chuckled and ran a hand over his face. "Damn, I'm sorry, Lil. I brought you out here to help you feel better, not dump my past troubles on ya."

Lily smiled. "I do feel better, Hugo."

Hugo raised a brow. "Really?"

She nodded. "Talking with my best friend always makes me feel better." Lily looked over at him. "Maybe that's why we were able to click back together so well."

Hugo grinned. "Like, fate saw how badly we were doing without each other? So it pushed us back?"

"I think we're meant to help each other out in life," Lily said. "And I like it this way."

"So do I, Cuz. So do I."

* * *

"So, what's the subject about tonight?" Shannon asked vaguely, incase someone was listening.

It was breakfast in the Great Hall, and most kids were waiting for the arrival of mail. But Lily was too hungry to worry about it.

"Divination," Lily answered. "We're getting to electives this week."

"Mail's here," Jace commented as an owl screeched. As soon as his words were said, dozens of owls flew into the Great Hall, all carrying different varieties of mail and deliveries. But one particular owl caught Lily's eyes. She dropped her fork onto her plate, and her heart began to beat with adrenaline.

"Hades!" she murmured with surprise. And she watched as Professor Brown's owl circled the Great Hall, before turning and swiftly gliding down towards her. He landed neatly on the Slytherin table, a letter in his beak. Lily took it from him, and then handed him a small piece of her toast. He took it quickly and then took off again. Lily felt her shoulders slump. Did he not want a response? She quickly opened the envelope and tore out the letter.

"_Dear Lily Luna,_

_I hope that you are doing well. I've been receiving copies of Hogwarts's newspaper, and I read about the JB Study Group. I was sure that it was due to you. I can't tell you how honored and flattered I am. Thank you._

_I've been traveling with my brother Gabriel around the continent. It's actually quite fun, although I really miss the stability of simply staying at Hogwarts. But I hope that things are going well. I'm sorry that I don't have much to write to you, but I thought that I would write something. You deserve it._

_Stay out of trouble,_

_Jacob Dwayne Brown"_

Lily smiled as she read the letter. Sure, it wasn't much. But the fact that he wrote to her was enough. What was sad was that he didn't show much hope of coming back. Otherwise, why would he be going all over the continent? But then again, maybe he didn't want to worry over it? Maybe he was trying to distract himself? Lily wasn't sure what to think.

"Lily Potter?"

Lily turned and then cringed and tensed to see Rita Skeeter standing behind her, a photographer standing with her. Lily swallowed her bite of toast, her throat feeling tight and dry. "Um, Ms. Skeeter. What a surprise."

Skeeter chuckled. "I know, I know. But with all that changes here at Hogwarts, parents are concerned, and they want to know what's happening. So I came to get the story. And Marigold Brunt told me you would be just the one to talk to!"

Lily took a quick and discreet glance at the staff table, and instantly noticed five pairs of eyes looking at her. She looked back at Rita Skeeter. "Um, well when would you like have a talk?"

"Right now, if you don't mind?" Rita said with an almost cruel and eager grin.

Lily sighed. Getting her words twisted was the last thing she felt like going through so early. Brunt most likely told Rita Skeeter to talk to her just so that she could be slandered. Brunt probably hoped that Rita would make her look better . . . the idea hit her like lightening!

Lily grinned as she stood up and grabbed her things. "Of course, of course. Um, where should we go?"

"I know just the place, follow me," Rita told her. So Lily did. She stuffed Jacob's letter into her bag and followed behind Rita Skeeter and her photographer. Lily followed her all the way to the gargoyle that protected the headmaster's office.

"Success," Rita Skeeter stated, and the gargoyle moved to show the stairs. Lily hesitated as the two adults got on the stairs. Did she really want to see how Heyes had changed the office? How he had ruined the room that held her last memory of Jacob. But she still stepped onto the stairs, and waited as they brought the three of them up.

When Rita Skeeter threw open the doors, Lily immediately looked around her. It was empty except for the figures in the portraits. Two chairs sat in the middle of the room, and Rita dragged her over to them. Lily looked around. The room was so . . . blah. It was boring. All the interesting and fun things Jacob had placed around the room were gone. And Heyes hadn't attempted to brighten up the empty room. Lily sighed as she sat down. Perhaps that was a good sign. Heyes wasn't risking getting everything settled at the chance of Jacob getting his job back.

"So, Lily," Rita Skeeter smiled slyly as she looked at Lily. She pulled her signature quill and pad out, which levitated and was poised to write on its own. "Shall we start?"

"What would you like to know?" Lily asked.

"I hear that a large study group has been created for the fifth years who will be taking their O.W.L.s this year. Can you tell me anything?" Rita Skeeter asked.

Lily sighed. She should have expected that. Of course Brunt would hint that to Skeeter. She would want to see if Lily really was the start of it. "Well, it's just a way for us to help each other study and prepare for our exams this year. With how often the governors have kept the library and our resources closed off from us, we worry," she answered.

"And who was the creator of this group?" Skeeter asked.

"Professor Jacob Brown," Lily stated firmly.

"But, what students did he enlist to help set it up after he was gone?" Skeeter elaborated.

"Well, we don't know. Us fifth years all received notes of how it would work, and then we just started. No one has come forth and said that they were the ones to send the notes," Lily lied. Then she leaned forward, pretending to be coy with a secret. "Actually, some of us think that it was even Professor Brown that sent them, just before he left."

Rita Skeeter winked. "Really?"

Lily nodded. Then she put her plan into motion. "So, you're here to find out what we think of the governors and the new headmaster and such?"

"That's my goal," Rita said with a smile.

"Well, I could possibly get you a line of interviews from fellow fifth years and even older and younger students from all Houses," Lily offered. "If you're willing to come back tomorrow?"

Rita Skeeter's eyes lit up and anticipation. "Could you really?"

Lily nodded. "Of course. How many would you like me to get?"

Rita tapped her chin. "Well, could you get me two from each year and House?" she requested.

Lily smiled cordially. "Of course I can."

* * *

"Ok, ok everyone settle down and come sit back around the middle," Randy called as the Divination lesson ended. The students that had been studying while the lesson went on came back over to the middle. Once everyone was seated, a silence settled over them all, full of curiosity.

"Ok, Lily's got some awesome news," Hugo said with a grin.

Lily smiled. She had already told the other three about her news. "Well, I was approached by Rita Skeeter today. And I have every reason to believe that Brunt sent her to me with the intention of finding out more on our group."

"She can't shut us down, can she?" Sydney Quirke said with worry.

"Now, don't worry," Lily assured them. "I sort of lied." She explained to them on what she'd told Skeeter about their group. "So, we need to keep up that lie, ok?" She got a large round of agreement, so she continued. "Now, there's something else. I've convinced Skeeter to come back tomorrow to interview two students from each year, from each House, on what we think about the changes."

"So, we can basically bash Brunt?" Peter Chambers said with a laugh.

Lily smiled. "Basically. She wants honesty, and she's going to twist our words anyways. So let's give her what she wants," she told them.

"But, who will do the interviews?" Hannah Bella asked.

"Well, that's what we want to discuss with you guys. Now, Rita Skeeter has told me that she can't guarantee that she might not be able to talk about or quote everyone that she interviews, but that she will make sure that her readers get the gist of how we all feel. So, it comes down to how we choose who she will interview."

"We thought about having another vote," Jaclyn told them

"You four should be the ones," Craige Preece replied.

"No. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. And we've thought that if we don't interview, it will seem less likely that we're helping to lead this group," Hugo retorted.

"Well, then your four should pick," Matt Cornfoot told them. "I mean, you guys know us well."

"We know each other well," Lily countered. "That's why we're all going to vote, even the four of us." With a simple thought, paper, quills, and ink appeared by everyone.

"So write down someone's name, and then bring it up to us," Hugo instructed.

Lily sighed as she waited for everyone to vote for their choices after she had put hers in. This vote took longer than the voting for the four leaders. Hugo looked just as bored as she felt while waiting.

Once everyone had finally brought their votes forward, the four leaders began to sort them and count them all.

"Ok, so those speaking for Ravenclaw fifth years are Peter Chambers and Tara Epcot," Randy announced.

"Gryffindors will be Clay Angel and Connie Wood," Hugo told them.

Jaclyn cleared her throat. "Jake Cauldwell and Summer Vane will speak for Hufflepuff."

Lily smiled. "And for Slytherin, it will be Xavier Avery and Izzy Bones." She looked around at them all. "Ok, so the interviews are going to be spread throughout the day by years. First years will go first, and so on. Now, fifth years will be speaking with Rita Skeeter during our fourth class, so I recommend getting notes copied for our speakers. You guys will be given notes to excuse you guys from those classes. Professors Longbottom and Slughorn will be giving them to your teachers tomorrow morning, as soon as we give them your names."

"So, what about the kids in the other years? How will they be decided?" Crystal Shakes asked.

"Well, since we can't exactly vote or have them vote, the four of us will be choosing candidates," Randy explained.

"So, is that all?" Stacy Finnigan asked. "Are we done for the night?"

Lily grinned humorlessly. "Well, you guys are, yeah."

As usual, the four waited until all the others in the room had left before relaxing. The room changed to accommodate the four of them. A small table and four comfy chairs appeared. They all sat down and looked at each other.

"Anyone else get the feeling that this is going to be a long night?" Hugo joked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, but at least at the end of this night, we'll be closer to a victory."


	71. Like A Game of Chess

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I know this chapter might seem short, but I thought this was the best way to end it. Adding anything on to the end wouldn't leave as great an impact. So, sorry for the length. But I hope you still enjoy it, and that you let me know what you think.**

**Update Note - I would like to warn you guys, that soon I will be going on a school trip for a few days, and I will be unable to give any updates while I'm away. But I promise that I will try very hard to get in another chapter before I leave on the trip.**

**Character Note - I was asked to give a list of what House and year the main characters in. I'm not sure which main characters, so I'll just give the family members, and if there's any other confusion about other characters, just let me know. Anyways: **

**Teddy was a Gryffindor and is about twenty-five, and Victoire was a Hufflepuff and is about twenty-four. **

**Molly, James, and Fred have all just graduated by this point, and were Gryffindors. **

**Scorpius, Rose, Albus, Dominique, Lorcan, and Lysander are all in seventh year. Scorpius is obviously a Slytherin, Rose, Albus, and Dominique in Gryffindor, and Lorcan and Lysander in Ravenclaw. **

**Louis, Roxanne, and Lucy are in their sixth year. Louis is a Ravenclaw, and Lucy and Roxanne are in Gryffindor. **

**Finally, Lily and Hugo are in fifth year, Lily a Slytherin, Hugo a Gryffindor.**

**Interview Note - I'm going to warn you now, that we won't hear about everyone that takes part in the interviews. Some will be said, and some will be hinted at. So if you're curious about if someone took part, let me know and I'll clear it up.**

**Last Note - I've noticed a lot of people love Dominique's character. I'm honestly a little surprised, in a good way. She's one of my favorites as well. I'm kind of sad we haven't seen much of her lately. Hopefully, I'll find a reason to write her into an upcoming chapter. Haha.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-One: Like A Game Of Chess

Lily could barely pay attention while sitting in Potions. It was a practical day, leaving her with little to do, but she couldn't even focus when someone asked her for help. She was too preoccupied with wondering how the interviews were going. She picked up her list from the desk.

She had crossed off the names of the first years, who had done their interviews earlier this morning. She had chosen Marsh and Scott from Slytherin, and Hugo had chosen Simon Carver and Bailey Hanna. Randy had recommended Matt Stretton and Hallie McCoy, and Jaclyn had picked Klaus Aniston and Leah Barbu. Lily didn't know the other kids from the different Houses, but she had met them when leading them to Slughorn's office, where the interviews were being conducted. They all seemed nice, smart, and Klaus Aniston had been pretty witty.

But now the second years were in there. Lily was wondering how the first years had done, and what they had said. The others had assured each other that the ones the picked would definitely be on their side, but would also be great to the public image. Randy had given an example that Hallie McCoy's father and mother both worked in the higher ranks of the ministry. Her father apparently worked closely with the minister himself.

"Hey, Lily, I think I messed something up," Hunter called from his table.

* * *

Lily sighed as she moved away from the desk to help him. This was going to be a long day.

"So, we're up next?" Xavier asked during lunch. The Great Hall was buzzing with excitement, perhaps at the fact that the entire school knew about the interviews.

"After lunch," Lily confirmed. "She's talking with girls first, and then the boys."

"So, who did you choose from our House?" Megan asked. "No one dumb, right?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "No worries, Megan. I chose kids that shared our misery but will be able to talk about it in a smart way. Marsha and Scott for first years, Justin's brother John and Marley Bella from second year. Xavier's brother Alec and Monty's sister Eve as third years, Lance and Liz as fourth years. Then from sixth year I chose Tanner and Lance's sister Lisa, and Scorpius and Lana from seventh year," Lily listed.

"That's not a bad list," Lola complimented. "Have you talked to Marsha? How did hers go?"

"I haven't seen her since Hugo and I walked with the first years to the room," Lily replied. "But I did talk to Lance, and he said it went really well. And according to him, all of the other fourth years said basically the same thing."

"Hey there, guys," Hugo greeted as he came to sit with them. Immediately, he took a fork and stole a bite from Lola's plate. "So, Lil, I gotta talk to ya."

"What about?" Lily asked.

"Well, I didn't want to say anything in front of Randy, but I'm not so sure about having Robbie Ackerley being the right seventh year from Ravenclaw to do this interview," Hugo told her.

Lily raised a brow. "Really?"

"Well, I've been trying to figure out why you insisted on having him be the one to talk with Skeeter since last night. I mean, he's not the nicest guy, I know he's been prejudice against Slytherin House for a few years now," Hugo listed.

"I think he's an excellent choice," Lily retorted. "He might be on the verge of a change."

Hugo looked at her skeptically. "And why is that?"

"Well, he saved me from falling during our last match. And the Ravenclaws were all obviously angry with Slytherins after Scorpius attacked Lysander. But he still caught me. That has to mean something," Lily insisted.

Hugo scratched the back of his head. "I'm still not sure about it. I mean, he does one decent thing and he's suddenly forgiven for all he's said and done?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying that. But we have show kindness and tolerance even to those that have been against us in the past. Otherwise, we're not really promoting unity. The least we can do is try and be civil to each other."

He sighed. "Well, I guess you've got a point. But I think we need to be careful with that guy."

"We just need to be nice," Lily countered.

* * *

Lily sighed as she made her way down to the Great Hall for dinner. She was eager to eat and then start the JB meeting. She wanted to find out how the fifth years' interviews went. She left Divination with Hugo, since Jace hurried off with Hunter, apparently needing to "discuss" something serious. Lily didn't ask.

"So, we're finding out how the interviews when first, right?" Hugo asked.

"That was the plan. The suspense is killing me," Lily muttered.

"Ah! Lily!"

Lily and Hugo stopped on the Entrance Hall stairs to see Rita hurrying to them. Lily wasn't sure if she should be happy to see the infamous reporter yet. But she pulled out a polite smile. "Ah, Rita! Rita, this is my cousin, Hugo. Hugo, this is Rita Skeeter," Lily introduced.

Hugo held out his hand politely, and Rita took it with her usual sly grin. "Hugo? The son of Ron Weasley? The son of a famous war hero?"

Lily expected a confused or exasperated look from Hugo, but he too smiled politely. "Yes, that would be me."

"Is there something you needed, Rita?" Lily asked curiously.

Rita looked almost surprised, as if being knocked out of a thought, but then smiled again. "Yes, I want to talk to you about the interviews. Now, they all went great. But I want to talk to you about perhaps doing a few more."

"Why is that?" Lily asked.

"Well, I was hoping to talk to a few more kids that are known to the media," Rita told her.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. She knew what Skeeter meant. Skeeter wanted to talk to more of her family. Lily had only chosen Lucy and Louis from her own family. Honestly, she had been tempted to suggest to Hugo about putting Rose on the list, but even she was skeptical about what Rose would say.

"Well, who would you suggest?" Hugo inquired.

"How about I talk to you two?" Rita suggested immediately.

Hugo and Lily looked at each other. "You mean our names would be used?" Hugo questioned.

"Well of course, dear boy," Rita said with a chuckle. "Now, don't be shy. You two would be perfect! I mean, Lily, you're very popular in the media, and young Hugo could make his break."

Hugo cleared his throat. "Well, I'm actually not very interested in being part of the media."

Lily placed a hand on his shoulder. "But we'd be delighted to do a more extensive interview with you."

Rita's grin grew. "Perfect! Come along! I had some food brought to the room. Let's do it now."

Lily followed the woman, and Hugo did so reluctantly. He raised his brow when he caught Lily's eye. _"Trust Me"_ Lily mouthed.

Slughorn's room was as cozy as ever, and there was a large amount of food on the table. Lily led Hugo over to the couch, where they both began to eat. Rita took a smaller plate, and brought out her quill and notepad.

"So, let's begin, shall we?" Rita said. "Now, I have heard from quite a few students that, they aren't happy with the changes that Professor Heyes has made. What would you say?"

Lily cleared her throat. "Well, first of all, I don't think that it's just Professor Heyes that are making these changes. I believe that some of the governors are behind them as well."

"Really?" Rita asked.

"Well, Lily and I have been told of meetings between simply a few governors, and not all of them," Hugo told her. "We found it odd that some of them were meeting separately, and that led us to believe that they were behind the changes as well."

"Really? Some of the governors have been meeting alone?" Rita asked, her eyes alight with a new story.

Lily suppressed a grin. She was ready to give Rita a whole issue of stories. "Exactly. They were the ones that cut out our Hogsmeade visits even. And they cut down on the time where the library is open."

"Which governors, if I may ask?" Rita questioned.

"Governors Napoleon Cross, Patricia Stewart, Brady Edwards, Stanley Rock, and Marigold Brunt," Hugo told her.

"We've actually come to suspect that Marigold Brunt is actually heading their campaign to be rid of Professor Jacob Brown for good," Lily explained. "We've come to find out that it's the reason the governors have come to Hogwarts. To investigate."

"Really?"

"Now it's coming down to seeing how the school runs with a new headmaster," Hugo told her. "At the end of the year, they will apparently be holding a vote."

"You two seem very involved in this," Rita commented.

"We care about this school," Lily said easily. "And if we don't become involved, then how can we say we care?"

"All we want is for Hogwarts to be the learning institution that it has always been," Hugo agreed. "But not just a place for academics, but a place to learn about life. And that's Professor Brown did, and what those governors are trying to destroy. We just want to learn and be united as a school. Not by Houses."

Rita grinned, her eyes glinting. "I think I'm seeing two politicians in the making here."

Hugo and Lily both laughed.

"Oh no, Rita," Lily told her. "We're just two kids. We only want our school back."

* * *

"Ok, I'm not seeing any headlines about the interviews," Megan complained the next morning over breakfast.

"Skeeter had a lot of material," Lily retorted. "It might take a day or so to get it all straight and written."

"She needs to hurry," Megan muttered as she dropped her copy of _The Daily Prophet_.

"You can't rush the press," Christian told her. "Trust me on that one."

"So, what's our next move, Lily?" Lola asked. "I mean, we've gone to the press, which will show people outside of Hogwarts how things are going for us, you've brought your dad onto our side. What's next?"

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Normally, I would say that we need to take a step on promoting unity to everyone outside of fifth year. But at this point, I'm out of ideas."

"And that's fine," Shannon assured. "I mean, you've done a lot already. Take a break. Focus on the group studies."

"But we _do_ need to get others outside of our year to start unifying. I mean, in some of the younger years, it's not that bad. But with sixth and seventh? And even fourth year. If they all go about hating each other, then we're not making a big enough impact," Lily replied.

"Well then you should talk with Randy, Hugo, and Jaclyn. Get help from them. You don't have to do it alone," Izzy told her.

Lily sighed. "I could. Maybe they'll have an idea."

* * *

Lily yawned as she finally stepped back into the common room. It was just before curfew, and not far before it was time for the students' new "bed time." Lily and the others had stayed in the Room of Requirement for was felt like ever, trying to figure out a plan on how to promote House unity among the older years. So far, they were coming up blank.

"Didn't think I'd ever see you come back."

Lily whirled around to see Scorpius moving toward her. She couldn't stop the smile that crossed her lips. "Hey there, handsome," she greeted.

Scorpius smirked, but it seemed a little different. When he stopped in front of her, he reached out to brush her hair back. "I saw the others all come back over an hour ago. Long meeting?"

Lily nodded, her eyelids feeling a little heavy. "Yeah. We're trying to figure out how to get the older years to believe in House unity as well."

Scorpius sighed. "Is it necessary that you be the one to head start every project?" he groaned.

Lily looked at him with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you have been at the forefront of every attempt for House unity or improving grades or getting rid of the governors or getting back Professor Brown. I feel like I hardly see you anymore," Scorpius commented.

"Well those things are important to me," Lily replied.

"But does that mean you have to be the one to do it all?" Scorpius retorted.

"No, but it means I need to be involved. I mean, if I do nothing, then I have no right to be upset with how things are. Nothing will change unless we do something," Lily argued.

"That still doesn't convince me that you have to do it all!" Scorpius countered.

Lily groaned. "Scorpius, I'm tired. I just want to go to bed! Can we argue later?"

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, fine. Just . . . go get some sleep," he muttered.

Lily felt her heart drop a little. She reached out and took his hand. "I love you," she whispered.

Scorpius glanced at her again, and then his normal smirk slowly returned. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips. "I love you too. Now go sleep. You look like hell."

Lily giggled, but shoved him lightly. "Shut up!"

Scorpius squeezed her hand. "Go on. But I'm going to expect you out after curfew tomorrow," he teased. "We'll argue then."

Lily hugged him around his middle. "Not too much longer. Exams will be done with, and the governors will be gone."

"But so will I," he murmured.

Lily fought back the urge to tense up. The reminder that Scorpius would be graduating this year made Lily all the more tired. "Only for two years," she reasoned. Although, she had yet to convince even herself that two years wasn't too long.

Scorpius's arms tightened around her. "Yeah. I guess."

The next morning, Lily found herself staring down at Scorpius during breakfast. He had chosen to sit with the other seventh years. And Lily was sure it was because of the previous night.

"Trouble in paradise?" Megan guessed.

Lily sighed. "He's upset that I'm doing so much lately."

"I think he's more upset that he doesn't get to see you as often. And before you say it, Quidditch practices don't count. And you don't even go to many of those anymore because of the group," Lola stated.

"You know, that's not just my fault. The governors have also cut our time together short as well," Lily muttered.

"And all your involvement is cutting it even shorter. He's probably resenting it a little," Lola replied. "I mean, think of how much time you two used to spend together, compared to how much you spend together now."

"Well it's not just my fault," Lily insisted.

"Maybe not. But maybe you should try to include him in your plans," Lola told her.

"I don't even have a plan yet," Lily argued. "I've got nothing. The others have nothing. We're all clueless."

"Then take a break," Izzy told her. "Just stick to O.W.L. studies."

Lily sighed as she pushed her breakfast around on her plate. "I guess I could try that. But it's not easy when you've got a lot of people depending on you. Just because you guys know that it's not all on me, that doesn't mean the others in our year think that same." Lily groaned. "I know how my father felt when he was my age now. Way too much responsibility."

"Just take it easy," Shannon insisted.

"I don't know if I know how to anymore," Lily joked weakly. But when the five girls look at each other, they all began to laugh. And to Lily, it felt great

* * *

It was three days after the interviews took place that they finally came out in the paper. Jace had been the one to proudly put the paper on the table for them all to see. And Lily knew that Rita Skeeter had outdone herself. The entire front page seemed to be dedicated to the story. And the headline was the best part. _"Misery and Secrets in Hogwarts: Drama Caused by Governor Conspiracy"_

"That is awesome!" Xavier said with a laugh.

"It's perfect!" Shannon agreed.

"Keep reading," Lola told them. "Rita may have twisted some words and made things seem more drastic, but it's all in our favor."

"Does it mention any governor names?" Lily asked. She planned to simply read it later.

Lola scanned the article. "The ones in Brunt's collection," she told them.

Lily grinned. "Then we just may see some problems within the governors. The others may not be too happy to learn that those five have been meeting behind their backs," she commented.

"There's no way the public can still support Brunt and Heyes after this!" Jace said happily. He looked at Lily. "Think they'll kick her off the board?"

"I don't know, Jace. But that would be a great bonus," Lily replied. "But I'm not going to fight for that to happen. I just want them out of here."

"Can't argue with that," Hunter muttered. "But, uh, what do you think the governors are going to say once they see this? You know, the ones on Brunt's side."

Lily shrugged. "Don't know and I don't care."

"What if they try to give you detentions or something for this?" Monty asked.

"Based on what? They would have to point out the exact school rule I broke before I let that happen," Lily replied.

"That's why we love ya, Lil," Christian joked. "You're a clever witch."

"Hey, guys!" everyone in the Great Hall became quiet as Leighton Fawcett from Ravenclaw stood on his chair. He held up the _Daily Prophet_. "Read all about it! Group of school governors cheating Hogwarts. Students tell it all!"

"Mr. Fawcett!" Professor Heyes exclaimed as he stood from his seat at the staff table. A loud murmur rose up from the students as the headmaster rushed over to where Leighton was now dropping off of his chair.

Lily glanced at the others' shocked looks before looking back to the scene. Professor Heyes had a hold of the shoulder of Leighton's robes, and he was pulling Leighton out of the Great Hall.

"That guy had guts," Xavier said with a chuckle.

"Damn, dude!" Jace laughed.

"Why'd he do it?" Izzy wondered.

"How much trouble do you think he'll get in?" Lola asked.

Lily watched as Heyes finally pulled Leighton out. "Don't even think about it, Lil."

Lily looked over at Xavier, who was looking at her with a serious gaze. "What do you mean?"

"Don't even think about talking to Heyes for Fawcett. That had nothing to do with you. He did it on his own," Xavier told her.

Lily sighed. "You don't think they'll try to yell at me for that article?"

"When they choose to yell, then you can fight for us. But not now. Let Davies take care of Fawcett," Xavier replied.

"That's not really showing unity between Houses if we make Randy take care of Leighton just because he's in Ravenclaw," Lily pointed out.

"But if you go and try to, it'll just make it seem more like the fifth year group was your idea. You need to lay low. If they find out you made the group, they'll just try even harder to break it up," Xavier countered. "Let someone else do the fighting. Ok?"

Lily bit her lip as she looked back to the doors of the Great Hall, and then looked at the staff table. Each of the governors was reading the paper now. "All right," she replied. "I get the feeling I'm going to be approached soon enough anyways."

* * *

"That's looking excellent, Stacy," Lily complimented as she looked over Stacy's cauldron.

Stacy smiled. "Thanks, Lily."

Lily kept moving, checking on the progress of everyone's potions. Slughorn was grading a few essays, so she offered to take care of the class and watch over their practical lesson.

"Am I doing this right, Lil?" Connie asked as Lily came by.

Lily looked over her cauldron. "You're about two shades away from its normal color. I'd just turn the heat up a tad bit for about five minutes or so."

"Thanks," Connie said as Lily began to move away.

A knock sounded on the classroom door, and every thing seemed to freeze when Brunt stepped inside the room.

Slughorn cleared his throat. "Yes, Mrs. Brunt? What can we do for you?"

"Well, I need to steal Miss Potter from you for a moment, if I may?" Brunt stated, her tone and face polite and forced.

Lily ignored how everyone's eyes were on her, and walked toward the door, following Brunt out of the room. She shut the door behind her, and saw that Brunt was still walking. Lily followed her, but not without speaking. "Where are we going?"

"The headmaster's office," Brunt said shortly.

Lily gave a nod, and kept walking in silence. Lily could feel the tension between them, and felt it even more when they rode up the stairs to the office. But when Brunt opened the door, Lily grew suspicious. Brunt's crew and Heyes were the only ones in the room. But Lily kept her head high as she walked in.

"Please, sit, Miss Potter," Professor Heyes offered, although they all stood as well.

But Lily shook her head. "No thank you, sir. I prefer to stand. I sit all day in classrooms. It's refreshing to stand." Lily looked around at them all. "Now, what can I do for you?"

Heyes picked something up from the desk, and held it up for them all to see. Lily wasn't surprised to see that it was the front page of _The Daily Prophet_. "This article."

"You brought about fifty students to talk to this woman and slander us!" Patricia Stewart screeched. "And your name is in there, so you can't deny it!"

Lily reached out and took the paper from Heyes, and skimmed it all again calmly. "Well you know how Rita Skeeter can twist words around. First of all, I said 'we're just two kids' not just two teens," she said casually.

"You made us out like jackals to the media and public!" Napoleon hissed.

"Actually, I did what Mrs. Brunt wanted me to do. To talk and have an interview with Rita Skeeter. Bringing her to Hogwarts was not my idea. And when she asked for interviews, what was I supposed to say? I did the polite thing, and helped her get people to talk to. It's not my fault the entire student body feels this way," Lily replied. "So, in a way, I guess you guys made yourselves out to be jackals."

"How did you know that we'd been meeting alone, Potter?" Brunt demanded.

Lily shrugged. "I overheard about it. There are really no secrets in Hogwarts," she pointed out.

"Actions have to be taken for this article," Heyes said.

Lily looked at him with a raised brow. "For what reasons? No one has done anything wrong by taking part in that article. Why do you need to do anything?"

"You kids slandered good people's names!" Heyes retorted.

"Well, grab a rule book, and you point out the rule that bans that in Hogwarts," Lily countered. "Otherwise, you really have no reason to take any actions."

Heyes stared at her with a scowl and pursed lips. Lily looked back at him cooly and calmly. And she waited.

"Well, Miss Potter, there are actions that we can take against something else," Brunt retorted.

"We didn't bring you in here for nothing," Brady Edwards said with a cruel grin.

Lily looked back at Heyes. "Well, I'm all ears to hear your backup plan. What have you got on me?"

"Your student teaching for Potions," Heyes said as he came around to sit behind his desk. "Perhaps Professor Brown approved of it, but I do not. And since I am in control, my word overrides his. You are no longer allowed to student teach."

Lily finally let a grin show, her amusement in their play finally showing. She moved to finally take a seat in the chair across from Heyes. "I have to admit, I hadn't thought of that. Good move."

"This is not some chess game, Miss Potter," Heyes retorted.

"No, but if it was, I have the feeling that this is the moment you'd attempt to say 'check' am I right?" Lily countered.

"Miss Potter, I am serious. You will no longer be student teaching," Heyes insisted.

Lily shrugged. "Ok."

Now Heyes raised a suspicious brow. "Ok?"

"You're the boss now. Whatever you say goes, right?" Lily commented. "I'll just let Professor Slughorn know that you've changed your mind. Then he can tell the class."

"You're oddly cooperative," Heyes muttered.

"It's suspicious," Napoleon agreed.

Again, Lily shrugged. "Well there's nothing I can do. I'll just find something else to do with my free period."

"What do you mean free period? You'll be going to class," Stanley Rock wheezed.

Lily looked back at the older governor. "Actually, sir, I've already received my O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. for the subject of Potions. In other words, I've passed that class for my year. So, I would have a free period instead."

"Well you can just sit in the library and study during that time," Patricia Stewart stated.

Lily bit back a grin. "Oh, I've no need for that. Not with the study group that Professor Brown set up for us. I get all the time and help when studying I need."

"You know very well that Professor Brown did _not_ start any such group!" Brunt screeched.

"Where's your proof of that?" Lily asked. "After all, its name The _JB_ Study Group. It practically has his name in it. After all, he cares about us students."

"I know you're the cause of that group!" Brunt growled.

Lily gave a mock look of surprise. "Me? I'm sorry, but I had nothing to do with the idea of the group." Which in a way was true. After all, she took the idea from her father's past. She didn't make it up.

"You made it, and you lead it!" Napoleon insisted.

"You're wrong. I don't lead the group. It's all about unity. It's all about fairness. A breath of fresh air for us all," Lily replied. Again, true. Even though the other three had said they thought of her as the leader of the four of them, they led the group together. She was really just a spokesperson.

"We are always promoting unity!" Patricia argued.

"You are always trying to figure out how to discredit me," Lily argued calmly. "You know, I find it quite funny that six adults fear a fifteen-year-old girl. Really amusing, if you think about it."

"We are not _afraid_ of you, Miss Potter," Edwards mocked. When Lily looked at him, he was looking at her with that same cruel grin. "And, I hope you don't mind if I call you that. I've heard you're not very fond of it, but it's only proper."

Lily scoffed at his attempt to annoy her. "It's fine. I've come to realize as of late that, it's just a name. The only thing I should associate it with is myself. Not my father or brothers. It doesn't really matter to me anymore." Lily looked at him and grinned. "I'd like to think I've matured and moved past childish things like that." As she turned back to Heyes, she noticed an angry glint enter Edwards's eyes.

Heyes was looking at her with a serious and grim gaze. "Miss Potter, I'm not sure I approve of your attitude and actions."

"Which actions?" Lily inquired casually. "The innocent ones that I do to fight for my school?"

"You are not your father, and this is no war!" Brunt practically yelled as she came to stand next to Heyes. "You are simply doing this to spite us!"

"Just like how you're trying to spite Jacob Brown," Lily replied simply. She looked over at Brunt. "I know what you think of him. I've heard things you've said, and I've seen things you've done. And I'm sorry, but I don't agree with how you think. Professor Brown was a great headmaster. He wasn't simply concerned with our academics, but with us as people. He wanted to make sure we were ready to go out into the world after Hogwarts. That we were prepared. And that's what Hogwarts is supposed to do for us. So when people try to take that away from us, we fight back."

"This is a school!" Brunt argued.

"Maybe to you!" Lily retorted, her passion showing in her voice. "But not to us. Hogwarts is a home for us! We learn about more than goblin rebellions here! We learn how to deal when we make mistakes, we learn how to make mistakes. We figure out how to make friends and how to avoid enemies. This may be a school to you, but to _us_, it's seven years of our lives!"

Heyes cleared his throat. "That's a very touching speech, Miss Potter. But it does not change the fact that Hogwarts _is_ a school, and must be run as one."

Lily sighed and stood up. "You know, when Leighton Fawcett stood up and spoke today, I meant something to me and to others. And that was that we're not afraid to say what we think is wrong, and fight for what we believe in. If Hogwarts is a school, then it's _our_ school. Not yours. And us students take care of what's ours." Then with a polite nod toward Heyes, Lily turned and walked from the room.


	72. An Outside Victory

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, as soon as I posted the last chapter, I began on this one and have kept working on it. I'm proud that I got it done. But, I know that everyone was missing seeing moment between Lily and Scorpius, so I had to bring a little of that to you. And I felt that it was time another Quidditch match as well. And, everyone was wanting to see Harry's reaction to the article, so I decided to give it all in one chapter. So read, enjoy, and of course, let me know what you think.**

**Avery/Pritchard Note - Ok, I get asked quite a bit about the siblings of Lola and Mitch, which is understandable, because they both have a lot. So, I thought I would clear it all up for you guys here. So here they are, in order of birth and actually names:**

**Pritchards: Martin, Ginger, Lolita, Jonathan, Robert, Marsha, Patrick, Richard, Brady, Candice, and Matthew.**

**Averys: Brandon, Kimberly, Nathan, Mitchell, Xavier, Alec, Scott, and Joshua.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Two: An Outside Victory

Lily sighed as she stepped into the common room. The first class of the day had ended, which meant that for Slytherins and Gryffindors, it was time for Potions. And for Lily, that meant a free period. It was a little weird to think about, and she already kind of missed helping to teach the others. She had talked big against Brunt, but she had also gotten attached to teaching the others. And now, she didn't know what to do with herself.

"Hey, Lily Lu! What are you doing back here? Forget something?" Mitch asked as he walked toward her.

Lily shook her head. "No. I'm not allowed to help teach my Potions class, so I have a free period now."

Mitch raised a brow. "Heyes boot ya?"

"Basically," she said with a sigh. She brought a hand up to fix her ponytail a little. "I left Slughorn to tell them. I'm hoping they don't do something like Leighton did after the paper came out."

"You got a plan to get back at them?" Mitch asked with a chuckle.

"Nope. Verbally, I've said enough, to them and to the public. As demanded by my friends and boyfriend, I'm taking a break," Lily replied.

Mitch laughed. "Well, that's probably a good thing." Then he sighed. "Well, I'm off to meet Dom in the library. You should go on up to our dorm. I think someone would be really glad to see ya," he said with a sly grin. Then with a salute, he left the common room.

Lily turned her head to look at the stairs leading the dorms. She completely forgot that Scorpius had a free period at this time as well. She immediately made a beeline for the stairs. She didn't really care if the other boys were up there as well. Although, she had the feeling that Scorpius was there alone if Mitch was urging her up there.

Lily knocked tentatively on the door instead of just walking in. She waited eagerly for a response.

"Come in," a muffled voice called to her. Lily was happy to hear Scorpius's voice. She opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her. She looked over to see Scorpius laying on his stomach, some kind of book or magazine in front of him. "Lana, we've told you a dozen times that you don't have to knock," Scorpius muttered.

Lily bit her lip to keep from grinning as she walked closer to him. "So, does that mean I don't have to knock either?" she teased.

Scorpius jumped, and his head whirled around to look at her, his eyes comically wide. "Lily!" He shot up from where he sat, and pulled the magazine behind his back. "What are you doing in here?"

Lily smiled openly now. "I have a free period. What do you have?" she mocked, motioning to the magazine behind him.

Lily was surprised to see a bit of pink on Scorpius's cheeks. "What? Nothing? Just a Quidditch magazine. Nothing important," he said quickly.

Lily moved so that she was standing right in front of him. "Then show me. Let me see," she teased.

Scorpius gulped. "It's really nothing."

Lily raised a brow. "Really?" It took all her willpower not to laugh at his panic and flustered face. She reached up to smooth down his hair, then cupped his cheek. "If you say so," she murmured. Then she brought his head down and pressed her lips against his.

Lily felt one of his hands moved to rest on her hip and pulled her closer. Lily moved her hands to his shoulders, and then trailed them up and down his arms. And when she knew she had only one shot . . .

"Hey!" Scorpius protested as Lily pulled the magazine out of his hand. He reached for it, but Lily backed up and took a look at the cover.

"_Witch Weekly_?" Lily commented. "Why this magazine?" She looked up teasingly at him, but Scorpius wasn't looking at her. Lily looked back at the magazine, but then noticed the bent corner, saving a page. Immediately, she flipped to it. Then she felt her own light blush.

It was a spread of her across the pages. She recognized the pictures she had done this past Christmas. But then another page slipped, and Lily pulled it out of the magazine to see one of the magazine pictures of her in the bathing suit from the summer before her fourth year.

Lily glanced up at her boyfriend, still blushing a little, but also badly repressing a coy grin. "Oh," she simply said.

Scorpius reached out and snatched the magazine from her. "Ok, ok. Make fun of me later," he muttered as he stalked back to his bed.

Lily followed him, trying not to laugh when he shoved the magazine under his bed. "I wasn't going to make fun of you," she assured. "Although I might when you complain about what other boys do with those magazines."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha," he mumbled dryly. But then he looked at her and cleared his throat. "So, I thought you taught Potions at this time?"

Lily sighed as she moved to sit on his bed. "I got banned from doing that anymore. Their idea of payback for the article," she told him.

"Well, I'm sorry," he said as he sat next to her. "I know you loved doing it."

Lily rested her chin on his shoulder. "It's ok. I've still got the group. Besides," she gave him a coy grin, "it gives me and you the time you've been wanting." She leaned forward to place a kiss on his neck.

She could feel and hear his chuckle as one of his arms wrapped around her. "Well that is a bonus. But I do wish we didn't have to get the time by cutting one of the things you love doing."

Lily moved so that she was straddling his lap. "I'll live. And when Professor Brown comes back next year, I'll get to do it again," she reasoned. She cupped his cheek, feeling the thick stubble beneath her fingers and palm. "Too busy to shave anymore?" she teased.

Scorpius smirked. "Too lazy," he retorted. He leaned closer, leaving only a breath between their lips. "Besides, you know you love it."

Lily tilted her head slightly. "Well it is ruggedly attractive," she murmured. She kissed him chastely once, then twice.

Scorpius groaned as he leaned his forehead against hers. "Maybe I'll grow it out," he muttered. "What do you think?"

Lily kissed him again. "It might be interesting to see," she replied softly. Her hand trailed down to the folded collar of his shirt, then trailed to gently tug at his tie. "So, what do you usually do at this time each day?" she whispered.

"Stare at your pictures and wish you were with me instead of in class," he admitted lowly, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke.

Lily hummed softly. "Well, you got your wish. So what will you do now?"

Scorpius opened his eyes, and Lily gasped quietly at the intensity in them. "Show you how much I wanted you here." Then his lips were on hers fully and passionately.

Maybe taking a break wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

* * *

"So, remind me, how did we end up in the Prefect Bathroom?" Scorpius questioned as he dried off his hair.

Lily glanced back at him from where she stood, brushing out her hair in front one of the mirrors. "Well, it's almost time for me to go to Herbology, so I insisted on taking a shower first, and you insisted on joining me, so I suggested we come here, since it's a much bigger bath," she replied. Which was all true. The last thing she'd wanted to do was go to Herbology with a sheen of sweat and smelling like sex.

"Ah," Scorpius muttered. "That's right. Well, let's face it, babe, I'm a helping hand in a bath."

Lily rolled her eyes as he laughed, but still smiled. "Yeah, you weren't a distraction at all," she countered.

Scorpius came to stand behind her, his chest still bare and glistening from the remaining drops of water. "Babe, you distract me more than you know," he murmured in her ear. He kissed her cheek before moving away and picking his shirt up from the floor, and slipping it back on. "So, want me to walk you to the greenhouses? I've got Potions next, so it's not a long walk," he offered.

Lily shrugged as she pulled her hair into a side ponytail, and then grabbed for her own shirt. She began to button it up. "It's up to you. If you think you won't be late," she replied. She slipped on her tie, and then began to fix it.

"Well, it looks like I'm walkin' with ya, then," he said with a grin.

Lily smiled as she looked down at her clothes. She looked presentable for class. But to finish, she grabbed a thing of lip gloss from her bag, and swiped it across her lips. "Well then you're a sweetheart," she assured. She threw the gloss back into her bag, and then turned back to him. He was presentable and as handsome as ever, except for the badly crooked tie.

But Scorpius didn't seem to notice. "Ready, beautiful?"

Lily giggled lightly. She shouldered her bag and walked over to him, and began to fix his tie. "Yes, and you're almost ready," she teased.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "It's just a tie. I'd don't really care."

"Not the point," Lily replied she finished. She reached to kiss him once on lips. "Now we're ready."

They through the halls, Lily couldn't help but to smile. She hadn't realized how little time she and Scorpius had been spending together lately. And she hadn't realized how much she missed spending a lot of time with him.

When they reached the greenhouse, Scorpius gave her one last kiss before departing. Lily watched him go for a moment, before turning and stepping inside.

"Ah, Lily! You're early," Professor Longbottom commented as she walked in.

"Not that early," Lily replied as she gave him a smile.

He smiled. "True. But you usually walk in with your friends just before the lesson starts."

Lily laughed. "Well haven't seen them since this morning," she replied.

"Really? Why's that?" Professor Longbottom asked.

"I was spending time with Scorpius," Lily said vaguely.

"Understandable," was all Professor Longbottom said about it. Then he looked at her with a raised brow. "How are you taking to not teaching with Professor Slughorn?"

Lily sighed as she sat her bag down. "Does everyone on the staff know?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Horace told me and Hagrid about it this morning at breakfast. He was a bit upset about it."

"Well, I'm ok," Lily told him. "It sucks, but I can handle it. To me, it simply means that they have nothing left on me. Next time I do something they don't like, they'll have nothing to take away from me."

"You really think so?" Longbottom inquired.

"Well, I'm not able to see Duncan anymore, I don't care if they take being a prefect away from me, and they know that," Lily listed.

"What about that study group?" Longbottom questioned.

"We've practically made it impossible for them to stop that," Lily replied. "We've just gotten more cautious as time as gone by."

"Well the year is almost up. There will be a vote over the summer, and all will be decided," Longbottom said reassuringly. "And so far, I don't think they've convinced the other governors that Jacob was a bad headmaster. Actually, I think the other governors are a bit peeved that they were holding meetings without them."

"So I did stir up a bit of trouble among them," Lily stated proudly.

Longbottom grinned. "It amazes me how much you remind me of _both_ of your parents," he joked as other students finally began to walk in.

"Yo, Lil! What's up? Why'd you get kicked out of teaching us Potions?" Jace demanded as he and a few others walked into the greenhouse.

"Discuss it after class, Mr. Pucey, we've got a lesson to begin," Longbottom stated. He gave Lily a wink, making Lily laughed lightly.

Things were getting better.

* * *

When May came around, it came with another victory for the students of Hogwarts. And it came in the front page of _The Daily Prophet_.

"Thank Merlin for JB, because I don't understand Potions class without you helping to teach it anymore," Jace sighed over breakfast. "Not that Slughorn is a bad teacher, but he doesn't know how to say it stupidly enough for me to get it."

Lola rolled her eyes. "You are such an idiot."

"Tell me something new," Jace countered. "Or at least get a new insult."

Lily looked at her two friends with interest. It was odd, but Jace had seemed to insult and argue with Lola a lot less than usual. Barely even a witty comment about her hair.

"You excited, Lily Lu?" Tanner asked as sat down next to Jace and began filling his plate.

Lily raised a brow. "For what?" she asked as some of the seventh year boys began to sit with them as well. Scorpius chose the seat on her other side, kissing her cheek as he began to make his own plate.

"We got our last Quidditch match of the year coming in _four _days," Tanner elaborated. "Aren't you pumped?"

Lily shrugged. "Eh, sort of, I guess."

"You have no enthusiasm," Tanner pouted.

"Seems weird to think it'll be our last match," Scorpius said as he looked at Lars.

"Hard to imagine," Lars agreed with a chuckle.

"Well we'll make sure to win," Tanner replied. "You guys can go out with a bang!"

A screech of an owl signaled the arrival of the mail just before dozens of owls flew into the room. Lily paid little attention until an owl dropped onto her shoulder. She was shocked to see her parents' owl, a letter in his beak, and a rolled up newspaper in its talons. Lily took them both, tossed a small piece of bacon, and the owl was gone again. Curious and confused, Lily unrolled the paper first. She was surprised to see today's date, and then shocked to see the headline.

"No way," she murmured.

"What's up?" Scorpius asked.

An uncontrollable grin spread across her lips. "Listen to today's headline. _'Potter and Weasley Call out Hogwarts Conspiracy.'_"

"What?" Jace said with surprise.

Lily began to read. "Harry Potter, Head of the Auror Department, and longtime friend Hermione Weasley, high standing member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, have recently taken a serious interest in the happenings at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They have called the intentions of a few members of the Board of Governors into question. Hermione Weasley has stated that it all began when the feelings of one student came to the attention of Harry Potter. The two apparently began to look into the actions of some of the governors. After an article that was written by our own Rita Skeeter, it only spurred on Potter and Weasley even more. And they are now working to remove some board members, and reorganize the board and to be rid of corruption." Lily almost laughed. "This is perfect!"

"Your dad has been a dick before, but this is flat out amazing!" Lola said with an excited giggle.

"Does it say anymore?" Scorpius asked curiously.

"More on page six," Lily told him, handing him the paper. But she reached for her letter, and hurried to open and read it.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I wanted to make sure that got to read the article, so I made sure to have a copy of the paper ready for you. It's paid for, so don't be sending money home. I hope my plan lived up to your own doings. Although I know that this article won't live up to the one that you helped to set up. I'll tell you, your aunt Hermione was so proud of you and Hugo. Anyone that can get Rita Skeeter to use her words for good is pretty smart, and Hermione always respects that._

_It's been tough work, but we've actually gotten very close to being able to have the board reorganized. It just has to be brought to the Wizengamot for review. And it'll get the governors out of your hair for a day. They have to come and state their position and case. The case will be brought to the Wizengamot on the fourteenth of May._

_Take care of yourself, princess. Make sure to write something back before your mother goes stir crazy. Try not to do too much. And make sure that you do well on your O.W.L.s (your mum made me add that bit)._

_Love,_

_Your father"_

Lily smiled as she ran a hand through her hair. It was all too surreal, but still absolutely perfect. That meant Heyes was going to be on his own on the fourteenth, and that Brunt would be gone. An idea came to Lily, one that would make her uncle George very proud of her.

"Guys, make sure your schedule's open on the fourteenth," Lily told them.

Lola looked at Lily with interest. "Why?"

"Well, the governors are going to be gone that day so that they can go to their hearing with the Wizengamot," Lily replied. "It'll be all about whether or not the Board of Governors needs to be fixed up a bit."

"Yeah, in the paper it talks more about how it would work if they were to get replaced. It would be decided who needed to be removed, and then the minister of magic would appoint new members," Scorpius explained as he looked over the paper. "And with Minister Shacklebolt, I can't imagine he'd pick anyone corrupt."

"But what's your plan for the fourteenth?" Lars asked.

Lily grinned. "Wait until I've worked out the fine details. Just keep that day open."

* * *

"_Dear Dad,_

_You can't imagine everyone's excitement at seeing the paper's headline. You've made everything even better. Thanks, and tell Aunt Hermione I said thanks to her too. I'm glad to hear that she was proud of Hugo and I's work with Skeeter. I knew that if I gave Skeeter a story like this, she'd twist it into our favor._

_Don't worry about O.W.L. Exams, because I'm not. After this study group, I've got faith that we'll all do great this year. And also, I took a bit of a break from all the fighting for Hogwarts, so don't worry about me._

_Thank you, and I love you,_

_Lily Luna Potter"_

Lily read over her letter to her father once more. She was sitting with Scorpius on his bed. Now that she always had free time in the morning, she spent it with Scorpius. At the moment, he was studying over a Herbology book.

Lily put aside that letter, and began to write another one.

"_Dear Mum,_

_I'll tell you now, I've been studying for my O.W.L.s every day thanks to our study group. So don't worry about them for me. And I've been taking care of myself. I've found a good balance between studying, prefect duties, fighting governors, and just being a teenager. It's been working all year, so I think I'm doing a good job._

_Now, this may sound weird, but I was thinking that once the summer started, I could come over for dinner. You know, a family one. It seems weird to ask . . . but since I don't live at home for the moment, I thought I'd ask instead of barging in._

_Take care of yourself and Dad, you know how he can be. And let me know what you think about the dinner idea. I'll see you this summer._

_Love,_

_Lily Luna Potter"_

Lily sighed as she signed her name. It felt kind of good to sign her entire name. And she wanted her parents to see that she was over her feelings about the name and what it was connected to. And she hoped that by asking for a dinner with just the five of them, would show that she was really ready to fix things. Although after what had recently happened with Albus, she hoped that it didn't blow up in her face.

"Finally done?" Scorpius asked as she began to fold both letters, and put them into a single envelope. He didn't even look away from the book.

"Yup. I've just got to send them. I'll take them up to Regal later though," Lily told him as she placed the envelope, quill, and ink onto the bedside table.

"Why not now? There's enough time," Scorpius replied.

She cuddled against his arm, which he moved to wrap around her, allowing her to cuddle into his side. "I'd rather stay here," she murmured.

He smirked, and with his eyes still on the book, he kissed her hair. "And I'd rather have you here."

* * *

"And Fleet makes the shot! That's another ten points to Hufflepuff! This has been a very close match from the beginning!" Elizabeth Peakes commentated.

Lily circled the pitch again, going a bit higher. The match had started at an even pace. It seemed that every goal Slytherin made, Hufflepuff made one in return.

"Harper tosses the Quaffle to Higgs, who swerves past Macmillan and passes it off to Malfoy. Malfoy avoids both Fleet and Preece, and makes his way down the field. He's coming closer, but Keeper Rickett seems ready for him. Malfoy throws the Quaffle . . . but it's a pass to Pritchard who quickly tosses it to the far goal! Ten points to Slytherin! The score is now a hundred and forty for Slytherin and a hundred and twenty for Hufflepuff. Slytherin's got the lead, but not by much," Peakes announced.

Lily's eyes scanned the pitch twice, but still saw no sign of the elusive little Snitch. Lily dived a little lower, and began to simply circle. She'd have to see it eventually. And if Kimberly Rickett found it first, Lily knew she could catch up.

"Oh! And Summerby takes a Bludger to the shoulder. That was a nice shot from Slytherin Beater, Zabini," Peakes commented.

As if he'd won a victory of his own, Tanner did a lap, his bat held high. The Slytherins cheered loud and hard when he passed them. Lily rolled her eyes but smiled at her teammate's antics. She had honestly never seen Tanner so pumped during or for a match like this one. It was a little weird, but Lily didn't question it.

"But now Fleet has the Quaffle. He moves past Higgs, and dives beneath Malfoy. He's half way down the field . . . but Pritchard makes an impressive steal! He quickly passes the Quaffle off to Malfoy, who kicks the Quaffle toward the goals . . . and makes another ten points for Slytherin!"

Lily glanced over at where Scorpius and Lance shared a high-five. And as if he knew, Scorpius turned and glanced over at Lily, and gave her a smirk. Lily smiled back as she began to circle again, a small blush on her cheeks. But she shook the thought from her mind, and focused on simply finding the Snitch.

"The Quaffle's passed off to Macmillan, who quickly passes it to Fleet. Fleet barrels past Pritchard, and makes the pass to Preece. Preece avoids a Bludger from Goyle, and dodges Higgs. He takes the shot . . . and Harper barely misses the catch! Ten points to Hufflepuff!"

For what had to have been another hour, Lily circled lazily around the pitch. But it appeared that she was the only one that felt lazy. The boys on her team were moving like shots of lightning up and down the pitch. Tanner had knocked out one of the Beaters, Stuart Summerby, and Lars had damaged the shoulder of Chaser, Gary Fleet, and Keeper, Marley Rickett. But Lance had taken a painful hit to the gut and face, and when Scorpius called a timeout, Lance claimed that he couldn't really hear from his left ear. Hank Harper had taken the Quaffle to the face, and his eye was already beginning to blacken, and his nose was lightly bleeding. But Slytherin had slowly begun to build up a lead against Hufflepuff.

Kimberly Rickett was circling the pitch from up high like a bee. Lily couldn't find the Snitch, and frankly, she was getting a bit bored of having to look for it. It was odd. She was usually just as intense during a match. But perhaps it was because the governors had put so many rules and regulations on practices and games. Like now, they had three officials to call fouls, and before Summerby had gotten hurt, Madam Pomfrey had been brought to the field incase of any minor injuries. But now she was back at the Hospital Wing, probably still treating Summerby.

"And that's another ten points to Hufflepuff! But it looks like Rickett will have to catch the Snitch to makes the lead and win the game. Can she find the Snitch and beat Lily's unbreakable streak?" Peakes commentated.

Lily sighed as she stopped moving, sitting straighter on her broom. She looked around her, not finding a single glint of gold. The governors sat in the staff's box, watching the game. Some looked genuinely interested, but a few watched with boredom. Lily caught sight of Brunt and Napoleon whispering something to each other, unnoticed by those around them. Giving them one more suspicious glance, Lily flew again, her search starting up again.

"Oh! And Zabini takes a nasty hit to the side! He looks conscious, but he's slowly lowering to the ground. A couple of staff members now are making their way down the stands, and Malfoy calls a timeout."

Lily flew down to the ground with the rest of her team, and they all made their way to where Tanner was now sitting on the grass. Scorpius kneeled down by his cousin, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You ok, dude?"

Tanner's head fell onto Scorpius's arm. He coughed roughly, and blood shot from his lips, and dripped from the corner of his mouth. "Shit," he mumbled.

"Mr. Zabini! Are you ok?" Professor Bell asked as she and Professor Zabini ran toward the group.

"Tanner, are you all right?" his mother asked. She brushed hair away from his face.

Tanner took in a shuddering breath. "Scor, back up," he muttered.

Scorpius scowled with confusion, and did what Tanner requested. But as soon as he did, Tanner puked where Scorpius had been.

"Oh boy. We've got to get you to the Hospital Wing, Mr. Zabini," Professor Bell said with a slightly disgusted look.

Tanner weakly and slowly lifted his arm to wipe the vomit and blood from his chin. "I'm fine," he slurred.

"Well I'm your mother, and I say you're going," Daphne retorted simply. "Scorpius, can you help him up?"

"Yeah." Scorpius and Lars quickly moved to help pull Tanner to his feet. Tanner stood wobbly, leaning on them both. Then he puked again.

"Here's a bucket," Madam Hooch said as she walked over to the group. "Could see him throwing up from the sky."

Professor Bell took the bucket, and handed it to Tanner, who threw up once again. "Ok, young man, let's get you out of here."

Professors Zabini and Bell took hold of Tanner, and began to lead him off the pitch. The Slytherins watched them go before getting back on their brooms, and taking to the air.

But Scorpius stopped Lily just before she leaped into the air. His scowl was now simply frustrated. "Just end the game. Search until you find the damn Snitch. Otherwise this game is going to take its toll on everyone," he told her.

Lily nodded. "Ok. I'll have it in no time then." Then they both took to the air.

"The Slytherin team is back in the air, and it looks like the game is ready to start up again!" Peakes stated.

Lily circled the pitch at a steady pace, not wanting to move to fast and miss it. She moved above the stands, searching the crowds even. But still not a sighting. "This is ridiculous," Lily mumbled under her breath.

"Lily, up high!" Lance screamed.

Lily instinctively looked over at him, but then glanced up toward the sky. And sparkling in the blue sky was a tiny glint of gold. Lily swiftly spun around and titled up, ascending at an amazing speed.

"And the race for the Snitch has started!" Peakes yelled with excitement. "Potter's got a good lead, but as we all know, anything can happen in this sport!"

Lily blinked a few times as wind rushed by her face as she climbed higher and higher. The Snitch buzzed around in a small pattern, but still staying in the same area. Lily shot her hand out, and then gasped in pain when a Bludger smashed into it.

"Oh, and that was a nicely timed Bludger from Finch-Fletchley!" Peakes announced.

Lily gritted her teeth as her wrist and hand throbbed. She didn't have to be a Healer to know that something had broke. She tightened her legs on the broom, and then with her now broken hand, took a hold of her broom. She winced as she curled and bent her fingers. It made her eyes water slightly at the pain. But now that she was steady again, she held out her good hand and rose higher, nearing the Snitch.

"Despite the hit, Potter's still in the lead, although Rickett was able to catch up slightly after Potter's moment of hesitation," Peakes commented.

Lily glared at the golden glint in the sky. So she sped up and caught the Snitch in her small lurch of speed. Immediately she began to lower.

"And Potter's caught the Snitch!" Peakes cheered. "Slytherin wins with a combined score of three hundred and forty points! Slytherin wins!"

Lily landed on the grass, still holding the Snitch up in victory, but holding her damaged hand close to her. The others all landed as well, and while excited and pumped, hurried over to her.

"You ok?" Scorpius asked immediately.

Lily nodded with a heavy sigh. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing," Scorpius insisted. "You guys coming?"

"You got it. We've gotta check on Tanner anyways," Lars replied.

* * *

"There are some nasty breaks in this hand, Lily," Madam Pomfrey commented as she looked at Lily's hand. But she had refused to be sat on one of the beds, but insisted on sitting on a chair by Tanner's bed. Sadly, Tanner had apparently passed out not long after getting to the Hospital Wing, and hadn't woken up yet.

"How long will it take to fix?" Lily asked.

"Oh, I've got a couple of potions that will have it fixed up within the hour," Pomfrey assured. "But it still might be a little tender. So you'll need to be careful for the rest of the day."

"I can do that," Lily said with a sigh. As Pomfrey left to get the potions, Lily looked back at Tanner. "Any change?"

"Nope, he's still out," Lars muttered.

"No offense to T, but I'm not sure how much longer I'm staying. I'm still sweaty, I smell, and I want to shower and change," Hank said as he moved to sit on a nearby bed.

"I agree," Lance replied.

"We'll wait a bit longer, and if he doesn't wake up, then we'll just head back to the locker room and clean up," Scorpius told them.

"Here you are, Lily. Drink all of them. The blue one will numb you of pain," Madam Pomfrey said as she placed them on the bedside table.

Lily smiled and nodded. "Of course, thank you."

"And I'll remind you that I'm not sure if Mr. Zabini will be waking up any time soon. You might have to wait until morning," Madam Pomfrey told them all.

"Ok. We'll wait a few minutes though," Scorpius told her.

They were all quiet after that. Lily took all three potions, wincing each at their tastes. But then she too was silent, as they all waited for Tanner to hopefully get up.

"Excuse me?"

Each Slytherin jumped in surprise. Lily turned to see Kimberly Rickett standing behind them, looking surprised herself.

"Damn, girl!" Lars complained. "I think my heart stopped."

"Now I really need to change my shorts," Hank muttered.

"Sorry," Kimberly apologized immediately. "Um . . . I was just curious if Tanner has woken up?"

The others looked just as confused as Lily felt, so she spoke first. "Not yet. I guess he hasn't woken up since he got here."

Kimberly ran a hand through her hair. "Oh. Well . . . I guess I'll just come back tomorrow. Later." She turned and began to leave.

"Oh, Kimberly!" Lily called quickly.

Kimberly stopped and looked back at her. "Yeah?"

"Well, just out of curiosity, why did you come to see Tanner?" Lily asked.

Lily was surprised to see a light blush cross over Kimberly's cheeks. "Well, Tanner and I had made a bet about whether you or I would catch the Snitch. And obviously, he won. I just came to tell him that and let him know that I'll give him what he wanted."

Lily watched as Kimberly began to walk again. "Which is?" Lily inquired.

"A date."

* * *

"So, what did you need to discuss with us, Lil?" Hugo asked as he and Randy immediately sat down in a couple of chairs.

Lily and Jaclyn followed suit. "Well, we all read about the article about my father and Hugo's mum," Lily started.

"The awesomeness of it all," Hugo chuckled.

Lily smiled. "Well, I got a letter, as Hugo got one from his mum. And in both of our letters, our parents stated that the governors have a hearing on the fourteenth, and they will be gone from Hogwarts."

Randy grinned immediately. "You have something planned for that day?"

Lily brought her own grin. "Of course. Now, what Brunt wants is for the other governors to see that Heyes is a much better headmaster. So, I think we need to show them how he handles te students on his own."

"How would you suggest we do that?" Jaclyn inquired.

"I think we need to show Heyes that we're not very fond of him, and show the other governors that he can't handle taking care of us without their help," Lily replied. "So, I've got a little . . . havoc planned out." From there, she went into a deep explanation of her plan, and added in anything the other three thought of. But after she finished, they all looked at each other.

Hugo whistled. "That's a lot, cuz. Really think we can pull it off?"

"I have no fear about this," Lily assured.

"But it'll take a lot of materials to pull off," Randy mentioned.

Lily shrugged and grinned. "You forget, Randy. Hugo and I are related to a master of pranks. I wouldn't worry about supplies."

"But do you think we can get the others on board?" Jaclyn asked. "You're talking about more than just fifth years."

"Absolutely. I know that any and all Slytherins would be happy to do it," Lily replied. "And we'll talk to the others."

"What about Rose and Albus?" Hugo questioned. "Head Boy and Girl will definitely be against this."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Lily assured. "I've got a plan for that too, but I'll go over it once we explain everything to the other fifth years. Mainly because I'll need a team to help me."

"You know, a lot of kids could get into trouble," Randy pointed out.

"Well what if Heyes never sees who does it?" Lily asked. "If we can just stall him into his office, then the governors can come back and see the surprise."

"Imagine the egg on Heyes's face," Hugo laughed. "It's brilliant."

Randy nodded. "It could work. But how do we stall Heyes?"

"It'll have to be by someone he can trust. So no fifth year," Lily told them.

"And no offense, but we should probably stay away from Slytherins," Jaclyn added. "Heyes would probably connect them with you immediately."

Lily nodded. "You're probably right. A Gryffindor would probably be best."

"What about Ashley Anderson?" Hugo asked. "She's probably the most popular girl in our House."

"No. Since she's dating Lars, it might taint her credibility in Heyes's eyes," Lily retorted.

"We need someone with no connection," Randy muttered.

Lily sat up straight. "Zack Creevey!" she suggested eagerly. "He'd be perfect. He's a nice guy, dependable, his father's a teacher."

"And he's good friends with Lucy, who's dating Tyler, whose best friend is Albus," Hugo listed. "It's a dependable chain of people."

"Think he would do it?" Jaclyn asked.

"Trust me when I say that I know he would," Hugo told them. "All of us Gryffindors are just as angry and miserable with Heyes as the rest of the school. Zack would definitely do it."

Lily grinned as she leaned back in her chair. "Guys, I think we're about to gain another victory."

Hugo grinned. "In the chess game, this is where _we_ would say _check_."


	73. A Job For A Weasley

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, I'm back from my trip with a few ideas and a small sunburn. Haha. But anyways, I'm here with a new chapter. I know that it's short, but it's honestly just a filler chapter. I wanted to show you guys the preparations they're all taking before the big day, along with some of their feelings. Next chapter should hopefully be longer, and mostly about the entire plan. So this might not be the greatest chapter, nor the longest, but kinda bear with it please. Enjoy it anyways.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Three: A Job For A Weasley

"Are you sure the Uncle George is going to be in his shop tonight?" Hugo asked as he and Lily moved through the tunnel connecting the Shrieking Shack to Hogwarts. It was past midnight, and bed checks had been done long ago. Lily had snuck out to meet Hugo outside the castle, and they were now on their way to Hogsmeade.

"I sent him a letter the day after the four of us discussed everything. He'll be there," Lily assured.

"What if Aunt Angelina got the letter?" Hugo asked.

"Then there's only a possibility that we're screwed," Lily replied. "But if we explained it all to her, she might not kill us."

"Maybe she won't even be surprised. After all, she is the mother of Fred, and she did marry Uncle George," Hugo joked as they stepped out of the tunnel.

"Exactly," Lily replied as she opened the door, and stepped out into the warm night.

"Man, I miss coming out here during the day," Hugo muttered as they traveled along the field that the shack sat in.

"We'll get it back," Lily told him.

"Lil, what if the governors don't get re-picked. What if they win the hearing?" Hugo wondered.

"There's no way," Lily replied. "There's too much against some of them. Besides, it may be unfair, but I think Harry Potter and Hermione Weasley, famous war heroes, will have the Wizengamot's favor."

"Got a point. But what if the people that get picked don't like Brown either," Hugo suggested.

"I'm hoping to talk to my father before the board gets reorganized. I want to figure out how it works. Maybe we can work to get someone we trust on that board," Lily replied.

Hugo climbed over the gate and chuckled. "You know, I get the feeling that we're going to do a lot of politics this summer, and we don't even want to _be_ politicians when we're older."

Lily grinned. "I plan on finishing this, and then fixing what I can with my parents," she retorted. "After this, I'm staying away from politics."

"Unless something wrong happens?"

"Unless something wrong happens."

The two walked along the road in silence. Most of the buildings were dark. Dim light was coming from The Hog's Head door. But then when they turned the corner, they both smiled to see the bright lights of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes shining from all the way down the road. The two began to jog down to the shop. Hugo gave the door a light shove, and it opened easily.

"I have never been so happy to receive a letter than when I received yours," George laughed when the two teens walked in.

Lily smiled. "Hey there, Uncle George. How's it going?"

"Very well now. And I was excited to hear just the gist of your plan," George told her.

"Aunt Angelina didn't see the letter, did she?" Hugo asked.

"Nope, no one but me," George chuckled. "So, you need supplies, and I have the supplies you need. Shall we walk and grab what you need?"

"We'll need at least two Patented Daydreams, and about three Portable Swamps at the least," Lily told him.

"And some Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs, of course," Hugo said with a chuckle.

"Does this plan include any Hogwarts staff? Any stalling?" George asked.

"A lot, actually," Lily told him as she grabbed a few Portable Swamps.

"Then you'll need some of these," George told them. Then he held out two boxes. "Skiving Snackboxes, and Ton-Tongue Toffees."

Hugo took the two boxes. "Thank you. Got anything else?"

"Color bombs," George suggested. "Throw 'em, and the first thing they hit, turns to whatever color bomb you threw."

"Give us a lot of those," Lily said quickly.

"At least ten boxes," Hugo agreed.

"How about Enchanted Multiplying Rabbits?" George asked as he climbed a ladder, and then came back down with another box.

Hugo took that box as well, and they both looked at it. "Rabbits?" Hugo asked.

"Well, they are actually transfigured matchboxes. But there's one rabbit inside, unmoving until you let it out. And whenever a spell touches it, it'll multiply by thee!" George said with pride. "I thought of it after hearing a Muggle saying one day."

Lily grinned. "They sound perfect. But how do you get them to disappear?"

"Oh, they disappear after a few hours. They vanish, and then the original one turns back into the matchbox," George explained.

"Then let's take two, just incase," Hugo stated.

With a flick of his wand, George levitated another box, and brought it down to Lily's hands. "Anything else?" George asked.

Lily and Hugo looked at each other. Then back at their uncle, both of them grinning madly. "Maybe just a little more."

* * *

"You know, I think that the fourteenth of May will go down in Hogwarts history," Hugo joked as the two of them walked away from the Whomping Willow.

"No doubt. This is going to work," Lily replied. Lily was carrying a small bag, which their uncle George had extended the inside of, allowing them to carry all of their products in one bag.

"Ok, so you want me to bring Dominique and Roxanne to your common room tomorrow during last break, right?" Hugo asked.

"Yes. And I'll be bringing Louis," Lily told him.

"But not Lucy?" Hugo stated.

"Don't bring Lucy. Just those two," Lily replied.

"Who else will be there?" Hugo questioned.

"Just us," Lily answered. "And you told Zack, right?"

"I explained it all to him, like you told me. And he's up for it," Hugo assured.

Lily smiled as things began to practically come into place. "You know, I think we're about ready to 'topple the king' as you say in chess."

"Too bad to get a checkmate in this game, we've got to get rid of the bitchy queen," Hugo muttered.

"All in due time, Huey. All in due time."

* * *

"When are you going to tell me what's up?" Louis asked as Lily pulled him into the Slytherin common room.

"Soon, just be patient," Lily told him. She stopped to let him look around, like she knew he wanted to.

"Nice," he complimented.

Lily looked her cousin over. He was a lot taller now, and his hair was getting really long. "Thanks. Now, we've just got to wait for a few more people, who should be here any moment."

"And who would they be?" Louis asked curiously.

"We're here!" Hugo said eagerly as they walked into the common room. And trailing behind him was Dominique and Roxanne. Dominique looked as bored as usual, but Roxanne was hesitantly looking around her. Lily looked at the cousin she hadn't spoken to since before she was Sorted, and hardly talked to even then. Roxanne looked a lot like her mother. She was kind of tall, her skin dark and clear. Her hair was a midnight black and fell straight down her back like a black river. Her eyes were guarded and light brown.

Lily cleared her throat. "Ok, come with me. Just incase any of the others come back here," Lily instructed, motioning for them to follow her up to the boys' dorms. She led them to Scorpius's room. Immediately, Dominique moved to sit on Mitch's bed. Hugo made himself comfortable on Scorpius's bed, while Lily closed the door. Louis and Roxanne stood in the room, looking almost awkward.

"Let's do this," Hugo said excitedly.

"Will you tell us now?" Louis asked her.

Lily smiled. "One moment. Hey, Roxy. It's nice to see you again."

Roxanne looked at Lily with a bit of surprise. "Um, yeah. Hi."

"Thanks for running that article about our group when it came out. Really helped," Lily told her as she moved to sit next to Hugo.

Roxanne shrugged. "It was a good story. But one of my other journalists wrote it."

Lily waved it off. "Thanks either way. But, let's get down to business."

"Can we please?" Dominique muttered. She was laying on her back, making Mitch's pillow float with lazy flicks of her wand.

Lily ignored her tone. "Ok, so I'm just going to assume that you guys all read the article about my dad and Aunt Hermione." When she didn't receive any objections, she continued. "So, I want to add to it. Hugo and I were told that the governors would be gone on the fourteenth for most of the day, because that is the day of their hearing."

"What's that have to do with us?" Louis asked as he finally moved to sit next to his sister's feet.

"First of all, do you guys all hate how the governors and Heyes have changed things?" Hugo asked.

"Everyone hates it, Hugo," Roxanne assured.

"Good, because this is a plot against them," Lily elaborated.

"You know, I graduate next year, so I wouldn't have to deal with them like you would. So why should this matter to me?" Dominique mocked.

Lily smiled at her cousin. "Hey, Dom, do me a small favor, and don't be a bitch right now. Ok? Thanks. Moving on," Lily said, ignoring the roll of Dominique's eyes, "we have a plan to wreak a bit of havoc around school and prove that Heyes can't handle the pressure."

"And thanks to Roxy's dad, we got the stuff to do it," Hugo told them.

"It wouldn't do much to have only us doing this," Roxanne pointed out.

"It won't be," Lily assured, and she took ten minutes to explain the entire plan to them.

Louis nodded. "Well, it sounds well thought out, and it could work. But why this meeting then?"

Lily grinned. "Well, we may have Heyes taken care of, but we need to have Albus, Rose, and Lucy taken care of as well. And since that's a harder job, only Weasleys could do it."

"Wait, why Lucy?" Roxanne asked.

"She's too nice," Dominique answered immediately. "She's a prefect, and she could try to stop it, or try to get Rose or Albus. Am I right?"

Lily nodded. "Yes, otherwise I'd have Lucy here too. But I didn't think she'd do this. So we need to make sure that Rose, Albus, and Lucy can't ruin this."

"But how?" Louis asked.

"Trickery," Lily said simply as Hugo began to pull things out of their Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes bag.

He first pulled out the two Patented Daydream boxes. "We all know what these are, so no need to explain. Now, we need Roxanne and Louis for this one. So, Lou, we need you to get into the Gryffindor common room," Hugo said.

"I'll let him in," Dominique assured.

"What time?" Louis asked.

"This is going down at noon, just before lunch starts," Lily told them.

"Now," Hugo continued, "we need these two things to be administered to Rose and Albus. Now, we plan to place some of these in a different candy box, and put Lorcan's name on them. Then we need Roxy to put them on Rose's bed. Now, my sister always stops by her dorm before going to lunch, so she should see them. Roxy, watch her. Once she takes one, it'll take effect immediately. You take her wand, and then lock her in the room. That way when the thirty minutes are up, she won't be able to get out."

Dominique laughed. "So let me guess, you're doing the same to Albus?"

"Close, but not exactly," Lily replied. "Louis, we're going to put them in another box as well. But we want you to tell Albus that you got them from a friend, who wants you to try them. Now, some of those candies will be real, so make sure you get a real one, and Albus gets a daydream."

Louis nodded. "Got it."

"And make sure he's in his dorm room. And grab his wand," Hugo reminded.

"What am I supposed to do?" Dominique asked.

"You'll be taking care of Lucy," Lily told her. "But, you'll be giving her the bad end of a Fainting Fancy. At the suggested of Uncle George, I've dipped it into a sleeping solution, which will apparently keep her out longer. If you can, get her into her dorm room as well."

"So, this all needs to be done before noon?" Roxanne asked.

Lily nodded. "Everyone else will already be en route with the rest of the plan. You can come and join us if you're up for it."

Roxanne shook her head. "This is crazy." But then she sighed. "But I've got another year here, and I don't want those governors around. I'm in."

"You can count on me," Louis agreed.

"I've got nothing better to do," Dominique commented.

Lily smiled. "Thanks. Now, as for Rose and Albus's wands, just put them somewhere in your common room. No need to hide them."

"What about when it's all over?" Louis asked.

"Then I want Roxy and Dominique to unlock their doors. But I suggest either playing dumb and acting surprised that they were locked in, or making sure you're hidden before unlocking the doors," Lily suggested.

"What about Hugo here? He's a Gryffindor," Dominique pointed out.

"Hugo and I won't have time. We've got a few other things we'll have to be doing," Lily retorted.

"When will you have the stuff for us?" Louis asked.

Hugo pulled another box out of the bag. Then after rifling through it, he found and pulled out a blue candy. "Well, Dom, this is the Fainting Fancy. It's already laced in the solution. Don't lose it."

Dominique rolled her eyes. "I think I can handle that."

Lily looked over at the other two. "As for the daydreams, Lola and Shannon are making two boxes that will pose as candy boxes. And Hugo is working on getting Lorcan's signature for the box."

Hugo grinned. "It was my idea. I wrote a note to him this morning, and I just got to give it to him, and pray that he signs his name I like signed mine."

"Want me to give it to him?" Louis offered.

"Oh! Good idea!" Hugo began to dig into his pocket, before finally pulling out a folded note. "Here it is. Just tell him it's from me."

Louis put the note into his own pocket. "You got it."

"So, you're sure that Heyes won't catch any one?" Roxanne questioned.

"He'd have to suspend half the school if he did," Lily pointed out. "But it won't matter. If Zack Creevey does as we asked him to, Heyes won't see a thing happen until it's over with."

"But what if something _does_ happen, and kids do start getting caught and in trouble?" Dominique questioned.

Lily sighed. "Well, then I'll be there to take the blame."

* * *

Lily, Hugo, Randy, and Jaclyn as usual watched as the other fifth years left the room. They stayed quiet until everyone had departed.

Hugo let out a large sigh. "Finally!" A plush armchair appeared near him, and he dropped into it gratefully. The others took their own seats as they appeared. "Now, let's get down to business."

Randy was quick to the point. "Look, Lily, I've never doubted you through any of this, but I'm worried about this plan of yours."

"Why?" Lily asked calmly.

"I guess I would have just appreciated having more time to plan it all out. This goes down tomorrow, Lily," Randy explained.

"Well, did you talk to everyone in your House?" Lily questioned.

"Yeah, I told them all, and they seemed pretty into the idea of trashing the school," Randy replied dryly. "But it took forever to get them to understand that they wouldn't be in trouble."

"Look, Slytherin is doing this, and we just got done talking to the fifth years. If any of the others we all talked to are hesitant, they will most likely be a little more relaxed once they see a lot of others doing it," Lily assured. Then she looked at Hugo. "Did you get Lorcan's signature?"

Hugo grinned. "Got it. And I gave it to Lola, so it _is_ on the box." Hugo flicked his wand. "Accio boxes." Two boxes flew to him from a desk. Then he held one out to Randy. "Here, give this to Louis for us. He's expecting it. I'll give this one to Roxy."

Randy took the box, and Jaclyn looked just as hesitant. "Are you sure your cousins are sure about doing this? I mean, if Roxanne chickens out, then Rose will be on the run," she commented.

"I would like to think I could trust Roxanne," Lily replied. "We may not have talked or hung out much in years, but she was usually pretty loyal."

"Roxy will do this," Hugo assured. "If she says she'll do something, she does it. I mean, hell, look at the school paper. She's pretty determined about things if she sets her mind to it."

"I won't lie, I'm worried," Jaclyn stated.

Lily nodded. "That's understandable. But I promise you, if Heyes somehow gets past Zack, then I will take care of everything."

* * *

Lily's eyes closed as she rested her head against Scorpius's shoulder. It was so late, but spending this extra time with Scorpius was worth being a little tired in the morning. She had enough potions to wake her up a little if she needed the boost.

"Are you awake, beautiful?" she heard Scorpius whisper next to her ear.

She nodded without opening her eyes. "Yeah, I up," she murmured.

"Well, then can I ask you a question?" he said softly.

"Of course."

"Are you really ready for tomorrow? I mean, a lot is going to happen, and a lot is at stake," he whispered.

Lily shifted so that she was even closer to him, his arms like a warm blanket around her. She had been asked the question a million times that day. By Hugo, the girls, the guys, some of the fifth years, Louis, and now Scorpius.

"I'm ready for it," she assured quietly. "I don't know why everyone is asking me that."

"Maybe because we're not as sure as you are. Even I expected you to be a little worried or hesitant about all of this," Scorpius replied.

"Well I'm not. It's all planned out. Those that would pose a problem are going to be taken care of, and the rest of us will have free reign to do as we are supposed to," Lily assured.

"What about the teachers?" Scorpius inquired.

"They all think they have a staff meeting just before lunch," she answered.

"But what about when they find out that there is no meeting?" he questioned.

"A note was left on each Head of Houses' desks, all containing a list of topics that needed to be discussed thoroughly, along with a small apology from Professor Heyes who said that he could not attend the meeting. He had an important meeting with a student," Lily explained.

"But what if they give up on the meeting when they realize that Heyes won't be coming?"

"Then I guess they'll see the destruction happening," Lily said.

"And you don't see a problem with that?" Scorpius demanded. He moved, so Lily lifted her head from his shoulder and opened her eyes. He was looking at her with a worried but firm look. "Babe, I know that everyone here hates Heyes and some of the governors. We all know that the staff does too. But you think that they're just going to _not _do their jobs, and let us tear apart the school?"

Lily rolled her eyes as she leaned back into the couch. "We aren't tearing apart the school. It'll all be fixable. The staff has dealt with the swamps before, they know how to get rid of them. And the color bombs fade after a day if you don't get rid of them beforehand. Hugo and I didn't get the long-lasting ones."

"But you think that they won't stop us?" Scorpius repeated.

Lily sighed and leaned her head back, her eyes closing again. "Why are you doing this to me?" she mumbled.

"Doing what?"

"Why are you trying to psyche me out?" Lily demanded.

He groaned. "I'm not trying to psyche you out. I'm just trying to get you to see that this plan isn't infallible. Something could happen," Scorpius insisted.

"And like I told everyone else: if something does happen, then I will take care of it," Lily said firmly.

"You'll take care of it?" Scorpius replied. "Just like that?"

Lily nodded. "Just like that."

"Babe, I'm sorry, but the Potter name won't get you anywhere with Heyes and Brunt," Scorpius retorted. "Especially now that your dad is trying to get Brunt kicked off the board."

"I don't plan on using my dad's name. I plan on simply taking care of any trouble this causes," Lily reassured.

"How? By possibly getting suspended or expelled?" he countered.

"Scorpius, I'll take care of it," Lily assured again.

"Well I'd rather you not get expelled," he said dryly.

"Look, that's only a possibility, just as getting caught is simply a possibility. And even if I do, well I don't really need to continue school to be a model," she teased.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Not funny. Besides, I'm still hoping that you'll find a passion for something besides being a model by the time you graduate," he muttered.

Lily smiled as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "You worry too much. It'll work out fine," she insisted.

"And if it doesn't?" Scorpius countered.

Lily shrugged. "My dad never got his N.E.W.T.s or graduated, and he's doing just fine without all of that."

"And what does that have to do with this?" Scorpius asked.

"Well, lately everyone says I'm a lot more like my dad, so I guess we'll just see if it's true."


	74. Out with the New, In with the Old

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note ****- Here it is. A chapter full of teen pranks and destruction. I know I probably could have gone on, but I felt like this was a better place to end this chapter. The next one will have just what we need. Parent reactions. Also, we're going to hear from Teddy very soon. Also, we're going to see the last Quidditch match of the season, tests are going to start up, and then we'll be at summer. I'm not sure how many chapters this will be, but within five I hope. So, read and enjoy. And of course, let me know what you think.**

**Family Tree**** - I was asked for a family tree, so I'm going to type up a quick one. (I'm honestly tempted to just make one and put it on my deviant art, and then just update it as the story goes along.) But anyways:**

**Bill/Fleur - Victoire, Dominique, Louis**

**Percy/Audrey - Molly II, Lucy**

**George/Angelina - Fred II, Roxanne**

**Ron/Hermione - Rose, Hugo**

**Harry/Ginny - James II, Albus, Lily II**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Four: Out with the New, In with the Old

Lily stood beside a cauldron, waiting for it to begin to bubble. She turned the heat up a tad bit more, and then waited a little more.

"You know, it's nice to see you in here again, Lily. Even if it is on a Saturday," Slughorn commented from his desk. He was grading essays from the fourth years apparently. Lily had come down an hour ago, planning to do a little check up to make sure things were in order.

"I like being down here. Plus I needed a place to do this potion without people running in and out of the room," Lily lied.

"Well I'm glad to have you back here. May I ask what the potion is for?" Slughorn inquired.

"Oh, just curiosity. I'm trying to see if I can make an alternative potion. One that won't take as long to make," Lily told him. Finally, it began to bubble, so she turned the heat back down, and whispered a spell to make it stir. Then she began to cut a few roots, and add them slowly. "Sir, may I come back down here after I eat lunch? Just to check on this, and may add to it a little?" Lily made sure that her back was to him. Now was time to create an alibi.

"Of course! I don't mind at all. I might not be here though, we all have a staff meeting," the last part came out as an annoyed mutter.

"Is something wrong?" Lily asked innocently. "If I may ask."

"Oh, Professor Heyes wants us all to discuss a long and unnecessary list of subjects. It's just like the man to stick us with something like this, but then not be there to suffer with us," Slughorn said with disdain.

Lily grinned. It sounded like the staff really planned to stay for their entire "meeting" and go over the fake list. "Well, I might still be down here when you get done. You know how I can be when it comes to potions."

Slughorn chuckled. "It wouldn't at all surprise me if you outlasted that long meeting."

Lily sighed quietly to herself. She hated tricking and lying to her favorite teacher, but sacrifices have to be made sometimes. "I'll do my best," she teased. Lily carefully dropped her last root in, and then stopped the stirring, and finally turned the heat up a few notches. "Well, now I can only wait until the roots have mixed in before I can move on. I'm going to catch up with the others before lunch. I'll see you later, Horace," Lily said with a wave.

Slughorn smiled and gave a wave as well. "I'll see you after the meeting, Lily."

Lily left the room, leaving her things behind. She looked down at the watch on her wrist. They had Scorpius make a duplicate of Hugo's watch, just so that they could both see the time. And now, it would be ten minutes before the staff all met in the room, and ten minutes before Zack would begin to stall Heyes.

Lily had just come to the Entrance Hall when she, and other students milling about, saw a flying paper bird trying to come down the stairs. It clumsily dodged students, and was becoming labored in its movements when it finally dropped on the floor next to Lily. She leaned down to pick it up, and immediately opened it.

"_HG has entered her dorm. Lou and HB went to dorm five minutes ago. No sign of Lu or D. RX is in the common room. - H"_

Lily grinned with small victory. She understood Hugo's message easily. Rose was now in her dorm, and Roxanne was lurking about the common room. And Louis might now have Albus knocked out. But it worried Lily slightly that Lucy was nowhere around. But maybe Dominique had taken care of, since they both were missing. Again, Lily checked her temporary watch. Hugo should be meeting her down here soon with the things. That meant the fifth years would all be coming down to hang around the Entrance Hall and stairs. Lily looked around, and was surprised to see that most of the students around the hall _were_ the fifth years. They were early.

"Lily!" Lily turned to see Lola, Jace, and Xavier hurrying toward her from the dungeon stairs. They all looked to be repressing excitement from their expressions. "Have you heard from Hugo?" Lola asked.

"Just a minute ago. And according to my watch, he should be here soon," Lily assured. "So far, it all seems to be going on time."

"And there goes Slughorn now," Xavier mentioned as he subtly motioned toward the dungeon stairs, where Slughorn was just now coming up.

"Then looks like we really have nothing to worry about," Lily sighed.

"Wait! Here comes Hugo!" Lola said happily.

Lily turned toward the stairs, and saw Hugo practically running down them, yet being very careful about the bag he carried on his shoulder. Lily watched as he looked around, found them, and then moved faster.

When he stopped in front of them, his breath was coming in small pants. "Hey, guys," he greeted. Then he kissed Lola briefly, before looking at Lily. "Ok, Zack left the common room about ten minutes before I did, so he should be talking to Heyes by now. When I left, Roxanne was heading up to check on Rose. And I don't know about Louis and Albus, but I noticed that all the other seventh years were coming downstairs. I think Louis was taking the time to get all of them out," Hugo explained.

"But you haven't seen Lucy _or_ Dominique?" Lily questioned.

"Not since this morning. I mean, they might have been in Lucy's dorm room. After all, I can't check there," Hugo told her.

Lily moved to make sure her ponytail was still perfect, since she couldn't simply run her hand through her hair like usual. "Ok, well that's not bad. I'd rather have Lucy around than Rose or Albus. And especially Heyes."

Hugo looked at his watch. "And it looks like we've a little less than ten minutes," he stated.

"Then let's get ready," Lily said. Hugo immediately flipped open his bag, and pulled out three boxes, which Lola took from him. "Start passing them out to the fifth years. Give at least two or three to each," Lily explained. Then Hugo handed two boxes to Xavier. "Xavier, take those and put them near the Great Hall. That way anyone can reach them when it all goes down."

"And here are the big guns," Hugo said as he pulled out another box, one that was longer.

"Whiz-bangs?" Lily asked.

Hugo grinned as he stood up straighter, and popped open the box. What looked like a hundred fireworks laid in the box before them. "Ready to go," Hugo assured.

"They're there and waiting," Xavier said as he came back. "And I'm not sure, but it looks like a lot of us are here."

Lily took the box from Hugo. "Perfect. As long as we have most of them here."

Hugo pulled out another box, and Lily could tell that it was the rabbit. "And here is the rabbit. Remember, if you see a rabbit around, shoot a spell at it," he told the others.

"Should we take it out?" Jace asked.

"No!" Hugo and Lily both said quickly. Hugo pulled the box closer.

"If you open the box, the magic starts right away, and then we lose time. We don't let it out until after Hugo and I have made the first move," Lily told him.

Jace held his hands up. "Ok, ok."

"I passed all of them out. Once I got to everyone, I just started passing more out. But here are some for us," Lola said, handing some to Xavier and Jace. "And I ran into the others from our House. They've got some, and they're ready."

Hugo looked down at his watch, then looked at Lily. "It's time," in a low voice.

Lily felt her heart race at his words. "Ok. Then let's do this." Quickly, she looked at the others. "Remember, we need you guys to help lead the others. Just make sure that damage is caused."

"Got it," they called as Hugo and Lily hurried to the middle of the Entrance Hall.

"Great Hall doors are open, and then the entrance doors are closed. Looks like these babies will have a lot of places to go," Hugo said quietly.

"Just makes this even better," Lily muttered. She set the box on the floor, and she and Hugo began to quickly take out the fireworks, arranging them in a preplanned structure. It took less than a minute, and then they both stood up. Hugo shoved the box back into his bag, and they both took out their wands.

"Now," Lily instructed.

"Incedio!" they both chanted. Fire caught onto the firework fuses immediately, and Lily and Hugo took off from the scene, heading for the stairs to the next floor. Behind them, bangs and cracks exploded behind them, and then came the roar of a dragon. But Hugo and Lily were turning the corner, and were unable to see the reactions of everyone else.

Lily pointed her wand at the firework that Hugo was holding out. "Incendio!"

Once it was lit, Hugo threw it behind him, where it promptly exploded, and then a snapping and crackling lion ran in the air above them.

"What about downstairs?" Hugo asked.

"I gave one to Scorpius and one to Lana. I told them to set them off in the dungeons," Lily assured. Then she stopped running, and Hugo stopped as quickly as he could, jogging back to her. "Let's set one here," Lily told him.

Hugo nodded, and dug in his bag, pulling out one of the Portable Swamp boxes, which he slipped out of the box. It was a flat sheet, which Hugo placed on the floor. "You remember how to do this?" Hugo asked.

"Yeah, I remember it," Lily assured. She and Hugo moved onto one side of the swamp, and Lily whispered a small incantation, and flicked her wand. Swiftly, the swamp expanded and took form in the floor.

Hugo covered his nose. "Damn that smells!" he complained.

Lily nodded as she turned her head. "Come on, let's keep going." So again, they took off down the hall. "By the way, you warned Zack, right?"

"Yeah, I told him all about it," Hugo assured. Once they turned a corner, and went down another hallway, he yelled, "Wait!" They both stopped running, and Lily watched as he dug through his bag again, and came up with three colored balls. He threw one down the hall. It landed, and promptly exploded. Deep red splashed on the walls and floor, covering at least a meter in each direction from where it landed.

Lily grinned as she took one from Hugo. "I love Uncle George." She turned and threw it at the wall at the end of the hall. Purple immediately covered the entire corner. Hugo threw one up at the ceiling, which covered it, and dripped slowly down to the floor and down the walls.

Hugo grinned as well. "Ok, let's get going again!" So, they took off once again.

* * *

"Ok, the headmaster needs an office closer to the Great Hall!" Hugo complained as they finally stopped by the gargoyle.

"The point is that we're here," Lily retorted. "Now put the swamp down."

Carefully, Hugo put the small sheet right in front of the door, and then moved back. "Ok, you make it work, and then I'll do the bedazzling charm on it."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, good idea." Again, she set up the swamp, and with two fumbling tries, Hugo finally got the spell right, and the swamp disappeared from sight.

Hugo laughed. "I wish I could be here to see Heyes fall right through the floor."

Lily chuckled as well. "Yeah, but we gotta keep working."

"Oh! Yeah." Hugo pulled out five more color bombs, and handed some to Lily. They began throwing them around the hall, until it was brightly colored.

Then Lily pointed her wand toward the floor. "Serpensortia," she murmured lightly. A snake flew into existence, and immediately began to move around.

Hugo looked at it hesitantly. "It's not dangerous, is it?" he asked.

Lily shook her head. "Not unless my intent was dangerous. It won't hurt anyone. Serpensortia." Lily summoned three more, and then looked at Hugo, who, with his wand, was writing "OUT WITH THE NEW, IN WITH THE OLD" across the wall. "That is perfect," Lily complimented with a laugh.

Hugo nodded as he stepped back to look at his work. "I think so too." Then he sighed and picked his bag back up. "Ok, now let's head to the area around the library and let out the rabbit."

"Let's do this." Again, they both began jogging down the hallway. But when they came to the stairs, they both stopped with shock. All along the stairs and hallways, students were throwing colors around, writing their own things on the walls, and setting off dozens of fireworks. And what had to be hundreds of firework animals were flying around the air.

Hugo looked at Lily with wonder in his eyes. "Wanna let it out in here?"

Lily smiled. "Take out the box." Hugo easily found the box in his bag, and held it out in his arms. Lily carefully opened, and then reached inside, and pulled out a cute, fluffy, white bunny. Lily stroked its head. "Aw. Even though it's really only a matchbox, it makes such a cute bunny!" she commented.

Hugo rolled his eyes. "Tell ya what. I'll buy you a _real_ bunny sometime for your birthday," he joked. He put away the box as Lily set down the rabbit. "You wanna take the first hit?"

Lily pointed her wand at the rabbit. "Calvorio!"

They both watched as the spell hit the rabbit. Then the air shimmered slightly, and then there were two rabbits.

Hugo laughed. "That's awesome! Stupefy!" His spell hit one rabbit, and then there were three.

Lily nudged Hugo. "Watch this. Bombarda!" Her spell hit all three, and when the smoke cleared, there were six rabbits.

Hugo picked up one of the rabbits, and placed it on the stairs, where it promptly began to run down the steps. Lily watched, as soon the other rabbits began to scatter as well. She looked over to see Hugo leaning over the railing. "Hey! If you see a rabbit, shoot a spell at it!" he yelled down to the floors below.

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled at her cousin's antics. "Come on, let's keep going."

"Wait!" Hugo grabbed her arm and pulled her to the railing. "I can see Dom!" he told her.

Lily quickly looked over the railing, and saw Dominique standing with Mitch, both of them dropping color bombs over the edge of the stairs. Lily hurried to the stairs. "Dominique!" she called as she and Hugo stopped as the stairs began to move. It took about five minutes for them to finally reach the stairs that Dominique and Mitch stood on.

"Dom, did you take care of Lucy?" Hugo asked.

Dominique rolled her eyes. "I took care of her, ok. She's passed out in her dorm room."

Lily immediately felt relieved. "So, you decided to join in?"

"I made her," Mitch said with a grin.

Dominique sighed. "Yeah, yeah. So, when is this going to be done?"

Lily shrugged. "Well, the governors left at about eight o'clock. The hearing was to start at ten, and according to Uncle George, they can last hours, especially if a break is called. When I told him the hearing started officially at ten, he said they might be back at about three o'clock," Lily guessed.

"So I have like more than three hours of this left?" Dominique complained.

"First of all, it's not a lot more than three hours," Hugo defended.

"And you can quit any time you want. Actually, I'd like you to stop a little early, and be there with Roxanne to let Rose and Albus out," Lily told her. "And you probably didn't, but don't worry about Lucy. Roxanne is going to check on her, since they share a dorm room."

Dominique grinned with a sarcastic look. "You're right. I didn't care."

Lily nodded as she took Hugo's wrist and began to hurry down the stairs, which were finally stationary. "I know you well enough, Dom. Just don't forget!"

"I'll remind her," Mitch assured as they left.

"Ok," Hugo sighed as they made their way down a colorful and messy hallway. "Wanna place the last swamp somewhere?"

Lily thought about that as they walked. But it was then that she got an idea. She grabbed Hugo's shirt, stopping him from walking. "Let's do something different first," she told him.

Hugo looked at where she was looking. "The library?"

Lily grinned as she looked at him. "Ever make a book fly?"

A light shone in Hugo's eyes. "That. Is. Perfect!"

Lily ignored the sign that said "CLOSED" on the door, and opened the library's doors. She glanced back at Hugo. "This is for every slacker to walk through Hogwarts." That was when she made the first book fly around the room.

* * *

Lily and Hugo surveyed the Entrance Hall. It was colorful, a swamp right in the middle of the floor, rabbits were running everywhere, and fireworks were snapping, cracking, and roaring as they flew by.

"I have never created an artwork that was ever this beautiful," Hugo mocked with a chuckle.

Lily smiled. "I'm quite proud." Then she looked at her cousin. "By the way, my watch finally disappeared. What time is it?"

Hugo checked his. "A little more than thirty minutes until three. Wanna set off that last firework?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. But we need to make it louder first. That way everyone can hear the alarm."

Hugo kneeled down as he dug through his bag. "No need. I did that last night, just incase we ended up running on time."

"Good thinking," Lily told him. "By the way, I'm going to Slughorn's office once we've made sure that everyone has dispersed. Wanna join me?"

"Sure. If it'll give me an alibi," Hugo joked as he pulled out the firework.

Lily pointed her wand at it. "Incendio."

Hugo held the firework at arms' length as the fuse lit. Then a bright phoenix burst from the firework, and let out a loud cry. To Lily and Hugo, it was almost ear shattering. They held their hands over their ears and watched as it flew up the stairs.

"Damn," Hugo muttered.

"Well at least you made it loud enough," Lily replied with a sigh.

"So everyone knows that signal, right?" Hugo asked.

"Well we told the fifth years during the last meeting, and told them to warn anyone from other years when they hear it. Hopefully everyone gets back in time," Lily mumbled the last part.

"Well let's go on our run and make sure," Hugo replied.

Lily rolled her shoulders. "I'm getting more exercise doing this than Quidditch," she joked.

Hugo laughed. "Well, let's make it fun. I'll race ya!" Hugo took off running toward the stairs.

Lily rolled her eyes but laughed as well. "You're on, cuz!"

But it was when they had gone up to the next floor, and down two more halls that the strangest thing happened. Professor Longbottom's voice echoed through the halls.

"_All students must return to their common rooms. All students must return to their common rooms. The Board of Governors will return back to Hogwarts soon. So if all students would please return to their common rooms. Thank you."_

Lily and Hugo stopped running quickly, and looked at each other. Both of their expressions were guarded and unsure. That was the voice came.

"_And note: no one is in trouble. Good work today."_

Lily and Hugo stood in silence with about thirty other students of all ages and Houses. But after a moment, it was like an explosion of excitement went off. There were cheers and yells of happiness as students began to run in all directions. Some up the stairs and some down, most likely heading to their own common rooms.

Hugo smiled at Lily. "I think we've got allies," he commented.

Lily's smile was uncontainable. "I think we do too."

* * *

Lily and Hugo burst through the door to Slughorn's office, only to see both Slughorn and Longbottom waiting for them.

"Professors!" Hugo exclaimed in mild surprise.

Lily stayed silent as she shut the door, and watched the two men. But the small smiles on their faces showed no sign of the two of them being in trouble.

Professor Longbottom was the first one to speak. "You know, I don't think you two could be any more like your parents than right now."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Only you two could start a rebellion in the name of Hogwarts," Slughorn chuckled.

Lily and Hugo both smiled sheepishly. "We do what we have to," Hugo replied.

Longbottom came closer and held out his hand. "Hugo, may I see your bag?"

Cautiously, Hugo handed him the bag. "Sure."

Longbottom took his bag, and immediately began to rifle through it. Lily tensed slightly as he began to pull out every Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes bag and box, placing them on a nearby table. "We'll have to burn these boxes. The last thing they need to find on you is evidence," Longbottom commented.

Lily sighed with relief. But as Slughorn lit the boxes on fire, she moved closer. "Sirs, why are you helping us? I mean, shouldn't you be stopping us, technically?" Lily asked, thinking of Scorpius's words from the previous night.

"Because, once upon a time, Hogwarts was being taken over by an unbearable woman that was overly controlling. And she tried to change everything Hogwarts was about. And when that happened, the students who cared about Hogwarts banded together and did what they could to stop her. Even if were little things like putting Nifflers into her office, or creating a group behind her back. And when things like that happened, our greatest allies were the teachers who let us get by with it." Professor Longbottom placed a hand on Hugo's head. "I think it would be a disgrace for me to not help you like those teachers helped me and your parents."

"Neville, you'd better get back to your greenhouses," Slughorn commented. "They will be here soon. I'll take care of these too. Lily had already been planning to come back here when she finished."

Professor Longbottom nodded. "Of course, Horace. But first." He laid a hand on Lily's shoulder, and moved her closer, and looked at both her and Hugo. "I want to tell you two a few things. First, only kids from the Weasley family could set up the . . . destruction that you two have today. And only the children of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger could be as loyal to Hogwarts. And finally, you're parents would be very proud of you two. I know I am." He squeezed Lily's shoulder, and ruffled Hugo's hair. Then with silence, he left the room, the door closing behind him with finality.

Lily looked back at Slughorn, and found that he had moved back to his desk, and was casually grading essays again. "Well, Lily, how about you and Hugo finish up your potion?" he suggested.

Lily sighed and pushed her bangs back. "Um, yeah. Come on, Hugh. I'm making an alternate Strength Potion," she told him. "But be ready. There's a seventy-five percent change that it could explode."

"Oh, sounds fun," Hugo retorted.

It was an hour later. Hugo and Lily were both looking over a bubbling cauldron, Lily hesitantly holding a vial of salamander blood, carefully letting a few drips drop in one at a time.

"Is there a chance this could kill me?" Hugo asked curiously.

"Only if it explodes and blows your face off," Lily countered.

Slughorn laughed from his desk, where he was writing things down. It was then that the door burst open, making the three of them jump, and making Lily quickly pull the vial away from the potion.

"Careful!" Lily snapped.

But Brunt, Heyes, and their cronies didn't seem to care as they stormed in, slamming the door behind them.

"We want answers!" Napoleon snapped.

"And you almost killed us!" Hugo snapped back. "We are working on a delicate potion here!"

"We know you two had to do with the destruction around the school!" Brunt stated.

Lily raised a brow. "What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, what destruction?" Hugo asked.

"Don't play dumb!" Heyes yelled.

"Actually, Headmaster, I doubt Lily and Hugo here have even seen the destruction. They've been in here since this morning and haven't left. They've been dedicated to this potion," Slughorn explained. "When the staff and I were finished running around and trying to find the culprits, I came back to find these two still working."

"Someone has trashed this school, and no one has any answers!" Patricia Stewart screeched.

"Someone trashed the school?" Hugo said with surprise.

"Do not play dumb!" Brady Edwards hissed.

"I am dumb!" Hugo argued. "Now, can Lily and I continue?"

"I want answers, Lily Potter!" Brunt growled. "I know you had something to do with this."

Lily sighed. "Well, I don't know what you're talking about. And unless you have proof to the contrary, I think this conversation and interrogation is pointless." She turned back and held the vial back over the potion. "Now, please don't do anything that could end up with too much of this blood in the potion. Otherwise, it blows and we get hurt or die."

"Should students be working on something so dangerous?" Stanley Rock grumbled.

"Well there's no proof yet that it is dangerous," Lily retorted. "It's just a possibility."

As perfect timing went, the knock on the door was a great example. Professor Bell poked her head into the room, and looked at the governors. "Um, I don't mean to interrupt, but I was asked to tell you five that the press is here."

Lily's eyes lit up as the governors looked in horror. "The press?" Brunt stammered.

"Yes. Rita Skeeter and a few other reporters. They're talking with some of the staff and other governors now," Professor Bell told them.

"Are there photographers?" Napoleon asked with obvious fear.

"There were maybe two or three," Professor Bell said casually.

"We need to keep things in check," Patricia said hurriedly, practically running from the room, the others following. But Brunt still glared at Lily.

"We are not done, you two. I think what we need is to call your parents in tomorrow," Brunt threatened.

Lily didn't look away from the dripping vial. "Sure, sure. But tomorrow is Sunday, so could we make it after dinner?"

"Yeah, I've got Quidditch practice tomorrow. Our last game is in a week. So after dinner would be great," Hugo agreed as he fiddled carefully with the heat.

Their only answer was a slamming door.

"Oh, damn," Lily muttered. "Hugh, tomorrow the group goes over History of Magic. You're supposed to teach that."

"I have faith that they can do it without me. I'll give them all my notes so they can use them as well. Then I'll go over the lesson with you later," Hugo assured.

"What will happen with tonight's meeting?" Slughorn asked curiously.

"Oh, we discussed that as a group already," Lily told him.

"Yeah. Since it was only Muggle Studies, those guys just made copies of the notes they made on the subject, and gave the copies to those in the class," Hugo explained.

"I hope I can get a chance to talk with your parents before they leave. It's been so long since I've gotten to talk with them," Slughorn commented.

"We'll send them over to ya," Hugo replied.

"Be ready, Hugh," Lily warned. "Here comes the last drop."

Hugo moved back a little as Lily tipped the vial a little more. Ever so slowly, the last drop of blood slipped from the vial and fell to the potion. It landed with a small splash, and both teens waited with bated breath. When nothing happened, they both let out their relieved sighs.

Hugo grinned toward Lily. "Victory is ours."


	75. Taking Advantage of Time

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I was going to make this chapter like three separate chapters, but then I decided to just throw them all together. So, here is a longer chapter for you readers. The next chapter will contain a little more of the year, and then the beginning of summer. Now the question is, do I include the graduation ceremony in our next chapter, or bypass it? Anyways, read and review, and of course, enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Five: Taking Advantage of Time

"So, you remembered to give your history notes to one of the others, right?" Lola asked Hugo as they all ate dinner. After their victory yesterday, they didn't care about the governors' and Heyes unspoken rule about eating at your own tables.

Hugo nodded as he tried to swallow a mouthful of food quickly. "Yeah," he said after a small cough. "I gave them to Josh. No need to worry, La."

"Well I'm just making sure. We know how your memory can be," Lola teased.

Lily rolled her eyes at the two, but smiled. The castle had been cleaned. All the swamps were banished, the colors vanished, the fireworks faded, the rabbits vanished, and the writings were erased . . . all except one. Hugo's words "OUT WITH THE NEW, IN WITH THE OLD" were still on the wall near the headmaster's office. Apparently, Professors Flitwick and Bell "claimed" it must have been from a prank product, because they didn't know how to get it off. It was an obvious lie, because Hugo had done what everyone else had done when they wrote something on the walls. But the reasons behind keeping it was another victory in itself.

"You ready to see your parents?" Scorpius asked, knocking her from her thoughts.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. I'm also ready to make Brunt and Heyes look even worse. After all, how could Heyes be a good headmaster and _not_ see and stop what happened?" she mocked.

"Well aren't you clever," he teased before placing a kiss on her lips.

"Lily, Hugo," Professor Longbottom addressed as he walked toward them. There was obvious pride in his small smile. "I've been asked to tell you that your parents will be arriving soon, and that the headmaster would like you to go to his office now."

Hugo immediately began to quickly stuff more food into his mouth, but Lily wasn't as hungry, so she simply stood from her seat. "Ok. Once Hugo has officially choked himself, we'll head down there. Are you coming, sir?" Lily asked.

"No, although I offered my presence to the headmaster," Professor Longbottom told her. "But he insisted that it be only you, your parents, him, and a few choice governors."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course," she muttered.

"Stuffidd," Hugo mumbled through his mouthful of food.

"Ew! Hugo Weasley!" Lola scolded.

Hugo shrugged as he too stood up. He chugged down his last bit of his pumpkin juice, slammed the cup down, then clapped his hands. "Let's do this!" he exclaimed.

Lily chuckled and shook her head. "Ok, champ," she mocked. She messed with Scorpius's hair as she walked away. "See you guys later."

"Later!" Hugo said with a small wave. The two left the Great Hall and walked most of the way in silence. It wasn't until Hugo's writing was in sight that one of them spoke.

"Maybe I could be a politician," Hugo commented.

Lily raised a curious brow and looked at him. "Really? Why?"

He shrugged. "Apparently, I could be good at it. According to a lot of people and adults lately. And I really don't know what I want to do after I graduate. If I don't figure anything out, maybe I could fall back on that."

"But would you rather find something better?" Lily asked.

"Absolutely. I mean, as you can tell by my enthusiastic voice right now, I have little ambition for it. I'd have to search for things to fight for. I mean, with this, it's different. I care about Hogwarts. But other topics, I may not," Hugo replied. "But I just don't know what else I would do."

Lily grinned. "You could be a model with me."

Hugo laughed. "Well I am sexy," he joked as they came up to the gargoyle. Then he sighed. "Education," he stated.

The gargoyle moved to show the stairs. "Dumb password," Lily mentioned as they stepped onto the stairs, which immediately began to move and spiral upwards.

"Tell me about," Hugo muttered back.

Once they reached the door, Lily knocked firmly and hated how she now had to wait. Already she missed just having to knock once and walk in to see Jacob.

"Come in!" Heyes's voice called out to them.

Lily pushed open the door, allowing Hugo to go in first, and then closed the door as she followed. Heyes was sitting at the desk, Brunt was to his left, Napoleon was sitting on a nearby chair, and Brady Edwards was pacing near the fireplace.

"Sit down," Heyes commanded, motioning to the two chairs in front of his desk.

Silently, both teens sat down. For a moment, all was silent. Then apparently, a tension exploded.

"Do you two have nothing to say?" Edwards yelled. "You can't just confess? We know you did this!"

Lily and Hugo looked at each other, then back at Heyes, and stayed silent. A frustrated growl emitted by the fireplace.

It had to be almost ten, silent, and tense minutes before there was a knock on the door, and then it opened, revealed their parents, who came in calmly, with calm expressions.

With a wave of Heyes's wand, four more chairs moved over around the desk. "Please, sit," he requested to the adults. "As for introductions, I'm Professor Roderick Heyes, the temporary headmaster at Hogwarts. I'm sure you know the governors that have joined us."

"Of course," Hermione assured as they all sat down. "Now, what can we do for you?"

"We need to discuss your children here," Heyes stated.

"What about them?" Ginny demanded.

Heyes's only reply at first was to hold up that morning's copy of the_ Daily Prophet_. Lily smiled at the sight of the top headline. _"OUT WITH THE NEW, IN WITH THE OLD: NEW HEADMASTER FAILS TO STOP TROUBLE"_

"We are familiar with this morning's headlines," Harry told him.

Heyes put the paper down. "We have reasons to believe that your kids were the start of this little rebellion."

Lily cleared her throat. "I would like to remind people that Hugo and I were in the dungeons, working on a potion. Professor Slughorn will say the same."

"If someone is willing to vouch for our children's whereabouts, then why do you believe that they started it?" Hermione inquired with a serious stare.

"Because they have shown constant attitude problems!" Edwards hissed as he came to stand by the desk. "For example, their little talk and interview with the press!"

"We have not broken any rules," Hugo retorted quickly. "We have simply stated our opinions to a woman who asked. A woman you governors brought in."

"So, because they are firm in their opinions, you're blaming our children for your mistakes?" Ginny countered with a glare.

"What do you mean 'our mistakes,' Mrs. Potter?" Brunt demanded.

It was Ron who answered. "Because only an incompetent headmaster would be in his office while a riot is going on downstairs!"

"I was in a meeting with a student!" Heyes argued. "Then ended up in a swamp, which was a product created by _your_ brother, _their_ uncle!"

"So that automatically makes them guilty?" Hermione replied. "You know, your Head Boy and Girl are also related to George Weasley, as are about four other students! Why just these two?"

"Because Lily Potter has been against us since the beginning, and very open about it!" Brunt hissed.

"I'm allowed an opinion," Lily said calmly. "You don't like Professor Brown, but I do. We just differ opinions."

"And for this, my daughter is to be blamed for everything?" Harry said dryly.

"She has openly defied us! Fought against us!" Napoleon countered.

"How?" Lily asked. "All I have done is honestly answer questions during an interview."

"The study group!" Edwards hissed.

"You're against a group created to help kids prepare for O.W.L.s?" Hermione questioned in a low and obviously dangerous voice. Even Hugo looked a little hesitant.

There was a moment of silence, one that Lily almost laughed at. The kind of silence that meant the opposition had walked into a trap they created themselves. It always happened when Hugo got Lily to play chess with him. When that moment happened, Lily usually just pushed her king over herself.

"We aren't against it," Brunt said slowly and carefully. "We fear that they could end up hurt. Such as if they practice something, and one gets hurt. They have no supervision."

"We have invited Professors Longbottom and Slughorn to watch us, but they trusted us," Lily said with a shrug.

"And we've all taken precautions to make sure no one is hurt. Tonight we were all going to study over History of Magic," Hugo replied. "After all, it's not an easy topic."

"So, from my understanding," Harry spoke, "you are distrusting of a group that helps to prepare for O.W.L.s, but also promotes unity between Houses? You know, that sounds very opposite of what your group tried to say at the hearing before the Wizengamot."

"We are all for exam preparation and unity," Napoleon argued. "But they need to be supervised!"

"Speaking from personal experience, all four of us have been part of a group that prospered and helped save Hogwarts, and we did it without adult supervision," Ron retorted with a glare. "Now, I still see no reason why my son is being blamed because your new headmaster can't handle students on his own."

"I know she started it!" Brunt finally snapped. "I know she started the group, she set up the interviews, and she's basically started a full out rebellion against us, and got every student to turn on authority!"

In the silence Lily raised a brow and hid her smug grin. Their parents stared with indignation and shock, and the governors and headmaster were silent and tense. Lily finally spoke. "You can correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't turn all the students against you. From _my_ understanding, you have friendly conversations with Albus Potter quite often."

Brunt glared fully at Lily. "That attitude and those witty and snarky retorts are why we suspect her!"

"But why me?" Hugo asked innocently. "Am I snarky?"

"You're in league with her!" Napoleon argued.

"Oh, so he's to blame because he's friends with his cousin?" Hermione exclaimed.

"You know, I don't care if they have attitude!" Ginny said angrily. "Every teenager has attitude! And they obviously find that Professor Heyes here is weak. Otherwise, they wouldn't have all done this. _All _of them! Because don't tell me you think only two kids did all of that!"

"We know that these two rallied them together!" Edwards argued.

"And you just didn't notice a rally of over a hundred kids gathering?" Harry countered. "Look, I'm seeing little proof against these kids, and little proof of why I needed to be summoned here. Now, I want to make this clear. As the Head of the Auror Department, and as a father, I do not want to be called in here for this again, unless you have proof to blame my daughter, or my nephew. Is that clear?"

Lily had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at the governors' defeated looks. She knew that tone of her father's. He'd used it before on her brothers when they were little, and were fighting over Chocolate Frog cards. Seeing the governors being treated like children was all too amusing.

It was Heyes that swallowed his pride. "Of course, Mr. Potter. If we are keeping you from something, you may leave, of course."

The adults began to stand. "Thank you," Harry said flatly. Then he placed a hand on Lily's shoulder. "Come along, you two."

Lily and Hugo stayed silent as their parents took them from the room, and then down the stairs. And it wasn't until they were in another corridor that the silence was broken.

"Go ahead, son," Ron said. "Say what you're wanting to say."

"That was awesome!" Hugo said immediately.

The adults all chuckled.

"So we're right to assume that you _did_ have something to do with yesterday?" Hermione asked, her voice sounding serious, but her eyes obviously amused.

Hugo shrugged. "You may assume what you wish." Then he and Lily were the ones to laugh.

"You'd better not get caught, 'cause then we'll look like asses," Ron mocked.

"We've got it covered," Lily assured. "So, how'd the hearing go?"

"We'll hear the verdict this summer," Harry told her.

"What will happen when they have to get re-picked? Like, how would it happen?" Hugo asked.

"Well, most likely, the Wizengamot will figure out who is corrupt, and then get rid of them. All of the governors will be scrutinized and observed," Hermione explained. "Then once the corrupt ones are gone, it'll probably be the minister that appoints the new governors."

"What if we already know the corrupt ones?" Hugo asked.

"What if someone suggested a person to the minister, could he take it into consideration?" Lily questioned.

Harry shrugged. "I'm sure he would."

They all conversed casually as they made their way to the Entrance Hall. Lily occasionally looked at Hugo, who look happy to be talking with his father normally.

"Victoire is due any day now," Ginny was telling Lily. "We're all just waiting to hear from Teddy that she's in labor."

When they reached the Entrance Hall doors, they started to say their goodbyes.

"You behave, or at least don't get caught," Ginny told Lily as she kissed her daughter's hair. "And by the way, Lily Luna Potter. You never need to ask if you can come home for dinner. You can come anytime."

Lily smiled at her mother. "Well, how about two days after we come home? That way I at least have time to settle being away from school," Lily suggested.

"That sounds fine," Harry assured as he moved forward to hug his daughter. "Take care, princess."

"Of course, Dad," Lily mumbled into his shirt. When she pulled away from his hug, Ron reached over to ruffle her hair.

"Don't let this place go to Hell, kids," he warned them.

Lily smiled, but Hugo laughed. "You got it, Dad," he assured.

Lily and Hugo watched as their parents left out into the dim night. But they were both still able to hear them.

"They make you proud, don't they?" Ginny commented.

All of them nodded.

* * *

"Only you guys could have cool enough parents to let you get away with starting yesterday!" Mitch laughed as they all sat in the common room, Hugo and Dominique included. Lily and Hugo had thought about going and joining the group meeting, but since they were probably well into the middle of it by now, they decided to just go the common room.

"My parents would have probably murdered me," Dominique muttered. "But my dad has always been an ass about those things."

Lily sighed as she studied over a copy of Hugo's history notes for that night. "I think if I had done something like that last year, my dad would have killed me. But since we've gotten better . . . I think he trusts me a little more."

"What about me?" Scorpius teased.

Lily laughed. "Don't push it."

Scorpius kissed the side of her neck. "But I like pushing limits," he mumbled.

Lily tried to nudge him away. "Scorpius Malfoy, I'm studying," she retorted.

"So?" he replied. "You can do that later."

"And we can do _this_ later," Lily countered.

Scorpius pulled away and sighed. "All right, but you owe me," he muttered.

"Whatever you say, sweetheart," she replied. Scorpius moved to wrap his arm around her and rest his chin on her shoulder, his breath fanning against her neck and jaw.

"I mean it. At some point and time, I'm going to cash in. And you're going to have to deal," he mocked.

Lily moved a hand to his knee, and patted it. "I'm sure you will."

* * *

Lily had never expected Scorpius to really approach her and say that he was "cashing in" a few days later. Luckily is was during her free period, which she usually spent with him anyways. But she hadn't expected him to drag her from the common room, instead of taking her up to his dorm room. She was very surprised when he kept dragging her up floor by floor.

"Scorpius, where are we going?" Lily finally asked after three more floors.

"Well, lately I've been thinking. I'm graduating this year," Scorpius commented.

"Don't remind me," Lily groaned.

"Anyways, I was thinking about when I was attracted to you, but didn't want to ask you out and ruin a friendship," Scorpius continued. "And I was thinking that I wasted so many moments where I could have kissed the hell out of you."

Lily laughed. "What?"

"Yeah, so I've decided that I'm going to make up for one of those moments, now," he finished.

Lily was about to ask another question when she noticed that just ahead of them was The Fat Lady's portrait, leading to the Gryffindor common room. "Scorpius, what are we doing here?" she asked.

But instead of answering her, Scorpius pulled her to a tapestry, pulled it aside, and then dragged her into a hidden and dark passageway . . . or what should have been a dark passageway. But there was already a candle lighting it dimly. He dropped the tapestry, concealing them both.

Lily looked back at him with a raised brow. "So?"

He chuckled as he moved closer and placed his hands on her hips. "You don't remember this place?"

Lily tried to remember, but she drew a blank. "No clue," she admitted.

He pulled her a little closer. "Two years ago, at the beginning of your third year, my fifth, we hid in here trying to find the password to the Gryffindor common room, just so that we could trash it," he explained.

Lily thought of what he was saying, and it all began to click as she remembered. Trashing their common room, hiding in here with Scorpius, Lola getting smashed that afternoon. She smiled at the memory. "I do remember that actually," she murmured. But then she looked at him with mild surprised. "You were attracted to me back then?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I thought you were really cool and really cute. But you were like one of my best friends. And if I remember correctly, that was when you and Scamander began flirting around each other."

Lily sighed. "Yeah, I should have let that relationship die my third year. Kind of stupid to bring it back up a year later."

"Really stupid," Scorpius agreed softly. "It delayed my chances to ask you out." He leaned down to kiss her firmly, but still sweetly.

Lily giggled against his lips, then pulled away slightly. "Well now I really regret it," she joked lightly. She kissed him again, and this time parted her lips when she felt his tongue brush across her bottom lip. He pressed her against the closest wall, his hands sliding up and down her sides. Lily moaned softly into his mouth. But then she pulled away to brush her lips along his jaw and up to his ear. "I hope you know I'm not having sex with you in this passageway."

Scorpius groaned quietly near her cheek. "I can respect that. I didn't intend that. But you keep breathing in my ear like that and I might have to change your mind," he warned, his own voice a low growl.

Lily licked her lips at the sound of his voice. And his warning made her want to change her own mind. But she kicked those urges back and kissed his cheek. "As long as you know that you're not pushing this limit."

* * *

"Achoo!" Lola sneezed harshly at the table during breakfast. She groaned and rubbed her eyes. "Dammit," she mumbled.

"You ok?" Lily asked with worry.

Lola groaned again. "Feel like I got punched by that dammed tree," she said, her voice even slurring a little.

Jace reached over and felt her forehead. "Well your forehead's a little hot," he muttered. He leaned back and began picking the crust off of a piece of toast. "Maybe you should go and sleep."

"I have classes, idiot," Lola snapped lazily.

"But he may be right," Shannon countered. "We'll take notes for you."

"I'm fine," Lola insisted. Her other protests were interrupted by two consecutive sneezes.

"Just go to bed, Lola," Lily said. "Otherwise I'll tell Hugo, and then he'll be on your case too."

Lola groaned again. "I probably look like hell! He cannot see me like this!" she complained, dropping her head onto the table.

"I doubt he'll care how you look," Izzy disagreed.

"Besides, you look just fine," Jace assured. "Um . . . the pink around your eyes looks good on you."

"Shut up, and you're a terrible liar, jackass!" Lola hissed back, although her head still laid on the table.

Lily just rolled her eyes and focused back on her breakfast. And Lola called Hugo stubborn? It made Lily want to laugh.

When the mail arrived, Lily was a bit surprised, but also excited to see Teddy's owl land next to her on the table. Lily quickly took the thick envelope from the owl, who snapped up one of Jace's crusts, and then took off. Lily ripped open the letter, and quickly read what Teddy had to say.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I'm writing this letter at about two in the morning, so sorry if parts of it don't make sense. I'm exhausted, but I had to write to you. This morning, Victoire went into labor. Trust me, it wasn't the best way to wake up. But anyways, after hours of labor, and a few bruised fingers, she finally had the baby. The cutest little girl. This time Victoire got to give the first name, and I got the middle name. So we agreed easily on Gabriella Lillian Lupin. She the cutest thing, and she already has ever man in the family wrapped around her tiny pinkie (me included)._

_Well, I've got to sleep, but I wanted to get this letter to you as quick as possible. Also, there's a picture of Gabby in the envelope as well._

_Love you sis,_

_Teddy"_

Lily quickly picked up the envelope and pulled out a picture. Lily gasped and then smiled at the sight. Victoire was in a hospital bed, Teddy sitting in a chair next to her. And bundled in a pink blanket in Victoire's arms was the cutest baby girl that Lily had ever seen. Her eyes were closed, but she had an obvious shock of blonde hair on her head. Teddy and Victoire were both smiling, and every few seconds, Teddy would reach out to stroke little Gabby's hair.

"Is that Teddy's new baby?" Jace asked.

"Victoire gave birth again?" Lola asked sluggishly.

Lily smiled and nodded. "Yesterday night it sounds like. A little girl named Gabriella." Lily turned the picture so that they all could see it.

"She's adorable!" Shannon squealed.

"She looks a lot like her mum," Megan commented.

"I hope she turns out to be just as sweet as her mum," Lily joked lightly as she too looked at the picture again.

"You know," Jace commented, "this has been a really good month compared to others lately."

Lily nodded as she put the letter and picture into her bag. "You're right. A lot has happened in the past month."

"Too bad once it ends, we start O.W.L. testing," Hunter pointed out.

"Dude, way to drag us down," Jace joked.

"I'm ready for it though," Hunter said confidently. "After all the help with JB, I can only fail what I'm obviously hopeless at. Otherwise, I'm understanding things more. I think I can do pretty good now."

"Well that was the point of the group," Megan pointed out.

"It was a good idea, Lil," Jace complimented. "I even get Divination a little better." He paused for a moment, as if in thought. "Well, probably not enough to pass, but still a little better."

Lily laughed and shook her head. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. But, we should probably get going, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah, classes start soon," Shannon agreed.

Almost immediately, all of their eyes zoomed in on Lola, who had been silent for a while now.

Lily sighed. "She's out isn't she?"

Hunter tilted his head, then he too sighed and nodded. "Like a candle."

Lily stood up and shouldered her bag. "Girls, let's get her to bed."

Megan shook Lola's shoulder. "Lola? Lola, we're going to class now."

Lola groaned, but slowly raised her head. Shannon quickly got up and began to help her up, and Izzy grabbed Lola's bag. "Ok," Lola mumbled.

The girls all helped Lola all the way back to the dorm room. Either Lola was giving in, or just too sick to pay attention. As the other girls got her onto her bed and under her covers, Lily searched for a cold remedy. She found the best she had, and put it on Lola's bedside table, and then wrote a note telling her to drink some.

"Hopefully she's not totally looped out, and she can read that," Megan muttered.

Lily ran a hand though her hair. "Yeah, I hope so too. But I'll check on her when you guys go to Potions."

"Well you should see if you can get her to the Hospital Wing," Izzy said as they began to walk back out to the common room.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Maybe I'll drag her ass down, and then get Scorpius to carry her all the way there," Lily commented.

"I'm surprised she's even sick. Lola's usually pretty healthy," Shannon mentioned with worry.

"It's probably just a simple cold. She'll be over it in a day. Get her to the Hospital Wing, and she'll be fine before dinner," Megan assured.

"Hope you're right. The last thing that girl needs is to be sick. She stresses out with studying enough for all of us. This on top of it would suck," Izzy replied.

"She'll be fine," Lily said. "She just needs to sleep."

"We all need just one day to sleep," Megan muttered. "This year has been exhausting."

"Well, the last Quidditch match is coming up this weekend, so you can sleep while everyone else is watching the game," Lily replied.

"Like Lola isn't going to drag the rest of us to see her boyfriend play," Megan retorted.

"I was going anyways. I told Hugo I'd go," Lily told her.

"Well then maybe the rest of us won't have to go," Megan mumbled.

"You complain too much," Izzy teased.

"I'm a sixteen-year-old girl," Megan countered. "I'm supposed to complain."

"That or bitch," Lily retorted.

"Well I filled my bitch quota already," Megan mocked.

"Surprise, surprise," Lily sighed.

* * *

Lily was happy to watch the Gryffindor game against Ravenclaw. It was nice to simply watch a match, and not have to play in it. Both teams were great, but it was obvious that Lorcan had been conditioning his team since their last match. It was a very close game, and one with no serious injury. Hugo had done great until he took a Bludger to the arm. Once that had happened, more shots got by him, allowing Ravenclaw to take the lead.

If it hadn't been for Albus catching the Snitch, Gryffindor probably wouldn't have won. Lorcan had been brutal, and it seemed as if he'd commanded his team to be as well.

"Oh, I hope Hugo's ok," Lola worried as she and Lily waited near the exit of the pitch. Lola sneezed twice in a row. Although she'd gotten over the harsh part of her cold, it seemed some of it was persisting. Lily had agreed to wait with her, but hadn't agreed to listen to Lola worry for over ten minutes. She'd taken to tuning her out, and listening every so often.

"Hey, Lily!" Lorcan greeted her with a wave as he began a small jog over to her.

Lily smiled. "Hey, Lorcan. Good game. It was almost yours."

Lorcan sighed as he ran a hand over his hair. "Honestly, I expected to lose the Snitch to Al. But I'm proud that we had them before that. Hasn't been our year," he replied. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he looked around at the pitch. "That was my last game . . . I'm going to miss all of this."

"You'll be playing in the pros before the end of June," Lily teased.

Lorcan chuckled. "I hope. But still, it is a bit sad to think that I won't be playing for Ravenclaw anymore. I've been loyal to this team for six years now."

"I'll have seven years when I graduate," she commented. "It will be weird."

"It is weird," Lorcan agreed. He stopped talking, and Lily could sense that he was going to talk again. So she waited until he finally did. "Lily, . . . what happened between you and my brother?"

"He kissed me in front of Scorpius," Lily said simply.

"No, I know that. He admitted that to me in the locker room before that game. But afterwards. He's been so . . . hostile and angry at any mention of you since. What happened?" Lorcan questioned.

Lily played with the ends of her hair, and looked at the sky above them. She didn't want to look at Lorcan. "I told him that I loved Scorpius, and I could never, and would never, love him like that. I've tried being nice, mean, everything. So I was just purely honest. And it spun out of control. He found out that I'd slept with Scorpius, and he flipped out even more . . . and then I told him I don't care anymore if he still has feelings."

"Harsh fight," Lorcan commented casually.

Finally, Lily looked at him. "You're not going to freak out that I slept with Scorpius?"

Lorcan looked at her with a small smile. "Lil, you're fifteen. Besides, I'm your friend, not your dad or brother. What right do I have to be angry about something that is none of my business? And you're smart, and I'm sure it wasn't just some drunk or stupid escapade."

Lily leaned her head against his shoulder. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that from someone."

He chuckled as he reached up to squeeze her shoulder. "Lil, I trust you. And I trust my brother to run his own life. What goes on between you two, it is none of my business. I just listen when one of you needs an ear. After all, you did that for me. Even though you didn't like Rose, you still pushed me to ask her out because you knew I wanted to."

"You need someone to keep you from flying into the clouds and never coming back," Lily teased. "I knew Rose could do that."

"Just like we need Scorpius to keep you from going crazy," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Lorcan?" They both to see the Gryffindor team approaching the exit, Rose's eyes locked on both of them.

Lorcan smiled immediately. He patted Lily's shoulder. "I'll see ya, Lil."

"Hey, Lorcan," Lily called before he walked away. He turned back. "Incase I don't see you before your last day: Take care of yourself. And . . . well don't let Rose stress you out over N.E.W.T. exams, because I know she'll get stressed."

Lorcan grinned. "Yeah, I will. Thanks, Lil. You take care of yourself too." And quickly, he pulled her into a short hug. When he pulled away, he jogged over to where Rose was waiting for him. Lily moved away from the exit, over to where Lola was now standing with Hugo. But she couldn't stop her eyes from straying back to where Rose and Lorcan were now walking away with the others on the Gryffindor team.

* * *

**Flashback**

"Victoire, how come our parents always make you babysit us?" nine-year-old Rose asked as she and seven-year-old Lily moved to sit on Victoire's bed.

"Well because you're too young to stay at home alone," sixteen-year-old Victoire answered as she brushed through her hair.

"But why can't we go to Teddy's with our brothers?" Lily asked.

"Because Teddy would never be able to babysit all of you alone, and they thought you girls would enjoy time away from those boys," Victoire replied.

"Why don't you just watch us together?" Lily questioned.

"Because they're teens, duh," Rose retorted with a roll of her eyes, like it was the most obvious thing.

But Lily still shrugged her shoulders and fell onto her back. "So?"

"So, my parents don't like me to be alone with Teddy without an adult around," Victoire mumbled, her voice a little embarrassed.

"That's dumb," Lily replied.

"Uncle Bill is afraid that they'll kiss," Rose said smartly.

Victoire laughed lightly. "Something like that, yes."

"That's gross!" Lily said with disgust.

Lily felt the mattress shift, and Victoire's face appeared above her, instead of the ceiling. "You really think so?" she asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah! I've seen what those boys eat! Why would you put your mouth on theirs?"

Victoire laughed again, and much more fully. Then she patted Lily's shoulder. "Make sure you tell your dad that. Now sit up. Your hair's a mess."

Lily sighed as she sat up, and Victoire began to run a brush through her hair. "Why do people always complain that my hair is a mess? So is Daddy's!"

"But you look much prettier when your hair is smoother and out of your face," Victoire said with a smile. "Not that you aren't always beautiful."

"Why do I have to be prettier?" Lily questioned.

"So a boy will call you prettier," Rose replied.

"But I don't care," Lily retorted with another roll of her eyes.

"Well then do it for me," Victoire told her.

"Ok," Lily mumbled.

"Victoire, will you do my hair?" Rose asked.

"Of course. But your hair is already pretty straight. But I might be able to do something with it," Victoire assured. "But you look very pretty with your hair down."

* * *

**End of Flashback**

Lily sighed as she watched the group go, Rose's hair swaying around her back. If Lily remembered right, after Victoire had said that, Rose wore her hair down more days than not. But for Lily, she still hadn't cared about her hair after that.

Lily smiled as she turned away to wait for Hugo and Lola. Although Lily had wanted to hang out with the boys and Teddy more, she _had_ loved to be with only Victoire and Rose. They were probably the better times. She and Rose never fought with each other, and Victoire was always doing something with them. She'd play with their hair, show Rose a few beauty tips, or playing Exploding Snap with Lily. At the time, Lily had never understood Rose's love for beauty and hair. Lily was more concerned with learning how to try and beat Hugo at chess, or how to properly fly on a broom.

"Hey, Lil!" Hugo called, waving a hand in front of her face. "You there?"

Lily blinked a few times before pushing his hand away. "Yeah, yeah. Come on," she muttered.

They started walking out and toward the castle. "So, what did you think, Lil?" Hugo asked.

"That it was an awesome match," Lily complimented. "How's your arm?"

Hugo brought his arm up, which looked completely normal. "Good. Uh, Rose fixed it in the locker room after I said I didn't want to go to the Hospital Wing."

"Does it still hurt?" Lola asked, her voice still a little distorted from her cold.

"It's fine. And speaking of the Hospital Wing, I think you need to go and just get the cold taken care of," Hugo told her.

"It's fine. It'll be gone completely soon," Lola assured.

"We've been telling her that since she got the cold, Hugh," Lily stated. "But she refuses to go to the Hospital Wing."

"Babe, O.W.L.s are only a few days away. Do you want to risk being sick during them?" Hugo threatened.

"It will clear up by then!" Lola insisted. "And if not, I'll go to the Hospital Wing and get it taken care of that morning."

"Good, otherwise I'll drag your ass," Hugo muttered.

"I tried that, cuz," Lily told him. "She just clung to her headboard and kicked."

* * *

Lily paced at the front of the room as all the fifth years began to gather around her and the other three. This was the moment they'd all kind of been waiting for. It was the last day of May. Tomorrow was the start of their O.W.L. exams. That meant one other thing as well.

"Ok," Lily started, "tomorrow is the start of O.W.L.s and that means that tonight is our last meeting." Immediately noises of sadness and argument arose. "But," Lily spoke over them, "that also means that we are ready for them. We're ready to do the best that we can do. And prove that our devotion to Professor Brown is as strong as our determination."

Applause issued from all of them, and Leighton Fawcett whistled loudly.

Lily smiled. "We have stressed all year about these tests, and tomorrow we are going to prove that to us, they are just tests. We are going to prove that even if we don't ace every one of them, that we are still going to kick ass once we graduate, because that is what Professor Brown wanted for us."

Hugo stepped forward. "This summer, the governors will all be voting on whether or not we get to keep Professor Brown. Those that are still unsure are waiting to see our results concerning exam test scores, and show of unity between Houses. With just us, we have surpassed expectations. And once they see how our work and devotion have paid off, there's no way they could vote to ban Professor Brown."

As the others all began to clap again, Hugo pulled Jaclyn up front. She looked a bit hesitant, but when everyone quieted, her voice was confident. "As we all know, this summer we will also find out if the governors will be reorganized and fired. And considering we have Harry Potter and Hermione Weasley on our side, not to mention the media, it's practically impossible for Brunt and her group to win."

"Brunt has no allies," Randy added. "Only her little group. Thanks to the fourteenth, Heyes has lost all support. There is no faith in him. And the media has been running stories practically every day about what is going on with Hogwarts and the Board of Governors. And I have yet to see a story that made _us_ look bad."

"So, basically we've won!" Peter Chambers laughed.

Lily grinned and nodded. "If we can prove that we've done our best tomorrow and for the next two weeks, then yes. We'll win. So let's give Hogwarts another victory, shall we?"

* * *

When Lily woke up the first morning of June, she felt a rush of determination and adrenaline go through her. She didn't know if the adrenaline was due to fear or excitement, but she didn't care to find out. Instead she simply showered, dried her hair, put it up, and dressed.

The first day of testing was for Charms. Theory in the morning, practical in the afternoon. As a teen, she wasn't really looking forward to two weeks of tests. But as a student ready to prove to Brunt that she was going to get her ass figuratively kicked by a bunch of fifth years, she was so ready for them.

"So, since you already took your Potion O.W.L. does that mean you have a free day?" Scorpius asked curiously at breakfast.

"Monday next week," Lily told him. "It'll be a nice break, I think."

"Sucks that I've still got a Transfiguration exam that day. Otherwise–,"

"Woah!" Hugo said as he dropped into a seat in front of Lily. "I don't want to hear about how you want to violate my cousin," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes and threw a piece of bacon at him, which Hugo caught easily with his mouth. "Shove off."

"Only if you throw me another piece of bacon," he mocked. "Gotta get brain food before testing."

"Bacon is brain food?" Lana questioned.

"Any food is brain food for a Weasley," Hugo countered.

An hour later, Lily found herself sitting in a hot room with all other fifth years, staring at an excruciatingly long Charms test. She had answered what felt like a hundred questions about Cheering Charms, that it was starting to irritating her. It wasn't cheering at all. And it wasn't overly difficult either, although it was hard to remember some of the little details. Using her quill, Lily had to try and remember and reenact the wand movements of a Cheering Charm.

Once it was done, Lily waited for Hugo to come out of the room. He walked out with Jace, both looking slightly horrified.

Lily raised a brow. "You ok?"

Hugo ran a hand through his hair. "I never hated Charms . . . until now."

"I think I died in there," Jace muttered. "But, I don't think I failed in there. Just died."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Hugo agreed with a sigh.

Lily clapped her cousin on his shoulder as they were joined by Lola. "As long as you didn't fail," Lily teased.

"How'd it go?" Lola asked curiously as they began to walk to lunch.

"I'm sure I passed easily," Hugo told her. "I just felt like part of me died during that long ass test."

"Dude, all of me died," Jace stated.

"It was a long test," Lily agreed.

"You could live and die during that test," Jace retorted.

"I actually thought I did really well," Lola commented. "Like, I understood more than I usually do."

"Then you can say you had a good morning," Jace replied.

They had just started eating lunch when Scorpius, Mitch, Lars, and Rex walked into the Great Hall, and dropped into nearby seats.

"Fuck Potions," Mitch groaned, dropping his head onto the table, and banged it on the wood a few times. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Did anyone else see that written test pick me up and rape me in the middle of that room?" Rex asked curiously.

"I didn't think it was that bad," Scorpius replied as he took the seat to Lily's left.

"Because your girlfriend has already taken it, and helped you!" Mitch argued.

Scorpius just shrugged and smirked. "Your point?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I didn't think it was _that_ bad when I was fourteen," she teased.

"Bite it, Lil," Rex retorted.

Lars laughed. "So glad I didn't have to take that test. And I don't have one tomorrow."

"Ah, the beauty of N.E.W.T. exams. One test a day. If you don't take that class, you don't take a test," Rex sighed with a grin.

"Not many people will be taking a test tomorrow then," Scorpius joked. "History of Magic is tomorrow."

"That concept makes N.E.W.T. exams sound so awesome," Jace sighed.

"We've got Transfiguration tomorrow," Hugo muttered. "Should be awesome."

"It's not like you suck at the subject," Lola replied.

"I know. But I just hate taking tests. They're like Dementors. They just suck your happiness and soul away!" Hugo groaned.

"Well don't get excited about N.E.W.T. tests, because they are much harder. Like I said, they pick you up and rape you in front of everyone," Rex warned.

When it came time for the practical exam, Lily found herself waiting for her name to be called, just like all the others. And since it was alphabetical order, she had a while to wait. But Hugo had longer.

"This sucks!" he groaned. "I think they do this to psyche you out."

"There's a good chance of that being true," Lily replied with a sigh. They were both sitting on the floor, leaning against a wall. Hugo had pulled his beanie on, apparently in an attempt to keep from pulling at his hair from irritation.

"It's only been one day out of like fourteen," he mumbled, resting his chin on his knee.

"Well we have the weekend free," Lily retorted. "At least there's a break."

"Because Merlin was kind," Hugo joked. Then he sighed. "You know, this summer . . . I think I'm going to cut back on my hours at The Leaky Cauldron. Just relax a little!"

"That's probably a good idea," Lily agreed. "Honestly, I'm thinking about quitting altogether."

Hugo raised a brow. "Really? Why?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't need the money. I've got enough for anything I could want. Plus . . . I'd really like the free time."

"Before Scor starts training and we come back here," Hugo guessed easily.

Lily nodded with a sigh of her own. "Yeah. It's just . . . I know that, even though he's going to try, he probably won't be able to come on most Hogsmeade visits. He'll be busy during parts of the Christmas break, and most likely Easter. Not to mention the summer after that."

Hugo squeezed her shoulder. "I get what you mean. Our dads always said that the training was tough."

"I'm just a little afraid that we won't have a lot of time together until after he finishes," Lily mumbled.

"At least the training isn't as long," Hugo replied. "I mean, your dad did shorten it to two years. Which is a bright side for you guys."

"Yeah but to make it only two years, he lengthened the hours of training, plus the amount of days each year," Lily replied. "Hence the reason I fear that he won't be around at Hogsmeade, or be around much during breaks."

"Would you rather him be training when we graduate, or would you rather he be finished, and you two can catch up when we finish school?" Hugo pointed out.

"I guess you've got a point," Lily mumbled.

"I always do. They may not be right, or good, but I've got 'em," he joked.

* * *

If the two weeks dedicated to O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. testing was any indication of how much time she'd be spending with Scorpius once he started training, Lily hated it even more. Lily only really got to talk to Scorpius during meals. Otherwise they were taking tests, or he was reviewing, or the girls were making _her_ review and revise. And of course they were unable to sneak out after bed checks. They were both mentally exhausted after a full day of testing. On days when Scorpius was free of testing, he would sit and try to help Lily revise and review, but it wasn't the same as simply spending time together, which was what Lily was already missing after just a few days.

When Monday came around on the second week of testing, Lily was glad to be free of any kind of test. She found herself taking a walk around the castle. She felt that if she tried to study or review, her head would explode.

"Shouldn't you be testing?"

Lily stopped walking, and turned around to see Professor Longbottom approaching her. Lily felt relieved. With how low her mood had been with thoughts of Scorpius graduating, Lily feared her luck would bring about Brunt or Heyes.

"It's the Potions test today. I've already taken it, sir," Lily reminded him.

"Ah. That's right. Well, then how are you enjoying your freedom for the day?" Longbottom asked with a smile as he began to walk with her.

Lily shrugged. "It's been ok, I guess. A little boring, since most of my best friends have tests today."

"What about the sixth years?" Longbottom asked curiously.

"Planning an end of the year party," Lily admitted with a grin.

Longbottom chuckled. "Ah, I see. That makes sense, actually."

"I decided to just take a walk around. I can't handle studying anymore," Lily joked lightly.

"I'm proud of your year, though," Longbottom admitted. "It's been a long time since there has been a year of fifth years where no one has had a panic or anxiety attack."

Lily laughed. "Well, we've had each other to lean on this year. We've kept each other from going crazy." She paused, but then continued. "So, did anyone in your year have a panic attack before O.W.L.s?"

Longbottom laughed. "My wife, actually."

Lily raised a brow. "Aunt Hannah, really? She seems so . . . calm."

"She usually is, but she never was when it came to tests," Professor Longbottom joked.

"Professor Longbottom, may I have a word with you?" Professor Creevey questioned as he jogged up to the two of them.

Lily smiled at Longbottom. "I'll see you later, sir."

"Take care, Lily."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to be studying? Tomorrow is that last day of exams," Scorpius pointed out as Lily brushed her lips across his jaw, her fingers kneading the muscles of his shoulders.

"I don't mind," Lily replied softly. "Unless you were wanting to study?"

Scorpius groaned as he meshed his lips against hers. "No," he mumbled. His fingers ran across Lily's legs, which were straddling his lap. He broke their kiss and fell back onto his bed. He sighed. "You seem to be in a very good mood," he commented.

Lily leaned down and kissed him again. "Why shouldn't I be?" she asked when she broke the kiss. "Tomorrow is the last test, and then we have days of nothing but relaxing, which I plan to take advantage of."

"Does that mean you'll take advantage of me?" he joked as his lips skimmed around her cheek and earlobe.

Lily smiled. "I might. After all you graduate and leave in four days, leaving me alone for two days."

Scorpius crashed his lips into hers, and then rolled her onto her back, his body hovering over hers. "You make an excellent point. Might as well take advantage of the free time we've got," he murmured.

Lily gasped as his fingers slid under the fabric of her shirt, burning against her skin. "I'm glad we're on the same page," she whispered.

"So– Woah! My bad!"

Lily closed her eyes in frustration at the sound of the voice. She could hear a growl of irritation above her. "Get the fuck out, Mitch!" Scorpius hissed.

"Dude, lock the door or close the curtains if you don't want people walking in!" she could hear Rex joke and laugh.

"Mitchell Avery, if I have to get off this bed!" Lily warned.

"Ok, we're gone," Mitch said quickly. "We'll just lock this door for ya."

"Have fun you two," Rex joked again.

Lily didn't open her eyes until the door shut. And when she did she saw Scorpius shaking his head in disbelief. "They're your friends," Lily reminded him.

Scorpius chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I know. Doesn't mean I always like them."

Lily laughed. "Well I hope you always like me."

He smirked. "I always love you," he murmured.

Lily brought her lips back to his.

* * *

"And we're done!" Hugo cheered loudly as they walked out of the History of Magic exams. "Our final O.W.L. exam is done and over with! Never to be forced into again!"

"It was only a test," Lola laughed. "And besides, you're good with history."

"It's still a test," Hugo retorted.

"The point is that it is our last," Lily agreed.

"Praise the lord!" Jace exclaimed with a laugh.

"Thank you, Merlin!" Hugo laughed with him.

Lily and Lola both rolled their eyes. "You know," Lily said to her, "I didn't choose to be related to him. You choose to date him."

Lola sighed. "At least he's cute."

It was later that afternoon, just before dinner, that Lily found herself with the other Slytherin fifth years, along with Hugo and Manny, laying around by the lake.

"Out of all our years at Hogwarts, this one has been the most interesting," Hugo commented.

"Along with the most hellish at times," Megan muttered.

"Well, how could the next two years be any worse then?" Xavier said with a laugh.

"He's got a point," Hunter agreed as he skipped a rock along the water.

"Next year is going to be different. I mean, this year dragged on forever," Monty said with a sigh.

"You guys make it sound dreadful," Lola retorted. "There were some good things. Like Hugo joining us."

"Because every group needs a sexy beast," Hugo joked.

"But that's why they got me," Xavier countered with his own laugh. He lifted the bottom of his shirt, showing off his stomach. "Look at that! Sexy."

"Lola, Manny, I feel bad for both of you," Megan told them.

"You get used to it," Manny said with a sigh.

"Dude, I've got the beanie," Hugo retorted. "No stomach or abs are sexier than that!"

"We get it," Lily interrupted. "You're both sexy. We got it."

"Besides, we all know that Lily has the sexiest boyfriend here," Shannon teased.

"Scor doesn't count in this," Xavier argued.

"Yeah, he's . . . ," Hugo trailed off.

"Hotter?" Megan supplied.

"Smarter?" Shannon added.

"Mature?"

"Charming?"

"Sweeter?"

"We get it!" the guys complained.

"Scorpius good, us bad," Hugo muttered.

"Scor needs to teach a class," Christian said as he chucked a rock of his own at the lake.

"Yeah. _How to Knock the Panties Off a Girl 101_," Monty joked.

"Well when you say things like that, it's hard to imagine that you've never had a girlfriend," Megan said with a roll of her eyes.

"Well with how sweet and pretty you are, it's a surprise that you're still a virgin," Monty quipped easily.

"That's the pot calling the cauldron black," Megan argued.

"Oooh, let's watch the Battle of the Virgins," Hugo joked.

Lola looked at him with a raised brow. "You're one too."

He shrugged. "So. It's still entertaining."

"I think everyone in this group is a virgin. Except Lil," Christian replied.

"Even Xavier?" Izzy inquired.

Xavier nodded. "Yup. We're waitin'," he said as he ran a hand through Manny's hair.

"How long have you two been dating?" Hunter asked. They had all taken to ignoring Megan and Monty's battle of words.

"A year and about eight months," Manny answered.

"Damn that sounds like forever," Hugo replied.

"Sounds longer when you put it that way," Xavier laughed.

"But you know, after the year we've had," Jace commented, "I think the next two years are gunna be pretty smooth sailing."


	76. Change in the Air

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I'm so sorry this took this long. I had a good portion written, and then my computer didn't save it. So I have been up for hours and hours, rewriting what I lost, and finishing the chapter. So, I'm obviously pretty tired, so sorry for any mistakes in there. My bad. Anyways, I planned to go longer, but this felt better to stop where I did. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Graduation - People are surprised the idea of a graduation at Hogwarts. But I read in an interview that J.K. Rowling had intended for there to be a graduation ceremony, but felt that it would have been anticlimactic at the end of the books. And since she didn't describe it in the interview, I just took a stab at it. Hope you like it.**

**Summer note - I don't plan on putting too many chapters about the summer. Just a few, and then I'll have them going back to Hogwarts.**

**Justin/Lana/Dante Note - Just to clear this up (cause a lot of people aren't sure) Lana and Justin did break up. And what happens between Lana and Dante is one of those things that only time will tell.**

**Other note - a lot people liked what Rex said about the test raping him. That makes me laugh, because I actually said that to my friends after the ACT. It's where the idea came from. Glad you found it funny, haha.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Six: Change in the Air

Lily sighed as she slipped on her Slytherin pendent, and picked up her lip gloss. As she applied it to her lips and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, she would openly admit that she was very pretty. Her hair was curled loosely around her, emerald earrings in the lobes of her ears, and the white dress that Astoria had made her wear for Christmas at Malfoy Manor. But it felt so wrong to look so pretty on a day that filled her with heavy despair.

"Don't look so upset," Lola said from the doorway. "It's only two days. Then you'll be back in his arms."

Lily sighed as she put down the lip gloss. "I know, I know. It's not the two days apart that upsets me, although that will suck. It's the two years apart that's getting to me," she muttered.

"Well at least pretend to be cheerful. It's Scorpius's graduation," Shannon reminded as she moved past Lily to grab a perfume bottle. Shannon looked very pretty as well. Her hair was up, and she was dressed in an emerald color knee-length dress. Shannon was also going to the ceremony, to see her sister Miley graduate alongside the others in seventh year.

"I plan to fake happiness," Lily assured.

"So, is Hugo going?" Lola asked curiously.

"Hugo, Louis, Lucy, and Roxanne," Lily replied. "We're all going, although I'm only going for Scorpius, and even though Rose was the one to put Hugo on the student list, he says he's only going for Dom and Scorpius."

"It's weird to think that Dominique won't be down here anymore," Izzy commented as Lily walked back into the room.

"She was probably one of my favorite Gryffindors," Megan agreed.

"That's because you're both bitches," Lily muttered as she slipped on her shoes.

"I know, that's what made her cool," Megan retorted.

"I think it's weird to think that I'll be the last kid in my family to be at Hogwarts after today," Shannon mentioned as she came out of the bathroom.

"That's right. You are the youngest, huh?" Izzy replied.

"Yep. First there was Adrian, now Miley, and then just me," Shannon said with a sigh.

"You went to Adrian's right?" Lily inquired.

"Yeah, I saw his graduation," Shannon told her.

"Well, then how does this whole thing go?" Lily questioned.

"Ok, first we'll be sat in the student section. Then music will start, and the procession will start, and the seventh years will then sit in the front. Then after a brief speech from the headmaster, they call out each name, the students go up, shake hands, take their little diploma thing, walk back down, and then are smothered by family and friends. Then they all board the boats, and ride back across the lake to Hogsmeade Station," Shannon explained.

"It's loads of fun," Megan muttered.

"It is kind of boring. And it can be awkward when you don't know what to say to people afterwards. Me and Adrian just stared at each other. Then he clapped me on the shoulder, told me not to get knocked up, and that was it," Shannon said with a roll of her eyes.

Lily chuckled. "That actually sounds like Adrian."

"Yeah, it was a joy to hear in front of my father, who then questioned why my brother would have to issue that warning," Shannon grumbled.

"I would have killed Dante if he had done that at his," Megan retorted.

"Me and Ginger didn't really say anything when I went to see hers years ago," Lola commented. "We just hugged, and that was that."

"Well you're lucky then," Shannon replied.

Izzy looked at Lily, who had stopped listening, and was just staring at her shoes. "Know what you're going to say to Scorpius?"

Lily closed her eyes briefly and shook her head. "I've got no idea. What can you really say besides 'I'll see you in two days?'"

"That's really all that's on your mind?" Izzy countered.

Lily sighed. "Well, no. But I don't feel like pouring it all out in front of his family."

"Ooh! I forgot that Lucius Malfoy will be there!" Megan laughed. "Wish I could be there now."

"Thank you for the reminder of the man that hates me," Lily muttered.

"Just making sure that you're prepared."

* * *

"You ok, Lil?" Hugo asked quietly as they walked with Louis and Roxanne toward the seats that were reserved for the Weasley and Potter kids.

"Hugh, no offense, but quit asking me that," Lily replied as they all sat down. Lily looked around her. Parents and students were separated by the aisle the graduates would walk down. There were five seats reserved for Lily and her cousins, but then Lily noticed that there were only four of them. "Hey, where's Lucy?" Lily asked Hugo.

Hugo shrugged, then tapped Roxanne on the shoulder. "Hey, Roxy, where's Lucy at?"

Roxanne sighed. "Something's been up with her lately. She won't come out of our dorm room, and she won't talk to anyone."

"Is she ok?" Lily asked.

"Physically yes, but I'm not sure about emotionally anymore. When she first started hiding in our room, we could hear her crying. I think she silenced the area around her bed now so that we can't hear her anymore," Roxanne told her.

"Well I hope it's nothing serious," Lily replied.

"You think she'd want to see her boyfriend graduate though," Hugo commented.

"Maybe she's mad at him, and that's why she's upset," Lily suggested.

"Possible," Hugo said with a nod.

It felt like an hour later when everyone had been seated, and music started from a source unknown. Lily faked a smile when the seventh years appeared. Thankfully, her smile felt a little less fake when Scorpius found her in the crowd and smirked. But then when Heyes spoke her mood dropped more, and it fell to the floor when he reminded everyone that this year's graduates would now be going off into the world.

But she clapped when Scorpius stepped up when his name was called. And she tried not to laugh when Hugo whistled loudly. Impatience welled inside of her as the rest of the names were slowly called out. She just wanted the chance to talk to him before he left on the boats.

When the moment came to "let them be smothered" as Shannon had put it, Lily was quick to search for Scorpius. But she found him easily, because he had already been heading for the student section. And the first thing he did was pull her into a hug and lift her off her feet.

"You're a graduate now," Lily whispered into his ear.

"Hmm," he hummed against her shoulder. "And you're immensely beautiful in this dress."

Lily laughed as he set her down, his hands still on her waist. She sighed. "Ready to ride back?"

He chuckled. "No. I get the feeling we're gunna be cramped. Those were tiny ass boats when I was eleven," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes, but before she could respond, she heard a familiar voice squeal. "Oh, Scorpius!" Astoria gushed as she hurried over, Draco behind her. Lily moved aside and allowed Astoria to pull her son into what looked like a bone crushing hug. "My little boy's all grown up!"

Lily bit her lip as Scorpius rolled his eyes this time. "I know, Mum."

Astoria pulled back and cupped his cheeks. "I can't believe you've graduated!"

"Good job, son," Draco complimented, holding out his hand.

Scorpius shook his father's hand with a smirk. "Thanks, Dad." Scorpius paused, then scowled lightly. "So, where's Lucius and Grandma?"

"They got to talking to Mitch's parents. Give them a minute," Astoria told him.

"Astoria, why don't you and I go and get him?" Draco offered.

Scorpius chuckled. "That's not necessary, Dad."

"Don't worry about it, son," Draco replied as he took his wife's shoulder. "Come along, Astoria."

Lily could hear Astoria protesting. She rolled her eyes, but then looked at Scorpius curiously. "I thought you'd argue about having Lucius anywhere near you," she commented.

Scorpius smirked. "I would, but I wasn't going to throw my father's efforts to waste."

"Effort to what?" Lily questioned.

"Effort to be with you away from my mother," Scorpius murmured as he pulled her into another embrace.

Lily smiled. "Well I'll have to thank him for that later," she whispered, brushing her lips against his.

He groaned softly. "Two days. Sounds like a long time. It's going to feel like forever," he mumbled into their kiss.

Lily sighed as she rested her head on his chest. "We've lasted two days before. Soon I'll be back at the manor, and you can bother us any and every day," she teased.

"Don't tempt me," he mocked. "Otherwise I'll do it."

"Then I will tempt you," she retorted.

"Scorpius," a clipped voice said firmly.

Lily closed her eyes, and felt Scorpius tense around her. "Lucius," Scorpius greeted shortly.

"Oh, you're so grown up now," Narcissa commented, and Lily could hear the smile in her voice. But Lily had expected Scorpius to let her go so that he could hug his grandmother. But he just pulled her tighter to him.

"Only a year older than I was at Christmas," Scorpius joked lightly, his arms still tense.

Lily opened her eyes and turned her head to see the four Malfoys standing before her. Draco had Astoria in his arms as well, as she looked a bit teary. Lucius stood with a glaring stare, and Narcissa was looking at Scorpius fondly.

"It's nice to see you again, Lily," Narcissa mentioned.

Lily smiled the best she could under Lucius's scrutiny. "It's just as lovely to see you again, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Scorpius, may you and I have a talk?" Lucius asked, his voice made of steel.

Lily sighed as she felt Scorpius's fingers begin running through her hair. "We can talk once I'm home." His voice seemed just as cold.

"Oh, Scorpius, will you be Apparating, or taking the train?" Astoria asked curiously.

"The option is yours, son," Draco told him.

"But I strongly suggest Apparating," Lucius cut in. "You're a man now. There's no need for train rides."

Scorpius looked over at his parents, his voice deceivingly calm. "I'll be taking the train with my friends. After all, it's the last time we'll get to do so."

"We understand, of course," Astoria assured.

Lily felt his hands rubbing her arms. "Well, I'd better get ready to ride back. I'm sure you guys will stalk me around the station?" Scorpius questioned.

Astoria laughed. "Of course we will, dear. You behave on those boats, and on the train ride."

Scorpius let go of Lily to hug his mother briefly. "Of course, Mum. I will."

Draco patted his son on the shoulder. "I'll see you on the other side."

"You bet, Dad," Scorpius assured. Then he brought his grandmother into a hug. "Don't go crazy waiting for me."

"As long as you come to the manor more often," Narcissa retorted.

"I will, Grandma," Scorpius promised. Then he stepped back and took Lily's hand. "If you'll excuse me."

"I'd better see you before we leave, Lily Luna!" Astoria threatened as Scorpius pulled Lily away.

Lily smiled and nodded as she followed. When Scorpius stopped it wasn't far from the boats. He placed his hands on her cheeks, and Lily placed her hands over his. "I'll see you in two days," she whispered.

Scorpius touched his forehead to hers. "Don't go crazy without me," he murmured. "And no boys," he joked.

Lily smiled. "Well my heart belongs to a man, so no worries," she assured softly.

Scorpius pressed his lips against hers in a short, but passionate, kiss. "Well I'll keep it safe and close to me," he promised.

Lily kissed him again. "You'd better," she said gently. "I love you."

Scorpius's next kiss was longer. "I love you too."

Lily found herself standing with Astoria, Draco, and Hugo while watching the graduates float away on the boats. She was proud of herself for fighting away any kind of tears. Astoria apparently wasn't fighting it, and had a few tears while her husband held her. Hugo just placed his hand on Lily's shoulder, the intention reassuring. She just leaned her head against Hugo.

"It'll be ok, Lil," Hugo whispered.

Lily sighed heavily. "Once two days have passed."

* * *

"You know, we've dealt with the seventh years being gone in previous years, but somehow it seems much quieter this year," Izzy commented the next day in the common room.

"That's because Mitch and Rex aren't down here causing a racket," Megan muttered.

"And Lars and Lana aren't arguing," Shannon added.

"Well at least we head home tomorrow," Lola replied. "I know I'll be hearing nothing but noise."

"It's what you get for having a million siblings," Megan joked.

"It's not like I asked for them!" Lola argued with a laugh. "I just got stuck with them. Besides, Xavier's got it just as bad."

"But more of his siblings have moved out," Izzy countered. "Isn't he like the oldest one in the house now?"

As they all began to continue the conversation, Lola looked over at Lily. "Well, you've been quiet all day."

Lily sighed. "You noticed?"

"We've all noticed," Lola replied. "How are you taking the silence?"

"The best I can," Lily retorted. "Besides, we're all back on the train tomorrow."

"Well at least you're looking at the bright side," Lola said.

"I'm making it as bright as I can," Lily joked.

But Lily felt that her day wasn't getting any better. She eventually had to get out of the common room. She kept expecting Scorpius to saunter down the stairs and say something sweet or teasing. That was how she found herself outside with Hugo, laying around the lake.

"You have no idea how quiet it is without Rose and Albus around," Hugo joked. "Sweet serenity."

Lily rolled her eyes but laughed. "I can imagine. Plus with Dominique gone, your common room must have lost all the bitchy vibes."

"I have noticed that things are a lot nicer," Hugo laughed. Then he sighed. "So, you didn't say much to your parents before they left yesterday."

Lily shrugged. "What was there to say? I mean, I'll be having dinner with them in three days. We'll catch up more then."

"Are you excited?" Hugo asked.

"More hesitant," Lily replied. "I'm still unsure of how it'll go. After all, Albus is sure to be there."

"Maybe he'll move out," Hugo commented.

"I doubt it," Lily muttered.

"Well so do I, but I was trying to be comforting," he retorted. "So, do you wanna come over before and mentally prepare yourself?"

Lily shook her head. "No offense, but I want to go in there as vulnerable as they are."

"Nah, it's understandable," Hugo assured. "Plus, I honestly don't know if I'm gunna have to work." He turned to look at her. "So, are you really going to quit working at The Leaky Cauldron?"

"I think so," Lily replied. "I just . . . I have other things I need to do."

"A boyfriend to spoil and be spoiled by, a modeling career, governors to destroy, and a bunch of family problems to fix," Hugo listed with a teasing grin.

Lily nodded with a laugh of her own. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

* * *

Lily felt like jumping with excitement. It wasn't because that Slytherin House won both the Quidditch and House Cups. It wasn't because the school year was over. It wasn't because she would never have to take another O.W.L. test, and it wasn't even because she was now away from Brunt and Heyes.

"You know, we still have a few hours before we get back to King's Cross and you see Scorpius," Megan commented.

"Don't be a buzz kill," Lily retorted quickly as she watched the scenery fly by on the train ride.

A knock on the girls' compartment door made them jump. But when Lily turned away from the window, she was happy to see Louis standing behind the still closed door. She hurried to get up and open it. "Hey, Louis! What's up?" she asked.

He cleared his throat and smiled, but Lily could see all the excitement in his eyes. "Well, can I talk to you?"

"Yes, get her out of here. Her excitement is making it hard to be a bitch," Megan mocked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, of course." Lily stepped out and closed the door. "Do you have a compartment, or do you want me to take you to the bathroom again?"

Louis chuckled. "As much as I loved seeing the inside of a girl's bathroom, I know where an empty compartment is. Come on."

Lily let him take her wrist and lead her down the hall. They passed Chris Summerby and Tanner Creevey, Zack's twin, with a smile and wave. But then Louis was pulling her into a compartment, closing it behind them. Lily took a seat, and smiled at her cousin. "So, what's up? You and I haven't really talked lately."

Louis sighed with another smile as he sat down next to her. "Well, I thought I'd tell you that I've got some surprising and great news."

Lily raised a brow. "Really? What about?"

"Well it's about me and Paul," Louis said with a now eager smile.

Lily smiled too. "Are you two friends again?"

Again, he cleared his throat. "Um, actually . . . we're a bit more than that," he mumbled, his smile growing with every word.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Wait . . . you mean that you and Paul . . . ?"

Louis let out a brief laugh. "Yeah, kind of. We haven't really defined our relationship yet, but . . . uh . . . we have kissed."

Lily smiled and shoved his shoulder. "Wow, your first kiss. 'Bout time," she teased.

Louis laughed again. "Yeah, yeah."

"But, how did this happen?" Lily questioned. "I thought Paul . . ."

"So did I," Louis replied. "We haven't fully discussed how this came about. I just know how we came to . . . well, be."

Lily raised a brow. "Well, can I know?"

Again, he sighed. "Well . . . it's just that I'm not exactly proud of the story. And it's all happened within the week."

Lily reached up to brush his hair away from his brow. "I won't judge."

He nodded. "I know, I know." He took in a deep breath. "Well, a couple days ago, Ravenclaw had a party for the end of the year. You know, before the seventh years all left." Lily nodded, waiting for him to continue. "Well, I didn't wanna go. It'd been kind of a bad week for me, so I just wanted to chill. Well, a couple of my friends, all girls, decided that they would drag me out of my room. Well, you know, the guys are all cool that I'm gay. But that doesn't mean it isn't awkward sometimes. So I just hung out with the girls. Nadia, Emily Corner, Nikki Goldstein, Victoria Martin . . . and one of them was the seventh year, Kylie Wright."

When he stopped talking, he didn't look upset, just a bit confused. So Lily squeezed his shoulder. "And?"

"So, someone obviously spiked the punch. Happens at every damn party. And after you have a bad week, and have one cup, you tend to have like ten or so more," Louis commented.

Lily nodded knowingly. "How smashed did you get?"

"Well, to put it into perspective, I don't remember a single thing from that night," Louis told her "But I was apparently fun. Anyways . . . so the next morning I . . . had a weird wake up."

Lily stared at him in shock. "You woke up next to Paul?"

"No, no," Louis said quickly. "No. I woke up with a hangover . . . and with Kylie Wright."

For a moment, Lily didn't say anything, and Louis didn't ask her to. Finally, Lily found her voice. "So, you . . . slept with Kylie?"

"As in sex? Yeah, we were naked, and . . . well it was obvious," Louis muttered.

"So . . . so what happened?" Lily stuttered out.

"Well, we freaked, assessed the situation. Came to the conclusion that we were both way too drunk, because she isn't attracted to gay men, and I'm not attracted to any kind of woman. So, we decided to put it behind us. But, apparently, people remembered seeing us going up together, so the news spread that we'd . . . ya know."

"Ok, but what does this have to do with Paul?" Lily inquired.

"Well, I noticed that he started glaring at me a lot. I thought that he was mad at me because maybe he liked Kylie. Well, so yesterday he corners me in our room, and I'm terrified that he's gunna try and kick my ass. And I wasn't going to fight back, so he would have. I tried to explain . . . but then he kissed me. After that . . . well we figured out that he was upset that Kylie had sex with _me_," Louis finished.

"Wow," Lily mumbled. "So, when did Paul realize that he's gay?"

Louis sighed. "I don't know. We've yet to talk about that yet. Right now, I think he's still getting used to the fact that he's gay himself."

Lily smiled. "Well, despite all the confusion it took to get where you are, I'm glad that you're happy."

Louis smiled as he leaned back into his seat. "Yeah . . . I am happy."

* * *

Lily was never so happy to be in Scorpius's arms as she was after two days apart. His hands felt like fire on her lower back, his breath burning across her cheek and ear.

"I'll never last two years away from you," Lily murmured into his own ear. She held onto him just as tightly, sinking into the heat of his body.

"I'm so glad I came to get you alone," he mumbled into her ear.

Lily closed her eyes in contentment. "Why did you?"

"Because I'm going to take your things home, and then I'm taking you on a date," he whispered. "Because I agree with you. These two days have been hell."

Lily smiled into his shirt. "Then what are we waiting for?"

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to your family, and the others?" Scorpius asked.

Lily regretfully pulled away from his embrace, and grabbed her trunk. "I did. And I told Hugo to say goodbye to the family for me. So, let's go!" she said eagerly.

Scorpius chuckled. "Ok, ok. I'm going to drop you off at my flat quick though. Then I'll take your stuff to the manor. I figured that if my mum saw you, I'd never get you away from her," he joked.

Lily happily took the hand he offered, and ignored the tight sensation of Apparating. Then she smiled at the sight of his flat, looking no different from the last time she'd been there. Not wasting any time, Scorpius took her trunk from her hands.

"Be back in a sec," he assured. Then with a "CRACK" he was gone.

Lily sighed in contentment as she walked around the flat, reacquainting herself with the room. But as promised, Scorpius was back in a flash. When he opened his arms, Lily was quick to jump into them, relishing in the warmth.

"Took ya long enough," she teased.

He chuckled into her hair. "Ha, ha. So, where would you like to go for a date? We can go anywhere," Scorpius inquired.

"Well, then I want to stay here," Lily answered as she pulled back to look up at him.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Really? Are you sure? Because, I'll take you anywhere. Even-,"

Lily didn't let him finish, but instead pressed her lips to his in a passionate, and much needed, kiss. Scorpius's arms tightened around her, one of his hands moving up to tangle itself in her hair.

Lily pulled her lips away from his. "Even where?" she asked teasingly.

"I . . . I don't remember," he said breathlessly. "But you're right. Here is much better," he mumbled as he began to mesh his lips with hers again.

Lily pulled away again, and ran her fingers through his hair. "I'm always right," she mocked lightly.

Scorpius's only reply was to move his lips down to her neck.

* * *

Lily sighed as she stared at the ceiling above her and Scorpius, his fingers running through her hair.

"What are you thinking about?" Scorpius murmured quietly.

Lily turned to face him. His face was serene, and his eyes lightly curious. But when he smirked, she felt her body instinctively heat even more under the covers of his bed. "Nothing really. Although now that I _can_ think again, my mind keeps going to the fact that I have a dinner with my parents coming up," she replied.

Scorpius chuckled as his fingers came down to brush along her cheek. "Well, I'm now thinking that I'd better make sure you eat dinner. Otherwise, my mum will kill me," he joked.

Lily smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'll eat something when I go back to the manor," she assured.

"Well I can't cook, but I can take you to go get something," he offered.

She laughed this time. "No. _Oddly_ enough, I don't feel like getting up," she teased.

Scorpius smirked again. "I'm good at what I do."

Lily rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder, but she still smiled. "Shut up," she muttered as she rolled onto her back again. "Scor, how do you think your parents will take it if I told them I was moving back home?"

Scorpius's fingers trailed down to stroke the skin of her shoulder, and play with her hair that was splayed on the pillows. "They would probably understand, and would only insist that you still visit." He paused, but then sighed. "So, you are moving back?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "I think I should. It'd probably be the best way to really fix things with my parents. But with Albus still there . . . I feel like it would cause more problems between him and me."

"Don't let him influence what you think is right," Scorpius retorted.

"It wouldn't be right if all we did was fight more," Lily countered. "It would be the exact opposite of what I want to happen. The fights between me and my brothers always seemed to anger or upset my parents. That wouldn't help."

"Don't let him get to you," he replied. "Just relax."

Lily closed her eyes. "That sounds so easy, but it never is. But then again, maybe fights between me and Albus won't surprise my parents as much. We've never gotten along completely."

"Really?" Scorpius inquired.

"We always fought when we were little. I don't think he really liked me back then either. Although, I'm sure he didn't hate me like he does now," Lily sighed.

"So, he's always had problems?" he chuckled.

Lily nodded. "I've never really understood it. I mean, he's always followed James around, but I used to as well. I never got why he picked fights."

"Just an ass to the core," Scorpius commented.

"Well, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he really did always hate me," Lily muttered.

* * *

"So, Lily, will you be up to doing a photo shoot on the twentieth?" Astoria asked Lily the next morning. "I've got a whole new Summer lineup for teens to young adults already finished."

Lily shrugged as she swallowed down a bite of toast. "Sure, I don't mind."

"So, you're having dinner with your parents tomorrow, correct?" Draco inquired as he looked over the _Daily Prophet_.

"Yeah, so I'm not sure how late I'll be getting back," Lily told them. Even though Scorpius assured her they would understand, Lily had refrained from telling Draco and Astoria about her possibly moving back home.

"Well that's fine. I'll just have one of the house elves tell us when you come back," Draco told her.

"And will you be working at The Leaky Cauldron again this summer?" Astoria asked.

"No, I sent Hannah a letter on my last day, telling her I wouldn't be working this summer. I have too much to do," Lily explained.

"Well, what do you have planned for today?" Astoria inquired.

"I'm going to visit a friend," Lily said vaguely.

"And my son will be coming around at what time?" Draco asked teasingly.

Lily smiled. "I'm not sure, but yes, he will be here."

"I'll try to contain my amazement," he mocked.

Astoria playfully hit him on the arm. "Leave them alone. They're cute. Plus, after the summer's over, they won't see each other until Christmas," she defended.

Lily laughed at the two of them. "It's fine, Astoria. I think Draco and I thrive on occasionally teasing each other."

"Sometimes I feel like I have two sons," Astoria joked with an affectionate smile toward her husband.

Silently, Lily smiled at the two of them. If she did move back, she would really miss being with these two.

* * *

"I'm so sorry that I haven't been around. I wasn't allowed to visit you once a week while I was in school anymore," Lily apologized as she sat down beside Duncan's bed.

"Don't worry. Jacob told me all about it. He's come to visit me a lot more often since he started his vacation," Duncan commented.

Lily faked a smile. Of course Jacob wouldn't tell Duncan what was _really_ going on. "Well, how are things? How's the infection? The illness?"

As Duncan sighed, Lily looked him over. He looked healthy, once you ignored the missing parts of his face and body. But he looked happy as well. Lively. "Well, that spot has almost disappeared."

"You mean the one you had before the infection came? I thought that the infection would stop things from disappearing?" Lily inquired.

"No. I mean that the spot isn't really grey anymore. It's turning back to my normal skin color. The infection is winning out against it," Duncan explained.

Lily smiled. "Well that's great, right?"

"Well, the Healers think that once it is back to normal that the infection could damage the area. And that would be fixable, but if it were to start spreading to my lungs or heart, then they would have to get rid of the infection for good," Duncan told her.

A thought came to Lily, and it had a bit of hope. "So, they know what this infection is?"

He nodded. "Yeah, they know."

"So, when they get rid of it, and the Vanishing Sickness tries to take another body part, couldn't they try to . . . well, put that infection back into your body, in that one area. So it could kill the Vanishing Sickness?" Lily suggested. "Then they could take it out again."

This time, Duncan shook his head. "They don't think so. Once they found out that the spot was turning back to normal, they tried to put the infection into one of my legs, hoping that it might turn it back. But the infection was easily overturned. So, they're thinking that if it was a small spot like the one I have now, maybe it could work. But if it was a big spot, then the sickness could kill the infection," he elaborated.

"So, it could work, as long as the sickness doesn't form into a large area, then?" Lily replied. "Well, there's hope then."

"There's always hope," Duncan agreed.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "So, Duncan, have they ever told you why you don't respond to the normal treatments?"

"They said that my immune system was weak. That my body wasn't ready for how powerful it got," Duncan said. "They're assuming that the sickness had built up in my body, but hadn't attacked my body. I didn't show signs of the sickness like other people usually do. So, when it finally did turn to my body, it was strong enough to take out my leg completely. In the beginning, if it was just small spots, they think that they could have prevented them. But it was always taking over large areas of my body. And I guess that now, my body has just given up on old techniques, and has stopped responding to them."

"I guess it makes sense, when put that way," Lily said with a sigh. "But, at least the infection is giving them time to figure out new ideas."

"They're trying something new every day," Duncan replied. "Now it's come down to what's going to work."

Lily reached up to ruffle his hair, which looked to have been recently cut shorter. "Something will work. There's always something."

* * *

Lily had never expected to feel nervous while staring up at her childhood home. But as she stood there with Scorpius, her hand holding a near death-grip on his, she felt nerves. Taking in calming breaths, she assessed herself. She was dressed in a white, strapless, sundress. It held a black belt around her waist, and the skirt danced around her knees. She'd kept her hair down and straight, so it fell almost to the middle of her back. It really needed to be cut. She'd kept off any makeup, since her father hated it, and she'd kept her ear piercings down to two simple hoops in the lobes of her ears. Then for one last attempt at pleasing her father, she covered the green in her hair, but hadn't had time to cover the pink of her bangs.

"You gunna be ok, babe?" Scorpius asked with concern, his thumb rubbing circles on her hand.

Lily nodded, trying to relax her shoulders. "I'll be fine. I've toned down my appearance, I don't even have on lip gloss, I'm ready."

Scorpius chuckled. "Well, you still look beautiful. And you'll come out of this dinner happier than ever. Ok?"

"Yeah." She turned to smile at him. "Thank you," she whispered, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

In return, he placed a kiss on her lips. "It's no problem. Now, you go in there, talk, and have as much fun as you can. Love you."

"I love you too," Lily replied, squeezing his hand once more. Then she let him go, and made her way up to the door. She could feel Scorpius's gaze on her back as she knocked on the door and waited.

When the door opened, Lily saw her mother, and she looked exasperated. "Lily, did you really think that you needed to knock on the door of your own house?" Ginny demanded with a smile. Then her eyes traveled past her daughter. "Hello, Scorpius."

Lily glanced back to see Scorpius raising his hand in a wave. "Hey, Mrs. Potter. Have fun!" he called back as he began to walk backwards down the sidewalk.

"He's not staying for dinner?" Ginny inquired as Lily stepped inside, slipping out of her sandals.

"No, we both agreed that it might go better if it was just me," Lily replied.

"Lily, your father will get used to you two," Ginny assured as she led Lily down the hall.

"I know, I know. But let's take it one step at a time," Lily retorted. "So, am I early, or late, or in the middle?"

Ginny smiled. "You're right on time, actually. It'll be done in just a moment. Your father and brothers are already sitting at the table."

Lily did her best not to tense. "Brothers? It's not just Albus."

"No, your father and I decided to invite James home for dinner. Since he joined the team, he doesn't have much time to come around," Ginny replied.

Lily let out a silent sigh. "Oh, ok. I just wasn't expecting him."

When the two walked into the kitchen, Lily tried to look calm and casual as she moved toward the table. James and Albus studied her with narrowed eyes, while their father looked over her appearance with a smile.

"Welcome home, princess. How were your last two days? And the train ride?" Harry asked curiously as Lily sat down at the table.

"Quiet. I never knew how much noise the seventh years in my House made," Lily joked with a smile of her own.

"You always think it's quieter when it's your friends that are graduating," Ginny agreed. "Me and Hermione never realized how much noise Ron and your father made during our last year at Hogwarts."

"You thought Uncle Ron was quiet in the first place?" Lily mocked.

Harry laughed. "She's got a point, Gin."

"I guess she does," Ginny said with a laugh of her own as she sat down, the food floating toward the table, and landing without a sound. Lily was always amazed at her mother's ability with domestic spells. "So, I heard from Hannah that you sent her a letter of resignation of sorts."

Lily nodded as she began to put food on her plate. "Yes, I did. I have a lot to do this summer, I'm not sure if working another job would help."

"So you _are_ still modeling," Harry replied with a heavy sigh.

Lily didn't react any way but calmly to his reaction. "Unless I find something better for me, I've decided to make it a career once I graduate," she told them. When Lily looked at her parents, she noticed her mother looking at her father with a raised brow.

"Well," Harry muttered as he fiddled with his fork, "it's your choice, although I hope you find something different."

His words made Lily want to laugh, but she kept it to a simple smile. But Ginny noticed. "What's so funny, sweetheart?" she asked.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "I'm just thinking that Scorpius and Dad agree on more things than they think," she joked. "I don't know how many times Scorpius has said that to me."

"Well then I like him a little more," Harry retorted.

"So, Al," James said, catching the attention of all of them, "what are you gunna do now that you've graduated?"

Albus looked at James with something close to confusion. "What do you mean? I'm gunna be an Auror. I gave Dad my application, so I've just got to wait until I get my test results," Albus replied, as if it were obvious.

"Because I'm so excited to have my son risking his life as well," Ginny said with a roll of her eyes.

But James looked ready to laugh. "Um, what made you want to be an Auror, little bro?"

Albus was just looking more confused by the second. "You did. Remember, you suggested it to me, so I decided that I'd give it a shot."

Now James did laugh a little. "Bro, I was only kidding. I didn't think you'd actually want to go through all that training!"

Albus looked at James with surprise, then looked down at his plate. "Oh. Well, I'll just stick with it for now," he mumbled.

"Well you should join the Quidditch pros. It's been the best time of my life!" James said with pride.

"When is your next game?" Ginny asked eagerly.

"Next month. We're playing the Appleby Arrows," James told her. "For now we're just doing some extensive training. But, I've got an interview to do next week for the papers. They wanna talk with the youngest and best Chaser in Europe," he bragged.

Lily refrained from rolling her eyes, and just stayed quiet as they conversed around her. Although, Lily noticed that Albus was just as quiet, a shallow scowl on his face. He almost looked . . . embarrassed.

"Oh, before I forget," Harry said, gaining everyone's attention, "I'm supposed to tell you that Molly is demanding everyone be at the Burrow on the third of July for Al's birthday."

Finally, Albus looked a little better and proud, while Ginny rolled her eyes. "Is Mum already planning for that day?"

Harry chuckled. "Well, according to Percy, yes. I was talking with him this morning at work, and he was telling me and Ron about it."

"Will you be able to be there, Lily?" Ginny asked curiously, and with obvious hope.

Lily smiled at her mother. "Of course. I've never missed a birthday at the Burrow. Besides, Grandma would hunt me down if I didn't show." Lily paused, but then glanced over at Albus. "So, is there anything you want as a gift?"

She should have expected the reactions she got. She shouldn't have been surprised when James dropped his fork, her father and mother looked at her with surprise, and Albus's eyes widen with surprise. And when it all shifted, it still shouldn't have surprised her. Lily knew that she should have expected the proud and happy looks from her parents, the suspicious look from James, and the total mistrust from Albus.

"No, I don't need anything," Albus muttered with a scowl. "I'm fine."

Lily shrugged as she looked back down at her plate. "If you're sure," she replied casually.

There was a moment of silence where the only sounds were clinking silverware and glasses being picked up and set down. But Lily didn't feel awkward or at ease. He attempts to stay calm had worked, and it was keeping her relaxed.

Finally, Harry spoke. "Actually, Albus, your mother and I would like to tell you something."

Albus looked at their father with a curious look. "What about?"

Harry cleared his throat, and Lily felt something big coming. "Well, you're going to be eighteen soon. That makes you a man in our world and the Muggle world. And you're going to go into training as an Auror. You're grown up, so your mother and I think that it's time you had a place of your own."

Albus's face turned to a scowl again. "Wait, are you kicking me out?" he demanded.

"We're not kicking you out," Ginny corrected. "We just think that you need to get out there. You're seventeen. After all, James got his own flat the summer after he graduated."

"But James's job started paying him immediately!" Albus argued. "I'm going into training. They don't pay you! I couldn't afford my own place! Besides, James already had money from his job with Uncle George!"

"You've had opportunities for the past three or so years to work over the summers, so that is your fault," Harry retorted. "Besides, your mother and I will always support you kids when you need it. And we have opened accounts in your names connected to ours, and what's in yours should help you get a place. And you and your friend can share a flat together, so you both could pay for it to make it easier."

"This is ridiculous!" Albus complained angrily. "You didn't kick James out!"

"And our daughter didn't live somewhere else either," Ginny snapped. "You're seventeen, and she's fifteen. And when we try to convince her to move back in, the last thing we need is for there to be fights around the house. You're old enough to have your own place, Albus Severus." But then Ginny's face softened into one of concern. "And we're not telling to leave now. You can take your time to find a place."

Albus threw down his silverware. "No. How about I just go now? I'll come back for my stuff!" The four at the table were silent until the front door finally slammed loudly, signaling Albus's departure.

"Well," James commented, "although that could have gone better, I agree with you guys."

Harry raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, if you'd let him, I'm sure Albus would have tried to stay here as long as he could. Al needs a push. Needs to be a man," James said.

Lily repressed a roll of her eyes, and quickly took a drink of her tea to keep her mouth closed. She didn't know what sarcastic mark she was wanting to say, but she could feel it trying to come out.

"So, Lily," Ginny addressed, "what do you think?"

Lily pushed around some of her food. "You didn't have to make Albus move out just for me," she replied.

"But what do you think about moving back in with us?" Ginny inquired.

Lily looked at her and smiled. "I think it's a great idea. As long as I can have a few days to get things settled and figure out what to bring here and what to keep there."

Ginny smiled happily at her, and reached over to push Lily's bangs from her face. "Of course, sweetheart. Like we told Albus, you can take your time."

Lily couldn't help but notice that James was awfully quiet about this idea of theirs.

* * *

Lily sighed as she leaned her head against Scorpius's shoulder. They were sitting in the parlor with Astoria and Draco. Lily had been back for an hour, and had yet to tell Astoria and Draco of her plans to move back home. She had whispered it to Scorpius before they joined his parents in the room.

"Well I'm glad the dinner went well," Astoria commented. Lily had told them of the dinner, leaving out the part where Albus got kicked out, and Lily agreed to move back in.

"It did. It went very well," Lily said with another sigh.

"So, Lily, when will you be moving back home?" Draco asked curiously.

Lily lifted her head and looked at Draco in surprise. "What?"

Draco smiled softly at her. "Lily, we all knew this wasn't a temporary move. And you've been looking uncomfortable since you got back."

Lily bit her lip, then sighed once again. "You guys know it's not because I'm unhappy here, right?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Astoria assured. "We know that you want to make things right with your family. How can you do that from here?"

Lily smiled. "Thanks. Um, is it ok for me to take a few days to get my things organized and packed?"

"There's no rush," Draco told her.

"And we accept this as long as you visit," Astoria teased.

Lily laughed. "Of course I will."

But Lily found herself hesitant to begin sorting through her things. Again, it felt weird to move. She was beginning to assume that it always felt weird to move, even if it was back into a familiar home. But she did nothing that night, and the next morning, she threw herself into the photo shoot, wanting to distract and occupy herself.

"So, Lily," Astoria said as Lily was changing into her third outfit of the day, "I heard that you are now planning to be a model once you graduate."

Lily nodded as she came out from behind the screen. "Yeah. Unless I find something different. But, I like modeling, and according to the media and a lot of others, I'm good at it."

"And they are," Astoria agreed as she began to change Lily's hairstyle again. "You know, if rumor gets out about that, I'm sure you'll have Mitch's brother, Brandon, knocking on your door."

Lily smiled. "He already has actually. During the Christmas dinner, me and him talked."

"Well don't let that man talk you into not finishing school. Too many girls quit school to be models. You graduate," Astoria said sternly.

Lily sighed. "I think Scorpius would kill Brandon if I did. He was angry enough when Brandon gave me his card." Lily paused, but then took a chance. "Actually, Astoria, can I tell you something?"

"Of course, sweetie."

"Well, I'm considering talking to Brandon some time soon. You know, to let him know that I'll work with him once I do graduate," Lily confided.

"Scorpius wouldn't be happy to hear that?" Astoria guessed.

"No, I'm pretty sure not," Lily replied.

"That's no surprise. My son always has been a bit selfish. He was terrible at sharing as a toddler," Astoria said with a laugh.

Lily laughed as well. "Why am I not surprised to hear that?"

"But," Astoria said, "I have a big photo shoot happening here on the third of July. Some of the models are represented by Brandon, so I know he'll show up. You could come by and talk to him then if you'd like."

Lily felt her hopes drop a little. "Wish I could, but I have to attend my brother's birthday party that day."

"Well, these shoots are a much bigger production than the small ones you and I do, so they'll be here in the morning and a good portion of the afternoon. If you find time, you can always stop by," Astoria offered.

"I'll see what I can do," Lily assured.

* * *

Lily took another look around her room at the manor. After two days, she finally got everything in order for her to go back. She was leaving all her old textbooks here, filling a few shelves on her bookcase. She was leaving her more formal clothing here as well as some other outfits. And of course, she left her pictures on the walls.

She was taking all the things she would have to take back to Hogwarts with her, along with some of her potion books, plus all her kits and ingredients. She was taking all her pet foods and items, her broom, and her picture of Duncan and his dad. As for clothes, she took her more casual and modest clothes, limiting her "punk" outfits and accessories. She was planning to tone it down a little for her dad.

There was a light knock on her door before it opened, and Pitch the house elf stepped in. "Miss Lily, the young master Scorpius is waiting by the fireplace," Pitch told her.

Lily smiled. "Thank you, Pitch. I'm finished here anyways."

Pitch hurried forward. "Let me take your trunk down then." And before Lily could speak, Pitch Apparated away, taking the trunk and Regal's cage with her. Lily sighed as she picked up Salazar and placed him on her shoulder. His tiny talons bit into her shoulder as he got comfortable, but then relaxed. Then she picked up her broom, and, after one last look, left the room.

Indeed, Scorpius was waiting for her by the fireplace, his hand on her trunk and the cage. He smiled as soon as he saw her. "Say goodbye to everyone?"

"All at breakfast. Your grandparents went to an old friend's, Draco went to work, and Astoria is working on a few things for her big photo shoot," Lily told him. "I'm ready."

"Regal?" Scorpius asked.

"Already flying off," Lily replied.

"And is Salazar ok with Apparating?" Scorpius teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, he is. He's done it before."

Scorpius smirked as he held out his other hand. "Then let's go." When they arrived at the Potter house, it was empty. "Where is everyone?"

"Dad's at work, Albus is gone, and Mum is probably talking with her editor about an article, or shopping," Lily told him. "But I told them I was moving back today. In return, they told me that there's a possibility that Albus would be by. I guess he still hasn't come by for his crap."

Lily led him up the stairs and to her room. She immediately set Salazar on her bed, and put her broom against the wall. Scorpius heaved her trunk onto her bed, making Salazar hiss as he bounced lightly in the air. Lily quickly stroked his head, trying to sooth him.

"Ok, so what goes where?" Scorpius asked.

For the next hour or so, the two of them began putting things around the room. Lily took care of her clothes, while Scorpius put books away. They found places to put her school things for the summer, and Lily took a shelf on her bookcase to put all of her care and food items for Regal and Salazar. Lily threw her window open, awaiting for Regal's arrival, whenever that would be.

Finally, the two of them look around. "I think that's it," Lily told him.

Scorpius shoved his hands into his pockets. "So . . . what now?"

Lily felt a rush at the fact that she and Scorpius were alone in the house, but pushed it away. Her dad was still a little uncomfortable with her relationship, and the last thing she needed was one of her parents catching her alone in her room with her boyfriend. "Well, I want to check something quick," she told him.

Scorpius followed her out to the hall, and Lily hesitated outside the door to Albus's room. But then she sighed and opened the door, and stepped inside. The room was a mess, but it was obvious it had been untouched since Albus left.

"Well, he hasn't been here since my parents left this morning," Lily mumbled. And unable to help herself, Lily moved around, looking at the room she hadn't been in for years. There was an old and tattered Gryffindor flag hung on the wall. A broom was thrown across the bed. Lily could still see the hole in the wall that James had created years ago.

* * *

**Flashback**

"I can't believe you did it," eight-year-old Lily said with disbelief as she and her brothers looked at the destroyed wall of Albus's room.

Eleven-year-old James let out a breath and scratched his head. "I didn't really think that my foot would go through it," he admitted.

"Mum and Dad are gunna kill us," ten-year-old Albus whined.

"No they won't," James argued.

"Maybe not you! You're going to Hogwarts next week. And that's about how long I'll be able to hide it until Mum finds it!" Albus retorted.

"No, I'll just tell Dad about it when he gets home," James told them. "I'll tell him it was an accident."

"Well it was nice knowing you," Lily replied. "But, how did your foot even go through it?"

"I don't know," James said with a shrug. "You'd think they'd make these walls stronger."

"Especially if Mum and Daddy moved here because they wanted kids," Lily agreed. "But then again, maybe they shouldn't have let you be in charge."

"Hey, I'm a good babysitter," James argued.

"You're only in charge because Mum's going to be back in about ten minutes," Lily replied.

"Guys, how are we going to hide the hole until we tell Dad?" Albus demanded, reminding them of the problem at hand.

"Well, we could move your night stand in front of it," James suggested.

"That's not a bad idea," Lily agreed.

So the three went to Albus's bedside table, and each picked up a side. Jerkily, they carried it over to the wall. Then they dropped it in front of the hole. The edge slammed against the wall, creating a small crack a few centimeters up the wall's plaster.

James looked at the other two. "Oops."

* * *

**End of Flashback**

Lily couldn't help but to smile as she ran her finger along the tiny crack in the wall. Even as children, and even when they were friends, they were still causing troubles.

"Damn, he's got a lot of shit," Scorpius muttered as he too looked around.

Lily sighed as she turned and looked around. "Yeah, the mess makes it look that way," she commented. She ran a hand through her hair, then smoothed it down. "Well, how about we go downstairs." Then an idea popped into her head. "We could go see if Hugo's home. He lives just down the street."

Scorpius shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Lead the way." So Lily took out of the house and down the street. When they reached Hugo's house, Scorpius looked it up and down. "Not bad," he commented. "So, have they always lived down the street?"

Lily shrugged. "For as long as I can remember. I think I hardly spent a day without playing outside with Hugo when I was little."

"Mitch, Lars, Lana, and I always just Flooed to each others' houses," Scorpius replied as they walked up to the door.

Lily knocked on the door and then opened the door. "Since the door's open, someone's home. We can only hope that Hugo's home and it's not just Rose," she warned. "Hugo!"

"Comin'!" was the only muffled reply they got. Lily kicked off her sandals, and Scorpius slipped off his own shoes and shut the door. Hugo came down the stairs, pulling a shirt over his head. "Hey, you two. What's up?"

"Well, we already finished unpacking my stuff, so we thought we'd see if you were here," Lily told him.

"Well come on in. Just let me grab something to snack on," Hugo replied. Lily took Scorpius's hand and followed Hugo into the kitchen, where he was already putting toast in a Muggle toaster. "Can't wait until I'm seventeen. I'll never have to use one of these damn things again," he muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's not hard, Hugh," she teased.

But Scorpius was already looking around, entranced. "You've got more Muggle things in here than my flat does," he stated.

"It's my mum's idea. She likes reverting back to her roots, I guess," Hugo replied as he grabbed a bowl and some cereal. "But I guess it's a benefit for when my Muggle grandparents come for visits. Grandma can make some awesome breakfast with all this stuff." He finished making his bowl of cereal, put his toast in his mouth, and carried it all to the table.

Lily sat down, watching her boyfriend investigate the room. "You working today?" she asked her cousin.

"Nah, I got the day off. Mum and Dad are working, and Rose is off with Tyler and Albus," Hugo told her. "By the way, I heard what happened to Albus."

Lily nodded. "Do you know where he's staying now?"

"Well, from what Rose told my parents, Albus has been staying at the Creevey house. I guess him and Tyler are going to get a flat together," Hugo explained.

"How the hell do these things stick to this?" Scorpius asked.

Lily looked over to see him looking at the magnets on the refrigerator. "They're called magnets. They stick to metal objects."

"We've got a crap load of them put up somewhere. My mum bought some shaped like letters when we were kids, and tried to teach us to spell with them," Hugo told him.

"Rose learned how to spell, Hugo tried to eat them," Lily joked.

"Ha, ha," Hugo said dryly, but then grinned. "Anyways, I was thinking about hanging out with Lola, but I guess she's supposed to be babysitting her little siblings, and I'm not allowed to be there."

Scorpius chuckled. "Who banned ya? Her dad or her brother Marty?"

"Both. Apparently, I can't be there unless both her parents are there," Hugo said with a chuckle. "Is that why you're here with me?"

"Partly. I told them Scorpius would be helping me move back in today, but I thought it would help my dad's conscious if we weren't alone," Lily replied.

"Probably a good idea," Hugo agreed.

Scorpius sighed as he finally came to sit next to Lily. "I've decided, babe," he mentioned, "when we get a house in the future, I wanna have this much Muggle stuff in our kitchen."

Lily laughed and rolled her eyes. "Do I wanna know why?"

"They're cool," Scorpius replied. "I mean, without magic, they're doing pretty awesome."

"Well luckily Lil knows how to cook like a Muggle," Hugo laughed. "The benefit of being raised around a Muggle-raised parent."

"Aren't I lucky," Lily said with her own small laugh.

* * *

Lily hummed softly as she laid in her bed and read a book. Salazar sat on her stomach, curled into a ball, sleeping. She'd been home for a whole two days, and everything was fine. Albus had picked up most of his things the first night she was home. He didn't say a word to anyone, just took his things and then left.

There was a soft tap that made Lily turn away from her book. She looked at Regal, but he was silently eating his food. Ignoring it, Lily went back to her book. But at the sound of another tap, Regal gave a soft hoot and flew from his perch to her windowsill. Then he tapped on the glass.

Lily set down her book, and carefully moved Salazar onto the bed. Quietly, she got up and moved over to her window, and then almost yelped in shock when she saw Mitch outside her window, floating on a broom. Quickly, she opened her window, and Regal flew back to his perch.

"Mitchell Avery! What are you doing here? It's almost eleven o'clock at night!" Lily complained, her heart beating harshly.

Mitch grinned. "Nice to see you too, Lily Lu. But, uh, are you busy?"

"Why?" Lily demanded.

"'Cause we all need to talk to you. It's really important," he said with a serious look.

Lily raised a brow. "Who all is in my backyard?"

"Well, Dom took us to that tree house. Anyways, are your parents up?" Mitch questioned.

"I don't think so," Lily replied. Then she sighed. "But, ok." Lily carefully slid out of the window, and got onto the back of Mitch's broom. Quickly, he flew down to the ground, and they both hurried over and climbed up to the tree house. She was surprised to see a candle lit in the middle, and Dominique, Rex, Justin, and Scorpius sitting inside.

"What the hell is this?" Lily demanded with confusion.

"Look, I've explained this damn story too many times, so do you mind a short version?" Dominique replied.

Lily sighed as she moved to sit next to Scorpius. "Sounds better than a long verison. But since I was dragged out at eleven, I obtain the right to ask questions."

Dominique rolled her eyes. "Fine. Anyways, I told my parents that I was planning to continue being a singer with the band, and that we were going to try and get a tour started. My dad flipped shit, exploded, and then banned me from singing and dating Mitch. So, after sneaking out and talking with the guys, we came to a decision. Mitch and I are going to get married, and then we're going to America to start a tour."

Lily stared at her cousin in the dead silence for a few minutes. Then closed her eyes and groaned. "Dammit, Dom! I just moved back home. I don't need more crap to deal with!"

"Look, Lil," Mitch intervened, "Dom and I are getting married tonight. We've found a guy that can do it for us. And he can make us a licence, so it's all legal. And then Brandon knows a guy that can set up with a few gigs. So he's going to go to the states with us for a few days and set it up."

"So why am I here?" Lily inquired.

"Dom wanted you there to witness it," Mitch told her.

"I'm leaving a note for my parents before we leave. It'll explain what's happened," Dominique interjected.

So before Lily knew it, she had been dragged to a house, and brought to the man who was going to marry Dominique and Mitch. They now stood around, waiting for him to finish the licence.

Lily looked at her cousin. "Dom, are you sure you want to do this? I mean, how are your parents going to react when they find that you ran away to the states without a word to them?"

Dominique shrugged. "They should have thought of that before killing a dream."

"I thought it was just your dad. You're going to punish your mum for a stupid thing your dad did?" Lily replied.

"It's not like Mum stopped him or argued with him. She didn't defend me. She let it happen. I'm not staying there. Besides, this is perfect. It's not like I wasn't planning to move out soon anyways," Dominique pointed out.

"I'm just saying that this is going to have consequences. This won't just hurt your parents, but a lot of the family," Lily argued calmly. "Your siblings, our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. They're going to be upset, and I don't mean angry. But sad."

Dominique looked away. "I won't be a Weasley doll. If I want to accomplish my dream, then I have to do this."

Lily sighed. "It won't be easy for you when you come back."

"Well maybe I won't come back," she muttered.

"So you're just going to run away and hide?" Lily retorted.

"I won't be trapped," Dominique said firmly. "And I'm not going to let them trap me. If that means I don't come back, then so be it."

"Will you keep contact?" Lily inquired.

"I doubt it. We're not even sure where we'll be yet," Dominique replied. "Besides, I don't want them to try tracking me."

Lily closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair. This was all too much, and too heavy. Dominique was planning to leave, never come back, and never keep in touch. She was planning to disappear from the family.

"Look, Lily, I didn't want you hear so that you could simply bare the burden of knowing I was going and not stopping me," Dominique said quietly. "You don't even need to tell anyone that you attend the ceremony. But I wanted to tell you something. Well, more like a few things."

Lily opened her eyes and looked over at her cousin. "What?"

Dominique sighed as she smoothed a hand over the leg of her jeans. "My dad trying to forbid me was just a catalyst. Me getting married, the band touring . . . it was all going to happen eventually. And I want this. So . . . if, you know, they ever find out that you knew about this, I kind hope you'll tell them."

Lily nodded. "Of course."

"And, well . . . you're probably my favorite cousin. I mean, you've never hated me for something I've done. Not even for this," she said, motioning to the quaint room they sat in. "So, thanks. It sounds dumb, but I at least wanted _one_ person in my family to be at my wedding, even if it is short and crappy. And I'd rather it be you."

Lily smiled softly at her cousin. "I'm honored."

"And I know you've always been closer to Hugo than with me. But since I was never close to any of our cousins . . . you're probably one of my best friends," Dominique rambled.

"I consider you a best friend, Dom," Lily told her. "You dealt with me before Hugo and I made up. You're a great friend to me, Dominique."

Finally, Dominique had her own sheepish smile. "Well, now I'm honored."

The ceremony was short, sweet, and to the point. When the group stepped outside into the night air, it felt different to Lily. An obvious change, and it fit just right. And as Scorpius pulled the guys aside to say goodbye, Lily was faced with her cousin. Although they obviously hesitated, they hugged each other.

"Take care of yourself, Dom," Lily told her. "And don't take any crap from those guys. Especially now that you're married to one of them."

Dominique laughed lightly. "You take care too, Lil. Don't let the family drive you crazy. And continue to kick life's ass."

They broke apart their hug, and just looked at each other for a moment. Finally, Lily sighed. "Love you, Dom."

Dominique smiled a little. "Love you too, Lil."

Then Mitch was hurrying over, and pulling Lily into a tight hug. "I'll miss ya, Lily Lu! You'd better take care of Scor for me!"

Lily smiled as she hugged him back. "And you'd better take care of my cousin. I'd hate to have to kill you."

Mitch laughed as he let her go. "I promise."

Then Rex and Justin each gave her a short and small hug. "Be good, Lil," Rex told her.

"Take care, Lily," Justin said.

Lily gave Dominique a small slip of paper. "Here, I wrote this down before we left the house. This is the address of my cousin that lives in the states. If you're in New York, you should see him. Then maybe he'll let me know how you are," she teased.

Dominique smiled as she slipped the paper into her pocket. "I will. Promise."

"Babe," Mitch interrupted softly, "we've gotta go. We need to get our stuff and meet up with Brandon. Are you ready?"

Dominique glanced back at Lily, but then looked at Mitch with certainty. "Yeah. I'm ready."

After a few more short goodbyes, Lily stood with Scorpius and watched as the four of them walked away, disappearing into the darkness. Their departure was final with a loud "CRACK" in the night.

Lily closed her eyes, exhaustion hitting her in waves. She leaned back into Scorpius as he wrapped his arms around her. "They really left. For good."

"It's their dream. It's sad that we might not see them for a long time. But it's what they want. And once their fame gets big, maybe they'll tour Europe," Scorpius told her softly. "We'll see them again."

Lily turned and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her cheek on his chest. "I really hope you're right."


	77. Make Time to Forget

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, here is our next chapter. A bit more family drama than expected, but what's new? Sorry it's not as long as the last one, but I thought it would be better to stop the chapter here. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Extra note - Also, a rated M scene at the end of the chapter. So if that's not something you want to read, or something you're not comfortable with, it's a bit obvious when it's going to start, so I'd suggest stopping there, because it is to the end of the chapter.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Seven: Make Time to Forget

When Lily awoke to the sound of pounding on a door, she groaned and rolled over. Opening one eye, she looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was past noon. How had she slept this long? But when the distant pounding stopped, she closed her eyes again and pulled her blankets over her head. She was still so tired.

After Dominique and the boys had left, Lily and Scorpius had sat in the tree house for another hour or so. They would talk every few moments, but otherwise they sat in a comfortable silence, examining the change they both felt.

But to her irritation and annoyance, there was soon a pounding on her own door, accompanied by a voice. "Lily! Lily, wake up! We need to talk to you!" her mother's voice was urgent on the other side of the door.

Lily groaned again as she rolled onto her back. "Ok, ok!" she called back. "Give me a minute!" Finally, the pounding stopped, and footsteps faded away. Slowly, Lily sat up, yawning and stretching. She kicked off her blankets and stood from her bed. She stretched one more time before leaving her room, and walking down to the kitchen, where she could hear voices talking fast. But once Lily walked into the room and saw her parents with her uncle Bill and Teddy, she really felt the urge to leave.

"Here she is," Ginny said with a relieved sigh.

Lily raised a brow. "What's up?" she inquired casually.

"Lily, have you talked to Dominique lately?" Bill asked quickly.

Lily played everything carefully. "Well, I talked to her a little while I was still at the manor. She and Mitch stopped by to hang out with me and Scorpius for a few hours," she lied. She had a feeling that lying about not seeing her at all would be a little more unbelievable.

"Well did she say anything about her little band, or her and Mitch?" Bill demanded.

"Well, they mentioned planning to get another gig," Lily said, giving a half-truth.

"Anything else?" Teddy asked.

Lily shook her head. "No. Otherwise we just hung out, talked about random things," she told them. "Why?"

Bill ran a hand over his face, so Teddy answered. "Dominique left a note saying that she was running away with the band. She was marrying Mitch, and the band was going to tour, and she wasn't coming back."

Lily gave them a confused scowl. "That's all?"

Teddy scratched his head. "There was a little more, but that was the basis. We're just trying to see if she told anyone about this. And since you two got along so well, we thought you might know something."

Lily sighed. "All I know is that she was serious about her band and singing. I mean, I knew she was going to make it her career, but I don't know what she's planning now."

"Do you know anyone that might know something? What about your boyfriend? He's that little sex fiend's friend," Bill grumbled with a glare at the table.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Scor hasn't said anything to me about it. I'd like to think he would, so my guess is no."

It seemed like an interrogation. They were asking Lily who Dominique hung out with, where Lily thought she might go, and a million other questions. Lily did her best to keep track of every lie, and to be careful about the truths she did give. Finally, she was allowed to return to her room, but it was only a minute before someone was walking in and locking her door. Teddy.

"Did you think of another question?" Lily teased lightly as she moved to feed Salazar.

Teddy grinned a little, and Lily was already seeing a little wariness on him. His hair was it's normal mousy brown, and was falling around his ear. And his eyes were tired. "I want to know if Dominique's ok," he told her.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Lil, I'm not stupid, don't treat me that way," Teddy retorted.

Lily sighed. When was she ever good at lying to Teddy? "She's just fine, Ted."

"And where is she?" he asked.

Lily moved to sit in her desk chair. "Somewhere in America," she told him. "But, Ted, she doesn't want to be found. She's angry that her parents won't accept her dream of being a singer. She doesn't want to be trapped. She wants to be herself. So let her be, please?"

Teddy sighed as at first pushed his hair away from his face, but then just took a moment to make it shorter. "I figured as much. We were told of the fight. Louis filled us in, so I know that both sides are to blame. But Fleur's a wreck, and so is Bill, he just won't admit it. So he's going on a hunt."

"Look, they might have a few problems along the way, but they had a plan. And Mitch's oldest brother is with them, and he's going to help them get started. They're ok," Lily assured.

"But she really isn't coming back?" Teddy replied.

Lily bit her lip. "I don't think she knows yet."

Again, Teddy sighed. "Well, that's all I'm going to ask." He stood up and stretched a little. But as he walked to the door, he stopped and looked at her. "By the way, Victoire said that she was absolutely sure that you knew. That's why I was sure you knew. And Vic wants to thank you for being there for Dom."

* * *

As days passed, things became obvious in the family. Everyone knew that Dominique was gone. They all knew that although Fleur was devastated, she was now hiding it. And that even though the men were doing all they could to find where she went, they all knew Dominique wouldn't be found.

After almost a week, Lily finally dragged Hugo out to the tree house, and admitted everything to him. And she was glad to have it off her chest. Hugo sat silently and listened, then clicked his tongue against his teeth once when she finished her story.

"Well, things will get better," Hugo said. "We'll get used to this, and surely . . . she'll come back at least once. It'll be ok."

"Well don't you have high hopes," Lily muttered.

"My life has taken too good a turn for me to have a negative attitude," Hugo said with a satisfied smile.

Lily looked at him with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, after talking about it, thinking it through, and then losing ourselves in the passion, Lola and I had sex the other day," Hugo confessed.

Lily's face turned to one of surprise. "Are you serious?"

Hugo nodded. "Yup," he said, popping the 'p' with a grin. "You know, we'd been talking about it. And the other day we were hanging out in her room. I'd snuck over while she was babysitting. Anyways, her other siblings had basically all run off to play and crap like that . . . and it kinda happened."

Lily shook her head and chuckled. "Didn't expect it . . . but in some ways it's not too surprising. If that makes sense. So, not taking this in a dirty way, what do you think?"

He sighed as he laid back on the floor. "Well, remember you said it changes a relationship, in a good or bad way?" Lily nodded. "Well I have yet to decide or guess on how it will affect us. I mean, it only happened two days ago, and I haven't been able to talk to her since then."

"Well what was said before you left?" Lily inquired.

He shrugged. "Not a whole lot. I made sure she was ok. We . . . cleaned everything up, and then went downstairs. Hung out with some of her siblings, and then before I left . . . we said goodbye, she assured me that she was ok, and that was it." He looked at her. "What do you think?"

Lily looked at him hesitantly before deciding to be honest. "Well, first of all, she lied to you. Lola's not good with normal pain, and that hurts like a bitch the first time. It hurt me in ways I had never been hurt. But, if she's trying to hide it and reassure you, that could mean that she still thinks it was a good idea, and doesn't want you to worry. I had to do that with Scorpius a hundred times."

"You know, this is nerve-racking for guys. We never know if you girls are being honest about these kinds of things," Hugo muttered.

Lily laughed. "Well I'm sure she'll tell me all about it when I see her next. I can tell you if she was being honest."

Hugo raised a brow. "You really think she'll tell you everything?"

She nodded. "Yeah. After all, I told her all about my first time."

Hugo sat up quickly. "What? Are you serious?" he demanded.

Lily looked at him curiously. "Yeah. Why?"

Hugo sighed heavily and dropped back onto his back. "Money says I've probably been compared to your first time. That's all girls do!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Huey. Lola is pretty realistic about things. The most you gotta worry about is after she tells all us girls, and Megan might give you crap."

"Did she give Scor crap after you told them about your first?" Hugo inquired.

"No, not really," Lily replied. "But that's because Scorpius gives her crap back. You don't, so she'll do it to you more."

"Because we all know that Megan loves to attack on the weak and defenseless," Hugo muttered.

Lily bit her lip as she wondered about asking a question. But then she took a shot. "So, do you love Lola, Hugo?"

He didn't look at her, and stared at the ceiling. And he was quiet for a while. Lily waited for him to answer "I don't know, Lil. I care a lot for her . . . but I don't know if I'd call it love yet. And I don't know why . . . but I just wouldn't call it that." He sighed. "Do you think I'm a bad guy? Having sex but not knowing if I really do love her?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Hugo, do you know how many people have sex without being in love these days? Most. Dom, James, Albus, Mitch, a ton that we know. Some people even use sex as a test to see if they do truly love someone. I'm not going to condemn you just because I was in love, and you weren't. It's your choice and life, Hugh. I'm just here to listen, talk, and support."

"Well do me a favor and listen to this: I have a feeling that her brother Johnny knows what we did. Should I be worried?" Hugo questioned, the corner of his lips twitching into a smile.

Lily laughed. "Well Johnny is the most mild-mannered of them. Be glad it wasn't Marty, or Marsha."

Hugo raised a brow. "You think little Marsha would try to beat me up?"

"No. She'd laugh and tell all the other siblings, and then Marty would beat you up."

* * *

Lily didn't exactly know what she was expecting when she walked into Malfoy Manor on the day of the big photo shoot, but she for sure didn't expect the big production that was happening inside. What had to be more than a hundred people were moving about. There were people doing a few girls' hair, some were shifting through clothing, some were applying makeup. But luck had her side, and she soon found who she was looking for. Or at least, he found her.

"Ah! Lily! I didn't expect to see you here." Brandon approached her with a smile.

Lily smiled back. "Hello, Brandon. And I came here because I was told by Astoria that you would be here."

Brandon raised an interested brow. "You came to see me?"

"Well remember during last Christmas you offered to represent me if I stayed with modeling," Lily reminded.

He nodded. "Of course I remember. You don't forget offering to represent one of the best teen models," he said with a smile.

"Well, I've come to the decision that I will be taking modeling as a career once I graduate," Lily told him.

"So you want to work with me? Lily, I can take your career to a completely different level!" Brandon promised.

"But I still have two years of school," Lily said quickly. "And I plan to finish school."

"Hmm," Brandon hummed as he ran his thumb over his jaw. "Well perhaps we could work a little during the summers? A little during holidays? And while you're in school, I could work on raising your reputation and popularity even more?"

Lily bit her lip. It would be understandable, and possible, for her to work during the summers and holidays. But did she really want to when she felt like she already had too little time to spend with Scorpius? "Um . . . maybe a little, but I can't work a whole lot this summer," she admitted.

Brandon nodded. "I can take care of that. How about at least a couple jobs a month?" he suggested. "After all, I might take a bit of time to work on increasing your image within an even bigger market."

"I guess we could do that," Lily agreed.

"So, how about today? I'm sure I could make out a deal with Astoria, get you included in this shoot," Brandon offered.

"Actually, I have a family event I have to go to. Very quickly, actually," Lily replied.

"Well how about you and I discuss a few things over a lunch. Give me some time to boost your profile, and we can go over our next step?" Brandon suggested.

"That sounds fine. Send me a note of the date, and I'll be there," Lily assured.

Brandon held out his hand. "Well then we are in business together."

Lily shook his hand. "Absolutely."

* * *

"Lily! You're here!" Grandma Weasley said happily when Lily walked in through the kitchen door.

"Hey, Grandma," Lily greeted as she was consumed by a hug. Once able to breathe, Lily smiled. "I'm sorry I'm late. I had to discuss the future of my career with someone."

"Oh, it's ok. We haven't even really started yet. We're still waiting for Fred and Janie, and of course Charlie is late. But to his defense, he is coming back from Romania. And Teddy and Victoire should be here soon," Molly said with a sigh.

"They'll be here soon, I'm sure," Lily replied. "So, is everyone else in the living room?"

"Yes, and I've dragged your grandfather out of his shed," Molly said with a proud smile.

Lily laughed lightly. "Ok, well I'm going to step in and say hello," she told her.

Upon walking into the other room, Lily was greeted with dozens of smiles and greetings.

"It's about time you got here," Ginny teased her playfully.

Lily smiled, but then her eyes caught Albus, who was sitting between Rose and Louis, each of them looking at her. "Happy birthday, Albus," Lily said casually.

It was a moment before he finally gave a curt nod. "Thanks," he mumbled.

"So, Lil, how'd your meeting go?" Hugo asked curiously as she moved to sit next to him.

"Really well, actually," Lily replied.

"Well, well! Aunt Lily is here!" Teddy said as he walked into the house, holding Theo in his arms. He set Theo down next to Lily, and the little boy immediately walked over to Lily, a giggling smile on his lips.

Lily smiled at her godson. "Hey, handsome!" she greeted the toddler, pulling him over to her lap. His hair quickly took on a shade of red, with a few pink splotches.

"Where's Victoire and Gabby?" Fleur asked quickly. Lily looked over at her aunt. Even though her middle daughter had run off, she looked ok. But the sadness in her eyes was obvious.

"We're right here," Victoire said as she stepped inside. A tiny bundle was peaceful in her arms. "And Gabby is awake and comfortable," she said with a smile. Immediately, the baby was passed off to Fleur, and Lily was sure that little Gabby would soon be passed around to every person in the room.

Hugo nudged Lily's shoulder. "Hey, wanna go upstairs? We've got a while before we're stuck down here forever. Take a break with me?"

Lily grinned. "Sounds good. Let's go." Lily stood up and handed Theo off to her mum, letting her fuss over her grandson.

Hugo and Lily left the room to walk up the stairs. "So, you and Brandon a modeling team?"

"Yup. We're going to meet up in a couple weeks. You talked to Lola yet?" Lily inquired.

"I called her yesterday. So glad that my mum keeps a Muggle phone in the house. We talked for a bit, but we didn't talk about it. I could hear her siblings in the background, so I figured they were in the room," Hugo told her. "But I've had some time to think about it . . . sadly I've come to no conclusion on whether or not I really do love her."

"Huey, if you have to question it, you probably don't. No offense. Besides, you can't force these things. Love happens when it happens, and it can take time," Lily replied.

"Well I don't want to string along what could end in a heartache," Hugo groaned.

"Then maybe you two should talk this out," Lily told him. "Take her out somewhere, and just talk. Have her come to The Leaky Cauldron during your break or something. You can take a room and talk it through."

"You're probably right," Hugo sighed as he stopped in front of one of the rooms. He pushed open the door, and they were both given a shock.

Lucy was sitting on the floor next to the bed, her knees pressed to her chest, her arms wrapped around herself. There were obvious tear stains on her cheeks, and a few tears running from her eyes. Her auburn hair was an absolute mess, and her brown eyes were rimmed with pink. The three stared at each other in a moment of shock and surprise. And then suddenly, Lucy began to cry harder, and more tears began to run down her cheeks. She looked away from the two of them, and began staring at the wall in front of her.

Lily glanced over at Hugo, then stepped inside. Hugo followed and shut the door, locking it. Lily moved over to sit next to Lucy, and watched her cry. Slowly, Hugo did the same.

Lily was clueless on what to do. Sure, she'd seen Lucy cry before. But they were kids, and it was usually because James and Freddy had been teasing her. But Lily was sure that this had nothing to do with those two. Because Lily could see much more heartbreak in Lucy's eyes.

Finally, Lucy turned to look at Lily, and there was a little surprise in her eyes now. But then a choked sob escaped her lips, and she laid her head on Lily's shoulder, and began to cry more. Lily let her, and moved so that she could push Lucy's hair back and away from her tears. Then she glanced at Hugo, giving him a curious look. Hugo simply shrugged, his face just as bewildered.

"Um, Lucy . . . ," Hugo was finally the one to speak, "are you ok?"

At first there were only sobs, but then Lucy spoke in a shaky voice. "I-I-I'm fine," she whimpered.

"Really?" Lily replied a little dryly. "Look, Lucy, we can sit here awkwardly as you cry, or you can tell us what's up, and we can try to help you."

Another few minutes of sobs followed Lily's words. But then Lucy pulled her head from Lily's shoulder, and brushed her tears away. "I . . . I can't tell you," she mumbled.

"Why?" Lily inquired gently.

"You'll just laugh," Lucy whispered.

"Lucy, I have never laughed at a crying girl," Lily argued.

"Yeah, we wouldn't do that to you, Lu," Hugo assured. "Now what's up?"

Lucy brought in an audible gulp of air, and a few more tears appeared. "Tyler broke up with me," she cried softly.

Trying to be comforting, Lily pushed away a bit of hair from Lucy's wet cheeks. "I'm sorry, Lucy."

"I loved him," Lucy whimpered. "He said he loved me . . . but then goes on about how he doesn't think we'd make it a year apart." Lucy dropped her head to her knees, her body trembling amid her sobbing.

"Well he's a jackass, Lucy," Hugo said immediately.

Lily did her best to smooth down Lucy's hair. "I'm sorry, Lucy. But you know that you can't bottle things like this up. You'll explode eventually."

"But I can't tell anyone!" Lucy cried. "You don't know what I did!"

Lily and Hugo looked at her with worry. "What did you do, Lu?" Hugo asked hesitantly.

"I had sex with Tyler," she whispered. It was so quiet that it was almost impossible to hear.

Lily looked at Lucy in surprise. "You're not pregnant, are you?" she asked worry. After all, Lucy still had a year of Hogwarts left, and it was her N.E.W.T. year. And being pregnant after your boyfriend breaks up with you? It was a situation that Lily couldn't imagine.

But thankfully, Lucy shook her head. "No, I'm not. But I _did_ have sex with him. That just makes it worse! I mean, everyone would be so disappointed if they found out! Albus probably already knows since Tyler's his friend!"

"Lucy, it is no one's business but your own that you and Tyler had sex," Lily argued. "And besides, you loved him. It's understandable that you two would take that step. I mean, I did."

Lucy's head rose from her knees, and she looked at Lily with shock. "You mean . . . you've had sex?"

Lily nodded. "Me and Scorpius did last Valentine's Day, because we loved each other. It was a reasonable step, because I didn't do it due to simply hormones. Hugo and I aren't going to be disappointed in you."

"It was your choice to make. It's not your fault that Tyler ended up being an asshole," Hugo told her. "And if he's not willing to wait for you to graduate, then he's not worth the tears."

Lucy rested her chin on her knees, a few tears still coming to her eyes. "Lily, . . . didn't Scorpius graduate too?"

Lily nodded. "Yes."

"But you're still together?"

"Scorpius and I have faith in each other. I know we can make two years, and he knows that too," Lily replied.

"Then why can't Tyler think that we can last a year apart?" Lucy mumbled. "I gave him everything. Why does he think that I'm going to end up telling him that I want to see someone else? Why doesn't he seem to have faith in me?"

Lily thought of Dante and Lana, who had decided to break up during their year apart. They had decided to break up incase they found someone else. To them, that was keeping it simple. But that was mutual, and this sounded like pure, one-sided, breakup.

"Because not all guys are smart," Hugo said with a sigh.

"At first I was so angry. But now . . . it just hurts. I had put so much faith in him. I trusted him. I thought he felt the same," Lucy mumbled. She sighed heavily. "I don't know how you're not afraid of your time away from Scorpius."

Lily scoffed. "You think I'm not scared? Luce, I'm scared of being apart for so long. But not because I think he'll love me any less, or my love for him will change. I'm more afraid that my father will push him so hard at Auror training that he'll get hurt. I'm more afraid that Lucius Malfoy will drive him insane. I'm more afraid that he'll be bugging Lana when he starts to worry about why boys collect my modeling pictures. But I've never doubted our love."

"Well I never doubted mine!" Lucy cried. "And Tyler never said anything that suggested he did! Nothing! Everything was fine! _I_ didn't even fear being apart for a year. But then . . . he just tells me that he can't risk it."

"What a dick," Hugo muttered.

"I wish he'd been a dick," Lucy retorted. "But no. He was nice, polite, and even looked and felt guilty. It would have been much easier to hate him. But now I can't. All I can do is feel hurt."

Lily sighed and stood up, and then pulled Lucy up as well. "I know what you need then," she told a confused looking Lucy. And she did. "Look, when my friend Lola broke up with her first boyfriend, when we got back to Hogwarts, the rest of us girls took time to take her mind completely off of him. And I think that's what you need."

"Lily, if I could stop thinking about Tyler, I would have by now," Lucy muttered.

"You haven't had our help before," Hugo replied as he too stood up. "And we have very good methods."

"Which will need to be on hold for now, since we have a party to attend downstairs," Lily said with a sigh. "But, let's go down there now. After all, we have two beautiful babies down there, and how can anybody think with all the noise our family makes?"

And finally, Lucy smiled.

For the rest of the day, Lily and Hugo stayed with Lucy. And thanks to Theo's willingness to play, they kept him around as well.

"You were right," Lucy had told them as she held Theo. "It's hard not to smile around this cutie."

But after both lunch and dinner had passed, Lily and Hugo brought Lucy out for a walk in the night. There was obvious surprise in the room, but their grandmother allowed it.

This time, Lucy was the one to talk first. "Why are you guys being this nice to me? I mean, Lily, I haven't talked to you since before you went to Hogwarts."

"You're our cousin," Lily replied. "And you're hurting."

"We're not going to just abandon you in your time of need. Especially when we find you crying over some asshole," Hugo agreed.

"Well thanks," Lucy sighed. "It is easier not to cry when you're around others."

"Then maybe we need to take you to a party," Lily replied. "I'll bet a friend of mine is probably going to be throwing one eventually. Would you like to go?"

"Oh, you gotta go, Lucy!" Hugo told her. "Going to Lily's party last year was awesome! That's where I got my ear pierced."

"I think my dad would kill me if I got something pierced," Lucy replied softly.

"Mine didn't," Hugo replied.

"And if anything, you can always do your bellybutton," Lily suggested with a laugh. Then she pulled the hem of her shirt up to show Lucy the piercing.

"When did you do that?" Lucy asked with surprise.

Lily fixed her shirt. "A long time ago. Only my friends know about it." She turned to look at Lucy. "And you wouldn't have to get something pierced if you went to one of our parties. We don't force you, and it's not a rite of passage."

"It always seems that all of your friends have either dyed hair or something pierced," Lucy said with a quiet chuckle.

"That's our style, but we don't force it on people," Lily retorted.

"So, do you wanna go to one?" Hugo asked. "It'll take your mind off things, trust me."

Lucy bit her lip. "Well . . . I don't think I've ever been to a party like the ones you have."

"What do you mean?" Lily inquired.

"Hold on," Hugo interrupted, "I got this. Lucy, despite the rumors James and the guys in his year spread, Slytherin parties don't lead to people getting totally hammered and having sex in front of others. It's like a Gryffindor party, only better. Because everyone just hangs out with everyone. You have an awesome time."

"And if we end up going to one with a bit of _more_ fun," Lily hinted, "then I'll let you know. And then you can choose if you still want to go."

Lucy didn't reply for a few moments, so they continued to walk down the path to the small village. Finally, she nodded. "Ok. What the heck. Let's give a shot."

"Awesome!" Hugo cheered. "So, Lil, who's havin' a party soon?"

"I'm not sure, but I'd bet Lana knows," Lily replied with a grin.

* * *

It only took a day for Lily to find out all about the next party that was happening among her Slytherin friends. Adrian Flint was throwing it at his parents' house on the eleventh. There would obviously be alcohol, since he was of age, and a lot of fun. But there was still a little more to deal with.

"You want to go to Adrian's party?" Scorpius asked with shock.

The two were sitting in his flat, alone. Lily had told her parents that she was going to spend the day with Scorpius, and had left out the part where they stayed in his flat for most of the day.

"Yes. Lucy needs cheering up, and I know that a party will do that," Lily replied. "Besides, it'll be fun."

"You know that it won't simply be spiked drinks at this party. We're talking full out drinking," Scorpius warned.

"And I'll let Lucy know that," Lily replied.

"So why tell me?" Scorpius muttered.

Lily shoved his shoulder. "Because I want you to go with," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. "You really think I'm going to go to a party filled with alcohol and guys without you?"

Scorpius smiled a little. "Well, I'm glad to hear that."

"So please? Will you go?" Lily pleaded. Because she'd meant it. She wasn't going to go without Scorpius. She wanted him there, and there was no way she was going to let him worry the entire night about her being there without him.

Scorpius sighed. "Can't we just take her to a normal hangout with the others?"

"Because this is serious," Lily replied. "She needs a full night of fun to forget her problems."

"So you want to get her wasted?" Scorpius said with a raised brow.

"No, I want her to have fun," Lily argued. "So take us to the party, please."

"You make it sound like you couldn't go without me. Adrian would love to have you there, you don't need an invite," Scorpius replied.

"But I _want_ you to take us," Lily countered. "It won't be fun for me without you. Why don't you want to go?"

Scorpius ran a hand over his hair. "I guess I'm not up to scaring a bunch of drunk idiots away from my girlfriend," he sighed.

"But you do it so well," she teased.

Scorpius smirked. "Ha, ha."

"Come on. For me?" Lily pleaded.

Scorpius groaned and dropped his head onto her shoulder. He turned to wrap his arms around her. "Why are you doing this to me?" he moaned.

Sensing that he wasn't far from giving in, Lily pulled him closer and moved so that she straddled his lap. She pulled his head from her shoulder, and ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. Then she brushed her lips across his cheek. "Please?" she whispered near his ear.

Scorpius groaned again as his head leaned back against the couch. "This is cheating," he mumbled.

Lily laughed against his cheek before pressing another kiss onto his skin. "Please? And then the four of us can come back here and chill. Please?"

His hands tightened their grip on her hips. "What are you going to tell your parents?"

"That I'm going to take Lucy out for a girls' night at Shannon's house," Lily replied easily. "And I'm sure Hugo can come up with a reason why he won't be home."

Scorpius's arms wrapped around her completely, and tightened to pull her body flush against his. "And I'll be forced to restrain myself from you the entire time your cousins are sleeping in this very room?"

Lily nipped at his ear. "You know how to silence a room."

Scorpius dropped his head onto the back of the couch, his arms limp around her. "Why do I even try to fight against something you want? You always win, and I always give in."

Lily grinned. "You know, some women have to wait years for their man to realize that. Lucky me, I didn't even have to wait a year."

Scorpius sat up and dropped his head onto her shoulder, his own shoulders slumped. "First time a guy hits on you, I'm dragging you out of there," he mumbled.

Lily laughed softly, but then gasped when Scorpius's lips closed around her pulse point, his teeth lightly scraping along the skin before he sucked roughly. Instinctively, Lily tilted her head, allowing Scorpius more access to the skin of her neck. "Whatever you say," she sighed.

Scorpius's hands moved to her sides, then trailed down to just under her knees. Then without warning, he stood, lifting her up with him. Lily yelped in surprise, but Scorpius held her tightly. Afraid to lose her balance, Lily wrapped her legs around him, her hands squeezing his shoulders.

"When do you have to be home?" Scorpius muttered as he moved his lips to another spot on her neck. He pushed open his bedroom door with his foot, and then carefully set her on his bed, his body pushing her to her back with him hovering over her.

"Midnight," Lily murmured next to his ear. She moved her fingers to the collar of his shirt, pinching and tugging on it gently.

"What time is it?" Scorpius whispered as he pulled up to look at her.

"Um, not midnight," Lily mumbled.

Scorpius shrugged. "Good enough," he mumbled before meshing his lips with hers. He bit her bottom lip before sweeping his tongue across her own.

Lily moved her fingers down to the front of his shirt, mentally cursing the fact that he chose to wear one with buttons. She hastily began undoing one at a time, her fingers stumbling from time to time. Finally with each undone, Scorpius threw the shirt in an unknown corner, then moved his hands up her own shirt. His fingers seared her skin, sending spark after spark to her already heated core.

His hands moved further up, pulling her shirt up with him. Lily broke away from his lips so that she could pull her shirt off of her. Scorpius's lips immediately kissed her shoulder, and then trailed down to the edge of her bra, nipping at the swell of her breast.

Lily moaned, her breath hitching soon after when she felt Scorpius's hands jump down to her thighs. She bit her lip in anticipation as his fingers sluggishly moved upwards, stopping every few seconds to rub into her skin. When he finally reached the fabric of her shorts, his hands curled around her bottom, and she felt him growl into the hollow of her throat.

"Must you wrap your ass in shorts this tight?" he complained lowly as his fingers curled and stretched the fabric so that his fingers slid beneath the hem.

Lily nipped at the top of his ear. "Not doing so would take away the challenge for you," she teased.

He growled again before ripping her shorts down to her knees, then roughly pulling them completely off of her. "Annoying," he muttered.

Lily giggled as she sat up slightly, and placed her hand on his cheek. "You are so impatient," she mocked. Then she twined her fingers into hair, and pulled him back to her, brushing her lips against his. Scorpius quickly ran his tongue along the seam of her lips before sucking on her bottom lip. His hands moved to her back. One palmed laid flat against the small of her back, while the other crawled up her skin until it reached the clasp of her bra. He had it undone with a simple flick of his fingers.

Lily maneuvered the straps down her arms, then dropped it off the side of the bed somewhere. Then she pulled him closer, falling back to the bed, her head hitting the pillow.

"Scorpius," she mumbled against his lips.

"Hm?" Scorpius grunted as broke their kiss to trail his lips down his previous path on her skin.

"Your jeans are still on," Lily pointed out as she ran her hands across his back, the muscles twitching under her fingers. She was always amazed at how fit he was.

Scorpius did pull his lips away from her as his hands began fumbling with the button and zipper of his jeans. He was soon kicking them off and onto the floor, and then moving so that he was positioned comfortable between her legs. They both moaned when the bulge in his boxes brushed against her clothed center.

"Fuck," she heard Scorpius mumbled as his lips trail down to her abdomen. She instinctively giggled when his tongue swiped along a ticklish patch of skin. But it turned to a moan when she felt one of his hands grip her inner thigh, and his thumb rub against her core.

"Oh damn," Lily gasped out his he pressed harder.

"You are soaked, baby girl," he murmured into her skin. Then his mouth trailed down the hem of her panties. He pulled the hem between his teeth, then let them snap back against her skin, making her gasp at the small but unexpected sting. But she didn't even have a moment to tease him about it, because then she could feel his fingers pulling them down completely. She gasped instinctively when the air hit her newly exposed and burning skin.

While throwing her underwear aside, Scorpius sat up on his knees, his eyes running over her.

Lily raised a teasing brow at him. "You've seen me naked before, Scorpius."

Scorpius looked back at her, locking eyes. He smirked. "So? Doesn't mean I'll ever be used to amazing beauty of it all."

Lily wanted to roll her eyes, but lost track of the urge when she felt his hand run along her inner thigh again, and his lips meshing with hers sweetly, although it was still a little rough with desire. Lily moaned into his lips at the passion of it all.

Scorpius groaned in return. "I'm not up for being teased," he warned. "So I'm not going to give you the chance," he warned.

Before Lily could even think to laugh at his words, his lips were pressing even harder into hers, and his tongue aggressively dominated hers, then swept along the inside of her mouth. Lily wanted to whine when she felt his hands leave her, but then she heard the sound of fabric rustling. She soon felt the tip of his arousal at her core, and any thought of teasing him fell to the floor with the rest of their clothing.

Scorpius lips brushed across her jaw until his rough breaths were at her ear. "Love me?" he whispered, his voice low and raspy from lust.

Lily pulled in a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed from the overwhelming passion and desire she felt coursing through them both. "You know I do," she murmured.

He placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth. "Good," he said softly. After that, he wasted no time and thrust into her hard, filling her completely.

Lily bit her lip, a satisfied moan still escaping. If he was never going to get used to the sight of her body, then she was never going to get used to the feeling of him inside her. It simply got better each time.

Scorpius was quick to build up a fast, but steady, pace between them. Lily met each move he made with one of her own, making his groan in response. Then his hands began dancing along her skin, making Lily's head swirl with the overbearing feelings of pleasure from each sensation Scorpius brought about her. So she ran her fingers along his back again, one of her hands trailing up to run through his hair. But then he gave a particularly sharp thrust, making Lily pull at his hair.

But then it began to happen. Lily felt that pressure in her body getting almost impossibly tight, and she could feel it getting ready to burst. And perhaps Scorpius knew it as well, because he was soon wrapping her legs around his back, changing his angle, and thrusting in deeper. Lily moaned at his change of pace.

"Oh, fuck, babe," Lily moaned softly near his ear.

Scorpius's response was a growl and to move even faster.

It hit harder than a Bludger, and everything in Lily snapped open, and her eyes slowly closed. As an indescribable pleasure and calm ran over her like water, she felt a floating sensation crawl along her body. When it began to subside, small snaps of pleasure were still lightly bursting.

She then heard a groaned utterance near her ear. "Fuck!" Then she could feel Scorpius's own release pooling inside of her as his thrust became short and erratic, until they finally came to a halt.

For a moment, the only sound was their ragged and slow pants for air. But then he pulled out of her, and moved to lay next to her. Lily turned onto her side to look at him as her breath began to even out. She brought a hand up to push his hair away from his eyes, then slid it down to cup his cheek. She smiled at him, and he lazily smirked back.

"So, party on the eleventh?" Lily reminded him.

Scorpius closed his eyes and groaned. He brought her closer to him, and brushed a kiss on her forehead. "Do me a favor. When I die, promise to put that I won one on my grave?"

Lily giggled. "Well what if you never win one?"

"Then lie."


	78. The Father and The Boyfriend

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, here's another chapter. A bit of the Potter family, drama between friends, and of course Gryffindor Lucy at a Slytherin party. I'm thinking that the next chapter will be the last one about the summer, and then they should be going back to Hogwarts. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Father and The Boyfriend

Lily wondered how she got tricked into her current situation. She was sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair, but that wasn't the situation. It was the impending dinner that her mother had somehow gotten her to invite Scorpius to. To make things comfortable, James and Albus wouldn't be there, but Teddy and Victoire would be. Fleur would be babysitting Gabriella and Theodore for the night.

A knocking sounded at her door before it opened, and Victoire stepped in. "Mind if we come in?" Victoire asked.

Lily raised a brow in her mirror. "Um, sure?"

Victoire stepped in further, and then Ginny followed, closing the door behind her. Lily sighed. Something was tricky about them coming in together, Lily just knew it.

"Do you need help, sweetheart?" Ginny asked curiously.

Lily shook her head as she put down her brush. "No, I'm mainly just occupying myself until the night begins."

Ginny rolled her eyes as she came to stand behind her daughter. "When is Scorpius supposed to arrive?"

"Any time now," Lily replied. She looked at her mother in the mirror. "Did you need to talk about something?"

"Always to the point," Victoire said with a smile.

"Well she's right," Ginny sighed as she picked up the brush, and began running it through her daughter's hair again. "I was hoping to speak to you about something."

"And Vic too?" Lily inquired.

"I'm here for support," Victoire explained. "I get to be the bridge."

Lily felt a bit of confusion as to why her mother would want Victoire there for support and to be a "bridge" to connect them. But she just sighed. "Well, what's up?"

"Well it's about you and Scorpius," Ginny started.

It took all of Lily's willpower to keep from tensing up. A small fear settled in her stomach. Victoire was the only one in the family besides Hugo that knew Lily had started taking contraceptive potions. Victoire had taught her how to make them! Lily could only hope that wasn't how Victoire was going to be a "bridge" in the conversation.

"What about me and Scorpius?" Lily asked hesitantly.

"Well . . . how are you two?" Ginny asked, and Lily knew that it wasn't her original question. But she answered it anyways.

"We're doing great," Lily told her casually. "Never better."

"Well the hickey on the side of your neck here tells me that much," Ginny commented.

Lily's eyes went wide, and quickly shot to look at her neck in the mirror. And sure enough, now that her mum had moved her hair while brushing it, a reddish, purplish mark was obvious on her skin. How had she not noticed that?

Lily licked her lips, feeling very dry at the moment. "Oh. Well . . . um . . ."

"I'm teasing you, sweetheart," Ginny said with a laugh. "Although I would hide that from your father. He'd blow his top if he saw it."

"Where's your potion kit at, Lily? I'll get your potion so you can get rid of it," Victoire offered.

"I don't have any more," Lily said with a sigh. But when her mother raised a teasing brow, Lily quickly continued. "I had to use quite a bit after our last Quidditch match, and I gave some to Hugo after his last game. I've just been too lazy or busy to make more."

"Lily," Ginny spoke again, "I understand that you and Scorpius are serious. And even if he won't say it out loud, your father knows as well. And you know that, even though your father may not be thrilled, that we still accept your relationship."

Lily could easily tell where she was going. "Mum, I'm not Dom. I'm not brave enough to drop everything and run away. Besides, I think Scorpius and I are comfortable with making decisions as they come to us."

"Well I'm glad to hear that . . . What decisions have the two of you made?" Ginny asked carefully.

Lily avoided her mother's eyes, and played around with a few bottles of perfume on the vanity desk. "What do you mean?"

"Well have you two decided what you're going to do when you go back to school?" Ginny replied.

"He's going to train, and I'll go to school. When the chance arises, we'll see each other," Lily answered.

"And you think that'll work?" Victoire commented.

"I'm not afraid of losing him, and vice-versa. We know we'll be fine," Lily said firmly.

"Well there are other decisions that couples make before they are forced apart for a set time," Ginny mentioned.

Again, Lily raised a brow. "What kind of decisions?"

"Well . . . decisions that are more of an adult nature," Ginny said hesitantly.

"Sex?" Lily asked bluntly.

Ginny sighed. "Ok, we can be honest, good." Ginny set the brush down, and Lily turned to look at her mother fully. "Look, your father doesn't know we're having this discussion, so I want us to all be honest about this."

Lily took in a deep breath. Although it wasn't a conversation she wanted to have, she'd rather it be with her mother than with her dad. "Ok, fine. You start."

Ginny moved so that she sat next to Victoire on the bed. "Lily, have you and Scorpius discussed the topic of sex?"

Lily momentarily bit the inside of her cheek before deciding her answer. "Yes, we have."

"And what did the two of you decide?" Ginny inquired.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. Honest. She could trust her mum not to tell her father. And her mum was always more accepting about these things. She had told Lily she would be. "Well, in February we decided that we were ready and it was the right time," she said truthfully.

Ginny looked at her daughter with pure surprise, while Victoire looked at Lily with curiosity. "You mean that you two have . . . ?" Ginny trailed off.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, we have."

They were all quiet for a moment. Ginny seemed to be taking it all in, Lily and Victoire waited for her to say something.

"Well . . . you two were safe about it, right? You used a contraceptive spell?" Ginny asked.

Lily pushed her hair away from her shoulders. "Actually, I asked Victoire to give me the recipe for a potion, and I've been using that," she explained.

"I gave her the instructions for the one that we recommend to women at St. Mungo's," Victoire assured Ginny. "And I know easily that it's something Lily can make correctly, especially with her skills."

"And you've been keeping up on them? You've taken them every time you were supposed to?" Ginny questioned.

"I never miss one," Lily assured. "That's the last thing I need." Lily hesitated, but then asked anyways. "You're not telling Dad, right?"

"We haven't been married long enough for me to want his head to explode," Ginny retorted. "I'll wait until you're about thirty or forty to let him know that you're not a virgin."

Lily grinned as she relaxed in her chair. "Well, is there anything else you were wanting to talk about? I feel like that was the main point."

"Well I didn't expect it to go that smoothly. You seem to have covered everything I wanted to be sure you knew," Ginny replied.

"Mum, the process is the same as when we had this talk seven years ago. I think I get it," Lily teased.

"At least your dad hasn't actually talked to you about it," Victoire stated. "It was much more horrible than when my mother talked to me."

"I cannot believe my brother did that to you," Ginny mentioned to Victoire.

"Well he never brought it back up once I told him I was waiting until I got married," Victoire pointed out.

"I should lie and tell Dad that," Lily mumbled.

"I should check on him, now that I think about it. If Scorpius arrived, the last thing he would do is warn us. It gives him more time to glare and interrogate him," Ginny sighed as she stood up.

"Oh, Teddy would probably let us know," Victoire replied.

"Still, I'd better be sure. Are you girls coming down?" Ginny inquired as she opened the door.

"In a minute," Victoire answered before Lily could speak.

"Well, if he's not here, Scorpius will be here soon, and dinner will be done. So don't take too long," Ginny told them before shutting the door behind her.

Victoire turned to smile at Lily. "So, last February?"

Lily smiled sheepishly. "It happened on Valentine's Day."

Victoire practically squealed. "Really? That's so sweet!"

Lily shrugged while trying not to blush. "I guess. We didn't really choose that day to be overly romantic about it. It just happened on that day."

Victoire gave her a knowing look. "But it was absolutely perfect, wasn't it."

Finally, Lily could no longer suppress her bright smile. "Yeah, it was."

"Hey, come down for dinner!" Teddy called out loudly.

"In other words, Scorpius is here," Victoire said with a laugh. "Come on."

Lily followed Victoire out to the hall, and when they descended the stairs, Lily could hear voices in the living room. A deep voice in particular caught her attention, and made her feet head straight there. Sure enough, Scorpius was sitting casually on the couch, talking with Teddy. Her father was surprisingly nowhere in sight.

Both men turned their head when Lily stepped into the room, and Scorpius immediately stood up from his seat, a small smile on his lips. "Well hey there, beautiful," he murmured as he casually approached her.

Lily smiled happily at him. "Hi," she greeted. The kiss he planted on her lips was chaste but sweet.

"We were just discussing N.E.W.T. results. They should be coming out soon," Teddy commented as he stood up too.

"I was telling Ted about how I was planning to join the Auror training program," Scorpius replied as he led Lily to the hall.

"That's three people I know," Teddy stated. "You, Al, and Rose."

When they got to the dinner table, Scorpius pulled a chair out for Lily before sitting next to her. "Well I've been interested in being an Auror for a while now."

"When did you decide you wanted to be an Auror, Scorpius?" Victoire asked curiously as she also sat down.

"Well the idea popped into my head in about my second year. But I was sure about it in my fourth," Scorpius told her.

"Well you're in for a treat then, Lily," Ginny said as she brought the last bit of food to the table. "The odd hours of an Auror are always fun to deal with."

Lily smiled. "Where is Dad, by the way?"

"Right here," Harry muttered as he came in and sat down. "I was finishing up a bit of work in my study."

"Hello, Mr. Potter. It's great to see you again," Scorpius greeted.

The hesitation from her father was obvious. "Hello, Scorpius. How have you been?"

"Oh, same as always," Scorpius said with a sigh. Once everyone had been seated, and their plates made, a small silence settled over them for a moment.

"So, Lily, how do you think you did on your O.W.L. exams?" Victoire asked, finally breaking the ice.

Lily shrugged. "Well enough. I wouldn't say I did perfect, but I'm sure I didn't fail any."

"With how much you guys worked this year, I'd doubt anyone really failed," Scorpius commented.

"So, even if you do excellently on all your tests, you're still going to be a model?" Harry inquired.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad, I am."

"I've been barking up that tree for almost a year now, Mr. Potter," Scorpius said with a sigh. "She refuses to try something different."

"She's as stubborn as her mother," Harry muttered.

"I think it's a Weasley woman thing," Teddy mentioned.

"You men realize we're still here, right?" Ginny demanded with a raised brow.

Scorpius grinned as he looked at Lily. "Lucky for me, I don't live with mine yet. This won't haunt me later tonight."

"No, it'll wait until tomorrow," Lily retorted.

"I have young children at my house. Any yelling would wake up the baby," Teddy joked.

"Maybe I'll let Mum keep them for the entire night," Victoire mocked.

"I've learned not to fight against 'em, Ted," Scorpius warned. "You never win."

"Yeah, but it's just habit for me to try," Teddy laughed.

"So, Scorpius, what are your plans for the summer?" Harry questioned.

"Well until test results come in, I'll just be relaxing. Once they do come, I'll be sending them to you, and then just waiting until training starts," Scorpius answered.

"So you're serious about being an Auror?" Harry replied.

"As serious as can be," Scorpius assured.

"It's a lot of training. The only days you don't train really are holidays," Harry told him.

Scorpius shrugged. "If that's what it takes."

Lily quickly took a bite of her food, trying not to sigh or show how uncomfortable the thought of the extent of Scorpius's training made her feel.

The dinner went on well enough in Lily's mind. As time went, her father seemed less hesitant and hostile to Scorpius, and was once again politely friendly. In fact, it almost seemed as if her dad enjoyed talking to Scorpius, which Lily was sure he did. The two men were a lot alike in some senses. They talked to each other for a good amount of the dinner, from work as an Auror, to recent politics, and had somehow gotten to telling funny stories from their times at Hogwarts. It amazed Lily, but she didn't dare to comment on it. Why take a chance on ruining it?

When they had all finished eating, Lily led Scorpius away from the table, since her father was finally caught in a conversation with Teddy. She took a hold of his wrist, and took him from the room.

"Where are we going?" Scorpius asked softly.

"My room," Lily said simply.

"Um, is that a good idea?" Scorpius inquired hesitantly.

"As long as I keep my door open," Lily replied as she opened her door wide.

Scorpius stepped inside her room, and Lily repressed the urge to shut and lock it. Old habits may die hard, but she was getting good at ignoring them. She turned and smiled at how familiar he seemed in her room, yet how strange it was to see her eighteen-year-old boyfriend sitting on the bed she'd had since she was almost four.

Scorpius reached out and took her hand, pulling her a little closer. "What are you thinking about?" he whispered.

"That you and my father got on surprisingly well for him being so stubborn," Lily teased. "Which is probably where I actually get it from partly. I think it's half and half between my mum and him."

Scorpius smirked. "Like I told you years ago. I like your dad."

Lily sighed as she moved to sit next to him. "Well he probably won't admit it for another twenty years, but I think he likes you too," she replied as she rested her head on his shoulder, keeping her hand in his.

"I can accept that," Scorpius murmured.

Lily closed her eyes, relaxed, and almost a little tired. "I had a talk with my mum before I came downstairs tonight."

Scorpius rested his cheek against her hair. "What about?"

"About the decisions we have ahead of us. Decisions we've already made, and such," Lily sighed.

"Like what?"

"Mainly concerning sex," Lily said honestly. "She won't tell my dad, so I told her the truth."

Scorpius made a sound of approval. "And what future decisions?"

"What we planned to do once I went to school," Lily told him. "I told them that I would go to school, you would train, and we'd see each other when we could." She sighed. "It doesn't seem like it's going to be much anymore."

"We'll have holidays," Scorpius pointed out. "And if I can ever get a chance to sneak out to Hogsmeade at night."

"You'll be exhausted," Lily argued. "My uncle Ron is one of the trainers, and he's told a lot of stories about how those that make past a week are still dead on their feet."

"You'd be worth losing the sleep," Scorpius replied.

"Scorpius, being an Auror is important to you. I know you're going to want to focus on it, and that you're going to throw all you've got into it. And I understand that you're going to be worn out more nights than not," Lily countered.

"So you don't want me to come out and see you?" Scorpius mumbled with confusion.

Lily sighed again. "I just don't want you to run yourself ragged."

Scorpius kissed her hair. "We'll figure something out, babe," he assured. "I promise."

Lily hoped he was right.

* * *

After Lily had showered, dried, and dressed for bed, she stepped out of her bathroom to find her mother sitting on her bed.

"Hey, Mum. What's up this time?" Lily asked curiously as she picked up her brush and began to run it through her hair.

"Well I thought I'd let you know that your father has actually yet to complain about your boyfriend since before we had dinner tonight," Ginny commented.

Lily smiled. "Well that's good." She put her brush down, and then moved to sit on her bed next to her mother.

Ginny pushed Lily's hair from her eyes. "Lily, I know it's not easy being apart for two years. I'm sure you can handle it. I did, and it was under much dire circumstances."

Lily nodded. "I know, I know. But it's still a little daunting."

"Time apart always is," Ginny agreed. "But you grow accustomed to it. Especially when he finishes and your father starts sending him out on missions."

Lily grinned dryly. "Stop, Mum. You're making it sound like so much fun."

Ginny rolled her eyes and smiled. "Lily, do you love him?"

"Of course I do."

"And he loves you?"

"Yes."

"Then you'll be fine," Ginny assured. "Some times we have to do things or deal with things that we don't really like in order to be happy in the long-run. It's all part of life."

Lily sighed. "I know."

"And sometimes we have to deal with things that stink."

"I know, Mum, I know," Lily said with a laugh. "No need for a life lesson. I know how life can suck sometimes. Believe me, I know."

Ginny squeezed her daughter's shoulder. "I'm sorry that you know so well at fifteen."

Lily shrugged. "I play what I was given. I can't change anything. Besides, I don't think I would if I could."

"Really? Why do you say that?" Ginny asked curiously.

"Well we are the way we are because of our experiences and the problems life throws at us. And I think my life is just perfect for me, and it's not something I want to change."

* * *

The news wasn't expected. It hadn't slipped Lily's mind, but she hadn't expected to hear it when she did. But when her father smiled and handed her the paper over breakfast, the headline made Lily want to laugh, dance, and party all at the same time.

"_Hogwarts Governors Vote to Keep Headmaster Jacob Brown."_

Lily didn't bother reading what Skeeter had written. She really didn't care who had voted what. It only mattered that the majority had voted to bring him back. And breakfast wasn't even finished when Hugo ran into the room, holding his own copy of the _Daily Prophet_.

"Have you heard?" Hugo asked with an eager grin.

Lily held up their copy of the paper. "I heard."

Hugo laughed. "I almost choked on my biscuit when I read this! I've never heard more fantastic news, than to hear about how Heyes is getting kicked out on his arse!"

"Now we've just got to wait until they all get evaluated," Lily said happily.

"Well first we have to wait until the Wizengamot makes its decision. And we won't hear about that until the fifteenth," Harry told them. "Hermione and I have to go and listen to the verdict."

"Can we go?" Hugo asked with excitement. "I wanna see their faces!"

"Yeah, can we?" Lily pleaded.

Harry chuckled into his coffee mug. "I guess so."

Hugo punched the air in victory. "How can this summer get better?"

Lily had the feeling that it _would _get even better. First with the eleventh, and then with the fifteenth.

* * *

Lily was just finishing up her look with a bit of lip gloss when there was a knock on her bedroom door.

"Who is it?" Lily called. Because she knew if it was one of her parents, she was going to have to make an excuse as to why she was looking ready for a party more than a simple slumber party.

"It's Lucy," she heard being called back softly.

"Come in, Lucy," Lily said as she ran a hand through her loosely curled hair. Her makeup was light as always, and her outfit consisted of a black skirt, which was a length her father would pass out at, with a lace hem, and thin and forest green off the shoulder top. All in all, she thought she looked good.

At the sound of her door closing, Lily turned to see Lucy standing there with a bag. Her hair was in its normal style of curls at the ends. She wore a maroon sweater and jeans, her face free of any makeup.

"Hey, Lily," Lucy greeted almost meekly.

Lily smiled. "Hey. So, did you need to get ready here?"

Lucy's brow furrowed with confusion. "Get ready?"

Lily kept from rolling her eyes. "You were planning to go to the party like that?"

Lucy shrugged. "Most of my clothes are like this," she replied.

Lily sighed as she moved closer and looked Lucy over. "Well, you're most likely my size. Let's try and find you something a little more suited for a party."

Lucy bit her lip as Lily went to her closet. "I don't know, Lily."

"I promise I won't make you wear anything that makes you uncomfortable," Lily promised. She pulled out a simple black v-neck shirt. "Try this on," Lily told her.

Lucy took the shirt from her, and Lily moved over to her dresser. "Are you sure about this party, Lily?"

"Lucy, if you don't want to drink, you don't have to. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. And if it gets to be too much, just tell me or Scorpius, and we'll go back to his place, ok? Now how do you feel about skirts?"

"I've never worn one that was higher than my knees," Lucy admitted.

"Do you wanna keep it that way?" Lily asked.

"Um, I don't know," Lucy stammered.

Lily handed her a denim skirt and black tights. "Then take these. The skirt's a little high, but it's not so short that it stops at your thighs, I promise."

Lucy sighed as she took them. "Ok."

Lily looked over the shirt that Lucy was now wearing. "That shirt looks good on you," Lily complimented.

"I don't think I've ever worn something that was this . . . tight? Revealing?" Lucy mumbled with blushing cheeks.

Lily chuckled as she moved to grab her own overnight bag. "Well you should. You're very pretty."

"Thanks, Lily," Lucy practically whispered. "So, how's this?"

Lily turned around to Lucy fidgeting with the hem of the skirt, but she looked fantastic. "You look great," Lily assured. "And it's not too short for you?"

"Well it's not bad. And I feel better wearing tights under it," Lucy replied.

Lily smiled. "Then we just need one more thing." Lily dug through her bag, and then held out a hair tie. "Put your hair up. It's thick, so it kind of hides your face, and that's not necessary."

Lucy smiled sheepishly as she pulled her hair up as Lily told her. "So, what are we doing after this?"

"We're Flooing to The Leaky Cauldron first. Hugo will be getting off of work really soon, and we'll meet Scorpius and Lars there. Then they are going to Apparate us to Scorpius's flat, where we'll drop our things off, and then we'll go to the party," Lily explained.

"It feels a little weird lying to my parents about something like this. I've never done it before," Lucy sighed.

Lily pulled the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "The only part that's a lie is about where you're staying. Otherwise, it's a night for you."

"But what about you? You're lying about staying at your _boyfriend's_ flat," Lucy retorted.

Lily shrugged. "I've done it before. Maybe I'm immune to being guilty about it."

"You're lucky then," Lucy replied.

"That's one way of thinking," Lily whispered to herself.

* * *

"Must we do this?" Scorpius whispered to Lily as they walked behind Lucy, Hugo, and Lars. They had Apparated just a few blocks away from the Flint household, and were now walking to the house.

"Scorpius, it's a simple party. It won't kill you," Lily teased. "Besides, Lucy needs a fun night." Lily squeezed his hand. "Besides, you forget that this night is ending with me sleeping next to you until morning."

Scorpius smiled softly. "One pro in a million cons, and it has to be the one I really want."

"It's only a couple of hours," Lily reminded him. "Besides, you just got your test results back yesterday with an E being your lowest grade. We have to celebrate that."

Scorpius brought her hand to his lips. "Ok, I'll deal with this party. For you."

"Here we are," Lars announced as they approached a two-story house near the end of the block. It was a moderate size, brick structure, and a pristine yard.

"I've got to admit, I could see Shannon growing up in a home like this," Hugo joked.

"Yeah, but it doesn't match Adrian," Lily said with a laugh.

"Well just wait. Adrian's made it so that no one can hear the party going on from outside, that way the Muggle neighbors wouldn't complain. Once we step inside, it's going to look a little more like a place Adrian would live, because it's probably trashed by now," Lars warned as he stepped through the gate and walked up a sidewalk path towards a smooth wooden porch.

"It's a pretty house though," Lucy complimented as she looked at it.

"I agree that the inside's a mess by now," Scorpius mocked.

"It's Adrian's party after all," Lars laughed.

When Lars opened the door, Lily smiled at what she saw inside. Music was already assaulting her ears and people she recognized were everywhere. No sooner than when they had all stepped in and shut the door did Adrian appear.

"Lily Lu! Man, it's been forever!" Adrian commented as he pulled her into a short hug.

Lily smiled as his arms dropped from around her. "I know. Not since Christmas, and we didn't talk much then."

"Well now we've all got an entire night to catch up and have fun," Adrian laughed.

"First I want you to meet someone," Lily told him, then she pulled Lucy next to her. "This is my cousin Lucy. She needs a night of fun, and what better place than at a party by Adrian?"

Adrian grinned. "Welcome, Lucy. Gryffindor Keeper, right?"

"Chaser now," Lucy corrected timidly.

"Ah, that's right. Well, feel free to have fun. And don't let anyone give ya trouble. Just say you're Lil's cousin. Her friend's are our friends," Adrian assured. He clapped Lars on the shoulder. "Anyways, I got a few more people to greet, so I'll see you around the house."

Lily looked over at Lucy. "Are you ok with this?"

Lucy took in a deep breath. "Yeah, I think I am."

"Hey, Lil, do you know if Lola is gunna be here?" Hugo asked over the music.

Lily shook her head. "No, I don't. Go see if you can find Shannon. She might know."

Hugo nodded, and then walked away, disappearing into the sea of people. Lucy still looked hesitant to leave the door.

"I'm getting a drink," Lars told them. "Ashley and I broke up, I'm single, and I plan on having a fun night I can't remember. See ya in a bit." Then he too disappeared among the people.

Lily took Lucy's hand. "Come on. I'll introduce you to a few people."

"I'm going to get something to drink too. Do you want something?" Scorpius said softly next to her ear.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, get me whatever. Just make sure Lucy's is nonalcoholic," she told him.

Scorpius nodded, and then walked off. Lily pulled Lucy through the crowd of people, and felt Lucy squeezing her hand, as if to assure she was still there. It took a minute, but Lily finally found who she'd been looking for. The perfect friendly and laid-back person to introduce her cousin too.

"Hey, Lana," Lily greeted happily.

Lana turned away from the three girls she'd been talking with and smiled. "Hey, Lily. I was surprised that you wanted to come to one of these parties."

Lily raised a brow. "Really?"

"Well I know Scor doesn't like them, and I never thought you'd go to one without him," Lana commented.

Lily grinned. "You're right. That's why I convinced him to go. He's getting a drink."

Lana laughed and shook her head. "I've been training that man since I was born, you have him whipped in less than a year."

Lily laughed and shrugged. "I'm a miracle worker," she joked. But then she tugged Lucy forward a little. "Anyways, Lana, this is my cousin Lucy."

Lana smiled at her. "Nice to meet you, Lucy."

Lucy smiled too, but hers was a little more timid. "It's nice to meet you too, Lana."

Lana looked at her knowingly. "You've never been to a party like this before, have you?"

"No, actually. Is it obvious?" Lucy inquired.

"Only by how scared you look, "Lana teased. But then she took Lucy's hand from Lily's. "Mind if I steal you away? I know how to get you comfortable in this environment."

Lucy looked hesitantly over at Lily. "Um, I guess?"

Lana smiled at Lily. "I'll take care of your cousin," she assured.

Lily laughed. "Ok, but one thing first." She brought her lips to Lana's ear and whispered. "She's trying to forget and get over a bad break up, so that's what we're dealing with."

Lana nodded. "I can do that, no problem. Come on, Lucy. We're going to have fun." Lucy sent one hesitant look back at Lily before letting Lana pull her along.

"Well I don't feel bad for not being able to carry three drinks along anymore," Scorpius commented as he practically appeared next to Lily, holding only two cups. He smirked and held one out to her. "There isn't alcohol in either of them," he told her.

Lily nodded and took a drink, almost sighing at the warming taste of butterbeer. "Thanks."

"So, did you really just let my sister drag your cousin off?" Scorpius asked curiously.

Lily nodded. "I'm sure she'll be fine. And like I told her, if she ever wants to leave early, we'll leave."

"Then part of me kind hopes she has a bad time and wants to leave," Scorpius joked.

Lily lightly smacked his shoulder. "Be nice. It's not that bad."

"We haven't been here that long," Scorpius pointed out. "And I can see possible trouble coming now."

"Lily Lu! How long has it been?" Bret Reeser greeted. Lily remembered Bret. He was a good friend of Raven's, although it had been a long time. But she had liked Bret. He was funny and witty. But he looked different now. The dusty blonde hair she remembered was now snow white, and his fair skin was much tanner.

"Enough time for you to have changed this much," Lily said with a smile.

Bret chuckled as he ran a hand through his snowy hair, his other hand holding a drink. "I decided to try something new," he admitted. "But I could say the same about you. You've got pink and green in your hair, and a body that I don't remember you having my last year of school."

Lily rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully, making him laugh. "Bite it," she retorted with a bit of a laugh.

Bret still laughed. "Ah, I'm just playing. You look good, Lil."

"Well so do you," Lily replied. "How have you been?"

"Well I've mainly been going from job to job, looking for something that grabs my interest," Bret told her. "Although I was briefly married."

Lily looked at him in surprise and confusion. "What?"

Bret chuckled. "Met a girl, and we thought we'd give a try."

"So how long is brief?" Lily inquired.

"Four months," Bret said with a laugh.

Lily rolled her eyes and laugh. "Only you, Bret."

He shrugged and grinned. Then looked over at Scorpius. "How you been Scor? It's been a while since I seen you too."

Scorpius shrugged as well. "Not much. Just graduated."

"Oh, that's right!" Bret said as if remembering. "I remember seeing you go up there. I was only really paying attention when they called Layla, after that I kinda zoned out."

"I didn't see you at the graduation," Lily commented.

"Good, that means I hid well," Bret joked. "I only went because my sister was graduating. I had to hide from my parents. They've been harping more and more about how I need a steady job and girl."

Scorpius chuckled. "Can't imagine why they would think that."

"Well I hear that you're the lucky bloke that's dating our pretty flower here," Bret commented with a sly grin.

Lily left the two men to talk, and made her way through a few people. She then found Hugo talking with Lance near the kitchen. "Hey, you two," she greeted.

Lance smiled. "Hey there, Lil. How ya been?"

"Not too bad. Find out if Lola was coming?" Lily asked Hugo.

Hugo shook his head. "She ain't coming. I ran into Miley a few minutes ago, and found out from her. Then Lance and I got to talking about Quidditch."

"Why am I not surprised?" Lily mocked.

Lance and Hugo laughed. "Well what better topic for two guys?" Lance joked.

"Well here's a different topic. How are you and Courtney?" she asked him.

Lance grinned sheepishly. "We're ok. Haven't even had a fight yet."

"That'll change," Hugo muttered.

Lance laughed lightly. "I figured it would. I've been expecting it actually."

Lily smacked Hugo's shoulder. "Don't make it sound like a war approaching. Every couple fights, it's not that bad."

"I didn't say it was bad. You get really used to being yelled at," Hugo teased.

* * *

The party was going extremely well. Lily hadn't seen Lucy since she left with Lana, so Lily assumed that she was having fun. For a while Lily simply took time to catch up with friends she hadn't seen in so long. But of course, that meant they hadn't seen her in so long either.

"Man you are prettier than when I saw you at Christmas," Aaron Goyle complimented.

Lily smiled. "And you are still way too tall."

Aaron chuckled. "I think you're just too short," he told her.

Suddenly a loud roar of sound from a crowd near the kitchen sounded, making everyone in the living room look toward the sound. Then Ted West was pushing his way through a crowd that was rushing out the back door in the kitchen.

"What the hell is going on?" Will Nott asked him.

"Dante and Clete are beating the shit out of each other!" Ted told the people in the living room.

"Shit!" Will cursed before running for the front door. "I'll jump the fence to the back."

"I got the crowd," Aaron told them. Then he was yelling for people to part and back up.

"Scor and Lars are gunna try to stop 'em," Ted yelled to Aaron.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Perfect," she muttered before hurrying to the door as well. Once she got there, Aaron had gotten most of the people to move out of the way and go back inside. But when she stepped outside there was still half a circle of people around the fighting men. Dante had Clete on the ground, and was throwing punch after punch.

That was when Scorpius and Lars broke through part of the crowd. They both pulled Dante off of Clete, but when Clete got up and started for Dante, Lars tackled him back to the ground and held him there. Scorpius had an arm wrapped around Dante's neck, and one of Dante's arms around his back and pressed between them.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Will hissed.

"All right, everyone get back inside!" Aaron commanded. Slowly, the crowd began to retreat inside. Lily moved away from the door, fully intending to stay. But then she caught sight of Lana, an annoyed look on her face, pushing her way through people with Lucy following her. Lily considered going after her, but decided against it, and hurried to where Dante and Clete were still struggling against Lars and Scorpius.

Once the crowd had gone inside, and Will slid the door shut, he turned back to the guys. "Now, what the fuck?"

"It's none of your business," Dante hissed as he tried to pull away from Scorpius.

Scorpius pulled him back, tightening his arm around Dante's neck. Then he leaned back a little, pulling Dante off his feet. "I'll put you down when you calm," Scorpius stated.

Dante kicked his feet at the air, his free hand trying to pull Scorpius's arm away. But after a few moments, he went limp. Scorpius set him back on his feet, but he didn't let him go. Dante took in a large breath, and glared at Clete.

"No one warned me that Montague was a fuckin' psycho!" Clete yelled from the grass.

"Well you're a fucking pervert!" Dante growled.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Lars demanded.

"That son of a bitch was planning to one night stand your sister tonight!" Dante snarled.

Lily looked over at Clete in surprise. Lars was looking at him with a steely look. "Will, come hold him down," Lars commanded.

Will moved immediately and pulled Clete to his feet, letting Lars storm away from him, his fists clenched. Will kept a tight hold on Clete's shoulders.

Although Scorpius was still holding on to Dante, he had his own glare pointed at Clete. "You planned to do what to our sister?" he hissed.

"Hey, she's a grown woman, with her own decisions, and she's single!" Clete argued. "What we did would have been our business!"

"Until her three brothers came and kicked your ass!" Aaron countered. "And as you can see, the three of us are much bigger!"

"Now you have two minutes to redeem yourself before I let him go," Scorpius threatened.

"Ok. All of you stop!" Lily stated firmly as she stepped in-between them, catching all of their attentions. "Ok, first of all, Aaron, Lars, and Scorpius. You have no right to interfere with your sister's life. You can't beat up every guy that has an interest in her, even if his intentions are deplorable. It's her life, not yours."

All three of them avoid her eyes, looking at the grass or at the sky. Lily looked at Dante. "And you. You and Lana broke up mutually to avoid problems if one of you developed feelings for someone else while you were apart. That means you have no claim over her, so you can't go around scaring guys away from her. Now if you wanna finally admit that you love her, or that you made a dumbass mistake, then you go tell her that. It's a lot smarter than pissing her off by fighting over her!" Lily told him. "Now let Clete go inside."

Will let Clete go, and he quickly walked toward the house. Looking around at his friends one last time, Will soon turned to follow him inside.

"Why didn't Parson get a lecture?" Lars demanded.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Because I don't have to be a genius to know that Dante started the fight. And me telling him to not be a jackass toward women would have done nothing. Now, since he's gone, there is no need to strangle Dante."

Quickly, Scorpius let him go and stepped back. Dante rubbed at his neck and moved his wrist around, trying to get feeling back in both areas. He looked at Lily with hesitance. "Am I allowed to go in, Lil?" Dante asked humbly.

"Merlin's sake, you can all go back in," she retorted with a roll of her eyes.

Slowly the boys all began to trail inside, except for Scorpius, who stayed outside with Lily. He ran a hand through his hair. "I feel like an ass."

"You should," Lily replied.

"No, I mean I've been having sex with you since February, I'm surprised your brothers haven't tried to kill me," Scorpius muttered. "Because I wanna kill Parson for just thinking that about my sister."

Lily rolled her eyes again. "First of all, you care more about Lana than my brothers care about me. And second, they don't even know that we've had sex."

"Oh, you know that Albus assumes we have," Scorpius retorted.

"Because he thinks I'm a tramp," Lily argued. "Showing how little he cares for me."

"Either way, I feel like an ass," Scorpius sighed.

"Well tell that to Lana. It might redeem you in her eyes," Lily told him. "And if it will make you feel better, if my dad ever knew, he'd kill you immediately."

Scorpius chuckled. "Well thank you for that reassurance," he mumbled.

Lily smiled. "Come on, let's go back inside. Who knows what excitement's going on now," she sighed.

Scorpius groaned. "When is it time to leave?"

"When Lucy wants to," Lily replied as she took his hand led him to the door.

"This party is making me hate people," Scorpius complained.

"We can snog in an empty room if you stay," Lily mentioned. "Just you and me."

Scorpius's brow rose in interest. "Really?"

Lily grinned coyly. "Really."

"You gotta deal."

* * *

When Lily awoke the next morning, she felt groggy, but nothing more. She was thankful that she hadn't drank much at the party. But when had she really had the time, she had been occupied most of the night. Catching up with friends, lecturing full-grown men about fighting, or snogging her boyfriend had kept her busy for most of the night. And of course getting Lucy back to Scorpius's flat. Then it hit her like lightning.

"Lucy!" Lily whispered in surprise. She hurriedly, but carefully, slipped out of Scorpius's bed without waking him. Then she quickly tiptoed out of the room before rushing to the hall bathroom. But she was too late, because from the open door, she could hear the sounds of someone throwing up. And she wasn't surprised to see that it was Lucy.

Lily walked in and, without a word, held back Lucy's hair as she puked. After a few minutes of nonstop retching, Lily began to wonder how much more Lucy could puke. Finally, a feeble looking hand came up to flush the toilet, while Lucy rested her head on the seat of the toilet.

Lily rubbed her cousin's back sympathetically. "Are you ok, Lucy?"

"Bludger's have hit me more gently," she slurred. "How can people party like this all the time?"

"Well you get used to it, so you throw up less. And you only throw up that badly when you get really smashed," Lily told her.

"I wish you'd have warned me of that," Lucy mumbled.

"Well I didn't think you would drink, and I never thought you would have ever drunk that much in your life," Lily admitted. It had been a great surprise for Lily when she and Scorpius had finally come back down the stairs. She hadn't done anything crazy, but Lucy was certainly more excited and having much more fun. And it was then obvious by how free timid Lucy was acting that she was totally smashed. Lana had told Lily that once Lucy requested one drink, she got a new one once that one was finished.

"And I never will again," Lucy muttered. "And I don't think I'll ever eat again either."

Lily bit back a laugh. "I've got something in my bag that'll get rid of that feeling. Just give me a minute."

Lucy grabbed her wrist. "No, just stay a moment longer," she whispered. Lily nodded and moved to kneel next to her. She saw Lucy's shoulders heave with a sigh. "I was doing great last night . . . and suddenly a thought of Tyler came to me. And then I couldn't help it. I wanted to stop thinking about him. To not remember him. So I had a drink, and another one, and apparently a million more. And all it did was make me feel like crap in the morning, and Tyler is still in my head."

"That idea only works when you continue to drink until it kills you," Lily replied.

"That sucks. I don't think I have the stomach for that. I just puked it all into the toilet," Lucy groaned.

"Let me know when you want me to get you that potion," Lily mentioned.

That was when Lucy gave another violent dry heave. After a fit of choking and coughing, she was finally able to talk. "Now."


	79. Checkmate

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took so long, but I made it extra long for you guys. I threw all the rest of the summer into this chapter, so next will be about them going back to Hogwarts. So, it may seem fast, but a lot of time is going about in this chapter. From mid-July all the way to the end of August. So, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Error note - Just a quick note, sorry for any small mistakes in spelling. My keyboard is sticking, and some keys don't hit the first time. So if I didn't catch one of the mistakes, my bad. But, I'll be getting a new keyboard, so hopefully the next chapter will be better about it.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Checkmate

Lily sighed at the feel of a warm butterbeer sliding down her throat. She relaxed into the stool she sat in, resting her elbows on the counter. Hugo stood in front of her, wiping the counter down. It was around dinner time for most, and the Leaky Cauldron surprisingly wasn't that full. A few tables here and there were occupied.

"So, you talked to Lucy since you helped her home after puking?" Hugo asked.

"No, but my guess is that she's either brooding over Tyler, or trying to get past the fact that she lied to her parents and then got drunk," Lily replied.

"Well once we get to school we can be around more and help," Hugo assured.

"That's a long ways a way though," Lily sighed. But then she looked back at her cousin. "So, have you talked to Lola?"

This time Hugo sighed. "A little yeah. Nothing big or important."

"Is she avoiding the topics?" Lily asked.

"No. But she doesn't bring them up and . . . I just can't bring myself to do it. Every time I start to, I think 'why does it matter,' and then I decide to just forget it," Hugo admitted. He sighed again. "I think we're fallin' apart, Lil. But we're just too comfortable with each other to fight and break up."

Lily gave her cousin a sympathetic look. "Do you love her?"

"Not like I thought I would. And I know you said that it takes time, but my gut tells me that it's not going to happen ever," Hugo murmured.

"Are you ok with that?" Lily inquired gently.

"Well I'm not thrilled about it. I mean, I like what we have. We're comfortable, and we know each other. I can say something stupid and she's not surprised." They both laughed lightly at that. "But, I want more than that, and she deserves more than that. She deserves someone that'll love her. And I don't wanna string her along just because we're comfortable," Hugo said with assurance.

"When are you gunna break it to her?" Lily asked before finishing off her drink.

"First opportunity. No reason to drag it out," Hugo told her.

Lily nodded. "That's probably a good idea." She pushed the empty bottle toward him, and he picked it up and tossed it in the trash. "So, how much longer do you have to work?"

"Another couple hours. When do you have to be home?" Hugo asked.

"Soon. I just told my mum that I was shopping, and I wouldn't be long," Lily told him.

"Did you tell her what you were shopping for?" Hugo asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I told her and my dad. I just hope they don't bring it up. I just want it to be low-key."

"Yeah. I can imagine the shock everyone in the family would have if they learned that you just went out and bought Albus a belated birthday present," Hugo agreed with a chuckle.

Lily grinned. It was true. For the first time, she'd bought Albus a present all on her own. And for the first time since before she was Sorted, she was actually giving him a gift, period. But wanting to avoid any awkwardness or fights, Lily had simply sent it to him. That way he could do with it what he wanted, and she wouldn't know.

"So what did you get him?" Hugo asked curiously.

"A Foe-Glass Mirror. I remember my dad saying that they were really useful to Aurors on missions, so I thought I'd get him something he might need," Lily replied.

"That's not a bad idea. My dad has one on his bedside table," Hugo agreed.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Well, I'd better be going. Knowing my luck, my parents are expecting me for dinner."

"You gunna Floo?" Hugo asked.

"Nah, I'll bus it. I don't feel like spinning through fireplaces until I see the right one. See ya around, Huey."

"Later, Lil."

* * *

The ride on the Knight Bus was as relaxing as it could be. Lily stepped off in front of her house, not even flinching at the "BANG" that announced the bus's departure. Lily yawned a little as she walked to the door. When she opened the door, she was surprised to hear the sound of voices coming down the hall. She silently shut the door, not wanting to disrupt her parents' conversation. Until she walked further down the hall, and heard a voice she knew but never expected.

"It was so nice of you to invite us over, Ginny," the voice of Astoria said happily. Lily stopped in her tracks. What was Astoria doing here? And "us?" So Draco was there as well . . . with her parents? Slowly and quietly, Lily inched closer to the kitchen doorway.

"It was no problem. After all, our children are quite serious about each other, and Lily thinks very highly of you two. I thought it was about time we got together," Ginny stated.

"Well Lily is just a sweetheart. And I have never been more proud of my son than when I heard he decided to finally ask her out," Astoria said with a laugh.

"I had a feeling it was long overdue," Ginny agreed with her own small laugh. "Lily's not hard to read."

"Oh neither is Scorpius. He brooded around the house when she began dating her last boyfriend," Astoria teased. "And each time he saw her in a magazine."

"Well he's like Lily's father that way," Ginny mocked. "He does the same thing."

"Oh he gets his brooding from Draco. They're just alike in those ways," Astoria replied.

"I think we're in for a long ride here, Potter," Draco said with a sigh.

"Well you two men don't seem to have anything to say," Astoria mocked.

Lily could practically feel Draco rolling his eyes. "All right. So, Potter, how often have you wanted to kill my son?"

"Every time I thought of him since he started dating my daughter," Harry replied dryly and honestly.

"Can you choose a better topic?" Ginny requested.

"Well no offense, but aren't we here to discuss our kids?" Draco inquired.

"That's what I figured," Harry retorted.

"Let's face it, Ginny. All men are basically the same," Astoria sighed. "In this case, hardheaded."

"So, I hear both of your sons have moved out now," Draco commented.

"Yes, our youngest finally found a flat with a friend of his a few days ago," Ginny told him.

"Yes, Albus, right?" Astoria questioned.

"Yes, that's him," Ginny assured.

"Must be quiet around here," Draco mentioned.

"It's half and half. Sometimes Lily brings Hugo over, and those two are the best of friends," Ginny replied.

"Otherwise she's off somewhere with your son," Harry added. "In those cases, very quiet."

"I think they're both a bit afraid of being apart for two years," Astoria sighed.

"I know Lily is. But like _her_ father, she's too noble to show it," Ginny stated.

"How is she taking to being the only kid in the house?" Draco questioned.

"Why do you ask that?" Harry inquired politely.

"Well I know why she moved out," Draco retorted. "I guess I just worry about her."

"There's no need to worry about her being in her own home," Harry said tersely.

"I think there is after what the past five years have brought her," Draco countered.

"Will you both stop it?" Ginny demanded.

"You're worse than children," Astoria scolded. "Besides, Draco, I've told you that Lily will be fine no matter where she is. That girl is much more mature and independent than any other girl her age."

"Well that's what happens when life throws you a hard road. You learn to adapt," Harry said with a heavy sigh.

Lily bit her lip as the subtle despair in her father's words. She felt bad herself. Now that she had matured and gotten past what had happened between her and those in her family, the last thing she wanted was for her parents to feel guilty about what she'd gone through. Sure it was bad . . . but she turned out good because of it.

"You know," Ginny spoke after a short silence, "I know it's still a bit of a ways off, but every time one of my mother's grandchildren has a birthday, she has everyone in the family over for a bit of a party. Would you like to come to Lily's? It'll be on the sixth of course."

"Oh that's a wonderful idea! We'd love to come, wouldn't we, Draco?" Astoria said excitedly.

"Yes, of course. Thank you for the invitation," Draco said.

Lily stealthily moved past the doorway, and made her way for the stairs. Unable to help it, a small smile made its way to her face. Her summer was getting better and better.

* * *

Lily hesitated outside her father's study. She knew he was in there, working late into the night. It had to be close to midnight. Softly, she knocked on the door.

"Come in," she heard her father's voice call calmly back.

Lily opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her. As usual, her father was sitting at his desk, scribbling away on a few papers. The shelves in the room were filled with different dark detectors. A Foe-Glass Mirror, four normal Sneakoscopes and an old broken-looking one. There were clippings from newspapers from all different countries and even continents. They were old, some dating back to before she was born, and each held information about a different criminal.

Being in this room always made Lily feel like a little girl again. This room had always seemed to amaze her, and speak so much of her father. To see what he did, it always humbled her.

* * *

**Flashback**

Little four-year-old Lily stood outside her father's study door, listening to what must have been a million voices coming from the inside. The only one she recognized was one voice. Her favorite one.

"So, do we know where he's hold up?" her daddy asked, his voice making Lily smile.

"No clue yet. The guys on the stake out came back with nothing. Not a sight of him, nothing suspicious," another man answered.

"Looks like we got some false information," a man commented.

"Well we knew that the source wasn't very reliable. I think it's time that we did a bit of undercover work. What do you think, Harry?" a different man asked.

"I think there's a little girl standing outside the door. Come in, Lily," Harry called.

Lily's eyes went wide, and with a little fear of being in trouble, she slowly opened the door, and took tiny steps inside. There were actually only five men in the room, her daddy included. Lily cowered by the door, a little intimidated by the sight of the other tall men in the room. But then her daddy smiled at her, making her smile as well. She hurried over to him, and he lifted her onto his lap.

"Sorry, let's continue," Harry told the men. "What were you saying, Michael?"

A tall man with thinning brown hair cleared his throat. "Um, Harry, should we still be discussing this in present company?" he asked, glancing down quickly at Lily.

Harry smiled fondly as he smoothed down his daughter's hair. "She's already heard enough behind the door. Trust me. Continue."

"Well," one of the other men spoke, this one looking to be her daddy's age, "I was just asking what you thought about us doing some undercover work?"

"It might be necessary at this point. The minister is needing something to give to the public about this man. We need to progress. But we're going to need to choose someone not on the team. I'm sure that Crane knows that we're attempting to track him by now," Harry said with a sigh.

"Well we can't use a new recruit. We need someone with experience," the balding man commented.

"Have Halver and Kettle come to my office tomorrow morning. I think those two might be perfect for the assignment," Harry told them. "Anyways, thank you for coming to inform me of the mission. But if you'll excuse me, I'll just see you all in the morning."

"Of course."

"Absolutely."

"Yes, sir."

"Tomorrow morning it is."

One by one the men trailed out of her father's study. Lily sat on his lap, watching until the last one closed the door. Once they had all gone, Harry looked down at his little girl. "And may I ask what you were doing behind that door?" he asked with a smile.

Lily shrugged her shoulders. "Nothin'," she retorted.

Harry chuckled. "Really?"

"Yup," she said popping the "p" with a smile. "What were you talking about?"

"We were discussing how to keep you and the world safe," he told her.

Lily looked up at him with wide and admiring eyes. "Really? The whole world?"

"Well mostly you. That's more important," Harry told her.

"Really?" Lily asked.

"Really. Keeping you safe is more important than keeping the whole world safe," Harry assured.

* * *

**End of Flashback**

At that time, Lily had been so awed that her father was always out saving and protecting the world. And it amazed her that some of that work took place in that very room in her own home. After that day, she always felt so safe and awed when she walked into the study.

Now, her father looked up at her from his paperwork, and gave her that same smile he gave her eleven years ago. "What are you still doing up, princess?" Harry asked.

Lily shrugged, again humbled and unsure of exactly what to say. "I don't know. I can't sleep. I just thought I might come sit in here with you until I got tired, if that's ok?"

Harry picked up his wand, and with a simple flick, a chair near the wall flew over to sit next to the side of the desk. "Of course. Come sit."

Lily smiled as she padded over to the chair and sat down, pulling her feet up as well. It was a comfortable chair, and still big enough that she could fit her whole body on.

They sat in silence for a few long moments, and Lily was happy to know that she felt comfortable sitting with her father in his study again. She was sure that if she had done this months ago, an argument would have broken out between them. But now, it was serene. Until her father felt fit to interrupt their silence.

"So, what did you think of what you heard of the conversation between your mother, me, and the Malfoys?" he asked her curiously.

Lily looked at her father in surprise, but then sighed and relaxed, smiling. "How do you always know when I'm standing by and listening?"

Harry chuckled. "You always have something that gives you away. This time I heard the front door shut, but I didn't hear your feet going down the hall."

"How do you notice things like that?" Lily asked with a small laugh.

"Princess, when you've been an Auror for as long as I have, you pick up on things like that. You notice the little things," Harry explained as he switched papers, and began to write on a different one. "And be ready, because these days we train our perspectives to notice those things. By the time he's finished, Scorpius will be aware of those things as well."

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. "You and Mum both make the idea of my boyfriend being an Auror more fantastic with each conversation," she mocked.

"We're just preparing you," Harry said with a smile.

Lily sighed. Scorpius being an Auror wasn't something she really wanted to talk about at the moment. "So, I sent Albus his gift while I was in Diagon Alley."

"What did you end up getting him?" he asked.

"A Foe-Glass Mirror. I thought he'd need one," Lily replied.

"He'll get great use out of it once he's done training. It's a perfect gift for him," Harry assured her. Then he looked over at her, and his smile was honest. "Lily, I'm proud of you for taking the steps to mend things between you and your brothers."

Lily shrugged, feeling a little modest all of the sudden. "Well, I just got tired of the fighting. I'm not going to say that I don't remember how it started, because I do. And I haven't forgotten how it's hurt. But I don't want it to keep hurting. So I've got to get past it."

"And I'm proud of you for realizing that," Harry murmured. "And not a day is going to go by where I'm not going to regret stepping in sooner."

"Dad," Lily interrupted, "you did try. Both you and Mum. But the three of us were too stubborn and angry to listen. And now that I've moved on, I don't want you and Mum to feel bad about it."

"Lily," Harry sighed. He turned his chair so that he was facing her, and reached out to place a hand on her knee, "it's never easy for a parent when they find out their child has been suffering and they didn't help them."

"Dad, I never let you guys help me. I admit that pushed my family away, and that I did things I knew would make you angry. You can't blame yourself because I wouldn't let you help. It wasn't your fault that I was angry at everyone," Lily countered gently.

"But as a parent, I can feel upset that my child has suffered. And as a father, I can feel terrible that my little girl has suffered through most of her teen years," Harry said softly.

Lily sighed and pushed her hair away from her face and off her shoulder. "I'm sure you suffered more than I did during your teen years."

"Lily, I was suffering through a war. The circumstances are different," Harry retorted.

"Each generation suffers in a different way," Lily told him. "This was just my way. After all, whose life is perfect without going down a tough road first?"

Harry chuckled quietly. "I keep forgetting that you've always been wiser than your age. You've been surprising me with your thoughts and beliefs ever since you learned to talk."

Lily grinned a little. "Well I'd like to think that some of my childish views have changed by now."

"Well part of me hopes not. Some of them were so simple that they were perfect," her father spoke softly. They were quiet for another few moments, until her father set down his quill and neatly stacked his papers. "How about you and I turn in for the night? It's late, and your mother will expect us both for breakfast, not to mention I have to work tomorrow."

Lily nodded as she slowly got up from the chair, her legs a little stiff. "Ok," she sighed.

They left the room, her father turning off the light and shutting the door. Then both of them began to move down the hall.

"Lily, may I ask you something?" Harry spoke quietly, although his voice sounded clearly in the dark hall.

"What is it, Dad?" Lily inquired.

"Scorpius is very serious about becoming an Auror, isn't he?" he mentioned.

Lily nodded. "Yes, he is."

"I received his test scores. They were excellent, along with his application. So I sent him a letter, telling him to come down to take a few character and aptitude tests, although I'm sure he'll make it through," he told her.

"I never doubted him. But, what's your question?" Lily asked.

"Well, after the hearing on the fifteenth, Hermione, me, and a few other ministry members are planning to have lunch. Do you think Scorpius would like to join us?" Harry questioned.

They stopped outside Lily's bedroom, and Lily looked at her father in surprise. "Oh! Um, I'm sure he'd love that. Scorpius is always interested in what's going on the ministry. I know he'd jump at the chance to have lunch with some of them," Lily told him.

Harry smiled at her. "Well, I got a letter yesterday saying that he would be coming in tomorrow to take those tests. I'll invite him then. I just thought I'd ask you if it was something he'd enjoy."

Lily smiled as well, knowing what he was trying to do. "Thanks, Daddy."

Harry leaned down to kiss the side of his daughter's forehead. "Good night, princess."

Lily listened more than watched as her father walked down the hall toward his bedroom. Then she heard the door open and shut.

"Goodnight, Daddy."

* * *

On the morning of the fifteenth, Lily woke up with a smile. It was finally the day of the Wizengamot's verdict, and Lily and Hugo would be going personally to hear them give it. And although the last thing she ever wanted was to see Marigold Brunt again, seeing the look on her face when the Wizengamot announced the board would be scrutinized and reappointed would be worth it.

She showered, dried her hair, and then dressed in a casual shirt and skirt. Then after putting her hair up, she walked down to breakfast. Her parents were already beginning to eat, and a plate sat waiting for Lily.

"Good morning," Lily greeted with a smile.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Ginny greeted.

"You're in a chipper mood," Harry commented.

"Well I've got a great day ahead of me," Lily replied as she sat down. "The fabulous moment when the Wizengamot gives their verdict, a lunch outing with Hugo, and a late date with Scorpius. Plus, I got a letter from Brandon last night, asking me to meet him on the twenty-first so we can discuss my career and our new partnership. How could I not be in a great mood?"

"You have quite the day planned. Do you plan on coming home?" Ginny teased.

Lily laughed. "By midnight, of course. Besides, now that Dad's softened up to Scorpius, he wouldn't dare risk ruining it by keeping me out too late."

Harry looked down at his plate and shrugged. "Well you insist on being in love with him, so what can I do at this point but accept it?" he mumbled.

Lily and Ginny looked at each other knowingly. Lily felt elated, and tried not to look smug. She knew. Her dad liked and approved of Scorpius . . . finally!

* * *

When Lily stepped into the ministry with her father, Hugo, and Hermione, she found herself looking around as usual. The ministry was always so busy and grand. It'd been awhile since she'd been there, although she used to visit just about every day before she went to Hogwarts. She always came with her mum to drop off a lunch for her father.

"Harry! Hermione!" a distant man called as he made his way towards them.

"You kids go on ahead. We'll meet you down there," Hermione told the teens.

Hugo and Lily looked at each other, then shrugged. They made their way to the lift, which was thankfully empty. Immediately, they went down.

"Happy it's empty?" Hugo teased.

Lily rolled her eyes, but Hugo knew her, and her history. People always seemed to recognize Lily when she came to the ministry, trapping her in conversations with people she didn't know. Her uncle Ron blamed it on her father. Apparently she was famous around the Auror Office alone.

When they reached their floor, Lily and Hugo stepped onto the stone floor, and then stopped. Lily didn't know what kind of luck they had to see Brunt and her small group of soon to be former governors at that moment. But they didn't even have the chance to sneak away without being noticed. Because Brunt saw them immediately. So Hugo and Lily walked forward, calmly and without a word.

But the small group looked to be seething, and Brunt didn't seem to want to go down without a word. "What are you two doing here?" she demanded.

"We came with our parents to hear the verdict," Lily said simply.

"I don't buy that," Napoleon hissed.

"Luckily we didn't make you pay to hear it then," Hugo mocked. "Anyways, we have a verdict to hear, so if you'll excuse us."

But Brunt didn't move. "I'm going to say this now. I worked too hard to get on this board, and I've worked even harder to get where I am now. And I've slaved on that board to get the appropriate type of people on the board. I will not let two kids get me kicked off, and I won't let you ruin our school!"

"It's not your school!" Lily snapped back with a look of steel. "It's _our_ school. You don't learn there, _we_ do. You no longer make lifelong memories and friends there, _we_ do. It's our school now. And we'll be dammed if we let _you_ ruin it. It's not your school to run anymore."

"We are not afraid of two little children!" Edwards hissed.

Hugo glared at him. "You think we're afraid of you? You couldn't handle us while you trapped us behind the walls of the school. You really think you can handle us when we're out and back in the eyes of the media? I'll say _this_ now. I think our connections outrank yours."

At the even more enraged and furious looks, Lily placed a hand on Hugo's arm. "Now, as we said, we've got a verdict to hear."

They began to walk past and away from them. But Hugo looked at Edwards as he went by him. "Boo," he mocked.

Later, Lily and Hugo found themselves sitting in the court room, while their parents stood in the middle, as did the Board of Governors. The members of the Wizengamot sat high above them all, seeing everything before them.

The Chief Warlock was a man that Lily knew in passing. Her father had once introduced him to her when she was younger. His name was Andrew Monk. Now, he cleared his throat before speaking. "Today we are here to deliver our response to the request that The Board of Governors for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry be investigated for corruption and undesirable intentions, and then reappointed and reorganized. This request of course was made by Head Auror, Harry James Potter, and a Senior Personnel for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Hermione Jean Weasley. They have stated their case, given evidence to show that there is indeed corruption within the board. And we have listened to several of the governors, who believed that it was unnecessary to take these precautions. These governors were Marigold Brunt, Brady Edwards, Clyde Brookes, and Alicia Martins. And let us be reminded that some of the board didn't mind the request, and thought that it might be needed as well."

Lily looked down at the governors. Lily hadn't recognized two of the names stated. They couldn't have been part of Brunt's group. They had sniffed all of them out before the year had ended.

Monkspoke again. "Now, I would like all of those involved to know that we have spent a long time deliberating over this matter. We have discussed it for long hours, and have taken in all evidence provided, physical and verbal. So, we will now hold our vote. All of those in favor of denying this request, please raise your hands."

Lily watched as only a small handful of hands rose. She felt excitement and a bit of proud smugness once she realized that it was nowhere near half of them.

"Now, all of those in favor of accepting their request, and having The Board of Governors investigated and reorganized, please raise your hands."

The amount of hands that rose was staggering in comparison to the last vote, and it made Lily wanted to laugh. She could hear Hugo chuckled beside her. She looked over at the governors, and was surprised and little disappointed to see a blank look on Brunt's face.

"The request made by Mr. Potter and Mrs. Weasley has been accepted. Minster Shacklebolt will be choosing those to head the investigation. But the inclusion of the Wizengamot is at an end, this case is over," Monk dismissed.

Lily and Hugo hurried down to their parents, both smiling even more brighter than either adult.

Harry placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Work out to your approval?" he asked with a chuckle.

"More then you could ever know," Lily replied.

Hermione sighed as she smiled. "Well, I understand you two are going off to have a lunch of your own. Would you like us to walk out with you?"

"Mum," Hugo complained, "we're not children. We know our way out."

Hermione rolled her eyes at her son. "You are too much like your father. And cut your hair," she commented as she ruffled Hugo's hair. Hugo scowled lightly and moved away from his mother's hand.

After saying their goodbyes, Lily and Hugo separated from their parents and left the room. And for the second time that day, they found themselves alone in a hall with Brunt's group. The adults looked at the two with anger and suspicion, but Hugo and Lily kept looks of calm on their faces, and kept walking. But unable to help herself, Lily spoke.

"Hugo, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I know the proper word to fit this morning," Lily mentioned as they got closer to Brunt and her lackeys.

"What word would that be, Lily?" Hugo asked with a mock look of innocence, and curiosity in his voice.

Lily looked at Brunt as they began to pass them in the hall. "Checkmate."

* * *

Lily and Hugo relaxed as they sat at an outside table at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, both with their own sundae. Hugo now had on his beanie. Lily had laughed at him when he pulled the bunched up hat out of his pocket.

"My mum hates when I wear it," he had told her with a chuckle.

They were both content to be outside, and to have a whole day ahead of them. And after their morning, it looked so much brighter.

"You know," Hugo commented as he scooped up a bit of ice cream with his spoon, "I think I might get my hair cut again. It is a little long. But lately I've been contemplating on whether or not I want to get rid of the black in my hair."

Lily hummed as she swallowed a spoonful. "Personally, I've gotten kind of used to seeing red and black poking out of that hat. It might be weird to see it just red," she teased. "But I know what you mean. It's always a bit of extra work to hide the color in my hair temporarily for every photo shoot I do. And now that Brandon has finally set up a lunch date for us to go over things, I'm sure he's got a few lined up. It might just be easier if I got rid of the pink and green."

"I'd keep the pink," Hugo told her. "I don't know why, but it looks cool, since your red hair's a few shades darker than the Weasley red."

Lily twirled her pink bangs around her finger. "Hmm. Maybe. You know, a few days ago Scorpius had Lana take out the green streaks in his hair. It was really quite surprising to see."

"He didn't warn you?" Hugo inquired.

"No, he wanted to see my face apparently," Lily said with a roll of her eyes. "I mean, I love his hair just blonde as well, I just wasn't expecting it."

"Well hell, hasn't his hair been like that for like a few years now? You get used to things, and it's a bit surprising to see it change suddenly," Hugo replied.

"Hugo? Lily? What are you guys doing here?"

They both turned to see Connie Wood walking toward them, dressed for the warm weather, her hair tied up as well.

"Hey, C," Hugo greeted. "We're just celebrating our win against the governors."

Connie's eyes lit up. "You mean they're getting reappointed?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Investigation starts right away."

Connie grinned happily. "That's awesome. Just made my crappy day a bit better."

"Why was your day crappy to begin with?" Hugo questioned.

"Because I'm working today," Connie muttered. "In fact, I'd better get inside."

"You mean you work here?" Lily asked curiously.

Connie practically groaned. "Yes. My mum made me get a job for the summer. She said I was too lazy. Just because Corbin was always out playing Quidditch and I don't do the same. So I started working here a few weeks ago."

"You should have gotten a job at The Leaky Cauldron," Hugo told her. "I could use the company during my shifts since Lil quit."

"Well, if this job keeps sucking, I might," Connie replied. "But, I'll see you two around. Later."

"Bye," Lily said.

"Later," Hugo said through a mouthful. After a brief moment of silence, Hugo sighed. "So, I hope this doesn't damp the mood, but I'm meeting up with Lola later today. It'll be the first time we've seen each other since I made my decision."

Lily raised a brow. "You're breaking up with her today?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah."

"Be gentle, otherwise the rest of us girls won't be gentle when we beat the hell out of you," Lily warned.

Hugo grinned dryly. "I was planning to be anyways. Besides, I'm sure she'll agree. We've hardly seen each other since we had sex, and our talks on the phone have been a bit dull and dry. Too overly casual. When I bring it up, I don't think she'll be surprised."

"Well, I'll be home some time before midnight," Lily mentioned. "If you want to, you can come over and talk about it."

Hugo sighed again. "Nah, I think I'll be ok. But I'll tell you about it on my next day off from work. I know I'm working for the next few days at least."

"You pick the day, and the tree house will be waiting for us," Lily assured.

* * *

"The lunch was awesome!" Scorpius told Lily as they sat in a quaint restaurant in Muggle London. "And your dad was really humble when he said it was just going to be members of the ministry."

"Who else was there?" Lily asked curiously.

"Minister Shacklebolt, Johnathan Layfield, who's the Head of Hit Wizards, Nigel Capra from the Improper Use of Magic Office, Ted, your uncle Percy. It was a great lunch," Scorpius said with a smile.

Lily smiled at how excited he seemed. "Well, since you're so excited and happy, maybe now might be a good time to tell you something you might not exactly like," she mentioned.

Scorpius raised an amused brow. "And what would that be?"

"That I'm going to be meeting Brandon Avery for lunch in a few days, so we can discuss our partnership concerning my career as a model," Lily told him.

Scorpius looked at her calmly, but slowly began to chew the bite in his mouth. When he finally swallowed, he cleared his throat. "So, you've agreed to work with Brandon?"

"Awhile ago, actually. I just wasn't sure how to tell you something you'd hate to hear. But then I figured why prolong it? I'd have to tell you eventually," Lily replied.

Scorpius leaned back in his seat, running a hand over his hair. "Well, how much do you think you'll be working for the rest of the summer?"

"I told him I couldn't work a whole lot this summer," Lily retorted. "I told him that when I first spoke to him weeks ago."

"Why is that?" Scorpius inquired.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You know why. Our time together is limited. And in about a month you'll begin your training, and I still won't have gone to school."

Scorpius nodded. "Ok, ok. I know, and I don't like it anymore than you do. But if you remember, I'm not a fan of your career choice."

"Well at least mine is flexible," Lily countered.

Scorpius rubbed at his temples. "Lily, I don't want to argue about this. It's not going to get us anywhere."

Lily sighed. "Well I'm not a fan of having this argument either. Agree to disagree, then?"

Scorpius nodded. "Sounds like a plan." Then he reached across the table to take her hand in his. "Lily, know matter how little we see each other while I'm training, I'm not going to love you any less in the time apart."

Lily squeezed his hand. "I know," she whispered. "I've never thought you would. But it doesn't make the idea of practically two years apart any less intimidating. It's borderline terrifying. I mean, even before we were dating, we've never been apart that long."

"Lily, I don't want you to be scared," Scorpius murmured.

"Well that's not something either of us can control right now," Lily retorted. "It's just . . . it's going to take some time to get used to."

Scorpius didn't answer for a moment, but instead sat and looked at her. Lily could tell that he was thinking of something, so she kept her hand in his, and simply took a drink from her glass and waited for him to speak.

"Lily," when he spoke, there was still a thoughtful scowl on his face, "I know it's a few years off, but I'm going to ask you now. And you can take all the time you want to answer it."

"What's the question?" Lily asked softly.

"Do you want to move in with me after you graduate? You know, within a short time afterwards?" Scorpius asked.

Now Lily raised an amused brow. "You really think I would need time to answer that? Of course I want to."

Scorpius smirked. "I was giving you the option, just incase. I mean, you have just moved back in with your parents this summer."

"And I'll have next summer with them as well. Besides, I never planned to stay home long after I graduated," Lily retorted teasingly.

He chuckled. "So you planned on moving in with me anyways?"

"Well actually I planned on moving out period. Although I knew once I told you that you'd insist on having me simply move in with you. Was I wrong?" Lily asked.

"No, as always you're right on the mark," Scorpius assured. His thumb began to rub gentle circles on the top of her hand. "I love you, Lily Potter."

Lily smiled. Those words always seemed to warm her entire being when they came from him. "I love you too, Scorpius." And she would never tire of saying it back to him.

* * *

Lily tapped her fingers on the table she occupied in the back corner of The Leaky Cauldron. She was waiting for Brandon to show up, not that he was late. She had just been so bored at home that she left early. And apparently Hugo's shift didn't start for another few hours.

"Hey, Lily!" Lily was surprised to see Stacy Finnigan coming toward her table. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm meeting my agent here," Lily told her. "He wants to discuss a few things."

"I didn't know you had an agent," Stacy commented.

"It's a fairly new thing," Lily replied.

"How fun. But, can I get you something while you wait?" Stacy inquired.

Lily looked at her in surprise. "Oh, you work here?"

Stacy nodded. "Yeah, I guess I took your old job, according to Hugo. Didn't he tell you?"

"Well he's been working a lot lately, so I haven't gotten many chances to speak to him," Lily explained.

Stacy nodded knowingly. "So, do you need anything?"

Lily sighed. "Well, just two butterbeers. He should be here soon."

Stacy smiled. "No problem. Be back in a minute."

She hadn't even been gone for ten seconds before Lily heard approaching footsteps, and Brandon came into sight, and sat in front of her. His smile was as charm and welcoming as ever. "It's nice to see you again, Lily."

Lily smiled. "Same to you, Brandon. So, what's new?"

"Well, first of all, there wasn't much of your profile to increase. You are really popular among fashion designers. Even those that don't do teen clothes. After all, in some of your photos, you do seem even older than seventeen," Brandon started.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Lily told him. Stacy quietly came and placed two bottles in front of them. Lily thanked her with a friendly smile before she left to another table.

"And I meant it as one. Now, since word as gotten around to many of them that I am now your agent, I have been flooded with mail. About a million different job offers, each offering a decent amount of money," Brandon told her.

"Well let me tell you this," Lily intervened. "Nothing on the sixth. That's my birthday, and my grandmother always throws a party for the family. Second, I don't want to do too much in the next few weeks. Scorpius will start training soon, so our time is limited."

"Oh, so it's official? Scorpius is going to be an Auror?" Brandon asked with interest.

Lily nodded, her heart feeling a tad bit heavy. "My father told me he was being accepted, and Scorpius got his letter a few days ago. He'll begin training on the twenty-third of August. But on a positive note for my career, after that, I can do any amount of jobs until school."

Brandon grinned happily. "Perfect. I'd bet I could get you a job a day . . . if you're ok with that?"

Lily chuckled. "Sure. I'll need something to occupy myself and thoughts anyways."

"Ok. So, how many are you willing to do until Scorpius goes to training?" Brandon inquired.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "A few a week. No more than three."

"Ok. Now are there any designers or fashion brands that you will refuse to work for?" Brandon questioned. He pulled a small thing of paper from his pocket, and Lily noticed that he was writing things down with a Muggle pen.

"As long as I'm not modeling underwear, I don't mind any brand," Lily assured him.

"What about Muggle fashion designers?" Brandon asked.

"That's fine," Lily replied.

Brandon sighed happily. "Ok, this is perfect. Now, does Astoria have copies of all your photo shoots?"

Lily shrugged. "Most likely, knowing her."

"Perfect. Since Muggle designers won't be familiar with you, I'll need to make you a portfolio. But, I do have a job offer for you tomorrow at three o'clock. Are you interested?" Brandon asked as he put the pad of paper away.

"What kind of clothes?" Lily asked curiously.

"It's for a fall line of clothing," Brandon answered. "It's ranging from teens to young adults. So, can I let them know that you're in?"

Lily nodded. "Sure. I'll do it."

Brandon looked so excited, it almost made Lily laugh. "Perfect! Meet me here at about two-thirty, and I'll take us there. They'll get you ready, and you'll be taking pictures by three."

Lily couldn't help but to smile at his enthusiasm. "Ok, I can do that."

Brandon relaxed as he lifted his bottle of butterbeer. "Lily, I think we're in for a beautiful partnership."

* * *

"So what's the name of the brand you're doing the shoot for?" Hugo asked. He and Lily were sitting up in the tree house. It was dark out, so Hugo had borrowed his father's Deluminator to provide them with some light in the tree house. A small globe of light now hung near the ceiling, while one of the Muggle street lamps was dark.

"Fancy Witch," Lily answered. "They want me to do some photos for their fall line. According to Brandon there will be a dozen different models there. I'll be doing my pictures at three, and I should be done within a few hours."

"Damn, hours? How many outfits are you putting on?" Hugo questioned.

"Who knows," Lily sighed. "A lot, probably. Even the ones with Astoria could take a while to get through."

"Are you still going to model for her?" Hugo mentioned.

"I told Brandon that she was always top priority. After all, that's where I got my start," Lily replied. "So, I found out Stacy took my place at The Leaky Cauldron. How's working with her?"

"It's a lot of fun," Hugo told her. "She's really nice. Really a sweet girl."

Lily nodded. Then she looked over at him. "So, how long are we going to avoid the topic you came over to talk about at almost midnight?"

Hugo looked out the crude window in the wall. "I'm not avoiding anything."

"Well it's obvious that you've been wanting to say something since we got up here," Lily pointed out.

"Well I wanted to catch up with you first," Hugo retorted.

"Now it's time to catch up with you," Lily countered.

"Well then I'll just say it."

"Say what?"

Hugo sighed as he dropped onto his back. "That Lola and I broke up, mutually, when we met after you and I had lunch."

Lily looked over at him, brought her knees up and rested her chin on them. "Are you ok?" she asked.

"I don't regret it. You know, she and I agreed that it was for the best. I told her that I still cared about her, and if she ever needed something, I'd be there." He sighed and closed his eyes. "But part of me kind of misses our relationship already. And, it's kind of weird to think that eventually I'll start dating someone that isn't Lola."

"Huh? I never felt like that with any of my past boyfriends," Lily commented.

"Obviously, since you snogged Scorpius while you were dating one of your past boyfriends," Hugo teased.

Lily flicked his knee, but then she too moved to lie down. "That's not what I meant. I mean, I never felt weird after me and Xavier broke up," she replied.

"I keep forgetting that you went out with him. Seems like such a long time ago," Hugo sighed.

"Two or three years ago," Lily agreed. "It does seem like forever ago."

"It's weird to think about how fast time can move. How one year can seem to drag on, but then it can quickly seem like a distant memory," Hugo stated.

Lily raised a brow. "The last person I heard give a statement that was just as wise and weird as that was Albus Dumbledore," she mocked.

Hugo grinned. "I like being wise and weird. It's better than being wise and boring. People actually listen to you then, just to hear what weird thing you'll say next."

* * *

When Lily arrived with Brandon at the shoot for the Fancy Witch label, it was an event as big as the one she'd walked upon when she went to talk to Brandon. There were people running around, doing hair, picking through racks of clothes.

But Brandon seemed to be at place, and put a hand on the small of her back to lead her. He eventually brought her up to a tall and thin woman. Her hair was surprisingly bright purple, cut short, and had a sunshine yellow flower in it.

"Arabella! I've brought her. Told you I would," Brandon said with a friendly smile.

The woman turned around, and shot an even friendlier smile toward Lily. "Ah! Lily Luna! I'm so glad to finally have you modeling part of my collection," the woman said, her voice containing a thick French accent.

"Well I'm happy to do it," Lily told her politely. "Actually, I know that a cousin of mine wore a lot of your fashion line." Which was true. Dominique had worn a lot of outfits from this line. Apparently her aunt Gabrielle had hooked her on it.

"Really? I'm happy to hear that. Now, I have about eight to ten outfits I would like you to wear. I have Tanya doing your hair. And I hardly have my models use a lot of makeup, so any little that we use will be done by her as well. Brandon, will you take her to Tanya?" Arabella inquired.

"Absolutely. But then you and I need to talk," Brandon told her. Brandon led Lily away from the tall woman, and towards a line of vanity desks and mirrors, some empty, and some occupied. "What do you think?" he asked.

"That this is really different, but easily adaptable," Lily replied. "So, what were you wanting to talk to her about?"

"Payment. I think I can get you more money for this shoot now that I know how many outfits you'll be doing," Brandon answered.

"It doesn't really matter to me," Lily assured.

"Well the more you make, the more I make," Brandon countered. "And that matters to me," he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well, I'll let you handle all of that."

"Good. Now let's get you ready. Tanya! You've got a victim," Brandon mocked as he sat Lily down in a chair.

Lily looked to see another woman approaching, only this one was much younger. Really, she couldn't have been much older than James. She was very slender, with brown curls cascading down her back. She was a bit pale, but it looked pretty on her, making her dark eyes and hair contrast nicely.

"You must be, Lily," the girl, Tanya, said with a smile. She had a small accent to how she talked, but not as thick as her employer. "I'm Tanya Krum. I'll be attempting to make you even prettier, although I don't think that's really possible, so I guess I'll just be working for Arabella's approval."

Lily laughed lightly along with her, her mind trying to figure out where she'd heard that name before. "Well thank you. And you do what you have to do," Lily told her.

"I'll leave you girls to chat and do what you do," Brandon said with a smile and his own chuckle as he began to walk away.

Tanya smiled as she moved to spin Lily's chair around so that Lily looked in the mirror. Then Lily felt the woman's hands in her hair. "Your hair's got a nice volume. And it's a very pretty color. I like the color you've added as well. What's your natural color?" she asked kindly.

"Actually the red is natural. We added the other colors about a year ago," Lily answered.

"It's a very rich red. I'm almost jealous, except that I'm very fond of my hair," Tanya joked.

Lily smiled. She liked this woman. She was nice. A little soft-spoken, but she seemed genuine in her compliments. "Thank you. I really like it too. That's why I never dyed my hair completely."

"Tanya! This is what she's going to be wearing first," a woman said as she held an outfit out for them both to see. It was a vibrant purple and black dress with thin straps. It looked as if it would wrap around Lily like another skin. It wasn't going to bother her, but she knew it was going irritate a few men she knew. "The shoes she'll be wearing are purple as well," the woman said.

Tanya gave a nod. "Ok. Just put it up on the rack over there." She looked back at Lily in the mirror. "Well, I guess I'll be putting your hair up."

"Are you going to hide the streaks?" Lily inquired.

"No, I'll leave them. I think they identify the fact that you're still you, even while modeling," Tanya told her. Then she laughed. "Although, maybe that seems a little weird."

"No, I like it," Lily assured. "It's a nice thought."

"And if you've seen her, then you know that Arabella isn't against adding color to a person," Tanya said with a sigh.

"Oh, it's just a tad bit obvious," Lily joked.

"Well. Let's get you ready. You're in for a long day, I'll warn you now. Just let me know if you want something to drink," Tanya offered.

"Don't worry. Brandon already warned me of a long day. I'm running on a Pepper-Up Potion. I'm ready," Lily replied.

* * *

"You were wonderful! Perfect! A total natural!" Brandon complimented as they left the building.

Lily nodded, feeling a bit exhausted mentally. She didn't know how long it'd been, but it was dusk, boarding on twilight when they walked outside. "Yeah. Thanks," she mumbled.

"You are going to go far! Arabella was very pleased. She's already talking about having you do her winter line," Brandon told her.

"Won't I be in school?" Lily countered.

"I didn't say you would do it. Just that she was thinking about it," Brandon assured her. "The point is, she's very pleased with your work, and your professional attitude. I promise you, she will be asking for you again."

"Well that's great. I'm glad, but what time is it?" she asked as she yawned lightly as they made their way to the Apparation point.

Brandon brought up his wrist to check his watch. "Almost eight o'clock."

Lily groaned. "That's like five hours!"

"I told you it would be long," Brandon retorted. "I mean, you've got to get used to working around ten other models also doing pictures. And they like to do different hair and makeup styles with each outfit. You gotta get used to photo shoots taking these long, because some of them do."

"Well I wore a lot more than ten outfits," Lily muttered.

"Yeah, I know. Arabella was so pleased with your look and work that by the fifth outfit, she'd thought of a few more she'd wanted to see you in. Don't worry. We worked out a deal, and you're getting paid a lot more than originally planned. She's putting it into your Gringotts account," Brandon replied.

"That's great, B," Lily sighed.

"You're getting about five hundred galleons alone!" Brandon exclaimed.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really?"

"Well this is a big company, and Arabella doesn't mess around. When she likes someone, she pays them," Brandon replied.

"How does she afford that?" Lily wondered.

"That woman was born rich. Her payment to you didn't even make a baby dent in her net worth," Brandon muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Makes the woman seem that much more attractive, huh?" she mocked.

Brandon chuckled. "But the purple hair brings ya back down to reality," he laughed. "Besides, it's the guy's responsibility to take care of the wife. I'd like to be the reason me and my future wife are rich once we're married. Whoever the hell it ends up being."

"So you're not against marriage?" Lily asked. "You seem like such a. . . ."

"Player?" Brandon supplied.

Lily laughed. "Kinda, yeah. But you ask for the image, being an agent purely for pretty models."

"Eh, you got a point. But I'm not against marriage. But I just believe in finding my soul mate. I don't wanna marry a girl unless I _know_ that I'm going to spend the rest of my life with her," Brandon said.

Lily raised a brow. "How . . . old-fashioned of you? I'm not sure if that's the right way to word it, but it's all I've got."

Brandon only laughed.

* * *

Lily laid face down on her bed. It'd been four days since she'd done her first shoot with Brandon, and she'd just gotten done doing her second one. It'd been hours long, and she found herself tired again. It wasn't that the work was exhausting, but what she had to go through _before_ each picture. She to go through a different hairstyle for all the outfits, makeup had to be redone every few outfits, and Brandon had to work out better deals before they could leave, and Lily had to meet and deal with so many people. She already missed working with Tanya, and it'd only been a few days ago. But she'd just been so much easier to deal with and listen to.

But just as Lily was ready to finally drift off and nap, her door practically slammed opened, making her almost jump and fall from her bed. She lifted her head to see that it was Hugo. His hat was a bit crooked, and the small strains on his light grey shirt told her that he'd just gotten off of work.

"I've got an issue, and we gotta talk about it!" Hugo complained as he closed and locked her door. Then he began pacing the floor.

Lily groaned as she slowly sat up. "What are you talking about?"

Hugo stopped pacing in front of her. He took a moment, almost like he was building up his courage, then blurted out what was on his mind. "Is it bad that I think I've got a bad crush on someone different already?"

Lily closed her eyes and fell back onto her bed. "You're talking to the girl who had a crush on a guy while dating someone else?"

"You let that fact haunt you, huh?" Hugo commented briefly.

"Why hide from it?" Lily muttered. She reached for her pillow, wrapping her arms around it and burying her face into it. "But continue. Don't worry about if people will think it's bad. Because you can't control how you feel."

Hugo sighed as he moved to sit next to her on the bed. "It's on Stacy."

Slowly, Lily sat up, placed her pillow on her lap, and looked at her cousin. "What?"

Hugo groaned and ran a hand over his face. "I don't know how it happened! I mean, we're working together this afternoon, and every thing is cool. Then, I accidently knocked over a big thing of pumpkin juice, and it goes all over the floor behind the counter. So I get on my knees and start to clean it up, and Stacy rushed over to help me. I look up to thank her . . . and the words literally died on my tongue. It was like a punch to the gut."

"So, you just looked at her?" Lily asked.

"And suddenly . . . she was just so much prettier." He groaned again and got up and began pacing. "I think I set myself up for it. I mean, before I looked up to thank her, I was thinking that she was really nice, and cool, and I was just building up her personality in my head. Then I look up and see that she's also got a really pretty face with really pretty eyes . . . and it just messes everything up!"

"Well, she is nice, and pretty cool, and a sweet girl," Lily commented.

"Not helping," Hugo snapped.

"Look, I'm just pointing out that you didn't really build her up in your mind. She really is those things. You know it, and I know it. Maybe you just realized that those were things you appreciated in a girl. And then you realize that she's cute, and a crush is formed," Lily replied.

"But she's just a friend! And I just broke up with my girlfriend of a lot of months! But after that moment . . . I couldn't get her out of my head!" Hugo complained.

"Yeah, those are the signs of a starting crush," Lily sighed. "The constant thoughts, the unexplainable attraction. The urge to at least simply talk to the person."

"What am I gunna do, Lil?" Hugo mumbled as he dropped back onto her bed. "I've gotta work another shift with her tomorrow."

"Well, if you don't want to act on it, then just ignore it," Lily told him.

"How do you ignore a person that won't leave your head?" Hugo retorted.

"Not _her_," Lily said with a roll of her eyes."Just ignore the fact that you've got a crush on her. And I won't lie and say that it's easy to do that. It was killer for me and Scorpius. But on that note, Scorpius also had an interest in me, to whereas Stacy might not share your feelings. So, it may be a little easier than it was for us."

"How did you handle it?" Hugo asked.

Lily sighed as she smoothed out her pillow. "Well, since Scorpius and I were both into each other, we kept putting ourselves in situations that made it easy for us to snap. So don't do that. But I just did my best to fight and ignore them until we both exploded, lost care for anything else, and became basically inseparable for an entire night, physically and emotionally."

"This is going to be hell."

Lily patted his knee in comfort. "Well, just admire her from afar," she suggested with a grin. "That way you can stare and crush all you want, but she never has to know of your feelings . . . unless she catches you staring."

Hugo took the pillow from Lily's lap, then pressed his face against it and practically screamed.

* * *

When Lily's birthday came around, she felt nerves in her stomach. And this time it wasn't at the thought of having to spend a day around her brothers and hostile cousins. It was now at the thought of having Scorpius and his parents there. She knew that her aunts, some of her uncles, and her grandparents loved Scorpius. But her nerves were mainly due to how some of her uncles would react to Draco being there, concerning past histories.

But with the best confident smile she could fake, Lily went through breakfast with her parents and their "Happy birthday" wishes. Then she showered, dried, and dressed in a simple green, strapless, sun dress.

Once she made it to the Burrow, it became about living through a bone crushing hug from her grandmother, and a few birthday wishes from the family that was already there, which was her uncle Bill, aunt Fleur, uncle George, aunt Angelina, uncle Charlie, Roxanne, and Fred and Janie.

"Young Molly apparently has to work a little late today, so she'll be around later," Arthur told Lily.

Lily waved it off. "That's fine."

"So when will young Scorpius be arriving?" Charlie asked.

"I told them about noon," Ginny replied after giving her brother a hug.

"How did Ron react when he heard Draco Malfoy would be here?" George asked with a laugh.

"A bit surprised," Harry said with a laugh.

"He'd better know to be polite," Molly warned. "Just as the rest of you boys better behave."

"We promised this already, Mum," Bill sighed.

The sound of a loud and sharp "CRACK" alerted the room to the arrival of another part of the family. Ron was the first to walk in, followed by Hermione, and with Hugo missing.

"Happy birthday, kid," Ron said with a bit of a grin.

Hermione was much more happier, and gave Lily a short hug. "Happy birthday, sweetheart. Hugo's outside, practically brooding."

Lily laughed and rolled her eyes. "Because I love that on my birthday. I'll go see him."

Hermione gave her an obviously thankful look. "Don't let him spoil your day."

Lily sighed as she walked outside the house to see Hugo kicking rocks down the long pathway toward the village ahead. "Hey, Huey!" she greeted cheerfully.

She saw him give a nod as she walked closer. "Hey," he muttered. "Happy birthday."

"I like the sincerity behind that wish," Lily mocked as she finally came to stand beside him.

He sighed almost silently. "Sorry. I'm just not in a good mood."

"Well last time I talked to you, you were in a panic about having a major crush on Stacy. What brought on this new pouty and brooding look?" Lily inquired with honest concern.

Hugo picked up a rock and threw it down the lane. "Did you know that Stacy was dating Andrew Hooper? Because I didn't," he mumbled.

"Well I didn't know," Lily replied. "And Andrew Hooper?"

"He's a year above us in Gryffindor," Hugo sighed. "He came by a while ago while Stacy and I were working. Practically rubbed it in my face that they were dating."

Lily looked at him with slight surprise. "You're really upset about this," she murmured.

"And I don't know why!" Hugo complained, chucking another rock. "I mean, I haven't been crushing that long! I don't get it!"

"Let's be calm, first of all," Lily replied. "And maybe this crush can pass now."

Hugo's shoulders slumped and his arms dropped to his side. "What if it doesn't?"

"Then you might have to settle on being her friend," Lily said, trying to be a comfort. "Besides, maybe she and Hooper won't last. Not all relationships do, especially when you're a teenager."

"Coming from you?" Hugo muttered.

"Me and Scorpius are a major exception, and we're not exactly normal," Lily retorted. "So just relax. Either your feelings for her will blow over, or her relationship with Hooper will. And then you can tell her how you feel."

Hugo pulled off his hat and ran a hand over his newly cut hair. "Yeah, I guess." He put his hat back on and then shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, on a happier note and with a happier tone. Happy birthday. Now let's get inside. It's hot as Hell out here."

* * *

Within the next few hours, the rest of the family had arrived, along with the Scamanders, minus Lysander. Luna mentioned he had already made plans for the day. But Lorcan didn't mind being honest with Lily.

"He didn't think you'd want to see him," Lorcan had whispered to her when he gave her a short and friendly hug.

The Malfoys had yet to arrive, but it wasn't even noon yet. So Lily had found herself playing with her young godson. She was joined by not only Hugo, but by Lucy.

"How do you feel, Lu?" Lily asked. They were sitting in a corner, farther away from the other loud and conversing members of their family. Theo was sitting before them, and Lily was helping him making a tower of blocks by handing him a block at a time.

"I'm thinking that it might be easier once we go back to school. It's my N.E.W.T. year so it might be the perfect distraction," Lucy said honestly.

"And we'll be there to perk ya up too," Hugo assured.

"Well I'm not sure I fit in with your friends," Lucy sighed. "It felt a little awkward at the party."

"Then whenever you want, the three of us will just hang out alone," Lily replied. "But you are always welcome in my common room. After all, Hugo practically lived down there last year."

"How else was I supposed to be around cool people while staying away from my sister?" he joked.

"How's the big boy doing over here?" Teddy asked as he came to stand over the four of them. He kneeled down so that he was more at level, although still tall compared to the girls and baby. "You know, he's practically house broken now."

Lily smacked his shoulder playfully. "He's not a dog!"

"Well he's got a little wolf of him, technically. It's just not very strong," Teddy retorted with a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Is there any reason you came over here, or was it to just play with your little pup?"

Teddy chuckled. "I was wondering if you'd mind accompanying me upstairs for a moment. I wanna talk to ya."

Lily looked over at Hugo and Lucy, who both looked curious as well. But then she shrugged. "Ok, fine." Lily leaned forward to kiss Theodore's green curls before standing up. Teddy followed suit, and then Lily followed him up the stairs.

"You know, he loves building towers with those blocks," Teddy commented. "Those are his favorite toys."

"I've noticed his hair is mostly green these days. He really does love that color," Lily mentioned.

"Well, Vic and I are kinda looking to get either a bigger flat or an actual house, soon. We've actually discussed making Theo's room green once we do," Teddy joked. He led Lily to Percy's old room, and then shut the door.

Lily turned to look at him. "So, what did you want to talk about all the way up here?"

Teddy grinned, and it was almost smug. "Well I mainly wanted to give you a gift. I'm giving it to you up here to avoid any kind of reaction, be it jealousy, angry, or whatever possibility. Plus, it'll be a nice little surprise for Scorpius as well."

Lily raised a curious brow. "What is it?"

Teddy simply slipped his hand into a pocket on the inside of his jacket, and then pulled out a thin, wrapped box. He gave it to her, then took off the jacket. "I'm glad I can take that off, it was hot! But I didn't want to risk Theo digging through it. That boy is way too curious, but his only two."

Lily nodded as she sat on the bed and began to unwrap the present. Once she had, she saw it was a simple, flat, white box. She took off the lid, and was confused when she pulled out two mirrors. "Mirrors? You know, no offense, but I already have a few of these."

Teddy chuckled. "Give me one of those."

With a skeptical look, Lily gave him one. "What's the point?"

"Just be patient, and watch. I've got to go to the bathroom. Excuse me," Teddy told her before leaving the room.

Lily sighed and gave a confused scowl when she looked at the mirror. Why mirrors? She had a huge vanity mirror at home, and at Malfoy Manor she had a vanity mirror, and a mirror on the back of her closet door. She put the mirror onto the bed, and got up to throw the wrappings away.

"Lily?" she heard Teddy's voice again. She whirled around, startled. She hadn't heard the door. But when she looked around, she didn't even see Teddy.

"Ted?" Lily called in confusion.

"Lily, pick up the mirror," Teddy's voice commanded.

Lily continued to look around as she moved back to the bed. And once she picked up the mirror, she almost dropped it in shock and amazement. Teddy's face appeared in the mirror, pale blue hair resting above his honey-colored eyes. And of course there was a laughing smile on his lips. "What the hell, Ted?" Lily exclaimed.

Teddy released a chuckle. "It's called a Two-Way Mirror, Lil." His face disappeared from the mirror, but then he came in through the bedroom door, shutting it behind him. "I was talking to a coworker of mine a few days ago about how I needed to buy you a gift still. He asked me if you'd get any use out of a set of Two-Way Mirrors, since he didn't need the set he had anymore. Knowing you were worried about being apart from Scorpius, I leaped at the offer."

Lily looked at the mirror in her hand in amazement. "So, I can talk to Scorpius with these things? No matter how far away we are?"

"As long as he has the other one. All you do is say the person's name, and they'll hear you calling them. Distance is not a problem. I guess my buddy used to use these while his wife was working for the travel section of _The Daily Prophet_. But now that she got transferred to a different section, they don't need them anymore," Teddy explained as he moved to sit next to her.

"Teddy, I think you might have topped any gift I'll get tonight," Lily whispered in amazement.

"But not ever?" he teased.

"No, Scorpius's ring still beats it," Lily said, her heart still racing with excitement. These were perfect! She could still at least talk with Scorpius while they were apart. "But, Ted, this is the greatest thing I could have gotten this year. Thank you so much!" Lily hugged her brother tightly.

Teddy hugged her back just as tightly, reaching a hand up to ruffle her hair a little. "I wanted to get you something you'd want. And I know being apart from someone you love isn't easy. If I could have gotten a set of these for the year Victoire and I were apart, I would have in a heartbeat."

"Lily! The Malfoys are here!" they heard Grandma Molly call up to them.

"That means we can eat cake!" Hugo yelled up to them.

Lily rolled her eyes as she pulled away from the hug. "Well, let's go join the awkward air," she sighed. She placed the mirrors in a desk drawer. She'd bring Scorpius up later to show him and give him one.

"Yeah. Plus I agree with Hugo. Cake sounds pretty good right now," Teddy joked.

Lily rolled her eyes as they left the room. "You know his mother smacked him for that comment."

"Or scolded if he was too far away," Teddy laughed. "But that's why I let him say. Then I don't get chided."

"How nice of you," Lily mocked.

When the two came down the stairs, Lily wasn't too surprised at what she saw. Astoria was already talking and making friends with her aunts and grandmother, Draco was standing around awkwardly with her father and uncles, her cousins were still conversing among themselves, and Scorpius was sitting with Hugo and Lucy, who were still playing with Theo.

But Scorpius noticed Lily come down the stairs immediately, and with Theo clinging to his shirt, Scorpius picked him up, and stood up straight. Lily smiled at the sight as she walked over to them.

"Well aren't you cute," she teased. It was obvious that Astoria had demanded he look nicely casual. His shirt was a white button-up, and he had the sleeves rolled up around his arms. He wore black pants with a belt, and nice shoes. And he was cleanly shaved, and his hair combed.

Scorpius smirked dryly. "Ha, ha. By the way, hello and happy birthday."

Lily smiled. "Thank you." She kissed him briefly, and then took Theo when he reached out for her. "So, what'd ya get me?"

Scorpius chuckled. "It's a surprise," he mocked.

"Lily! Happy birthday, sweetheart!" Astoria squealed. Lily turned and accepted the hug from the woman, although it wasn't easy with a two-year-old in her arms. But when Astoria pulled away, she smiled at the little baby. "Oh, he's so cute. Is this the nephew?"

"This is Theodore," Lily told her.

"Oh, Victoire, he's adorable," Astoria gushed.

Victoire smiled brightly. "I know. Even with green hair."

"Well it looks like it's turning blonde at the back here," Hugo commented as he stood up. "It's starting to smooth out too. Get ready, Scor, I think he's getting ready to steal your hairstyle."

"Well at least it's actually combed this time," Draco said with a wry grin. It turned to a smile when he looked at Lily. "Happy birthday, Lily."

Lily smiled. "Thank you, Draco. Having fun?"

"A blast," he said with a sigh. "But, it's your birthday. I wouldn't miss it."

"Can we eat cake now?" Hugo groaned. "Starving teen here!"

"Hugo Arthur Weasley," Hermione chided with a sigh and an eye roll.

"Oooh! Your mum used your full name," Lily teased.

Hugo scoffed. "You're only getting away with that comment because you're holding a baby."

"Which means I get total immunity to any mean or sarcastic comment," Lily finished with a laugh.

When they were all urged outside to sit at the enlarged table for cake and lunch, there was an obvious divide at the table. The women sat around each other, talking easily and laughing, each taking turns to feed little Theo a bite of cake. Roxanne sat over with Rose, Lorcan, Albus, and James, far away from Fred and Janie, who sat by Percy. The rest of the men sat around each other with a bit of tension and awkward feelings. Teddy and Arthur were doing their best to have real conversations with Draco, and to get the other men included. Lily sat with Lucy, Hugo, Scorpius, and Louis, who was oddly, but calmly, quiet.

"So when do you start training, Scor?" Hugo asked curiously.

"Then twenty-third," Scorpius answered. "So in a few weeks, actually."

Hugo nodded. "That's when Rose starts training. Have fun with that," he muttered.

Scorpius chuckled. "I'm sure I will. As much fun as you will have going back to school."

"Hey, at least I'll be away from her," Hugo mumbled quietly.

"Be nice to your sister," Lucy chided playfully. "She could be much worse."

"Yeah, she could be your sister," Hugo countered.

"What happened between you two?" Lily asked curiously. "You two used to get along so well."

"We get along just fine now. Our rift turned into a polite kindness when around each other," Lucy retorted. "But, she threw a fit and argued when I told her I was going to play professional Quidditch. Turned into an argument, and the rest is history."

"Sounds like Molly," Lily muttered quietly.

"So, Scorpius, how does it feel to have graduated?" George asked curiously.

Scorpius looked up in surprise. "Oh, it's ok, I guess. It just feels like I have more time on my hands. At least until I start training."

"The beauty of dropping out was being able to start right away," George laughed. "And it was even better after becoming an obvious success."

"And everyone always says that you need to finish school," Hugo scoffed.

"Quit giving him ideas, George," Hermione retorted, making George laugh.

"I'm just saying that I didn't need school for my choice of profession. Sometimes you don't need to finish school when you know exactly what you're doing, and when it doesn't require school," George replied.

"Hey, Lil, models don't need N.E.W.T. tests, right? Think I could join you?" Hugo asked jokingly.

"Actually, you'd be alone. I'm finishing school," Lily countered.

"Good, then I won't have to kill Brandon," Scorpius sighed, making Lily roll her eyes.

"Damn right you're finishing school," Harry muttered.

"Must we pick on me?" Lily inquired.

"Well it is your birthday, sis," Teddy countered with a grin.

"Oh, Lily, I was wanting to ask you how you've been doing at the photo shoots?" Astoria asked. "Brandon came to talk to me, and was wanting a few copies of the photos I gave to the magazines. He said you were excellent."

Lily shrugged. "I guess I'm doing fine. It's a little different with there being so many people, but the basics are the same. They just take a lot longer."

"They can be quite long, but it always depends on how many models they have working in one day," Astoria replied.

"Actually, Lily, I think an owl dropped off a gift from a Brandon . . . Avery, right?" Arthur told her.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, that would be him. He offered to get me a gift when I told him I couldn't work today because it was my birthday."

"Did you tell him not to?" Scorpius teased.

"Yes, but like most men, he didn't listen," Lily retorted easily.

"I believe that's what's called, a checkmate," Hugo laughed.

* * *

When the night grew darker, Lily found herself placing her presents in a small bag with an Undetectable Extension Charm. She'd gotten so much this time around. A good sized box of WWW products from George and Angelina, a set of medical potions from Victoire and Teddy, a very pretty charm bracelet from Fred and Janie, a set of rare potion ingredients from Astoria and Draco, and quite a few other presents. Scorpius hadn't given her one yet, claiming it would wait.

Astoria and Draco left as the night got longer, bidding farewell, and Lily another happy birthday wish. Scorpius stayed back though, mainly because he was in a conversation with her grandfather and embroiled in a game of chess with Hugo.

Lily trailed into the kitchen, finding her grandmother and Victoire cleaning up. "Need any help?" Lily offered.

"Not from the birthday girl," Molly said with a smile. "You go on in there and have fun."

Lily smiled as she sat at the table. "No, I'm escaping the sounds of Hugo and Scorpius razzing each other, and conversation about the ministry."

"Well, welcome then," Victoire laughed. "And by the way, I enjoyed having Astoria and Draco here. They're very nice."

"Oh, Astoria is just a sweetheart," Molly agreed. "I can see why you love going over there so much."

"That and she's one of my employers," Lily joked. "But I'm glad you liked her."

"Well we're assuming that a few years after you graduate that we'll be in-laws anyways," Victoire teased.

Lily grinned at her cousin's teasing. "Who said it would be 'years' after? Maybe it'll be days," she mocked.

"Oh, you girls," Molly said with a smile and a sigh.

"Victory is mine!" they heard Hugo yell with excitement.

Lily shook her head and laughed. "Well, I'd better check on the loser of the match." Lily walked back out to the living room to see Hugo still celebrating, while Scorpius was simply laughing quietly. She walked over to stand by where he was sitting. "Did you put up a fight?"

Scorpius smiled as he took her hand, kissing the back of it. "The best I could."

Lily pulled gently on his arm. "Come outside with me for a few minutes?"

Scorpius nodded and quickly stood up. "Of course."

"Where are you two going?" Ginny inquired when she noticed the two slipping on their shoes.

"A walk," Lily told her. "We'll be back in a bit."

When the two stepped outside, there was a warm breeze in the air. Lily was very aware of the bag she had tied around her wrist. She had gone back for the mirrors already, and had placed them in the extended bag, protected in their box.

"So, was this birthday a success?" Scorpius asked as they began walking down the path in the dim evening night.

"It wasn't bad," Lily replied. "And Brandon actually sent a pretty nice gift as well."

"Did you expect it to be bad?" Scorpius laughed.

"I expected it to be something work-related. I was surprised by the pretty set of earrings," Lily told him.

"They were nice," Scorpius agreed.

"And, my grandmother and Victoire loved having your parents here," Lily mentioned. "And I think my grandmother would break my legs if I were to ever break up with you. I think she loves you more than me."

Scorpius laughed again. "Well I guess that's a good sign for me."

"So, when will I get my present from you?" Lily teased. "I'm really curious as to what it is."

"Actually, it's not exactly ready yet," Scorpius admitted. "Do you mind waiting a few days?"

Lily gave a fake and heavy sigh. "I guess," she mocked. But then she smiled, an eagerness filling her veins. "But, I have something to give you."

They stopped walking, both of them now standing under a Muggle streetlight far down the path from the Burrow. Scorpius looked at her with an amused look. "Isn't it _your_ birthday?"

"Well Teddy gave me a gift upstairs this morning that's really for me and you," Lily replied. "And I have to say that it's the best gift I got today."

Scorpius casually placed his hands in his pockets. "Well what is it?"

Lily pulled the bag off of her wrist, and opened it. Then she dug her hand in, feeling for the thing box on the top. She slipped it out, placing the bag down on the ground. She held out the box to him. "Open it," she told him.

Scorpius took the box and pulled off the lid. Then with the same confused and unsure look that Lily had held on her face when she'd first seen the gift, Scorpius held up one of the mirrors. "I get a mirror?" he questioned with a smirk.

Lily giggled as she took the box, pulling out her own. "They're called Two-Way Mirrors. No matter how far apart we are, we can still talk to each other with these."

Scorpius looked at her in surprise. "What?"

Her smile was brightening with every second. "Well, if you say my name into the mirror, I'll hear it. Then we'll be able to see each other, and talk with each other."

Slowly, a smile began to appear on Scorpius's face. "No matter how far apart we are?"

Lily shook her head. "Distance doesn't matter."

Scorpius placed the mirror carefully in his pocket, then placed his hands on her cheeks. "Remind me to bow down to Teddy later," he murmured, his lips near hers.

Lily smiled at his joke before he pressed his lips against hers. It was their first real kiss of the day. Every time they got close enough to a kiss, at least five of the men in the room sent steely or hostile looks toward them. Well, mainly at Scorpius.

She felt one of his hands tangle in her hair. And keeping a tight grip on the mirror still in her hand, Lily brought her free hand to his shoulder, her fingers curling around the fabric of his shirt. One of his hands dropped to her hip, pulling her closer to him.

Lily pulled away from his lips, but she didn't dare move away from him completely. Not with how warm he was against her. She sighed as she wrapped both of her arms around him. "You know, despite having these mirrors, I'm still going to write to you."

"And you know, despite these mirrors, I'm going to expect you to," he mumbled into her hair.

"Well, I guess this one time, I could do what's expected," Lily teased lightly.

Scorpius chuckled lowly. "Just this once."

* * *

When a Hogwarts owl came to the Potter house weeks later, she was nowhere near as excited as her parents were. Mainly because she'd gotten two envelopes, one obviously containing O.W.L. results.

"So how'd you do, princess?" Harry asked, a little more calmer than her mum was at the moment. Lily sighed as she tore open the envelope and pulled out the paper inside.

"_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results"_

Lily skipped over what each grade letter meant, and brought her eyes down to where her test results were. Then she read them off to her parents. "An O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, an E in Transfiguration, O in Charms, E in Herbology, O in Astronomy, O in History of Magic, E in Divination, and O in Care of Magical Creatures."

"That's great, sweetheart!" Ginny said. "We're so proud of you!"

"I think you're one of the first of you kids to get an O in History of Magic," Harry said with a laugh.

"Well I think Fred and Molly got O's as well. It wasn't surprising from Molly, but it was a shock from Freddy," Ginny mentioned.

"But I'm very proud of you, sweetheart. Lowest grade was an E," Harry said with a sigh.

"And I'm not surprised by which classes. I hate Divination, and there were too many little detail questions on the Transfiguration and Herbology tests," Lily replied.

"So what classes do you think you'll take next year? After all, you can take any you want with those grades," Ginny asked.

"Well, I'll probably take Charms and Transfiguration. Herbology, DADA, and then probably Care of Magical Creatures. Otherwise, I'll probably help teach Potions during my free periods," Lily answered.

"Sounds like you'll be busy this year," Harry commented.

"I find that to be good. Keeping busy keeps you focused," Lily sighed. Although she now had a way to talk to Scorpius while she was at school, she still didn't want to risk brooding over him being gone while she was in classes.

"By the way, I'd expect to have Hermione and Hugo over for dinner in about a week," Harry stated.

"What for?" Lily asked curiously.

"Well, we've got a lot of recruits that will be going into training next week on the twenty-third. And since Ron trains them, he'll be even later than he usually is when he's training recruits. It's been awhile since we've had a group this big," Harry told them.

"Well they're obviously welcome," Ginny replied. "After all, with Rose having moved out as well, I was sure she'd be over a lot anyways."

Lily looked at her mother in surprise. "When did Rose move out?"

"Well I guess she moved in with Marsha Finnigan. With Marsha always out at Quidditch practices, she was in need of a roommate for the last few years. She and Rose got to talking, so Rose moved in," Ginny explained. "It's not surprise really. Those two always did get on well."

"I'm surprised that Hugo didn't mention it to you," Harry replied. "You two tell each other everything."

Lily would agree, but if it happened after he'd found out about Stacy's boyfriend, he might have been too busy brooding with his thoughts. "Well there's a good chance that he just didn't care," Lily sighed.

"With how much those two fight like their parents, that's no surprise," Ginny laughed.

"That's what surprises me," Harry chuckled. "I'd have thought Hugo would throw a party."

"Not in front of his mother," Lily joked. "He's still terrified of her."

"As he should be," Ginny teased.

"I think it's a Weasley thing. You always fear your mother the most," Lily replied. She opened the other envelope, planning to hand her mother her list of supplies, when something fell out besides the letter. Lily picked up a silver badge, much like her prefect badge, although this one had a large 'C' on it. Lily quickly opened her letter, and smiled at what she read. "I'm Quidditch Captain this year," she told her parents.

"Why to go, princess!" Harry complimented. "Three kids, and all three captains. We must have done something right, Gin," he joked.

Ginny smiled at her daughter. "And with how much that staff seems to love you, I'm sure Head Girl is as good as yours."

"Don't jinx me with it," Lily muttered as she gave her mother her supply list. "I've got enough on my plate as it is."

"Potter luck is never great at times," Harry chuckled. "If you don't want it, money says you'll get it."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the reminder."

"When do you want to go shopping for your things?" Ginny asked.

"Mind if we go with Hugo and his parents?" Lily asked.

"Absolutely. How about we go this weekend?" Harry suggested. "I'll have the time, and I know Hermione and Ron won't have to work either."

"Perfect," Lily told him. "This is going to be an interesting year."

* * *

"My lowest grade was a P. In both Divination and Herbology. But I hate Divination and I'm hopeless with plants," Hugo told her. The weekend had come, and they were now in Madam Malkin's getting their robes refitted, while their parents were getting the books they would need for the subjects they planned to take.

"My lowest was an E. Both in those subjects, along with Transfiguration," Lily replied. "That and I got Quidditch Captain."

"My guess is that Lucy got Captain position this year. I'd be angry if she didn't. She's the most dedicated on the team. She'd have been better than Albus would have last year," Hugo sighed. He flinched when a pin stuck his arm, but didn't voice his pain.

But his scowl made Lily laugh a little. "I think the only reason I got it instead of Tanner was because I'd been on the team longer."

"Not to mention you're the best Seeker that the school has seen. You've beaten your father's record. You haven't even lost a game yet," Hugo replied.

"Well, I've got more Quidditch in my genes than my father, if you think about it. He got it from Grandpa James. I got that, plus the skill from my mum. She may have played as a Chaser, but apparently, she was a great Seeker. According to Dad, at least," Lily retorted.

"So, will you be teaching Potions again?" Hugo asked curiously. "It was so much easier to understand with you helping out."

"More than likely," Lily assured. "And actually, I'll get to teach other classes as well during my free periods."

"You're not getting much time to yourself, huh?" Hugo chuckled.

"It's a lot, but keeping my mind busy will do me some good," Lily replied.

"But who will I spend my time with?" Hugo joked.

"Well you can always join me. Get a refresher on what we learned in the younger years of our days," Lily laughed.

"I think I'll find another way to entertain myself," Hugo said with a grin.

When they had finished with their robes, Hugo dragged Lily off to Magical Menagerie to get some food for his cat, so Lily found herself getting a few things for Salazar and Regal as well.

"I might need to get Puff a new cage to take him in on the train," Hugo mentioned as he picked up a bag of treats.

"Why the hell did you name him Puff?" Lily asked.

"Because he looked like a big puff ball when Lola picked him up," Hugo chuckled. "She liked the name, by the way."

Lily rolled her eyes. "And also, you need to face facts that you have a kitten, and he has yet to outgrow the tiny kennel you got him last year."

"Shut it," Hugo muttered as he looked at bigger cages. "And he might get bigger over the year. And kitten sounds so girlie."

"Well you let a girl pick him out," Lily retorted.

"Moving on," Hugo stated as they went to pay for their things, "where did our parents say to meet them?"

"Owl Emporium," Lily said with a sigh. "Oh, and why didn't you mention that Rose moved out?"

"It happened during my brooding over Stacy stage, so it wasn't really on my mind. Otherwise, yes, I would have been dancing for a week," Hugo assured.

"I guess it's not too surprising. She always was pretty independent. How are your parents taking it?" Lily asked.

"I was shocked Dad didn't tie her to the banister or lock her in a closet," Hugo mumbled. "Mum was a bit sad, but she supported Rose's decision. Dad felt better once Rose mentioned she was moving in Marsha Finnigan, and not Lorcan."

"Give me a moment to contain my amazement," Lily replied.

* * *

The twenty-second came, and Lily felt dreadful for most of the day, even though she was spending most of it with Scorpius. But it just felt too much like their last day together for the summer.

"You're thinking about it again," Scorpius commented as they sat on the couch in the Potter house. Her father was still at work, while her mother was working on an article in the kitchen.

Lily shrugged as she rested her head on his shoulder. "So what if I am?"

"If you keep thinking about, you're going to explode," Scorpius replied.

"Hey, you get to brood when my pictures are in magazines. At least let me brood before you start training," Lily muttered.

"We've got the mirrors, we can write. Our situation has gotten better," Scorpius reminded her as his fingers began running through her hair. He placed a small kiss on her forehead.

"But you have to admit that it's not the same," Lily murmured. "I'm just going to miss this, is all."

"Well so am I," he whispered. "But I'll be calling you with that mirror every chance I get."

Lily smiled as she leaned into his body more. "You'd better. I'd hate to tell your boss that you hurt my feelings," she teased.

Scorpius gave a low chuckle. "Well, your connections to my new career just became terrifying."

Lily placed a kiss on his throat. "Good. But remember that I'm more terrifying than any connections."

Scorpius brought a hand to her cheek, and tilted her head so that he looked at her fully. "Funny how such a sweet girl could be so evil," he teased.

Lily smiled before kissing him. It wasn't a deep kiss, or a long one, but its passion held up to any of their pervious ones. When she pulled away, she brought her knees under her, and brought her own hand up to play his hair gently. "I love you," she whispered softly.

Scorpius kissed her again, this one lasting just a tad bit longer than their last. "And I love you just as much now, as I will when these two years are over."

Lily smiled as a bit of pink instinctively came over her cheeks. "That is a lot."

Scorpius smiled softly. "Real love is always more than a lot."


	80. Good Changes and Bad Changes

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, here's the next chapter. It's not as long as the last one, obviously. This is mainly getting ready for the rest of the sixth year. Also, I thought I'd throw in another Pritchard for us to meet at least a little briefly. But this is mainly just a chapter to catch up with how Lily's friends have been, and what they've been up to. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Surprise Note - Also, I've got something for you guys at the end of the chapter. A bit of a surprise that I'm sure you'll enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty: Good Changes and Bad Changes

Lily's trunk was packed and ready on the morning of September first. And she herself felt a little more ready for her time away from Scorpius. She knew she was easily ready to face another year at Hogwarts, and she was absolutely ready to see Jacob being the headmaster again.

"Oh, I can't believe you're already going off to you sixth year," Ginny sighed as they stepped onto Platform 9 3/4.

"I can't believe that the summer lasted so long," Lily replied.

"Well I think I see Hermione and Ron," Harry mentioned. Lily followed her father's eyes, and saw the tall figure that was her uncle. But she didn't see Hugo. But she could see flashes of blonde and copper hair not too far away.

"I'll be back in a minute," Lily told her parents. "I just need to talk with someone quick." Lily left her parents and began to walk over to where she saw most of the Pritchard siblings and their parents.

"Hey, Lily!" Bobby greeted happily as soon as he saw her coming.

"Lily!" Marsha squealed. She ran over and hugged her.

Lily laughed as she hugged the girl back. "Hey, Marsha."

"Hi, Lily," little six-year-old Candice greeted with a shy smile.

Lily kneeled a little so that she could look the girl in the face. "Well hey there, Candy. You are getting prettier every time I see you." And it was true. Young Candice was a very cute little girl. She had rich copper hair that was more red than anything, and pretty dark eyes.

The girl giggled. "Thank you."

Lily stood up and looked at Bobby. "So, where's Lola?"

"Well she saw Shannon, and the two girls started squealing, so we left them behind," Bobby joked.

Lily laughed lightly. "Well, I'll go find her."

"Or we could find you." Lily turned to see Lola and Shannon approaching. Immediately, Lola had Lily in a hug. "It feels like forever!"

"Well why didn't you go to Adrian's party?" Lily asked her as the three girls stepped away from the littler kids.

Lola shrugged. "I wasn't really up for a party." She sighed. "So, you heard about me and Hugo?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, your relationship was on his mind a lot, even after the breakup. Are you ok?"

"Well, it's a little sad, but he was right. We weren't going anywhere in our relationship," Lola replied. Then she paused, and a shy grin appeared on her face. "So, did he tell you what we did before that though?"

Lily laughed. "He did, and then worried that you really weren't ok."

Lola rolled her eyes. "I told him I was fine. I mean, it hurt, but . . . it passed."

"So, Lily, have you seen any of the others? We were about to look for them. We already loaded our stuff onto the train," Shannon asked.

"I haven't even seen Hugo yet," Lily replied. "But I'm sure the others will turn up."

"Who'll turn up?" a deep voice asked.

The three girls turned, and each of their jaws practically dropped. Behind them, approaching was Jace. But not the Jace they left last year. This Jace was taller, and much more fit. He had really grown into his ears, which now didn't stick out at all. His hair was wavy around his head, the ends curling lightly around his forehead. And under a striking brow were dark but gentle eyes.

At their stares, his brow became a scowl of confusion. "What the hell are you staring at?" he asked, his voice a lower octave than they remembered.

Lily blinked a few times, regaining her thoughts. "Oh, you just . . . you actually grew into your ears," she covered.

"Yeah, we never expected it," Shannon said with a nervous laughed.

Lola remained silent.

Jace chuckled as he brought a hand up to one ear. "Yeah, I know. So I finally got my left one pierced. What do you think?"

Lily looked at the stud in his earlobe. "It looks really good on you," she complimented.

Jace grinned and dropped his hand. Then he glanced over at Lola. Almost nervously, he cleared his throat. "Hey there, dirty. How was the summer for you?"

Lola's cheeks steadily turned a light pink, and she turned her head. "It was fine, idiot."

"Hard to comment on my ears when they look normal, huh?" he teased lightly.

"Shut it," she mumbled.

"Well, are we ready to board?" Jace asked curiously.

"Oh, um I still have to say goodbye and get my things," Lily told him.

"Oh. Well, how about I help you get your stuff on board?" Jace offered.

"You don't have to," Lily replied.

"Oh, I don't mind. We'll see you girls on the train," Jace told Shannon and Lola.

"You bet," Shannon said with a bit of a blush.

Lily led Jace over to where she could still see her uncle above everyone else's heads practically. And this time, Hugo was there.

"Woah! Jace, look at you!" Hugo commented as they approached.

"Hey, dude," Jace greeted. "What's up?"

"Getting ready to go back to hours of boring lessons. You?" Hugo joked.

"The same, once I help your cousin get her things on the train," Jace laughed.

Lily rolled her eyes and left the two boys by her things. "I'm going to board the train, ok?"

"Ok, well you take, princess," Harry sighed as Lily hugged him.

"I will. Let me know if you hear anything about the governors," Lily told him with a smile.

Harry chuckled. "I will."

Lily hugged her mother next. "Be good, and try to stay out of trouble," Ginny told her.

"I always try. It just never works," Lily laughed as she pulled away from their hug. She smiled at both her parents. "I'll see you guys at Christmas. Unless I do something and you get called in," she teased.

Ginny rolled her eyes, but still smiled at her daughter. "Go on now," she urged. Lily turned to see that Jace was gone, as well as her things, and Hugo was saying goodbye to his parents.

"You don't think you're leaving without saying you love me, do you?" a deep and recognizable voice asked.

Lily whirled around to find Scorpius standing a bit behind her. But as happy as she was to see him, she was surprised as well.

"What the hell did you do to your hair?" Lily demanded in shock. His hair was shorter than it had ever been. So much that it only fringed around the very top of his forehead.

Scorpius ran a hand over his hair and smirked. "Well, I learned in the first few days of training that hair can get in the way, even if it wasn't too long. So I had Lana cut it for me . . . and you hate it, don't you?"

Lily swallowed as she looked at his hair. "I wouldn't say I hate it . . . I just liked it better when it was a bit longer."

Scorpius chuckled as he came to place his hands at her hips. "Well I promise you, once training is done, I'm letting it grow back out a bit. But this is easier on me."

Lily smiled. "Well I guess I can handle it for two years."

Scorpius rested his forehead on hers, his warm breath fanning across her cheeks. "You gunna miss me?" he asked teasingly.

Lily closed her eyes as her body automatically relaxed. "You know I will," she murmured. "More than you'll miss me."

"Let's call a stalemate on that right now," he chuckled. "Otherwise you'll miss your train."

Lily sighed as she opened her eyes to see his stormy eyes locking onto hers. "I'll see you at Christmas," she whispered.

Scorpius brought a hand up to stroke her cheek gently. "It's a promise." He sighed, almost heavily. "I love you, Lily Luna."

Lily smiled softly. "I love you too."

The kiss they shared was almost earthshattering in its ways. Alongside the overwhelming passion and love was a longing that Lily knew was going to settle in her veins until Christmas came. And the embrace that followed their kiss was no different. Only harder to end.

"We'll try out those mirrors tonight, ok?" he whispered.

Lily nodded. "Ok."

"And, I've got something for you, before you go. It's that birthday gift," Scorpius told her.

"I've been wondering when I would get that. It took more than a couple of days," Lily teased softly.

Scorpius chuckled as he pulled back a little, and dug through his pants pocket. It was white, and looked to be folded. He held it out to her, and when Lily took it, she found that it was a folded envelope. "The present is in there, but you've got to promise me that you won't open it until you get to Hogwarts."

Lily rolled her eyes. "That just makes it all the more tempting. But ok," she said with a smile.

"And I know it's kinda dumb, but it was all I could think of," he admitted.

"I'm sure I'll love it," Lily assured.

Scorpius smirked softly. "Go on now, or I'll never let you."

"Come on, Lil," Hugo spoke, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "See ya later, Scor."

"Take care of her for me, Hugh," Scorpius chuckled.

Hugo laughed as well. "I promise."

Lily kissed Scorpius once more. "Bye."

Scorpius pushed her hair away from her shoulder. "Bye."

Lily let Hugo lead her toward the train, because she knew she would never willingly walk away from Scorpius. When they stepped on the train, the last thing Lily wanted was to wave goodbye out the window, so she just made her way down the train. They found Jace, looking as if he was waiting for them.

"I guess the girls are taking a compartment to themselves, so us guys found another one," Jace told Hugo. "But, your things are in here, Lil." He pulled open an empty compartment door.

Lily smiled a bit weakly at him. "Thanks. I'll see you at the prefect meeting, Huey."

"You got it," he told her. "Let's go." Then he and Jace were walking away.

Lily stepped into her compartment, and found Salazar sleeping on a jacket in the corner of a seat. Now Lily fully smiled, and thankful that Jace thought to take him out of his stuffy cage.

"Lily!" Izzy greeted happily as she and Megan stepped in. "How have you been?"

Lily turned and smiled at the girls. "Ok, I guess," she replied. Then noticing that she still had the folded envelope in her hand, she shoved it into her pocket. "You?"

"Not too bad. My mum took me to Italy for a few weeks during her vacation. It was a lot of fun," Izzy replied.

"And she refuses to tell me if she met up with a hot Italian guy," Megan mentioned as she sat down.

Lily looked at her curiously as she sat next to where Salazar laid. "Did you and Kyle break up?" she asked.

Izzy nodded. "Yeah, I just felt that we didn't work well together."

"In other words, it was boring?" Megan mocked, making Lily laugh.

Izzy rolled her eyes and smiled. "A little, yes. But I didn't say that to him."

"Hey, girls," Shannon greeted as she and Lola stepped in, shutting the door behind them, and then sitting down.

Lily grinned over at Lola. "So, when do you plan to tell them the news?"

"What news?" Megan asked.

Lola sighed. "Well, I'm not getting into a story, and then have Lily leave, so after your meeting."

"Excuses, excuses," Lily teased. "But, do any of you guys know who was chosen as prefects from our House this year?"

"I heard it was Lance and Courtney," Lola replied.

"So you can watch them snog during the meeting," Megan joked.

"I know that I'm now dating Head Boy," Shannon said with a giggle.

"So Chris got Head Boy? How are you two doing?" Lily asked.

"Really well, actually," Shannon answered.

"How far have you gotten?" Megan inquired.

Before Shannon could answer, someone was tapping on the glass window of the compartment door. They looked to see that it was Christian, with Hugo standing by him. Christian pointed at Lily, then motioned for her to follow.

Lily sighed. "Must be time for the meeting. How about we exchange sex-related stories when I get back?"

"Sounds like a plan," Megan agreed.

"See you in a bit," Lily told them before stepping outside.

Christian immediately wrapped her in a hug. "Lily! It's been all summer!"

Lily laughed as she pulled away from the hug. "Hello, Christian. Are we ready?"

"Let's get this over with," Hugo agreed.

They were apparently the last ones to walk into the prefect compartment. The only new faces she recognized were the ones of Lance and Courtney, both of whom she gave a smile to. And she was happy to see that standing in the middle with Chris Summerby was Nadia Belby.

"This is quite the new crop of faces," Christian whispered to the other two. But when Lily caught sight of Stacy sitting next to Lucy, she glanced back at Hugo. He looked tense, but he seemed to be looking everywhere but at Stacy.

The three took seats next to a small Hufflepuff fifth year, and sat quietly as they listened to the Head Boy and Girl talk. They didn't really say anything new, but gave the schedule of train patrols. Lily was thankful that hers wasn't for a while, but was a bit hesitant when she was paired with Stacy. Not that she'd didn't like Stacy, but she wasn't sure how Hugo would react. At the moment, he still seemed tense.

Sure enough, when they left the compartment, she heard Hugo mumble something in her ear. "So, you gunna talk to Stacy?"

Lily shrugged. "We're sort of friends, so probably. Besides, patrolling in silence usually sucks."

Hugo simply nodded, but Lily knew he was suppressing the urge to ask Lily to talk about Hooper. She knew Hugo too well, and knew he was too stubborn.

"I'll see you guys later," Lily told the boys as she stepped back into her compartment.

"Finally!" Megan exclaimed when Lily came back. "Shannon's been teasing us about the story she had to tell. Now she can tell it!"

"Oh, Shannon's got a story? Do tell," Lily teased as she sat down, being careful not to disrupt Salazar.

Shannon grinned slyly. "Well, Chris met my family a few weeks ago," she started.

"Including Adrian?" Lily mocked.

Shannon scoffed. "Hell no. I'm not that dumb. He met Miley and my parents. Anyways, we were outside, snogging by the corner of the fence, so my parents couldn't see us. And, we've gotten a bit closer over the summer, so there was under the shirt action."

"Is that all?" Megan teased.

Shannon rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha. Not the good part of the story. Anyways, when we stopped . . ."

"You stopped?" Lola questioned.

"Miley yelled that dinner was done," Shannon grumbled. "Moving on, we somehow got onto the topic of sex."

Lily raised a brow. "Are you thinking about having sex with Chris?"

A bit of pink came over Shannon's cheeks. "I'm considering it majorly."

A round of squeals went around before the questioning began.

"Why are you _just_ considering it? Why not just do it?" Megan asked.

Shannon sighed. "Well, mainly it was because we had nowhere to do it during the summer. His parents never left us alone when I came over, and I share a room with Miley still. But now it's mainly because . . . I'm kind of nervous."

Lily nodded. "It can be a nerve-wracking. I was always nervous at just thought before Scorpius and I first had sex. You get past it though," Lily joked. Then she looked at Lola. "Maybe, Lola can give you a bit of advice."

"Ooo, what's Lola's story?" Izzy asked excitedly.

Lola rolled her eyes at Lily, but Lily simply smiled. So Lola sighed. "Well, Hugo and I had sex this summer."

This time Lily simply bit her lip to keep from laughing at her friend's blush, while the others gasped and squealed.

"You did not!" Megan exclaimed. "Why? I mean, no offense, but I still don't understand the attraction you had to Hugo."

Lily finally let out a laugh, while Lola just shook her head. "I never claim to understand it, either. But . . . we talked about before, and said that we'd wait until the right moment. The right moment ended up being while I was babysitting."

"Did you get caught?" Izzy inquired.

"No, all the younger ones were outside with their friends, and Hugo had snuck over earlier, so we went to my room. And what started out as a simple snog, turned into sex," Lola replied.

"How was he?" Megan asked.

Lola blushed lightly as she played with the ends of her hair. "He was great, actually."

"But did you orgasm?" Megan asked mockingly.

Lola sighed. "Surprisingly, yes."

"So you didn't expect to?" Shannon laughed.

"Honestly, no. I mean, a lot of girls don't their first time," Lola pointed out. "But . . . it was almost like he was determined that I came before he did. Is that a guy thing?" she asked, looking at Lily.

Lily just shrugged. "I don't know. I've never had to worry about if Scorpius was going to come before I did."

"I wish every woman was that lucky," Megan replied. "Except the girls I hate, of course."

"You know, Megan, we all tell you stories, but you hardly tell us any," Izzy pointed out. "Are you hiding one?"

Megan grinned smugly. "I'll tell you mine if you admit to an Italian boy."

"What Italian boy?" Shannon asked.

"Izzy went to Italy this summer, and she and Kyle were already broken up," Lily caught them up.

"Oh, there has to be an Italian guy!" Lola exclaimed with a giggle.

Izzy blushed. "Ok, fine, there _was_ one Italian guy. But only one!"

"What was his name?" Lily asked.

"Mark Anthony. He was a Muggle boy, seventeen-years-old," Izzy admitted.

"Give us a description," Megan demanded. "Hair, body, eyes, length."

Izzy rolled her eyes and smacked Megan's shoulder while the other girls laughed. "We never did anything like that! We were only together for a few weeks. It was a simple fling, nothing more."

"But we need a physical description," Lola agreed.

"And details on the fling," Shannon added.

Izzy smiled. "Well, he was kind tall. Wavy black hair that he had slicked back. Really cute brown eyes. And he was nicely built."

"Where did you meet him?" Lily asked.

"On a beach, actually. I guess he worked there," Izzy answered.

"Which means that there was a lot of snogging in the sand," Shannon teased.

"Kind of yeah. But before you ask, Megan," Izzy said, cutting Megan off before she could start, "we never went farther then him feeling me up over my bikini top."

"Well you need to have better flings then," Megan teased.

"And you need to tell us what you've been up to this summer," Izzy countered.

"And who you've been under," Shannon mocked.

Megan didn't blush or play coy. Her grin was devious, and Lily knew that she was going to enjoy this. "Ok, but I'll warn you now, my first time purposefully didn't include romance."

"So you admit you had sex this summer?" Lola replied.

"Absolutely," Megan retorted smugly. "With Ted West after Adrian's party."

Lily looked at her in surprise. "I thought Dante hated Ted."

"That's why I chose him," Megan replied. "You can say that Dante and I had a disagreement earlier in the week."

"You should have slept with Clete then," Lily joked.

"I would have, but Clete just wasn't cute enough," Megan laughed.

"So you really had sex with a boy just to get back at your brother?" Lola asked with a laugh of her own.

Megan nodded. "Yup. I have a lack of trust in romance, and if you live in my house long enough, you grow to hate it. And I didn't really care about my first time being special anyways, so when Ted offered, I took up him on it."

"You are such a tramp," Shannon mocked with a smile.

"Why thank you," Megan retorted easily. "I'll take that compliment and put it up there with my bitch title."

"Did you tell Dante?" Izzy asked. "Since it was revenge against him?"

"No, it was a personal triumph, although I'm sure he'll hear about it. I gave Ted permission to brag, and I'm sure he'll throw it in my brother's face," Megan admitted.

"And then Dante will kill him, and you'll have gotten revenge, and you'll never have to see Ted again," Lily laughed.

Megan laughed too. "Win, win."

* * *

Lily was a little late when she had to take her turn patrolling the train, and found Stacy already waiting for her.

"Sorry, I'm late. I was catching up with my friends," Lily apologized.

Stacy simply smiled. "It's ok. I just got here too. Shall we start?"

Lily nodded, so the two began walking. Lily glanced over at her partner, seeing the cheery smile on her face. Taking in a breath, and knowing that Hugo would owe her, Lily took her shot. "So, I hear you're dating Andrew Hooper?"

Stacy looked at Lily, and her smile seemed even brighter. "Yeah. You know him?"

Lily shrugged, trying to seem casual. "Not really, but I know _of_ him. But, how long have you been dating him?"

"We started dating sometime in May, so it's been about . . . about three months. Four, in a few weeks," Stacy answered. "How long have you and Scorpius been together now? It seems like forever."

Lily laughed a little. "Yeah, it kind of does," she agreed. "But it's been over a year now."

"Did you guys celebrate your anniversary?" Stacy inquired.

"No, we didn't think it mattered much. Plus, we were spending most of our time together anyways, what with me going back to Hogwarts," Lily replied. "How'd you and Hooper start?"

"Well I always thought he was cute, and I guess we'd kinda flirted a bit before. But then he just asked me out," Stacy admitted with a small blush.

"Is he nice?" Lily asked.

"He's so nice! And he's sweet, and smart," Stacy said with a giggle. "I really like him!"

Although she felt bad for Hugo's predicament, Lily couldn't help but be happy for Stacy. She seemed so excited about her relationship. It made Lily wonder. "So, is he your first boyfriend?"

Stacy blushed again. "Yeah. I was really nervous in the beginning of our relationship, but I've really grown comfortable with him."

Lily smiled softly. "I'm happy for you, Stacy."

* * *

Lily sighed heavily as she sat at the Slytherin table with everyone else, waiting for the new first years to come in, and for the Sorting to begin. This night was going to slow, and it was too confusing. She couldn't see Professor Brown at the staff table anywhere. Where the hell was he?

"You ok, Lil?" Jace whispered next to her.

Lily glanced over at him. She was still surprised by how much he'd grown and changed over the summer, so it always took her a moment to remember that it was still Jace. "I'm ok," she murmured back. "Just waiting for it to begin."

Jace nodded. "I thought you might be wishing that Scorpius was here," he replied back quietly.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "I guess," she mumbled, hated to be found out.

Jace gave her a sympathetic grin. "It won't be too bad, Lil. You've got us here. We'll cheer ya up," he promised, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Lily smiled. "Thanks, but I know it'll be ok. And I look forward to you trying to cheer me up."

Jace chuckled. "I'll make sure it's epic."

When the Sorting finally started, Lily didn't focus too much until they got to the end of the A's.

"Avery, Joshua!" Professor Longbottom called out.

The Slytherins watched as the youngest Avery finally came to be sorted. Lily hadn't met Joshua personally, but knew from Xavier and Mitch that he was considered the baby. Like all the other Avery children, his hair was pitch black. It was cut short and was flat. His brow was dark, and his eyes almost as dark. Joshua was very tall for an eleven-year-old, and stood out among the others waiting to be Sorted.

"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat called soon after it was placed on Joshua's head.

The Slytherin's all cheered loudly, and Lily could see Scott ruffling Joshua's hair as he sat down. Lily glanced over at Xavier, but was surprised to see him clapping almost dully, his stare practically blank.

"What's up with Xavier?" Lily whispered to Jace when "Jason Bay" was called next.

Jace shrugged. "I don't know. This is the first time I've seen him all night. We couldn't find him on the train," he whispered back.

"He looks upset," Lily murmured.

"SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat yelled.

This time, Lily clapped a bit dully, her mind distracted by Xavier's behavior.

When the Sorting ended, and every one of the first years was seated, Professor Longbottom announced that it was time for the feast to begin. Food appeared, and people began eating, apparently not noticing the absence of their headmaster.

* * *

When the feast ended, and night grew late, Lily found herself dressing for bed in her dorm with the other girls, her head still on other things. Xavier had been silent the entire feast, and hadn't eaten a thing. And Jacob never showed up. Surely . . . nothing could have happened for the decision to get reversed, right? Professor Longbottom had given the normal announcements before dismissing them, and had only said that the headmaster was detained. But he didn't say who it was, either. Lily sighed and momentarily closed her eyes. This whole thing was too confusing, and making her worry too much.

"So, Lily, I noticed you and Jace whispering to each other during the Sorting," Megan mentioned with a teasing voice.

Lily looked over at the others, then grinned and rolled her eyes. "Very funny." She knew Megan was just teasing her, and she was glad to be away from her thoughts.

"Well you had to notice how he looked at you. I think he's got a crush," Megan told her.

Lily was easily reminded of when Jace had admitted to having a crush on her years ago, and their small and meaningless kiss. "Nah, I don't think so," she replied.

"But you all have to admit that he's turned into a stud over the summer," Megan commented.

"Oh, yeah," Shannon agreed.

"I can agree with that," Lily said with a laugh.

"Kind of makes me wish he and I were still dating," Izzy giggled.

Megan looked over at Lola. "What do you think, Lola?"

"He's not cute," Lola muttered. "He's the same awkward, idiotic, worthless, moron."

Megan raised a brow. "So, then no one in here minds if I take a shot at him?"

"Shannon and I are spoken for," Lily replied.

"I've already had my shot," Izzy told her.

Megan grinned over at Lola. "Lola? Do you mind?"

Lola shrugged with seeming disinterest as she pulled back the blankets on her bed. "I don't care. Why would I? He's irritating! You'll be the one that would have to deal with him."

Megan scoffed. "I didn't say I was taking a shot at a relationship with him."

"You'd sleep with Jace?" Lily inquired as she lay on her stomach on her bed, looking over at Megan.

"Hey, if his body has gotten as hot as his face has, damn right," Megan laughed.

Lily laughed as well. "I guess you've got a point. Luckily, my man is much more than hot," she teased.

"You've got a real man if I've ever seen one," Shannon joked as she climbed onto her bed.

"How are you taking your first day apart?" Izzy asked.

Lily shrugged. "I always thought the first day would be easier. I mean, we've been apart for a day before. But with the knowledge that only more are going to follow . . . it kind of sucks."

"And people ask why I avoid love," Megan sighed as she moved to sit on her bed.

Lily grinned. "It has a lot more benefits . . . and I can't really think of a con at the moment." Then a thought hit Lily. "Actually, I've got check something." Lily moved over to her open trunk, where some of her things were still inside. She grabbed the jeans she'd worn on the train, and pulled the envelope Scorpius had given her out of the pocket. Curious, she shook it, but no noise sounded. She unfolded it, and then opened it. What she pulled out was simply a piece of paper. Moving to sit back on her bed, and ignoring the girls' conversations, Lily unfolded the paper. She recognized Scorpius's handwriting easily, and was surprised and confused. Her birthday present was a letter? Too curious, Lily began to read.

"_Lily, I thought and thought for months on what to get you for your birthday. I mean, what could I get the girl that has everything? At least practically everything. Well . . . I couldn't think of anything, so I asked Lana for help. All she told me was to give you something from the heart. The problem is that you have my heart already. So . . . well I know this is lame, but I thought I'd give you a description of what goes on in that heart._

_I knew you were something when I first saw you getting Sorted. And I knew that something was special when you got put into Slytherin. And honestly, I was excited to meet you. It's funny, because it seems all my instincts were pretty smart. Because I love nothing more than talking to you, and listening to every cute and funny thing you say. And I was right to think that you were a little cute, because now, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Each moment I see you, I have to catch my breath quickly, just so I don't choke like an idiot._

_I'm not the greatest guy. I'm selfish, and I'm arrogant. I know I brood, and I know that I have a terrible temper, which is obviously violent at times. And I'm so confused, and yet eternally thankful, that you still chose me. That you still love me as much as I love you. And I want you to know that even though I'm not a good guy, I feel like I'm better around you._

_It's taken me at least three weeks to write this all out. This is about my tenth try at least, and I think I'm going to stick with it. So I guess what I'm trying to say is . . ._

_I love you."_

Lily felt her throat tighten and her heart pound and throb harder. Her attempt to swallow was thick, and her breaths were a bit shallow. Quickly, Lily grabbed her mirror from her bedside table, and closed the curtains around her bed. With the lights still on in the room, the curtains made it dim around her. With a quick flick of her wrist, she silenced the area around her, shutting away the sounds of her friends.

Lily looked into the mirror. "Scorpius?" she called.

It was barely a second before Scorpius's face appeared in the mirror. He looked a little tired, but the happiness in his face was obvious, and the love in his eyes made Lily's heart beat harder.

He smirked. "Hey, baby girl. How was your first day?"

Lily gulped in a breath. "Good. Joshua made it into Slytherin."

"I'll bet the others will be glad to hear that," Scorpius commented. "And how have you been?"

Lily bit her lip momentarily. "Ok, I guess. Although, a lot better now."

Now he smiled. "Really? I like that my presence does that for you."

Lily smiled. "It's not just that. I just read your gift to me," she murmured.

Scorpius looked a little sheepish now, but he didn't shy away. "And?"

Lily sighed, wishing nothing more than to be able to feel his embrace around her. "And I love you too."

* * *

**A GIFT - Well, I know that a lot of people are wanting Scorpius's story to be the next one I write after Lily's. And I also know that a lot of people are hoping that I might start posting it now. Well, I can't do that, mainly because I want to keep my focus on this one. But I've been asked**** to at least post a preview of Scorpius's story. Well, I do have a little bit written, so here is a piece of the beginning to ****Rebel Malfoy****.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

A Rebel Malfoy

Preview

Scorpius gave one last wave to his parents before they were out of sight. Then he stared at the bricks of the tunnel they began to pass through, his mind everywhere at the moment.

"Man, I thought that crap would never end," Mitch Avery grumbled. Scorpius glanced over at his best friend. His black hair was ridiculously long around face, hiding his dark eyes behind his bangs. He sat with his arms crossed, leaning back against the seat of the compartment.

"You're just angry because Kim got a new owl, and you have to share one with Nate," Lana said with a roll of her eyes. She combed her fingers through her short brown hair, her blue eyes bored.

"Well it's stupid," Mitch mumbled. "Just because it's her testing year. What a load of crap."

"Yeah well I have to share one with my sister," Lars retorted. His hair was dark and cut impeccably short, allowing you to see his water blue eyes. He sat as the tallest of them, although not by much.

"I can't imagine why. It can't be because we're _twins_," Lana muttered sarcastically.

"Well I hate being twins," Lars argued. "We have to have the same room! The same bathroom, the same kind of sweater! Why must we share everything?"

"Because our mum is insane and Dad doesn't care about what she dresses us in," Lana countered. Scorpius looked away to keep from laughing, because it was true. And it was obvious by how Lars and Lana were both dressed dark green sweaters, although Lars had attempted to make it look different. He'd stretched out the collar, and rolled the sleeves up. Lana simply hadn't cared too much.

"How did a woman like Mum have children like us?" Lars questioned with a sigh.

"The world works in mysterious ways," Scorpius commented.

"I'm just glad to be out of the house. Finally I won't have to listen to a million different voices," Mitch mentioned. "I mean, I love my siblings, but it gets to be a little much."

"I've been to Quidditch matches that are quieter than your house," Lars joked.

"Maybe I should move in with you, Scor. Your place is quiet," Mitch commented with a chuckle.

Scorpius grinned. "I don't think anyone would notice if you did. The place is big enough."

"No I call moving in with Scor! He's practically my brother anyways!" Lars argued.

"Exactly. You go over there a lot already. So I should be able to be the one to move in," Mitch countered, starting a debate between the two of them.

Lana sighed and looked over at Scorpius. "I hate them both."


	81. The Lines of Maturity and Self Awareness

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, here's the next chapter. The next few chapters may seem a little short or quick, but not a lot will be happening until later in the year. But of course, it'll mean that we'll get to Christmas soon, and of course Scorpius again. But anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**A Rebel Malfoy - I'm glad everyone like the preview so much. That was the beginning of the first chapter to that story. And just to clear up any confusion or questions, that story will start with Scorpius's first year.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-One: The Lines of Maturity and Self-Awareness

Lily sighed as she put her hair up for the day. It was way too bright, and the other girls were way too happy for a morning. Not that Lily had gotten the greatest wake up. After practically a year of waking up next to Scorpius at Hogwarts, it felt weird to wake up alone.

"I'll see you girls at breakfast," Lily told them, really just wanting to get out and get her mind away from Scorpius. She grabbed her bag, placed her mirror in one of the small pockets, and then left the room. She was surprised to see Jace standing by the stairs, like he was waiting.

He noticed her easily, and grinned. "Good morning, Lil. How was your night?"

Lily shrugged as she stepped into the common room. "Ok. But my wake up has been hellish."

Jace chuckled as he walked with her. "Well let's get some food to make you better."

Lily rolled her eyes, but she still smiled. "Sadly I'm not like Hugo. Food doesn't always cheer me up."

"Well we have to try," Jace joked. He threw his arm around her, pulling her to him. Lily sighed as she leaned her head against him. She felt nothing awkward or more than friendly behind his actions. It felt almost like if Hugo were to do, only she was sure Jace wouldn't mess up her ponytail on purpose.

"So what classes are you taking this year, Jace?" Lily asked curiously as they walked to the Great Hall.

"Uh, it was Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures. So, sorry I won't be able to see you teach Potions," Jace said with a smile.

Lily laughed. "It's ok. What did you get in Potions?"

"Um . . . like an A or a P, I can't remember," he chuckled. "But I wasn't surprised. I always sucked in that class if you weren't helping me and practically walking me through it."

When they reached the Great Hall, they took seats near the middle, and immediately began to fill their plates.

"So, have you found out what was up with Xavier yet?" Lily asked.

Jace shook his head. "No. He went straight up stairs when we got to the common room. And when we all went to our dorm, his curtains were pulled closed. It was like that this morning when I got up too."

"I hope he's ok," Lily sighed. "He didn't look sick or anything . . . just . . ."

"Empty?" Jace supplied.

She nodded. "Yeah. Empty."

"Hey, you guys," Hugo grinned as he sat down. "How are you two this morning?"

"Ok," Jace replied.

Lily only shrugged.

"Aw, cheer up, Lil. Here, I'll take your mind off it," Hugo assured. "Where's Professor Brown at?"

"I was wondering that too," Jace agreed.

She shrugged again. "I don't know! I worried about that all through the feast yesterday night. I mean, he was supposed to be coming back!"

"Maybe he's just tied up in something right now. I'm sure he'll be here soon," Jace replied.

"As long as Heyes doesn't go and show up, I'm not overly worried," Hugo mentioned. "When has Professor Brown ever let us down before?"

"Good morning, Hugo," Lola said with a cheerful smile. Then she caught sight of Jace. "Idiot," she mumbled briefly.

Lily rolled her eyes, but Hugo grinned. "Hey there, La. How's it going?"

"Not too bad. I was able to avoid both Bobby and Marsha this morning, which means it's great," Lola replied.

"I always thought it'd be cool to have siblings," Jace thought aloud.

"I don't care what you think," Lola countered with a snap.

Hugo didn't pay attention to her attitude. "Well, I personally hate having an older sister, although Louis likes it enough. But he got the cool sisters. And big brothers seem like a pain in the ass," he mentioned.

Lily raised a brow. "What's the point, Hugh?"

Hugo scowled in thought. "Well . . . that having older siblings suck ass, and I wish I could try being the oldest."

The other three laughed at his words. Lily shook her head. "I like being the youngest. And before everything went to hell, I liked having older brothers. Well, maybe not Albus," she muttered the last part.

"It's always too quiet at my house," Jace commented. "I think I practically lived with Monty this summer, just so that there was a little fun and noise."

"What are we talking about?" Hunter asked as he and Monty came to sit next to them.

"About Jace almost living with Monty," Hugo replied.

"Yeah, it was awesome," Monty mentioned. Then he sniggered a little. "Jay, did you tell them about Eve?"

Jace practically turned pink, Monty laughed, and the others remained confused. Lily raised a brow. "What about Eve?" Eve was Monty's little sister. She was a fourth year now, if Lily was correct.

Monty could barely contain himself to talk. "Tell 'em, Jay."

Jace let out a sigh, his cheeks still pink. "Well, Eve's kinda got a crush on me."

"Ami Waters isn't as man hungry!" Monty joked, finally bursting into laughter, with Hunter and Hugo joining him.

Lily looked at Jace with sympathy. "Well, that's kind of sweet. And it's not strange. I mean, Lola's brother Bobby has a crush on me, but he'll grow out of it, and so will Eve. They're just little kid crushes," she assured him.

Jace rolled his eyes. "After this summer, I'd rather it be Bobby that had a crush on me."

When they received their schedule's from Professor Slughorn, they found themselves going over shared classes. Lily laughed at a note on the bottom of hers, demanding that she'd better come during her free time to help teach other classes.

"Looks like I'll be hanging out while you guys go off to Herbology," Hugo sighed with a grin. "Lucky me."

"How could you not take Herbology?" Lola teased.

"How could you not take History of Magic?" Hugo mocked back.

"Because I suck at history."

"Well I suck with plants," Hugo said, making them both laugh.

Lily rolled her eyes at the two of them. "Oh, you two," she sighed.

"Don't worry, we'll hang out with ya, Hugh. Me and Monty aren't taking Herbology either," Hunter told him.

He and Hugo high-fived. "Awesome!"

Lily soon found herself walking with Jace and Lola out to the greenhouses. They were some of the first ones there, only six others in the room. Lily was happy to see that one of them was Randy Davies.

Randy smiled when he saw Lily. "Lily! How was your summer?" he greeted.

Lily smiled back. "It was ok. Yours?"

He shrugged. "Eh, a little boring. But it was cool to hear that Professor Brown was coming back. Have you seen him yet?"

"Yeah, where is Professor Brown?" Clay Angel inquired.

Lily sighed. "I don't know. I thought he'd have been here yesterday."

"I hope he turns up," Manny Fleet commented.

* * *

When it came time for their second lesson, Lily made her way down to the Potions classroom. She had a free period, and had no problem helping to teach another class, whichever it was. Slughorn's smile was bright and happy when he saw her enter the room.

"Lily! I'm glad to see that you're going to help me teach some of my classes again this year!" Slughorn said cheerfully.

Lily smiled. "It's my pleasure, Horace. And it's nice to get a refresher and remember lessons from previous years."

"Wonderful! What days do you have this time free?" Slughorn asked as he flipped through a textbook.

Lily set down her bag. "Every day. What class has this period?"

"Fifth years of Slytherin and Ravenclaw," Slughorn answered as he finally found the page he wanted. "So, you'll be helping these kids on their O.W.L. year."

Lily chuckled lightly. "Oh, joy."

Soon kids began to file in, and some were faces that Lily recognized easily from her House.

"Lily!" Liz greeted happily. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll let Slughorn tell you. He gets a kick out of explaining it," Lily joked.

"Hey, Lil," Lance greeted with a bit of a smile as he and Courtney came to sit at a table with Liz. "I heard you got Quidditch Captain."

Lily nodded. "That's right. You ready? Because I'm making everyone try out again."

Lance looked obviously excited. "Absolutely. How many positions did the other guys leave open to begin with?"

Lily sighed. "Well, it was just Lars and Scorpius, so a Chaser and Beater position." She looked at Courtney. "Are you going to try out again, Courtney?"

Courtney shrugged. She looked a lot like her brother Rex. Her hair was a pretty blonde color, and fell just past her shoulders. Her eyes were dark, and her smile was friendly and bright. "I might."

"You've got to!" Lance told her. "You almost made it last year! You were great."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Ok, ok. I'll try, but you'll have to excuse my lack of enthusiasm."

"I don't get your enjoyment in Quidditch, Lance. I mean, it's fun to watch, but it is just a game," Liz pointed out to Lance.

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. Liz's words bringing a memory from long ago to her mind. "You really are like your sister, Liz," Lily commented as she sighed.

Liz grinned and shrugged. "I guess that just means my sister is awesome."

Lily laughed and shook her head. "I'll be setting tryouts up in a few weeks. I expect you there, Lance."

"You got it, Captain," Lance agreed.

Soon the room filled, and Lily found herself standing in the front, pulling off her robes, and rolling her sleeves up. Slughorn started his speech.

"Welcome back, fifth years. As you all know, this is one of the most important years you will have at Hogwarts. You will be prepared all year for some of your most difficult tests. O.W.L. tests. This class will be harder than in previous years, because I require an E to take this N.E.W.T. course, and I hope to see you all there," Slughorn began. "Now, luckily, you all will have the benefit of having our own Lily Potter help to teach you all what you need to know."

Lily stepped forward at Slughorn's urging. "Well, you know who I am, and I know some of you. So introductions aren't needed. Let me tell you this: O.W.L.s are difficult. They aren't easy, and it wasn't easy for me. It takes dedication and hard work. You need to be careful of details, and you need to be aware of each direction for a single potion. But that's what me and Professor Slughorn are here to teach you."

Slughorn gave her a proud smile. "Now, are there any questions before we begin?" A girl from Ravenclaw held up her hand. Slughorn pointed at her. "Yes?"

"Well, I was wondering, did you really take your O.W.L. in your third year?" the girl asked Lily.

Lily nodded. "At the end of my third year, yes. Although, Professor Slughorn didn't tell me that was what I was taking." An amazed and excited murmur ran through the room. Then another hand shot up, and this was some Lily recognized. "What is it Jay?"

Jay Flair looked just as excited as everyone else. "Are you going to continue the J.B. Study Group this year?"

Lily looked at him in surprise as the fifth years all became quiet and interested. "Oh. Well . . . the thought hadn't occurred to me, actually."

A Ravenclaw boy's hand shot into the air. "But would you? Like, maybe to help others with studying? Like those getting ready to take their O.W.L.s?"

Lily blinked a few times to catch the fast question. "Um, what's your name?"

"Stuart Yales," the boy answered.

Immediately, Lily could see the physical similarities between this boy and Kyle. "Well . . . it's not a terrible idea. But it's something I'd have to talk with the other few that helped run the meetings so smoothly."

Liz raised her hand lazily. "I think you should. It'd be a great way to increase House unity. Plus some could really use the help."

"Ok, class," Slughorn intervened, possibly sensing Lily's uncertainty on how to answer. "Let's keep any more questions for later, and move on to the lecture. So let's open our textbooks, shall we?"

* * *

It took until lunch for Lily grab Hugo and track down Randy and Jaclyn Munslow. She brought the three of them to the kitchens, where the house elves brought them all a nice and simple lunch.

"What's this about, Lily?" Jaclyn asked curiously.

"It's about J.B.," Lily told them. "I had to help teach some of the fifth years in their Potions class today, and some of them . . . actually I think all of them, were really interested in us picking J.B. back up again this year."

Randy scowled in thought. "But what for? I mean, we've already done our O.W.L.s. Do they want us to help them with theirs?"

"I think they just wanted the help with studying and their work. I don't think they were interested in exactly what we did . . . mainly because they don't know exactly how we did things," Lily sighed.

"You mean . . . like a big tutoring group?" Hugo asked. "Like, us older kids could help younger students with subjects they struggle in?"

"That doesn't sound too bad," Jaclyn agreed hesitantly.

"Maybe we could even help more than fifth years," Randy suggested.

Lily was surprised at how quickly they were planning this out. "Well . . . we could have a meeting for all that want to attend. Kind of explain how things will work."

"Kids can sign up for tutoring sessions on subjects that they need help with. One of us could help a group of . . . say second years with Charms, while someone else could help a group of fifth years with Charms. I mean, there are enough of us," Hugo replied.

"That's if the other sixth years agree," Lily pointed out. "I mean, we can't force them. And we can't ask the seventh years for help. They've got their N.E.W.T.s to worry about."

"Well, how about we gather all the others in the Room of Requirement again, and see what they think?" Randy replied.

"I think we can get enough people to agree," Jaclyn said. "We've done what we can for ourselves. I think it's time we helped others."

"You gotta good heart, Jackie," Hugo complimented. "And you're right. What kind of role models would we be if we didn't help them?"

Lily looked at the other three. "So, we're really going to do this again? I mean, this year will be hard too. Are we all willing to risk the time?"

Randy nodded. "I say we do it after dinner like always. Every day. I mean, us sixth years have free periods to use for studying already, and we don't have the class load that they do."

Lily sighed as she twirled her bangs around her finger. "Then let's do it. The J.B. Study Group rises again."

* * *

The four of them had each placed a notice on the bulletin boards in their own common rooms before dinner. Now an excited and curious buzz seemed to be running through the sixth years when dinner came.

"What's this whole meeting about, Lil?" Christian asked.

"You'll see in a couple of days, Christian," Lily teased. "I'd hate to ruin the surprise"

It wasn't long after that was said when the doors to the Great Hall opened with a flourish. And a hush went around the room as everyone laid eyes on Jacob Brown, who looked at all of them with a friendly smile.

"Good evening, all! Sorry I'm late," he apologized as he began to walk toward the staff table.

Lily wasn't sure who the first person to stand up and clap was. Her guess would personally be Leighton, but soon everyone was standing, applauding, and cheering wildly. Lily felt a weight drop off her shoulders as Jacob moved to stand in front of the staff table. Everything was becoming normal again.

Professor Brown motioned for them all to sit and be silent, and it happened immediately. It was no surprise. After all the Heyes had put them through, everyone was happy to have Professor Brown back.

"Thank you, for that warm welcome," he said. "Now, I know you're in the middle of dinner, but since I wasn't able to give my little speech yesterday, I want to give it today." Professor Brown took in a breath, and his smile was one of pride. "First of all, I'm glad to be back. There is no place I love more than Hogwarts. And I want to thank a few select groups and students for their efforts to bring me back.

"First, I would like to thank all of this year's sixth year students. Your dedication to your studies and unity between Houses led to some of the greatest O.W.L. test results this school has ever seen. And for that, I award each House, fifty points," Professor Brown announced.

A loud and wild round of cheers went around the Great Hall at the news, and there was applause from the staff as well.

Professor Brown waited for them to quiet before continuing. "Next, I would like to thank four students. Lily Potter, Jaclyn Munslow, Randy Davies, and Hugo Weasley. All for _their_ dedication to not only themselves, but to others. For their leadership, and care for Hogwarts and all its students. For this I award each of them, fifty points."

Another bout of cheers came. Jace patted Lily on the back, and she could hear a loud whistle from Hagrid.

When Professor Brown spoke again, there was pride in his soft eyes. "And finally, there is one last thing. And for this, I would like Lily Potter and Hugo Weasley to stand."

Lily stood up from her seat, and saw Hugo do the same thing, sending a laughing grin over to her.

"I would like to thank these two for all of their work. Only a Potter and a Weasley could cause so much trouble and havoc in the name of Justice," Professor Brown laughed, as did other. "And it's for the trouble they caused, the sneaky plans they made, their lack of concern for rules and regulations, and their love for Hogwarts, compassion for others, and their loyalty to the school, the students, and even myself that I award these two students one hundred points."

This time everyone, students and staff, stood up and cheered and applauded. Lily smiled at Hugo, and then they both looked over at Professor Brown. He stood there, clapping just as enthusiastically as all the others.

It seemed like forever before the air calmed, and Lily and Hugo were finally able to sit without be congratulated by someone. Professor Brown looked at them all fondly. "I hope those in younger years are prepared to live up to not just those two, but to all the excellent students in their year. You have fabulous role models to look up to. And ending on that happy note . . . let's eat!"

* * *

Later that night, not long before curfew, Lily and Hugo stood outside the headmaster's office door. Lily reached up and knocked before opening the door. Hugo shut the door behind them, and they found Professor Brown placing things around the room. Hades was sitting on his normal perch.

"Good evening, Lily, Hugo," Professor Brown greeted.

"Welcome back, Professor," Hugo greeted.

"Hello, Jacob," Lily said.

Professor Brown chuckled. "How I missed having you call me that. Feel free to do the same, Hugo. I'm not one for formalities."

Hugo nodded. "All right, Jacob it is."

"What can I do for you two?" Jacob inquired.

"We just thought we'd come and welcome you back personally," Lily replied. "We were worried when you didn't show up yesterday."

"I apologize for that. I was working with my brother in America, and by the time we finished, it was very early this morning. Needless to say, I'm exhausted," Jacob said with a chuckle.

"Oh, well we can let you get some rest," Hugo offered quickly.

"Oh, no, no. I enjoy company. Besides, I want to get all my things back where they belong before I go to sleep," Jacob mentioned. "Please, sit."

Lily and Hugo both sat in two comfortable armchairs. Lily spoke first. "So, we've decided to bring back the J.B. Study Group this year. Only, it'll be more like tutoring sessions for younger students."

Jacob turned briefly to smile at the two of them. "I'm glad to hear that. Who will be doing the tutoring?"

"Us sixth years," Hugo answered. "We're thinking that every night after dinner, kids that need help can come to the Room of Requirement, and us older kids will help them with whatever subject they need help with."

"It sounds productive," Jacob agreed. "And, on a more casual note, how are you two?"

Lily shrugged. "I'm ok, I guess."

"As good as I can be at school," Hugo joked.

"And your friends?" Jacob inquired.

"As good as anyone can be while boarding the lines of maturity and self-awareness," Lily sighed.

Jacob chuckled. "Spoken like a girl who knows who she is."

Lily grinned. "I've come to realize who I am, Jake. After five years of a hard road, you learn little things like that."

Now he laughed. But then he turned to look at Hugo. "What about you, Hugo? Do you know who you are yet?"

Hugo ran a hand through his red and black hair. "I don't know. . . . Well then again, if I don't know, then I probably don't, huh?"

"Don't fret, Hugo," Jacob told him. "It's never easy to figure oneself out. It takes either time, hardships, or a life changing event. Or occasionally, of course, all three."

* * *

Lily sighed heavily as she looked over the Quidditch tryout sign-up sheet. They'd all been back at Hogwarts for a few weeks now, and Lily could feel the workload piling on her. But thanks to help and careful organizing, Lily was able to get everything done. She kept ahead on Slughorn's lesson plans for the classes she taught, which were fifth years most days, fourth years some days, sixth years every other day, and even seventh years on the other days.

After the J.B. meeting with the other sixth years went so well, Lily left the other three to plan out who would teach each subject, giving opinions and answered when they asked questions. Then she kept up on her own lessons, which were a bit taxing, held a conversation with Scorpius each night, and never missed a prefect patrol. And now, with her having to hold Quidditch trails later this afternoon, she was putting her time into being Quidditch Captain.

"You're going to kill yourself with all of this," Lola commented as she walked with Lily to the Quidditch pitch.

"I've got it taken care of," Lily assured. "The others are taking care of J.B. right now. I haven't had to do too many patrols over the past few weeks, and Slughorn has been making sure not to overload me. Plus, I have actually done all of my homework a day before it was due, instead of an hour."

"Just make sure you take it easy," Lola replied.

"Only if you promise to take it easy on Jace," Lily countered. It was something Lily had noticed. At every moment they were together, Lola refused to even look at Jace. And whenever he said something to her, and it was always something nice or polite, Lola snapped at him. Usually Lola wasn't like this unless he provoked her, and it confused Lily.

Lola just shrugged, not looking Lily square in the eye. "It's not my fault that he's an idiot."

"He always has been to you, but you've never been this much of a bitch to him," Lily replied honestly.

"Well he just bugs me more than usual lately," Lola snapped.

Lily scoffed. "I'm not surprised. I mean, I hate it when my friends are polite and nice to me too."

"Maybe he's just faking the whole nice crap," Lola muttered.

"Or maybe he's tired of fighting. Like the rest of us are tired of hearing you fight," Lily countered. "I mean, you aren't even trying to be civil anymore, ever since we saw him at the station. I don't get it, Lola."

Lola sighed and then groaned. "It's just so irritating!" she cried.

"What is irritating?" Lily demanded.

"That he's cute!" Lola snapped.

Lily looked at Lola in surprise. "What?"

Lola played with the ends of her hair. "He's cute now. He's grown into his ears, his hair is actually kept nice, and he suddenly has a really low voice and cute smile."

Lily looked at her with mild disbelief. "Are you telling me that you hate Jace now because you find him cute?"

"Yes! I mean, I've been fighting with him ever since I've known him. I've always found him repulsive and stupid! Why does he suddenly have to change? Why does he need to be nice? Why does he have to be cute? Things were fine the way they were!" Lola argued.

Lily shook her head and smiled at her best friend's problem. "Lola, things have to change. It's the way of life. You'll get used to it."

Lola groaned again. "You know what's worse?"

Lily looked at her. "What?"

Lola stopped as they came to the entrance to the pitch, almost as if she didn't want to be heard. "Every time Megan flirts with him, or talks about how she's seriously thinking about really sleeping with him, I wanna tackle her to the floor and rip her throat out."

Lily stared at Lola for a moment. And then before she could stop it, Lily began to laugh the hardest she ever had in a long time.

Lola looked at her indignantly as they began to enter the pitch. "It's not funny, Lily Luna Potter!"

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing any more. "I'm sorry. It just caught me off guard." Lily wiped a tear from her eye. "And, if it bugs you so much, why not just tell Megan?"

"Because she's kind of called dibs. I mean, I told her already that I didn't care. How can I take that back?" Lola replied.

"Lola, last year you flirted mercilessly with Hugo, while he was dating Wilde. And now you're saying you can't simply tell Megan that you've got an actual crush on Jace, and you don't want her to try for a simple one-night stand? I'm sure Megan would understand anyways," Lily replied.

Lola sighed. "Ok, first of all, I didn't like Wilde. Two, I actually thought that Hugo had a nice personality."

"You don't think Jace does?" Lily retorted as they stopped by a bench. Lily set her bag down, and then sat down as well. That was a good thing about being a captain. She didn't have to try out again, so there was no need for her to get into uniform.

"Well, Hugo was really sweet."

"So is Jace."

"And Hugo was funny."

"So is Jace."

"And Hugo had a cute face."

"So does Jace."

"Ok, this isn't fun!" Lola snapped as she sat next to Lily.

Lily chuckled as she shook her head again. "I'm just pointing out that Jace and Hugo are kind of alike in ways of personality, at least with the basics. And before you started dating Hugo, all you knew about him were the basics."

"I'm confused," Lola admitted dryly. "Are you urging me to date Jace?"

Lily shrugged. "That's up to you. I'm just trying to point out that you're being a bit unfair to Jace. He's just trying to get past things, and at least being nice and polite. The least you can do is the same."

Lola stayed silent as all the kids that were trying out came from the locker rooms, and began to line up on the grass. And Lily couldn't help but notice that there was a lot more than there had been in the past years.

"This is gunna be a long day," Lily mumbled under her breath.

* * *

It wasn't hard for Lily to disregard those that were obviously new to the game of Quidditch. But she did find herself looking at quite a few kids that were pretty good.

"Is this almost done?"

Lily turned to see Liz West approaching her. "The tryouts are, yeah. Why?"

"Because Courtney dragged me down here, and as much as I love to watch some of these kids fail, I've got an essay to write," Liz sighed. "But, I told her I'd wait for her, so I'm curious if it's done."

"Well, I've just got to let this last kid try for Keeper, and then they'll change, while I decide who is going where," Lily told her. "It's not easy. There are a lot more kids this year."

"Well a lot of girls are eager to try out this year," Liz replied.

Lily looked at her curiously. "Why?" she asked, bringing her eyes back to the kid trying for Keeper.

"Because you're captain. And they know they'll have a fairer shot with you being captain. After all, you are the only girl we've had on the team forever," Liz pointed out.

"Not completely true. Scorpius considered Courtney last year," Lily retorted.

"Yeah, but it's a bit more comforting and assured with an actual girl as captain," Liz replied. Then she sat on the bench next to Lola. "I don't know how you put up with all those guys in a locker room for this many years."

Lily chuckled as she wrote something next to Cade Waters's name on her sheet. "It can be a blessing or a curse." Then she sighed. "Ok! Everyone trying out can go and change! Once everyone's back out, I'll go over this year's team."

As everyone began to trail inside the locker room, Lily sat down and looked over the list. She had crossed out multiple names already, eliminating the ones with absolutely no skill in the games.

"So how's it looking?" Lola asked.

"Lance dominated the Chaser tryouts. He's back without a doubt," Lily replied. "And Tanner had the strongest hit among Beaters, and he had good teamwork. Although it's a given, it's still needed in this game."

"What about the other Beater position?" Liz asked curiously.

Lily grinned at her. "I'm giving it to Courtney. She had perfect aim, and she had a pretty good arm. And Bobby made all of his shots, so I'll give him his place back, and work with him to keep from being too predictable with his shots though. Hank was the only one to catch every goal attempt, so I'll let him keep his spot."

"But what about Scorpius's old Chaser position?" Lola inquired.

Lily sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Well, besides Bobby and Lance, the other kids trying out were pretty equal. Some had style and unpredictability, where others could make the shots those kids missed . . . I think I'm going to go with John Warrington."

"Justin's little brother?" Lola said with a bit of surprise.

"Well, I know there were others that made more shots than him, but he had great teamwork skills. And Scorpius always said that was one of the most important things when being a Chaser. If you and your teammates didn't know how to pass, evade, and move together, then you were screwed," Lily answered. "And I think John was great skill with that. And with some work, I know we can improve his style and ability to make it past a Keeper."

It was at least another ten minutes before everyone was finally back out onto the pitch, clean and dressed in their own clothes again.

Lily stood in front of them, the list in her hand. "Ok. You guys did really well. For the moment, I only have the actual team picked out. But soon I'll put up a list of reserve players as well. So, when I call your name, come and grab your playing gear." She pointed at the gear she'd asked Lance to bring out beforehand. "Now, for Keeper, Hank Harper will be playing this position again."

Hank grinned as he moved to take his old Keeper playing equipment by the bench.

Lily gave him a nod. "Now, Beaters. Tanner Zabini will be keeping his position," Lily said.

"Yes!" Tanner cheered, high-fiving Hank once he grabbed his things.

Lily shook her head and smiled. "And taking over for Lars will be Courtney Derrick."

An obvious murmur went around, and Lily could hear that most of it had to do with her choosing a girl. Courtney smiled happily as she came to grab the other set of Beater equipment. Liz smiled at her friend with obvious congratulations.

"And for Chasers. Lance Higgs and Bobby Pritchard will retain their positions. And joining us this year will be John Warrington," Lily listed. The three boys moved to take their gear. "Ok, like I said, I'll have a list of reserve players soon. So, you guys can go, except for the team."

"Way to pick 'em, Lily Lu!" Tanner cheered happily as she turned to look at them.

Lily rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thank you, Tanner. Moving on though, I'm not too worried this year. I mean, undesirables have graduated last year, so we don't have much hostile competition. We can go about this casually and normally."

"But we can still kick ass?" Hank joked.

Lily nodded. "That's a given. But, I'll have practices up in the common room soon. I'm going for a few days a week before dinner. And also, let me know at our first practice if one of your uniforms doesn't fit you, so I can get Madam Hooch to get you a different one. But that's it, you can go and throw your things in your lockers."

"This year is going to be sweet!" Tanner exclaimed, as he, Lance, and Hank began to playfully laugh and shove each other.

"And, Courtney," Lily addressed.

Courtney stopped and looked back at Lily, who walked up to her. "Yeah?"

Lily sighed. "Well, all I could find was Lars's old game and practice uniforms. I'm going to talk to Madam Hooch about getting one that will actually be fit for a girl. But if I don't get them by the time of our first practice, then you'll just wear normal clothes, ok?"

Courtney nodded. "Sure. Thanks."

Lily nodded as she watched the rest of the team wander toward the locker room. Lola came to stand next to her. "I'm sure Bobby will never shut up about Quidditch now," she muttered. "So thanks."

Lily shrugged. "He's pretty good." Then she smiled slightly. "You know. I've got a good feeling about Quidditch this year. Maybe we can do it without injury."

"You son of a bitch, Tanner! That hurt!" they heard Hank yell from the locker room.

Lily groaned lightly. "At least during games, maybe."

* * *

"So have you guys got the details figured out?" Lily asked Randy, Jaclyn, and Hugo as they sat in the Room of Requirement. Hugo had told Lily that the three of them were finally done, and wanted to go over everything once more.

"We think so," Randy replied.

"We figured things out pretty well," Jaclyn agreed. "We figured that, every day, we could do one subject. That way, if someone needs help with something like Herbology and Charms, they wouldn't have to worry about which one to go to. This way, they can make both."

"We'll have all the years there at the same time. Each at a different area of the room. And each one will have someone from our year going over what they needed help with," Hugo told her. "For example. Let's say I'm tutoring a group in Charms. And they just went over something like Cheering Charms in class. I'll help with anything they don't understand about it. Then any homework, the tutor will proceed to help with, although not do, their assignment."

Lily nodded. "Sounds good. Who's teaching what?"

"Well we'll need five sixth years a night. One for each year below us. And this will make it easier on us sixth years, just incase they have other obligations," Randy told her.

"How will decide who teaches what night?" Lily inquired.

"We're going based on who taught what subject last year in our group," Randy replied. "That leaves us with four to a subject at most. Those four can have the higher years, while we get someone else to help the first years."

"But what if they do have other obligations?" Lily countered.

"Then we're simply going to ask the others in our year to get someone to fill in for them, and to make sure that person is reliable in that subject," Jaclyn answered.

"We also think that the four of us should kind of . . . preside over each night," Hugo admitted. "At least two of us."

Lily looked at him curiously. "What for?"

Randy sighed as he ran a hand over his hair. "Look, we're not proud of this thought, but it's incase of a fight."

"There will only be five in our year there teaching. And if some kind of rivalry among Houses starts up, we'd like some of us to be there to make sure things stay on topic, and go smoothly," Jaclyn admitted.

"So, you mean kind of like guards?" Lily teased. "I'm not mocking the idea. In fact, it might not be a bad one. I also think that when we hold the meeting to inform the younger kids about all of this group, we should inform them of our stance on House unity and rivalries."

"So, you think we've got it done?" Hugo asked.

Lily nodded. "You guys did good."

"It wasn't hard," Jaclyn said sheepishly. "I mean, we used a lot of our material from last year. We'll use the same schedule for what class what day, and we just kept teachers from last year."

"You still did fantastically," Lily assured. "Now we just need to take a time to inform the younger kids on this. That's going to be a lot of kids."

"What if we just have a sign-up sheet?" Randy asked. "We can put in the common room, and anyone who is interested can come to an . . . informative meeting first. That way we aren't talking to a bunch of kids who won't follow through."

"That sounds good," Hugo agreed. "Also, when it comes to teaching what nights, I think each night we should put up who's supposed to teach the next night in the common room, and give a little note that if they have something going on already, then they need to either find someone else, or let us know."

"That sounds perfect," Jaclyn complimented.

Hugo grinned smugly. "I have my moments," he joked.

Lily sighed as she relaxed into her chair. "Well, I think we've got something here. So, we make up the sign-up sheets quick tonight and put them up. When should we have the meeting?"

"How about the first of October?" Randy suggested. "It gives kids plenty of time to consider it, plus we can all have a little break as well."

"Now that sounds perfect!" Hugo agreed with a laugh. "I'm all up for it."

"Sounds fabulous to me," Jaclyn replied. "I'm exhausted."

"Then let's get to it."

* * *

"I don't think I've ever been so exhausted in my life," Lily murmured softly. She was laying on her bed, her chin resting on her crossed arms. She was dressed for bed, and the curtains were closed around her bed. Her wand was providing light for her to see Scorpius in her Two-Way Mirror, which was propped up against her pillows.

Scorpius looked just as tired, but his smirk was still playful as always. "I might take that as a challenge," he mocked.

Lily giggled softly and rolled her eyes. "I'm not surprised," she replied.

"Nice outfit, by the way," he teased.

Lily glanced back over herself. Her shorts were small, as was the shirt. But it was too warm in their dorm room tonight. "Why thank you, Mr. Malfoy," she mocked. "I must say, I enjoy your lack of a shirt."

That was very true. Although with how he was now holding his mirror, her view was blocked, but she'd already been lucky to see the bare expanse of his chest earlier in their conversation.

Scorpius chuckled. "You're welcome." Lily laughed with him this time. But then Scorpius sighed. "So, miss me yet?"

Lily smiled. "I missed you after Hugo pulled me onto the train."

"I missed you as soon as you walked away," he retorted with a teasing smirk.

She laughed lightly. "It seems so quiet without you guys here. And I've never noticed how big these beds are without you in one with me."

"Are you calling me a fat ass?" he joked.

"I was going for strong," Lily retorted. Then she sighed. "I should let you go to sleep. You've got training in the morning."

"I don't mind," Scorpius murmured.

"I do. My uncle Ron would jump at the chance to get you to slip up if he knew you were exhausted. Some of his funniest stories include overly tired recruits," Lily replied softly.

Scorpius chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me. He's a pretty ruthless trainer, which is probably a good thing. Even his daughter doesn't get off easy."

"I'm actually a little surprised. But then again, he could be hoping that if he's tough that she'll quit," Lily sighed. "But, I really should let you sleep."

Scorpius smiled gently. "Ok. Love you, baby."

"I love you too." Then Lily blew a small kiss toward the mirror, and Scorpius playfully brought his hand up to "catch" it. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Lily sat up as Scorpius's face disappeared from the mirror. She slid the mirror carefully under her pillows, and then climbed under the covers. With a flick of her wand, it grew dark around her. She left her wand on the far side of the bed, and then rested her head. Her eyes closed easily, and her body relaxed nicely into the bed. But her heart and mind kept reminding her of things she didn't want to think about.

"_This bed really is much bigger and colder without Scorpius in it."_

And suddenly, the dorm room wasn't as warm as before.


	82. Dealing with Emotions and Questions

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I had planned to at least get to the first Quidditch match of the Hogwarts season, but I'd also planned to have this done yesterday. So, to make it up to you guys, I wrote a little more, and then decided to upload it. It just means that the Quidditch match will be in the next chapter. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Outtakes - I had briefly put up a story that was called ****Slytherin's Potter: The Outtakes****, but there was a problem, so I took it down. But don't worry, I plan to bring it back up as soon as I can.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Two: Dealing with Emotions and Questions

"So, our first Hogsmeade trip is coming up this weekend," Megan mentioned at lunch. "What are you going to be up to, Jace?"

Lily glanced over at Lola, whose eyes shot down to her plate at the sound of Megan's flirtatious tone.

But Jace didn't seem to notice. "Oh, well, Lil, Hugh, Lola, are we doing our usual?"

Lily sighed. "I don't know. For one thing I don't think we'll even be able to get Xavier out of his bed on the weekend." She knew, for they had all tried the past few weeks. "Plus . . . I just don't think it would feel the same."

"Without Scor and Mitch and Lana and the rest of them?" Jace supplied. Then he nodded. "Yeah, so do I."

"I'm not drinking," Lola threw in, still looking at her plate.

"Plus, after Professor Brown went on to call us great role models . . . it kinda feels like it wouldn't be right," Hugo added.

Shannon rolled her eyes. "It wasn't right to begin with. It was underage drinking."

"Yeah, but now it doesn't_ feel_ right," Hugo retorted. "I say we all just kinda hang out in the shack."

"That sounds good. After all, just hanging out at The Three Broomsticks does get old after awhile," Jace agreed.

"Well I could always make it interesting," Megan teased lightly.

Jace looked at her curiously. "How?"

Lily, Izzy, and Shannon immediately looked down, doing their best to keep from laughing. Lily glanced up, expecting to see Hugo getting ready to laugh as well, but he was practically turned in his seat, looking back at Gryffindor's table. Lily looked over at where his eyes were trained, and saw Stacy and Hopper laughing, and obviously flirting.

"Hugo, don't torture yourself," Lily said, catching the others' attentions.

Hugo glanced over at Lily, before finally turning back to his food. "Well . . . maybe I could see if Stacy wants to come with."

"Huey's in love!" Jace teased, shoving Hugo's shoulder.

Hugo looked sheepishly at his plate. "There's no harm in asking, right?"

"Just be prepared," Lily warned. "She might have a date, with her _boyfriend_."

Hugo scowled. "Thanks for the reminder. I'm still going to ask."

"And if she declines?" Lily asked.

"Then maybe I'll ask someone else," Hugo retorted.

Lily raised a brow. "Like who?"

Hugo thought about it. "Well . . . like Jackie!"

Now Lola looked at him. "Jaclyn Munslow?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah! She's nice, and kinda cute."

Lola looked at him skeptically. "So if Stacy says no, you're going to ask out Jaclyn?"

"It's final! After all, no use pining after someone I can't have," Hugo said firmly.

"That's the way to look at," Hunter agreed with a grin.

"So, this weekend, Shrieking Shack?" Jace assured.

"Sounds good," Lily sighed.

"I'm in," Megan agreed.

The girls grinned, excluding Lola, while Jace looked at her in surprise. "Really? You actually want to go this time?"

Megan shrugged with a coy grin. "Why not? It's not like I have anything better to do. And what could be more fun than hanging out with you?"

Jace was the one to shrug this time. "If you say so."

Lily subtly shook her head. Sometimes, boys were so dense.

* * *

Lily sat at Slughorn's desk, an essay out in front of her. She was sitting with the other sixth years, who were all working on their potions, while she was working on Herbology homework.

"Hey, Lil?"

Lily looked up to see Hugo standing near her, his book in his hands. She raised a brow. "What's up?"

He placed the book down, then pointed at a section of the ingredients. "I asked Stacy," he mumbled quietly to her.

"What'd she say?" Lily asked as she innocently looked at the book.

"She had a date," he muttered. "So, you think I should really ask Jackie?"

"I really think you need to get over Stacy," Lily sighed.

Hugo sighed and briefly closed his eyes. "I know, I know." He glanced away, and Lily followed his eyes to where Jaclyn was sitting with Summer Vane and Manny. "Ok. Thanks, Lil," he mumbled. Then he picked his book up and walked back to his place with Christian and Hunter.

When they left the classroom, Hugo immediately jogged toward where the three Hufflepuff girls were walking ahead of them. Lily watched as the four of them stopped, and Hugo began to talk with Jaclyn, while the other two girls began to smile as if they were ready to giggle. Then a thought struck Lily.

"I'll be back," Lily told the others, as she moved ahead to where they were standing. "Hey, Manny?"

Manny and Summer turned away from Hugo and Jaclyn to look at Lily. Manny smiled at her. "Hey, Lily. What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if you knew what was up with Xavier lately?" Lily asked.

Manny's eyes shifted slightly away from her, and her smile faded. "I wouldn't know. I haven't talked to him since we broke up."

Lily looked at her in surprise. "You two broke up?"

Manny nodded. "Yeah. Back in July."

Lily groaned. "Thanks. I gotta go!" And with that, Lily rushed down the hall. And instead of making her way toward the Great Hall for lunch, she was now heading toward the common room.

She found it practically empty, seeing as how most were already off to lunch. But she knew Xavier was probably laying in his dorm room. He always was when he missed a class, at least lately.

Sure enough, when she entered the sixth year boys' dorm, she found all the beds' curtains opened wide, except for one. Lily put down her bag, moved over to the covered bed, and then ripped open the curtains.

Xavier was laying there, his face into the pillow, his hair an absolute mess. His uniform was wrinkled, one shoe was off, and half of his sock was hanging from his foot.

Lily sighed. "Xavier?"

"Get out, Lily," his muffled voice came from the pillow.

Lily leaned forward, and with all her strength, rolled Xavier onto his back. He looked even worse in the front. His tie was badly crooked and loose, his shirt buttoned awkwardly, and his face tired, his eyes practically glazed over.

"Xavier, I know about Manny," Lily told him.

He closed his eyes. "You don't know the half of it," he whispered. "But enough for me to say, leave me alone."

"Xavier, you can't wallow in here just because you two broke up," Lily argued.

"I loved her," he mumbled. "I thought we'd go through the rest of school together, graduate together, live together. Spend the rest of our lives together. But then one day . . . she's just not happy with me anymore. I lost the ability to make her happy."

"Xavier, these things happen," Lily murmured as she sat next to him on the bed. "You can't beat yourself up because something changed."

"You don't know what it's like, Lily," he whispered. "How would you feel if one day, out of the blue, Scorpius told you that you no longer made him happy, and that he didn't want to be with you anymore?"

Lily heart and stomach both flinched at even the hypothetical thought of that, and she immediately felt even more worried about him. "Xavier, . . ."

"You see. It hurts to think about . . . and it hurts so badly that I think part of me has died," Xavier muttered quietly.

"Maybe you and Manny just . . . aren't meant to be?" Lily whispered. She was honestly clueless on what to say. When she'd had to do this with Lucy, it had seemed easier. But then again, Lucy had been more upset because Tyler hadn't believed they'd make it a year. But with this . . . it seemed like Manny hadn't even given him an explanation.

"Lily, I really appreciate that you're trying to make me feel better. But I just need to be left alone. I _want_ to be left alone. So, please?" Xavier pleaded softly.

Lily sighed as she looked at him. Then she leaned forward to smooth down his hair. Then she pulled off his shoe, and both socks completely. "Dress in something comfortable. I'll get you notes for all your classes today, and I'll bring you something from the kitchens for dinner."

Before she could get up, Xavier reached out and took her hand. His eyes were still closed. "Thanks, Lil. Sometimes . . . sometimes I just can't get up and handle being around her in classes."

Lily squeezed his hand. "It's ok. I may not understand the feeling, but I'll still be here for you. So whenever you feel like this, you get one of the guys to let me know. That way I know to at least make sure you eat something and get your homework and notes. I'll be dammed I let my friend fail."

Finally, Xavier opened his eyes, although it looked like his eyes felt heavy to him. "Lil, one more thing?"

Lily nodded. "What is it?"

He sighed heavily before closing his eyes. "Don't tell the others. The last thing I want is for one of the other girls to jump Manny. In fact, I don't want any of you to hate her for this. Because I know I don't."

* * *

"So you're not gunna tell us why Xavier's all holed up in his bed?" Jace said as he walked with Lily, Hugo, and Lola out of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"He doesn't want anyone else to know," Lily said with a sigh. "I just told him I'd get him his notes, homework, and food."

"Is there anything we can do?" Lola inquired.

Lily shrugged. "Just leave him alone, I guess. That's all he wants." Changing the subject, Lily looked at her cousin. "So, is Jaclyn coming with us on the Hogsmeade trip."

Hugo nodded. "Yup. She said she'd be delighted."

"Does she know that for you two, it's basically a date?" Lola mentioned.

"Yes, I asked her out that way," Hugo replied with a grin. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm on my way to forgetting all about Stacy."

Suddenly Jace cleared his throat. "Um, quick question," he whispered quietly to them, making them all look at him in confusion. "Does anyone else see the group of girls attempting to follow us?"

Trying to seem casual, Lily turned to looked down at her bag, and pretended to look for something inside. Then she let her eyes sneak a glance behind them, and saw a group of four girls all whispering to each other, and walking slowly, their eyes glancing toward the sixth years every so often.

Lily turned back around. "How long?"

"For two hallways now!" Jace groaned. "And Eve's with them!"

Hugo laughed. "Aw, how cute!" he said loudly.

"Shut up!" Jace hushed. "If she knows, she'll just walk with us!"

Lily shook her head. "Do you want me to take care of it?"

"How will you do that?" Lola asked with a grin.

"Because I recognize all those girls, they're all from our House. Plus, they go to Potions next, and I'm teaching that class," Lily replied. "You go on." Then Lily stopped, and turned toward the girls. "Hey, girls. On your way to Potions?"

The four fourth years jumped in surprise, and almost all of them blushed and looked as if they'd been caught eating sweets before dinner. But the one that didn't blush spoke quickly.

"Yeah, we were just on our way," Jo Nott answered. It was easy to tell that she was Will's little sister. Her hair was dark brown, and her eyes the same almost black color. And she was just as witty, and quick to make an alibi.

"Well I'll walk with you girls then," Lily told them with a smile.

The fourth years nodded happily and looked eager at the idea. So as they walked, Lily looked over the four girls. Their group consisted of Jo, Emily Montague, Eve, and Jane Kloves. They were four very nice girls, which led Lily to believe that Eve had lead their "hunt" for Jace.

"Lily?" Eve addressed with a bad attempt at trying to be casual.

But Lily played along and looked at her curiously. "What?"

"What's it like dating an older man?" Eve asked, which was obviously the question the other three girls were wanting to ask as well.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek, trying to think of what exactly to say. "Well . . . I guess it's just like dating a boy my own age."

"Really?" Emily said skeptically.

"Well it's different for her. Boys her age are sixteen, not fourteen. Boys our age are just immature," Jo pointed out to Emily.

"I like the idea of dating an older man," Eve commented.

"They're so much nicer," Jane agreed. "And gentlemen."

"Stop!" Lily told them with a grin. "First of all, that's not always true. Boys my age have a tendency to sometimes be immature as well."

"But they're so much cuter," Eve argued.

"But that's no reason to aim higher than your age," Lily replied. "You should date someone because you like them. Because you think they're nice, or they're funny . . . or whatever else you look for in a boy."

"But boys our age are really annoying," Jo argued.

Lily sighed. "Why are you girls asking me this?"

"We're just curious," Emily mumbled with a sheepish look.

Lily raised a brow. "Really?" She looked over at Jo.

Jo rolled her eyes. "Ok, well, Elisa Sanders, the other girl in our year, is going out with Dwayne Crowley, the fifth year. So, we were all kind of curious. She always talks about how he's much more mature, and cooler than the boys in our year."

Now Lily rolled her eyes. "First of all, I've seen Dwayne try to shove his fist in his mouth at a party before. Don't call him mature." That made the four girls giggle. "And secondly, if she's making such a big deal about him being older and cooler, then she's probably only dating him to seem cool. When I dated Scorpius, his age never mattered. Because we didn't care, and that had nothing to do with our relationship. And the reality is, Elisa's attempt is just going to blow up in her face."

"Why do you say that?" Jane asked.

"Because she's probably going to be like any other girl that's dated a certain boy to seem cooler, whether it's because he's older or popular, whatever. She's going to do whatever he says and wants. Eventually he'll probably pressure her further into a physical relationship. And either she'll say no, and he'll break up with her, or she'll do it, and then not long later, he'll dump her then," Lily told them. "It's a vicious cycle, and a terrible thing. But it's proof that not all older boys are really mature. They're not cooler, and they're not all gentlemen. And if you're going to date a boy, then you need to do it because you actually like him, not his age or popularity."

As they continued walking, the four girls were silent, almost as if they were taking it all in. Finally, Emily spoke. "Lily, how do you know so much?"

Lily chuckled softly. "Because I've made a lot of mistakes, and I've seen a lot of mistakes being made. That's really how someone becomes smart. The dumber you are in the beginning, the smarter you are in the end . . . unless you're dumb enough to not learn from the mistakes."

Jo raised a brow. "Can people really be that dumb?"

Lily shrugged. "People can be anything. That's part of life's variety."

* * *

"So, who are we still waiting for?" Christian asked. A group of them were sitting around a table in The Three Broomsticks.

Lily looked at each of them. There were Christian, Jace, Hugo, and Lola so far. "Well, Megan said she was coming. Izzy had a date, and Shannon is doing something with Chris. Monty and Hunter said they had things to do, but would show up later if they had time. And then Jaclyn is supposed to be here," she listed off.

"What about Xavier?" Christian inquired as he pulled the cap off his butterbeer.

Lily raised a brow at him. "Chris?"

"Oh!" Christian shook his head. "Yeah, no shit. My bad, I . . . I kinda forgot."

"I'm still kinda surprised that Megan wanted to come with us this time," Jace commented.

"Dude, you're the only one," Hugo said with a laugh.

Jace looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Man, Jay, you still don't know?" Christian retorted with surprise. "She wants to bang you!"

Lily glanced over at Lola, who was looking over toward the bar, taking sip after sip of her butterbeer.

"What?" Jace exclaimed. "No way!"

"Yeah, Jay, she does," Hugo agreed. "She's been hinting at it since we got to school."

Jace scowled as he looked at his bottle of butterbeer. "How the hell did I not notice."

"I've got an idea why," Christian mumbled.

"Don't worry, dude," Hugo told him. "Every guy gets one chance in life to be dense."

Jace nodded, but stay quiet as he took another drink.

"So, you gunna go for it, Jay?" Christian asked. "After all, you are single."

"And you know it'll be a no-strings attached kind of deal," Hugo commented.

Jace cleared his throat as he looked down at the table. "Oh, I . . . I don't think so."

"Really? You know you'll probably never get another girl offering this to ya," Hugo joked.

But Jace simply shrugged. "I just couldn't go through with something like that. I guess I just like strings. A one-night stand just sounds so . . . boring and uninspired."

Hugo clapped him on the shoulder. "Welcome to manhood, Jace. Because we're the only ones dumb enough to turn something like that down."

Again, Lily looked over at Lola. And this time, Lola was shooting glances over at Jace.

"So, Christian," Lily addressed, "how come you didn't invite anyone with us today?"

Christian shrugged. "Eh, I didn't feel like it. I mean, I actually kind of thought about asking Hannah Bella, but I decided against it."

"Hannah Bella?" Hugo asked. "From Gryffindor?"

"You like Hannah?" Lola inquired. "I didn't know that."

"Well, we've talked a few times, and she's really nice. But . . . well I decided against it," Christian sighed.

"Why? I mean, I don't think I've ever seen you with a girl," Lily teased.

Christian grinned. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just nervous."

"And maybe you're just full of shit," Hugo countered.

"Oh, look. Here comes Megan," Christian mentioned.

"Changing the subject will do you no good," Jace joked. But as the boys continued to mess with each other, Lily turned to see that Megan was approaching, and with a slightly irritated look on her face.

"Someone looks angry," Lily commented as Megan sat down at their table.

"Someone is about to kill her little sister," Megan retorted dryly.

"Have a butterbeer, Meg," Christian said as he slid a bottle toward her.

Megan rolled her eyes, but still popped off the bottle's cap, and took a long drink.

"So what did Emily do this time?" Lola asked.

"She keeps asking me the stupidest questions," Megan complained. "Asking how far I've gone with a boy. If there's one I like. Is blonde cuter than brunette? I'm ready to curse my own sister. I think Dante put her up to it."

"I think she's just curious," Lily replied. "I was answering a few of her and her friends' questions a few days ago. They're just curious. And you are her older sister. She looks up to you, and who else would she ask?"

"Can't she just ask you?" Megan grumbled.

Lily laughed. "Tell her I'll answer any questions she has. But you gotta remember, she's _your_ little sister."

"I hope I graduate before Marsha hits that curious stage. It sounds as annoying as when Candice went through that damn 'why' stage," Lola muttered.

"The 'why' stage?" Jace questioned.

Lola sighed. "It's when little siblings follow you around, and continuously ask 'why' after everything you say. You can say 'I'm hungry' and they'll ask why, once. Then you're answering questions about stupid things until you stuff a towel in their mouth to shut them up."

Lily chuckled. "Which sibling did you do that to?"

"Brady. I've had to deal with six siblings going through that. Johnny and I are too close of age, so we probably went through it at the same time. The scary part is, Matthew is probably going to start doing that soon too," Lola said with a disgruntled look.

"I remember when my brother Riley started doing that. I just used to send him to our mum. Then he would just spend all his time asking her questions instead of me," Christian told them.

"Well, I'm not far from throwing Emma in the lake," Megan muttered. "It's so annoying!"

"The benefit of being the youngest, right, Hugh?" Lily joked.

Hugo laughed. "After what we put up with, we deserve at least one benefit." But then he stopped laughing, and stood from his seat. "Be back in a second." Then he was hurrying away.

Curious and confused, Lily turned her head to follow where her cousin was going, and found that Jaclyn had just stepped in.

"Well, there's the last of our group. We can probably go ahead and make our way to the shack," Lily sighed.

"I'll grab another round of butterbeers quick," Christian offered as he stood up from his chair.

The others all stood as well, as Jaclyn approached them. "Hey, guys," she greeted with a bit of a timid smile.

Lily smiled at her fully. "Hey, Jaclyn. Ready to spend the day with us?"

Jaclyn bit her lip for a moment. "Yeah, I guess. I was a little surprised to hear that we'd be going to the Shrieking Shack."

"Hugo didn't tell you?" Jace asked.

"Not until this morning, and after taking five minutes to assure me it wasn't haunted," Jaclyn sighed. "But, it does sound interesting."

"Nothing to be afraid of. We've been going there since our third year," Lily assured. "We're just waiting for Chris to get another round, and Hugo to . . ."

"Oh, he said he was going to get me a butterbeer quick," Jaclyn said with a bit of a blush.

"Are we ready?" Hugo asked as he and Christian came back. He held out a bottle to Jaclyn.

"I think so," Lily sighed. "So let's go."

* * *

"Is it just me, or does this place look a lot cleaner than the last time we were all here?" Jace inquired.

"Some of the boys cleaned it up last year," Lily told them. "It was when some of us left for Freddy's wedding."

Automatically, Megan and Lola both looked at Lily, their eyes knowing. But the boys still simply walked around, and Hugo brought Jaclyn to sit with him on the couch. "Well, it looks a lot better," Hugo complimented.

"Which guys?" Christian asked curiously as he sat on the floor next to the couch.

"I think it was Rex, Justin, and Lars," Lily answered with a sigh as she dropped down into an armchair.

"I think it's kind of nice here. It's a lot quieter than Hogsmeade," Jaclyn commented.

"That's why we come here instead sometimes. It's nice to get away from the noise," Hugo agreed.

"Wow, Lily! Do you and Scorpius just not make the bed after you get done having sex, or was it just one time?" they heard Megan's voice calling from somewhere upstairs.

The boys looked at Lily with surprise and curiosity, but Lily looked up at the ceiling, when it hit her. The bedroom! She hurried to stand up and go up the stairs two at a time. She could vaguely hear the others following her. When she got to the bedroom, she found Lola and Megan looking around.

"Oh, damn! No wonder you lost it in here, cuz," Hugo joked.

Lily didn't pay any attention. She moved toward the bed, which really was unkempt, just like she and Scorpius had left it. Memory after memory of that night kept flashing through her head.

"Well I certainly don't blame her," Megan said with a small laugh. "Add this room, Valentine's Day, and a man like Scorpius . . . I'd have thrown my panties before the guy could have blinked!"

"We'll remember that Megan," Christian joked.

Lily jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Thinking hard, Lil?" Jace asked.

Lily took in a breath and pushed her hair back from her face. "No, just spacing out, I guess."

Jace squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "It won't be long, Lil. The month's almost up, and then there'll just be . . . two months until December."

Lily bit her lip. "Yeah, you're right. Two months . . . it doesn't sound too bad."

"Where'd Hugo and Jaclyn go?" Lola asked suddenly.

"Oh, they disappeared and went downstairs a few moments ago," Christian replied. Then he leaned on the edge of the bed. "Well, Lil, how good's this bed?" he asked with a teasing grin.

Lily rolled her eyes and laughed. "Like any normal bed, Chris," she replied.

"It looks a lot better than a normal bed," Megan commented. Then she looked coyly at Jace. "Wanna try?"

Lily glanced up at Jace, whose cheeks had turned pink. "Um, Megan, could you and I talk? In another room?"

Megan moved away from the bed. "Of course."

Lily and Christian watched the two of them leave the room, while Lola just continued to look anywhere but at the two leaving. Once they left, Christian looked at Lily.

"I'm sure that's going to be epic," he laughed. Then he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I'm parched. I'm going downstairs to get a drink. You girls coming down?"

"In a moment," Lily told him. Once he left, she moved to sit on the bed, and looked at Lola. "You can't blame anyone but yourself. You should have told Megan how you felt about it."

Lola just leaned against the bed and looked at the floor. "It doesn't matter to me. Sure, I like him. So what? I have no claim to him, and it's not like I'd ever date him."

Lily rolled her eyes, but before she could respond, Megan stepped back into the room, shutting the door behind her. "Can you two girls get out of here?"

Lily raised a brow. "What for?"

"'Cause Jace and I are gunna have sex," Megan said simply.

While Lola looked like she wasn't breathing, Lily looked at Megan in confusion. What was Megan playing at? Jace had admitted that he wasn't interested in just having sex without a relationship. Surely Megan hadn't changed his mind.

"You two are really going to have sex?" Lola asked, her voice practically cracking.

Megan nodded as she kicked her shoes off. "Yup. We are. Once you two leave."

Lily was still suspicious, but she slid off the bed. "Well, I'd hate to cockblock two of my good friends. Coming, Lola?"

But Lola was looking at Megan, her fury badly repressed. "So, with us downstairs, you're really just going to have sex with him?"

Megan leaned onto the side of the bed, her arms crossed, her face simply curious. "Does that bother you?"

Lola looked taken aback for a moment, then shook her head furiously. "No! I don't care, I just . . ."

"You just like him," Megan shot back. Lola stuttered for a moment, before falling quiet. Megan looked victorious. "That's why he actually went downstairs. I made the whole sex thing up."

Lily dropped her face into the comforter of the bed, doing her best to stop from laughing. Lola's shocked expression, along with Megan's confession, made Lily almost bust.

"You made it up?" Lola exclaimed.

"You bet. All for you to realize that you like Jace, and you want to date him," Megan replied.

"I don't want to date him!" Lola protested.

"Then why does the idea of me having sex with him offend you so much?" Megan retorted. "What? You don't want to date him, but you also don't want him to have sex with anyone else?"

"Ok, fine!" Lola growled. Lily brought her face away from the pillows to look at Lola, who looked indignant and pouty. "I like him! I wanna go out with him! So what?"

"So, go for it!" Megan replied. "He's hot! He's nice and polite to you! He's occasionally funny, borderline mature, and he likes you!"

Lily looked over at Megan, with a bit less surprise than Lola did. "How do you know that?" Lily asked.

"Because I dragged it out of him while we were in the other room," Megan answered. "And it was obvious to all of us that you liked him, Lola. And now you know that he likes you. So go for it."

Lola sighed. "Look, me and Jace have a very delicate . . . friendship, I guess. And if we date, it'll probably just crash and burn, and then we won't even have that friendship. Why put us through that?" she argued softly.

"Why put the both of you in a constant state of, not only sexual tension, but wondering a million 'what if' questions for the rest of your lives?" Megan pointed out.

Lily gave Lola a sympathetic look. "Lola, you can't be afraid of these things. I was scared of the exact same thing before me and Scorpius started dating. It's why I clung to Lysander. But look what I would have missed out on . . . Are you willing to risk losing something that could be great?" Lily said.

Lola looked down at the bed, and ran her hand over the pillow. "Not all of those situations end up like yours did, Lily."

"But maybe yours will," Megan told her. "And you might be throwing it all away by ignoring your feelings."

Lola was silent for a moment. It was a few minutes before she finally looked at the other two. "It could be awkward though. How do two people go from fighting for five years to dating? It would just be awkward."

"How can you know if you don't try?" Lily pointed out.

"And awkwardness doesn't always last," Megan commented. "Besides, aren't a lot of first dates awkward? Sometimes it doesn't last, and it turns into a wonderful relationship."

Lola groaned as moved to sit on the bed. "I thought you hated romance and relationships, Megan. Why are you urging me into this?"

"I never said I hated relationships," Megan corrected. "As long as they're fun and exciting, I don't mind. That's why I dated Matt for so long. And just because I hate romance, doesn't mean I don't want it for my friends."

Lola dropped onto her back, and Lily and Megan both gave her expectant looks. She looked away from them, a blush on her cheeks. "You can at least give me a little time to think about all of this. It is a lot," she mumbled.

Megan grinned. "Ok. But if you haven't done something by Halloween, I'm really going to have sex with him."

Lily laughed. "You really think you can convince him?"

Megan shrugged. "I think I can. And even so, the attempt will bug her."

Lola turned to her face was in the pillow. "Thanks so much," she muttered.

"Hey, I _am_ passing up sex with a hot guy, just so that you can get your feelings in order. You owe me," Megan teased.

"I'll get Shannon to introduce you to Chris's older brother. From what I remember, he was pretty cute," Lola said with a sigh.

Lily laughed. "Brandon Summerby? From what I hear from Dominique, he's not a bad lay."

Megan laughed. "Then we got a deal."

* * *

"There are a lot of freakin' kids here," Hugo commented as he stood next to Lily on the raised platform. Their normal relaxing room in the Room of Requirement had been changed to a larger-sized meeting room. Lily, Hugo, Randy, and Jaclyn all stood on a higher platform, allowing them to look over all the other students in front of them, each waiting to hear what the sixth years would have to say.

"Well, we have most of the first years, and second years, and third years, and fourth years, and fifth years. So yeah, a lot," Randy muttered.

"I'm starting to have doubts. Can we really do this?" Jaclyn whispered.

Lily sighed. "Well, we're going to try." Then she moved forward on their platform. Almost immediately, it seemed, all sounds hushed in the room. "Ok," she started, her voice slightly magnified to assure that all could hear her, "so, incase you don't know all of us up here, I'm Lily Potter. This is Hugo Weasley, Jaclyn Munslow, and Randy Davies," she introduced. "The four of us have sort of been leading The J.B. Study Group since last year. Each of us from a different House. Because not only is this group's mission to improve academics, but also unity between Houses."

Lily looked back at the others, waiting for one of them to step up. After all, they knew the plans better than she had. So Hugo took the initiative, and stepped forward. "Now, we obviously have a lot more students wanting to participate this year. Instead of just kids in our year, we are now offering to tutor all of you. So, we only request that you be patient with us, because this is quite a big project for us, and we're new to it."

Randy stepped forward this time, clearing his throat a little. "Now, we've set things up so that there are similarly run as they were last year. Every day, we will devote our meeting to one class. This will insure that if you need help in more than one subject, then you can be there for both. But, this also means that some days will be devoted to electives. That means if you don't have it, you don't need to be here. But, we do understand if first and second years would like to attend, to maybe get a feel for what electives they will like to take later in their schooling."

Hugo grabbed Jaclyn's hand, and pulled her forward a little. She took a deep breath before speaking. "The meetings will start after dinner, and go until a time before curfew. And incase a meeting runs late, there will be a prefect in our year there to walk you back to your common rooms. There will be a different person from our year here to teach each individual year. For example, I might teach fourth years, while Randy may teach first years."

"Bring your materials," Hugo warned. "And ink and quills. You can always benefit from notes. And also, if you can't attend for any reason, you can get a friend to copy some notes for you. And also, we are not demanding for you to attend every meeting. If you don't have a problem in Charms, you don't need to come by. But if you want to flex your Charm muscles, then feel free to come anyways."

"Now," Randy spoke in his normal loud and deep voice, "we want to go over a few rules that all of us sixth years require of you guys."

"Rule number one," Lily stated, "no fighting based on Houses. House unity is very important to us, and we've worked hard on it. Any attempts against it, and we won't allow you back to the meetings. We will not tolerate it at all. This is your only warning."

"Now, we don't want any kind of fighting," Randy told them. "And you need to remember, four prefects run these meetings, all from each House. We will not hesitate to take away points, or hand out detentions when necessary."

"Also, no risk-taking," Hugo told them. "We don't want anyone to get hurt. Now be assured, we've got several healing spells under our belts, not to mention numerous potions. But we'd rather that they not be needed. And even more pressing, we don't want to have to rush one of you to Madam Pomfrey."

"And note that, we're not here to do your homework for you," Jaclyn stated. "We're here to help you guys, and doing your homework won't help you at all. Now, we'll help you find information, answer questions when they come, and check over essays if you request is. But we can't all do your homework for you. There's way too many of you anyways."

Lily glanced at the other three, raising her brow to ask, "Is that it?" When they said nothing else, Lily looked back at the crowd of students. "That's all we had to tell you today. Our first session will start tomorrow, and the subject will be Transfiguration. Come here after dinner, and we'll be here to direct you to where your year will be seated. And unless anyone has any questions, you all can go."

The four of them watched as the many students began to trail out of the large set of doors. "It might not be too bad," Randy mentioned.

"Who's teaching tomorrow?" Jaclyn inquired. "I know there's me and Randy, but who else?"

Hugo picked up a list from on a desk behind them. "Uh, Cody Thomas, Jake Cauldwell, and Hunter Baddock," he told them.

"Hugo and I will be here as well," Lily told them. "We'll walk around and make sure everything goes well."

"Do you think we should bring a few others to watch over with you?" Jaclyn suggested. "Since it's the first session. You know, make sure things run smoothly before we become too lax?"

"That's not a bad idea," Randy sighed. "How about we ask the other prefects in mine and Jaclyn's Houses, since we'll be teaching? Tara Epcot and Rick Whitby?"

Lily nodded. "That sounds fine. Remind them that they'll need to be here a little early too."

Hugo ran a hand over his face. "Ok. Let's do this!"

* * *

The next day, Lily found herself walking around a very large room, which kind of looked like a library. Although there were tons of students, the room was big enough that the noise wasn't overbearing, but instead a murmur. You could easily pick up different teachings as you passed by certain areas. In the far left corner, near three large, side-by-side, bookcases, were a few tables that were lined up, and full of first years. They were all facing Jake Cauldwell, who was flipping through pages of a book.

In the middle of the room, there stood a chalkboard, where Cody was writing out the word "Animagi" out for the third years to see. In the back corner was the fourth years, who were sitting around Jaclyn. A few had their hands up, and she seemed to be answering questions. To the left, Randy seemed to be having a serious discussion with the fifth years, who were all scribbling down notes. And Hunter was off to the side, showing the second years how to turn a rabbit into a pair of slippers.

"Things seem to be going well," Hugo said with a sigh as he came to stand next to her. He stood with his hands in his pockets, his wand sticking out of one of them. Lily had her own wand placed behind her ear, taking a page out of her godmother's book.

"So far. How far are we into the meeting?" Lily inquired.

Hugo checked his watch. "About half way through," he answered. "I think it'll all be ok."

Lily nodded. "I think so too." Then she glanced at her cousin. "You know, I haven't asked: how are you and Jaclyn doing?" They'd been officially dating for about a week now.

Hugo shrugged and grinned slightly. "Pretty good. I mean . . . I still have those other feelings, but I do like Jackie. She's nice, really sweet, pretty. I think we're doing good."

Lily bit the inside of her cheek as Hugo spoke. Her mind was pulling together how much alike Jaclyn and Stacy were. A little timid, sweet, and "cool" as Hugo put it. Part of her wondered if Hugo had noticed this too, but she wasn't about to mention it. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of Stacy.

"What about you? You talked to Scor?" Hugo asked.

"Every night," Lily said with a sigh as they began to circle the room again. "He's always so tired, but he always insists that if I don't call him in the mirror, then he'll call me. I figure why fight him, he's so stubborn," she muttered.

Hugo laughed. "You're just as bad sometimes. Tired at the end of the night, and stubborn. Lil, you wanna talk to him, and he wants to talk to you."

"I know," Lily replied. "It's always the best part of each day. I just worry that he doesn't get enough sleep. He says he does, and I believe him . . . but I know that if that were to change, he wouldn't tell me."

"Well just be a good girlfriend and at least have a short conversation with him each night," Hugo teased as he patted her on the head.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha."

"Oh, by the way," Hugo spoke, obviously just remembering something, "Lucy was wondering if you'd like to hang out sometime?"

Lily smiled. "Yeah, sure. How is she?"

"Pretty good. She does seem better. She's still hanging around with Zack a lot, but those two are basically best friends," Hugo commented.

"That's good. I'm glad she's feeling better. When should we hang out?" Lily inquired.

"Well, come in during our morning break," Hugo suggested. "We can do something tomorrow."

Lily nodded. "Ok. Meet by the lake, or the Entrance Hall."

She glanced at Hugo when he didn't answer, and he seemed to be thinking. Finally, he looked at her, with a mildly serious look on his face. "Actually . . . how about you come to our common room? You can see what it looks like," he suggested.

Lily looked at him in surprise. Of course, she'd been inside the Gryffindor common room before. But she hardly remembered it. She'd been a third year, and it had been dark. Not to mention, they'd mainly been focused on trashing the dorm rooms. But . . . to go in during the day, with the chance of others being in there as well?

So Lily shrugged. "Ok. Why not?"

* * *

"I brought you a glass of juice and toast," Lily told Xavier the next morning. The boys' dorm was empty except for him. But like everyone else, the other boys were at breakfast.

Xavier turned his head to look at her, instead of burying it into the pillow. "You don't have to do this, Lil."

"You have to eat more than two bites at dinner," Lily argued. "Now, are you going to class today?"

Xavier nodded as he slowly sat up. "Yeah, I am," he mumbled. He took the plate, and slowly began chewing on his toast. "Because you were right. I can't just lay in here forever. I have to pass the sixth year."

"I'm glad you're realizing that," Lily replied as she moved to sit next to him on the bed.

Xavier held the plate out to her. "Do you want the other piece?" he asked.

Lily shook her head. "I ate before I came here. You eat it."

Xavier sighed. "You're a good person, Lily. Not everyone would do this."

"You're my friend," Lily retorted.

"Yeah, but I get the feeling you'd do this for anyone in my shoes," Xavier commented. "It's not about being a friend. You're just a good person."

Lily looked at him, then brushed his hair away from his face. It was getting pretty long. "I know how much it sucks when you hurt, no matter what the reason is. And if I can keep someone else from going through pain . . . then I guess I'm going to do what I can."

Suddenly, Xavier chuckled. When he caught Lily's curious stare, he shook his head. "Sorry, nothing. Just . . . just thinking of something." Then he downed his juice and put down his now empty plate. "Well, would you mind walking with me to class?"

Lily smiled and nodded. "Of course. Come on."

The two began walking out of the room, and then out of the common room. "So, have I missed anything?" Xavier asked they began walking through the dungeons.

"Well, Lola and Jace are now dancing around each other and their emotions. Hugo is dating Jaclyn. And later today, I'll be entering the Gryffindor common room in the light of day," Lily told him.

Xavier raised a brow. "Really? What are you going in there for?"

"I'm going to hang with Hugo and Lucy during break," Lily replied. Then she looked at him, and ruffled the hair around his neck. "Tell Lola to cut your hair. No offense, but the long look doesn't do much for you."

Xavier chuckled a little as he ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I probably should. Take another step into the world of the living."

"What made you want to rejoin us?" Lily asked with a small smile.

He sighed. "Let's just say it was because of a trip to the library."

* * *

"Let's just be glad that Xavier's out of his mood," Hugo said to Lily as they walked along a corridor.

"I know. I guess I'm just curious as to what changed. I mean, he's not back to himself completely, but it's a pretty big difference to how he's been lately," Lily replied.

"Well, hopefully it continues to get better," Hugo agreed. When they came to the portrait of The Fat Lady, Hugo nodded to it. "Licorice Wand," he stated.

The Fat Lady smiled, and then opened the common room to them. Hugo motioned for her to step in, and then followed her. Once inside, Lily stopped and looked around her. The Gryffindor common room was a large, circular room. There were dozens of scarlet tapestries hanging around the room, some showing witches and wizards, and there were even a few different creatures. A huge fireplace against the wall almost dominated the room. A couch and a few armchairs surrounded it. There were dozens of places for students to sit, relax, or study. And it was almost hot. Immediately, Lily pulled off her robes, and rolled up her sleeves.

"It's . . . nice," Lily commented.

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, we think so too."

"Lily!" Lucy greeted from over by the fireplace, and she waved the two of them over.

Lily and Hugo walked over to her, and both took a seat around the fireplace. Lily smiled at her cousin. "Hey, Lucy. How've you been?"

Lucy shrugged. "Better, I guess." Lily had to admit that Lucy looked better, although there was a lack of a spark in her eyes.

"I'm glad to hear that," Lily replied.

"How's it feel being in our common room for a change?" Lucy asked with a teasing smile.

Lily sighed as she looked around. "I don't know yet." Actually . . . she felt odd. "It feels freakin' hot," she joked.

Hugo and Lucy both laughed. "Really?" Hugo asked. "Because I always thought your common room was a little cooler. This feels pretty warm to me."

Lily shrugged. "I guess I've just grown accustom to the dungeons feeling warm."

"Ah, you get used to this too," Lucy replied. "It's understandable after so many years."

"Hey, Lily!" Lily watched as Zack Creevey vaulted over the couch, landing in the seat next to Lucy. "What are you doing here?" he asked with a smile. As always, his blonde hair was a mess around his head, and his blue eyes were bright, especially with his smile.

"Just spending time with these two," Lily replied with an equally friendly smile.

"Why wasn't I warned?" Zack asked, looking at Lucy. "I'd love to hang with Lil again!"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Maybe I didn't want you here," she mocked, and almost immediately, the two began going back and forth with teasing retorts.

Hugo shook his head as he looked at Lily. "They're always doing that. For years now," he chuckled. Then he looked ready to really laugh. "Don't look now, but you've got a couple admirers staring at ya."

Lily looked at him in confusion, then turned to see where he was staring. Sitting at a table, three boys who, had obviously been looking at her, quickly tried to pretend that they hadn't been. Each had a small blush on their cheeks. Lily looked back at Hugo. "Who are they?"

Hugo looked over at the boys. "Um, if my sight is trustworthy, I'd say that is Seth Alexander, Kai Bella, and Dalton McLaggen," he listed. "They're fifth years."

Lily looked back at them again, and tried to see if she could remember their faces from the J.B. meeting the night before. But she couldn't place them. So she turned back and left it alone.

"Hey, Lily!" Lily turned at the sound of Stacy's voice. Stacy was coming toward them, and sat on the arm of the couch, where Zack and Lucy were still having their little battle. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Well I'd never expected to be here, but hey, things happen," Lily joked lightly.

"Hey, Stacy," Hugo greeted, the strain in his voice hardly noticeable to those that didn't recognize it. But Lily knew it all too well.

Stacy smiled at him. "Hey, Hugo. What have the two of you got planned?"

Hugo cleared his throat. "Um, nothing. We're just hanging out."

"We just agreed that I'd be the one entering a different territory this time," Lily replied.

Stacy giggled lightly. "I think it's great that you're here."

"Well we know that the boys are enjoying it," Hugo joked.

Lily smiled and rolled her eyes. Stacy laughed and playfully kicked at Hugo's leg. "Be nice. Lily's very pretty. Of course boys are going to notice."

"And Scorpius isn't here, so there's no fear that he'll murder them," Hugo mocked with a grin.

Now Lily playfully hit him on the arm. "Shove off," she said with a laugh of her own.

* * *

"Well I'm glad Xavier's feeling better," Scorpius commented. It wasn't too late, so Lily was the only one in the dorm room. After teaching a few classes, going to her lessons, and then all the excitement of her being in the Gryffindor common room, and with Xavier being up, she felt tired.

"Yeah. Before I came up here, Lola was cutting his hair in the common room," Lily said with a sigh as she brushed through her hair.

"Good, otherwise Kim would be all over it come Christmas, and she's horrible with hair," Scorpius joked.

Lily smiled as she put her brush on her bedside table. "Guess what I did today?"

Scorpius raised a brow. "What?"

"I visited the Gryffindor common room to hang out with Lucy and Hugo," Lily said as she moved to lie on her stomach.

"Really? How was that?" Scorpius asked.

Lily licked her lips lightly before biting the bottom one. "Well . . . weird."

Scorpius didn't laugh or smirk, but just looked at her curiously. "Weird how?"

Lily pushed her hair off of her shoulder. "It was really hot," she replied.

Now he chuckled. "Hot?"

"Compared to our common room, it was steaming," Lily laughed. "But apparently, Hugo always thinks that ours is a little cool to him. It just comes down what you're used to."

"That makes sense," Scorpius agreed with a small smirk.

Lily sighed as she began to play with the ends of her hair. "It was also . . . well it was weird to think about how it was expected of me to have grown up and belonged there," she commented. "How I was supposed to be a Gryffindor, and love being in there. Joking with James and Freddy, talking with Rose, and playing games with Hugo."

"Do you miss things like that?" Scorpius inquired softly.

"I would never trade being a Slytherin," Lily assured. "But doing all of those things before I came to Hogwarts, yeah, I miss it. And it was . . . sad to think about how things like that will probably never happen again, aside from the part with Hugo. So much has changed."

"Things are supposed to change, baby," Scorpius replied. "That's life."

"But these things changed so drastically," Lily retorted. "Freddy and James never speak, and Freddy is completely different. The Freddy I knew would have never taken a ministry job. James and I can barely be in the same room at some times. And Rose and I only speak in order to argue about something. It's all . . . so different." Lily scowled as she dropped her head onto her arms. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Sorry for what?" Scorpius asked gently.

"I shouldn't bother thinking about all of this. It is what it is, I can't change what happened," Lily sighed.

"Babe, it's ok to miss things that used to be good. And as long as you don't go crazy over this, I don't mind if you think about it," Scorpius teased lightly.

Lily smiled at him softly. "How about I ask you how training is going instead?"

Scorpius groaned at a little as he stretched. "It's not too bad. A bit exhausting at times, but bearable. At least it's keeping me in shape," he joked.

Lily laughed lightly. "Well thank Merlin for that," she murmured. "Are you exhausted now?"

"Not so exhausted that I want to end this conversation," Scorpius retorted.

Lily sighed, stopping herself from rolling her eyes. "Well, how is everyone else?"

Scorpius rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well, Lana finally moved in with Dante," he commented.

Lily looked at him curiously. "When did they get back together? I haven't seen Lana since Adrian's party, and I'd have thought she'd been angry with him about that."

"She was for like a month. But they decided they'd try again sometime in August," Scorpius replied.

"Well, I'm glad they're happy," Lily murmured.

"So I am, although Dante's been a bit touchy for a few weeks," Scorpius mentioned.

"Why? What's his problem?" Lily inquired.

"Well, I'm sure you already know, but he found out that Ted West had sex with his sister," Scorpius chuckled.

Lily smiled. "Yeah, she told us. Does Dante know that she chose Ted because she was mad at him?" Lily mocked.

Scorpius shrugged. "I don't know. But he's been contemplating murder since he heard about it. You'd better warn Megan that he's on a war path. And we're predicting that he still will be by Christmas."

Lily shook her head and laughed lightly. "I'll make sure to let her know."

* * *

"Here's your new game and practice uniform, Courtney," Lily said as she tossed them over to the one other girl in the locker room. The boys were already getting changed, or in Tanner's case, already changed.

"Thanks, Lil," Courtney said with a smile.

"So, have you got a game plan yet, Lil?" Tanner asked. "The game's not that far away."

"Tanner, it's not even the end of October yet," Courtney pointed out.

"So?" Tanner inquired.

Lily sighed. "I actually think we can go in and simply play the game. If I know Lucy, she's going to be fair about it. As for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, we're going to wait and see how they play each other during their match."

"So, we're just going in and playing?" John Warrington asked.

"We're going in and winning," Lily corrected with a grin.

"Who's their new Seeker?" Hank asked.

"Hugo said it was Julie McLaggen. And that he doesn't expect her to beat me, but will be good competition against Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff's Seekers," Lily answered.

"That's because you're unbeatable," Lance complimented.

"But I don't want us to be overconfident. I refuse to lose the Quidditch Cup when we've won it every year I've played," Lily stated.

"Don't worry. We won't lose," Bobby assured. "We've got you and Lance. And you guys are like two of the best players at school."

"Why thank you, Bobby," Lance said with a grin.

"But just as we've gotten better, so have the other teams. And just as we have new players, so do they. We can't be too relaxed, but we can't be too tensed. It's a delicate balance this year," Lily replied.

Being Captain and Seeker left Lily time to observe as the team practiced. Once she would take time to catch the Snitch anywhere from two to three times, she would oversee the rest of them, and observe where they needed improvement.

"Courtney!" Lily called from her broom. She was a bit higher in the air, so it took Courtney a minute to reach Lily.

Courtney came to a stop in the air alongside Lily. "What's up, Captain?"

Lily pulled her wand out from her pocket, and then held out her other hand. "Give me your bat."

Looked curiously confused, Courtney placed the bat into Lily's hand. Lily curled her fingers around the handle, and since they were supposed to be practicing nonverbal spells in sixth year, Lily didn't say a word as she pointed her wand at the bat. She felt the change immediately, and then put her wand back into her pocket.

"Here you go," Lily said, offering the bat to Courtney again.

Courtney took the bat, and quickly almost dropped it. Her arm fell straight, and her knuckles turned white as they tightened their grip. Courtney looked at Lily in shock. "What the hell? It feels like it weighs fifty pounds!"

"Hardly," Lily retorted. "But I want you to practice with that bat from now on. No exceptions."

"I can barely hold it up!" Courtney complained.

Lily turned her head and grinned at the young girl. "Well . . . I guess you'll just have to adjust."

"If I have to use this during a game, I'll be useless!" Courtney insisted.

Lily sighed. "Courtney, I'm not asking you to use it during games. Just practice. During practices, I want you to become a pro with that bat."

Courtney raised a brow. "And then what?"

"And then we'll make it heavier," Lily answered breezily.

"And what good will this do?" Courtney asked. There was no anger in her voice. Only mere confusion and disbelief.

Lily smiled as she looked out at the others who were still practicing. "If you don't figure it out by our first match, you will then."

Courtney stared at her a little longer in confusion, but then began to fly back to the others. Lily watched as Courtney heaved the bat up to a normal level. She watched as Courtney shook from fingers to shoulder, and even part way down her side. And Lily watched when Courtney took her first clumsy swing. She missed by far, and her arm dropped, her fingers almost slipping off the bat's handle.

Lily turned away, and smiled even more.


	83. Live With What You Do

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took so long. I got stuck on a few parts. But to make up for the time, I made it a little longer. Christmas break will be starting next chapter, so we'll get a bit of family drama. But, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Rebel Malfoy - Just to clear up a bit of confusion. A Rebel Malfoy will start with Scorpius's first year at Hogwarts.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Three: Live With What You Do

As the rest of October began to pass, Lily found herself conforming to a comfortable routine. She woke up, went to her lessons, and taught Potions during her free periods, and then after dinner, would help watch over the J.B. meetings. And when it was her turn, she tutored the fifth years with Potions. And on some days, she would have Quidditch practices instead. Then before she went to bed, she held at least a small conversation with Scorpius. Things were changing, but some were remaining the same.

Xavier seemed to be getting better and better with each day, although it was obvious that he still wasn't over Manny. In every lesson he shared with her, he sat as far away as possible, and refused to look anywhere in her direction. And he still admitted to being hurt, and refused to tell what had made him get out of bed.

Lola and Jace still danced around each other and their emotions. Megan reminded Lola of her threat, and the approach of Halloween, every day. Lola no longer snapped when Jace spoke to her, but now they had both turned awkward around each other. They either hardly spoke a word, or blushed when they did.

The month was coming to an end, and Lily was sure that things were going to be just fine with her and her friends.

* * *

"I've been talking a lot with Stacy lately," Hugo admitted the night before Halloween. They were watching over the J.B. meeting as usual.

Lily raised her brow. "Hugo, she has a boyfriend, and you have a girlfriend now," she reminded him.

Hugo nodded. "I know that. And, it's innocent. You know, we just talk. About prefect duties, patrols, lessons, friends. I mean, it's casual."

Although she was still a little hesitant, Lily gave him a short nod. "That's good."

Hugo shoved his hands into his pockets. "Actually, she talks about Hooper sometimes. Always good things."

"And you're ok with that?" Lily inquired.

"I'll sometimes tell her about Jaclyn. She always seems pretty happy that we're doing so well," Hugo sighed.

"That's great, but you didn't answer my question," Lily pointed out.

"That's because I'm avoiding it," Hugo admitted. "It's not one I really want to answer."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Hugo, why are you torturing yourself?"

Hugo ran a hand over his face. "Because . . . if I can't be anything more than a friend . . . then I'm going to at least take my right as a friend to talk to her. I'm taking what I can get, even if it is only friendship."

"As long as you don't get hurt," Lily replied with a sigh of her own.

"Now that we've touched a sore note of mine, let's go to you," Hugo retorted. "Tomorrow is Halloween, which means it's James's birthday. You gunna send him a gift?"

"No," Lily answered easily and quickly.

Hugo raised a brow. "So, you'll send one to Albus, but not James?"

"It's different between me and James," Lily replied softly. "Even though Albus and I haven't ever had a great relationship as siblings, I'm much angrier at James."

"You hardly even see or talk to James anymore," Hugo countered. "You've been fighting with Albus much longer, and much more recently."

"Albus didn't hurt me as much as James did," Lily whispered. "And Albus may have done horrible things, but James was the mind behind a lot of them, along with the personality. I may be ready to at least let go of what Albus has done but . . . but I'm still not ready to ignore what James has done, to me and in general."

"James and you got on so well, though," Hugo commented.

"And that's why it hurts so much," Lily replied. "And that's why I'm not ready to ignore it, let along buy him a gift."

Hugo didn't say anything for a moment, but then he looked over at her. "Lily, . . . does it still hurt?"

Lily glanced at him, then looked forward again. "Sometimes," she said honestly. "But only if I take time to think about it. And this year . . . I hardly have time to wonder what I'll eat at breakfast tomorrow."

* * *

"Well, Lola, it's Halloween, and halfway through the day," Megan pointed out at lunch. "Are you going to tell him?"

Lola groaned as she stabbed at her lunch with her fork. "You can't give me a bit more time?" Lola requested.

"You've had over a month," Megan argued. "And we're all still waiting."

"It's like he knows! It's gone all awkward now," Lola complained.

"You'll get past it, Lola," Lily assured.

"And you know he likes you," Shannon pointed out. "Go for it!"

"What happened to the boy being the one to ask the girl out?" Lola grumbled.

"Welcome to the new generation!" Megan retorted. "Now, are you going to do something, or am I getting to be the one that comes to our dorm with his boxers as a trophy?"

Lola rolled her eyes and looked down at her plate. "Maybe you should just go for it, Megan."

"Maybe you should quit being a wuss!" Megan countered.

"The least you can do is take a shot," Lily replied. "Just tell him how you feel at least."

"Oh, because that wouldn't make things even more awkward!" Lola argued. "I can't just be like 'I really like you' and then think that everything will be fine!"

"If you don't, then I'm telling Jace how you feel," Lily threatened.

"And I'll still have sex with him," Megan reminded.

Lola glared at them both. "You two suck!"

"Friends always do," Lily mocked.

"Friends always do what?" the girls all turned their heads to see Jace and Xavier coming to sit with them.

"Hey, Jace," Lily greeted. "And, nothing."

Jace just shrugged as he sat next to Shannon and began to make up a plate. Xavier sat next to Lily, and was a bit slower while making his.

"So, where were you boys?" Izzy asked.

"Well, I had been working on an essay for Transfiguration in the library, so I lost track of time," Jace replied.

"What about you, Xavier?" Lola asked gently.

"Oh, I was in the library too, so when I ran into Jace, we both decided to go to lunch," Xavier answered.

"You're going to the library a lot lately," Lily noted.

Xavier shrugged. "I've got some catching up to do," he muttered. That could have been true, but Lily didn't completely believe him. "Hey, Lil," Xavier address, distracting her from her previous suspicion, "I've got a question for ya."

"What's up?" Lily inquired.

"Well, my sister Kim sent me a letter, saying that she was getting married to Corbin Glass, and the wedding would be over Christmas break. On the eighteenth," Xavier stated.

Lily tried to remember if she knew Corbin Glass, but a face didn't show in her mind. But she remembered Scarlet Glass, who was probably his sister. "Really? Well, good for Kim. But, what's your question?"

"Assuming that Scorpius will have to train on that day, would you go with me?" Xavier asked.

"Yeah, why not. Sounds fun," Lily agreed with a smile.

"Thanks. My mum and siblings were fussing over me all summer. I'm hoping that by bringing someone to the wedding, they'll leave me alone," Xavier sighed.

"You can't blame them for being worried," Lola replied. "They're family."

"Speaking of family, have you heard from Mitch?" Lily inquired.

Xavier shook his head. "Nah, I don't think any of us have. Brandon might have. I know that he was going to help them if they needed it. But if you mean like letters . . . I think Scotty would be the only one he'd write to. They get on the best."

Lily glanced to where a group of third year boys was sitting. She could see young Scott easily. Actually, he looked a bit more like Mitch than any of the other Avery boys did. His dark hair was straight, and his brow dark. And he had Mitch's smile as well, which was obvious as he laughed with his friends.

"Well, I'll have to ask and see," Lily sighed quietly.

* * *

The Halloween Feast was as jaunty and entertaining as it always was, nothing new. And of course, the J.B. meeting was held afterwards. Now that weeks had gone by without a hitch, the four of them decided that only two of them were needed to watch over. This time it was Lily and Randy, although they weren't moving around much. Actually, Lily had taken a table near an empty corner, and began to play with her cauldron and potion kit.

"Hey, Lil."

Lily turned her head briefly to see that Liz had approached. A stool appeared next to the table, and Liz immediately took a seat. Lily gave her a short smile, her focus still on the bubbling potion. "Hey, Liz. What are you doing over here?"

"Well, I wasn't going to come tonight. I don't have any problems with our current topic in Astronomy. But the others were going, and I didn't feel like hanging around the common room alone," Liz replied. "So, I thought I'd see what you were making."

"Well, at the moment, I'm trying to find a new way to make Calming Solution that doesn't make a person want to gag," Lily told her.

"So, since you've mastered most potions, you just play around and make new things?" Liz teased.

Lily grinned as she raised the heat. "Basically." Then she moved back, letting it boil and simmer more. When her own stool appeared, she took a seat. "So, how's your year so far, Liz?"

Liz sighed. "Well, I've taken to ignoring my best friend whenever she snogs her boyfriend in front of me, coming to these meetings, and spending quite a bit of time in the library. So . . . not bad."

Lily looked over at her. Her mention of the library made her think of Xavier, who hadn't explained his frequent trips to the library yet. She glanced over at where he was teaching the third years about Astronomy. She looked back at Liz. "Yeah, O.W.L. year forces you into the library quite often." Lily hesitated for a moment, but then asked anyways. "Have you seen Xavier in there, lately?"

Liz looked at her curiously. "Yeah, I've seen him in there. Why?"

Lily sighed as she glanced at her potion, which was fading to a light blue color. "Well, he's been going there a lot, but he won't say why."

Liz shrugged. "I couldn't tell you why. But, when he's in there, I usually sit with him to avoid watching Lance and Courtney flirt around their table. I'll ask him for you."

Lily grinned. "Well, maybe he'll tell you. I'm just curious, after what he's been through. I'm still a little worried about him."

"You mean about him and Manny breaking up?" Liz asked.

Lily looked at her in surprise. "You know about that?"

Liz nodded. "Yeah, he told me . . . well I actually kind of dragged it out of him. I told him to suck it up."

Lily chuckled. "I'm not surprised."

"But, how's your year been?" Liz asked.

"Thankfully busy," Lily replied. She reached for her wand, and with a silent flick of her wrist, the potion began to stir.

"Why do you want it busy?" Liz questioned.

"Less time to think about unwanted things," Lily said easily.

"Maybe you should get Xavier to follow that regimen, if you worry about him," Liz suggested.

Lily glanced over again at her friend. He was obviously helping one of the third years to find something on a star map. "I don't want to push him. Not long ago he wanted to be left alone. I think he needs to figure it out himself."

* * *

Lily hated doing late night prefect patrols. They were usually reserved for sixth years lately, since the seventh and fifth years were always exhausted from all their lessons and studying. So far it was the worst part about being a sixth year for Lily.

She was supposed to be patrolling with Tara Epcot, but they had agreed to split up, and get their rounds done quickly but efficiently. After all, the staff always thought that nights of holidays and feasts would be the days that kids would sneak out to break curfew. Lily found it old-fashioned. The students had figured that out, and now hardly ever snuck out on holidays. This left the sixth year prefects to wander the halls, and pretend to search for rule-breakers.

Lily sighed as she loosened her tie and rolled up her sleeves. She almost groaned aloud. Why the hell was it so hot in the castle this year?

Lily was further surprised when she saw Christian and Megan turn the corner into the hall she was walking in. "Chris? Megan? What the hell are you two doing?" Lily asked. Giving them a detention, or docking points was the last thing on her mind. She didn't even do it when she caught little kids.

Megan gave her an innocent look. "Nothing. We just needed a breath of castle air. We're heading back now."

"Oh, and, Lil," Christian said as they moved past her, "take two right turns, please? You might hear something interesting."

"We sure did!" Megan laughed as they turned another corner.

Lily looked at where they left in confusion, but then began walking again. What the hell had they been talking about? Hear something interesting? A thought struck Lily, and she almost cringed. The last thing she wanted to do was break up a couple snogging . . . or worse. But Lily took the two turns that Christian had instructed, but as she walked past each door, she heard nothing. Until she reached one in the middle, but she didn't hear what she'd expected. Actually, it sounded like an argument.

"I didn't say that!" a girl snapped. "I just said that it would be weird!"

"So, I'm weird?" a boy hissed.

"Quit putting words in my mouth, you stupid, idiot!" the girl growled.

It suddenly struck Lily on why those voices sounded so familiar. Jace and Lola were on the other side of that door! How had Christian and Megan known about this? Lily shook her head as she leaned against the wall next to the door. Money said, they probably had something to do with this.

"Well then just say it! Whatever the hell it is, say it!" Jace snapped.

"I didn't want to say it all!" Lola argued.

"Well we're stuck in this damn closet, and Megan said it was bugging you! Just tell me!" Jace retorted angrily.

"I don't want to!" Lola replied. "And why would you care if it bugged me?"

"Because I care about _you_!" Jace snarled.

A silence settled in that closet, and Lily glanced at the door, waiting for them to speak. She knew what this was. If they were stuck in there, Megan and Christian had probably locked them in there. And it sounded like Megan had acted like a catalyst.

"I didn't ask you to care," Lola whispered.

"Well I don't need your permission to like you," Jace mocked. "I've been doing without for about a year now, and I've been fine."

"Well why didn't you say anything?" Lola grumbled.

"Because you were always flirting with Hugo! And then you were dating him! Besides, for all I knew, you hated me!" Jace retorted. "When did that change?"

Lily could practically see Lola twirling the ends of her hair. "When you're suddenly nice and polite attitude showed up with a cute face," she mumbled.

"Nice to know I'm just a pretty face," Jace muttered.

"I said nice and polite," Lola replied. "But give me a break. You and I had been fighting for years, and I _was_ with Hugo. The last thing I was going to notice was how nice and sweet you suddenly were. And then you show up this year looking unbearably cute . . . !"

Lily bit her tongue to keep from laughing. She knew Lola had to be red in the face after what she'd just said.

"So, I'm cute?" Jace inquired.

"I think I've technically said it twice now," Lola argued.

Jace chuckled. "Well, you're pretty cute yourself," he joked lightly.

There was another silence behind the door, and Lily almost tapped her foot as she waited. She did let out a quiet yawn, and stretched her arms. What were they waiting for?

Finally, Lola was the next to speak. "Jace, where does this leave us?"

"Where do you want it to leave us?" Jace asked.

"I asked first," Lola retorted.

Jace sighed. "Well, it leaves me with a continuing year-old attraction, and you with new feelings for me. It leaves us with the option to take a chance on a date, or leave it at this."

Lily heard a bit of shuffling, like one of them was moving things. "I don't want anything to be awkward between us, relationship or not," Lola admitted.

"I think there's a difference between nervous modesty and awkwardness," Jace replied.

"What do you mean?" Lola asked.

"I mean that, even now, I don't feel awkward. I'm just a little nervous. My heart's beating, my nerves are shot, but I'm still excited to hear what you'll say," Jace explained. "Because it could lead to something I've wanted for a year now."

There was another sigh behind the door. "Jace," Lola spoke, "if we do this . . . I wanna take it slow. I want to get used to this. I mean, we have been fighting for years now. I want to be able to get used to the idea of us . . . dating."

"I'm ok with that," Jace assured gently. "I'm not into rushing anything, anyways. I'm content to wait and have our first date be our next Hogsmeade visit."

"That's like a month away," Lola pointed out.

"Exactly!" Jace chuckled. "I can wait. Like I said, I've been doing it for a year now. I don't wanna push, I don't wanna rush, and I really don't want to ruin this."

The next silence was short between them. "So . . . we're going to do this? We're going to try?" Lola questioned.

"If you want to," Jace replied.

"On one condition," Lola retorted. "You can't be stupid," she teased.

Lily rolled her eyes, but Jace laughed. "Only if you wash your hair," he countered.

"Well, then it's a date," Lola whispered.

At this silence, Lily looked at the door hesitantly. "You two better not be snogging in there!" she called to them.

"Lily?" they both called back.

"Because if you are, then I'm leaving," Lily warned with a grin.

"Open the damn door!" Lola hissed.

Lily laughed as she pulled out her wand. With a flick of her wrist, the lock clicked, and Lola and Jace came bursting through the door. Lily grinned at the two of them. "How long have you been in there?"

"How long have you been listening?" Lola demanded.

Jace ran a hand through his messy hair. "For a long time now."

"And since you two started to calm a little in your fight," Lily answered.

"How'd you know we were in there?" Jace asked.

"I crossed paths with Christian and Megan. Chris told me to come down this hall," Lily told them.

"Thanks for the reminder," Lola replied, "because I need to kill her."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure. Can you two handle walking back yourselves? I've still got a few hallways to check out."

Jace grinned. "We'll be fine. See ya around, Lil."

Lily nodded to the both of them before turning her back and walking away. She glanced back at them, and saw them walking down the hall, not touching, but not far apart from each other. She smiled as she turned the corner.

It really was about time.

* * *

Lily looked at her teammates. They were in the locker room, all dressed and ready for the game that was about to start. They'd been training hard, and she was sure they could win.

"Let's try to keep it a clean match," Lily warned them. "After every thing that Slytherin's team went through last year, Madam Hooch is a bit hesitant about our team. But, I also want to win. So let's do what we have to."

"It's in the bag, Lil," Tanner assured.

Lily grinned, and her eyes locked onto Courtney. "By the way." She walked over and took Courtney's bat. Then she grabbed her wand from her locker. "How are you at handling this thing now, Courtney?" Honestly, Lily thought Courtney had been doing well with it.

"It's still heavy as hell," Courtney muttered, "but not impossible anymore."

Lily smiled as she put her wand back and looked at the girl. "Catch."

Lily tossed her the bat, and Courtney caught it with ease. Then she looked at the bat in shock. "Are they always this light?" she asked.

Lily laughed. "Think that'll be easier to swing now?"

Tanner took the bat from her. "It feels just like mine does," he assured her.

Courtney took the bat back. "I forgot they were this light!" She looked at Lily. "You couldn't just tell me it was to improve my strength?"

Lily laughed. "I told you that if you didn't figure it out, you'd find out before the match. Think your strength will be improved?"

Courtney grinned slyly. "No doubt."

* * *

"And Weasley makes another goal! That's another ten points for Gryffindor. This has been a close game," Bryce Barnes, the new student commentator, cheered.

Lily glanced below her. She was hovering high above the other players. So far the score was a hundred and thirty for Gryffindor, and Slytherin had the lead with a hundred and fifty. Barnes was right. It was a close game. But Lily was proud of how her team was playing. Her Chasers were making a great trio. With Bobby's skill with making steals, and John excellent passes, combined with Lance's ability to make it by Hugo on half of his attempts, they were a very formidable group. And Courtney was doing excellent. She'd already knocked a Bludger toward Miley Jordan, which had made a wicked impact with her back and shoulder. She was still in the game, but it was obvious something was hurt or broken.

But Lily had to admit that Gryffindor was still pretty good this year. Dale Kirke, a third year, had taken Rose's previous Chaser position. And he was actually pretty good. Combined with Lucy's skill and practice, they made up for Miley's injury. And Hugo was still an excellent Keeper, and was what kept her Chasers from making more of their shots. Lily was confident that if it hadn't been for Hugo, Slytherin would be further ahead.

But Lily was happy to see that Julie McLaggen was obviously new to an actual competitive game. Lily had complete faith that she could catch the Snitch first, even if McLaggen was the first to spot it. And that wasn't even adding in the fact that Lily had the superior broom.

"Warrington has the Quaffle! He makes a pass . . . but it's intercepted by Kirke! Kirke takes off, but Pritchard makes the steal! He passes it off to Higgs . . . oh! But Higgs takes a Bludger to the back! He drops the Quaffle, and Weasley is there to catch it! She passes it off to Jordan, who makes an easy catch with her good hand. She takes off . . . but Warrington crashes into her bad arm! She drops it, and Warrington makes a dive for it! He grabs it, and quickly passes to a swift Higgs, who is now speeding down the pitch! This is a battle for the Quaffle!" Barnes announced.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek lightly, trying not to be distracted from her goal of looking for the Snitch. Why was she surprised that Lucy had trained her team to improve? Lucy was very committed to the game of Quidditch.

"Higgs is almost to the goals! He gets closer . . . he takes a shot . . . and Hugo Weasley kicks the Quaffle away! Nice save! Jordan grabs the Quaffle, and makes a shaky toss to Kirke. Kirke swerves past Warrington, oh! But then he takes a Bludger to the face! A great hit by Derrick! That girl's got an arm!" Barnes commented.

A whistle rang out, issuing a time out. Lily stopped circling and looked down at the other players. She saw Kirke, who was surrounded by some of his teammates. He was holding his nose, but Lily could see blood pouring from between his fingers.

"A time out is called, and it looks like Madam Hooch is taking Kirke to the ground. Blood seems to be seeping from his face," Barnes announced to the crowd.

Lily flew to where Courtney was twirling her bat. She patted the girl on the shoulder. "Nice hit," she commented.

Courtney grinned. "Thanks. I was a bit surprised myself. But it's so easy to use this bat now."

Lily laughed, then looked over at where Tanner was with Lance. "Tanner, get over here!" she called.

Tanner was quick to fly toward the girls, and came to an immediate stop in front of them. "What's up, Captain?" he asked.

Lily sighed as rolled her shoulders once. "Keep it clean, and don't foul, but I need you guys to at least injure Hugo," she instructed.

Courtney raised a brow. "You want us to hurt your cousin?"

Lily nodded. "He understands it's all in the game. We've had this agreement for two years now. So, I at least want him hit. He's saving most of the goals the boys are making attempts at. And Lance can even hardly get by him half the time, and he's our best Chaser. So, within the rules, take a shot at him."

They both nodded. "No problem," Courtney assured.

"You got it, Captain," Tanner promised.

"Good. Get ready, I think we're about to start again," Lily told them, as she turned her broom and ascended higher again.

"And the game is back in action!" Barnes announced. "Madam Hooch has tossed the Quaffle, and Higgs makes the catch! Looks like Kirke is now out of the game, and won't be returning. All we have on his condition is at least a broken nose." Barnes told the crowd. "But Higgs is now making his way past the Gryffindor players. He makes a pass to Pritchard, who dodges Weasley. Then he makes a hand off to Warrington! Jordan makes a steal attempt, but Warrington barrels through her, practically rocking her off her broom. He throws the Quaffle back to Higgs, who makes an attempt . . . and as Weasley dodges a Bludger, he misses the Quaffle! Ten points to Slytherin!"

Lily tried not to be disappointed that Tanner and Courtney had missed Hugo. She just focused on the fact that Lance had made a goal.

* * *

Lily would even admit that she was getting tired, hungry, and worried. As hours drew on, the sky grew dim, and the air grew cool. And worse, Gryffindor got better. It seemed that once they lost Kirke, Lucy stepped up her game, and Miley Jordan ignored her pain to play with both arms. And worse, they had evened the score, and knocked out John Warrington. And Bobby had taken at least three hits to the back with Bludgers, and Lance had taken one to the side. Hank had taken one to the arm, leaving him with only one hand to use when trying to guard the goal posts. And what was even worse was that Courtney and Tanner had been unable to hit Hugo, who had gotten used to saving goal attempts while dodging Bludgers. And thanks to him, Slytherin had fallen behind.

The score was a hundred and ninety for Slytherin, with Gryffindor in the lead with two hundred and seventy. They were getting stomped on, bad.

"And Harper tosses the Quaffle off to Higgs. Higgs speeds down the pitch. He swerves past Weasley, and just before Jordan can reach them, he tosses it ahead to Pritchard. Pritchard races forward . . . he almost looks ready to crash into Weasley! He makes a swift stop and tosses the Quaffle with all his might . . . oh! He doesn't make the shot, but Weasley took a wicked hit in the throat!" Barnes commented.

Lily looked over at the Gryffindor goals. Hugo was holding his throat, looking as if he were about to cough up a lung.

"But Jordan comes up and dives low for the Quaffle. She's got it now, and she's speeding away, giving Weasley time to recover. But Pritchard is quick to steal the Quaffle, and toss it off to Higgs. Higgs shoots back toward the goals . . . and he makes the goal! Weasley's reflexes seem to be a little slow after that hit!" Barnes commented.

Lily flew a little higher as she continued to circle. She needed to find the Snitch. If she ended it now, the combined points would give them the win. But there hadn't been a single sighting of the Snitch. Until she glanced down while checking on her team. A golden glint, slightly dulled by the dim sky, sparkled from the grass below.

Lily shot down faster than a Bludger, turning into a nosedive as she headed straight for the ground.

"And Potter's on the move! I think she's seen the Snitch!" Barnes cheered. "McLaggen's coming toward her, but I don't think she can catch up! Hell, I can't even see the Snitch!"

Lily ignored everything else but the Snitch below. The ground was getting closer and closer now. And as if the Snitch sensed her coming, it began zooming across the grass in zigzag patterns. When she got too close for comfort, Lily leveled out and began chasing the Snitch. Her shoes began scuffing the grass, prompting her to lift them a bit higher, and wrap them around the end of her broom. She reached out her hand, but with every attempt to grab the Snitch she made, it shot away from her hand. It was so close to the grass, Lily was starting to think it would burrow into the dirt. And it wasn't until the Bludger hit her that Lily regretting ignoring everything else.

"Woah! Potter takes a speeding Bludger to the side!" Barnes yelled.

The Bludger connected with Lily's side and stomach, rocking her completely off her broom. It continued to push her until she hit the ground. But she had already been so close to the ground that it quickly scraped across her stomach as it moved past her. Lily began to cough, the pain burning and searing into her side and stomach. Her stomach turned, feeling ready to expel all the food she'd eaten hours ago. Then the pain in her stomach began outranking the pain of her side, and she felt her robes stick to her. She was bleeding, that she could tell.

No whistle rang out, but Madam Hooch was soon above her. "Miss Potter, are you all right?"

Lily coughed again, and flinched as her stomach began to churn again. "I'm ok," she groaned.

She felt hands helping to pull her up, and found that Tanner had landed as well. "The game's still going, but Courtney can handle it," he told her when she gave him a look.

Lily nodded, and took a few deep breaths. But with every inhale and exhale, her stomach burned as if it were on fire inside and out.

She heard Tanner hiss, and Madam Hooch spoke. "Oh, Miss Potter, you're bleeding badly!"

Lily hesitantly glanced down at her stomach, and saw that the green of her robes had been stained red around her stomach. Lily gulped, ignoring how her throat almost closed. "I'll be fine. I can finish the game," she mumbled.

"You sure, Lil?" Tanner asked hesitantly. "Because Scor will kill me if he hears I let you play while you were badly hurt."

Lily rolled her eyes, but pulled away from their hands. "I'll be fine. We don't have a reserve Seeker that can play today. I'll finish the game, and go straight to the Hospital Wing," she promised.

"Any sign of it getting worse, and I'm taking you out," Madam Hooch warned.

Lily nodded as she took her broom from Tanner. "McLaggen lost sight of the Snitch, so it could be anywhere," Tanner warned quietly.

Lily sighed slightly as she mounted her broom. "Good," she whispered. Her throat convulsed around her words, making the urge to puke seem more unavoidable. But she kicked off the ground, her stomach tumbling, and blood dripping even more.

"And Potter and Zabini are rejoining the game. But Potter looks to be bleeding badly! Her robes are almost a Gryffindor red!" Barnes joked.

Lily took in a few small but deep breaths. Her head spun around dizzily as she slowly circled. But this time she kept low, hoping that the Snitch had simply escaped into the grass again. She rested her chin on her broom, her eyes feeling heavy. But she kept from having her stomach touch her broom. She could feel the front of her robes getting heavy as they became almost soaked. The thought alone made Lily sick.

With her head feeling so heavy and dizzy, she could hardly focus enough to understand what Barnes was saying about the game. Every now and then she'd catch a name or a word, but nothing to let her know what the score was. But when her eyes began to try and close, Lily knew that the game needed to end.

Lily wasn't sure how long she'd been circling the pitch low, or how long it'd been since she'd been hit. But when she saw what almost looked like a little star high up near the stands, Lily knew it was about to end. Swerving around, Lily began to climb higher into the air, and felt her stomach almost drop as she did. But the closer she got, the brighter the star-like glint of the Snitch got. Then her vision started to blur, and the edges turned black. She barely saw or felt her hand reaching forward. And she just barely felt the cool metal of the Snitch against her hand and fingers. But just as her fingers closed around it, the blurry blackness closed over her eyes.

She felt the Snitch fly away.

* * *

When Lily woke up, her eyes still felt heavy. And something felt like it was constricting around her stomach. Sluggishly, she opened her eyes.

"Rise and shine."

Lily turned her head to see Tanner standing by her bedside. "Tanner? What happened?"

"You passed out. Fainted from blood loss. I ended up carrying you back," he told her.

Lily looked back up at the ceiling and sighed. "I'm surprised the others aren't here," she mumbled.

"Don't blame them for that. That game put a lot of the players in here. Pomfrey is already treating so many of us, she banned any visitors that weren't players," Tanner replied.

"Who all is in here?" Lily inquired.

Tanner sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Well, on our team, basically everyone but me and Courtney. Two bones in Hank's arm had almost been shattered, and one was broken. Bobby's back was completely bruised, with bad internal bleeding. Lance's side was pretty bruised, and he also took another Bludger to the side of the head. It knocked his hearing in one ear out momentarily, but Pomfrey is threatening that if he gets hit again in that ear, he might lose it permanently. And John is still unconscious," he listed.

"Is Courtney with Lance?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, she's sitting with him. They're waiting for the rest of the bruise on his cheek and jaw to disappear," Tanner replied.

"What about Gryffindor?" Lily questioned.

"Well, Hugo's still kind of coughing. His throat looks pretty bruised too. Miley Jordan's arm was broken in multiple places. Lucy Weasley's shoulder was a bit bruised from a few Bludger hits. Kirke's whole face is almost bruised still, but his nose is fixed," Tanner told her. "The rest of their team is with them too, but they're ok."

Lily closed her eyes, hating how her stomach felt compressed. "What about me?"

"Well, your side was badly bruised, and one of your ribs cracked," Tanner replied. "And when that Bludger skimmed ya, it tore off a lot of skin. You were bleeding worse than you looked. It was soaked through your robes, and it was seeping onto me when I was carrying out here."

Lily groaned. "Am I all right now?"

"Well, your bruises are gone, but your skin is healing now. So if it itches or feels irritated, that's why," Tanner explained.

"Who won?" At Tanner's silence to her last question, Lily looked at him. He was looking at the floor. "Tanner? Did we lose?"

Tanner ran a hand over his short hair. "Well, we don't know yet."

Lily looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it looked like you caught the Snitch, but then you fainted. Not even seconds after you did, McLaggen snagged it. So, Madam Hooch and some of the staff that was watching are discussing it," Tanner answered. "So, we don't know who won yet."

Lily groaned again. "Damn! What was the score, without the Snitch?"

Tanner looked a bit hesitant. "Two hundred and thirty for us, and two hundred and ninety for Gryffindor. So . . . if they say you didn't catch it, then they win without a doubt."

* * *

Lily, like a lot of the other players, was forced to spend the night in the Hospital Wing. With her head still feeling a little heavy, it was easy for Lily to sleep through the night. The next morning, Pomfrey took her time checking on each of them. Hugo was let out. He'd said a quick goodbye before leaving to see Jaclyn. Lucy hadn't had to stay over night, and Miley was let go after Hugo. Lance hadn't stayed during the night, and neither had Hank. Bobby was laying on his stomach on the bed next to Lily's, and John was still sleeping in the one on Bobby's other side.

"You can go, Mr. Kirke," Pomfrey was saying from across the room. "The bruises are mostly gone, and the rest of the color should fade quickly. Just be careful."

Lily glanced over at Bobby. "Has John woken up at all?" she asked.

Bobby shook his head. "I don't think so. He did take a pretty hard hit to the head though."

Pomfrey checked on John first. Then she reassured the other two. "Mr. Warrington should be getting up soon. He's fine now. Nothing broken or bleeding," she told them. "Now, what about you, Mr. Pritchard?" Pomfrey pulled the blanket off of Bobby's back, and Lily could still see a few bruises along his back. Pomfrey began moving her hands along his back. "Tell me if it hurts," she demanded.

Bobby nodded. And after a few minutes, he'd only winced once. "It feels ok," Bobby told her.

"Then it looks like you can go," Pomfrey told him. Then she turned to Lily. "Miss Potter, how often am I going to see you in here?"

Lily grinned. "Well, I have two more matches this season, and three next year, so at least five more times," she joked.

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. "I'm starting to think you need a new game. This one is not far from killing you."

"Potter luck," Lily mocked. But then she flinched a little as Pomfrey began to take the wrapping off of her stomach.

"Well you do remind me of your father. He was in here almost as much as you," Pomfrey muttered. "But, let's take a look."

When Madam Pomfrey removed the bandages, Lily looked down at her stomach. It was a dark pink, as if it had just gone down from being red. And it itched, it was irritated, and Lily had the urge to claw at it to get it to stop.

"Well, the new skin is there, and it's no longer red," Pomfrey commented. "No breaks, and no cuts."

"So I can go?" Lily inquired.

"Not yet," Pomfrey retorted as she brought out fresh wrappings.

"What? Why not?" Lily demanded.

"Because that new skin is tender and fragile. It could break easily, and if it all breaks, you'd be in for a painful and sickening sight," Pomfrey told her. "It could all come off at once if you weren't careful."

"That's a cheerful image," Bobby muttered. But then he sighed. "Well, I'll tell Lola that you're stuck in here. I'm sure she'll come around."

"Ok. Thanks, Bobby. And good game," Lily complimented.

Bobby's cheeks turned a light pink of their own, but then smiled and began to leave.

"Now, I don't want you sitting up," Madam Pomfrey warned her. "You could bend the new skin and break it."

"Ok, ok," Lily muttered. "I get it." Actually, all images Pomfrey's words kept giving her made her want to puke.

"Ah, Hogwarts's famous and most reoccurring patient has awakened!" Professor Brown said with a laugh as he entered the Hospital Wing.

Lily smiled at the sight of him. "Hey, Professor," she greeted.

"Don't let her sit up," Pomfrey told him as she took the leftover bandages and began to walk away from the bed.

Professor Brown smiled as he pulled up a chair. "You know, Lily, only you could cause a stir in a Quidditch match."

Lily rolled her eyes. "After last year, I think people have learned that I can cause up a stir in anything," she mocked. "But . . . what have you decided about the match?"

Professor Brown sighed. "Well, it was hard to tell if you'd actually caught it or not from where we were."

"So, you're here for my recollection?" Lily guessed.

"Actually, I'm here to tell you that Slytherin has officially won the match," Professor Brown told her.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "What? I thought you said it was hard to tell? Did I get a sympathy win?"

He chuckled for a moment. "No, no. Actually, last night, Lucy Weasley, Gryffindor's captain, came to my office during our debate on it. She said she wanted to give your team the win. She was apparently sure that you'd had it in your hand before you fainted. But then once you did, the Snitch was able to escape your fingers, and Julie McLaggen had only caught it because she'd been tailing you," Professor Brown explained. "So, Slytherin is the winner, with three hundred and eighty points."

Lily stared at the ceiling with surprise and thought. "Why would Lucy do that?"

"Maybe she thought that they'd already proven they could beat you without the Snitch. Maybe because Lucy thought you were obviously the superior Seeker. Or maybe for some reason that only she knows," Professor Brown suggested. "You can really only know by asking her."

* * *

"Scotty says that Mitch hasn't written him a thing," Xavier told Lily. It was now lunch, so they had come to the Hospital Wing to see her. The boys were rummaging through a box of Chocolate Frogs, Hugo was sitting on the end of the bed, his hand intertwined with Jaclyn's. Lola, Shannon, Izzy, and Megan were all simply sitting around the bed.

Lily sighed. "Well, it's ok. I was just curious," she replied.

"Are you ok, though?" Izzy asked. It had been the hundredth time that the girls had asked her that.

"I'm fine," Lily said easily. "I'm allowed to go soon."

"It looked like a nasty hit," Jaclyn commented. "That was a brutal game."

"One of the worst I've been in," Hugo agreed.

"Well, I've had worse," Lily joked. "But, in matters of all players, this was probably one of the worst for me as well."

"At least we got the win!" Christian cheered. "How awesome of Lucy!"

Lily looked over at Hugo. "Do you know why she gave me the catch?"

Hugo shrugged. "Nah. I haven't seen her today, and she didn't say anything to us about it last night."

"It was really nice of her," Jaclyn replied.

"Especially since you guys stomped us," Lily mumbled.

Hugo laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that," he mocked.

Lily grinned. "You were good, cuz. I had to tell Courtney and Tanner to take you out."

"Too bad I only took a hit to the throat," Hugo joked.

"Which looked painful alone," Shannon added.

"Hurt like a bitch," Hugo agreed with a laugh.

"I don't see how you guys continue to play the game after taking hits like that," Lola admitted.

"I don't see why they play the dumb game at all, but they do it," Megan retorted.

"It's about teamwork and competition," Jace replied as he came to stand by the bed, a Chocolate Frog in hand. "You learn good things in sports. Fairness, competition, plus it's healthy for ya."

"He's got ya there, Megan," Hunter agreed as he tossed aside a Chocolate Frog card.

"Oh, shut up, Hunter," Megan replied with a sarcastic tone.

"Blow me," Hunter countered.

"You wish."

"You dream."

Megan rolled her eyes as the boys cheered Hunter. "It is a frequent nightmare," she muttered mockingly.

Lily couldn't help it. She laughed lightly and smiled. With all the drama her friends had been going through, she liked this. It was casual, and more importantly, it was normal.

* * *

Lily had been let out later that afternoon, and was able to make it in time to help teach Potions during her last free period. New spread about how Slytherin was the official winner of the match, which sent rumors flying. But Lily was more concerned with finding Lucy, and figuring out the truth.

It was just before dinner that Lily found Lucy and a group of other seventh years leaving the library. The only one Lily recognized for sure was Zack. "Hey, Lucy!" Lily called.

She gained all of their attentions, but Lucy turned to meet her halfway in the hall, a smile on her face. "Hey, Lily. I'm glad to see that you're out. How do you feel? You looked bad when they carried you off."

Lily shrugged, her hand instinctively touching the sensitive skin on her stomach. "I'm ok. But, I wanted to ask you something."

Lucy looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

Lily took in a small breath. "Well, why did you tell Professor Brown that you wanted to give us the match? I mean, it was still up for debate in their minds."

Lucy smiled. "Lily, you caught that Snitch. It's not your fault that you fainted afterwards. And honestly, I never expected Julie to catch it before you. That's why for this match, I'd been training my Chasers and Keeper even harder. Even the Beaters. And after the hit you took, you deserve that catch. It was amazing that you were even able to keep playing, let alone make the catch, no matter how weak it was," Lucy told her.

Lily smiled a little sheepishly. "You still didn't have to."

Lucy shrugged. "I wanted to. I think you deserved it. And I saw you catch it. You won, fair and square."

Lily sighed as she looked at her cousin. Then she held out her hand. "Well then, good game."

Lucy laughed as she shook her hand. "Back at ya. I just pray that the next match isn't as damaging. Apparently, Kirke still can't smell things very well."

Lily laughed too. "Don't worry. Lance has almost lost the hearing in one ear."

Lucy smiled as she pushed her hair back, letting it fall behind her shoulder. "It's a dangerous game, but I love it."

"And you're going to make a great pro player," Lily assured with a smile of her own. "And I'll be at every game I can go to."

"Then I'll dedicate all my games to you," Lucy joked.

"And I'll . . . well I'll mention you in the next interview I ever do," Lily said with a laugh. "With my future career, that's the best I can do."

"Trust me. Being there for me is good enough in my book," Lucy replied with a soft smile.

* * *

"I'm just glad you're ok. I'll admit, even though I knew you had a game yesterday, I was a little worried." Lily was talking with Scorpius. She'd felt bad about not talking to him the pervious night. But she'd warned him beforehand that she could get hurt in the match, and she might not be able to talk to him.

"Well don't worry. The injuries I had last year were much worse," Lily replied. "Compared to that, this was bearable. Besides, Ill bet you come back from training with a few of your own injuries."

He rolled his eyes. "A few bruises and cuts are nothing like what someone gets in a Quidditch match. Besides, anything worse happens, and they take care of you immediately at training."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'd be very upset if I saw that something had happened to your pretty face in my mirror," Lily teased.

Scorpius chuckled. "I know. You and the rest of the female population of the world."

Lily giggled lightly, but then yawned a little. "Sorry. I've been a bit tired all day. Apparently it has to do with that potion Pomfrey gave me for pain this afternoon."

"Should I let you sleep?" Scorpius asked softly, his eyes showing his concern.

Lily sighed. "I'm ok for a while. But if I pass out on you, then just go to sleep."

Scorpius smirked. "I don't know. I miss being able to watch you sleep."

Lily smiled gently. "It still feels a little strange to wake up and find that you're not there. I'm going to have to sneak to your flat one night during break."

"Better yet, just stay a night at my parents' house. Then I'll come over there," Scorpius suggested.

Lily really liked the idea. "I'll do that. When do you get a break from training for the holidays?"

"The twenty-second," Scorpius answered.

Lily bit back her disappointment. She'd go home, but still be unable to see him for days. "So, you won't be going to Kim's wedding?"

Scorpius shook his head. "No. I got the invitation a few days ago, but I have training that day. I'll be sending them a gift. Are you going?"

Lily nodded. "Xavier asked me to go with him, if you had training. He hopes that by bringing someone, his family won't worry about him anymore."

"Is there reason for them to still be worried?" Scorpius questioned.

"He's getting better each day," Lily assured. "I mean, he's not at his best, or even his normal, but he's getting there."

"_What do you mean you haven't kissed him yet!"_

Lily turned her head to the curtain surrounding her bed. The girls must have just walked in. Sure enough, she soon heard the door close.

"_Not now, Megan,"_ Lily heard Lola say. _"Hi, Scorpius!"_

Lily bit back a laugh, and Scorpius smirked and shook his head. "I'll let you get to bed, beautiful. Tell them I said hi," he said with a chuckle.

Lily smiled. "Ok. Love you."

"Love you too, princess," Scorpius replied.

When his face disappeared from the mirror's reflection, Lily picked up her wand, and with a small spell, the curtains pulled around, revealing the room to her. The other four girls were there now, getting ready for bed.

"Scorpius said hi," Lily told them as she sat up and put her wand and mirror on the bedside table. "Now, what was Megan throwing a fit about?"

"She still hasn't kissed Jace! It's been weeks!" Megan pointed out as she pulled a pair of small shorts on.

Lola blushed a light pink. "That doesn't matter to us. We're taking time to be comfortable and get used to it."

"I bet you haven't even held his hand in the halls," Megan said dryly.

Lola rolled her eyes as she ran a brush through her hair. "We're going slow."

"Statues move faster than you two," Megan mocked.

"I think it's sweet," Shannon told Lola. "There isn't really a need to rush."

"Thank you, Shannon," Lola replied. "Now, can we move on to another topic?"

Lily smiled as she listened to her friends talk. She laid her head on her pillow. She was too tired to contribute to their conversation, but she knew she wouldn't fall asleep just yet.

"So, Megan, now that Jace is off limits, who's your next target?" Izzy teased.

Megan grinned. "That's a good question. I'm actually not sure. A few of those Gryffindor boys in our year are kind of cute. Except Hugo."

"You don't think Hugo's cute?" Shannon asked. "I think he's pretty hot."

"He can be as cute as he wants, but I've seen him eat," Megan muttered. "Plus, as we know, he's got way too much baggage with his Finnigan feelings."

"Well Lily knows some of them," Lola suggested. "She might be able to suggest one."

By that point Lily had closed her eyes, but kept listening. "Yeah, I kind of know them. Some more than others."

"Well which one would you recommend?" Megan joked.

Lily sighed. "Knowing your tastes, stay away from Cody Thomas. He's a bit . . . well he's got the personality and confidence of a little boy."

"How about Adam Dumas?" Megan inquired.

"A total ass. I don't think it has anything to do with House prejudice, I think he's just a dick," Lily told her. "If I really had to suggest one, I think you might want to aim for Clay Angel. He's not a bad guy, kind of cute, and although he doesn't play Quidditch, he's built nicely."

Megan gave a small hum of thought. "He is pretty cute," she agreed. "Actually, he's pretty hot for a Gryffindor."

"What are you going to do if he turns out to want a relationship too?" Izzy teased.

"Then you should go for Logan Murdock," Lily spoke. "He'd be all for just having sex."

"This is why I have smart friends like Lily," Megan laughed. "She always has an answer."

"So, Lily," Shannon addressed, "is Scorpius going to be at the station when we go back for Christmas?"

Lily rolled onto her stomach and laid her cheek on her pillow. She was happy to see that it didn't hurt her stomach. "No. He'll be training. He doesn't get a break until the twenty-second."

"That blows," Megan replied.

"I'm sorry," Shannon said with a sigh.

"Oh, I've made peace with it," Lily assured. "Besides, I'm thinking about inviting him to the Burrow for Christmas Eve."

"Really? I'm sure your brothers will love that," Lola joked.

Lily grinned. "Absolutely. But more importantly, my grandmother will. Besides, we both want to spend as much time together as we can before he starts training again."

"When will he start training after his break?" Izzy asked.

"I haven't asked, but I think my uncle Ron is always back to training the recruits about four to five days after Christmas," Lily told them.

"So that gives you two what . . . a week?" Lola guessed.

"Roughly, yeah," Lily said with a sigh.

"Are you going to Malfoy Manor for the Christmas dinner again?" Shannon asked.

"More than likely," Lily answered. "I doubt Astoria would let me get away with skipping it." Lily couldn't help but smile at the thought. She hadn't realized how much she missed Astoria and Draco too.

"We'll see you there then," Megan mentioned. "I know my parents will make me go."

"Cool. Then we can see your brother kill you," Lily mocked. She warned Megan about Dante knowing about her and Ted, and Megan had only shrugged.

"Unless he kills her at King's Cross," Shannon joked.

"To hell with him," Megan muttered. "I'll hide behind Lana. I'll bet I can get her on my side."

"No doubt. She'll probably agree that it's your life and your business," Lily told her. "Although, I'm sure Dante has already killed Ted."

"He has had plenty of time," Lola laughed lightly.

Lily was sure that Megan replied. But before she could hear it, a heavy sleep carried her away.

* * *

As the rest of November came to pass, the students' next Hogsmeade visit came. And Lily watched as Lola panicked over what to wear.

"You're putting too much thought into this," Lily pointed out.

"It has to look good!" Lola complained. "I mean, it's our first date! The most we've done is blush and smile at each other as we walk with each other to classes!"

Lily rolled her eyes as she helped Lola pick out a blouse. "Look, Jace will find you cute no matter what. So just pick something."

"If you're in a hurry, you can go. You don't have to wait," Lola offered as she finally picked out a pair of jeans.

"I'm in no hurry. I just told Megan I'd introduce her to Clay formally," Lily replied. "After that . . . I don't know what I'll do."

"So, she really is going to go for Clay?" Lola inquired with a laugh as she began to change.

Lily grinned lightly. "I guess. I thought she'd have made a move by now already. I'm surprised she chose to wait."

"Well if she has you introduce them, it'll probably be a little less weird or awkward for them. After all, when has Megan ever spoken to Clay before?" Lola pointed out.

"You're probably right," Lily agreed as she retied her shoes, waiting for Lola to finish.

"Do you think Megan will ever settle?" Lola joked.

Lily laughed lightly as she slipped on her jacket. "Possibly, although I doubt she will until we're out of Hogwarts. I mean, she did admit that she doesn't mind relationships."

"I wonder what her sudden avoidance of them is about though," Lola mentioned. "I mean, have you noticed that?"

Lily shrugged. "I've noticed, but I couldn't tell you why. Maybe it has to do with her hatred of romance."

"Which I don't get why she hates romance," Lola replied. "I mean, how does being in her family make her hate it? Her parents are happily married, Dante is happy and in love with Lana, and Emily is enamored with the idea of romance. I don't get what she means."

"Why don't you just ask her?" Lily retorted.

"I would, but since it's Megan, I don't want to risk getting my throat ripped out verbally," Lola answered. "You know how she can be."

"Yeah, but I've dealt with Dominique for my entire life. I'm used to that kind of personality," Lily mocked.

"Well then you ask her," Lola told her.

"Why should any of us ask?" Lily retorted.

"Well aren't you worried?" Lola asked.

"She's given me no reason to be. She's happy, and she's accepting of her dislike of romance. Unless she says something, or gives me a reason to be concerned, I'm not going to dig around in her life," Lily said.

"I guess," Lola said with a sigh. "Anyways, I'm ready."

"Then let's go," Lily replied with a grin.

* * *

"So, how well do you know Clay?" Megan asked Lily as they walked through Hogsmeade.

Lily sighed, her breath showing in the air. "Well, I've only talked to him a couple of times. And I hadn't talked to him until last year. But he's pretty nice, sweet," Lily told her.

"And probably one of the cuter Gryffindor boys in our year," Megan said with a grin.

Lily shook her head and smiled. "Come on. He's most likely with some friends in The Three Broomsticks."

When the two girls stepped inside, Lily was happy for the warmth. There was already a bit of snow on the ground, and the air had turned cold outside. But Megan didn't seem to care about basking in the newfound warmth.

"I think I see him," she told Lily, motioning to a table near the back.

Lily looked at where she mentioned, and saw Clay Angel sitting with Adam Dumas and Logan Murdock. "Yeah, that's him," Lily assured.

"Damn he looks fine too," Megan commented with a grin.

Lily rolled her eyes, but would admit that Clay did look cutest among the three boys. His smooth brown hair stuck up a little near the back, but was otherwise swept neatly away from his brow, allowing his brown shine without any hair in the way. He was wearing a grey sweater, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. And pearly white teeth shone in his smile. Compared to the other boys at his table, he was the stud.

"Come on," Megan said, grabbing Lily's wrist and tugging her toward their table.

Lily pulled her wrist from Megan's grip. "Dragging me over there won't at all seem casual," Lily pointed out. "Just relax."

Megan rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Ok, ok. But let's go."

Lily walked beside Megan as they approached the boys' table. The boys seemed to catch sight of the two girls, and surprise lit in their eyes. Lily smiled politely at them. "Hey, guys," she greeted.

Clay brought about his friendly smile, while Logan looked at the butterbeer in his hands, and Adam looked ready to sneer or roll his eyes. "Hey, Lily. Um, would you girls like to sit and join us?"

"We'd love to," Lily replied. Clay quickly stood up, and pulled a chair out for each girl in turn. "This is my friend, Megan," Lily introduced.

Clay smiled at Megan as he took his seat again. "It's nice to actually meet you in person," he joked lightly.

Megan gave a coy smile. "Likewise."

"Um, do you girls want a butterbeer?" Logan asked, his eyes still looking away from the girls.

"If you don't mind," Lily said politely.

"No problem, I'll get them." Logan was out of his seat and away from the table in a flash.

Clay looked at Lily sheepishly. "He's still a little afraid to offend you . . . since the incident with your model pictures."

Lily gave an understanding nod. "Ah, that makes sense."

"So what the hell are you two doing here?" Adam demanded.

"Dude!" Clay chided.

"Well I felt like Megan needed a day of fun," Lily lied. "She's had a bit of a fight with her brother, so I thought I'd introduce her to a few guys that I know are fun."

Clay looked ready to blush. "We're not that special."

"Maybe you don't give yourself enough credit," Megan replied.

"Here we are," Logan said as he handed the girls each a bottle. "Two butterbeers."

"Thank you, Logan," Lily replied as she took off the cap.

"So, how do two pretty girls like you not have dates?" Logan asked cooly, seeming to have regained his confidence.

"Well unlike Lily, I'm still looking for a worthy man," Megan replied slyly.

Logan gave a cocky raised brow. "What makes a man worthy in your eyes?"

Lily looked over at Clay as Megan and Logan began flirting and teasing. "I think we're in for a show," she mocked, making Clay chuckle.

Adam sighed as he pushed back his chair. "Excuse me while I go to the restroom and vomit," he muttered.

Clay rolled his eyes, but then looked at Lily apologetically. "Sorry 'bout him. He can be a bit rough at first."

Lily laughed a little. "I think he just doesn't like me."

"He doesn't like many people," Clay retorted with his own laugh. But then he ran his tongue across his teeth before taking a swig of his butterbeer. "So, uh, I figured your boyfriend would come out here to see you."

"Well, he's training to be an Auror, so he doesn't get many free days," Lily replied with a sigh. Then she took another drink.

"Well, I'm sorry," Clay said.

Lily shook her head. "Don't be. I'm ok with it. And Christmas is just around the corner, and I'll see him then."

"That's good," Clay said with a small nod. Then he looked over at where Logan and Megan were still tossing flirty looks and witty retorts at each other. He looked back at Lily. "Um, should we leave them alone?"

Lily laughed and nodded. Why was she not surprised at Megan's change of interest? "Yeah. Come to Honeyduke's with me?"

Clay nodded and smiled. "Yeah, sure. Sounds fun."

The two of them left the table, unnoticed by Megan or Logan, and slipped their jackets on before returning to the cold air.

"With how cold it is, you'd think it was already December," Clay commented as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Tell me about it. I'm thankful that I wore jeans," Lily said with a small laugh.

They walked quickly to Honeyduke's, not only for the candy, but also to get out of the cold. It was crowded as usual, making it warmer. Clay and Lily took to simply looking around, deciding what they'd want.

"So, I'm guessing that all of your friends have dates, and that's why you're with me," Clay guessed as he grabbed a package of licorice wands.

Lily bit her lip, wondering if she should tell him. But Megan obviously preferred Logan, so what would it hurt? "Well, actually Megan wanted to meet you. She's looking for a new . . . guy," Lily said, wording it carefully.

"I think she found it better in Logan," Clay chuckled. "Besides, no offense, but I don't think Megan and I would work well together."

"You're cute, so you fill her standards," Lily joked.

Clay blushed lightly. "Well thanks."

"But you were right about my other friends all having dates. That's why I was helping her meet you boys. But out of the three, I'm glad I'm hanging out with you. Adam hates me, and I'm sure Logan's still a little afraid of me," Lily laughed.

Clay laughed. "Yeah, he is. Your boyfriend really put a scare into him."

"I'd like to say I put a scare into Scorpius after that, but I doubt I really did," Lily said with a sigh, repressing a roll of her eyes at the memory. "And while we're on the subject, where is Cody? I thought he'd be with you guys."

"Oh, he's on a date with Paige," Clay answered.

Lily raised a brow. "Cody is going out with Paige?"

Clay nodded. "Yeah. I think they started dating this summer. It _was_ a bit surprising to hear, even for me."

Lily sighed, and bit the inside of her cheek to keep quiet. But the thought still rang in her mind. _Poor Cody_.

* * *

Lily found that it was actually fun hanging out with Clay. He was turning out to be an even nicer and sweeter guy then she'd thought. When she had teasingly commented on it, he'd blushed.

"Well . . . I guess I'm just built that way," was all he said about it.

The two ended up going back to The Three Broomsticks, wanting to get away from the snow, which was still falling, and cold wind. But they were quickly confronted once they stepped through the door.

"Thanks for ditching me, Clay!" Adam complained as he stormed over to them.

"Sorry, man. I thought _you_ were ditching us," Clay explained.

"I went to take a piss!" Adam retorted.

"Well you were being an ass, so I thought you were just leaving," Clay replied.

Lily sighed. "Look, why don't I let you two argue this out," she suggested.

"No," Clay argued gently. "You don't have to go. You can hang with us."

But Lily shook her head, already knowing the face Adam was probably making. "Nah. I'm just going to get a drink, and then I might head back to school. But I'll see you around."

Clay gave a small smile. "If you're sure. See ya around, Lily."

Lily nodded and gave a small wave. "Later, Clay." She didn't say a word to Adam as she passed him, and he threw an icy look at her. She made her way further inside, and started toward the bar, but then stopped short when she saw Hugo sitting alone at a table, a tired look on his face. Almost immediately, Lily turned and made her way towards him.

Although he didn't look at her, Hugo must have noticed her approaching. "Hey, Lil," he greeted a bit dully. "Take a seat."

Lily sat across from him, and raised a brow. "What happened?"

Hugo pinched the bridge of his nose, his face scrunching slightly. "I did something really dumb," he muttered.

Lily sat back in her chair. "What?"

Hugo sighed as he too leaned back in his chair. He pushed his bottle of butterbeer around on the table, the liquid inside sloshing around. "Jackie wanted me to take her to Puttifoot's," he said.

Lily scoffed. "And what? You said no way in hell?"

"I wish," he mumbled. "I agreed, and took her there. Couldn't have been ten minutes later, and guess which couple walks in, and sits in the table that is right in our sights?"

Lily sighed. "What'd you do when Stacy and Hooper walked in?"

Hugo groaned in the back of his throat. "Tensed, apparently looked panicked. I'd like to say that I held out for about five minutes. But then they started snogging, and I just couldn't take it anymore. I put the money on the table and almost ran out of there. Just left Jaclyn sitting there."

Lily shook her head. "Hugo, oh, Hugo."

Hugo pulled off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, looking ready to pull at it. "It's been almost an hour, and I haven't seen Jaclyn since I walked out. Merlin knows what she must be thinking." He sighed as he put his hat back on. "She probably hates me."

"Well, if it were another girl, there could be a chance of that. But I don't think Jaclyn has it in her heart to hate anybody," Lily pointed out. "She's probably really confused. Maybe a little hurt."

Hugo ran a hand over his face, his eyes closed. "I fucked up, Lil. I never should have even asked Jaclyn out."

"Considering your strong feelings for another girl, probably not. But you did," Lily pointed out. "Now you'll just have to live with what you've done."


	84. Unions and Reunions

**Disclaimer - I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I would have had this out yesterday, or the day before, but I had to make a trip. So, for the next week, I might not be able to write much. We have a toddler around now, so any keyboard or laptop is no longer sacred. But, I hope you enjoy this one. As normal, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Four: Unions and Reunions

"That is ridiculous!" Lola retorted with an eye roll. Then she gave a narrowed look at her boyfriend.

"No, it isn't!" Jace argued. "Think about it! The postal service would go so much quicker!"

Lily rolled her eyes as she continued to stroke down Salazar's back. She could hardly remember what the original conversation had been about, and couldn't at all remember how it had turned into an argument between the two of them. But inside, Lily was biting away a grin. Some things would never change, even if they were dating now.

"Do we have to watch their foreplay?" Megan asked dryly as she examined her nails. She'd been fussing over the color of her nail polish all morning, no longer liking the dark blue shade.

"Why do you call it that?" Izzy asked with a laugh. She flipped a page in her book, which she'd brought out as soon as the argument had started.

"They didn't start to pick up on their old habit of fighting until after their first kiss," Megan said as an answer.

Jace and Lola had finally had their first kiss just before leaving Hogsmeade on their first "real" date. And it was true. Apparently after that "amazing" kiss, as Lola had called it, they had grown more comfortable around each other. Comfortable enough to let themselves argue with each other, without taking it personally.

"Oh please, you and Logan fight all the time," Shannon retorted.

Surprisingly, Megan and Logan had found themselves in a relationship of their own after their flirt session at Hogsmeade. But what really surprised the other girls was that Megan hadn't told them much about her relationship with Logan. Not even a single story with the inclusion of sex, or anything close to it.

"Yeah, but at the end of our fights, we either stay mad, or simply get over it. Those two end up apologizing and get sappy and disgusting," Megan muttered.

"Don't worry," Lily assured. "One day they'll fight and storm away. Happens to every couple."

"I can't imagine you and Scorpius fighting and storming away," Shannon teased.

Lily grinned wryly. "Well I never said I like doing it, or letting it happen. It's never fun."

"Speaking of storming away, how's Hugo been, Lily?" Izzy asked.

Lily sighed. Although Hugo had told the others about what had happened, it hadn't been necessary. Somehow, word had gotten around the sixth years about how Hugo had ditched Jaclyn at Puttifoot's. But Lily was proud of how Hugo took every rumor in stride, and ignored them all. But on a more sore note, Jaclyn had refused to speak to Hugo, making him unsure of where they stood. Not to mention how awkward it got when they were at J.B. meetings together.

"I think it's mainly guilt that plagues him now," Lily replied. "Guilt for doing it, guilt for not feeling sad about Jaclyn being angry, and guilt for asking her out in the first place."

"It's his fault for being a coward," Megan retorted.

"I don't completely blame Hugo," Izzy replied. "I mean, it would be hard to watch the person you really like kissing someone else. Although, I do agree that he should have handled it better."

"Hugo's not great when he's in a flustered panic. He's like his father that way," Lily commented as she moved Salazar from her lap, and onto her jacket, which was in a ball on the seat.

"Of all the traits to receive from a parent," Megan said with a sigh.

The rest of the train ride went without a problem. Megan was right. Jace and Lola had ended up letting go of the argument, and had gotten sappy. It was enough for Lily and Megan to leave on the pretense of getting snacks from the trolley.

"They give me headaches lately," Megan mumbled as she picked a couple things from the trolley.

"You've been pretty tough on them lately," Lily commented as she took a few snacks for herself, and then paid for both of them. "Jealous that you're not sleeping with someone as cute as Jace?" she teased.

Megan rolled her eyes. "As if. They've just been a bit irritating as of late."

Lily raised a brow as they began to walk back. "Really?"

Megan didn't look at her, but instead just took a bite from her candy. "Really," she finally replied.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Megan. What's up with you lately?"

Megan shrugged, still not actually looking at Lily. "I don't know. I'm just not in a great mood, I guess."

Lily sighed, but she didn't pursue it. She knew that if Megan didn't want to talk about it then she wouldn't. "What else is new," Lily muttered, to herself, and to Megan.

"Not one damn thing."

* * *

When the train finally came to its stop, the girls, and Jace, got off together. Lily had placed Salazar in her pocket, letting him continue to sleep instead of waking him to balance on her shoulder.

"Maybe you could come over in a few days. Martin won't be coming home until Christmas Eve," Lola suggested to Jace with a sweet smile.

Jace smiled as well. "Maybe I could."

"Maybe the two of you could not make me want to puke," Megan mocked.

Jace chuckled, while Lola only rolled her eyes. "Don't you have a boyfriend to say goodbye to?" Lola retorted.

"Like hell she does."

The six of them all turned in surprise at the sound of Dante's voice. Then they saw him approaching with Will Nott.

Megan's eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed.

But Dante didn't seem angry, or even bothered. Just innocently polite, which Lily knew to be fake. "I'm here to collect you and Emily. Will, grab her trunk?"

Will took Megan's trunk from her hand, but Megan still looked at her brother with mistrust. "I'd rather walk home," she muttered.

Dante smiled. "Too bad that wasn't an option." Then without another word, he leaned forward, and threw his sister over his shoulder.

"Dante Graham Montague!" Megan shrieked, her feet kicking at his stomach.

But Dante smiled at the other five, who looked on with surprise and incredulity. "Have a nice break, you guys. Maybe I'll see some of you at the Malfoys' on Christmas. Let's go, Will."

When the two young men turned and walked away, they could see Megan beating on her brother's back. "Put me down you git!"

"Oh, but we have much to discuss!" Dante mocked in a high voice.

Lily raised a brow as they disappeared into the crowd. "I don't know who to feel bad for," she finally admitted.

"How about the girl who was just thrown over her brother's shoulder in public," Shannon suggested.

"Oh, you know she's going to retaliate once he puts her down," Lily replied.

"_If_ he puts her down. We'll have to see how naive he is," Lola said with a sigh.

"I get the feeling that one of them will not be coming back," Izzy commented.

"It'll probably be Will," Jace mentioned. "I'm sure he'll get caught in the crossfire."

"Lily!"

Again they turned, but this time it was Lola's sister Candice that they heard. They saw her running with two of her brothers.

Lola rolled her eyes. "I swear, Candice likes you more than me," she told Lily.

Lily laughed, but was then hugged tightly around the waist by the small girl. "Hi there, Candy!" she greeted.

"What are you three doing?" Lola demanded, looking over at the two boys, Richard and Brady.

Richard and Brady were the twins in the Pritchard family, and they really did look exactly alike. Both had honey-colored hair that blew around their heads, grey-blue eyes that shone with laughter, and bright smiles that were almost always on their faces. They loved looking alike, and causing trouble for others, and each other.

"Mum and Dad wanted us to come look for you," Richard replied.

"Actually, they asked Patrick to do it," Brady stated.

"But he was too lazy to do it," Richard told them.

"So we volunteered, and Candy wanted to come with!" Brady said, both of them smiling.

"Quit!" Lola scolded. "You know I hate when you do that!"

"We know," they both said.

Lily shook her head, smoothing Candice's hair as she laughed. "You know, my dad says that before my uncle Fred died, he and Uncle George used to do that too. Maybe it's a twin thing."

"Lana and Lars never did it," Lola muttered. Then she looked at her brothers. "Now, will you two go away?"

"Only when you go with us," Richard replied.

Lola looked ready to hit one of them, but instead turned to Jace. Lily looked down at Candice. "How is it dealing with five boys at home?"

Candice shrugged as she dropped her arms from around Lily's waist. "It's ok. They don't bother me too much."

"OOOH!" both Pritchard boys exclaimed.

Lily turned to see Lola and Jace breaking apart from a kiss, and Lola's head practically dropping in defeat. "Richard, Brady," she warned through gritted teeth.

"Lola's got a boyfriend!" they both laughed.

Brady gave her a mock stern look. "Lolita Laura Pritchard, what has Marty told you about boys?"

"I don't think he'll be happy to hear about this," Richard added.

The other girls laughed as Lola looked ready to explode. Shannon patted her on the shoulder. "Good luck with those two. But I've got to find my parents. I'll see you guys later."

"Later, Shay," Lily said with a wave.

Izzy sighed as the twins began taunting Lola again. "Well, I'd better get going too. Take care, Lily."

"You too, Iz. And if there are any more Italian guys over this break, I wanna hear about it," Lily teased.

Izzy rolled her eyes, but laughed. "See ya."

Lily looked back to where Lola was standing in front of her brothers, a furious look on her face. "If you two don't disappear now, I'll _make_ you. And I assure that you won't come back."

Brady looked at Richard with a sigh. "That sounds like a threat."

Richard nodded. "But I don't think she has the guts to do it."

"We're just too downright adorable," Brady agreed.

Lily quickly moved to place a hand on each boy's head. "Ok, before you two are killed, where are Marsha and Bobby?"

"We already found them," Richard answered.

"We referred them over to Mum and Dad," Brady told her.

Lily looked at Lola. "Then you might wanna join them before these two make you snap."

Lola rolled her eyes, but pushed past her brothers to give Lily a hug. "I'll see you later, kay?"

Lily nodded as their hug ended. "Of course. Don't let them get to you."

She sighed. "I'll try." She looked back at the boys. "Let's go," she muttered.

Candice hugged Lily's waist again quickly. "Bye, Lily."

Lily smiled down at the little girl. "Bye, Candice."

Lily and Jace watched the four Pritchards disappear. "I didn't know Candice liked you so much," Jace teased.

Lily shrugged. "I couldn't tell you why."

"You're just downright adorable," Jace joked with a laugh.

Lily laughed as well. "Well thanks. But, before my family hunts me down as well, I'd better be off. You write me, incase I don't see you."

Jace gave her a short hug. "You got it, Lil."

With one last wave, Lily parted from Jace, and made her way to where her family normally waited. Sure enough, she found that she was the last one there. And it pulled at her a little to see that her uncle Ron wasn't there. He was still training them then, which was odd, because he usually got someone to fill in for him so that he could come pick up his kids.

"It's about time you got here," Ginny teased as she hugged her daughter.

"Sorry. I had quite a few people to say goodbye too," Lily replied as she moved to hug her father next.

"Have fun, princess?" Harry asked her as he brushed her hair away from her face.

Lily shrugged. "It hasn't been bad," she replied.

Harry smiled as he kept a hand on her shoulder. "I get the feeling that you already know when the recruits get a break from training?"

Lily laughed a little. "Yeah, I know."

Harry leaned down to kiss her hair. "Then look a little happier. It's not that long," he whispered solely to her.

Lily pulled back a little and smiled. "Yeah, I know. And I'll try."

"Good, because you, me, and your mother are babysitting little Theo and Gabby tonight," Harry told her.

That made Lily's smile brightened. "That sounds great." As they began to walk toward the exit, Lily slowed a little, her father slowing as well. "Where's Uncle Ron?" she asked quietly to him.

"Well, his usual replacement is out on a mission, so he couldn't leave today," Harry told her just as quietly.

Lily gave a nod. "Oh. Ok."

* * *

Lily took her time to unpack her things once she was home. She'd offered an invitation to Hugo to come over, but he'd only shook his head, obviously not in the mood to act happy around two tiny children.

When Victoire and Teddy came by, Teddy brought Theodore to Lily personally.

"As soon as Vic said we were going to see Aunt Lily, he's been smiling," Teddy told her as he handed the boy off to Lily, who wrapped his arms around Lily's neck.

Lily smiled as she held her nephew. "That's because I'm the best," she teased. "Where's little Gabby?"

"The women will be cooing over her until we leave," Teddy said with a laugh. Then he ruffled Lily's hair. "How are you holding up, sis?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I'm starting to wish people would stop asking me that. I'm fine. I know it won't be long before Scorpius is done training until after Christmas, and I've been handling our separation just fine."

Teddy laughed. "Yeah, but you're my sister. I have to check." Then he sighed. "Well, walk with me down the stairs?"

Lily grinned. "Sure."

Teddy looked at her as they left her room. "So, I was thinking that Hugo would be over."

"He's not in the greatest mood lately," Lily replied vaguely. "I think he wants to hang by himself."

Teddy didn't ask any further, which Lily was grateful for. They weren't her feelings to tell, and at this point, she wasn't completely sure of what he was thinking anymore.

"Lily!" Victoire greeted with a bright smile when the three of them entered the kitchen. She gave Lily a short hug, careful to mind Theo, who was carefully playing with Lily's hair.

"Hey, Vic. How are things?" Lily asked curiously.

"Hectic," Victoire said with a laugh as she sent a loving look at the tiny baby Ginny held. "But also fantastic at the same time."

"Well, are we ready to go?" Teddy asked.

"Where _are_ you two going?" Lily asked as she put a squirming Theo down on the floor.

"A dinner with some of my colleagues and our boss," Teddy told her as he grabbed the running Theo, and lifted him into the air. "No babies allowed," he growled teasingly to Theo, who burst into giggles.

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled at the cute display.

That night, Lily found herself spending most of her time with Theo, who seemed to refuse to let her go anywhere without trying to follow her. Eventually, Hermione and Hugo came over for dinner, since Ron had yet to return from work.

"How are you feeling Hugo?" Lily asked as they sat alone with Theodore in the living room. He was playing with blocks as usual, and every so often would hand one to Lily, letting her put it on his tower.

Hugo sighed as he ruffled his hair. He'd been wearing his hat, until Theodore had playfully took it. Now it was sagging heavily on the toddler's head. "I don't know. I tried talking to Jaclyn on the train."

"How'd that go?" Lily asked.

"She slammed the compartment door in my face," Hugo muttered. Then he groaned. "I'd feel much better if she'd just say that we were done, or that she was only mad, or something."

"Why don't you tell her that you think you should break up?" Lily suggested.

"After what I did to her, I feel like I don't have the right to be the one that does it," Hugo replied. "I think she deserves that honor."

"Hugo, you can't let this continue," Lily protested. "I mean, you're falling down the same line I did. I'm not saying you'll eventually cheat on Jaclyn, but if you let this go on, you're just going to end up hurting her even more."

Hugo sighed heavily as he slouched more into the couch. "I'm going to hurt her either way, aren't I?"

Lily shot him a sympathetic look. "More than likely. But it's better done now than later when it'll be worse."

The front door opened, and soon the entire house could hear the call from Uncle Ron. "Am I right to guess my family ran over here?"

Hugo rolled his eyes when he began to hear his parents exchanging greetings, but Lily laughed. She smacked his leg as she stood up. "Come on. Let's go out there." At Theo's insistence, she picked him up, and walked out to the hall with Hugo.

"Hey, you two!" Ron greeted with a tired smile. "Happy to be back?"

"That's one way to put it," Hugo muttered as his dad clapped him on the shoulder.

Ron looked over at Lily. "By the way, Lily, I left something outside. Mind going out there?"

Lily looked at him in confusion, but no one else seemed to know either. So she shrugged. "Um, sure." She put Theo down, and went for the door.

"What are you talking about Ronald? You just came back from work, what could you have brought over?" Hermione questioned.

But Lily opened the door, and looked around the doorway. There was nothing there. Confused even more, she stepped further out and closed the door, looking around.

"Hey."

Lily eyes widened at the voice, and she whirled around. In the glow of the streetlights, Lily could see Scorpius standing in the snow, hands in his coat pockets, hood over his head.

An instinct ran through Lily's head and rushed through her veins, and she found herself practically tackling him in a hug. Scorpius's arms were quickly around her, but he still stumbled back before falling into the snow. Lily didn't care that she was in shorts, a thin shirt, and barefoot. She didn't care about how bitter cold it was, or about the snow now almost surrounding them. She just buried face into Scorpius's neck, the warmth of him knocking back any need to get away from the snow.

"Miss me?" Scorpius asked in a hoarse chuckle.

Lily smiled into his skin, her insides shivering at the sound of his voice so close to her ear. "What are you doing here?"she asked, her words slightly muffled.

"I heard Ron mention that he needed to get home and see his son. It reminded me that you'd be home too," he whispered. "So I came over with him."

Lily pulled away from his neck, and sat up to look at him. His hood had fallen, so snow had fallen in it, and into his hair. His cheeks were pink at the cold. "You could have just come in," she replied.

"Well it was obvious that he was already a little uncomfortable with me coming with," Scorpius retorted. "And speaking of inside, you're in shorts with no shoes."

It was then that Lily finally noticed how cold her skin was getting, and how much snow was on her. She quickly stood up, allowing Scorpius to get up as she brushed the snow off of her. "Sorry, for knocking you over. You're probably exhausted," she apologized.

Scorpius shrugged as he brushed the snow off his hair. "It's ok. Having you with me was worth it."

Lily smiled softly, and felt her heart give that missed and familiar flutter. She moved closer, ignoring how frozen her feet were starting to feel in the snow, and brought her lips up to his. His hand immediately curled into her hair, the other wrapping around her. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him as their kiss deepened further with each ounce of passion they put into it. And their kiss didn't stop until the door opened.

"Lily Luna Potter, you're going to freeze to death standing out there like that! Both of you, get in here!" Ginny demanded.

Lily blushed lightly, but Scorpius chuckled. "She's right," he murmured. "Let's go." He dropped his hand from her hair, but moved the other to take a tight and comforting hold on her hand. Lily interlocked their fingers, her body thrumming with the excitement and the happiness of being with him again.

She was grateful at the warmth of her home, and shivered as she finally realized just how cold she really was. As Scorpius began to pull off his coat and shoes, Lily wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to keep in the warmth she had.

"You are crazy, Lily Luna," Ginny said with a smile. "Now, Theodore is crying in the living room, so you'd better check on him."

Lily looked at her with worry. "What happened?"

"You went outside, closed the door, and didn't take him with," Harry said with a grin. "We had to get him out of the hall to keep from beating on the door."

Sending one last gaze at Scorpius, she hurried to the living room, where Hermione was trying to soothe a tearful Theodore.

"Oh, poor baby," Lily cooed.

Theodore's head perked up, and he began trying to squirm from Hermione's hold. She thankfully passed him off to Lily. "He's been crying since you went out," she told Lily.

Lily nodded as Theo cuddled into her neck. She could feel a few tears fall to her skin. "I've been told," Lily replied as she began rubbing Theodore's back. Hermione left the room, leaving Lily to whisper to him, soothing his now dark blue hair down. Slowly, he calmed, and the tears stopped. And Lily was sure that he fell asleep when his arms went limp from their tight hold on her shirt.

"Will he be mad at me for stealing you away?"

Lily turned at the sound of the whisper, and saw Scorpius standing in the doorway. She couldn't help but to smile at him. "I doubt it. He's asleep."

Scorpius had a smile of his own as he walked toward them, and reached forward to brush a bit of hair from her face. "You're quite good at that," he murmured, glancing at the side of Theodore's now calm face.

Lily was careful not to startle or wake the toddler. "It's not hard when all he wanted was for me to be here," she whispered.

"He's quite attached to you, isn't he?" Scorpius mentioned quietly.

"I've been told it's like how I was with Teddy when I was little," Lily replied.

"Is he ok now?" Ginny asked as she poked her head into the room.

Lily looked past Scorpius at her mother. "Yeah. He's asleep."

Ginny sighed as she stepped into the room. "Here, let me go tuck him into Albus's bed. The poor boy's probably exhausted from the last five minutes."

Lily sighed as she handed him off to her mother. She and Scorpius watched as Ginny took him from the room, leaving them alone. Scorpius turned to Lily, and immediately, but slowly, pulled her towards him. Lily rested her head on his chest as she breathed in the scent that was entirely Scorpius.

"I missed you," he murmured into her hair.

Lily closed her eyes in contentment. "I missed you too," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his middle. "Hogwarts is definitely different without you there."

Scorpius ran a hand up her back to tangle gently with the ends of her hair. "I'll be all yours in just a few days," he promised.

"You got that right," she mumbled into his shirt.

Scorpius chuckled, his chest vibrating beneath her ear. But then he pulled away, and led them to sit on the couch. "I promise. I'm your slave for each day I have off," he assured with a smirk.

Lily smiled softly, loving the feel of actually being near him again, instead of seeing him in a mirror. "It feels much longer than four months," she whispered.

Scorpius leaned forward so that their foreheads touched, and his fingers continued to play with her hair. "I'll make this week seem even longer," he told her. He chuckled again. "It'll seem so long that you'll be sick of me."

Lily brought a hand to his cheek. "I don't think I could ever get sick of being with you, no matter how long."

Scorpius smiled. "Good. That'll make it much easier for me to spend the rest of my life with you," he murmured.

Lily felt her heart pick up a little at his words. She tilted her head slightly to press her lips against his. And with every second that their kiss continued, it began to really sink into Lily's entire being.

She was actually home.

* * *

Lily scowled at her vanity mirror as she looked at herself. According to her Mum, who kept popping in to check on her, she looked amazing and beautiful. But Lily wasn't satisfied. She was going to Kim's wedding, so she wanted to look great. Her dress was perfect but simple. The pretty white one that she'd gotten from Astoria the year before. She had on her normal accessories, her favorite lip gloss, and a pair of white flats. It was her hair that wasn't cooperating with her. It didn't seem to want to be put up, or even lightly curl.

"How has dad dealt with hair like this his entire life?" she muttered to herself.

"Very carefully."

Lily jumped, her heart pounding in her chest. But she didn't turn to glare at her intruder, mostly because it wouldn't have done her any good. "Hello again, Mum," Lily muttered.

She heard her mother chuckle from behind her, and then saw her reflection in the mirror. "I'm sorry, I thought you heard me come in. Looks like your hair has most of your attention."

"It's just a little difficult today," Lily said with a sigh.

Ginny placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sit," she commanded.

Lily obeyed without a word, and relaxed when she felt her mum being to run a brush through her hair. "So, any reason why you keep popping in?" Lily asked.

"Because it's keeping your father from doing it," Ginny teased.

Lily smiled. She couldn't say she was surprised, especially since her father had chosen to work from home today.

"Most of our work is toward recruits lately, so they won't need me right in the office," he had said over breakfast.

"Why does he want to do it?" Lily inquired.

"Because he really wants to talk to you about your boyfriend, and I know it won't be a conversation that you'll enjoy," Ginny replied.

Lily raised a brow. "Didn't you tell him that you'd talked to me about having a boyfriend and all of that a year ago?"

"Oh, he knows that," Ginny agreed. "But he feels now more than ever to talk to you about sex."

Lily looked at her mother in confusion. "What? Why?"

Ginny grinned at her daughter's reflection. "Because, even though he won't admit it, he really likes your boyfriend."

Lily stared at her mother's reflection, but then couldn't stop a laugh from passing through her lips. "What?"

Ginny laughed as well. "Now that he likes Scorpius, and is accepting that you _do_ love him, he's even more hesitant about what you two might do. And actually, since you two have been apart for so long, he's scared even more that you might have sex to celebrate being back with him."

Lily sighed, almost laughing again. "Well, then I must be bad at being a teenager, because that thought hadn't honestly crossed my mind."

Ginny gave her daughter a look of surprise. "Really? That's one of the first things me and your father did when I came back for Christmas during my seventh year."

"Ew! Mum!" Lily complained, her face twisted in slight disgust.

Ginny rolled her eyes as she put down the brush. "I might tell your father that. Maybe it'll reassure him."

Lily shrugged as she looked at the mirror. She was amazed at how her mother had gotten her hair to be as smooth and straight as silk. Then again, her mum had been working with Potter hair for years now thanks to having three kids with it. "Part of me wants to be honest with him, but then again, I don't want to risk having him going back to hating Scorpius again." She turned to face her mother, who had moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Honestly, Lily, I don't think your father would be able to actually hate Scorpius anymore. Ron's even admitted that he can't hate him anymore."

Lily looked at her mum in surprise. "Uncle Ron? Really?"

Ginny smiled. "They both see how decent a man he is every day. And they've both gotten good glimpses of how devoted he is to you. They may be fathers, but they aren't ignorant."

Lily raised a brow. "Uncle Ron is still a jackass to Lorcan," she pointed out.

Ginny sighed. "Yeah, but you're not _his_ daughter. When it comes to you, he's a little more lax. But he still doesn't hate Lorcan. He's just . . . an ass."

Lily laughed. "Surprise, surprise."

Ginny stood from the bed, and held out her hand. Lily took it, standing from her chair. Ginny's smile grew soft as she looked at her daughter. "It's hard to believe how old you kids are getting," she murmured.

Lily smiled gently at her mother. "Well it's hard to believe that you still look twenty with how old we are."

Ginny rolled her eyes and laughed. "Thank you, sweetheart. But you do look beautiful. In no way only sixteen. But then again, I was told the same things."

Lily squeezed her mother's hand. "Mum, you know that I'm still going to be your daughter even when I'm an adult and have moved out."

"Oh, I know. But it's still weird to think how empty and quiet this house will be," Ginny said as she brushed her daughter's hair away from her face.

"You know I'll have a good amount of free time to spend around here," Lily teased. "Plus, you could always just have Teddy bring around Theo and Gabby more often. They made enough noise of their own the other night."

"I know. Your father tells me the same thing," Ginny replied. She placed a small kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Well, I'm going to go down and tell him I've 'spoken' to you. I'll let you continue to get ready."

Lily smiled. "Thanks, Mum."

Ginny sent her daughter one more looked before opening the door. "It's what I love."

The door closed behind her.

* * *

"Be ready. Most of the old Slytherin families are here today," Xavier warned as he walked Lily through the large house that the Avery's occupied. It was nowhere near the size of Malfoy Manor, but it was bigger than her own. Then again, with seven kids, that was necessary.

"Mind if I ask which ones?" Lily inquired as he brought her to an empty sitting room. She sat when he motioned toward the couch.

"Malfoys, including Lucius," was the first he mentioned as he grabbed a tray full of empty glasses and a bottle. He set it on the table in front of them as he sat on the couch. "Elf wine," he told her. "I brought it in here for us. They will never notice it missing, and I know we'll need a small buzz to get through this."

Lily laughed lightly, but accepted the glass he gave her after filling it. She was mainly happy to see that he was still ok. "Thank you."

"But, as for other families . . . Montagues, Goyles, Notts, Macnairs, obviously the Glass family, and the Flints. And the others from different families have been invited, like Tyson Derrick, Kurt and Eli West," Xavier listed as he poured his own glass.

"So, Megan and Shannon?" Lily asked.

Xavier nodded. "Yeah, they're outside probably." Then he rolled his eyes. "I don't know why Kim wanted an outside wedding in December. But at least they have heating charms placed outside."

"Good because I'm not dressed for winter," Lily joked lightly.

Xavier grinned, and held up his glass. "Well, a toast to surviving the day?"

Lily laughed. "To surviving the day." They both took a big drink. Lily relaxed as the liquid went down her throat smoothly, and with an almost fruity taste.

Xavier looked at his now half-full glass. "Not bad," he commented. Then he looked back at her. "So, how have the past two days been for you?"

Lily ran a hand through her hair, which she had eventually gotten to curl lightly at the ends. "Not bad, actually. Scorpius came over on our first night back."

"I thought he still had training?" Xavier mentioned before taking another drink.

She nodded. "He does. He came over with my uncle after training."

"Just wanted to see ya?" Xavier asked with an amused look.

Lily smiled. "Yeah, pretty much. What about you?"

He sighed. "I've basically been helping to set up the last pieces of the wedding. Nothing more than that, really."

"Has it been hectic?" Lily asked teasingly before taking another drink.

Xavier grinned. "Mostly distracting, which has been good. And really, not as needed."

"How have you been feeling?" Lily asked as she set down her now empty glass.

Xavier shrugged as he poured more into her glass. "Better. Although part of me is still wondering what changed between me and Manny, and even though part of me still loves her, I've been able to get past the pain of it. Well, at least the worst of it."

"Are you ever going to tell me what's helped you?" Lily inquired curiously as she took the offered glass.

Xavier looked at her for a moment, and then refilled his own glass. "Liz West."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Liz?"

"I think the two of us have made our own little support group for two," he said with a dry chuckle. "But, we've just been talking a lot, and she's kind of helped me figure out ways to cope with it."

"Huh," Lily hummed with thought. "I never would have guess Liz."

Xavier nodded. "She's had her own troubles. And she got past them, so she insists that I can too."

"Well why didn't you invite her to the wedding?" Lily inquired.

Xavier took a sip first. "We're just . . . well I don't know what to call us. Friends . . . support, I'm not sure. I didn't want to push a boundary or anything."

Lily gave a nod of understanding as she finished off her glass again. "Well, shall we go out and face the world of purebloods?"

Xavier grinned. "One second." Then he tipped his glass and finished off the last of elf wine inside. Then with a sigh he set the glass down on the tray. "Ok, now we can go."

* * *

When the ceremony started, Lily sat near the front with Xavier and the rest of his family. It seemed that Xavier and Alec were the only ones to bring someone along. Alec had brought along Marsha Pritchard, who Lily was surprised to learn was one of his best friends. Lily wondered how she'd missed that.

The ceremony was simple, although still long. Xavier kept shooting Lily exaggerated looks of exhaustion, such as yawning or pretending to fall asleep on her shoulder. Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing at him. But once the ceremony was finally over, Lily found herself almost cornered.

Lily and Xavier were sitting at a table as the reception party began to start. They watched and whispered quietly as Kim and Corbin danced, and as the wedding party soon began to dance as well.

"So glad I didn't have to do that," Xavier mumbled quietly. But it was when the dance ended that they were joined by two surprising figures.

"Xavier, what are you doing, hiding over here?" a woman asked.

Xavier almost cringed as he looked at Lily. "Don't look behind you, but my mum and the bride are on their way over."

Ignoring his warning, Lily turned to see that Kim really was approaching with their mother. Lily had never really talked to Mrs. Avery, but she'd seen her at plenty of Slytherin family parties and dinners. She was tall and thin, with the raven black hair that all the Avery children had. Kim looked really beautiful. Her own raven hair stood out against her snow white dress. She had what seemed to be a permanent smile on her lips.

When the two women stood by the table, Mrs. Avery smiled at her son. "Xavier, why don't you be a gentleman and go get a few drinks?"

Xavier sighed heavily. "Ok, ok." Then he sent a sympathetic look at Lily, and whispered in her ear before leaving. "Good luck."

Soon Lily was left sitting at the table with Mrs. Avery and Kim joining her. But Lily stayed casual and smiled at Kim. "Congratulations, Kim."

Kim's smile brightened. "Thank you, Lily. It's rather exciting."

Mrs. Avery smiled at Lily. "I don't think you and I have been properly introduced, Lily. I'm Caroline Avery."

Lily smiled politely. "Well it's nice to meet you, Mrs. Avery."

"I have to admit that I was surprised that Xavier brought a date," Mrs. Avery mentioned.

Lily sighed. "Well, it's not exactly a date. I came along as a friend."

Mrs. Avery raised a brow. "And my son knows that."

"He suggested it," Lily countered.

Now Mrs. Avery sighed, and Lily sensed relief. "Well, that's good then."

Lily raised a brow, but Kim was quick to speak. "It's not that we'd disapprove if he dated you. But after what happened to him after his last girlfriend, we're all a bit . . . hesitant."

Lily nodded in understanding. "Ah, ok. I can understand that. Actually, he brought me because he wanted you to stop worrying about him. And honestly, he is getting better."

"Well, I'm happy to hear that. He was a wreck all summer," Mrs. Avery said with an almost sad look. "It was hectic enough with Mitchell going off and getting married, and then leaving altogether."

"Yeah, that was hectic on my family's part as well," Lily mentioned.

"Oh, that's right," Mrs. Avery said with an air of thought. "You're Dominique's cousin, aren't you?"

"Yeah, one of the millions," Lily replied with a dry laugh.

"You seem so much nicer though," Kim said with a teasing grin.

Lily laughed. "I can be."

"Here. Four drinks," Xavier said as he came back to the table, carefully setting down four glasses. "Now, I hope you didn't traumatize my friend."

Lily smiled. "It's ok, Xavier. I promise I'm fine."

Xavier grinned as he sat down. "Glad to hear that."

Mrs. Avery rolled her eyes at her son. "They make me sound like some harpy." Then she sighed and grabbed one of the drinks. "Well, I need to make sure the rest of my boys haven't torn anything apart. If you'll excuse me."

Kim grabbed her mother's wrist. "And make sure to keep Nate away from the bridesmaids," she warned.

Mrs. Avery laughed, but nodded. "Of course, sweetheart."

The three of them watched Mrs. Avery walk away. But when she disappeared into the crowd, Kim let out a sound of relief. "Thank Merlin, she left!" Then Kim leaned down and began to pull off her shoes. "If I had to take another step in these deathtraps, I'd either die or kill someone!"

Xavier chuckled. "Didn't you choose them?"

"No, Mum did," Kim practically growled as she put the shoes on the empty chair. "I swear she wanted them to kill me before I could make it to the altar!"

"Won't your mum notice that you've taken them off?" Lily inquired before taking a sip of her drink.

"No. The beauty of having a dress that falls all the way to your feet. The dress will cover their disappearance," Kim assured. "So, don't tell Mum," she said, looking at Xavier.

He held his hands up in surrender. "I would never, Kimmy, you know that."

Kim still gave him a look of warning. But then it dropped, and she sighed. "Well, I've got about a million more guests to greet. I'll see you two around." But before she left the table, she stopped. "Oh! And, Lily, Brandon was looking for you."

Lily rolled her eyes this time. "He can come find me. Besides, I'm sure I know what he wants to talk about."

Kim laughed. "It's always business with my big brother. You'll get used to it, working with him."

Lily watched Kim walked away from them. _Big brother_. How long had it been since she'd called James "big brother?" Lily kicked the thought away. Dwelling on things never helped. But she still found herself sucked into her thoughts.

"_I don't want my sister growing up around a bunch of filthy snakes!"_

"_Being in that House has completely changed you, Lily!"_

"_I've lost my sister! She got put in the worst House possible! I'd rather her be a Squib!"_

_"It hasn't even been a day, and you've already changed."_

"_I don't think I have a sister at all anymore!" _

"Lily?"

Lily shook her thoughts away to look back at Xavier. "What?"she asked.

Xavier raised a brow. "Are you ok?"

Lily looked down at her half-full glass, and then finished it off with a single drink. Then she looked back at Xavier. "I could use another one."

* * *

Lily was eventually found by Brandon. After almost an hour of discussion, they agreed that Lily would do a shoot on the twentieth, and then another on the thirtieth. She found herself dancing with the three older Avery boys, Xavier, Nate, and Brandon at least once. Nate kept insisting on her dancing with him, leaving Xavier to joke about how if he kept at it, he'd go home with no one. Apparently, Nate had a record of always bringing a girl home at weddings.

But when the reception came to an end, Lily was happy to be going home. After how many glasses she'd needed, her head felt slightly fuzzy and blurred. Her one bright side was that not a single thought of James entered her mind.

Before she left though, she was stopped by Mrs. Avery. "Are you leaving, Lily?"

Lily nodded, ignoring how her head almost swam when she did. "Yes, I am. Despite having such a wonderful time, it has been a long day. I'm almost exhausted." Honestly, she really wanted to sleep off the tipsy feeling in her head and stomach.

Mrs. Avery smiled at her. "Well, I'm glad you had a good time, and that I got to formally meet you."

"Me too, Mrs. Avery," Lily assured.

"And one last thing," Mrs. Avery said before Lily could leave to the inside of the house. "Thank you, for being there for my son. I'm glad he has a friend like you to be there for him."

Lily smiled softly. "He's my friend. And he's a great guy. I don't want him to be hurting either."

When Lily Flooed home, she stumbled more than she normally did when she stepped out of the fireplace. The lights were still on, and she could hear people talking in the kitchen. She scowled at the thought of other people being there. The last thing she needed was to be forced to have a conversation with someone while trying to seem completely sober.

So Lily was quiet as she left the living room, and made her way down the hallway. When she passed the kitchen, no one called to her, so she hurried up the stairs. She was thankful when she was on the second floor, and made her way to her room. But when she opened her door, she was only slightly surprised to find Hugo laying on her bed, stroking a finger over Salazar's wing.

"How was the wedding?" Hugo asked.

Lily sighed heavily, her eyes feeling heavy. "Good. Fun. Danced, talked, and drank. Although now I'm slightly tipsy, so let's hope none of the adults come up to talk," she replied as she pulled off her shoes.

"Want me to get you one of your potions?" Hugo inquired as he sat up.

Lily shook her head as she opened her dresser and pulled out a tanktop and shorts for bed. "No. I drank so much to stop thinking. I don't want to risk the thoughts coming back to me," she replied.

"What had you been thinking about?" Hugo questioned.

Lily grinned as she leaned against the nearby wall. "I don't remember. I guess it worked."

Hugo chuckled. "Why don't you go into the bathroom and change?" he suggested.

Lily nodded, and made her way towards her bathroom door. "So, what are you and your parents doing here?"

"No clue. They just dragged me over with them. I've been hanging out in here for about an hour or so. Just going through your dresser drawers, rifling through your private things," he teased.

Lily laughed as she changed out of the dress, and took off her necklace and earrings. She was thankful to be in more comfortable clothing, and was resisting the temptation to take Hugo's advice on drinking one of her potions to get rid of the dizzy feeling in her head.

"So, did you work tonight?" Lily inquired as she came back into her room, and laid across the foot of her bed.

"Yeah, over the afternoon to early evening," Hugo said with a sigh. "I worked with Stacy, as usual. It was pretty cool."

Lily closed her eyes and sighed in comfort. "That's good."

"And, I sent a letter to Jaclyn. I asked her to come to The Leaky Cauldron tomorrow afternoon. I figured I'd talked to her before I started my shift. Set things straight, apologize my ass off, try to gently break it off, and pray and beg that she stays my friend," Hugo added.

"That is very good," Lily mumbled. Her dizzy head was getting heavier and heavier.

"You look ready to pass out," Hugo commented.

"I probably am," Lily replied.

"You want me to leave so you can sleep?" Hugo offered.

Lily shook her head slowly. "You don't have to. You can stay."

Hugo gave a sigh, and Lily could feel the weight on her bed lessen. "No, you go to sleep. I'll probably walk on home and get some sleep myself. I've got to get up early tomorrow so that I can be fresh and awake for work in the afternoon, not to mention my talk with Jaclyn. I'll see ya around, Lil."

"Bye, Huey," Lily murmured as she continued to lie there. But when her door open and shut, she finally opened her eyes a bit sluggishly. She slowly got up, and moved Salazar over to his small bed on her desk. Seeing that Regal wasn't in his cage, she kept her window open, and pushed apart her curtains. Then she turned off her lights, dropped onto her bed, and promptly fell asleep.


	85. Too Mature For Sixteen

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I'm so sorry this took so long to get out! I've gotten back into going to school, so I'm juggling homework, a few medical issues, and writing. So I decided to give out this chapter now. I already wasn't sure when to end this chapter, so I thought this would be as good a place as any. So, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Five: Too Mature For Sixteen

Lily knew she was awake, but her eyelids felt too heavy to open, and her body felt like lead. Not to mention how much pounding was going on in her head. She felt like the Whomping Willow had slammed into her a million times over and over.

She buried her face into her pillow. She felt too horrible for having just been tipsy. She'd drunk more before, and she'd felt better than this. Part of her wondered what time it was, but she still felt like opening her eyes would be impossible. But Lily was glad that whatever it was that had been plaguing her during the wedding, was no longer in her thoughts at all. Nor in her memory, it seemed.

A knock on her door made her groan again. "What?" she called out, not bothering to move.

She heard her door open, but heard a voice that she hadn't really expected. "Mistress Lily," Kreacher spoke, "your mother wanted me to let you know that she had to go and have a discussion with her editor. And your father is at the office today."

Lily sighed. So she was home alone. Perfect. She could just keep sleeping. No parents around to bother her. "Ok," she mumbled into her pillow.

"But your father will be home at three o'clock, and he wants to speak with you," Kreacher finished, almost proudly.

Lily groaned loudly this time. "Dammit!" she complained. Slowly, she rolled onto her back. "What time is it now?"

"Twenty minutes until three," Kreacher answered.

Lily pulled in a relaxing breath, trying not to scream. "Ok. Thank you, Kreacher." There was a sharp 'CRACK' sound, and Lily knew she was alone. She finally opened her eyes, blinking and flinching at the sunlight coming in through her open curtains. She glanced over to see Regal sleeping in his cage, and that her window was closed. That meant one of her parents at stepped into her room. She was slow to get up, and even slower to get dressed for the day. She brushed her hair, in no mood to do anything with it, and dressed in shorts and a thin shirt. She didn't feel like going anywhere today.

She rifled through her potion box until she found one to get rid of her headache, and anything else that would get rid of her hangover symptoms. It only left her with a slightly soured state of mind, and a lack of motivation to actually do anything. It was only because of her growling stomach that she went down to the kitchen and made herself a quick lunch. But she was only part way through her lunch when she heard the front door open.

"Please let it be Mum," Lily mumbled under her breath.

But alas, her father stepped into the kitchen a few seconds later. "Good afternoon, princess. You sleep well?"

Lily sighed, her appetite gone at the thought of having a talk with her father. Although they were on much better terms, the idea still made her hesitant. "Yeah, you could say that. Kreacher told me that you wanted to talk?" Lily inquired, not wanting to prolong with idle small talk.

Harry sighed as he got himself something to drink, and then sat down with her at the table. "Yes, I did. Do you have the time?" Harry asked.

Lily shrugged. "I've got nothing planned, so I guess I've got all day."

Harry nodded, and his neutral expression made Lily even more hesitant. "I'm glad to hear that. Because it's kind of a serious talk. I knew your mother would be going to her editor today, so I thought now would be the perfect time to have a one-on-one."

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. If he didn't want her mum around, then that meant it was something he didn't want her around to hear until after it happened. Finally, she sighed again. "Well, what did you want to talk about?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair, and Lily almost smiled at the familiar habit. "Well . . . it's about you and Scorpius."

Lily almost slammed her head onto the table. "Dad, Mum talked to me about this yesterday."

"I know, I know. But it doesn't satisfy me, because _I_ want to talk to you about it," Harry replied.

Lily sighed, running a hand through her own hair. "Is this necessary?"

"For my conscious as a father, yes," Harry said with certainty. But then he seemed to hesitate. "So . . . you and Scorpius have been dating for a long time now."

Lily nodded. "Over a year."

"And, you two are very serious," Harry continued.

"Absolutely."

"And he's considered an adult now, and is a mature boy. And you've always been a bit too mature for your age," he stated.

"I know," Lily agreed.

"So . . . you and Scorpius might be . . . _interested_ in more . . . _mature_ and _adult_ things," Harry said with obvious discomfort.

Lily bit back a smile. If she was going to have to deal with this talk, why not have fun? "Like what, Dad?"

Harry's brow furrowed, obviously uncomfortable with having this talk. But Lily knew that since his mind was set on it, he'd do it. "Like sex," he finally spat out.

Lily gave an understanding nod. "Ok."

Harry stared at her for a moment. Then with a heavy sigh, he scratched at his neck. "Well, I thought you'd say something more, or at least witty."

Lily gave a small smile. "Well this seems important to you. So, what about sex?" She ignored her own feelings of discomfort. She may not have liked it then either, but talking to it with her mum was much easier on her.

"Well . . ." he trailed off, almost as if he were unsure of what to say. Finally, after what must have been a few awkward minutes, he took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. "Giving a big speech about how you should stay away from sex for your entire life would be much easier if you weren't so smart."

Lily laughed. "I'm sorry?"

Harry put his glasses back on and sighed. "With you being so smart, I know you're not going to believe a word of why sex is something that should never be done," he muttered.

Lily grinned. "Well, if I'm that smart, then you know I would be safe about it."

He nodded. "Yes, I know."

"And since I'm smart, and also a daddy's girl, you know that I'm going to pretend that sex doesn't exist around you," Lily teased.

Harry grinned. "Are you that smart?"

Lily shrugged. "I can be if you want."

Harry sighed as he looked at his daughter. "Well, before that goes into effect, can you promise me one thing?"

Lily nodded. "Of course. What is it?"

"That no matter what or when or whatever, you will not only be smart about it, but also safe about it?" Harry requested.

Lily reached over and squeezed her father's hand. "Of course, Daddy." Then she sighed and let go of his hand. She needed a change in subject. "Well, would you like lunch or something? I didn't make anything big, but I can make something for you," she offered.

"Oh, I've had lunch already. Not everyone slept past noon," Harry teased with an affectionate smile. "But thank you anyways."

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled at his teasing. "If you're sure."

"Oh, before I forget," Harry mentioned. He stood from the table, and went over to the counter. Then he handed her an envelope. "You got a letter this morning. The envelope says it's from a Graham and Elisa Pritchard."

Lily felt surprised when she took the letter. Sure enough, there was the small signature of Lola's parents. She ripped open the envelope, and pulled out the letter. She was too curious to wait. Why would Lola's parents be writing her?

"_Dear Lily,_

_I know it may seem odd to receive a letter from me, but Graham and I have a favor to ask of you. I know that Lolita and you are great friends, and that our younger children are just as fond of you. Well, on the twenty-eighth Graham and I have to go to St. Mungo's and visit my great-aunt who has taken ill. Martin has to work, and Ginger will be going with us. Lolita confided in me that she actually has a date planned for that day. And since she confided in me about it, I'd hate to cancel it. I know how her father and brothers can be. But anyways, I know that Robert is fourteen, but I'd still be more comfortable and relaxed if they had someone a little older and more mature watching over them. Especially with young Maximilian. So, I was hoping that perhaps you could come over and watch over them for a day? I would appreciate it very much, and will of course pay you for it. If you have time, please send us a letter, or let Lolita know._

_Sincerely,_

_Elisa Pritchard_

_P.S. - I wouldn't at all mind if you brought Scorpius along. He's such a polite young man anyways, and the boys would enjoy having a guy around as well."_

Lily read the letter carefully, but then smiled and shook her head. Mrs. Pritchard, although always polite and proper, knew kids sighed as she glanced at her father, who was rummaging through a cabinet. "Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard want me to babysit some of their younger children on the twenty-eighth," she told him.

"Are you going to do it?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It's just for a day. I'll go upstairs and write her a letter back." Giving her father one last smile, she left to her room to write her letter.

* * *

"Don't worry. You're going to like this guy. His name is T.J. Manning. I've worked with this guy a lot, so I know him well. He's actually not that older than I am, really," Brandon commented to Lily as they walked around the photo shoot. They had gotten there early, so she didn't need to be prepped yet. Brandon suggested having her meet the owner of the design.

"Also," Brandon mentioned, "be happy. Not a lot of the models actually get to meet T.J. in person. He's usually pretty busy. I'm surprised that he's even here."

Lily knew of the brand that T.J. Manning owned. _T.J. Cute _was actually pretty popular with a few girls in her year. But she'd never worn anything from his design, and she'd never seen him in the media or anything.

"So, T.J. is like your friend?" Lily inquired.

Brandon nodded. "Basically. We have a few dinners together for business, or casual lunches. He's a really nice dude."

"Did you know him at school?" Lily asked.

"No, he went to Durmstrang. I guess it was where his dad went to school," Brandon answered. Then he looked forward, and waved a hand. "Hey, T.J.!"

Lily looked at the man he was greeting, and almost gasped at what she saw. The man and fashion designer, T.J. Manning, was a stunning and handsome man. He was kind of tall, but not so that he towered over Lily. He wasn't really skinny, but nor was he toned. His skin was fair and unmarked, his brown hair was styled to keep away from his eyes, which were a soft brown as well. And his smile was just as cute.

"Brandon," T.J. greeted with a handshake and an even bigger smile. "I'm glad to see you came along to the job."

Brandon scoffed. "You know I always do. And speaking of, this here is Lily."

T.J. looked over at Lily, who had regained her composure. "Why it's great to meet you, Lily. I was happy to hear that you accepted the job offer on short notice."

Lily gave him a polite smile. "Well, I have the next few days free, so I thought I'd at least work to pass the time."

"I have been considering having you model for me after seeing some of your work with _Asterix_. I was very impressed, but I wasn't sure if you were willing to work for another design, until Brandon came knocking on my door," T.J. admitted.

"I work hard for my models. And I know that Lil is going places," Brandon defended with a grin. "She's probably the best one I've got under my wing."

"I'm not surprised," T.J. replied. "She's done very excellent work." Then he looked at Lily. "So, have you seen what you'll be wearing yet?"

Lily shook her head. "No, not yet."

He offered a hand. "Then allow me to show you."

Lily turned out to like the clothes he had picked for her to model. They were all basic but "cool" outfits that were comfortable wears for the winter season. And Brandon had been right. T.J. was a very nice guy. He was pretty funny, and very polite and charming. And for apparently being so busy that most models didn't see him, he was up for talking with Brandon while Lily was being prepped, and watching over her shoot and making sure it went smoothly.

"I think that went very well, Lily," T.J. commented as he looked through a rack of clothing. "I will definitely be sending Brandon more job offers for you."

Lily smiled. "Well I'll be glad to take the ones I can."

"Where is Brandon, by the way?" T.J. wondered as he looked around them.

Lily sighed. "I think he said something about going to the restroom."

He gave a nod. "Then I'll take this moment to ask you a question."

Lily raised a brow. "What is it?"

He gave a small and charming smile. "How would you like to have dinner with me one night? Maybe in a few days before Christmas?"

Lily looked at him in surprise. He was asking her on a date? Really? "Um, T.J., I have a boyfriend."

Now he looked surprised. "Oh? Well . . . they do say the pretty ones are always taken."

Lily almost rolled her eyes at the cliche. "Besides, I'm going back to school in a few weeks anyways, so even without a boyfriend, attempting to start dating an older guy would be kind of pointless."

T.J. looked even more surprised. "Wait! You're still in school?"

Lily nodded slowly. "Yeah. I'm a sixth year at Hogwarts. Brandon didn't tell you?"

"No, he hadn't mentioned it . . . Wow you look much older than a sixth year," T.J. said in partial amazement.

"Yeah, I get that a lot," Lily admitted.

T.J. fixed the cuffs of his shirt. "Well, your boyfriend is a lucky man. I've just found that it's rare for a young model to be in a committed relationship. Some men aren't fond of having their girlfriends in pictures for the public."

Now Lily did roll her eyes. "Well he's not happy about it, but he accepts it. When you're in a committed relationship, that's all you can ask for."

* * *

Lily walked down the halls of St. Mungo's, hating how her shoes clicked against the pristine floor. T.J. had refused to let her change out of the last outfit she'd worn. He claimed it was a token of his appreciation for taking the job, and that it looked much too good on her. So she was still dressed in wedge shoes, a purple top, and a black skirt with tights. She had on her leather jacket, her hair was slightly curled, and just a tad bit of makeup. She kept getting looks from the few Healers she'd passed, and found it hard to ignore them. She probably looked really out of place.

But when she came to Duncan's door, she found it open a little. She peaked in to find that Duncan was alone. His head was turned away from the door, so Lily couldn't see if he was sleeping or not. So she knocked gently on the door as she stepped further inside.

"I always tell you that you don't have to knock, Mum," Duncan said with a sigh.

Lily smiled. "Well, I'm not your mum, so I never got that memo," she teased.

Duncan turned his head toward Lily, and then smiled a little. "Oh, Lily. I hadn't expected you to come today."

Lily sighed as she took the seat next to his bed. "Well, I didn't feel like just going home after my photo shoot today, so the idea to come and see you now popped into my head."

"I'm glad you did. I was feeling a little bored today. And I have some news about the infection," Duncan told her.

"Really?" Lily asked. "What is it?"

Duncan cleared his throat a little. "Well, that spot that was turning back to normal finally did. The Vanishing Sickness has disappeared from the area. Its color is normal, and it's ok now, concerning that."

"Well that's great," Lily said with a smile.

Duncan nodded, but Lily could see that he wasn't fully happy. "But since the Vanishing Sickness is gone from that area, now the infection is starting to take its toll. And since my immune system is already beaten, it's going to start doing damage soon."

"So they have to get rid of it?"

"They're destroying it tomorrow afternoon," Duncan murmured. "Gordon says that the Vanishing Sickness might be in a remission because of the infection. So they can take the time to try and figure out how to get rid of it completely, and how to reverse the damage it's already done."

Lily bit her lip slightly. "Well, that's good, right? It's not doing anything for the moment, and they'll have some more time."

"But it _is_ only a matter of time before it comes back. And because of how it was pushed away because of the infection, it'll most likely come back even stronger, and it'll take an even bigger area over," Duncan replied softly. He looked at the wall ahead of him. "But then again, I guess I _did_ get the best Christmas gift, so I shouldn't be so pessimistic."

Lily tried to ignore the disheartening squeeze in her heart. "What did you get?"

Duncan smiled at her. "Your visit, and time."

* * *

As Lily trudged up the stairs, she mainly wanted to relax, get the makeup off her face, and dress in something that would be easy to nap in. But when she opened her bedroom door, she found Hugo pacing the floor.

Lily sighed. "How many times am I going to find you in here this break? No offense."

Hugo stopped to look at Lily. "Something weird happened to me today at work."

Lily raised a brow as she sat on her bed and began to pull off her shoes. "What?"

Hugo began to scowl. "I think someone told Stacy something bad about me. Like one of the rumors about what I did to Jaclyn."

Lily threw the shoes to a corner of the room, and made her way to the dresser. "Why do you think that?"

"Well . . . we were working today and she . . . well she flinched away from me," Hugo told her.

Lily looked at him in confusion. "She what?"

Hugo scratched at his neck. "Well she was trying to load a tray full of butterbeers for this big group that were taking up like two tables. So she came out from the back carrying a lot of bottles, and she looked ready to drop some of them. I went over to offer to take a few and help, but then she like . . . flinched away from and refused my help. Looked panicked and was almost stammering. She looked like she was practically afraid of me"

"That's pretty odd," Lily commented as she pulled out a pair of black sweatpants and a white shirt.

"Pretty odd?" Hugo said skeptically.

She rolled her eyes. "Ok, it's really freakin' strange. I was being nice. Anyways, did you ask about it?"

"No, that would have been awkward," Hugo retorted.

"Well then I have no explanation or advice," Lily replied. "I can just say that it's weird, and ask how it went with Jaclyn yesterday."

Hugo sighed as he turned his back to allow Lily to change. "A little awkward at first. But I apologized a lot. And then I eventually explained why I did it."

"You told her about Stacy?" Lily asked as she pulled on the sweatpants.

"I did. And I told her that I didn't want to like Stacy, but I wanted to like her. I was as nice as I could be, and polite. Apologized again, begged to be friends," Hugo said with a sigh.

"And what did she say? You can turn around," Lily said as she moved to sit on the bed near her pillows.

Hugo moved to sit on the edge of her bed, facing her. "That she was still a little angry, but that she would get past it. And that once she did, she was willing to be friends again. She just wants time. I'm just thankful she accepted my apologies."

"You're lucky," Lily agreed. "That sounds like it could have gone much worse."

"You're right about that," Hugo sighed. "But now I'm practically back where I was. I still have feelings for Stacy, and what's worse is that she probably thinks I'm some monster!" He dropped onto his back.

"You need to ask her what's up," Lily replied. "Or tell her that the rumors aren't true. That you aren't a monster. Then you need to keep your relationship at a friendly level, and nothing more. Stop letting her cripple your life."

"If only life was ever that easy," Hugo mumbled.

"It never is. You have to work at it," Lily stated. "But I did it, so you can too."

* * *

Lily carefully examined her reflection in the mirror. It was the morning of the twenty-second. The day Lily'd been waiting for. Scorpius's first day without training had finally come. They'd made the plan that they'd meet up at lunch, and spend the rest of the day together. But to appease her father, she'd told him that they'd go to Malfoy Manor, or come back home. But Lily didn't want to be spied on the entire time. She wanted at least a few hours alone. That was what led her to her mirror.

He hair was curled the way Scorpius seemed to love, and the only makeup she had on was lip gloss. Cherry, because she knew Scorpius's preference for the taste. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a green top. She looked perfect for surprising Scorpius at his flat. Now she just needed a way to get past her parents. Her father was taking his Christmas vacation from work, and her mum usually wrote her articles at home anyways. What excuse could she have to leave her house looking like this in the early morning?

She could always say that she was going to see Hugo, but with how especially close their parents are, it could come back and bite her in the ass. Lying about going to see Brandon on a business breakfast could be an option, but still risky. After all, she would have mentioned it at least a day before the morning of, usually. So what should she say? Should she just sneak out? Have Kreacher cover for her? Or perhaps . . . an idea struck Lily, and one that might work. So she slipped on a pair of shoes, followed by a thin coat. She wouldn't need a big one. She didn't plan on being outside.

Leaving her room, she walked calmly down the stairs, trying to seem casual. Then she poked her head into the kitchen, where both her parents were sitting. "Good morning," she greeted.

"Morning, princess," her father greeted while he kept reading _The Daily Prophet_.

"Good morning, Lily. What are you dressed so early for?" Ginny asked curiously as she ate a bit of breakfast.

"Well I'm too antsy to just sit around all morning. So I'm going to shop in Diagon Alley, see if I can finally find a Christmas present for Theodore," Lily said.

"You still haven't gotten that boy a present?" Ginny teased.

"I'm surprised she hasn't already bought him five," Harry joked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha. Anyways, I've got to stop by Gringotts first, and then shop around. With how late in the morning it already is, I might just hang around until Scorpius shows up at The Leaky Cauldron."

"Have you two decided if you're coming back here after lunch?" Harry questioned.

Lily pushed her bangs away from her face. "No, not yet. We might go to Malfoy Manor. Mainly because I haven't seen Draco and Astoria yet this break."

"Just be home by midnight," Harry warned subtly.

"Of course," Lily promised. And with a goodbye, Lily was heading to the living room, ready to take the longer way to her goal.

* * *

After a normal bumpy ride on the Knight Bus, Lily found herself climbing the stairs up to the floor where Scorpius's flat resided. Her heart was practically pounding with how eager she was. When she reached his door, she fished out the key she'd given him long ago from her pocket. Slightly resenting how she still couldn't use magic outside of Hogwarts, she unlocked the front door, and stepped inside. And she was pretty surprised.

With how clean it had basically been the last time she'd been in his flat, it had quickly become a mess. She could see a few random shirts of Scorpius's on the floor, one cast over the couch. A few plastic cups were empty and scattered on the table, laying next to plates with a slight food residue still on them. Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. How quickly had this place become a mess when he'd started training?

Silently, she slipped off her shoes and jacket, and tried to hear if Scorpius was moving around in his room. But there was just silence. So she quietly crept down the hall, and found that his bedroom door was slightly open. She peaked in, and found him laid out across his bed, his face buried into his pillow, his blankets thrown around his body.

Unable to stop a smile from appearing, Lily moved away from his door, not wanting to wake him. He was probably exhausted from his last day of training. How had Lily not thought of that? With a sigh she went back to his living room and looked at the mess. Then she sighed, still smiling. After all he'd been through with training, why not let him wake up to _two_ surprises?

For the next hour or so, Lily took the time to clean up his flat a little. She threw the empty plastic cups away, and did the dishes, which turned out to be much more when she added the ones around his sink. After finding his tipped over hamper, she threw the rest of his shirts in there from around the room.

But once she had it as cleaned as she could get it without the help of magic, Lily slowly and quietly went into Scorpius room. He was still sleeping soundly, sprawled out on the bed. He was dressed in only a pair of pajama pants. His hair, which was still too short for Lily's preference, looked like honey when compared to the white of the pillow. She bit back the urge to gently wake him. As much as she wanted to spend time with him, she knew he was probably exhausted, and wanted him to be well rested. She didn't want to disturb him.

She didn't know how he'd heard her. She'd taken one small step, and hit her foot against his dresser. It made no noise, but she hissed at the short sting. And then Scorpius was shooting up, although a bit sluggishly, and his eyes were still half closed.

"What the hell happened?" he mumbled in a slight slur.

Lily looked at him and raised an amused brow. "Let's ignore the fact that there's someone in your room when you just wake up," she teased.

Scorpius rubbed at his eyes with one hand, and scratched at his hair with the other. Then he blinked rapidly before his eyes seemed to focus not only on her, but on the fact that he was awake.

"Lily? What are you doing here?" he asked as he pushed the tangled blanket off from around his legs.

Lily moved closer. "I missed you too," she mocked.

Scorpius looked almost flustered. "No! I missed you! I just . . . I didn't expect to see you until lunch."

Lily came so that she stood just in front of him, less than a step away from him. "I didn't want to wait. Besides, we would have never really been alone otherwise today."

Then Scorpius looked around, as if almost surprised that they _were_ alone together. "Oh. How about that," he murmured. Then he looked back at her, and Lily could see a new intensity. "I get the feeling that my boss doesn't know you're here."

Lily bit back a smile and failed. "No. My dad doesn't know I came here. I lied and said I was shopping for Theodore this morning."

"So how long until you have to be home from 'shopping?'" Scorpius inquired.

"I told them I'd be out until I met up with you for lunch," Lily replied. "Now, are you going to ask another unneeded question, or are you going to kiss me?"

Scorpius smirked as he ran a hand over his hair. "As much as I would love to, you might want me to shower first. I passed out last night before I could. I'm sure I can still feel sweat on me."

Lily laughed as she moved forward, and reached up to kiss him shortly and softly. Then she locked eyes with him. "To me, it's worth it." She placed a hand on his cheek, and felt only a bit of stubble. "Are you hungry?"

Scorpius raised a brow, looking surprised and amused. "Why? Did you make me something?"

"No, but I can while you shower. It won't be elaborate, but you can't be Molly Weasley's granddaughter without knowing how to make a simple breakfast," Lily said with a small smile.

Now Scorpius brought both of his hands to her cheeks, and leaned his forehead against hers. "I would love that, very much," he whispered. Then he kissed her chastely. "Don't go to too much trouble."

And with how little food Scorpius seemed to have in his flat, Lily had no trouble at all choosing something small and simple to make. She rolled her eyes, and was beginning to wonder how he survived.

"This is quite a vision."

Lily didn't turn or jump at the sound of Scorpius's low voice. She was used to him sneaking into a room by now. "How so?" she asked as she turned to set a plate down on his small kitchen table. Then she began cleaning up the small mess she'd made.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Scorpius moving toward the table. "It's always a vision when you see an angel in your kitchen," he replied as he sat down. "You really didn't have to go to much trouble."

Lily rolled her eyes. "With how little food you have in your flat, eggs were the simplest thing I could make," she teased.

"Well excuse me if I don't get a lot of time to shop," he teased back before taking a bite.

"Well that will give me something to do when you go back to training every day," Lily mumbled quietly. But then she came to sit with him at the table. "So, I didn't ruin any plans you had for this morning, did I?"

Scorpius smirked. "Well, since my plans were to just wait around until lunch, I think you made them better."

She smiled, and noticed how much more awake and together he seemed. His hair was still a little damp, almost sticking to the top of his forehead. His eyes were brighter, and he seemed much more energized after his shower.

"Aren't you hungry?" Scorpius inquired.

Lily shrugged and shook her head. "No, not really. I'll be fine until lunch."

"And you wonder why your grandmother calls you skinny," Scorpius mumbled.

Lily ignored his comment, and leaned into the back of her seat. "How did your last day of training go?"

Scorpius shrugged. "It was pretty normal. As normal as training can get for us."

"And how normal is that?" Lily inquired.

"Occasionally unpredictable," Scorpius said with a smirk. "But after so many months of unpredictable, it becomes normal. You start to expect the unexpected."

"Sounds like my uncle Ron keeps you guys on your toes," Lily teased.

Scorpius chuckled. "In the first month you learn to watch for small things and be prepared for anything. Even what you'd expect to be impossible." But then he smirked again. "Your uncle knows what he's doing when he's training recruits."

"He's been doing it for a while now," Lily agreed. "I think he likes doing it

Scorpius gave a nod. But then moved the subject. "So, how were your few days without me?"

Oddly enough, Lily's first thought was of T.J. asking her on a date. But was that something she should even mention to Scorpius? "Well, the photo shoot went really well," Lily said vaguely.

"Will they be clothes I'll actually approve of?" Scorpius mocked.

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. "It was winter-like clothes. Not much skin."

"Perfect," Scorpius said with a laugh.

Lily took a small breath. "Brandon introduced me to the designer. T.J. Manning. He's pretty nice."

"Well that's good. Are you going to work for him again?" Scorpius inquired.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, probably." Lily hesitated, wondering again if she should mention T.J. asking her out. Her mother always said that honesty was important in a relationship, but Lily could see a possible disaster coming from this truth.

Scorpius raised a brow. "What's going through your thoughts?"

Lily almost cursed his ability at practically seeing through her. "Something," she said, once again being slightly vague.

"Something I won't like?" Scorpius guessed.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. "More than likely, going on past experiences."

"Tell me anyways."

Lily looked at him carefully. His face neutrally curious, and calm. But Lily was sure she knew what would happen once she said it. "Well, oddly enough, T.J. Manning asked me out."

And she'd been right. She could see his jaw tense, and the calm in his eyes turned into a silent storm. "Really?" he asked, his voice a bit strained.

Lily nodded, trying to dismiss it as minor. "Yeah, it was weird. I'd never expected something like that. A bit surprising." Then she looked at him. "How angry are you?"

He looked down at his almost empty plate, his face deceptively calm. "I'm not angry," he mumbled.

"Are you going to still be angry when I point out that I obviously said no?" Lily retorted.

"I'm not angry," he insisted as he put down his fork.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I can handle it if you admit it."

Scorpius ran a hand over his face. "I'm not angry," he repeated. "I just . . . slightly resent that I'm not around as much to scare off guys like that."

Lily smiled as she placed a hand over his. "You're training to be an Auror. A much more important act than scaring off guys who have no chance with me"

"But as a man and a boyfriend, it is my job to scare off those guys," Scorpius countered. "And . . . when I was still at Hogwarts, it was easy. There was never a secret that everyone didn't know. I could handle it easily. But now . . . I'm training, you're at school or modeling. I just . . . I'm not around as much anymore . . . I feel like I'm missing a lot of what's going on with you."

Lily squeezed his hand. "Scorpius, it's ok that we have slightly different lives. Just because I'm meeting and dealing with new people while modeling, and hanging around boys my age doesn't mean that I love you any less. Do you love me any less when you're off training with other girls?"

"No," Scorpius muttered in agreement with a small scowl.

"So you don't need to worry about it. No matter how many boys at Hogwarts, or fashion designers, ask me out, I'm always going to say no. And I promise that, until I do finally move in, I'll always be sneaking over here to surprise you in the mornings when I can," Lily promised.

Scorpius sighed as he leaned back in the chair, a small smirk on his face. "You know, you make it kind of hard to be a man," he teased.

Lily grinned. "I don't mind you being and acting like a big macho guy. As long as you know I can easily take care of myself."

He ran a hand over his hair again. "I know you can. I just like doing it for you."

Lily laughed a little as she smiled. "And sometimes I like seeing you do it. It can be quite manly." Scorpius raised an amused brow, but Lily raised a hand to stop him from speaking. "But, I don't want you to continue to worry about having to protect me when I'm not around. You'll have plenty of chances to once I graduate from school, and you finish training, and I officially live here, with you."

Scorpius glanced over at her, and Lily caught sight of a renewed and even more intense passion in the storm of his eyes. "You have no idea how eager I am for that day to come," he murmured.

Lily felt her heartbeat rapidly increase at not only the sight of his passion, but at how she could practically feel it radiating from his entire being. She licked her lips, suddenly feeling a little dry, and a shudder of excitement and arousal threatened to rip through her skin. "I think I might have a good idea on how eager we _both_ are for that day," she whispered.

The screeching sound of Scorpius's chair against the floor went unnoticed as he moved closer so he could press his lips roughly against hers. Although Lily felt part of herself relax at the familiar feeling of his lips, another part of her soared to life at the feeling of love and passion his lips brought. With their hands still intertwined, he stood up, pulling her with him, and closer to him.

When their lips parted, it was only by centimeters. "I think I have missed you more these past couple of days than I did the past four months. Knowing you were home, yet not able to see you due to exhaustion because of training . . . it was maddening," he murmured against her lips.

Lily ran a hand through his short hair, still damp under her fingers, but comforting in the action itself. "Well . . . you have me now, and I have missed you just as much. What are you going to do about it?"

Scorpius practically growled as he pulled her even tighter towards him, his other arm wrapping around her. "Make every moment and second count, while proving just how much I missed you these few days."

And his next kiss was proof enough. Lily shivered at the thought of how much more he wanted to prove. But she had never been more eager for anything in her life.


	86. A Dream To A Nightmare

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took longer than usual, and I'm sorry that it's a bit shorter. But I felt like this was a good place to stop it, and I did want to get it out to you guys. Sorry for the wait. I've just had a little trouble getting back into juggling school work and writing. But, I'm going to work on writing more whenever I can. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Six: A Dream To A Nightmare

"Scorpius, that tickles!" Lily protested with a giggle as Scorpius's fingers glided swiftly along her sides. They sat on Lily's bed, her door open by the rules of the house, waiting until the time to leave for the Burrow. Scorpius had come over early on the agreement that he would join the Potters on their way to the Burrow for Christmas Eve with the family. But since they had a bit of time to spare, Lily had pulled him upstairs.

"I know it does," Scorpius mumbled against her neck, his lips pressing the occasional kiss, careful not to leave a mark.

Lily grabbed one of his offending hands away from her side, and interlocked their fingers. Then she nipped at the top of his ear, earning a small groan that vibrated through her skin. His other hand went from fleeting and tickling movements along her side, to firm and sensual strokes from her side to her stomach, his fingers slowly moving up little by little, but never moving beneath her shirt.

With her other hand, Lily ran a finger along the skin near the collar of his shirt, before her other fingers finally curled around his shoulder. Again, she nipped at his ear, before whispering softly. "That would be so much more effective if there wasn't fabric in the way," she hinted.

Scorpius groaned again. "Not here," he mumbled. "Your parents, _and_ my_ boss_, are down stairs."

"We'd hear them coming up the stairs. And it's your hand, it's not liked they'd catch us having sex," Lily pointed out teasingly.

"Well I refuse to get caught groping beneath the shirt of my boss's daughter," Scorpius countered before finally nipping at the skin on her throat.

Lily bit her lip, repressing a small and satisfied sigh at the thrill of his tongue lapping at the small mark he'd undoubtedly just made. But then after moving her hand to cup his cheek, she brought his face up so that she could look at him teasingly. "Are you more afraid of upsetting _my_ daddy, or _your_ boss now?" she mocked lightly.

Scorpius smirked, apparently recognizing her challenging tone. "I'll tell you what, baby. I'll have sex with you in your parents' house, if you have sex with me in my parents' house."

Lily felt a small flush at the thought of doing such a thing in the home of Astoria and Draco, two people she loved and respected, and who trusted and respected her as well. But Lily wasn't about to back from their challenge. "The manor is bigger, and both of our rooms are far from your parents' room," she pointed out.

Now Scorpius paused, easily taking her bait for a fun game of teasing. "But my mother would never stop trying to step in just to talk to you. She loves you. And my father thinks of you as a daughter as well. He'd be suspicious about us being alone in a room together."

Lily grinned. "There are hundreds of rooms in Malfoy Manor. It wouldn't have to be in either one of ours. It could be in any guest room. And it could always be when your father goes off to work or a business lunch."

"And house elves? He's smart enough to ask one to keep an eye on us," Scorpius argued.

"They're free elves though. They aren't forced to follow the command, so they could be persuaded to leave us alone."

"But they, Pitch especially, are very dedicated and loyal to my father. They usually follow his orders to every fine detail."

"There's a first time for everything."

Scorpius chuckled and smirked. "You're doing this just to argue."

"Well it's fun. I always win," Lily teased. Then she leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his lips again. Scorpius's hands began to tangle into her hair, tugging playfully, one coming around to cup her cheek.

"Lily! Scorpius! We're going to leave in a few minutes!" they heard Ginny call from the floor below.

Scorpius pulled his lips away from hers, but then moved to place them and a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Later," he mumbled, his low tone and promise sending a shiver of excitement through Lily's veins. But before she could even speak, Scorpius was standing from his seat on her bed, his hand held out to her. With a soft smile, Lily took it, allowing him to pull her up to her feet.

Once again, she interlocked their fingers, and squeezed his hand. "Ready to spend an entire Christmas Eve with my family?"

He smiled back at her. "I couldn't think of a better way to spend the day."

* * *

"Lily, Lucy, you girls need to start eating more! You both are way too thin," Grandma Molly complained as the two girls watched Hugo and Scorpius play a match of chess.

"Yes, Grandma," they both replied automatically.

Lily looked over at Lucy. "So, how's your break been so far?"

Lucy shrugged. "Not too bad. I had to sit through a dinner with my parents, Molly, and her new boyfriend."

Lily raised a brow. "I didn't know your sister had a boyfriend."

Lucy rolled her eyes, and her voice picked up a mockingly haughty tone. "They had been dating formally for about a month, and _Patrick_ decided that it was only proper that he meet her family, and be _formally_ introduced. It was only respectful and proper that way." Then Lucy scoffed. "He's just as stuck up as she is. A perfect match."

"Is he coming over today?" Lily asked, looking over at where cousin Molly was sitting, speaking with their Aunt Hermione.

"No. As he should, he is spending time with his own family for the day, as he will tomorrow. But he sent a small gift to her," Lucy replied with another mocking tone.

"You sound like you're in such a good mood," Lily joked.

Lucy shrugged again. "Mum and Dad have been worrying over me, and Molly won't shut up. You'd think Tyler had broken up with me on Christmas or something with how they've been lately."

Lily looked at her, and then glanced at a sullen Hugo, who was still beating Scorpius. "It's nice to see my two favorite cousins in such jolly moods," she mocked.

"You want jolly, go find Saint Nick," Hugo muttered, before giving the command to smash one of Scorpius's knights.

"Don't let those two bring you down." Lily turned to see that Louis had taken a seat on the arm of the couch she sat on.

Lily smiled. "I didn't plan on it. I actually plan to be in a good mood for another week or so for sure." Her eyes glanced once at where Scorpius was now moving his last knight. "So, is Paul coming?"

Louis nodded. "Yeah, in an hour or so."

"And you're going to introduce him as your boyfriend?" Lily inquired quietly.

Louis gave a big sigh, and then a big smile. "Yeah. We decided to get it over with. I mean, my parents and sister know. And of course Teddy. But besides you, I haven't mentioned it to anyone else."

"It'll be fine," Lily assured him.

Louis nodded again, but still looked a little unsure. "Honestly, I kind of wish that Dom was here. In an odd way, she made things easier. She knew how to sarcastically diffuse a tense situation, or Mitch did it with humor."

Lily sighed at the thought the absent Dominique, who had yet to even send her a single message. "Yeah. It will be different without her here." But then Lily smiled at him. "But anyway, who says it'll be a tense situation? It'll be just fine."

"Checkmate," Hugo said with a sigh as his queen smashed Scorpius's king to pieces. Then he looked at Scorpius, and gave him something akin to a smile. "Good game, Scor."

Scorpius smirked. "Lasted longer than I thought," he joked.

The front door opened with a flourish, and James stepped into the house, a bag over his shoulder. "Hey, family! The party's here!" he spoke loudly, announcing to the entire house that he was now there. He kicked the door shut behind him, and kicked off his snow-covered shoes.

Their mum was the first to approach him, reaching up to kiss his cheek. "It's about time you got here. You're freezing."

Lily watched as James grinned. "Well it's freezing outside. I did have to walk about half of the road. My Apparation was off a bit."

Lily looked away when the rest of the family began to greet him, their father clapping him on the shoulder, and their grandma kissing both his cheeks and offering to get him a hot plate for lunch.

She felt a hand brush across her wrist. Lily looked to see Scorpius running his fingers along her skin, a brow raised with a curious look on his face. "Would you like to go for a walk?" he offered.

Lily glanced over at James, who was already telling their mum about how his last Quidditch practice until after the holiday seasons went. Then she looked back at Scorpius, who still looked curious. She shook her head. "Nah. I'm ok," she assured.

Scorpius didn't look as sure, but he nodded. "Ok. Let me know if you change your mind."

But Lily just smiled. "Really. I'm ok." But she hoped that she sounded more certain than she felt.

* * *

When Paul showed up, Lily turned out to be half-right. When Louis introduced Paul to the rest of the family as his boyfriend, there were only a few awkward "hello"s, or friendly smiles and greetings. But it was obvious to Lily that Paul himself was tense. She wondered how nervous he must have been feeling, but didn't want to impose or seem nosy and ask. And apparently, no one else noticed, or was too polite to say anything.

"Lily, dear, could you go and get a few more blankets from the closet upstairs. I don't think I brought nearly enough down for all you kids tonight," Grandma Molly requested as she set a few pillows down next to a pile of blankets.

Lily sighed as she nodded and agreed to her grandmother's request. She made her way up the stairs, but was surprised to see Paul leaning against the wall next to one of the doors, his head slumped. Lily remembered that he'd excused himself to use the bathroom. But now that she thought about it, that was several minutes ago. What was he still doing up here?

"Are you ok?" Lily asked before she even thought about her earlier plan to not impose questions on Paul.

Paul looked up with surprise, but then relaxed, although his face still looked a little downcast. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just taking a breather," he replied as he looked away.

Lily gave a small laugh. "I can understand that. Sorry if I startled you. I just need to grab a few more blankets from the closet."

Paul shook his head. "Nah, it's fine." Lily moved past him and made her way to the small hallway closet. She opened it to find it only half-full of blankets and pillows. But as Lily began to pull three or four blankets out, she heard Paul speak again. "So, do you hate me too?"

Lily turned to see that he was looking at her fully, and sadly, his body turned toward her, his shoulder holding his weight against the wall. "Why would I hate you?" she asked. "You've been nothing but nice since you got here. And Louis's never been happier."

He raised a brow. "Well, I just always figured that you were all a close and protective family. At least that's what it seemed like."

Lily gave another laugh as she closed the closet. "Just the men are like that concerning boyfriends. But I don't think you have to worry. No one hates you."

He closed his eyes. "I bet they do, or at least resent me. With how close you are to Louis, I'm surprised you don't."

Lily moved closer, and set the blankets on the floor. "Paul, why would I resent you? You make Louis happy."

He opened his eyes, but his head slumped again. "I resent me," he mumbled.

Lily felt confused as to what he meant. "What for?"

"Because I wasn't there. And I _should_ have been there," Paul whispered.

"Does this have to do with you breaking off your friendship with Louis for a few years? I'm sure he's gotten over that, especially now," Lily pointed out helpfully.

But Paul shook his head. "No, it's not that. You know what it is."

This time, Lily shook her head. "No, I don't. What are you talking about?"

Paul looked up at her again, surprise written on his face with a sort of scowl. "You can't mean that Louis didn't tell you?"

Lily shrugged. "I haven't talked to Louis much since school started."

"It was before we went back to school," Paul argued. "You mean he didn't tell any of you?"

Lily again, shrugged. "I don't know. He might have told his parents, although they were all so wrapped up over Dominique leaving that he might not have brought it up."

Paul groaned and pushed away from the wall. "I can't believe him," he muttered.

Now Lily was feeling hesitant, and almost felt a tension of her own rise in her stomach. "Paul, what did Louis not tell me?" she questioned.

Paul turned to look at her, an expression of subtle fury on his face and in his eyes. "He got gay bashed back in July. Three guys beat the crap out of him."

Lily felt the tension freeze like ice in her stomach, and felt her heart and veins burn with fire. "What?" she asked.

Paul didn't hesitate to repeat it. "He got gay bashed. He and I went to Diagon Alley with a few friends one day, and he ended up being the last one to leave. He said he wanted to go buy something before he left. Apparently as he was walking back to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo home, three guys started messing with him, and then they beat the hell out of him. And according to him, he didn't even try to fight back."

Lily took in a deep breath, trying to push back her own fury. Now was not the time to be angry that Louis didn't tell her, or about what happened. "When he told you, did he say who it was?"

"He said he knew, but refused to say. He didn't want me to do anything. He just wanted to leave it alone," Paul said, obviously seething.

Lily sighed. "That sounds too much like him," she mumbled. Because it was true. Louis would never want to fight, or continue a fight. He was too calm and friendly for that. "Paul, he didn't tell any of us," she admitted. If he'd told his parents, then Lily didn't doubt that some kind of family drama would have surfaced.

"I can't believe he hid it," Paul muttered. "I thought he was going to say something at least to his parents or sister. Or you. I was so sure, I didn't ever ask him if he did. I just worried that you'd all hate me for not being there."

Lily gave him a sympathetic look. "Paul, we wouldn't have hated you for that. You can't always be there. If you want advice on that, ask my boyfriend. We've been through that talk dozens of times. You can't change anything."

"Well I could have at least done something afterwards if he'd just tell me who it was," Paul retorted.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, and if I can get it out of him, I'll let you know. You deserve to know."

Paul leaned against the wall, and then he slowly slid to the floor. "It amazed me to hear, actually. I never thought anyone would ever hurt Louis. He's always so nice. It amazed me even more that he just hid the bruises and let life keep moving."

Lily moved to sit next to him. "Louis's resilient like that. But it's hard for me to think that someone would hurt Louis too."

Paul ran a hand over his sand-colored hair. "I'd heard of similar things happening, but this is the first time it's happened to someone close to me. And maybe I'm too nice or positive too, but I can't imagine beating someone that was so nice just because of they were gay. Just because they were anything that didn't concern me."

"It happens everywhere," Lily replied. "People get hurt because they're gay, or because of their race, or their House at Hogwarts, or because of their family background. It's not a great thing, but it happens."

Paul scowled. "Well I'll be dammed if I ever let it happen again. I'll be dammed if ever let something like this go on, when I know I can stop it."

Lily gave him a small smile. "And that's why everyone in this family is going to like you," she assured.

* * *

Lily sat between Scorpius and Hugo during dinner that night, as they all sat around the enlarged table. Hugo was mainly silent throughout the dinner, so Lily found herself mainly talking with Scorpius.

"So, Scorpius, how is Auror training going?" Grandma Molly asked curiously.

Scorpius smiled politely and charmingly. "It's not too bad, actually. Your son psyched us out so much in the first week, I thought it would be worse than it actually is," he joked lightly.

"I've been here practically all day, why didn't you ask me how it was going?" Albus questioned with something like indignation and incredulity.

"Because I'm still not very fond of the idea of my grandson and granddaughter becoming Aurors as well," Grandma Molly claimed easily. "It's much easier to just ask Scorpius."

"Well I assure you that it's difficult, but still bearable. And from what I've seen, you don't have to worry about any of us. Besides, I don't think our trainer has the guts to put your granddaughter through too much," Scorpius teased while looking at Ron.

"I'm not willing to face the wrath of her mother," Ron mocked. But when Hermione pinched him, he flinched. "Ow!" He rolled his eyes. "The three of them are doing fantastically, Mum. He's right. There is no need to worry about them."

"You kids must be enjoying your break," Arthur commented with a smile.

"Especially Scorpius," Hugo muttered, and followed his words with a kissing sound. So Lily reached over and pinched him. "Ow! Man, what is it with women and pinching in this family?"

"What is it with men and being jerks in this family?" Lily retorted, feeling a small blush on her cheeks.

"So, you kids missing Hogwarts yet?" Charlie asked, looking over at Rose.

"Kind of. It felt weird being away from Hogwarts the first month, but you get used to it," Rose replied.

Scorpius looked over at Lily. "I know I miss it," he whispered quietly enough so that only she heard it.

When the dinner ended, and the night was slowly coming to an end, and boyfriends began to leave, Lily found herself standing outside with Scorpius, warm in his embrace, despite the snow and cold air.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll come get you before the dinner," Scorpius whispered into her hair.

"I wish my family was comfortable enough with having you stay over for the night," Lily mumbled.

"I'd have to leave anyway to spend Christmas morning with my parents," Scorpius pointed out. "It won't be long. Just a few hours."

Lily nodded, her head resting on his chest. "I know," she replied. "And I'll be ready when you get here. I promise."

Scorpius moved a hand to her cheek, and tilted her head back so that he could press his lips to hers gently and sweetly. And although the kiss was short, Lily felt ready to take on the rest of the night without him after it. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Lily smiled softly. "Bye."

Scorpius pressed one more kiss on her lips. "Bye," he murmured.

As Lily stood at the door to the house, she watched as Scorpius disappeared down the path. Then she waited until she heard the "CRACK" that meant his departure. That was when she finally stepped inside.

"Girl, with how tight those jeans are, how did you not freeze?" Charlie joked when she closed the door.

Lily rolled her eyes but smiled. "Ha, ha," she replied dryly. "They aren't even that tight."

"Looks like second skin to me," he continued to joke.

Lily only shook her head as she walked toward the kitchen, wanting to get something to drink. She knew she'd most likely end up watching Hugo and Teddy play chess. She was sometimes amazed that Hugo could play that game more than once a day. She hated playing it just once a year.

When Lily entered the kitchen, she stopped short at the door when she realized that she wasn't the only one in the kitchen. One other person was in there. James. But his back was to her, and he seemed to be stirring something in a cup that Lily couldn't see. Not wanting for him to turn and see her just standing there, and not wanting to seem afraid by leaving, Lily moved in further. She moved toward the kettle of hot water, and got her own cup from the cupboard. Neither of them said a thing, nor even looked at each other. And it stayed like that between them, until Lily had started stirring in the chocolate for her cup of hot chocolate.

"He gone finally?" James muttered.

Lily felt her shoulders tense in an almost automatic way at just the sound of James's voice. But she did her best to stay calm. "He has a name," she pointed out.

"Ok. So did Malfoy leave?" he retorted.

Lily sighed as she felt minor annoyance run through her. "Yes, he left," she replied, not bothering with trying to correct him again.

"I'm a bit surprised he even showed up," James commented dryly.

"I'm surprised you showed up. We all know just how busy the big sports star gets," Lily snapped back. But then she felt like banging her head on the counter. Calm. She needed to stay calm, or nothing would get better.

"Well he's not exactly liked," James said with a nonchalant shrug.

"He's a lot more liked than you'd think," Lily countered simply, her annoyance rising, along with a little anger, which in Weasley blood, little anger was a lot of anger.

"Not by everyone. Not everyone thought he'd even last this long." The last part came out in such a quiet mumble that Lily hardly heard it. But she did.

She turned to him with narrowed eyes. "And what the hell does that mean?"

James gave a look of obvious mock innocence and shrugged. "Nothing. I just thought that a guy like him would grow tired of a distance relationship."

Lily made a sound that was a mix of a scoff and disbelief. "A guy like him?"

"You know. Violent, arrogant, too big of an ego," James listed.

"Are we talking about him, or you? Because I'm not so sure anymore," Lily seethed, her anger calmly rising to even greater heights than it had been moments before.

James gave her an annoyed look, and despite their feelings toward each other, Lily could still tell that it was anger in his eyes that she saw. "Tell me, Lily, do you really think that he's going to wait for you? Do you think that he's going to be interested waiting to have sex until marriage? You think he's really alone every night you're away at Hogwarts? Are you really that blind due to _trust_?"

Lily felt her heart pounding in her chest, and she felt her blood throbbing in her veins. And more than that, she felt anger surging through her. And even more than _that_, she felt hurt tightening around her throat. But she managed to glare at him, and she managed to speak. "You know, you can call me blind all you want. And you can call me dumb all you want. But I do trust him, and I know he's going to wait for me, and that he has been waiting for me, and that he has been much more faithful to me than anyone else ever has. _Anyone_," she said pointedly. "And not that it's any of your business, but I'm not Victoire. I'm _not_ abstinent. And my sex life is none of your business, just as my relationship with Scorpius is none of your business. And I may only be sixteen, but I'm smart enough to know that he is ten times the man you are. I'll never be _that_ blind," she hissed. And after slamming her spoon down onto the counter, she stormed away from the counter, and out the kitchen door, leaving James, and her cup of hot chocolate, behind.

But she took the continuing pain outside with her, where it froze in the cold air. But she ignored the cold and snow as she stomped her way down the shoveled path to the shed. She opened the door and switched on the lights. And she was thankful that she warmed immediately after she closed the door. She was always going to be grateful for the heating charms in this shed.

But she didn't focus on that now. Instead she stood by the door, trying to pull in a calm breath, instead of the constricted pants that were barely making it past her lips and down to her lungs. And what she hated most was that, not only did her eyes burn, but her vision was already starting to blur.

Why does it matter? Lily kicked at the floor as she tried to choke back tears, and taking a deep enough breath. Why does everything James say to her . . . hurt her? Why does it always get to her? And it wasn't until she dropped down onto the couch against the wall, burying her face into her hands, that a thought shot through her head like a painful bolt of lightning.

_Because he's _still_ your big brother._ That was when her first tear finally fell.

Angrily, Lily brushed it away, furious that others began to fall as soon as she wiped one away. "I hate him," she whispered, her voice practically choking off. "I hate him so much." She sighed, and finally found herself able to take that deep breath. She leaned back into the couch, her vision a little better now that the tears had fallen. And what she saw amazed her.

On a shelf on the opposite wall, badly hidden behind a few Muggle objects, was a bottle that was just about full of an amber-colored liquid. On instinct, and without actual thought, Lily got up from the couch and made her way to the shelf. It was on one of the lower shelves, easily in her range. Pushing aside something that was in the shape of a cone, and grabbed the bottle. There was no label on the bottle to tell her what it was, so she twisted off the cap and took a smell of the inside. She knew that smell easily. Firewhiskey. She was a little surprised that her grandfather kept alcohol out in his shed, and also that she'd never noticed it before, when it was so badly hidden.

Lily stared at the bottle, a few tears still trailing down her cheeks, and more ready to fall. A small memory of Kim's wedding ran through her mind, which still kept reminding her flashes of James's words. She closed her eyes. "It worked once before," she whispered to herself. "Why not again?" She brought the bottle to her lips and sighed. "Merry Christmas, James," she scoffed.

Then she took the first drink.

* * *

Lily didn't know how long she'd been laying on the couch in the shed, but with how much she'd drunk by that point, what did time matter? What really mattered was that her tears stopped, her anger disappeared, and her hurt and pained feelings vanished. And even better, she couldn't remember why James's words had upset her. Maybe she was just too emotional without a bit of alcohol in her.

"It's always great to see your niece wasted."

Normally, Lily might have jumped, and started to give excuses. But instead, she just turned her head, pressing her cheek into the arm of the couch, and looked at the door. Her uncle George stood there, hands shoved into his coat pockets. She moved to rest her chin on the arm as she moved to lie on her stomach. "You're letting cold air in," she pointed out, looking at the snow outside the door.

George raised a brow, but then shut the door and shed off his coat. "So, tell me, is it great for your uncle to find you wasted?"

Lily shrugged. "With how _wasted_ I am, I don't really care," she pointed out casually.

George chuckled as he moved closer, and pulled the bottle from her fingers. Lily watched as he brought it to his own lips and took a drink. Then he sighed as he swallowed it. "You stole my tradition, little flower."

Lily sighed too as she moved so that she was lying on her back again. "What tradition?" she asked, her words blurring slightly into each other.

"Having a drink on Christmas Eve night. Once everyone else is asleep," George answered as he moved to sit on the floor next to the couch, leaning his back on it. "I've been doing this for years now."

Lily glanced at him. She'd never known that her uncle George drank every night before Christmas. He'd never looked hung over on Christmas morning. But, he probably took care of that before coming down the stairs each morning. But it made a little more sense that it was his bottle instead of her grandfather's. "Well, I believe that I started long before everyone went to sleep. But, why do you do it?"

"Same reason you're doing it tonight," George replied. "Getting rid of the pain I feel because of my brother. Although, mine's dead. Our situations are a little different in that way."

"At least he's not around to hate you and make you cry," Lily mumbled.

"But he's not here to stop me from being hurt, and he's not here to make me laugh anymore," George pointed out.

Lily turned her head to stare at the ceiling. "My brother's not around here to do those things either. None of my brothers do, except if you count Teddy. At least you still have four other blood brothers to try and do that for you," she whispered.

George took another drink. Then he leaned his head against her legs. "It hurts, doesn't it? Having lost a sibling, even if you didn't lose one to death."

Lily nodded, although she was still numb when it came to her feelings. "Yeah. It hurts more when you lose them, and they're still around to say things that hurt you. And the even bigger bitch of it is . . . that you still love them, despite how much they hurt you," she murmured.

George held the bottle out to her. "Here," he offered.

Lily took the bottle from him. "Thanks," she mumbled before taking a big swig, before putting it back into his hand. "Uncle George, can I ask you something?" she mumbled, her words slurring just a bit more than before now.

"Ask away, Lily flower," George replied before taking a drink.

"Why are you sitting with your niece, who is wasted, and underage, and not upset about it?" she asked curiously.

He sighed. "Like I said, I've been there. I know how you feel. I know how it hurts. And, I know that this isn't a permanent solution, but I do know that it helps, at least for the night. Besides, Lily, I'm not an idiot. I know that Freddy probably drank underage, and I'm sure Roxy has too. Most teens do, at least once. I did. We all experiment as teenagers," George said. "Besides, you're in the shed, not partying. And after what you just went through tonight, I don't blame you for wanting to get rid of the feelings."

Lily glanced at him before looking back to the ceiling. "What do you mean by that?"

"You and James aren't quiet when you argue and fight," George commented. "We only heard pieces in the other room, but it was obviously a fight of touchy subjects. We heard a door slam, and saw James's face when he came back into the room."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Lily grumbled.

"Everyone in the family knows about the problems between you and James. We know," George assured.

Lily sighed, and then held out her hand. When she felt the bottle touch her hand, she curled her fingers around it, and brought it to her lips, taking an even bigger drink than before. Then she handed it back to him. "You know, I want to fix things . . . but I just don't think it's possible anymore. The relationship we had . . . I think it's forever ruined, and it can't be fixed," she admitted quietly. She was surprised at the small pang of hurt that she felt at her new realization, but it soon dulled to a numb feeling that was soon unrecognizable from any other emotion or feeling.

"You know, when you're smart enough to figure something out like that . . . it usually means that you're one step closer to getting past the hard part, if it's something you can't fix," he stated.

"Well, it only took me like six years to figure it out. How long did it take you?" she asked softly.

He chuckled again. "I got past the hard part . . . maybe around that same amount of time. But I'll warn you, and it's a bad one, but I never got over it. I still haven't. So I can't give some wise saying about how you'll get over the loss of your relationships with your brothers. But like everyone like us, you can always have hope."


	87. Giving Advice and Taking Advice

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry if this took so long to get out to you guys. Over the past week, I've been busy with a few senior traditions at school, plus making a video for class. But, I've taken every chance I've gotten to work on it, and as a treat, I made it a long one. The next chapter will be a wrap up of the break, and then they'll be back at school. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Seven: Giving Advice and Taking Advice

Surprisingly, Lily was one of the first kids up. But she wasn't surprised by the light pounding in her head. She groaned softly as she sat up, her throat thick and dry, her mouth feeling like cotton. She looked around and found that Roxanne was missing from her spot on the floor, apparently already awake too.

Lily stood up with a sigh, and folded up her blanket, placing it neatly by her pillow. Then with a yawn, and another throb in her head, she walked into the kitchen. Her grandmother was already making breakfast for them all, and Victoire seemed to be helping. Teddy sat at the table, reading _The Daily Prophet_, and Uncle George sat, sipping a cup of coffee.

"Good morning," Lily said, trying to sound as chipper as she could with her small hangover.

She was greeted by them all, and she watched as Uncle George got up and began to dig through a cupboard. But then she went ahead and sat down.

"You're up early," Teddy commented.

Lily shrugged. "I guess. I saw that Roxy was up already. Where's she?"

"I saw her go upstairs earlier," Victoire answered.

Then Uncle George placed a cup in front of her, a bit of steam rising from the liquid. "There ya go, flower. Some hot chocolate. Drink up," he told her as he sat back down.

Lily looked at the cup, and then looked at her uncle, who was now talking casually with her grandmother. Normally, Lily would have hesitated before drinking something that she didn't watch her uncle make step by step. After all, he was famous for pranks and jokes. But after last night, she gave him the benefit of the doubt, and took a drink. Immediately, the pounding in her head stopped, the cotton-feeling left her mouth, and her throat cleared. She sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Uncle George," she said, just as casually as he had.

He gave her a nod. "No problem."

Lily finished off her cup quickly, thankful as it made her hangover disappear quickly. She sighed as she set her cup back onto the table, and watched as Victoire and Grandma Molly puttered around the kitchen. "Do you two want help?" she asked them.

"Well I know how you can help me," Victoire told her.

Lily perked up. "Sure. How?"

"Go check on Theodore. Sometimes when he wakes up, he doesn't cry, but instead just starts throwing things around the room. Go see if he's still sleeping, please?" Victoire requested.

"Yeah, he once threw something into Gabby's crib, and she cried for what felt like hours," Teddy muttered.

Lily chuckled. "Yeah, I'll go see." She left the room, and carefully dodged the sleeping bodies of her cousins and brothers. Then she made her way up the stairs, and made her way toward Uncle Charlie's room. Teddy and Victoire had decided to allow the newlyweds, Fred and Janie, to have the new room that their grandfather added the year before. Uncle Charlie had offered to share his room with the couple and their two children.

Quietly, Lily opened the door and peaked inside. Uncle Charlie was sprawled across his bed, blankets covering him almost to his head. When she stepped in further, she could see Theodore standing in the crib, looking ready to throw a stuffed animal from his crib. But then he noticed her, and smiled.

Lily smiled back at him. "Hey, baby boy," she whispered quietly as she walked toward him. Then she reached in and picked him up. Teddy rested his head on her shoulder, his arms hugging her neck, the stuffed animal still in the grips of his fingers. "Come on, let's go downstairs and greet everyone."

* * *

After everyone had woken up, eaten breakfast, and opened presents, Lily found herself sitting with Hugo, who was looking over his new chess set. They sat in the far corner, far away from where James sat.

"How long are you going to pout about Stacy?" Lily asked him as she flipped through a book over medical potions that Victoire had gotten her.

Hugo sighed. "Not long. A few days ago, I bought her this little bracelet. Nothing special, but I sent it to her yesterday morning, and a note, saying that I hope she's ok. I figured . . . maybe I'm being selfish, thinking that it's all about me. Maybe the reason she's acting weird has nothing to do with me, and something more to do with something personal."

"Well that was sweet, and good thinking," Lily replied. "But you did make it seem just friendly?"

"I put 'from your friend, Hugo' is that good enough?" Hugo questioned as he picked up one of his rooks.

"Sounds pretty platonic," Lily agreed.

"Besides, we've known Stacy since before Hogwarts. It wouldn't seem weird if I was concerned about an old friend, right?" Hugo inquired.

"No, you're ok," Lily assured.

"But anyway, I think I'm going to swear off girls for a while, Stacy included," Hugo stated.

Lily raised a brow. "Really?"

He shrugged. "I'll probably still have feelings for a while, but I don't want to hurt another girl like I did Jaclyn. And I don't want to mess with Stacy's life, when she's obviously happy. So, I decided I'd keep away from the dating scene for a while."

"It's not a bad idea," Lily said. "After the thing with Lysander, that's what I did." She paused, but then shrugged. "Although, it only lasted until July, but I think it was still helpful."

"I just don't want to hurt anyone again," Hugo muttered. "I seem to be too good at that."

"Well, I hope it works out for ya," Lily told him.

But Hugo changed the subject. "So, how was your night?"

"Well, it was hell, then numb," Lily said.

"So, James said something, then you got drunk?" Hugo guessed.

"Good guess," Lily sighed. "How'd you know?"

"Well, I figured it was James, because your big thing has been either avoiding him, or trying to be calm around him. And I guessed about the whole drunk thing, based on the memory of what you did during Kim Avery's wedding," Hugo replied.

"When did you get to be so smart?" Lily muttered as she read over the ingredients of a potion.

"I'm not smart. I just know you," Hugo retorted. "Just like you know me. Isn't that what being best friends and cousins is all about?"

That was when a sight of Louis talking with Roxanne caught Lily's attention. "Yeah. You're right." Then she looked back at Hugo. "So, what did you think of Paul yesterday?"

Hugo shrugged as he began to put his new chess pieces back into the box. "He was a cool guy. Seemed a bit nervous at first. Why?"

Lily shrugged this time. "Just curious. I thought he was pretty cool."

"Well Louis seems happy. That's what matters," Hugo commented.

"Have you talked to Louis lately?" Lily inquired.

Hugo shook his head. "Not much since we came back for break. These past few months have been so hectic, and full of confused and mixed feelings. I haven't even really had time to keep up on how Louis is, or Roxanne. I've kept up with Lucy because I've been worried about her and . . . well her breakup." Then he looked over at her, a curious look on his face. "Is there something about Louis that I need to worry about?"

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. "I'm not sure yet. That's why I want to talk to him, alone."

Hugo scowled. "You want me to be there?"

"No, no. I just want to talk to him alone first before I bring anyone else in," Lily replied.

"You know something?"

"Something that Louis thinks I'm ignorant to," Lily countered. "I don't want to tell anyone else until I've talk to him."

"So Paul told you something?" Hugo guessed.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah. And it's made me worry enough to want to talk to him alone."

Hugo gave her a nod. "No problem. Hey, Louis!" he called.

Louis looked over, curious, but then got up and walked toward them. "Yeah, what's up?"

Hugo held up his new chess set. "Want to play a game with me? Let me break in my new set? Lil, won't play with me."

Louis chuckled. "I know you'll murder me, but ok. Why not?"

Hugo grinned. "Cool. Let's go upstairs, where it's a little quieter. That way my set can learn my voice easier than with a hundred other voices flowing around. Come with us, Lil."

Lily set Hugo a smile as she followed the two boys to the stairs. She was going to have to go ahead and play a game of chess as a way to thank him later.

They entered Uncle Percy's old room, which, of course, was kept clean no matter how many kids were running through the house. Hugo set the board down on the floor, and set the box containing his new chess set on the floor. "Oh, did you leave your set downstairs, Louis?" Hugo asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'll go get it-,"

"No, I'll get it," Hugo offered quickly. "Be back in second." Then he left the room, closing the door firmly behind him. That left Lily alone with Louis, who casually sat on the bed, patting his knees.

"So, you ok, Lily?" Louis asked.

Lily looked at him curiously. "Um, why wouldn't I be?"

Now Louis raised a brow. "Because everyone in the family knows about your fight with James."

"Oh!" Lily shook her head. "Um, I'm fine now. Actually, there's been something else on my mind this morning."

"Yeah? What is it?" Louis inquired.

"Well, it has to do with you," Lily said hesitantly. She was really unsure of how to bring it up. It was obviously a touchy subject of its own.

"It has to do with me?" Louis said with a bit of confusion.

Lily nodded as she began to slowly pace. "Well, I had a talk with Paul yesterday."

Louis sighed but then chuckled. "And he told you about last July?"

Lily looked at him with surprise. "You knew?"

Louis scratched at the back of his neck. "I didn't, but I guessed. It's been on Paul's mind since it happened. He's been kicking himself over it. I'm not too surprised that he finally told someone. And personally, I'd rather it be you than my parents, or Teddy, or someone else in the family."

Lily stopped in front of him. "Why me?"

"Because you won't overreact," Louis said simply.

Lily gave him an incredible look. "Overreact? Louis, no matter how I react, it would _not_ be an overreaction! This is a big thing, Louis!" she exclaimed.

Louis rolled his eyes. "No, you guys want to make it a big thing. I just want to forget about it!"

"Have you forgotten about it?" Lily demanded.

"Well Paul hasn't stopped reminding me," Louis countered.

"Because it scares him!" Lily snapped. "And it scares me! It scares me that someone might come and hurt my cousin, just because of how he is! It scares me that you're ok with someone hurting you because you are the way you are! That you'll let someone get away with hurting you just because you're gay!"

Louis got up and gave her an exasperated look. "What do you want me to do, Lil? Beat them up? Will that change their mind? If I hurt them like they did to me, does that mean they'll accept me? Guess what, it won't! It won't change anything! And if I tell your dad, and get them into trouble with the law, they still won't accept me! Nothing will change!"

Lily pulled in a deep breath. "Nothing will change? One thing will change. One thing, Louis. And that is, that they won't be able to do that to anyone else. But if you let them get away with what they did, then you're just telling them that they can keep on doing this to others, and nothing will happen to them. That they'll never have to face consequences because of their actions. You're telling them that what they did was ok. And it's not."

Louis moved past her, and ran a tired hand over his face. "I don't want to scare my parents. With all they've been through with Dominique leaving, I didn't want to add onto it. And I don't want Aunt Hermione to start a movement against this. I don't want your dad to try and throw them in Azkaban, and I don't want Paul to beat the hell out of them!"

This time, Lily sat on the bed. "Louis, you haven't gotten over this, and neither has Paul. I think you both need to talk about this. And you need to do something about this."

Louis leaned against the wall. "That's the thing. I don't know what to do. I just want to let it go."

Lily sighed and shook her head as she rose from the bed. "Then tell Paul that. Talk to him." As she placed her hand on the doorknob, she turned to look at him. "And next time, defend yourself. Because when you don't defend yourself when people attack you for being gay, you're not just allowing them to hurt you, but all other gay teens too. Think about that."

* * *

"My mother is very excited that you're coming," Scorpius commented as they walked down the hall of Malfoy Manor.

"Why wouldn't I come?" Lily inquired.

"Well she hasn't seen you yet, and understands that you're very busy," Scorpius replied. "She wasn't sure you'd have time."

Lily sighed, feeling a little bad that she hadn't taken time to see Astoria and Draco. But she had been a little occupied. "I'll have to stay over one night during the break." Lily looked over at him. He was dressed nicely in black pants and a green dress shirt. His short hair was combed to the side, and he was cleanly shaven. He was so handsome that Lily's heart kept skipping a beat when she looked at him.

But this time, Scorpius noticed her gaze. "What?" he asked with a smirk, and with love in his eyes.

Lily bit her tongue, hating and loathing how James's words from the night before were whirling around her head. Why was she letting them stick to her? "Love me?" she whispered softly, hating the question as soon as it passed her lips. She knew the answer.

Scorpius looked at her curiously. "Of course I love you. Why would you have to ask?"

Lily shook her head. "I don't. I don't know why I did. Just forget it."

Now he looked worried. "Lily, what's wrong?"

But Lily gave him a smile. "Nothing."

"Lily, you're not telling me something," he said with slightly narrowed eyes.

Lily nodded. "That's true, but can we talk about it later?" At Scorpius's hesitant face, she sighed. "Please? I'd really rather just forget about it at least for a few hours. No one at home really has. They keep asking me how I am after last night, and I just want to relax for a few hours, ok?"

Scorpius looked ready to say something, but then nodded. "Ok. But I better know before the night ends."

She ran a hand over his smooth cheek. "You will," she promised. "Now, let's go and greet everyone."

Scorpius shook his head and laughed. "With that attitude, you'd fit in with more pureblood wives than you'd think. They're all pretty good at ignoring problems too."

Lily elbowed him in the side. "I'm not ignoring it. I've dealt with it. I'm just postponing telling you about it."

"Not much difference," he countered, but he still smirked as he wrapped an arm around her. Then he placed a kiss on her temple. "Well, let's join the party."

"Lily!" Astoria practically squealed when the two stepped into the large dining room. Lily was pulled into her embrace within seconds. "How are you, sweetheart?"

Lily smiled as she pulled away from the hug. "I'm just fine. And I'm very sorry that I haven't come over to visit you and Draco this break. I've been a little preoccupied."

Astoria dismissed it. "Oh, Lily, you don't need to worry about that. We understand that you're a young woman, not to mention a busy one. Brandon has been talking nonstop about how well you've been doing as a model."

Lily repressed the urge to roll her eyes. Kim was right. It _was_ always work with Brandon. "Well, I've been thinking that maybe I'll take a night to spend over here with you and Draco."

Astoria smiled brightly. "I think that would be wonderful!"

"Lily, you've finally arrived," Draco commented as he approached them.

Lily smiled. "Hello, Draco."

"Well, that's everyone. Shall we sit and start the dinner?" Draco inquired.

Scorpius pulled out a chair for Lily, sitting her between him and Lana. Lana grinned at Lily. "Hey, Lil. How's break going?"

"Not terrible. How's life?" Lily replied.

Lana shrugged, then glanced over at Dante, who was talking to Lars. "Well, it's a little better now."

Lily looked over at Dante as well, then looked around the large table. "I notice that I don't see Megan here," she commented.

"She and Shannon skipped out. Megan skipped because she refused to be anywhere near her brother, and Shannon is her support," Lana explained.

Lily pushed her hair off of her shoulder. "I get the feeling us girls are going to hear quite the story on the way back to school."

"Oh, you will," Lana assured. "I've heard enough of it."

"So she's still furious with him?" Lily asked.

"Last I heard, she attempted to hit him with a chair," Lana commented.

Lily laughed and shook her head. "Sounds enough like Megan."

"I'm just surprised that they both came out of that argument without a scratch," Lana muttered. "I told Dante to mind his own business, and stay out his sister's life."

"When does Dante ever listen though?" Lily teased.

"Hey, I heard that," Dante retorted with a sly grin. "And you can tell me to stay out all you want, but what kind of brother would I be if I wasn't concerned about my little sister being involved with a guy I know is a jerk, and might hurt her? As a brother, I'm forced to be concerned about even the sweetest guy she's involved with."

Lily looked away and gulped as she tried to push back memories of the previous night that were itching to reappear. She didn't want to think about it. Like she told Scorpius, she just wanted a few hours to forget about it.

"Lily! How has my favorite girl been?" Brandon asked as he sat across from Lily with a smile.

Lily gave him a tentative smile back. "Hey, Brandon. I'm just fine. And you?"

"Amazing! In fact, once Scorpius starts training again, I've got a few job offers for you and I to go over and consider before you go back to school," Brandon told her.

Even though the reminder of Scorpius having to return to training bit at her lightly, she still smiled. "Sounds good."

"So, I assume the whole modeling thing is going well then?" Lana asked curiously.

"With Lil, extremely well," Brandon answered with a cheeky smile. "I am so excited for you to graduate," he said to Lily.

Lily glanced at Scorpius, who was silent, although didn't seem irritated or pouting at the topic of conversation. "Yeah. I'm kind of excited for that too," she admitted.

"Maybe now," Brandon countered.

Lily looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Brandon shrugged as he swallowed down a drink from the glass by his plate. "I just mean that, maybe now, you're eager for it. But I'll bet that, when the end of your seventh year comes closer, you're going to start thinking about all the things you're going to miss about Hogwarts. Everyone does in their seventh year."

"Maybe, but at the rate I'm going, I think I'll be glad when I can stop planning study groups for the entire student body and I can stop creating ideas to promote House unity, and instead can relax and model every couple days," Lily joked.

Brandon chuckled. "Well, then you can relax and pray that your kids never have to go through what you did at Hogwarts. At least when it comes to things like that."

Lily grinned dryly. "Well, my parents prayed that I'd never have to go through what they did at Hogwarts. Maybe it just gets a little less and less with each generation?"

* * *

After the meal had ended, and most everyone had ended up in the parlor, just chatting, Lily found herself simply needing to escape for a few minutes. She had excused herself from her conversation with Lana and Miley, and now found herself sitting in her room. She sat at her desk, staring at the picture of her grandmother, Lily Evans, that was still on the wall from when she'd put it there.

"Needing a breath of fresh air?"

Lily didn't jump at the sound of Draco's voice. "I don't know if I should have expected you to come, or be surprised that Astoria didn't come up."

"Well she was the first of us to notice that you were missing, but I offered to come up and talk to you," Draco replied. "And maybe it's parent intuition, but we knew something was wrong."

Lily turned her head to see that Draco had come to stand by her, but was also looking at the picture as well. "Am I that obvious?" Lily asked.

"No, but our son is. And when something is wrong with him, and then you disappear without him, we know that something is also wrong with you." He glanced at her. "Something I should know about?"

Lily sighed. "There's no fight between the two of us. I just . . . something happened with me, and I haven't told him yet."

Draco looked back at the picture, just as Lily did. "Why not?"

Lily pushed back her hair. "I guess I'm still working out how I feel about it. Sometimes, it cuts me up and hurts, and sometimes it makes me furious, and other times it just upsets me. When Scorpius and I talk, I like to know how I feel about it first. But this time . . . I don't know."

"Why don't you tell him all of that?" Draco suggested.

"Because I know how he'd react. He'd be angry at the other person, and he'd want to do something about it. And even if I told him that I just wanted to forget about it, I know it would still bother him. I know he'd still feel like he should do something," Lily murmured. She almost shook her head at how much this reminded her of the talk between her and Louis.

"Seems you know my son pretty well," Draco said with a dry chuckle. But then he put a hand on her shoulder. "But, Lily, you're making it obvious that you really haven't talked about it, and it's going to eat away at you if you bottle it up. And we both know that Scorpius won't let it go until you tell him. So why don't you?"

Lily leaned her head against his arm, and glanced up at him. "Can I tell you first? It'd be nice to tell someone who's going to stay calm."

Draco sent a small smile down to her. "Of course you can."

Lily relaxed as she, again, looked at the picture. "I got into a fight with James last night. Well, he mainly told me about how I'm dumb to trust that Scorpius will and is waiting for me, and a bunch of crap like that."

"And that's what hurt?" Draco inquired.

Lily shook her head. "No. I don't believe a word he said. It angers me that he'd say that. That's the thing that makes me furious. What upsets me is that . . . it did hurt me, and I don't know why it hurt me, other than . . . because he's my brother," she whispered.

He squeezed her shoulder. "I wish I had advice on how to handle siblings, but since I have none . . . I'm a bit clueless."

"I want to fix things with him . . . but it seems impossible, and that upsets me too. And it almost seems like he doesn't want to fix anything. And it seems that I can't talk to him without yelling and arguing. And I find that at times, all I can think about all the horrible things he's said to me, and not just last night, but over the years. And all I can do is whatever I can to forget those words, or numb myself to the feelings I get when I _do_ think of them." Then she scoffed. "I don't want to be an alcoholic, Draco, but it seems like at this rate, that's where I'll go. Because I can never stop thinking about it at times, and that seems to be the only thing that stops it."

Draco's hand moved from her shoulder, to smooth down her hair in a fatherly way. "It's never easy to stop thinking about the things that hurt you. Probably because they are some of the things that help define us as people. They help make us. Maybe it's because it's easier to bring up old wounds than fleeting happiness. I don't know. But I know it's hard. And toughing it out . . . it doesn't always work."

"Even though I'm mad at him, and even though he's said and done things that have hurt me, and upset me . . . I still want to fix it. And not just because my parents want that. _I_ want that. Because, although I've been denying the feelings, I've come to realize that they can't be ignored. He's my big brother. He was my hero and idol for years. For most of my life and childhood. I want to put things back the way they were . . . but things have become so messed up that I don't think I can do it," Lily whispered.

"Once again, I can't help you on the sibling thing. Astoria might be a bit better about that, although I don't think her and Daphne ever had big problems between them. They've always been pretty close as sisters. But I can say that, sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. Life can be like that. But when you really want something, all you can do is work at it. And even if you don't succeed, you can at least say you tried," Draco said softly.

Lily nodded, but still felt a dull sadness. "You know, I can remember how it was. But I don't think I actually_ know_ how to act like that with James anymore."

Draco dropped both his hands to her shoulders, and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "You know, sometimes, even though a person has really happy memories, when something bad happens to them, they can forget how to be happy again. I know that for a fact. This isn't much different. And really there's only one thing I know to do in order to learn how to again."

Lily ran her fingers across the wood of the desk. "How?"

"You can only try."

* * *

"You let me know whenever you want to stay over. You're free to stay over any night you wish," Astoria stated as she hugged Lily tightly.

Lily smiled. "Of course. And it won't be long before I do," she assured.

"I'm glad," Astoria replied.

"Mum, let her go. I've got to take her home soon," Scorpius joked mildly.

Astoria rolled her eyes, but pulled away from the hug. "You take care, Lily."

Lily nodded. "I will."

"Bye, Lily," Draco said with a small grin.

Lily smiled even brighter. "Bye, Draco."

When Scorpius took Lily outside to Apparate her home, she suspected nothing. But she was surprised when they landed in the middle of Scorpius's own flat, and not the pathway to the Burrow.

Lily looked at him curiously. "What are we doing here?"

Scorpius took a hold of her hand, and brought her to sit on the couch with him. "We are here because not only have you not explained what happened, but you also disappeared in the middle of the night, and said nothing about it when you came back."

Lily sighed as she leaned back into the couch. "I just went up to my room. I wanted to think a little."

"'Bout what?" Scorpius inquired.

"About the conversation that we're about to have," Lily answered. "I wanted to know what I wanted to tell you."

"Do you mean that, you don't intend to tell me all of it?" Scorpius asked.

"At first I didn't know what I wanted to tell you," she whispered. Then she sighed again, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "James and I had a small, but loud, argument last night. It was basically about how I'm dumb to simply love you and trust you while I'm at school."

She could feel Scorpius tense, and she could hear a slight strain in his voice when he spoke. "And why would he say that?"

"Because he doesn't like you. He's an ass. I can list reasons all night, and some would be right, some would be wrong," Lily replied. "But anyway, I got angry. I got upset. It hurt. I ended up getting wasted in the shed, where my uncle George eventually came out and had a drink with me." Lily closed her eyes. "And really, that is it. That's all. How I feel, what happened. That's all."

"And there's nothing I can do, is there?" Scorpius mumbled.

Lily shook her head. "No. I don't want to have another talk with my parents about me and my brothers. I don't want to have another fight with him, and I don't want you to feel like you have to do something about this."

Scorpius pulled away to lean his elbows on his knees, so Lily moved so that she could look at him. A scowl was on his face, but it didn't look as angry as Lily'd expected. "You're my girlfriend, I love you, and he hurt you. I _should_ do something about it."

Lily reached up to play with the hair on the nape of his neck. "But you don't need to. There's nothing to do. I'd rather you just focus on me while you're on your break. And then you'll be too distracted by training to do anything, just like I will be too distracted by modeling, and then school, to even think about it."

Scorpius sighed as he stood up, hands in his pockets. "I'd just hate to let him get away with it."

"Get away with what?" Lily replied.

"Hurting you," Scorpius retorted. "I'm surprised you're letting him."

Lily shrugged. "I don't want to fight anymore."

"So you think it's better to just let him walk all over you? Say what he wants and hurt you?" Scorpius countered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "We rarely do even argue anymore. We aren't around each other often enough."

"So? You still let him do it. Personally, I kind of miss when you were up for fighting back," Scorpius stated.

"It didn't matter if I was angry and fought back, it still hurt even then," Lily argued. "Just like, even if I fight back now, it's still going to hurt. There's nothing that can stop that, Scorpius."

"But I can't say something to defend you?" he countered.

"What would you do, Scorpius?" Lily demanded as she stood up. "What would you be able to do that would make James stop? Nothing. Nothing would change the way he is. So excuse me, if I see no point in fighting anymore. Because fighting just doesn't make me feel better about it anymore. It just seems pointless."

"You think I want to be an Auror and defend people so that criminals will change their point of views? No! But I want them to pay for hurting people. I want them to know and pay because they were _wrong_!" Scorpius stated firmly.

"James and the types of criminals you're getting at, are completely different!" Lily retorted.

"No, they're not!" Scorpius argued. "It's the same situation. You may not change them, but you can't let them get away for doing something that isn't right. When someone does something wrong, there are consequences. And you are letting James get away without any. You are letting him think that it's ok if he were to do it again!"

"No consequences? You really think that both my parents are just going to let this go without trying to talk to both him and me?" Lily countered.

"And what are you going to tell them?" Scorpius demanded. "That you don't want to talk about it. That you want to let it go? Like you're telling me? And then James probably won't tell it in a way that makes him look like the ass he was. Look at me, and tell me I'm wrong."

But Lily didn't look at him . . . because she knew he was right. She had planned to try and bypass any talks her parents wanted to have about it, and James never portrayed himself correctly to their parents. But just because he was right, it didn't make Lily want to fight back. It didn't make her want Scorpius to act on it. "The more you or I act against him, the more he's going to do it. I've leaned that fighting doesn't stop it. We just do things that make us hate each other more. And then he and I are back at square one. I like where I am now. I like that I still want to fix things. But if I give into hating him again . . . then I lose everything I've learned. I would no longer be able to say that I matured. I couldn't say that I tried. And I'd only have myself to blame," she replied softly.

Scorpius sighed and ran a hand over his hair. "Well, I can't let this go. I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just not as mature as you are. Maybe it's a guy thing. But when another guy attacks my loyalty to the woman I love, and hurts her . . . I can't just let it go. I can't ignore it. Because I'm proud of our relationship, Lily. And I'll be dammed if I let anyone attack it, verbally or otherwise."

Now Lily sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Then I guess we differ on opinions when it comes to this matter. So, you can sit here and dwell on it, but I'm going home now."

"I'll take you home, Lily," Scorpius muttered.

"I think I'll take the bus," Lily retorted as she headed for the door.

But Scorpius grabbed her wrist before she got far. "I'll take you home," he said firmly.

Lily didn't look at him, and didn't argue or say a word as he Apparated them out of his flat. After the feeling passed, Lily felt her feet touching down on the thin layer of snow that covered the walkway up the Burrow. Lily waited until Scorpius let go of her wrist, and when he did, she wordlessly walked toward the door.

"So that's it? You're not going to say a thing?" Scorpius demanded.

Lily stopped, but she still refused to turn and look at him. "What's left to say? You told me how you felt, and that you won't let it go. I said what happened, and that I'm letting it go. What else is there?"

Scorpius scoffed. "Well love you too, princess."

The resounding "CRACK" of his Apparation timed well with the crack that stung her heart. She stood out in the snow, alone, trying to ignore the sting in her heart and eyes. She closed her eyes, and brought in what she hoped would be a calming breath. But her heart still squeezed when realization really hit her. She was standing alone outside, and the cold air whipped at her skin. Scorpius wasn't with her, making her forget about the cold temperature or snow. He wasn't there to make the sting in her heart go away. He wasn't there to make everything ok. Because now, she was just as angry at him as she was with what James had done the night before. And like always, she had been right. Her anger had left her feeling empty, and alone.

He wasn't there to push away the cold.

"Lily?" Lily opened her eyes to see that the door to the house had opened, and Hugo was standing in the doorway. He looked at her curiously, but she could see the worry in his eyes. "Are you coming in?" his voice was deceptively teasing in nature, hiding the worry that Lily could see.

Now feeling a little numb from the cold, she nodded. "Yeah," she mumbled as she began walking toward the door. The sudden burst of heat that surrounded her once she stepped inside struck her skin, bringing back the feeling in her bare legs slowly, and a little painfully. Like pinpricks along her skin.

"How was the dinner, flower?" Charlie asked as Lily slipped off her jacket and shoes.

"It was good," Lily said vaguely. She looked at Hugo, who was still looking at her. "Wanna hang out upstairs for a bit?" she asked casually.

Hugo shrugged just as casually. "Sure."

Lily grabbed her bag so that she could change clothes, and then Hugo followed Lily up the stairs, both of them not saying anything. Lily chose her mother's old room for them to hide out in. Lily immediately pulled out a pair of pajamas, and Hugo turned to stare at the door and give her privacy. She dressed quickly, put the dress into her bag, and then dropped onto the bed. "You can turn around now," she muttered.

He did quickly, and came to sit next to her. "What happened, cuz?"

Lily hesitated. She'd filled Hugo in about the argument with James over lunch earlier that day. She had asked him not to do anything to James for it, and as far as she knew, he hadn't. But did she want to talk about this? About an event that was still tugging at her heart. "Scorpius and I had a fight . . . about what happened between James and me," she admitted.

"He doesn't want to let it go like you?" Hugo guessed.

"How'd you know?" Lily whispered.

"Well, for as long as I've known him, Scor has always been a proactive guy. And he's always been protective of you and your relationship," Hugo explained. "But, moving on, are you ok?"

"I miss him already," Lily murmured. "I'm mad at him, but I still wish that he was here. I've always felt better with him around . . . but I'm afraid we'll just argue about it again."

"If you want to talk to him, why don't you just use the mirrors?" Hugo asked.

"Because I think he's really mad at me. He'd probably ignore me," she whispered, and the thought made her heart squeeze even tighter.

Hugo chuckled. "You know, you sound like you miss him more than you sound like you're mad at him," he pointed out.

"Well I am mad . . . but maybe I'm just not good at being mad at him."

"And he's no better at being mad at you," Hugo retorted. "I'd bet my entire Chocolate Frog Card collection that he'd answer if you called him through the mirror."

Lily reached for the pillow, and brought it closer so that she could wrap her arms around it, and rest her chin on it. "I'm still afraid that he won't."

"Well maybe you need to get over the fear of that," Hugo countered.

Lily shook her head and buried her face into the pillow. "I don't want to. Not yet."

She heard Hugo sigh. "Lil, all couples fight."

"I know," she mumbled into the pillow. "He and I have fought before."

"Then you know that the anger doesn't last. You both get over it soon enough," Hugo pointed out.

Lily turned to rest her cheek on the pillow, allowing her to look at her cousin. "But it's different now. There's a time limit. We only have a few days to get over it before he goes back to training, and then only a few more before we go to Hogwarts to finish the year. This time, I'm afraid we won't resolve it in time."

"I thought you and he talked over the mirrors every night while we were at Hogwarts?" Hugo asked.

"I don't think it would be the same," she whispered. "Somehow, I think it would feel different. Unsettled."

"Well, maybe you two need something like that. A bit of time to figure out what you want in your relationship." Then Hugo shrugged. "I don't really know. I've never been in love like you two. I'm just throwing crap out here, take what you want from it."

There was a knock on the door, and without waiting for an answer, Ginny stepped into the room. "Hugo, could you give me a minute alone with my daughter?"

Lily sighed as she sat up and placed the pillow onto her lap. "Later, Huey."

Hugo gave Lily a nod as he too sighed. "Later, Lil. Good luck." He left the room, and the door closed with an almost final sounding "click."

Lily looked over at her mother, who came to sit on the end of the bed. "What's up, Mum?"

"You tell me," Ginny retorted easily.

Lily sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Mum, I don't want to talk about me and James. We've all talked enough about me and the boys over the past few years. I'm tired of discussing it, and our problems, and how to fix them."

Ginny raised a brow. "I love how I can just say a simple sentence, and you basically tell me what's wrong."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well, ha. That's not it at all."

"So there's more?"

Lily almost smacked her forehead. How did she always fall for these things when it concerned her mother? "It's nothing!" she groaned.

"Well it's obviously something. And I'm sure it has to do with Scorpius," Ginny replied.

Lily did her best to keep her face neutral. "Why do you think that?"

"Because if everything was normal, I've no doubt that Scorpius would have, not only walked you to the door, but said 'hello' to everybody before leaving. So what happened?" Ginny asked.

Lily dropped onto her back. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Why is it that you'll talk to Hugo about things, but not your mother? Just curious?" Ginny inquired.

Lily played with the ends of her hair. "Because . . . talking with Hugo is like . . . well didn't you talk to Aunt Hermione more than you did grandma at my age?"

Ginny laughed. "I guess you've got a point there. But why don't you want to talk to me, when I've probably been there more than Hugo has."

Lily sighed. "I doubt it." But when she looked at her mother's expectant face, she sighed again. "Scorpius and I had a fight about my fight with James."

Ginny moved so that she was propped up on her elbow, and was now next to her daughter. "And?"

Lily smoothed out small wrinkles on the pillow. "He's mad that I won't do something about what James said to me. He's angry that I told him not to say or do anything about it. He's mad that I won't let him 'defend our relationship,' when I don't see the need to defend it against what James says. What does James know about our relationship anyway?" she muttered.

"So you don't want him to defend your relationship?" Ginny questioned.

"There isn't a need. And I don't see how it would make a difference," Lily replied.

"Maybe it makes a difference to him," Ginny suggested.

Lily looked at her mother. "What?"

"Did you consider that perhaps it would make Scorpius feel better if he were able to defend his relationship? Maybe it would be to ease his own mind," Ginny pointed out.

"So you want me to tell him to beat up James?" Lily said mockingly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I'm not telling you to do anything. If I've learned anything about you over this past year, it's that you make wise and mature choices that are usually beyond your years. And you are sixteen, soon to be seventeen. And it is _your_ relationship. I can't tell you how to handle it. I can only give advice."

"So what is your advice?" Lily asked.

"Two things," Ginny told her. "First of all, have you ever known Scorpius to be a passive, and 'let it go' type of guy?"

Lily sighed. "No."

"And do you love him?"

"Of course I do."

"And you love everything about him?"

"Yes, Mum. You know I do."

"Then do you think it's right to be angry about something that's just part of who he is?" Ginny questioned.

Lily brought the pillow up to cover her face. "What's the second part?" she mumbled, ignoring how her mother was right.

Ginny pulled the pillow away from Lily. "Have you really sat down and thought why James would say anything at all about your relationship with Scorpius?"

Lily gave her a slightly confused look. "Because he's an ass," she replied.

Ginny smiled and shook her head. "I'll give you an example. When you used to do something I thought was dumb or dangerous, why did I yell at you for doing it? When you answer that, then you'll know why James said what he said." Then after placing the pillow back onto Lily's lap, she got up and left the room.

Lily lay on the bed, smoothing out the pillowcase even though there was no need. She already knew the answer to her mother's given example. But she wasn't sure if it applied to James. She didn't trust James enough to put her hopes on it.

"Because you care," Lily whispered to herself.

* * *

When the next day came, Lily found herself at home and sitting in her own room. Originally, she'd planned to be with Scorpius. But they had also planned to make plans for the day the night before. Sadly, they hadn't gotten to that before the night blew up.

Her mirror was sitting on the pillow, urging her to pick it up and call his name. But the fear in her heart, and the pride of her person, kept her from doing so. She hated both of them. She also hated being stuck in the house. Not that she was, but she felt trapped. She wanted to get out of the house, but she was still hoping that Scorpius would come by the house for her.

Oh, how cruel love and hope could be.

* * *

Lily wasn't able to force herself out of the house until the day after. And she didn't get far. She sat at a table in The Leaky Cauldron, sipping a butterbeer. Her mirror was tucked into her jacket pocket, and her hopes were still on the idea that he would call to her. Mainly because she still didn't have the guts to do it herself.

"Lily?"

Lily turned her head to see that Stacy had approached her table. She was obviously dressed for work, letting Lily assume that Stacy was working a shift today. Lily forced a smile, despite her slighted mood. "Hey, Stacy. How are you?"

Stacy cleared her throat and sat in the other chair. "Um, good. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment?"

Lily sighed, already not wanting to hear about more problems. But Stacy was a friend, and what are friends for? "Sure. What is it?"

Stacy just bit her lip for a moment, so Lily just continued to sip her butterbeer, until Stacy finally spoke. "You've been dating Scorpius for a while now, right?"

Lily tried not to cringe at how Stacy brought up a topic that she really didn't want to discuss at the moment. "Yeah. Over a year," she answered, trying to not sound dull or bitter.

"And you love him, right?" Stacy continued.

Lily took in a big drink before answering. "Yes. Yes I do."

Stacy let out a deep sigh. "Well, . . . has he ever done something that . . . you don't like or approve of?"

Lily looked at Stacy closely, starting to wonder if Hugo had said something about her to Stacy. But when she did, she only saw the face of a concerned and slightly worried girlfriend. So Lily finally engaged herself into the conversation and situation. "Yes. He has. Why do you ask? Problems with Andrew?"

Stacy rubbed her arms, as if to warm herself. "Sort of. He . . . well he did something, and I don't approve. And I don't know what to do."

Lily rested her chin on her palm. "Well, Stacy, it comes down to one thing. Do you love him enough to be able to get past this downfall in personality?"

Stacy still looked hesitant. "I think I do. I mean . . . I've had other boyfriends, but none have made me feel like Andrew has. But after this . . . it's like everything has changed between us. And I'm afraid it'll happen again."

Lily sighed. "Things change when you begin to really see everything that your boyfriend is. You know, I used to hate when Scorpius would brood because a new picture of me came out in magazines, or when a boy would look at me or say something about me. But . . . I love him more than I dislike that part of him. And, once we had a talk about it, he's done his best to not brood every time something similar happens."

Stacy nodded once. "So, you're saying that, if I talk to him about it . . . we might come to an . . . impasse?"

Lily grinned. "Possibly, yes. Did I help you at all?"

Stacy nodded shyly. "Yeah. Thanks, Lily. You're really good at this."

"One thing, though, Stacy," Lily said as Stacy began to stand.

Stacy looked at her curiously. "What?"

"Why ask me for help? Just out of curiosity?" Lily asked.

Again, Stacy smiled. "Well, I'd feel much more comfortable asking a friend than my mother or sister. And out of all my friends, you've had the longest relationship, so you're obviously doing something right."

Lily nodded in understanding. "Ah. I was just curious." But then Lily glanced at her. "So, how's working with my cousin? He bugging ya yet?" she asked, trying to simply sound joking.

Stacy's smile became a little hesitant. "It's fun working with Hugo. He's funny. And really nice."

Unable to help it, Lily glanced down at Stacy's wrist and saw a simple, silver, bracelet. But it was a quick glance, and then Lily looked back at the small smile on Stacy's face. "Well you let me know if he bugs ya. I'll straighten him out for you," Lily teased.

Stacy finally giggled lightly. "I will. Thanks, Lily. I'll see you later."

"Later, Stacy."

But just as Stacy began to walk away, she spun on her heel to look at Lily again. "Um, Lily, do you think that . . . maybe if I have another issue like this that . . . I could come talk to you again?"

Lily sighed and gave her a small but friendly smile. "Of course, Stacy. Anytime." She watched as Stacy walked away from the table and toward the counter where Hannah was waiting for her. Then she sighed again.

Why was it easier to give advice than to take it?

* * *

"As you saw, Maximilian is still sleeping, but my guess is that he'll be awake within the hour," Mrs. Pritchard instructed Lily as she led her down the stairs to return to the hall. She'd just finished showing Lily where everything was in Max's room, and letting her know about Max's usual routine.

"Also," Mrs. Pritchard continued, "Richard and Bradaigh are not allowed outside, and their brooms are to stay locked in the hall closet. They are still in trouble from a few days ago."

Lily looked at Mrs. Pritchard with slight confusion. "Brawdee?" she asked, confused by the name.

But Mrs. Pritchard waved it off. "That's Brady's birth and rightful name. But Richard and Bradaigh could never properly pronounce it, so the kids all started to call him Brady. Anyway, they've all eaten breakfast, so they should be ok until lunchtime. Do not allow the twins to have any snacks. Jonathan will most likely be going to his friend's house, at least that was the plan. Candice and Marsha are playing outside in the backyard, I sent Patrick upstairs to clean his room, it was a mess. And young Robert is still up in his room. I'm not sure what he's doing. He's been up there all morning."

Lily nodded as they came to the front door, where Mr. Pritchard was pulling on his coat. "Is that all?" she asked.

Mrs. Pritchard sighed as she seemed to think. She slipped into the coat her husband held out for her. "I think that's all. Lolita already left, and I don't think Martin said that he would be getting off early today."

"Well, then you can count on me to be here until you get back," Lily assured with a smile.

"Don't tell her that, Lily," Mr. Pritchard said with a small smile. "She's close to her aunt. Tell her that and she'll never leave the hospital."

But Lily smiled. "And I wouldn't mind. I understand how a person can worry when someone they care about is very sick. So, please, stay with her as long as you wish. I'll take care of everything here. You have my word."

With a large smile, Mrs. Pritchard pushed Lily's bangs away from her face. "You are an absolute treasure. I assure you that we'll pay you once we get back."

"That's really not necessary," Lily replied as they opened the door.

"Nonsense, I insist. Now, if you need anything, we're at the hospital, and all of the kids know how to get in contact with Martin at work," Mrs. Pritchard told her. "So, have a good day."

"And good luck," Mr. Pritchard teased lightly.

Lily still smiled. "I hope you enjoy your visit, and that your aunt feels better by it. I know a visit can make the difference."

Once they finally left, Lily sighed and looked around the hall. The house had been pretty clean already, and so far, the house was quiet. With a shrug of her shoulders, she began to go back up the stairs, intending to check on Max. But as soon as she reached the top of the stairs, she was almost startled by the sudden appearance of Brady and Richard.

"Hello, Lily," they both said with overly friendly smiles.

Lily automatically didn't trust them. "Good morning boys." She moved past them, and headed toward Max's room.

"Why hello, Lily," Richard greeted.

"You look lovely this morning," Brady complimented.

Lily glanced back at them. "What do you two want?"

Brady gasped. "So suspicious!"

"But she did hit the mark," Richard sighed.

Lily shook her head as she walked into Max's room to see that he had indeed woken up, and was rubbing at his eyes, and then gave a large yawn. "Well good morning, Max," she greeted sweetly. Max smiled, and babbled cutely. Lily moved to his bed and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Let's get you dress, ok?"

"Anyway, Lily, we have a proposal for you," Richard mentioned.

"We are going to give you the chance to make this day easy on you," Brady told her.

Lily looked at them and raised a brow as she opened Max's closet. "And how is that?"

"By getting out of the house, and going to a friend's house today," Brady answered.

"No," Lily said immediately. "Your mother said you two aren't allowed out of the house." She grabbed a shirt from the closet, and walked back to where Max was still sitting on his bed, swinging his feet.

"But you know we'll eventually grate on your nerves if we stay here with you," Richard pointed out. "So why not make it easier on yourself?"

"You're not allowed out of the house," Lily repeated as she dressed Max in a bold, blue shirt.

"But it's so boring in the house," Richard complained.

"We like to be active and healthy," Brady added.

"No," Lily replied. She tried to slip a pair of pants on Max, but he began to kick his legs, giggling wildly.

"Please, Lily?" Brady pleaded.

"If you let us go out, we'll help you get Max dressed," Richard bribed.

Lily looked at the two with exasperation. So they had already known that it would be difficult to get Max dressed beforehand.

"You should help her anyway." Lily turned to see Bobby standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a nice and casual outfit, with his hair gelled and combed to the side. He smiled at Lily, and stepped into the room. He grabbed Ma's flailing legs, and held him still. "He thinks getting dressed is a game," he told her.

Lily returned his smile with one of her own. "Thank you, Bobby." Then she began to slip the pants over Max's feet.

"Oooh! Don't you look handsome!" Richard mocked.

"Got a hot date?" Brady teased.

Then they both scoffed. "Of course not!" Richard laughed.

"He just plans to stay with Lily all day," Brady said.

"To be her knight in shining armor."

"A helping hand."

"A friendly shoulder."

"A hot kiss."

"Get out!" Bobby roared, his cheeks beet red. Brady and Richard both scurried from the room.

Lily bit her tongue, and focused on snapping the button to Max's pants, trying to spare Bobby any more embarrassment.

"Sorry 'bout them. They're just upset because Mum didn't give into their pleas over breakfast," Bobby apologized.

"Oh, it's ok," Lily assured. Once Max was finally dressed, she picked him up. "Anything else I should know about Max?"

"No!" Max squealed.

Bobby chuckled. "Well, first of all, that's his favorite word, and about all he ever says at this stage." They left the room and headed for the stairs. "Also, he's starting to do some accidental magic every so often, so be careful. And, when it comes to breakfast, he only eats dry cereal. He throws everything else."

Lily gave a nod. "That's simple enough."

"And he likes to try and climb the stairs, so we have a little gate that we put over the stairs. Mum tried different spells, but it just kept all us kids from being able to climb the stairs. The gate works easier," Bobby commented. And when they were at the bottom of the stairs, Bobby grabbed a small gate that had been leaning against the wall, and placed it across the stairs.

Lily sighed as she stepped into the kitchen, and placed Max on the floor. She watched as he stood up on shaky legs, and then stumbled over to the fridge, and began to play with the handle.

"Hold on, tyke. We'll have some breakfast," Bobby said as he grabbed a small bowl from the cabinet.

Perhaps because he heard "breakfast," Max toddled over to the kitchen table, and attempted to pull out a chair. Lily rushed over and helped Max into a chair. Bobby then placed down a bowl of dry cereal. Max quickly grabbed a handful, and placed it in his mouth.

"Oh, and don't worry if he plays with doorknobs. He still can't get doors open," Bobby mentioned.

Lily looked over at Bobby. "You're pretty good at this," she commented.

Bobby shrugged and blushed lightly. "Well, I always tried to help with Candy when she was little, but I was still pretty young too. So I've learned more with Max." He paused, but then looked at her. "You seem pretty good as well."

"I babysit my nephew all the time, as well as my new niece," Lily replied. "And Theo is the same age as Max." Then she sent Bobby another smile. "And by the way, you do look very handsome today."

Bobby looked away bashfully. "Thanks. I just felt like looking nice today."

"Lily!" Candice rushed in and hugged Lily around the waist. Although she wasn't wearing a coat or snow boots, Lily could feel that she was colder from being outside, and there was a bit of snow in her hair.

"You're really watching us today?" Marsha said excitedly.

Lily smiled at them both. "Absolutely. I'll be here until your parents come home."

"Great! Then can you help me with something?" Marsha asked immediately.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Isn't it a little rude to ask someone for a favor so quickly?"

Marsha glared at him. "Isn't it rude to butt into conversations?" But then she smiled at Lily again. "So?"

Lily raised a curious brow. "What do you need help with?"

"An outfit, and hair advice," Marsha replied. "I'm hanging out with Alec and Riley this afternoon."

"Did your parents say that you could?" Lily asked. Marsha nodded eagerly, but Lily still looked over at Bobby.

Bobby sighed but nodded. "Yeah, they said she could. Although, I'm not sure I like the idea of her hanging out with older guys, even if I do know them."

Again, Marsha glared at Bobby. "You sound like Marty. Quit it. Besides, Riley's my age."

"And Alec is my age. And money says that you'll end up hanging out with John, and a few other older guys," Bobby muttered.

Lily laughed lightly, and patted Bobby on the shoulder. "Bobby, I hung out with older guys all the time. She'll be fine." She smiled back at Marsha. "And of course I'll help you. When are you leaving?"

"We're going to meet up for lunch," Marsha answered.

"Ok. Well, let me make sure that Max eats, and then I'll come up and help you," Lily replied.

"No, go on and help her. I've got Max under control," Bobby assured.

"You sure?" Lily asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. And I'll make sure that Rich and Brady are kept in line for the time being."

Lily patted his shoulder again. "Thanks, Bobby. Just let me know if you need help."

"Let's go then!" Marsha squealed happily.

"Can I come too?" Candice asked as she grabbed Lily's hand.

Lily smiled at her. "Of course. Come on."

* * *

As the rest of the day continued, Lily found that the Pritchard children, excluding Richard and Brady, were actually easy to watch. Lily finally helped Marsha pick a flattering pair of skinny jeans, along with a black top to go with it. Then Lily helped her straighten her blonde hair, and clip it to keep her bangs away from her eyes.

"You have such pretty eyes," Lily had told her. "You should keep your bangs from hiding them."

Then Marsha was Flooing out to The Leaky Cauldron. Bobby turned out to be a great help with Max, who was more concerned with just walking around and touching different things.

"He likes to try and learn new words," Bobby explained to Lily. Then Max moved forward and touched the table, so Bobby knelt beside him, and touched it too. "Table," he said slowly.

Max giggled. "Tay-ba," he gurgled cutely.

Bobby grinned at Lily. "He gets closer each time."

Lily smiled at the cute scene. "Ok, so what do you guys want for lunch?"

"Anything!" Candice said with a smile.

"I'm actually heading out now," Johnny said as he stepped in, pulling on a coat.

Lily nodded. "Your mum told me you might be, so that's fine. Bobby, is there anything you'd like?"

"Nah. Whatever you make is ok with me," Bobby assured.

"He'd _love_ anything you made," Brady mocked, as he and Richard sat, practically pouting on the couch.

"A meal from Lily is like a meal from an _angel_ to Bobby," Richard joked.

Bobby glared at the two of them. But Lily shook her head. "Be nice you two. And remember, if you keep pouting, I'm locking you in your room." The twins immediately looked away. Lily looked at Bobby. "What about Patrick? I haven't seen that boy all day."

"He's . . . a little shy," Bobby remarked. "He'll eat anything though. And Max can have anything too."

Lily looked at Bobby skeptically. She had never known Patrick to be shy. He'd always been talkative when Lily had visited before.

Candice pulled on the leg of Lily's jeans, forcing Lily to look down at her. "Patrick is shy around other girls. He feels better when another guy is around."

Lily raised a brow. "Don't Bobby, and Max, and the twins count?"

Candice shook her head. "Only Martin and Johnny. He likes when an older boy is around. And he doesn't count Bobby as older."

Lily laughed and shook her head. "Ok. Well, I'll make you guys some lunch then."

Patrick finally came down after Lily had made lunch. But only after Candice apparently dragged him from the room they shared. And he was basically silent as the others ate and chatted around him. Lily was mostly focused on Max actually eating his food, and making sure he didn't throw any of it.

"I thought Scorpius was coming over," Patrick finally mumbled.

Brady gasped. "He speaks."

"Alert the presses!" Richard laughed.

"Boys," Lily scolded lightly. Then she looked over at Patrick. His dark blonde hair was combed into a spiky style, and his brow was in a scowl over his dark eyes. "Patrick, I don't think Scorpius will be coming over."

"Why not," he pouted. "I like Scorpius."

"Because he might be busy," Lily said vaguely. She really didn't want to explain her relationship problems to a ten-year-old.

"Trouble in paradise," Brady whispered loudly.

Lily tried to keep from glaring at him. "You boys are one sentence away from being banned from dinner altogether," she mumbled.

Once lunch was finished, Patrick disappeared upstairs again, and Lily sent the twins upstairs after they had started to tease both Bobby and Candice. Since Max had still managed to get food on his shirt, Lily changed his clothes, and decided to do a thing of laundry for the Pritchard kids. She found herself again wishing that she was of age to use magic. But Candice helped her get the dirty clothes from her and Patrick's room, along with the clothes from Lola and Marsha's room. Bobby gave Lily all of his and Johnny's clothes that needed cleaning, and then she opened the door to the twins' room.

"What the hell happened in here?" Lily demanded. The room was a mess. Clothes were everywhere, toys thrown about, and blankets and pillows piled around near the bed.

Brady and Richard sat on a small cleared space of floor, playing Exploding Snap. "What do you mean?" Richard asked.

"What happened to your room? Does your mother know it looks like this?" Lily questioned.

Brady shrugged. "I don't think she likes coming in here."

"I think the room scares her," Richard sighed.

Lily gave the two an exasperated look. Then she put the laundry basket on the floor near the door. "Get all your dirty clothes together," she commanded.

Brady groaned. "Must we?"

"Now!" Lily snapped.

Both boys quickly got up, and began to move around the room, pulling clothes out from under the bed, thrown randomly in the closet, hanging out of dresser drawers, and hanging on the closet doorknob. Obediently, they put them in the basket by Lily's feet.

Lily gave the two a stern look. "Now I want you two to clean this room before your parents get home."

They both gave her a shocked and disbelieving look. "You can't be serious!" Richard replied.

"It would take forever!" Brady complained.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Let me start the washer, and then I'll come up and help you. But this mess is ridiculous."

Brady groaned. "Do we have to?"

Lily sighed and ruffled his hair. "Yes."

"But why?" Richard whined.

Lily leaned down a little so that she could look both of them in the eye. "Look you two, your mum's favorite aunt is very sick, and she's worried. And she might be a little upset when she gets home. And if something happens to your aunt, she'll probably be very upset. Now, don't you think that the least you two could do is clean your room, so that she doesn't have to come home and clean up a mess?"

Both boys looked at their feet. "Yes," they both mumbled.

Lily finally gave them a smile. "So, you two start cleaning, and then I'll come back up and help you, ok?"

They both looked up at her and nodded. "Ok, Lily," Brady agreed.

"You know, you can be scary at times, but then nice and right at the same time," Richard pointed out.

Lily chuckled. "It's a trait most females in my family get. Now, I'll be back, ok?"

"Do the others have to clean their rooms?" Richard asked.

Lily picked up the basket and thought for a moment. "You know, I think I'll have them do that. It'd be a nice surprise."

"Can we tell them?" Brady requested.

Lily gave them a slightly suspicious look, but then nodded. "Ok, but when I come back up here, you'd better be in here."

* * *

Lily was surprised by how Brady and Richard had somehow gotten the other kids motivated to start cleaning their own rooms. Candice and Patrick both continued to clean where Patrick had left off, and Bobby continued to watch Max, while Lily helped the twins. But once she'd returned to the room, she found that they were doing fine on their own.

"So, do you need my help?" Lily asked them.

"Can you make our beds?" Richard asked as he began to pick through a pile of Chocolate Frog Cards.

"We're really bad at it," Brady said as he fixed clothes that were hanging lopsidedly on hangers in the closet.

"Of course," Lily told them. "You can't grow up in my family without knowing how to make a bed perfectly. But, which blankets and pillows belong to who."

So the boys stopped what they were doing, and began to separate the pillows and blankets. Lily immediately noticed the color scheme. Brady had the white sheets, a thick purple comforter, a thin lavender blanket with a Snitch pattern, and pillows with silk, royal purple color. Richard had a light blue sheet, a thick comforter that was ocean blue, a thin baby-blue blanket, and dark blue pillows.

"What's with the thin blankets?" Lily asked as she pulled the sheets over Brady's bed.

"Baby blankets," Richard answered.

"Put them on after the sheets. They should be the first blankets on the beds," Brady instructed.

"I didn't know you two had baby blankets," Lily commented.

"All of us kids do," Brady said.

"Even Marty still has his," Richard added.

"I bet he even sleeps with it," Brady joked.

"We know Ginger does," Richard mentioned.

Lily shook her head and smiled. "Well, besides the beds, is there anything else you'll need help with?"

"I guess we can do the rest," Brady told her.

"Then you can watch Max while Bobby cleans his and Johnny's room," Richard offered.

"Well, you let me know if you need help, and I'll come help you," Lily assured.

"Are we just cleaning our rooms?" Brady asked as he closed the closet door.

"Well I planned on cleaning up the entire house a little," Lily replied. "But you don't have to help with that. Just your rooms will be enough."

"Nah, we can help," Richard told her.

"After all, it might put us in a better light with Mum," Brady joked. Lily looked at them with a raised brow. Brady sighed. "And it would be nice if we did something for her. _Especially_ after the trouble we caused on Christmas."

"What did you do?" Lily asked curiously as she started on making Richard's bed.

"Had some fun with our Christmas presents," Brady said vaguely.

"Good-natured fun," Richard agreed. But then Lily gave him a small but stern look, so Richard looked away. "Ok, so we lit a few fireworks in the house."

"And accidently made Candy cry when we scared her," Brady added.

"That was an accident though," Richard said quickly.

"We did feel bad for that one," Brady assured.

"We would never make Candy cry on purpose," Richard defended.

Lily smiled lightly. "I believe you on that." Then she sighed as she finished the bed. "Ok, well I'm going to relieve Bobby of watching over Max so he can clean up his room as well. Then I'll probably clean up Max's room a little. Mostly his toys."

* * *

Lily was surprised at how eager Brady and Richard were to help clean around the house after they had finished their room. And when Lily had checked to see that their room was really clean, she was surprised to see that it was spotless. She checked everywhere. Nothing was just jammed or thrown into the closet or dresser. They didn't put a bunch of things under their beds. Even the contents in their desk were clean and organized.

"Do you want help with the other rooms?" Brady asked.

"We're willing to help," Richard offered.

Lily almost laughed. "Are you trying to get on my good side so that I might give you a few more liberties?"

Brady sighed. "Sort of, although we know that you will follow all the rules Mum gave you concerning us."

"And partially because you were right. Mum has been really worried about Auntie Marcia lately," Richard said.

Lily smiled at them. "Well, you can help clean up the living room and kitchen. But I don't want you touching Lola and Marsha's things, so I'll leave their rooms to them."

"What about Martin and Ginger's room?" Richard inquired.

"They don't have much left in there," Brady added.

"Just a few things incase they come to stay for a night."

"We could make up their bed."

"Make sure the floor is clean."

"Ok, ok," Lily said, stopping their back-and-forth sentences. "Just don't rifle through anything personal. Promise?"

"We promise!" they assured before running off toward their siblings' room.

"What can I do?" Candice asked sweetly. Lily had already checked her and Patrick's room, and it was spotless as well. And surprisingly, Patrick was actually out of his room. But he was still silent, standing behind Candice.

Lily sighed. "Well, would you two start on the living room and kitchen? Your brothers will help once they finish their rooms."

Candice smiled brightly. "Of course! Come on, Ricky!" She took Patrick's hand, and began to drag him down the hall.

Soon the twins came down to help, as did Bobby. Lily and Bobby took care of the kitchen, while the other four cleaned the living room. Max just played with a few toys in the middle of the kitchen floor. After cleaning up the toys in his room, Lily had brought a few down to occupy him.

"I thought your mum said that Max usually took a nap about this time," Lily commented as she looked at the clock.

"He's probably excited about having someone new in the house," Bobby said. "Which is good, because that means he'll sleep like a rock when he goes to bed tonight."

"Why is everyone cleaning?"

Lily turned to see Marsha standing near the doorway, looking completely confused.

"We're doing it as a gift to Mum," Bobby answered.

"My guess is that this was Lily's idea?" Marsha guessed.

Lily gave a nod. "Yes. And it's a command, so go and clean your room too. Just don't go through any of Lola's things."

Marsha groaned. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. And then over dinner, I want to hear all about your day with Alec and Riley," Lily told her, knowing it would perk her up.

And it did. "Ok! I've got some great stories to tell you." Then she was running off to her room.

Bobby rolled his eyes. "No twelve-year-old girl should have 'great stories' to tell," he muttered.

Lily laughed. "Wow, you do sound like Martin."

Bobby scoffed. "No. Just a big brother. And a concerned one."

"You're not going to be like Martin is to Lola with Marsha, are you?" Lily teased.

Bobby shrugged as he put the broom away. "Possibly. Depends if I can trust the guys she hangs out with. And personally, I'd feel better if she hung out with more girls. Girls her age. But she's always hanging out with Alec. And I don't mind Alec. He's cool. But he's still a guy, and two years older."

Lily only shook her head. "Well, while she may resent it, later she'll realize that you mean well. That's how it was for Lola, if I remember correctly."

Bobby sighed. "I have too many sisters," he muttered.

"The laundry's done, Lily!" Brady and Richard said as they brought in the basket, setting it on the kitchen table.

"We did the honor of sorting it before throwing it in the basket," Brady commented.

"Max's clothes on the bottom, and then Candy's, then ours', the Ricky's, and so on up the line," Richard explained.

Lily smiled and patted them both on the shoulder. "Well thank you."

"Why don't you go and put it all away? I'll watch Max," Bobby told her.

"And we'll help with the kitchen!" Brady said.

Bobby glared at the twins. "You are so up to something."

Lily just laughed as she picked up the basket. "No fighting, you three. And thank you, boys. I'll be done in a few minutes."

Lily made her way up the stairs, and went to each room, putting away clothes. She did her best to figure out which clothes were Bobby's and which were Johnny's. When she wasn't sure, she just left them on the dresser. Max's room was last, so she opened his dresser, and began to fold, and put them away. But after a few minutes, someone knocked at the door she'd left open. Lily turned, ready to question why one of them was knocking, but she stopped short, and almost dropped the tiny shirt in her hands, when she saw that it was Scorpius standing at the door. He looked tired, and almost like he was brooding. It was obvious that he hadn't shaven in the past few days, and his lips were almost pulled into a grimace. He wore a grey shirt and baggy black jeans. His hands were stuffed into the pockets.

Just as when she'd first seen him after coming home, her first instinct was to run and hug him. And the longing in her wanted to immensely. But again, her pride welled in her throat, and she turned her back to him, and continued to fold the shirt in her hands.

"What are you doing here?" she grumbled.

"You invited me," Scorpius retorted. "I wasn't sure if my invitation was still open or not, so I decided to come."

"It took you all day to work up that courage? You really aren't a Gryffindor," she muttered lowly.

"_You_ didn't have the _courage_ to talk to me with the mirror," he countered.

"Neither did you! That's one count against two of yours," she replied childishly.

"Well I was angry," Scorpius admitted, but then he paused briefly, "at first. But then . . . then I just wanted to see you."

"But your pride wouldn't let you," Lily stated as she continued to fold the rest of Max's clothes.

"You sound so sure," he said.

"That because it's the same reason I didn't contact you," Lily said honestly.

Scorpius hesitated then. "So, you're still mad at me?"

Lily set down the last shirt, and finally turned back to look at him again. "I don't know anymore. All I know is that I missed you. And I hate that we lost two days because of this."

Scorpius sighed. "So do I."

Lily moved forward and hugged him around the middle. "I'm sorry for how you left."

One of Scorpius's hands moved to stroke her hair, while the other came to rest on her hip. "I still don't think that I can let it go without at least saying something," he mumbled.

Lily nodded. "I know. And I may not like it, but I can accept it. After all, that's just you."

She felt him place a small kiss on the top of her hair. "I'm sorry."

But Lily shook her head. "No, don't be. I was wrong to keep you from doing what you felt was right. I'm sorry."

Scorpius pulled her flush against him. "I love you, Lily Luna."

"I love you too," she whispered. "But, can I ask you one thing?"

"Anything," he murmured.

"Before you do or say anything to James, at least think about it first," Lily requested.

"Well I promise to try," he assured.

Lily couldn't help but to smile. "That's all I can really hope for."

That was when Scorpius finally tilted her head back and kissed her. Lily felt the weight of her longing disappear from her shoulders almost instantly as she kissed him back. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and the other on his cheek. The thick stubble scratched at her hand, but she hardly noticed it amidst the passion of their kiss.

"Oh damn!"

"Lily!"

Lily broke the kiss in shock, and immediately pulled away from Scorpius and hurried out of the room. She took the stairs two at a time, practically running as she heard frenzied voices coming from the kitchen. When Lily got to the door, Scorpius right behind her, she saw a surprising, and slightly panicked sight.

Bobby was holding his hand close to his chest, muttering curses under his breath. Max sat on the floor, innocently confused, while the other siblings stood around in their own panic and what must have been fright.

Candice was the first to notice that Lily had arrived on the scene. "Max accidently slammed Bobby's hand in the pantry door!" she cried.

Lily hurried to where Bobby was cradling his hand. "Let me see," she instructed gently.

Bobby slowly held out his hand, and Lily almost winced when she saw it. It was swelling badly, and was already discolored, and looked ready to bruise even worse. And even worse, two of his fingers looked oddly crooked. Carefully, she took his hand into hers.

Bobby hissed harshly. "Ow!" he groaned.

Lily gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry." Then she looked at Scorpius. "Do you know a spell?"

Scorpius shook his head as he came closer. "Nothing that could fix something like that. And since I don't plan to be a medic Auror, I haven't been taught any in training," he replied.

Lily sighed. "Ok, then I've got a purse sitting on the couch. In it is my potion box. Go grab that for me, and my wand. Brady, can you put some ice in a bowl for me? And Marsha, grab Max."

The three quickly did as she told them. Lily led Bobby to sit down at the table. Candice came to sit in the seat next to him. "What can I do?" she asked as Brady brought over a bowl of ice.

Lily gave her a reassuring smile. "Just don't worry," she said as she carefully put Bobby's hand into the ice. He hissed again, this time through gritted teeth.

"I think he broke something," he mumbled.

Lily nodded. "I think he did too," she replied.

"I got the things you wanted, babe," Scorpius said with a sigh as he returned. He placed the tiny box on the table.

Lily pulled the hand-sized box closer. "Thank you." Then once she'd whispered the password, and gave the box a tap with her wand, it expanded largely. Lily set her wand down, opened the top, and pulled open smaller compartments. "Just keep your hand in the ice," Lily told Bobby as she began to pull out a few potions. "Actually, Candy, why don't you get Bobby something to drink. I'm sure he'll want something after he drinks these."

Candice smiled at the chance to be helpful. "Ok!" She hopped from her chair, and hurried to fulfill Lily's request.

Meanwhile, Lily handed Bobby the first potion. "Ok, this one will numb the pain. Take a small drink. And I'll warn you now, none of these will taste pretty."

Bobby was already grimacing, but with his good hand, he picked up the potion and brought it to his lips. Lily watched as he took a small drink, and then looked ready to spit it back up. But with a disgusted look, he swallowed it down. Then he gagged. "Man that was nasty!" he complained.

Lily sighed. "Well, one bright side is that the rest taste a bit better. They're still awful, but better than that one. So, drink up, because this will stop the swelling," she said as she handed him the next.

Lily gave Bobby four potions total, each disgusting, but useful. Then she had Candice give him the glass of pumpkin juice she'd gotten for him. Bobby began to chug it down.

"That last one was to heal the broken fingers. But it'll take time to work. Richard, could you get some bandages?" Richard nodded, and hurried from the room. Lily looked back at Bobby. "We'll keep your hand wrapped until they heal."

Bobby sighed as he finished the glass. "How will I know when they've healed?"

"Well, they won't look crooked. And you'll feel them shift and fix themselves," Lily explained.

Bobby grimaced again. "Will it hurt?"

"Well, I can give you something to keep it numb. So I can keep it from hurting, but you'll still feel it. It'll just be weird-feeling," Lily offered.

"Sounds like a better idea," Bobby said.

Lily opened another small compartment of the now bigger potion box, and took out three empty bottles. She began to fill them only so far with a numbing potion. "These should last you through the night then. Once you feel the pain again, then take one. Your fingers should heal by the end of the night."

"I got bandages!" Richard announced as he came back in.

Scorpius took them from him. "I got this then. Pull out your hand, Robbie," he instructed.

Lily was glad to see that Bobby's hand looked better after he pulled it from the ice. The swelling was receding, and the bruising was already fading. She watched as Scorpius took much care in wrapping Bobby's hand, putting his crooked fingers into their normal position so that they could heal right.

"Does that hurt?" Scorpius asked as he moved the first one into a straight position.

Bobby shook his head. "I don't feel a thing now."

Scorpius chuckled. "Good."

Lily felt someone tug on the hem of her shirt. She turned her head to see that it was Patrick. "What is it?" she asked.

"When will dinner be?" he asked timidly. "I'm really hungry."

Lily sighed as she looked at the clock. It had been hours since she'd made them lunch, and the window showed that it was almost dark outside. "I'll start making you kids something now. It has been awhile."

"Do you need help?" Marsha asked as she held a squirming Max.

"Sure," Lily replied.

"I'll take Max," Scorpius said as he finished bandaging Bobby's hand. He stood up and took Max from Marsha, who looked happy to be relieved of holding the squirming toddler. Scorpius held him up high, making him squeal with giggles. "Come on, little man. Let's go and read a book until dinner, huh?" Then he was walking out of the kitchen, Max still giggling as they left.

Marsha gave Lily a sly and playful grin. "You have the perfect boyfriend, you know that right?"

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled, as she stood from her seat. "Yeah, I guess I know that."

"And probably the hottest," Marsha added as she leaned against the counter.

Again, Lily rolled her eyes. "What do you want for dinner?" she asked, ignoring Marsha's comments.

"You can make us anything," Marsha replied. "And how about everyone else leaves the kitchen?"

"Why?" Bobby demanded.

"What are you going to talk to Lily about?" Brady teased.

"Boys?" Richard mocked.

"Something you shouldn't be talking about?" Brady joked.

"Will you just get out?" Marsha hissed.

"Bobby, go relax in the living room. And how about the rest of you go and make sure the living room is completely clean?" Lily suggested.

The twins grumbled, but left the kitchen. Bobby sighed and was obviously reluctant to leave. But he left with Patrick following behind him.

But little Candice stayed. "I'm a girl. Why can't I stay?" she asked cutely.

"You are a girl, but you're also only six. Go clean with the boys," Marsha replied, ushering her little sister out of the room. Once they were alone, she turned to look at Lily again, who had begun to take a few things out for dinner. "Lily, can I ask you a question? It's a confidential one, so you can't tell Lola."

Lily sighed. "Why don't you _ask_ your _sister_ this question? Isn't that what sisters are for?" she asked.

"Usually I would. But I think you can relate to my question better. So, can I ask it?" Marsha pleaded.

Lily gave in and nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

Marsha lifted herself to sit on the counter. "Well, you and Scorpius were like . . . best friends before you dated, right?"

"Well, we became really good friends during my first year, and yeah, it evolved to us being best friends. Why is this relevant?" Lily inquired.

"My question isn't done," Marsha replied. "Anyway, you were best friends. But . . . when you started to crush on him, were you ever afraid to tell him? Afraid that it could totally ruin the great friendship you have?"

Lily looked at her with a raised brow. "You're crushing on Riley?"

Marsha looked shocked. "What? No! No, Riley's almost like a cousin to me! I mean, I could consider him a brother, but I find brother's annoying. Cousin sounds better to me . . . but anyway, no! Not Riley!"

Lily looked at her with a bit of confusion. "I thought Riley was your best friend? You're always hanging out with him."

"Actually, I always hang out with him and Alec. Now take a guess on who my best friend is," Marsha muttered.

Lily bit back a grin. "You're crushing on Alec Avery?"

Marsha nodded. "Yeah. I mean, he's really cute, and he's funny. I don't really care if he's two years older. After all, Scorpius is two years older than you."

Lily sighed. "Yeah, that's true. Although, my feelings for him didn't really set in until about my fourth year. I mean, I thought he was cute and funny in my second and third years too. But it wasn't until my fourth year that I really, _really_, liked him. More than a crush even."

Now Marsha gave her an exasperated look. "You're not going to tell me that I'm too young, are you?"

Lily laughed. "No, you have older siblings for that. But I will tell you to think about it. Are these feelings really concrete? And if it is just a crush, is it worth risking your friendship? And not a lot of first relationships last. These were all questions that I had to think about before I even considered telling Scorpius how I felt."

"How did you tell Scorpius?" Marsha inquired curiously.

Lily wet her dry lips. "Well, the kiss we shared at a Slytherin party was a really good indicator."

"So you just kissed him?" Marsha asked.

Lily thought about that. She was surprised on how it seemed like so long ago when they shared their first kiss. "Well, the kiss was . . . spontaneous. We kissed each other. I don't think either one of us started it. It just happened, you could say."

Marsha sighed heavily. "It sucks having a crush on your best friend," she mumbled.

Lily chuckled dryly. "Sucks more when you fall in love with him. Makes it practically impossible to stay angry at him."

* * *

Lily closed _The Tales of Beetle the Bard_, and looked at where Candice was now sleeping soundly under the comfort and warmth of her blankets. Her dark copper hair fell across her pillow, her arms holding the blankets close to her body.

Careful not to wake the sleeping girl up, Lily got up from where she sat on the bed, and turned off the dim lamp on the bedside table. Then she silently crept from the room, leaving the door open just a sliver. Then she moved down the hallway, and peeked in on Max. He was still asleep, but it was obvious he had rolled around on his bed. The blankets were tangled around him, but he didn't look like he was waking up until morning.

So she quietly made her way down the stairs, where she could hear the others in the living room. She walked in to find Marsha flipping through an issue of _Witch Weekly_, where Lily could see a picture of herself on the cover. Again, Brady and Richard were playing a game of Exploding Snap, Johnny, who had come home an hour or so ago, was reading a book, Patrick and Bobby were looking through a Quidditch magazine, while Scorpius was lazily making an empty glass dance around the table with simple flicks of his wand.

"The younger ones are asleep," Lily announced as she looked at them. Then she looked at the twins. "Brady, Richard, when do you usually go to bed?"

"Two in the morning," they both answered instantly.

Lily rolled her eyes and looked at Bobby. "Bobby, what time?"

Bobby glanced at the clock. "Well, since they're in trouble, they were actually supposed to be in bed two hours ago. Sorry, I forgot."

"See, we already broke our bedtime rule," Brady said.

"Why stop now?" Richard added.

But Lily shook her head. "Why not call it a gift from me for helping clean the house. Now go to bed."

Both groaned. "Must we?" Brady asked.

"Now," Lily repeated.

The twins sighed, but picked up their cards and went to the door. They stopped in front of Lily, looked at each other, then at her. "Good night, Lily," they both said.

"You're probably the best babysitter we've had," Richard admitted.

"We fear you, but still like you. That's rare," Brady agreed.

Lily smiled and rolled her eyes. "Good night, you two."

"Night!" they both said with smiles, and then moved past her, and went into the hall.

"And don't wake Candy or Max up," Lily warned. Then she looked to the others. "What about the rest of you?"

"On breaks, Marsha and I have until midnight," Bobby answered.

"A privilege we get once we start school," Marsha said with a grin.

"And you, Patrick?" Lily asked.

He sighed as he stood from the couch. "I'm going. G'night, guys," he mumbled.

After he received various "Good nights" from the others, and he'd left the room, Lily looked at the others. "Why is that boy so shy and quiet?"

"Stands out among us, doesn't he?" Marsha joked.

"We have no clue why," Bobby said in agreement.

"And, so you know, I don't have to go to bed until midnight either, Lily," Johnny said as he turned the page of his book.

"That's fine," Lily said as she came to sit by Scorpius, who finally let the glass rest on the table. He wrapped an arm around her just as they heard the door open.

"I'm home!" Lola's voice called from the hall.

"Where the hell have you been all night, Lolita Laura Pritchard?" Bobby yelled to her. "What date takes that long?"

"Mind your own damn business, Robert Thomas Pritchard!" Lola called back. Seconds later, she was walking into the room. She smiled when she saw Lily. "You're still here?"

Lily grinned. "Your parents have yet to return. I'm staying until they get back."

Lola looked around. "Wow, it's actually clean."

"You missed it. She got the twins to clean their room," Marsha told her.

Lola laughed. "Wow. That's amazing."

"Actually, we all cleaned our rooms, plus the rest of the house. Don't worry. I didn't touch any of your things," Marsha assured.

"Actually, you didn't clean as much as the rest of us did," Bobby amended. "And Johnny pretty much just came home, and didn't clean at all."

"And I apologized," Johnny mentioned.

"But back to the main point, what the hell kind of date takes that long?" Bobby demanded.

Lola rolled his eyes. "Bite me, _little_ brother. And once again, mind your own business."

"Well what the hell could you have been doing for an entire day?" Bobby pointed out. "I can only think of one thing."

"That's because you're prepubescent," Lola mocked.

"Hey, I've gone through puberty!" Bobby argued.

"And," Lola continued, "there are plenty of things that can go on during a date, besides sex. Don't be a child."

"Children, children," Lily scolded teasingly. Then she sighed. "How about me, you, and Marsha go up to your room, and you can tell us about it?"

Lola nodded. "Sure, but why is my sister coming?"

Lily laughed as she stood up. "Because then you can hear about her day, and so we don't force her to put up with three boys."

"Boys?" Scorpius questioned.

Lily rolled her eyes as the girls made their way to the hall. "Two boys and a man," she corrected.

"Thank you," Scorpius called as they left the room.

Lily looked over at Lola. "And by the way, have you heard from Megan?"

Lola shook her head. "No, have you?"

Lily grinned. "I've heard what happened."

Lola grinned just as slyly. "I think I've gotta hear this."

* * *

"Lily Potter, you are an absolute angel!" Mrs. Pritchard squealed as she looked around the clean living room. Lily, Scorpius, and Lola were the only ones still up.

Lily gave her a smile. "Really it was no trouble. Me and the others just thought it would be nice if you could come home from your visit and not have to worry about cleaning a mess."

"Where are the other kids, Lolita?" Mr. Pritchard asked.

"Well Lily apparently put both Max and Candy down to bed, and got the twins and Patrick to go to bed on time," Lola answered.

"And Johnny, Marsha, and Bobby just went to sleep not too long ago," Lily added.

"Were they any trouble?" Mrs. Pritchard asked.

Lily shook her head. "None at all, when compared to the kids in my family. Actually, the twins even cleaned their room, and helped to clean the rest of the house."

"Richard and Bradaigh? Those twins?" Mr. Pritchard asked with a chuckle.

"Yup. So, I hope you don't mind, but I let them stay up a little bit longer than they were supposed to. A little thank you for helping so much," Lily told them.

"Oh, that's fine. It's a miracle that you convinced them to help. Those two can be such a handful," Mrs. Pritchard replied.

"Also, Bobby had a little accident," Scorpius commented.

But before Scorpius could explain, Mrs. Pritchard gave an alarmed look. "What happened? Is he ok?"

Scorpius just waved it off. "He's fine. Max accidently slammed the pantry door on his hand. But Lily gave him a few potions to fix it up. He'll be a hundred percent by morning," he promised.

"Once again, Lily, you are an angel," Mrs. Pritchard said with a sigh.

Lily shrugged. "Thanks, but it was really no trouble. Kids are easy to handle when you grow up with about ten cousins."

"Well let me go get my purse, and I'll pay you for the night," Mrs. Pritchard told her.

"That's really not necessary," Lily assured her.

"I insist!" Mrs. Pritchard countered as she left to the hall.

Lola rolled her eyes. "The only payment I get for babysitting is a 'thank you' and that's it," she muttered.

"They're your siblings. You can consider it a chore," Mr. Pritchard sighed as he sat down on the couch.

"How was the visit, Graham?" Scorpius asked as he sat next to him.

Mr. Pritchard pushed back his hair. "Good. Marcia is looking good. And Elisa and Ginger made it through without crying. Did Martin stop by?"

"No, he didn't," Lily answered.

"I came by some time before dinner, and they were all cleaning," Scorpius told him.

Mr. Pritchard gave a nod. "That's good." Then he clapped Scorpius on the shoulder. "So how's Auror training going, Scor?"

Lola shook her head. "How is it that your boyfriend can connect easily with any father?"

Lily shrugged. "I've no clue. You don't think Jace could?" she asked in a whisper.

Lola rolled her eyes. "If I asked Jace to have a talk with my dad, he'd probably pee himself."

Lily laughed. "That afraid?"

"More of Marty. Because Dad would for sure tell him. Then Dad would forbid me to see him, and then Marty would beat him up," Lola muttered.

"Well, my dad hated Scorpius when we first dated. And now they get along fine. I'm sure it'll be the same for your dad and Jace," Lily told her, trying to make her feel better about the situation.

"Yeah, but Scorpius spends more time with your dad since he started training. Jace probably won't be working with my dad after school," Lola pointed out.

"Actually, my dad _did_ try to make an effort to like Scorpius before he started training. Although, it wasn't until after he'd graduated. But still," Lily replied.

"Here you are, Lily!" Mrs. Pritchard announced as she returned to the room. She held a small pouch, and held it out to Lily. When she took it, she knew immediately that it was more than necessary.

But Lily knew that protesting would get her nowhere. "Thank you, Mrs. Pritchard."

"Oh, thank _you_, Lily. I don't think that Lolita ever got the twins to help clean anything," Mrs. Pritchard joked.

Lola rolled her eyes. "It was easier to get the entire staff of Hogwarts to call me Lola than it is to get my mother to."

Mrs. Pritchard dismissed it. "I named you Lolita, not Lola. I retain the right to call you by your real name."

Lola shook her head. "Something about pureblood mothers and giving their kids the longest names," she mumbled.

"Well, Lily, Scorpius, I'm sure we've kept you two here long enough," Mr. Pritchard said. "And if you give her the chance, my wife will keep you longer."

Lily and Scorpius laughed lightly, while Mrs. Pritchard playfully smacked her husband's shoulder. "It's ok. I told my parents I might be home late," Lily assured them.

"But, I'd better get you home," Scorpius said with a sigh as he stood from the couch.

There was another five minutes of Mrs. Pritchard thanking both of them for their help, before Scorpius finally walked Lily outside. Then he looked at her. "By the way, you did perform a miracle by getting the twins to be helpful," he joked.

Lily laughed and shook her head as they walked down the sidewalk to the Apparation point. "Well, I guess I scare them, but I'm still nice to them. At least that's what they think."

Scorpius wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "So, what are we doing tomorrow?"

Lily bit her lip. Tomorrow was Scorpius's last day before he went back to training. Again, she hated that they wasted two whole days by being angry and prideful. "I don't know. Perhaps just spend the day together? And then I could just stay over at the manor."

Scorpius smirked. "So basically, you'll just spend the night with me as well?"

Lily smiled. "So you know my intentions?"

Scorpius chuckled. "Using the manor is good cover, but you don't think that your parents will assume I'll be there too?"

She shrugged again. "It would be supervised. Your parents _and_ grandparents will be there too," she pointed out.

They both stopped walking once they reached their destination, and Scorpius turned to look at her fully. "But tell me, how long do you plan to stay in my flat until we finally go to the manor?"

Lily gave him a mockingly innocent look. "Are you assuming that we'll be at your flat at all?"

Scorpius laughed. "Oh, don't even try that innocent facade. I know you plan to."

"Are you saying that I'm planning to be in your bed most of the day? Is that really what you think of me?" Lily mocked, wanting to hear how'd he'd backpedal.

But Lily should have known that Scorpius would have a charming and smooth answer for anything. "I'm not saying anything about you. I'm just pointing out that _I_ plan to take my girlfriend home and take every minute to show her just how much I'm going to miss her," he murmured, placing a hand on her cheek, his thumb stroking small circles. "And I'm just curious as to when you'll want to pause so that I can take you to the manor, and then continue there."

Lily felt her heart pound, but she kept a causal and teasing tone. "Are you saying that you plan to take advantage of me in your parents' home?"

Scorpius smirked again. "I think you need to get your mind out of the gutter, baby girl. I just said that I planned to show you how much I missed you. Sex never entered my sentence."

Lily closed her eyes, and bit her lip to keep from laughing, as she heard him laugh. She smacked his arm. "Take me home, you ass," she replied.

Scorpius still chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her, and Apparated them to the park in Godric's Hollow. When their feet hit the ground, he looked down at her, still chuckling lightly. "I love you, babe."

Lily smiled. "I love you too." She reached up to kiss him, and his lips were warm despite the cold winter air. When she pulled back, she felt her smile turn brighter. "Come on. My parents are probably waiting up for me."

They both began walking toward her house. "What will they think if they see me walking you home?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. And at the moment, I don't really care."


	88. When Something Isn't Right

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I know this chapter is quick and short, but it was necessary to be so. Things are getting ready to build up, so they needed to get back to school. Plus, there wasn't much left for there to happen over the break anyways. So, be ready for drama. Read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Eight: When Something Isn't Right

Lily sighed as she emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and changed into a comfortable shirt and pair of shorts. She was in her room at the manor, getting ready for bed. She'd spent the entire day with Scorpius, a good portion of it at his flat, and then spent the evening with Astoria and Draco as well.

Unconcerned with the fact that she wasn't of age at the moment, Lily picked up her wand from the vanity, and began to dry her hair. A small wave of emotion washed over her heart as she thought of her day with Scorpius. He had done more than enough to make up for the two days they'd spent apart and angry at each other. But she still hated that it had been their last day before he went off to training. And it was worse to think that, even when summer break came around, he'd be training the entire time. She never thought she would, but Lily was starting to consider asking her father to give him a bit more time away from training. But she knew Scorpius wouldn't want that.

Just as Lily picked up her hairbrush, a knock sounded at her door. She sighed again and got up, putting the brush down. She walked over to the door and pulled it open. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Scorpius standing there, waiting for her.

A smile pulled across her lips. "Hey there, handsome," she greeted.

He smirked. "Good evening, beautiful. It's lovely to see you again." He took her hand, and placed a kiss on the back of it.

Lily bit back a small giggle. "What are you doing here, Scorpius?"

Interlocking their fingers, he stepped closer, forcing her to step back. Once he was fully in the room, he kicked the door shut. "I told you that I planned to make up for the two days we missed."

Lily felt her skin tingle. "And you did. More than that, actually."

His smirk grew sly, and he leaned down, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. "So now I've got to make up for the time we're about to lose."

When his lips meshed with hers in a passionate kiss, Lily felt the normal warm sensation run across her body, and almost melt her. He let go of her hand, and then buried it into her hair. Her hands immediately rested on his biceps, her fingertips feeling electric as they brushed along the muscles of his arms. Scorpius's other hand slowly slid beneath the hem of her shirt, and his fingers began stroking up and down the skin of her side, his thumb rubbing the occasional circle on her stomach. Lily felt herself instinctively shiver at his touch on her skin. Memories of his hands on her skin earlier that afternoon flooded her mind, making her heart race even faster.

Despite her urge and want to continue the kiss, Lily pulled her lips away from his. But before she could even speak, his lips were moving down to her throat, alternating between placing short kisses, or nipping gently at her skin. "Scorpius?" Lily whispered softly, her voice breathless after their kiss.

"Hm?" Scorpius hummed in question, his lips still dancing around her throat.

"Weren't you the one against having sex in _my_ parents' house?" Lily pointed out. But then he bite lightly at her pulse, making her breath hitch.

"But we're in _my_ parents' house. And you never said if you were against the idea," he teased, his breath hot against her already warm skin. His hand trailed up from her side to cup her breast fully in his hand. His skin seemed to almost sears hers with a loving heat.

Lily let out a small gasp, then took in a gulp of air. "Well you're making it awfully difficult to be against it," she murmured softly, a moan beginning to bubble in her throat.

She could feel his smirk against the skin of her neck. Then his hand left her breast, and both hands came down to her hips, as his lips trailed to her ear. "Then let me make it a little more difficult," he breathed into her ear. Then before her heart could even skip another beat, he was lifting her from the floor. As usual, instinct brought her legs to wrap around him and balance herself, her fingers squeezing his shoulders.

As he set her on the side of her bed, he moved back to pull his shirt over his head. The sight of his bare torso, which she swore had even more muscle than before he'd started training, made her want to forget any thought of protest against his advances. But the fact that they were at his parents' home, and not his flat, buzzed in the far back of Lily's mind.

"You don't think your dad is already suspicious about you spending the night the same night I do?" Lily suggested quietly, her eyes still trained and glued to him.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair, still smirking at her. "Actually, I won't lie. I think my dad knows _exactly_ why I'm staying here tonight."

Lily blushed at the thought of Draco knowing that Scorpius was planning to spend the night in her bed, and not just to sleep. But then Scorpius was leaning into her, his lips locking with hers wetly and hotly. That moan finally escaped her throat as she pulled her lips away from his once again. But like before, he trailed his lips down her jaw and to her neck. "They could hear," Lily pointed out, a whimper escaping her lips as he sucked at her collarbone.

"Don't you remember, baby girl? This room is far from theirs," he said, repeating the words she'd used in their playful argument on Christmas Eve. Then his hands were leading her to lie on her back, and then they were sliding her shirt up. But surprisingly, he stopped just beneath her breasts. His lips left her neck and slightly bared shoulder, and skipped down to place a small, chaste, and adoring kiss on her stomach, just under her ribs.

Lily felt her mind haze and grow foggy, and that whisper of reason was slowly fading away. If Draco already suspected, and still allowed Scorpius to stay over, what did it matter? He apparently accepted it, whether or not he approved . . . right? Her mind was so disoriented due to the sensations that Scorpius was sending through her body with each kiss and touch of his hands. All she could do was sigh in contentment, and then gasp and moan when his hands slid down her legs, and brought them to wrap around him again.

Lily bit her lip as another moan threatened to rip from her throat. _Well_, Lily thought, _it looks like he won one._

* * *

Lily groaned as she felt someone shaking her shoulder lightly. "Lily?" She groaned again and buried her face into her pillow. She was so tired, why was someone trying to wake her up now? She couldn't have been sleeping that long. It certainly didn't feel like it.

"Babe, wake up. I've got to go soon," a deep voice whispered near her ear.

The voice then registered in her mind as Scorpius's, and the reminder of him returning to training brought her eyes open, and made her heart drop a little. He was leaving soon. And it'd be a long time before they had another moment like this together. Alone, together, and in the same room and not talking through a mirror.

Lily turned onto her back to see that Scorpius was resting his weight on his elbow, looking at her with a soft gaze. The room was dim, but Lily could tell it was probably early morning. Scorpius's hair was ruffled, and he looked surprisingly awake. "Good morning, princess," he murmured.

Lily closed her eyes and sighed. "Does it have to be morning?"

When she heard him chuckle, she opened her eyes. "I guess you could consider it very, _very_ late evening if you wish. But either way, I have to leave for training in about an hour."

She felt her heart clench at the thought. "An hour?"

He nodded. "Gives me time to shower quickly, eat, and spend a bit more time with you."

"Well . . . ," she sighed heavily. "Then you should go and take that shower. I'll wait here."

Scorpius gave her a small smirk, then leaned forward to place a loving kiss on her forehead. "I promise to hurry."

Lily watched in silence as he threw the blankets off of him, and picked up his boxers, slipping them on. She didn't say a word as he continued to get dressed, but only turned her head to stare at the ceiling above her. She heard the door open.

"Hey." Lily turned her gaze toward Scorpius at the sound of his voice. He was standing by the door, his hand on the doorknob. His own gaze was soft, and his smirk had faded to a sweet smile. "Don't think about it, ok?" he whispered.

Before she could reply, he left the room and closed the door. And as Lily closed her eyes, she was glad that he hadn't waited for her to respond. Because that was something that she knew she couldn't promise him.

* * *

"You know, I get what you meant when you said it was fun to be with me while I pouted about Stacy. It's so much _fun_ to be around a pouting cousin," Hugo mocked lightly.

He and Lily sat in his room. It was obvious that his mother had cleaned it while they were at school, because Hugo was never clean. Lily was laying at the foot of his bed, while Hugo sat in the middle, a book in his hands. Few people knew, but Hugo was actually a fan of reading Muggle books. Lily was one of the few people that knew. The others were his mum and grandmother, who both were always picking out and buying new books for him.

Lily sighed as she looked away from him. "You were the one that invited me over."

"Because I wanted to get you out of the house. Scorpius has been back at training for three days now, and you have yet to leave your house," Hugo replied.

"I did a photo shoot yesterday," she mumbled.

"You got home at noon, and didn't leave your room until I dragged you over this morning," Hugo pointed out as he flipped to the next page.

Lily rolled onto her stomach. "It's not easy to continuously be separated," Lily muttered. "It was only easier last time because we'd see each other again come Christmas. But now, the next time I come home is summer, and he'll still be training. I basically won't really be with him again until a year."

"You really think he's not going to do his best to spend time with you during the summer?" Hugo retorted, glancing at her for a moment, his brow raised in question and disbelief.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know he'll try. And I'll love and appreciate his attempts, but I know it won't be the same."

Hugo sighed as he moved to lean against the headboard of the bed, and brought his eyes back to the book. "All love goes through trials, Lil. This is yours."

Lily closed her eyes. "Just wait until you go through a 'trial,' because I'll be all over it," she scoffed.

Hugo just shrugged. "I figure that I am going through my trial already."

Lily opened her eyes and looked over at him. "Are you saying that you love Stacy?"

Hugo moved his book so that it rested against his legs, his finger keeping his page for him. He looked thoughtful, and serious. Then he looked at Lily with confidence and sincerity. "Yeah. I really think that I do. You know, I can't tell you why. But . . . I can feel in my gut and heart that . . . I love her. But she loves Hooper, and she obviously wants to be with him. So I guess my trial is living through an unrequited love."

"You sound very sure," Lily commented.

Again, he shrugged. "It's just a feeling I have. It screams that I love her. But my mind, and even heart a little, reminds me that if I do love her, I'd want her to be happy. And if Hooper is who makes her happy," Hugo paused, and took in a breath, "then I won't do a thing to interfere with them. I'll stay a friend, and be whatever kind of friend she wants me to be."

Lily closed her eyes again as she rested her cheek on her arm. "What brought on this revelation?"

"It just came to me after talking with someone," Hugo said vaguely. "You think I'm wrong?"

"No," she sighed. "You're right. If you love her, you'd want her to be happy, regardless of who it's with. That was one thing that Lysander never seemed to understand when it came to me."

"Did you hear about Lysander?" Hugo asked suddenly.

Lily reopened her eyes to look at him. "What about him?"

"He left."

Lily sat up in surprise. "Left?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. He's taking up after Aunt Luna and Uncle Rolf, and is off to explore different lands, and discover new creatures and plants," he told her.

Slowly, and thoughtful, Lily brought her knees to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. "I had no idea. I haven't talk to him since sometime last year, and it wasn't calm between us. There was tension at the time. But . . . not even Lorcan told me. I talked with him a few times on Christmas Eve, and he didn't say a word about him."

Hugo shrugged. "I just heard from my parents yesterday. I guess Lorcan told Rose, and Rose mentioned it to my parents the other day." Then he raised a brow. "Are you upset that Lysander didn't say anything to you? Considering your history?"

Lily scoffed. "Considering our recent history, no, I'm not surprised."

"I didn't ask if you were surprised. I asked if you were upset," Hugo corrected.

Lily thought about that for a moment before answering. "A little. I wish he'd told me . . . because now I'm afraid that he's doing it just because he doesn't want to be around me. And I don't want to be the reason that he has to leave and go across the world," she murmured.

Hugo chuckled. "Me and you are too much alike."

Lily looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Hugo grinned. "Just like me, you think you had something to do with it. Like I thought Stacy was upset because of me. But maybe she wasn't, and maybe Lysander left because it's what he wanted to do."

This time Lily shrugged. "It just seems weird. Before things blew up between us, he never really mentioned wanting to travel like his parents. Last thing I remember, he was thinking about just getting a simple job at the ministry."

"You two haven't talked in a while. You haven't even been around each other for a while. Something could have changed, and it could have nothing to do with you," Hugo pointed out. "Don't be like me, and beat yourself up over something that you might have nothing to do with."

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah . . . yeah I know. And you're right. Sometimes, you and I are too much alike."

* * *

"I wonder where Megan is," Lola said with a small sigh. The day to return to Hogwarts had finally come, and it was just the girls in the compartment this time, minus Megan. Luckily, Lily wasn't scheduled to patrol the train this time, leaving her the whole train ride to catch up.

"Maybe she doesn't want to talk about the fight with Dante," Izzy suggested.

"I don't know. When I last talked to her, she said she had a plan to get back at him. I figured she'd want to at least brag about that," Shannon commented.

"She could be with Logan," Lily replied. Her fingers itched to pull her mirror out from the pocket of her leather jacket, which sat by her feet. Her goodbye before leaving for school with Scorpius had been, sadly, over the mirror the night before. She hadn't been able to see him in person since he returned to his training schedule. And that goodbye had been hard enough.

"Are they even together still?" Lola asked, looking at Shannon.

Shannon shrugged. "As far as I know. I don't think she saw him much over break though."

"I doubt they'll last much longer," Izzy sighed.

"Megan did admit to getting bored with him," Shannon agreed.

"While we're on the topic of relationships, how are you and Chris, Shay?" Lily asked curiously.

"Did you two have sex like you planned?" Lola inquired.

Shannon blushed. "Well, no . . . but we got close."

"Well what happened to stop you two?" Izzy questioned.

"Well, I was home alone that day, so I had Chris come over. But then, just as we were getting close to having sex, we hear the front door open. Turns out Adrian wanted to 'check up' on me, and Chris had hurry, dress, and sneak out my window," Shannon muttered.

Lily gave her a sympathetic look. "That sucks. How far did you two get?"

Shannon began to twirl a lock of her hair as she seemed to think. "Well, he was only in his boxers, and he had just unhooked my bra," she described.

"I would kill Martin," Lola said with a laugh.

"But I'm sure Martin would have killed the guy first," Izzy joked.

Shannon laughed as well. "I agree. I was so pissed at Adrian. He's been popping over at the house ever since Miley let it slip that I have a boyfriend."

"I would kill Miley for telling him," Izzy suggested.

"If it hadn't been an obvious accident, I would have," Shannon assured.

"I hate family!" Megan announced as she opened the compartment door. Then she stepped in and closed the door with a slam. She dropped onto the seat next to Shannon, glaring at the empty seat in front of her.

"What happened?" Lola asked.

Before Megan could speak, the door opened again, and Emily stepped in. She was much gentler in closing the door, and calmly sat next to Lola, and in front of her sister.

Now Megan glared at her. "Dante somehow bribed this brat to follow me around as payback for my revenge against him! She's been a constant shadow all day, and won't leave!" she hissed.

Emily blushed vividly. "If you hadn't been so vindictive, Dante would have never asked me to do this!" she protested. "I didn't even want to be involved in this!"

Shannon looked at Megan warily. "What did you do this time, Megan?"

Megan crossed her arms and looked defiantly at her sister. "I had sex with Logan on the couch in Dante's flat, and left my bra and panties on the floor," she stated firmly. Again, Emily blushed profusely.

Lily shook her head. "And you thought he wouldn't retaliate?"

"Not like this!" Megan seethed.

Izzy gave Emily a sympathetic look. "Emily, how about we look after Megan now? We won't tell Dante you left your post."

Emily gave them a look of gratitude. "Totally. Bye!" Then she rushed out of the compartment, and away from her sister's glaring eyes.

Once the girls were alone, Lily looked at Megan. "You know, I heard you tried to hit your brother with a chair."

Megan shrugged. "He was being an ass. He's not my father, so he shouldn't act like it."

"So you had sex on his couch?" Lola replied.

Megan grinned slyly. "It was a very merry Christmas in my book."

Lily looked at her with mild surprise. "So, that was what you skipped the dinner at the Malfoys' for?"

Megan nodded. "I spent an hour or so with Shay, and she told me about the incident with Adrian and Chris. So, the idea popped into my head. I took the spare key to Dante's flat he leaves at our house, and then stopped by Logan's house. Then brought him to Dante's flat, and we had sex."

"So how was Logan?" Shannon asked.

Megan shrugged as she relaxed into her seat. "Average. With him being a virgin, it was what I'd expected."

"Are you two still dating?" Izzy inquired.

"For now," Megan said with a sigh of her own. "But I doubt I'll keep him much longer. Boys tend to be so boring after a certain point in the relationship."

Lily shook her head and laughed. "Surprise, surprise," she mocked teasingly.

* * *

Lily sighed as she walked with Christian around the second floor. Since they weren't scheduled to patrol the train, they had been picked to patrol the second floor on their first night back.

"Well this is boring," Christian muttered. "What kid tries to sneak out on the first night back? This is a little pointless."

"At least we're almost done," Lily pointed out. Then they heard footsteps, making them both stop and look at each other. Lily gave Christian a wry grin. "What was that about no kid sneaking out the first night?"

Christian laughed. "Let's just go send them back," he replied. They both continued, at a slightly faster pace, and turned the corner. But what they saw surprised them. They had expected maybe a first or second year, or maybe even a daring third year. But instead the student was a seventh year. Lily knew he had to be. He looked to be their age at the least, and Lily didn't recognize him from their own year.

But Lily did faintly recognize him. He was taller than she was, and maybe even a little taller than Christian. He had short, dark-brown hair that curled slightly. His brow was thick, and almost mean looking. His eyes were a bland, steel grey color. His face seemed to almost be in a sneer. When Lily scanned his uniform, she saw his Gryffindor tie immediately. A Gryffindor seventh year? A guess suddenly flashed into Lily's mind, and she knew she was right.

"Andrew Hooper," she stated.

His attention was caught, and he looked at the two prefects. He looked ready to roll his eyes, but when he suddenly looked at Lily, as if really recognizing her, his face really did become a sneer, and he scowled. "Potter," he muttered. "What the hell do you want?"

"It's almost curfew, Hooper," Christian said firmly.

"You need to start heading back to your common room," Lily hinted.

He glared at them. "I'm a seventh year, _snakes_! I'm not some wimpy first year with an early curfew."

Lily glared back at him. She was already starting to hate him. Especially at his blatant disrespect for unity between Houses. "Regardless of that, it is almost _your_ curfew, Hooper! I would start to head back, before you are considered roaming the castle past curfew."

"You have no business being out this late anyway," Christian hissed.

He just scoffed. "And you two have no business giving me orders."

"We are both prefects, Hooper," Lily retorted. "And if you don't start walking toward the stairs in ten seconds, it's a detention. And then you'll continue to receive another detention for every second you stand there."

Hooper glared harder at them, but started walking toward them. Lily thought he'd just brush by them, but once he was right at her side, he glared straight into her eyes. "You know, you're as annoying and nosy as your cousin, _Potter_!" he spat. That was when he finally brushed past them, and turned the corner at the end of the hall.

"What a dick," Christian mumbled.

Lily nodded, but was silent. She was really beginning to wonder how Stacy could date him. Or how she could consider him nice and sweet. But then again, perhaps this was a change in attitude, and what she'd been having a problem with. Maybe this was what she'd wanted to talk to Lily about?

But Lily knew one thing. Something wasn't right about that guy.

* * *

"You know, I noticed him glaring at me during dinner last night, now that I think about," Hugo mentioned as they walked around the JB meeting room. It was their second day back at school, and their first meeting since before break. Hugo and Lily were chosen to be the prefects to watch over as the younger students were tutored and helped.

Lily had just informed Hugo about her and Christian's run-in with Andrew Hooper the night before. She wanted to know what Hooper had meant when he mentioned her cousin.

"But he hasn't said anything to you?" Lily inquired.

Hugo shook his head. "Guy doesn't even talk to me. I'm not sure if I've _ever_ talked to him, actually. And when I saw him glaring, I didn't really think anything of it. Until now," he muttered.

Lily scowled with thought. "Something doesn't seem right with him. And I don't just mean his obvious prejudice against Slytherin House. I don't know. Just something about him was . . . hateful and mean."

Hugo pulled off his hat to scratch at his head, then slipped it back on. "Hm . . . well, Stacy and I have started to get back to the normal friendship we had after that incident during break. But she hasn't said anything."

Lily bit her lip. "Well, she did tell me that there was a small problem with their relationship. She wanted my advice on it."

"What was the problem?" Hugo asked quickly.

She shrugged. "I don't know. She didn't say much about it. Just that he had done something she didn't approve of, and she didn't know how to handle it."

Hugo was the one scowling this time. "Wonder what it was."

"Well don't ask or question her about it. It's none of our business, unless she wants to tell us," Lily warned him.

"Yeah, I know," Hugo assured. "But . . . it's got to be connected to his attitude last night. It can't be a coincidence."

"Well maybe it is," Lily replied. "We don't know, and we don't have the right to prod and ask about something that has nothing to do with us."

"She our friend though!" Hugo argued.

"And as her friends, we need to respect her private life by not butting in. Now, if we have a reason to be concerned, then yes, that's when you start asking small questions. But we have no reason to be concerned," Lily countered.

"I think there's reason for concern," he muttered.

"And I think that Hooper might just not like you and me," Lily retorted. "Now, if you want to ask Hooper why he thinks you're annoying and nosy, then feel free. But don't go butting into Stacy's life or relationship."

Hugo ran a hand over his face. "Damn, it's hard to be an unconcerned friend to someone you care about," he groaned.

Lily patted him on the shoulder. "It's a delicate balance. You get better at it as you go along, I promise."

* * *

Lily sighed as she sat in the library with the girls. It was the first weekend since coming back, so the girls had all decided to meet in the library to study and refresh on what they'd probably forgotten over break. Lily was mainly just staring out the window, watching a light snow fall from the sky.

_The snow will probably stick all the way to our next Quidditch match in February_, Lily thought with another sigh.

"Lily!"

Lily jumped slightly as she was startled from her thoughts. Lola was looking at her with narrowed eyes. Lily hesitated. "What?" she asked.

"She's been asking you the same question for like a minute now," Megan muttered as she took down a few notes from her textbook.

"What were you thinking about?" Izzy asked quietly.

Lily shook her head. "Nothing. The next Quidditch match, mainly. But, what was your question, Lola?"

Lola rolled her eyes. "What page did we get to in our Transfiguration textbook before break started?"

Lily sighed as she thought. "Um . . . it was at least around chapter eleven. I don't know the exact page."

Lola gave her a nod. "Thanks, that works."

"Lil!"

Everyone in the library jumped at the loud yell. Madam Pince glared and harshly shushed Christian, who had been the one to yell. Hugo stood beside him, shaking his head. Hugo put his hand on Christian's shoulder, and quietly led him over to the girls' table.

Lily raised a brow. "What's up, you two?"

Hugo placed a hand on the back of her chair. "There's an emergency prefect meeting, pronto. Attendance is mandatory."

Lily gave him a confused and curious look, but began to pack her things up. "I'll see you girls later." Then she followed the boys out of the library. Once they were alone in the halls, she looked at them. "What's this meeting for?"

Christian shrugged. "No clue. Tanner told us a few minutes ago, and then had us find you. He says that Chris told him, but even the Head Boy and Girl don't know what's up. Apparently, this is Headmaster Brown's idea."

"The meeting is in his office," Hugo said, his voice a little tense.

Lily looked at her cousin. "Do you have a guess what this is about?"

Hugo shook his head. "No. But Professor Brown has never called us all to a meeting before. I've never heard of him calling prefects to a meeting before either. It has to be something big, don't ya think?"

Lily sighed. "Well I hadn't, but thanks for the positive view on things."

The rest of their walk to the headmaster's office was in silence. Actually, it was almost a tense silence. Thanks to Hugo's words, Lily now had the feeling that something was different too. Because he was right. This was the first time ever that Jacob had called all the prefects to his office. It was probably one of the first times that something was going on without the Head Boy and Girl knowing, as well. At least in their generation.

Upon their arrival at the stairs that led to Jacob's office, Lily worried even more. The gargoyle was already out of the way, the stairs waiting for them. They climbed up the stairs, which were eerily unmoving. The office door was open, and when they stepped in, Lily noticed the line of chairs sitting in front of Jacob's desk. There was obviously enough for all the prefects, but there were six empty chairs waiting.

Jacob, who looked very tired himself, motioned for them to come in. "Sit down, you three. We are still waiting for three more to join us. Then we'll begin."

Lily and the boys walked toward the chairs, and that was when Lily noticed something else about the room. Not only were all the portraits alert, not pretending to sleep, but all four Head of Houses were standing behind Jacob's desk. They each looked a little tense themselves. Lily took a seat next to the Hufflepuff prefect, Tommy Williams, as Hugo sat on her other side. Lily looked over each professor's face.

Professor Longbottom looked tensed, worried, and serious. Professor Slughorn looked tired, hesitant, and uncertain. Professor Flitwick was shifting nervously, and wringing his hands. Professor Macmillan looked very uncertain, and almost confused even. Lily sighed. Whatever this was about, it couldn't be good.

The last three prefects, Dalton McLaggen from Gryffindor, Sam Goldstein from Ravenclaw, and Rick Whitby from Hufflepuff, finally arrived at different intervals within ten minutes. As Lily looked at her fellow prefects, they all looked confused as well.

Professor Longbottom lifted his wand, and with a silent swish, the office door shut with a boom that sounded haunting in a way of finality. Professor Brown leaned back in his chair, and ran a hand over his hair, which although had been cut, was really unkempt today. "We have something very important to discuss. And what is said in this meeting, none of you may repeat to your friends. Doing so will have you stripped of your badge, am I clear?" he demanded.

Each prefect nodded hesitantly, and Lily gave Professor Brown a look of concern. Something was very wrong. It was rare for him to be this . . . fierce and determined when he talked.

He seemed to relax at their wordless promise, but he was far from comforted. "We have a problem that has become great in our halls. It is a very serious matter."

"What is it, sir?" Chris asked, his voice steady, his face serious.

"Violence," Professor Brown stated simply.

"Violence, sir?" Lance questioned.

Professor Brown gave them a stiff nod. "Yes. Violence. It has only been a week since all the students have returned from break, and every morning, at least one student has walked into the Hospital Wing with some injury. And they are injuries that show an attack by another student. A physical one. A bloody and broken nose, cracked ribs, minor broken bones, bruises. They are getting worse each day."

Lily scowled. Violence? Now that she thought about it, she could remember seeing a young Slytherin with a bruise on their cheek just that morning. Were they a victim?

"But who's behind it?" Hugo asked.

"That's the bad part. We have no idea. And the students we've talked to refuse to tell us. And we can't force them to," Professor Brown replied.

"That's idiotic!" Hugo retorted.

Professor Brown sighed. "It's called fear, Mr. Weasley. If you had seen the three kids I spoke with, you'd see it. They are afraid to give me the name, or names. But what I have learned is that, the student was alone, leaving the library, the restroom, or something similar, and then they were attacked. Not even bullied. Some admitted to not even knowing the person, and having never spoken with them. Nothing was said to them. They were just attacked, apparently without reason."

"It's not within one House, either," Professor Longbottom told them. "So far, there have been twelve students who have been attacked like this. Three from Slytherin, five from Gryffindor, three from Hufflepuff, and two from Ravenclaw."

"They have only admitted that it was a student," Professor Flitwick spoke. "It's erratic, because some say that only one person hurt them, and some say that it was more than one. So we only know that one person is consistently behind this, and is leading this."

"I can't believe something like this would happen," Nadia murmured.

"We share your thoughts and feelings, Miss Belby," Professor Brown sighed. "But it is happening. And from what we can learn, it is happening just before curfews. Never during breaks, or meals."

"It has to be seventh years," Hugo said suddenly, catching everyone's attention.

"Why do you think that, Mr. Weasley?" Professor Brown asked.

Hugo crossed his arms, a scowl of thought on his face. "Well, most students that are fifth years and down are attending JB meetings after dinner. They couldn't be part of it, not consistently. And same for the sixth years. There are at least five teaching a night, and it alternates each night. Plus at least two of the prefects from our year, if not four some nights. The only ones that could be consistently attacking younger students each night are seventh years. And they're catching the kids that aren't attending the meeting that night, because that's the moment when there aren't many kids, if any, in the halls," he explained. "At least, it makes sense to me."

"It seems so odd though," Lucy mentioned softly. "I may not get along greatly with everyone in my year, but I can't imagine any of them being a part of this."

"Regardless of your thoughts, or Mr. Weasley's suspicions, we must be on the lookout for anyone," Professor Brown stated. "That's why, just before curfew, I want you _all_ patrolling the halls. No exceptions. I want you in pairs, and if a student is found, I want you to ask them to return to their common room. Now, if, and only if, you have a reason to be suspicious of a student you find, then I want you to escort them to their common room personally."

"What if we find the ones behind it?" Chris inquired.

"I want them brought to me," Professor Brown stated. "And I know this may seem extreme, but if you have to use magic or force to get them here, then do so. Because I do not plan to tolerate this at all."

"Sir," Marley Rickett spoke softly, "why not tell the other students of this? So that they know to be careful and on the look out?"

"It would only cause panic," Professor Macmillan answered. "And that's the last thing we need."

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Lance asked.

Professor Brown looked at each of them. "The oldest student to be attacked was a fourth year. The rest were among first, second, and third years. Also, not only do I want you in pairs, but I want you to each have your wand. Again, I know I may sound extreme, but I want to take no risks. I don't know who these students are, but they seem too ruthless to be just bullies. So be aware of where you are. The ghosts are going to patrol the halls as well. Tonight at dinner, I will be announcing a new rule. It will be stating that anyone found roaming the halls past curfew will be given a week of detentions at the least. We are taking no risks with this situation."

"What will happen to the students when they're caught?" Tommy Williams asked.

"Suspensions will be the least of their worries," Professor Brown assured. "Now, these patrols and rules take effect today. And remember, not a word of this meeting leaves this group."

Again, each prefect nodded.

Professor Brown sighed. "Then you may all go once Professor Flitwick has given you one of these papers. It's a schedule we made up of when to start and end patrols. It also lists what pairs we want you in, and where you patrol on what day."

When Lily received the paper with her name on it, she wasn't too surprised to see that Hugo was chosen as her partner. She glanced over the list briefly. For their first night on new patrols, they were to patrol the fourth floor.

As she stood, she felt something touch her briefly on the hand. Lily glanced to see Hugo standing as well. For a quick moment, their eyes locked, and Lily gave him a small and unnoticeable nod, showing she understood. Because she did. That look meant Hugo needed to say something, and it had to be something he wanted no one else to hear.

They walked out with Christian, Tanner, Lance, and Courtney. Each prefect was silent as they left the office. But once they left the hall, Lily and Hugo began to slow their walk, and then finally turned into an empty classroom that was hardly used anymore.

Lily didn't have time to question Hugo, because he spoke immediately. "Do you think that you could get Professor Slughorn to tell us more about this?"

Lily raised a brow. "Maybe. It's a possibility. But what more is there to know?"

Hugo scratched lightly at his cheek. "Call me crazy, but something is telling me that this is a group of seventh years. It has to be!"

Lily nodded. "Ok. In a way, your idea made sense. But what can we do besides what we've been told to do?"

"We do what our parents always did. Get in the middle of it!" Hugo insisted.

Lily's shoulders slumped. "And here I thought starting up JB again would be my only drama this year."

Hugo shoved his hands into his pockets. "Come on, Lil. Are you really going to just sit around and wait to catch these guys? After all we've done to prevent stuff like this? That's why it _has_ to be seventh years. They're the only ones we haven't really reached out to."

Lily sighed as she ran a hand over her eyes. "Hugo, have you ever thought that maybe, this is bigger than us? Maybe this is one that we need to let the adults handle?"

Hugo gave Lily a firm look. "You went against Brunt because you knew it was something that had to be dealt with. Even though Jacob told you not to fight. And I stuck with you. And look what happened. We won, and Brunt will more than likely be kicked out on her ass. So, are you with me, or am I doing this alone?"

Lily looked at her cousin. It was obvious that he was determined, and wasn't going to back down from this. She was honestly surprised. She wasn't happy with this turn of events either, but it sounded like all they could do was listen to orders and either keep it from happening again, or finding the group of attackers. But Hugo seemed determined to not only stop it, but to find them personally.

"I'm with you, Hugo. I'm always going to be with you."


	89. The Invisible Targets

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I had planned to throw in the Quidditch match as the last scene, but felt this was a good place to the end it. So next chapter, it'll start with the Quidditch match more than likely. More drama is coming, and a message from someone surprising, in the next chapter as well. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Invisible Targets

Lily wasn't sure what she and Hugo could accomplish by asking Slughorn discreet questions about the situation. What were they supposed to ask, and what more was there to know? The worst part was that Hugo didn't know what he was after either. His plan was to go in and "wing it."

"Just remember that I'm not promising anything," Lily reminded him as they walked to Slughorn's door. Dinner had already ended, with everyone whispering about the new rule concerning curfews. Lily and Hugo had informed Randy and Jaclyn that they would be unable to watch over the JB meeting until the prefects had to leave for curfew patrols, so they were going to watch over instead.

"The least we can do is try," Hugo replied as Lily knocked on the door.

"Just remember we need to do this discreetly. Because there's a chance that if there's more to know, it's stuff that Jacob didn't want us to know," Lily retorted.

The door opened a peak, and she Professor Slughorn's face. Then it opened wide, and he was smiling brightly. "Ah! Lily, Hugo. Come on in!" He ushered them in and closed the door. Trying to see casual and comfortable, Lily moved to sit on the couch in room. Hugo followed suit. "Can I get you two something to drink?" Slughorn offered.

"Oh, no thank you, sir," Lily replied.

"You, Hugo? A butterbeer, perhaps?" Slughorn asked, holding one out to him already.

Hugo shrugged as he took the bottle. "Sure. Thank you, sir."

"My pleasure, dear boy." Then Slughorn sighed. "Now, what can I do for you two?"

Lily cleared her throat lightly, taking the first step. "Well, sir, we had a small question concerning the issue we talked about this afternoon."

Professor Slughorn quickly tensed, and looked wary and hesitant. "Yes, such a terrible happening. What's your question?" He got up from the chair he'd just sat in, and moved around to table that was against the wall, and began to fix his own drink.

"Well, sir, we were just curious about whether or not the staff would be patrolling as well. I mean, you mentioned the ghosts, but not the staff," Lily asked.

Slughorn visibly relaxed at their simple question. "Ah. Well yes, we will. But we'll be patrolling when curfew starts, and afterwards. Actually, there's talk of splitting it so that half of us patrol before curfew with you prefects, and some patrol after curfew. It has yet to be decided," he answered.

Hugo sighed heavily. "I just can't believe something like this would happen at Hogwarts," he said casually.

"I agree with you," Slughorn said as he came back to sit in an armchair. He seemed comfortable again with the conversation. "I think it's sad that none of the students want to speak up and give a name. But, fear can be very powerful, especially in young students."

"Sir, if I may ask, and you can ignore the question if you want," Hugo assured, "but do you think my explanation during the meeting was sound? That it must be seventh years?"

Slughorn sighed as he took a long drink from his glass. Then he smacked his lips lightly. "Actually, Hugo, I think you are absolutely right. Our first guess was that the students behind this were older than fifth years. And with your explanation, I too think that it must be seventh years."

"A fifth year hadn't been attacked. No one older than a fourth year," Lily commented. "So, why did you rule out fifth years?"

Lily knew they were finally getting into the area that they were supposed to remain ignorant to. "Because the fourth year was Lyle Pickering from Hufflepuff. And if you know who that boy is, then you know that he is about as big as most of the fifth year boys. And after what was done to him, we can't imagine that mere fifth years had done it," Slughorn explained.

Hugo scowled. "What was done to him for you think that?"

It was obvious that Slughorn was forgetting that they were only students, and not fellow staff members. He was getting comfortable. "His face was bruised and bloodied, three of his fingers were broken in a merciless way, and he had two cracked ribs," he told them. "He was the most recent attack. It makes us fear that the victims may start to get older in age, and that the injuries will soon be major."

"Have you guys really ruled out magic and spells in these attacks?" Lily asked.

"These attacks were physical and brutal. There's no doubt. And Madam Pomfrey agrees with that," Slughorn sighed.

"At least magic can fix and help them," Lily mumbled.

"Our worst fear is that not only will the injuries get worse, but that the attacks will get even more cruel," Slughorn murmured.

"What do you mean by that, sir?" Hugo asked.

"So far, all of these attacks have been against boys. But our fears are that soon, one of these brutal and horrible attacks could target a first year girl. And I don't mean to be sexist, but that would be the cruelest attack of all."

* * *

Lily and Hugo left Slughorn's office not much later, and made their way to where they would begin their patrols.

"See! They think I'm right! It's seventh years. Seventh year boys!" Hugo said fiercely.

"But now what do we do?" Lily asked. "What else have we learned that can help us move this along?"

Hugo shrugged. "We find this Lyle Pickering, and we talk to him," he stated.

Lily raised a brow. "If he wouldn't talk to the staff, you really think he'd talk to us?"

"Lil, it's you! You know how many kids look up to you, and trust you?" Hugo replied.

But Lily shook her head. "This is different, Huey. This is fear! I don't think I can help with this. And, when someone wants my help, it's because they come to me and want it. I've never gone up to a kid and asked them about their personal problems."

Hugo scowled as he began to think again. "Well . . . there has to be something!"

Lily sighed. "Look, Hugo, if I could figure out and do something that would stop all of this, I would. But . . . I have nothing. That's why I think we should just follow orders."

He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well I don't think that's what Jacob wants," he mumbled.

Lily gave him a confused look. "What?"

Hugo rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Lil! Think! Why else would he put us together? The two of us, who together plotted to take down Brunt? Who staged her media downfall, and eventual career downfall? I think that they put us together, because as a team, we can get things done. We can figure things like this out!"

"That sounds like just a guess to me," Lily pointed out.

"Well it's a belief in my book," Hugo retorted. "I think that they want us to do something about this!"

Lily rubbed her temples lightly. "Hugo, I've been told this before, so I'm going to tell you. We are not our parents. Our parents did stuff like this and more, so that we wouldn't have to," she replied.

"But we are their kids!" Hugo countered. "It's in our blood. Just because we weren't born to do it, don't mean we can't! And we may not be them, but we inherited their sense of right and wrong, and their urges to fight against what's wrong."

She raised a brow and looked at him. "Just a question of curiosity, but, why are you so insistent about this?"

Hugo was face firm and serious. "Because it's wrong. The simple idea puts a sick feeling in my stomach. I just . . . personally, I can't let it continue without trying to stop it myself."

"You should be an Auror with that attitude," she retorted.

"I don't think I could work with both my sister and dad that easily," Hugo mumbled.

Lily sighed. "Well, if you insist. Why don't we think and figure out which seventh years we can rule out?"

Hugo nodded. "Ok, well obviously the prefects. So that leaves . . . thirty or so?"

"And I don't think these are girls. If what Slughorn said about that Pickering kid was true, and I myself hate to sound sexist, but I don't think even a group of girls could have done damage like that without help of magic," Lily added.

Hugo thought again. "So, that leaves roughly . . . sixteen? There's like twenty boys in each year, and minus four, sixteen?"

"And we need to throw out Zack Creevey, because he's way too nice. And Hank Harper, I know personally never would. And Paul," Lily replied. "So, at most, thirteen."

Hugo grinned, obviously excited. "Ok, we're getting somewhere now!"

Until the time came for them to begin patrols, Lily and Hugo discussed who was left in the seventh year to suspect. Lily pulled some paper and a quill with ink from her bag, and they wrote down the ones they knew. Sadly, there were some from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff that they were missing on their list.

"We really need to learn who all these people are," Hugo muttered as Lily put their new list away so they could begin patrols.

"We'll talk to Lucy, or maybe even Zack," Lily assured. "But, let's just start patrolling the floor for now."

"This would have been a great time to have James's map," Hugo mumbled.

Lily sighed. "Yeah, it would have been. But, we've done without, we'll do so again."

"You know," Hugo spoke as they began to walk, "whoever started this has some guts. To do it out in the open?"

"Not to mention a twisted mind to catch a kid alone and gang up on him," Lily retorted.

"Well of course, but . . . it seems just a bit cocky, doesn't it? Like the guy thinks that he can get away with it easily?" Hugo commented.

Lily thought about that as she pulled her wand out from her bag. "Well . . . I guess you've got a point. It does seem pretty . . . brave of them."

"We'll have to run over our list for cocky people," Hugo said with a small scoff.

For what was over an hour, maybe almost two, Lily and Hugo patrolled around the fourth floor. They ran into a few students, none that were from seventh year, and just ordered them back to their common rooms.

"Doesn't seem like anything's going to happen tonight," Lily mentioned.

"Something has to happen! I mean, if it's happened every night, it's got to continue, because they couldn't know about our meeting," Hugo pointed out.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Then I don't think it'll happen on our floor."

Hugo sighed. "Yeah. Probably not."

Their time to patrol came to an end, so after one more check on Hugo's insistence, the two split up to return to their common rooms for sleep. When Lily entered her common room, a yawn on her lips, she was surprised to see all the other Slytherin prefects sitting alone in the common room. She wasn't surprised that the other students were in bed. It _was_ late. But why were these five still up?

Tanner noticed Lily enter first. "It happened again tonight, Lil," he told her.

Lily ran a hand through her hair as she moved to sit next to Courtney on the couch. "Explain?"

Lindsey Bletchley, the other seventh year prefect, sighed. "I was patrolling with your cousin Louis tonight, and we got word that Chris and Nadia found a beat up kid on their floor. We were told that he was just crying. A few teeth had been knocked loose, and he was only bleeding from the mouth."

Lily felt even more tired than she had a moment ago. "Who was the kid?"

"Boyd Rubble. A fourth year Ravenclaw," Lance answered with a sigh.

"What do you think will happen if this really does start to get even more out of hand than it already has?" Courtney wondered aloud.

"I just wish that one of these kids would just get past their fear and talk," Tanner muttered. "They're just letting these guys get away and do it to others."

"Like the headmaster said, fear is powerful," Christian replied glumly.

Lily closed her eyes, ready for bed. "Fear can sometimes be the hardest thing to beat in life."

* * *

January passed in sluggish time, but it also passed without a sign of good news concerning the attacks. Each night, another kid was found. And each night, the attackers were gone. And each night, the kid wouldn't reveal any names. It was obvious to Lily that Hugo was becoming more and more frustrated with each passing day. Mainly because they were making no progress on shortening their list of suspects. They really had nothing to go on and look into with the remaining names. Because what did they truly know about them?

"There has to be something we're not thinking about! Something that is right in front of us, but we keep missing!" Hugo groaned as they sat together in the library.

Lily sighed. "Well, let me know if you think of what that something is. But it's Sunday, and I've got a Quidditch practice in fifteen minutes that I need to give my attention. I'll see you later."

Lily felt a bit guilty for leaving Hugo alone to figure something out and then make a plan, but she herself was empty on ideas. It had been easy to plot against Brunt. Lily knew who and what she was fighting. But with these attacks . . . it was like fighting an invisible enemy. She had no idea what to do or what to expect. As far as they, and the other prefects could see, there was no pattern to the attacks. It was just a random floor, and a random kid. The kids weren't connected, and how they were attacked were completely different as well. There was just nothing for Lily to go on in order to make a plan.

When Lily had stepped outside the castle, she shivered at the remaining chill in the air. Snow was still on the ground, but it hadn't snowed for weeks. Lily was praying that if it didn't warm up, then there would at least be no more snow when it came time for their match against Ravenclaw.

Just as Lily began to wrap her scarf around her once more, she saw a surprising sight. Stacy was standing out on the slightly snowy path, staring up at the sky. "Stacy?" Lily called gently.

Stacy turned to look at Lily, mild surprise on her face. But then she smiled. "Hey, Lily. What are you doing out here?"

Lily came to stand next to her. "I've got Quidditch practice. What are you doing out here? Isn't it cold to just stand out here?"

Stacy just shrugged as she looked at the sky again. "It's a little cold. But I always think the sky's pretty during the winter."

Lily looked up too. The sky was practically clear, with only a few clouds around. It wasn't as bright a blue as it was during the summer, but a more subtle shade. "I never paid attention to it," Lily admitted.

"I think that if I played Quidditch, it would be all I ever noticed," Stacy joked lightly. "I like how it's not so bright and forceful like it can be in the summer. It's like the sky is relaxing into a more comfortable shade for the season." Then Stacy laughed as she shook her head. "Maybe I'm just weird."

Lily shrugged. "I've heard weirder things. Besides, what's so weird about an opinion?"

Stacy glanced over at Lily. "You have a very open-minded way of saying things."

Lily chuckled. "I guess." Then she sighed. "So, are these patrols wearing you out too?"

Stacy stuffed her hands into the pockets of her coat. "A little. But it's not bad. I'm just a little surprised that Christian and I haven't stumbled upon one of the beaten kids yet."

Lily had forgotten that Stacy's patrol partner was Christian. "Hugo and I haven't found one either. It is strange, but probably a coincidence."

Stacy sighed, her breath showing in the air. "Yeah, more than likely. I just think it's so sad. And so evil."

"It is disgusting," Lily agreed.

"You know what's worse though?" Stacy murmured.

Lily looked over at her. "What?"

Stacy was looking at the ground now. "I feel so selfish," she answered softly.

Lily gave her a confused look. "Why do you feel selfish?"

"Because all of this is happening, but I still find myself more worried about my own personal problems," Stacy admitted.

"That's not selfish, Stacy, that's human," Lily assured. "You shouldn't feel bad about that."

"Can I tell you a secret, Lily?" Stacy asked quietly. "One that absolutely no one hears?"

Lily nodded. "Of course. What is it?"

Stacy looked hesitant, but then answered. "Part of me has been considering breaking up with Andy."

Lily was the one that looked mildly surprised this time. "I thought you loved him enough to get past the problem?"

Stacy sighed and rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself. "The way he'd make me feel in the beginning . . . I had never felt like that before. No boyfriend had treated me like that. And when he told me that he loves me, I felt like I could float. But lately . . . ," she trailed off, her voice dying away.

Lily raised a brow, trying to not pry, but be helpful. "Lately, what?"

Stacy took in a deep breath, almost like gathering her courage. "We're having a lot of problems lately. Well, mostly a lot of repeats of the same problem."

"The one that you mentioned during break?" Lily guessed.

Stacy nodded. "Yeah. And . . . it scares me to think of what could happen if things continue."

"Well, can I ask what the problem is?" Lily inquired.

"I don't want to talk about it," Stacy sighed. "But . . . I don't want to lose him. But I also don't think that this problem can be solved. I think it's just who he is, and I can't change that."

"And you don't think that you can get past that part of him?" Lily replied.

Stacy shook her head. "No, I know I can't. But . . . I have loved him for so long that . . . I just can't stop loving him so suddenly. I don't know. It's all so confusing."

Lily sighed. "Honestly, I don't know what I could say that would help."

But Stacy just shrugged. "It's ok. I just feel better talking about it sometimes. To admit that it's not perfect, and there are problems," she murmured.

Lily glanced over at her. "Well, I guess there is one piece of advice I could give you before I head off to practice."

Stacy gave her a look that seemed almost hopeful. "What?"

"It might take time to do this, but I advise that you figure out what your heart is saying is right. Then follow what it says. Because no matter what happens, if you follow your heart, then you'll never lie to yourself."

* * *

"I think you worry about it too much," Lily heard as she stepped into the girls' dorm. She saw Megan painting her toenails, Izzy reading a book, and Lola was brushing through her hair near the dresser.

"Worry about what?" Lily inquired.

Izzy looked over at her. "Lola's worrying over her and Jace's relationship."

"Mainly the physical part," Megan added.

Lily watched as Lola rolled her eyes. "I'm not worried over it. I'm just wondering if maybe Jace wants to go further."

Lily shrugged. "Ask him." Then she walked over to her bag, which she'd tossed on her bed earlier. She plucked her wand out from one of the pockets, and then began to change into the normal black skirt and white blouse part of the uniform. She groaned. "I hate having to dress for patrols," she mumbled.

"Why have you guys been patrolling every night?" Megan asked curiously.

Lily sighed as she buttoned up her shirt. "An extra precaution," she said vaguely.

"We all know it has to do with the kids getting beat up around school, why ask?" Lola retorted.

Lily bit her lip as she put on her Slytherin tie. Megan just shrugged. "I know that. I just wanted to hear her say it. So, Lil?"

Lily put on her shoes, and then pulled her hair up in a quick ponytail. "I can't talk about why the prefects have to patrol. And I can't say why I can't say! So don't ask me, just keep assuming things, ok?"

Izzy gave her a brief curious look, but then she nodded. "Sure, Lil."

Lily placed her wand behind her ear. "Now, I've gotta go. I'll see you guys in a few hours."

"Later, Lily," Lola said with a small wave.

"Have fun," Megan muttered.

* * *

"Pretty quiet so far," Hugo said with a sigh. He was dressed in his uniform as well, but he had his hat over his head as usual. He twirled his wand between his fingers, a small scowl on his face. Since he had yet to speak of one, Lily guessed that he hadn't thought up a plan, or learned anything new.

"Not even a student," Lily agreed. "We usually see at least one."

"Yeah, but people are catching on that kids are at least being 'bullied' around school. You haven't heard the whispers?" Hugo asked.

"A few here and there. And the girls basically admitted that they know something is up before I came here," Lily admitted.

"I just wish we could talk about it with them. I mean, people _know_ something is up. I feel like if we had the others on our side and in the know, then they could help," Hugo replied.

"Yeah, but then everyone would know that the prefects were patrolling all at the same time, on every floor. The attackers would get hesitant and change their plans to their advantage," Lily pointed out.

"Sucks when they know who they're avoiding, and we don't know who we're looking for," Hugo said with another sigh.

"It is hard to attack that which you cannot see," Lily murmured.

"Yeah, well -," Hugo started, but was cut off by the sound of raucous laughter. The two looked at each other in confusion, and then began to hurry to the end of the hall. They turned the corner, and momentarily froze. Lily felt her throat tighten, and her heart squeeze uncomfortably.

Three tall figures, who were obviously boys, stood around a wall. Hoods were pulled over their heads, making it impossible to tell who they were, but their laughter was obvious. But what was really horrific was the tiny, huddled body that laid motionless. Because Lily recognized the face. Riley Vaisey!

"Hey!" Hugo bellowed, fury in his voice.

The figures froze for a moment too, but then took off running. Lily and Hugo were immediately on their tail, but the boys had a good lead. Hugo pointed his wand.

"Stupefy!" A blast of red shot from Hugo's wand, but shot over the boys' heads.

Lily aimed her wand as well. "Impedimenta!" This one just barely missed the boy to the far right.

"Incarcerous!"

"Levicorpus!"

"Everte Statum!"

They threw spell after spell, with how the boys kept practically zigzagging down the hall, and taking sharp turns, each one missed. Lily felt her lungs start to cry for a better gasp of hair than the quick pants she was taking in. She threw out another spell. "Impedimenta!"

The boy to the left tripped up as soon as the spell connected with his back. He flipped a few times, but his friends didn't stop to help him. They kept running. Lily and Hugo came up to the boy who they'd knocked. Hugo kicked him in the side as he started to get up, knocking him down again, and then began to run.

"Hugo!" Lily called. "Stop. We're not going to be able to catch them! Let's take care of this one!"

Hugo stopped, but Lily could tell that he didn't want to. He came back, a scowl on his face, his wand pointed at the boy who was coughing, his weight held by his hands and knees. "Let's see who this freak is!" Hugo hissed.

Lily pulled back the hood, and looked at the face of the boy with curiosity and anger. She didn't recognize him, which gave her a little relief that it was no one from Slytherin. He had a slim face, with a few and hardly noticeable freckles on his cheeks. His hair was a mousy brown color, and his eyes were wide and brown.

But Hugo recognized him. "Ricardo," he mumbled quietly. Then anger seemed to burst inside him. "What the fuck, Jon?" Hugo kicked his stomach again. "You're a Gryffindor!" He gave him another kick, this one knocking him onto the floor completely. "What happened to being a _noble_ House?" He kicked his side this time.

Lily pulled her cousin back. "Hugh, stop! He's down. You wanna be a noble House? Don't kick the guy who's already down and out!"

Hugo was panting, but from fury and not exhaustion. But he stopped, his shoulder's heaving. He took in a large gulp of air. "Now what?" he demanded. "What do we do with this creep?"

Lily gulped in some air as well. "Pull him up, but don't let him go," she instructed.

Hugo grabbed Jon Ricardo by the hood, and yanked him upwards. Then he grabbed one of his arms, and twisted it behind his back. "Where's your wand, Ricardo?" Hugo demanded.

Lily spotted it sticking out from his pocket, and yanked it away from his body. "Right here," she muttered. Then she looked at Hugo. "Can you get him to Jacob without attacking him? I need to get back to Riley."

Hugo wasn't quick to answer, but he finally did nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll get him there. I'll take care of this git."

Lily gave him a nod as well. "I'm trusting you, Hugo. Don't lose your cool. If I don't come to Jacob's office, then meet me in the Hospital Wing. And if you pass Christian . . . send him over." Lily knew that Christian would be angry and hurt about what happened to his brother. Christian was very protective of his little brother. He was always afraid he'd get picked on for being so small. She knew he'd really be furious about this.

"I will. I promise," Hugo assured.

"Then, I'll see you later," Lily said, and then turned and sprinted back the way she came. As she ran, part of her wished that she'd never left Riley. It had all happened so fast that she wasn't even able to really see Riley's condition before they were chasing the three down. But she hadn't seen him even move.

When she finally came back to where they had found Riley, Lily felt her heart race as she noticed that he hadn't moved an inch. Lily hurried over to him, and quickly knelt beside him. "Riley?" she whispered softly. She placed a hand under his cheek, hoping to tilt his head so that Lily could see his face better, but she quickly pulled it away when she felt that his cheek was wet. And she was terrified to see blood on her fingers. "Oh, Riley," she murmured sadly.

Being as careful as she could, she brought Riley to lie on his back. Then she was able to see the damage. The entire left side of his face was bruised and bloodied. As she did her best to check, she couldn't see where the blood was coming from. But as she saw that his hair near his ear was stained red, she concluded that it was somewhere near the side of his skull, hidden by his hair.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. She knew only a few spells for healing. But she knew nothing for bruising, and without seeing the cut that was bleeding, she didn't know if it was something she could even fix. But as the blood began to drench his cheek and hair, Lily decided she didn't have time to attempt to fix it herself. He needed Madam Pomfrey . . . but she also needed to staunch the bleeding.

She noticed a bag sprawled on the floor, open, with a few books lying around it. Perhaps it was Riley's? She quickly moved toward it, hoping to find something to help her. And luck was on their side, as she found a scarf stuffed inside. She quickly pulled it out, and began to wrap it around his head, trying to aim for the area that seemed to have the most blood. She made a durable knot, happy that her makeshift bandage seemed to work. Then she returned all of his things to his bag, and then looked back at him.

How could she get him to Madam Pomfrey? She could try to carry him. He was pretty small for his age. But she was hesitant if she could do so without hurting him. Perhaps she could use magic to have him float through the air? Surely, she could do so without bumping him into anything.

Lily shouldered his bag, and then pointed her wand at Riley's unconscious body. "Wingardium Leviosa," she chanted. Slowly, Riley rose into the air at the direction of her wand. Then Lily began to move him down the hall, following beside him.

She was careful, and afraid. Although she stayed focused on the spell, her mind would be washed over with a feeling of mild anguish at the sight. Poor Riley. Such a small boy, blood soaking his hair and cheek. His silver and green scarf was slowly gaining a red tint.

It felt like a walk of eternity to the Hospital Wing, but when Lily finally got there, she almost slammed the door open. "Madam Pomfrey!" she called.

Madam Pomfrey came out from a door near the back, and her eyes zoomed onto Riley, who Lily still had floating by her side. Then she went into full Healer mode. "Place him on the nearest bed," she commanded.

Lily did as she said, and gently lowered him down on the soft mattress. Then she carefully undid the knot of the scarf, and unwrapped it from around his head. Madam Pomfrey was already approaching, and set a tray with an assortment of things sitting on it, on the nearby table.

"Another attack?" Pomfrey questioned as she began to pick through all the items.

"Yeah. When we came upon him, I think he was already unconscious," Lily told her.

Then Madam Pomfrey was holding out a damp cloth. "Clean off the blood for me? I need to work a few potions together."

Lily nodded silently as she took the cloth, and began to carefully and softly wash away the blood. When it came to his hair, she did the best she could to get the blood out, but there were still tints of red in some places. That was when Lily was finally able to see the end of a large gash near his ear, where it disappeared into his hair.

Madam Pomfrey sighed when she saw it. "Besides the bruising, is that it for injuries?"

Lily shrugged. "I think so. He wasn't bleeding anywhere else." Lily watched as Madam Pomfrey began to work over the large gash, which was starting to let out fresh blood again. She had just gotten the wound to stop bleeding when the door slammed open again.

"Riley!" Christian exclaimed as he hurried over. The worry on his face was obvious. He looked at Lily. "What the hell happened? Hugo didn't get to tell me much."

"I would like to hear this story too," Madam Pomfrey said in agreement.

So Lily went on to tell them what had happened from the moment she and Hugo had heard the laughter of the three boys. She didn't leave anything out, and assured Christian that she had taken good care, and all precautions, with taking care of Riley before moving him even an inch. Christian buried his face into his hands momentarily. Then he spoke.

"I hope they throw that guy in Azkaban," he grumbled.

Lily sighed. "Depends on what Headmaster finds out about him. But hopefully, all of this will end now that we've caught one of them."

"What if he doesn't tell who the others are?" Christian pointed out.

"He'd get a better deal if he did. You really think he'd keep quiet if he got offered a lesser punishment?" Lily countered.

Christian ran a hand through his hair. "Lil, if they could do something like this, to my tiny brother . . . then I don't know what he'd do. All I know is that I don't trust it."

Once more, the door opened. "Lil. C." Lily and Christian both turned at the sound of Hugo's voice. His face was firm and serious, but his stance was relaxed. "Headmaster wants us to go and round up the other prefects. He wants another meeting once he's done talking with Ricardo."

* * *

"What do you mean he didn't tell who the other two were?" Lily demanded, her hands turning into fists of rage.

The prefects all stood in Professor Brown's office. After taking almost an hour to find all the prefects, they all waited another hour outside the office door. Finally, the door had opened, and Professors Longbottom and Macmillan were leading Jon Ricardo out, both with a hand on his shoulder. The prefects filed in, only to be told that Ricardo hadn't released the names of the two that were with him.

Professor Brown ran his fingers over Ricardo's wand, which Lily had given to him once she'd entered. "He refused to say who the other two were. We gave him the option of only be threatened with expulsion, and we wouldn't call in your father, or he could refuse to tell us, and we would call in the Aurors. He chose to face full consequences."

"Does that kid have a wish for Azkaban?" Hugo growled.

"He also would not tell us why he chose what he did. I hope that your father can get him to talk, Lily," Professor Brown admitted.

"Can't you just go through his memories?" Chris Summerby asked.

Professor Brown shook his head. "While he may be an adult by age, he is still a student. And as a headmaster, I cannot. The Auror Department, on the other hand. Well," he said with a sigh.

"So, what? We keep patrolling until we catch the other two?" Lindsey Bletchley asked.

"That is exactly what we do," he agreed.

"Well what's going to happen to that sicko?" Christian demanded.

"He will be formally expelled, and then handed over to the Aurors," Professor Brown explained. "I can't say what will happen from there."

"Well did he say _anything_?" Carly Corner, a prefect from Ravenclaw, asked.

Professor Brown sighed again. "Well, just that there was three, including himself. He admitted to attacking some kids. Said that the reason had nothing to do with the kids, but wouldn't elaborate. And then told me one other important fact."

Hugo looked at him intently. "Which was?"

Professor Brown eyed each of them carefully. "He said that he was not the leader of their little group. He was only 'recruited,' as he put it." Then he put down Ricardo's wand, and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. "I want to ask you all a question, and I want you think about it. Those that knew or at least noticed Jon Ricardo before, who did he generally hang out with?"

"You're going to suspect his friends?" Tanner Creevey asked.

"At this point, we can only assume they were friends of his. Who else would he join up with, and then protect by being taking a harsher punishment?" Professor Brown pointed out.

"I don't think Jon had a distinct set of friends," Lucy spoke. "I mean, I remember that he used to hang out with a lot of last year's seventh years. But now that they've graduated, he hangs out with a lot of people. I've seen him talking with Zack, with Tyler Wespurt, and Andrew Hooper. But he never seemed close to any of them."

"I've even talked with him a couple of times, walked around Hogsmeade with him," Tanner Creevey admitted.

"Gavin Helmsley and I have even studied with him and a few others once," Chris Summerby mentioned.

"I talk with him in a few classes where I sit by him," Nadia added. "But, never anything like a friend."

"Well what about recently?" Professor Brown inquired.

There was a moment of silence as all the prefects thought. Lily ran a hand through her hair. She hadn't really ever noticed Jon Ricardo. She hadn't even recognized him when they pulled off his hood.

"Um, sir?"

Everyone looked over at Hugo, who Lily was surprised to see looked nervous and uncomfortable. Professor Brown raised a brow. "Yes?"

Hugo took an obvious gulp. "Well, uh . . . the other day, I saw him talking with both Rico Thompson from Hufflepuff . . . ," Hugo hesitated and paused, but then seemed to gather his courage, " . . . and Andrew Hooper from Gryffindor."

Lily shifted her glance over to Stacy, who looked surprised, and unsure of what to do. Professor Brown cleared his throat, prompting Lily to look back at her cousin. "When was this, Hugo?"

Hugo rubbed at his temple for a brief moment. "Um, the day before yesterday, I think . . . yeah. I had gone to the library during a free period, and when I left to go to my next class, I passed the three of them, who were entering the library."

Professor Brown gave a nod. "Well, then I'll have a talk with the two of them in the morning. Then, I might call you prefects in again, and we'll discuss what I've found from talking with those two."

"You know, Jon has a sister. She could know something," Tanner Creevey suggested. "Maybe we should talk to her. If he'd been acting different, she'd know, don't ya think?"

"That might not be a bad idea," Lance agreed.

Professor Brown scratched at his jaw, where Lily could see the beginning of a beard growing. "Perhaps you're right. I had planned to bring her in tomorrow, tell her about her brother's situation. That way she doesn't have to hear it by rumor. I'll speak with her then."

"Is there anything else we can do?" Miley Jordan, Gryffindor prefect, asked.

He gave them a firm and serious look. "Three things. I want you all to go to your common rooms, and get some rest. And remember not to speak a word of this. Also, I know it sounds horrible, but I want you to keep an eye on your friends of all ages. Look for changes in how they act. Be suspicious of everyone. Two boys are still in our school, walking through the halls, and hurting your fellow students. And the ruthless boy who started this little group, is still at large."

"If I may ask, sir," Courtney spoke up hesitantly, "what will most likely happen to the one that started all of this?"

"Time in Azkaban will be the least of his worries."

* * *

"How's Riley doing, Christian?" Lola asked at lunch. It was the beginning of February, and four days since Riley had been attacked. He'd been in the Hospital Wing for days now, and Christian went to visit him at least twice a day. Nothing else had been found out or learned of yet. No news from Lily's father on if Ricardo finally gave the names, and no word on what was to be done with him. And according to Jacob, Ricardo's sister had noticed nothing of her brother's behavior, and Andrew Hooper and Rico Thompson had both admitted to talking and hanging out with Ricardo, but not being actual friends with him.

Christian sighed. "He's doing ok. He said that Madam Pomfrey might let him out tomorrow. He's getting a little bored."

"It's good she kept him though. After taking that nasty hit to the head," Lily replied. Madam Pomfrey had told them that Riley had been knocked out so quickly because he'd taken a hard hit to the head, which had lead to the gash and the bruising on his face.

"I agree," Christian mentioned. "I just feel bad for the little guy. And what's worse is that since he hit his head so quickly, he didn't see who it was that attacked him before he became unconscious."

Lily sighed at that fact. When the prefects had found that out, they all agreed that they were almost back at square one.

"Well I hope he gets out soon," Lola said with a reassuring smile. After Christian's little brother was attacked, a lot of older siblings in Slytherin House had become protective of their little siblings. Lola always walked Bobby and Marsha back to the common room right after JB meetings, Xavier was always checking that his brothers hadn't been bothered, and even Megan was checking on Emily's whereabouts before curfew.

"Everyone is suspicious that these attacks aren't just bullies anymore," Shannon had mentioned. "And we're now connecting that those other kids in Slytherin that got hurt . . . people in the common room are starting to realize that they're connected to Riley's attack."

Lily had only kept silent. But the word of silence among the prefects was starting to get old. In the beginning, Lily would understand the need. But now, other students were starting to connect the dots of what was going on. Small panic was already beginning to set in. She was starting to believe that telling other students would help get them to take precautions. Prefects could insist that other students don't walk the halls alone. That they be aware of where they are at all times. And they always have their wand where they can reach it in a second.

When her last class of the day came around, Lily found herself sitting in the potions class room. She was supposed to be helping teach fourth years during this time. But they were now doing the practical part of a lesson, which they'd been lectured on the class day before. So she was sitting in a chair which had been placed for her at the side of Professor Slughorn's desk. He was grading essays, and Lily was reading over the sixth years' recent chapter of Transfiguration.

"I'm done," Alec Avery claimed as he brought a sample of his potion to Professor Slughorn. Lily gave the boy a small smile. Alec was probably one of the, if not the, best in his year at Potions. In his class, he was always the first one done, and it was always close to flawless.

Slughorn smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Avery! It looks perfect, as usual. You know, if you work a little harder, you might be able to get close to where our own Lily is some day."

Alec gave a shrug. "I don't think so. Lil's pretty amazing." He paused, but then sighed. "Actually, sir, could I talk to Lily outside? I was hoping to talk to her about a personal matter?"

Lily looked at Alec with curiosity and confusion. A personal matter? She prayed it had nothing to do with Marsha. Young teen romance was not something she wanted to deal with. But Slughorn gave a nod. "Of course. Just step outside, and come in when you're done," he told them.

Lily sighed as she marked the page of her book, set it down, and then followed Alec outside. When she closed the door, Alec quickly turned around to face her. "Lily, I have a problem."

Lily moved to lean against the wall. "I assumed so. Why come to me?"

Alec shrugged. "Because I need to talk to a prefect. And out of all the prefects in Slytherin, you've got the most influence. Plus, you are technically family now, so that might help a little with this."

Lily raised a brow. "What is this problem?" He had definitely caught her curiosity now.

Alec smoothed down his ink-colored hair. "It's about Scotty and Joshua. And kind of about these . . . bullies attacking kids at night."

Lily stood up straighter. "They haven't been hurt?"

"No," Alec shook his head. "No, they haven't. But . . . after Christian, a prefect's, little brother has been attack, a lot of kids feel like it's an open attack. Anyone could be next. And, I'm trying to get Scott and Josh to be more concerned and careful, but I can't get through to them."

Lily scowled lightly. "I thought Xavier was putting them in place concerning safety?"

Alec rolled his eyes. "No offense to my brother, but he's still so focused on his own personal problem, that he's not noticing how Josh and Scott are just nodding their heads when he talks, and then not following through. And I don't want to be one of the kids who has to go and visit their little sibling in the Hospital Wing every day for a week."

Lily sighed. "Alec, I can't force the two of them to believe that they need to act more safety conscious. I can't force rules on them that don't apply to everyone else. I'm not sure what you're wanting from me."

Alec's shoulders slumped. "I was hoping that maybe you could talk to them. They won't listen to me. Scott just mouths off, and Josh just acts like a brat and agrees with whatever he says. I can't get through to them. I was hoping that maybe you could."

Now Lily was running a hand to smooth down her own hair. Then she shrugged. "I guess I can try. I make no promises, but I'll try."

"Excuse me?"

Both Lily and Alec turned their heads to see an older student approaching. And Lily recognized him. Gavin Helmsley, a seventh year in Hufflepuff. Megan had gone on a date with him last year, if Lily remembered correctly. He was walking toward them, and stopped just beside them. He looked a little nervous. "Um, is Professor Slughorn in the classroom?" he asked.

Lily nodded. "Yes, he has a class now, but it's a practical lesson, so if you need to speak with him, go on in," she instructed.

Gavin nodded quickly back. "Ok. Thanks." Then he hurried into the classroom, not looking back.

Alec looked back at Lily. "Look, if you just try, that's ok with me. But I just think you could get through to them. I mean, I've seen you make Mitch see sense sometimes. And if you can make Mitch act sensibly, then you can get Scotty to do the same. And if Scotty does it, so will Josh."

Lily crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall again. "Just remember that as similar as two siblings can be, they are not always the same. But, also remember that if you want my help, I'll do my best. After all, it's like you said: We are family now. At least legally. But I've considered most Slytherins my family for six years now, so I'll gladly do what I can."

Alec looked obviously relieved. "Thanks, Lily. I appreciate it."

Lily shrugged. "That's what family's for. At least it should be."

* * *

During the JB Meeting that night, Lily finally returned to the meeting room. With all the patrols, she had rarely had the chance to check on one of the meetings, and was never able to take part of one anymore. She had gotten Clay Angel to take over for her and help tutor the fifth years in Potions. She was so out of it now that she couldn't even remember what the class subject was today. But now, she had been asked for help, and she was determined to do as she promised. Try.

Lily approached the area for the second years, where Matt Cornfoot was helping them. "Matt," Lily addressed, "I need to speak with Scott Avery for a moment."

Matt simply nodded, but Scott looked confused as he got up from his chair. "What's up, Lily Lu?" he asked.

Lily just led him over to the first years. "Just a moment. I have to grab one more person." Connie Wood was writing something on a chalkboard, spelling something out for the first years listening. "Connie, I'm going to borrow Joshua Avery for a minute or so, ok?"

Connie just smiled briefly. "Sure."

Joshua simply stood up, and when Lily began to walk toward the door, he silently followed behind her. Scott was quiet too, until Lily brought the two of them out of the Room of Requirement, and away from the slightly opened door.

"What's this about, Lily?" Scott demanded.

"Yeah!" Joshua said in agreement.

Lily crossed her arms. "Why are you making things difficult for Alec?" she demanded.

Scott rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding me? He went and cried to you about this?"

Lily looked at him with a raised brow. "'Cried to me?' No, he came to me, worried that his two siblings would be the next ones to get hurt."

But Scott just dismissed it. "Nothing is going to happen! Josh and I have never been bullied by anyone. Nothing will happen to us."

Lily sighed. She was beginning to understand Alec's concern. "Do you think that Riley Vaisey, a boy in _your_ year, thought this would happen to him? Do you think any of those kids thought it would happen? No, they didn't, but it _did_ happen. And now you two have the chance to be safe and avoid this, and you aren't taking that chance."

"What are you so angry about?" Scott demanded. "It's not like we're _your_ brothers."

"Why am I getting annoyed? Because I _do_ care about you. You are twelve and eleven, in my House, and have the chance of getting seriously hurt. And what's worse, what's happened to these kids, what happened to Riley, you are making it seem like it's all one big joke! Nothing to worry about. But it is. The attacks of these _bullies_ are random. They aren't choosing kids. They just find one and _hurt_ them," Lily said calmly, but fiercely.

Scott didn't look at her anymore, and Josh seemed to look at Scott and wait for him to speak. "We're not making what happened to Riley a joke. I get that it's not good."

"But what you aren't getting is if you aren't careful, it could happen to _you_!" Lily retorted. "_You_ could be attacked next. _You_ could be knocked out in two seconds, and not know what happened. _You_ could end up in the Hospital Wing for a week. Or even worse, Josh could be next if he's not careful. And he's following _your_ example. Just like you sometimes follow Mitch's example."

"Well Mitch wouldn't have freaked like this," Scott mumbled.

Lily raised a brow again. "You wanna bet? Mitch is your big brother. And I'd bet he'd be pretty pissed that you aren't being careful. And that you're risking Josh. If he was here, he would have been more careful, and he would make sure you were too."

Scott gave her a look of disbelief. "You really think that Mitch would stop walking the halls before curfew?"

"Probably not. But he wouldn't do it alone. He'd be with Rex, Justin, even Dom, at the _least_. And he'd carry his wand, he would be aware, and he would not make light of this situation," Lily retorted.

Scott crossed his arms, obviously trying to seem defiant. "What are you gunna do? Tell Mitch?"

Lily gave him a stern look. "Mitch? You think that's the best I can do? No, I'll tell Brandon, Kim, and your mother," she threatened. "And I guarantee that they'll be much harsher on you than Alec has been."

It was a bluff, since Lily couldn't actually talk about the attacks as a prefect, but she knew that Scott would buy it. And she was right. Scott immediately looked much more hesitant, and a lot less defiant. His eyes looked unsure, and his arms dropped to his sides.

Lily sighed, seeing that she'd won the argument. "Now, when you two don't go the JB Meetings, and you leave the common room, Alec and I just ask that you don't go alone. That you carry your wand. And that you go back to the common room at a reasonable time. And my personal suggestion, as you go floor to floor, is to try and keep close to the prefects. Nothing will happen to you if you're close to us."

Slowly, Scott nodded. "Ok."

Josh nodded as well. "We will, Lily. Promise." His eyes were wide and childish, but Lily sensed his honesty. This boy really was impressionable.

Lily ruffled Scott's already messy hair. "Good. Now go back inside. And when you get the chance, apologize to Alec. You two really have him worried."

Both boys hurried to duck back into the meeting room. Lily didn't follow, but instead she just leaned back against the nearest wall. "Thank Merlin I'm the youngest," she mumbled. How did people deal with having to take care of younger siblings? She couldn't imagine how Brandon had handled it while he was still living at home.

She just sighed and pushed away from the wall. Then she began to make her way to the floor she was supposed to patrol for the night. She had a feeling that this would be a long night.

* * *

When Valentine's Day came around a few weeks later, Lily found herself dreading the day to Hogsmeade. Her friends kept insisting that she join them on their trip. Lola and Jace were going on a casual date, and had invited both Lily and Hugo to come with. Both had declined. Megan had planned to go on a hunt to find her next pick for a boyfriend, and invited Lily to come and help her, since Izzy already was coming with. But she had refused that as well. She was grateful that at least Shannon knew not to ask Lily to accompany her and Chris on their apparently "fun" date of the day.

Hugo was apparently planning to stay behind, and had offered for Lily to stay with him. But she didn't feel like trying to figure out more concerning the attacks. Really, she just wanted a day away from all the drama. Just a day away from everything.

So when it came time to leave, Lily avoided her friends, and made her way to Hogsmeade. She'd told the others that she was just going to stay back and work on an essay for Professor Bell, so she hoped that no one went looking for her in the dorm or the library. She pulled her hood over her head, hoping to keep her face hidden as she made her way down the snowy streets of Hogsmeade. She knew the perfect place to go to, and hoped that none of the others would do the same.

When Lily reached the Shrieking Shack, she looked around, making sure there were no tracks in the snow around her. When she found none, she stepped inside. It was a little warmer inside, although it wasn't perfect. But she pulled down her hood, and unwrapped her scarf from around her neck. She then shed her leather jacket, and dropped it all on the couch. Then, not bothering to pretend to wander around, Lily made her way up the stairs. She walked into the bedroom, and after kicking off her shoes, she climbed onto the bed. She was slightly amazed at how warm it was.

After taking a moment to simply relax, Lily reached into her pocket, and pulled out her mirror. After working a few things out the past few days, she'd made a plan, and she was sure it would work.

"Scorpius?" she whispered. She waited the few minutes she expected to wait, but then Scorpius's face appeared in her mirror.

"Lily? What's up? Is something wrong?" he asked quickly.

Lily laughed lightly. "Why would you think something was wrong?"

Although she could only see his face, she knew he was shrugging. "You never call me at this time. I assumed something was wrong."

Lily gave him a small smile. "Scorpius, do you know what day it is?" she asked softly.

Scorpius sighed as he seemed to think about it. "Um, the fourteenth?" he said, sounding like it was a guess.

Lily laughed again. "Right. And what holiday is on the fourteenth of February?"

"Valentine's Day," Scorpius answered simply. But then realization struck him. "Oh! Happy Valentine's Day, babe."

Lily smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Scorpius sighed again as he seemed to make himself comfortable, wherever he was. "I'm sorry I forgot. It's so easy to lose track of what day it is while training," he mentioned.

"It's ok," Lily assured. "I just wanted to talk to you."

He smirked. "Where are you at?"

"The shack," Lily answered softly.

Lily watched as love and desire washed across Scorpius's eyes. "Really? Why are you there?"

Lily shrugged. "Because I wanted to be alone, and I didn't want any of the others to come looking for me. So I came here."

"I wish I could be there," he murmured. "I still have hours of training left today."

"I'm ok with just this," she whispered. "I didn't feel like waiting until tonight."

"I'm glad," he replied. "And I really do wish I was there."

"I wish I was with you," Lily sighed.

Scorpius chuckled. "No, I don't think you'd want that. Your uncle has been in a sour mood all day," he joked. "I think he and your aunt had another fight."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I promise, it'll be over by tomorrow."

Now he laughed fully. "I don't doubt it."

Lily smiled even more at the sound of his laugh. "I miss you."

A softness came to his eyes. "I miss you too, princess. It feels longer than just a month."

"It feels like there's such a long ways to go," Lily mumbled.

"I promise. I'm going to do my best this summer," he assured.

"I know. I remember," Lily whispered. "I just wish that you got a break from training is all while I was back."

Scorpius sighed. "Well, on the bright side, it's the only summer you'll have where I'm training. The next summer, I'll be finishing up before being a full Auror," he reminded.

Lily moved so that she was leaning against the headboard of the bed. "Yeah. That is a bright side. Although, a distant one."

"We'll take what we can get," he replied gently. Then he sighed. "Well, while I've still got time before my lunch is up, tell me how Hogwarts is," he said before taking a bite of something that Lily couldn't really see.

Lily sighed now. She was unable to tell Scorpius much about the drama at Hogwarts. She could only tell him about the extra patrols, and could only give a vague excuse as to why. She was sure that Scorpius caught each lie she gave him, but he never called her on it.

"It's basically the same," Lily told him. "Megan is out hunting for a new boyfriend, Izzy is happily single, Lola and Jace are having a casual date, and Hugo is Hugo."

"And you?" Scorpius inquired.

Lily shrugged. "Same as always. Busy. What about you?"

Scorpius chewed a bite of food before he answered. "Not bad. Training has gotten pretty easy as of late. I mean, I still don't get back until late, but I'm not as tired as I used to be."

Lily smiled, liking the idea of still being able to see him while he wasn't exhausted. She would have no problem sneaking out of the house late at night to see Scorpius. "Well, that's good," she murmured.

Scorpius swallowed another bite, and then sighed. "Babe, I gotta go. Lunch is about up here, and I've got to get back."

Lily bit back her disappointment. It was Valentine's Day, and she'd actually gotten to talk to Scorpius before she got ready to go to sleep. Like Scorpius had said, they'll take what they can get. "Ok. I'll talk to you later," she whispered.

"Call for me later tonight," Scorpius told her. "I'll be waiting."

Lily nodded. "I will. I promise." Then she sighed. "I love you."

Scorpius's smirk became his usual soft smile. "I love you too, Lily. Bye."

"Bye," she whispered. As Scorpius's face began to disappear and fade, Lily placed the mirror onto the bed. Then she looked around her. The room was empty and quiet, and filled with one important memory. Lily laid on that bed, basking in the middle of it all.


	90. A Generation's Mistake

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Another chapter. I've started to write a good portion of these chapters during classes, so I get the done sooner. I know their not as long, and they seem quick, but it's supposed to. Also, sorry if there are any mistakes in spelling or grammar. I tried to check over it the best I could, but I'm not sure if I got them all. Anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety: A Generation's Mistake

Lily took in a breath of cold and crisp air as she circled the pitch. Only days after Valentine's Day, and the Quidditch match with Ravenclaw was in full swing. But luck was on Slytherin's side this match. Ravenclaw was nothing without the Scamander twins as its Beaters. Not to mention that they'd also lost a great Chaser, and their Seeker, due to graduation the previous year. Lily was starting to understand how Hufflepuff had creamed them in their match together. The match had barely started, and Slytherin was already up eighty points. And not one of their players had taken a Bludger hit, unlike two of their Chasers. Courtney had already rocked Randy Davies pretty good, and Tanner had most likely broken the arm of their new Chaser, Nadia's little brother Joey.

"And Pritchard makes the catch! He passes it off to Warrington, who dodges past young Belby, and ducks under his sister! He passes off to Higgs, who barrels past Davies, dodges a Bludger, and take a shot . . . and it's good! Ten more points to Slytherin!" Barnes announced.

Lily had given her team a small talk on what she wanted for this game. Fewer injuries, a bigger lead, and she wanted Tanner and Courtney to tear apart their team one player at a time. Lily did not want anything near a repeat of their game against Gryffindor. This time, they were going to win without a doubt.

"Goldstein throws the Quaffle to Davies! He quickly tosses it off to Nadia Belby, and she quickly and barely dodges past Higgs. She makes it half way down the field before passing it back to Davies! Davies is going, but Pritchard is getting close. Robert Pritchard has one of the best records for numbers of steals here at Hogwarts, and Davies needs to worry. Oh! But Davies passes it off to Belby just as Pritchard closes in! Oh!" The crowd groaned and gasped with Barnes. "Ow! Davies takes a Bludger to the stomach! He's still on his broom, but he's coughing up a storm! That's the second Bludger he's taken in this match, both at the hand of Courtney Derrick!"

Lily looked down at the game below her. She could see Randy doubled over, his arms around his stomach, the game still going on around him. Nadia still had the Quaffle, but Lily could see John and Lance closing in on her. She turned her eyes back onto the cold sky around her, continuing her search for the Snitch.

"Higgs and Warrington are pressing on Belby," Barnes commented. "Looks like they plan to keep on it until she gets to the goals . . . or not? They're pulling away . . . oh! And Belby takes a Bludger right to the back! She drops the Quaffle, and Warrington grabs it from the air. He takes off, while Higgs makes sure Belby doesn't fall. She looks steady, but she's heading for the ground. Higgs takes off toward his teammate."

Lily circled around faster, her eyes scanning for the Snitch as her mind calculated over how big a lead they wanted. Ravenclaw had yet to score, and after hearing Barnes announce Lance scoring another goal, Lily knew they were up a hundred. Lily knew that Ravenclaw was not who they had to worry about, but Hufflepuff wasn't far from Slytherin in the race for the Cup. So how many points did Lily want to be leading with before she caught the Snitch?

Lily stopped moving, and looked around her. Along with Barnes commenting on the game, the students were cheering around her. And as she looked, she couldn't see Nadia on the pitch anymore. Had she missed an announcement about her? Barnes was usually quick to update the crowd if a player was injured, or not returning.

Then she scanned around until she found Ravenclaw's new Seeker circling the pitch, a little lower than Lily had been circling. Candy Entwhistle was a third year, and a decent player. Apparently during the match against Hufflepuff, she was the one who caught the Snitch. Hufflepuff still beat them by a good number of points, but it had gained Entwhistle some attention. She had beaten Kimberly Rickett in a race for the Snitch, and accepted the loss of the game as a whole with grace.

Lily looked the young girl over. Lily herself had beaten Rickett, and apparently, Entwhistle and Rickett had been pretty even before Entwhistle snatched it. Using a lot of faith and confidence, Lily was sure she could beat her. Lily had been playing longer, and she had a lot more experience. Not to mention, Lily wasn't afraid to take an injury in order to win. And from what Lance had told Lily, the match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff hadn't been too violent a game. There were only a few minor injuries in total. No one was knocked.

"And Davies has the Quaffle now! He dodges past Warrington, and barely swerves past Higgs. He ducks a Bludger, and is more than half way down the pitch now!" Barnes said with excitement. "He gets to the goals, he takes the shot and . . . and Harper barely misses the save! Ten points to Ravenclaw! This may be the real start for Ravenclaw."

* * *

It _had _been a start, but not a very good one. Over an hour later, and Ravenclaw had only managed a little more than a hundred points, mostly thanks to Randy, since Joey Belby's arm was practically useless after being hit by a Bludger. Slytherin was stomping them into the ground. But the irritating part was that Lily couldn't find the Snitch. She'd made the decision to finally start looking for it every second, and scanning everywhere, but there wasn't a sight of a golden ball.

Lily was personally getting tired, and she was beginning to freeze due to the bite in the remaining winter air. And with all the noise and concentration on looking for the Snitch, she was beginning to get a small headache.

"And Entwhistle's seen the Snitch!" Barnes screamed.

Lily turned in a flash to see Entwhistle racing up toward the sky. Lily went after her immediately, her eyes searching for the Snitch. Lily found it after a second, although it blended in with the glare of the sun to where it was almost invisible. Lily easily came up to Entwhistle, making them neck and neck. Lily bit the inside of her cheek. She was determined that Entwhistle wouldn't be the winner of this one. But then Lily heard a splintering crack, and Entwhistle was gone from her sight. Lily spared a second's glance to see Entwhistle spinning through the air, descending at a quickening speed.

"Wow! And a Bludger has broken Entwhistle's broom! That Derrick girl has some wicked aim!" Barnes cheered.

Lily grinned as she locked her eyes on the Snitch. She'd have to thank Courtney for that. Soon the Snitch was reaching distance, and after three tries, Lily was finally able to snatch it from the air.

"And Potter's caught the Snitch! Slytherin wins the game!" Barnes yelled over the roar of the crowd.

Lily held the Snitch high as she descended to the ground below. Once she had, she was surrounded by the team.

"That was domination!" Tanner exclaimed.

"There is no way _any_ team could catch up to that!" Hank cheered.

Lily looked at Courtney, who was smiling at her boyfriend, who, with Bobby and John, was cheering at the crowd, getting them to cheer even more. "Courtney," she addressed.

Courtney turned to look at her, still smiling. "Yeah, Captain?"

Lily smiled at her. "Nice shot," she complimented.

Courtney laughed. "Yeah. The funny part was, Barnes said I had good aim . . . but I was aiming for her back"

Lily just laughed with her, and they watched their Chasers pumped up the crowd even more.

* * *

Lily yawned as she sat with the other girls in the library. It was an early morning, and Lily had been patrolling late, but the girls still insisted on dragging her with them to study. Lily had mainly just been skimming over pages in the book in front of her. But she hadn't taken anything in. Her mind was too tired.

"You've got an admirer, Lily," Izzy whispered casually.

Lily looked at her with a raised brow. "What do you mean?" she whispered back.

Izzy motioned very discreetly to the left. The other girls all then discreetly made glances in that direction. Lily was surprised when she saw a boy staring at her, but also felt like rolling her eyes. She was too tired for this!

"Wait!" Lola whispered. "Isn't that Gavin Helmsley?"

"Merlin, it is!" Shannon giggled. "I didn't know he had a crush on you, Lily."

"Neither did I," Lily muttered.

"I rate him a five," Megan said with little thought. "Our one date wasn't that bad."

"Like it matters," Lily retorted quietly. But Megan only shrugged.

"I'm surprised Chris hasn't told me. Those two are pretty good friends," Shannon mentioned as she looked back to her book.

"And Chris tells you everything?" Megan pointed out.

"Of course he does," Shannon replied. "We always tell each other everything."

"So you know how many girls he's been with?" Megan countered.

"He's had three girlfriends, and he's only slept with one," Shannon answered.

"And you know who it is?" Megan demanded.

"Allison Reed, she's in his year. They dated from third year to fifth year, and gave each other their virginity. But then it didn't work out, so they stayed good friends. He's had two other girlfriends since then, and then me," Shannon said, smiling smugly. "We tell each other everything."

"That'll blow up eventually," Megan muttered.

"It hasn't blown up for Lily," Shannon argued.

Megan looked at Lily. "Have you told Scorpius about all the guys you've dated or kissed?"

Lily thought about it. Had she? "Um . . . honestly, I can't remember. I think I've told him about all of the boys I've kissed . . . or at least most of them. But, it's not like any of them mattered really."

"That's why I like having a simple boyfriend," Lola teased. "It's not hard to know that he hasn't kissed a lot of girls, and it's easy to know he's only had one girlfriend, when said girl is your friend."

"But have you asked him?" Megan mocked.

Lola shrugged. "I don't have to ask."

"How do you know that?" Megan countered. "Maybe he had a kiss or a fling that you don't know of."

Lola looked at her book, and began to scribble down some notes. "It's not necessary. I already know he doesn't."

"Whatever you say," Megan replied.

Lily just felt like falling asleep where she sat.

* * *

"So, I didn't know you did a photo shoot for _Witch Weekly _over break," Hugo mentioned as he and Lily walked to class. Lola and Jace were ahead of them, whispering softly to each other. March had come, and so had a warmer breeze than normal. But when Lily was out on the pitch, she was thankful for the change.

Lily shrugged. "Not for them personally. But one of the labels I modeled for might have put my picture in there. Why?"

Hugo cleared his throat. "You haven't seen the cover of this month's issue?" he inquired.

Lily shook her head. "No. I don't usually bother with getting that magazine. I was on it?"

Hugo began to dig through his bag. "Yeah, but it wasn't just you. The cover was split in half. I think it made a bigger story than the actual picture of you, or article of the other person."

Lily gave him a confused look. "Why do you say that?"

Hugo finally pulled a rolled up magazine out of his bag. "Because look who you share it with."

Lily took it from him, unrolled it, and almost dropped it when she saw who else was on the cover. James. Smiling, giving a wink every few moments, and dressed in his team uniform.

"_Potter Sibling Fame: Model Lily Potter, and Star Athlete James Potter."_ was what was written under their pictures.

"Where did you get this?" she asked quietly.

"Stacy showed it to me this morning. I asked to borrow it," Hugo answered. "I thought you'd like to see it."

Lily sighed. "Just the person I want to be seen on a cover with," she muttered.

"Well, at least they didn't print something on how you hate each other," Hugo pointed out. "And I read over the article about James. No mention of you. It's just about him and the team's winning streak since he joined."

Lily handed the magazine back to him. "Still sets an ugly feeling in my gut," she mumbled. "But you're right. It could be worse."

"Does make me curious as to what they'll put in their next issue to top this one," Hugo commented. "I mean, two of the famous Potter children on one cover? That must have drawn the attention of every gossipy old witch around."

"I don't even want to think about it," Lily retorted.

"I wonder how Albus is going to feel," Hugo said with a chuckle.

Lily glanced at him. "Why?"

Hugo grinned. "With how jealous he is of you? And how he wants to compare to James? Then you two get put on the cover of a magazine, with no mention of him? I'd bet it's eating him on the inside."

Lily almost laughed, but instead just scoffed. "Albus? Jealous of me? Get real."

"You get a clue," Hugo countered. "You've never noticed how angry Albus used to get when James would hang out with you more? Or when he would pick you first when we all played Quidditch together? And then with the fame you've gotten as a model? And being your dad's princess? The guy was born envious of you. It's why his eyes are green," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I noticed the anger. I know he wants to be James's favorite. I just don't think it's because of jealousy that he hates me."

Hugo shrugged. "Believe what you want. But that's my opinion."

"And you're an expert on sibling jealousy?" Lily mocked.

"Sort of. I used to be really jealous of how Rose was always praised by my dad. I always felt like I had to work really hard to just be compared to her. That was until I realized that Rose worked hard too. And that she was just being a Gryffindor, and Granger, stereotype. She has to be smart, loyal, brave, etc. That was when I decided I didn't want to be like that," Hugo explained.

"And then you and I started talking again?" Lily guessed.

He nodded. "Basically. I mean, I had made the decision to be different before we made up. But I felt that I was so far in, I wasn't sure how I could change and be myself. Then I started noticing how you always seemed to be having fun. Like, real fun. Even if you did get in trouble or screwed up. Then for a while, I was jealous of you, because I wanted that too."

Lily nudged him playfully. "Well there's no need, because now you have it."

Hugo chuckled. "Yeah, I do. Never knew it would be so difficult at the beginning though."

"Worth it?" Lily teased.

Hugo smiled at her. "To be free, myself, _and_ have my absolute best friend back? Totally."

* * *

"So, when you say that you're going on a date with him, do you mean you might actually date, or just have a one nighter?" Izzy asked Megan at breakfast.

Apparently, Megan had a date for the Hogsmeade visit in two weeks with seventh year Hufflepuff, Frank Brady. Lily didn't blame Izzy for asking the question. With Megan, you never knew.

Megan shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we'll just see if he's worth a second date."

The first screech of an owl was the signal for the arrival of the mail for the morning. Soon, owls were flying around the ceiling, swooping down to drop mail off to students. Lily was surprised when her father's swooped down to her. In its beak was a surprisingly thick envelope. Lily took it from him, tossed him a piece of her toast, and watched him fly off.

"Who's that from?" Xavier asked curiously. He was looking much better than he had at the beginning of the year. More alert, aware, and well-together. Whatever kind of talks Xavier was having with Liz, they were apparently working.

"My dad. That was his work owl," Lily answered. She opened the envelope, and pulled out another envelope, and a letter. Confused and curious, she read the letter first.

"_Dear Lily,_

_The envelope is a letter from Marcus, your Muggle relative. Again, I'm glad you keep up a friendship with him. But, I also have news for you._

_The Board of Governors has been fully examined. Now a debate is starting on who to dismiss, and who to keep. It should be decided by the time Summer comes around. I'll try to let you know if the verdict comes earlier._

_Also, a hearing for Jon Ricardo will be in the next week. I can't begin to guess what the verdict will be, and what his punishment will be. But I will say that we were unable to find out the names of the other two boys. I'll also try to send you a letter, telling you the decision concerning the young man. Until then, take care of yourself, and don't get into any unnecessary trouble. I won't bother saying _any kind_ of trouble. You're a Potter, and you know as well as I do how trouble comes to us._

_Love,_

_Dad"_

Lily smiled at the letter, and although she wasn't happy to hear that her father was unable to get the other names from Ricardo, she was ecstatic to hear about the governors. She folded the letter, and put it back into the envelope. She'd have to save it and show Hugo.

Then with another smile, she opened the envelope to Marcus's letter. It'd been awhile since she'd heard from him. She pulled out a small, and square piece of paper, and then a normal-sized, folded letter. She read the little note first.

"_Lily,_

_I got a visit from someone, and she really reminds me a lot of you. She asked me to send this letter she wrote to you. I didn't read it, but she said you'd know who it was from. But anyway, I'm doing good. And I hope you are too._

_Marcus"_

More confused, Lily unfolded the letter. Someone that reminds him of her? Who . . . ? Then a thought popped into her head, and Lily was sure she was right. She began to read the letter immediately.

"_Lil,_

_You'd better not be worrying about me. Because I'm fine. We all are. Actually, we're doing pretty awesome. A lot of gigs. At least three in a week, every week. So don't worry. But, I hope that you're doing good. You probably are, like usual. And maybe you're not, but I like to think you are. I worry less . . . not that I really even worry._

_Mitch says 'hi' by the way. He's standing behind me, demanding I write that in. He hopes you're ok too, and that Malfoy is doing good._

_Anyway, I just wanted to write and let you know everything was cool. You were right, by the way. Your distant cousin is pretty cool for a Muggle. I mean, he kicks other guys' asses for a living. That's cool in my book._

_Just remember that I'm ok, and there's no need to worry. So don't let the family get worked up or worried over me either. And take care of yourself. Don't let your brothers get on your nerves. Just sick Malfoy on them._

_Love ya, cuz."_

Lily felt emotion pound in her heart as she smiled. Dominique. She really did write something to her. And it sounded just like her. Tough, casual, and laid-back. And that single part also sounded like Mitch. Another wave of emotion washed over her heart as she was reminded of how much she truly missed her cousin. And of how much she missed Mitch, who was like a goofy big brother to her. She folded the letter, and put it back into its envelope as well.

This letter . . . she'd save it for the memories it brought.

* * *

Lily sighed as she watched her team practicing. Their next match was against Hufflepuff, and since they had two months until then, she wanted to improve their game as much as they could. Tomorrow, she was bringing the team to watch the match of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and she wanted to find the team's weaknesses.

She looked over at Courtney and Tanner, who were both working on their aim with the Bludgers. Courtney's bat of course was made to weigh more than normal. Lily was impressed and happy that she was able to put more weight on the bat this time. Then she looked at the Chasers and Keeper. The Chasers would start at one end of the field, and would practice different passing techniques as they made their way down the field. Then they'd make the shot attempt, which gave Hank the chance to improve with each complex attempt they made.

Lily had the practice Snitch in her hand. She'd already caught it plenty of times, and was now watching over the rest of the team. But she wasn't the only one watching them. A few of their friends were out in the stands, watching the practice, waiting to meet up with their friends that were on the team afterwards. And, once Lily'd gotten into the air, Megan had waved her over, just to point out that her "stalker" Gavin was there too.

Lily ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Ever since she'd been warned by Izzy that Gavin was staring at her, Lily had noticed him staring at her plenty of time. At meals, if she was in the library, or even in the hallways. With how much she seemed to see him as of late, she was starting to believe that Megan was right, and that he was stalking her. But she tried to ignore it when she could. Which was thankfully most of the time.

An hour later, Lily had called the team into the locker room. As they all showered away the sweat, and then changed into their normal clothes, Lily wondered what she wanted to tell them. They already knew that they needed to crush Hufflepuff. They felt the same way, so Lily didn't need to say it. But what was their strategy for the next game going to be?

Tanner seemed curious too. "So, what's the plan for the next match, Captain?" he asked as he tied his shoes.

Lily bit her lip as she looked at the six of them. Each looked at her as they finished putting on their shoes, or closing their lockers. Finally she just shrugged. "I don't know. Let's just see how Hufflepuff plays against Gryffindor tomorrow. Maybe then I'll have an idea planned out," she answered.

Tanner gave a small salute. "Got it. And don't worry about it, Captain. This is me and Hank's last game on the team. We won't lose it."

"And that's a promise," Hank assured.

Lily smiled. "I hold you to that. Anyway, you guys can go. That's it for today." She sat down on one of the benches as they all began to collect their things, and head for the door. But Bobby noticed that Lily wasn't heading for the door too.

"You coming, Lily?" he asked curiously.

Lily just shook her head. "Nah, I'll be there later. I just really want to be where it's quiet for a moment."

Bobby gave a nod. "Ok. If you're sure." Then he was walking out the door, leaving her alone. Lily sighed as silence wrapped around her. She was tired, and she didn't want to be around the drama her friend's were most likely discussing, or the gossip of what was happening around Hogwarts, and she wanted to avoid having to hear about a single problem. But as she sat there for a while longer, she knew she'd probably want to get something to eat before she had to start patrols, so skipping dinner would be a bad idea. With a sigh, she got up, slipped on her jacket, and made her way to the door. She trudged back up toward the castle, shoving her hand into her jacket pockets. The air around her was cool, but not as cold as it had been in the past months. She yawned lightly. After that practice she was so tired. She hated the fact that she would have to patrol later tonight though. It was really starting to wear on her.

"Lily! Lily, wait!" a voice called out to her.

Lily stopped on the path and turned around to see someone hurrying toward her. She was a bit surprised when she saw who it was. Gavin Helmsley. The one that had been staring at her as of late. Lily politely waited for him to come close to her, but then she raised a brow. "So, you're done staring at me? You're finally going to speak?" she mocked, her annoyance at the patrols leaking in.

Gavin blushed. "Oh, you noticed?" he mumbled.

"Everyone noticed," Lily countered.

Lily could hear him gulp almost, which he followed with a clearing his throat. "Sorry. I didn't mean to be awkward. I've been wanting to talk to you . . . but I wasn't sure if I should."

Lily raised a brow. "I've got a boyfriend, Gavin," she guessed.

But Gavin shook his head. "No. No, it's not that. Um . . . I need your help, Lily. I really, _really_ need it."

Lily sighed heavily, that feeling of being tired weighing down on her. "For what?" she snapped. "Everyone seems to need my help for something! So tell me, what do you need?" Gavin looked at her with a terrified expression, and Lily immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry, Gavin. I'm sorry. It's just been a really stressful few months. I didn't mean to take it out on you. I'm sorry. Now, really, what is it?"

But Gavin still looked terrified. Then he stepped closer and spoke in a whisper. "You can't tell anyone. And you can't freak out until you hear the whole thing. Promise?" His voice was shaky, showing true fear. It surprised Lily, and she felt her own worry rising.

So she nodded. "Ok. I promise," she assured.

Gavin looked ready to start trembling. "I'm afraid, Lily," he muttered. He brought his hands to his hair, and clenched his fingers.

Lily looked at him with confusion. "Afraid of what, Gavin?" Lily inquired.

"I'm not sure if I should tell you. The dude might kill me!" Gavin cried.

Lily felt her heart beat faster as she began to understand what Gavin wanted to talk about. "You know the person behind the attacks?"

Gavin groaned and pulled at his hair. "He'll kill me if he finds out," he moaned.

Lily grabbed Gavin's wrists and pulled his hands from his hair. "Gavin! Who is it?"

Gavin looked torn. "I can't tell you. Because if he gets caught today or any time recent, he'll know it was me! And he'll come after me, Lily! You've got to help me!"

Lily was speechless for a moment. She'd never seen someone so terrified in her life. Again, she nodded. "I'll help you, Gavin. But you have to help me here. How did you find out about this guy?"

Now he looked ready to cry. "Remember what you promised," he reminded.

"I will, Gavin. I'll hear you out first. So tell me," Lily insisted.

Gavin's arms went limp in her grip. "I know, because the other guy working with him . . . it's me," he stuttered, a sob in his throat.

Lily let go of him quickly, as if she'd been burnt. But she felt frozen. Gavin? Gavin was attacking students? . . . And he was telling her? He was confessing, and stating that he needed help? Lily felt so confused.

Gavin began to fidget where he stood. "I didn't know what I was getting into. Just one day, he got me and Jon together, and he told us about something that was really fun. I didn't know what he was talking about. Not until he hit the kid," he whispered. "He started laughing, and telling us to join in. The rush of power we'd feel would be fantastic. So Jon started in, and then he was laughing and mouthing off to the kid. When I did nothing, he pulled me forward, and commanded me to kick the kid . . . so I did. It was two against one if I didn't listen."

Lily pulled in a deep breath. "So you kept doing it?" she muttered.

Gavin buried his face in his hands. "I didn't think he'd look for me again! I thought it would be over after the first night! But then as I left the library the next night, he and Jon were waiting for me! I couldn't escape them, Lily! He never said, but I _knew_. I knew, in my heart, and mind, and stomach, that if I tried to get out, or did anything he didn't want . . . he'd come at me. And I've seen what he's done . . . and the idea of it happening to me scares me!"

Lily sighed. "So, then Jon was caught?" her own voice trembled with tension that overtook her.

Gavin ran his hands over his face. "I tried to convince him that he and I should stop. No one knows what will happen to Jon, or what has happened, but it can't be good. And I tried to point that out to him, but he wouldn't listen. And now . . . he knows more than ever that I'm hesitant. I don't want to do this anymore, Lily! But I don't want him to kill me. Because . . . I'm starting that he's capable of it!"

Lily closed her eyes as she thought for a moment. He couldn't tell her. Wouldn't tell her. Gavin was scared, like all the other kids. But unlike Jon, he wasn't keeping the name out of loyalty. Just fear. Lily opened her eyes to look at him. "Gavin, what can you tell me about him?"

Gavin gulped. "He's crazy, Lily. I don't know how it happened. He used to be normal, as far as I knew. And he still pretends to be normal. Like . . . you'd never expect it from him!" he cried. "But he's crazy! For him, it's a power feeling! He does it because he feels powerful hurting people. Seeing them on the ground because of him. Under his mercy. He's a psychopath. He's probably beyond help."

Lily bit her lip. The things he was telling her . . . it was scaring _her_. If these things were true, things would get worse if they continued. And it would be much worse. Finally, Lily was able to throw the tension away from her body. She needed to be calm, and relaxed. But instinctively, she pulled her wand from her jean pocket. "Come on, Gavin. We have to see Professor Brown," she stated.

Gavin flinched. "You're not going to have me expelled, are you?" he whispered.

Lily locked eyes with him, and saw true fear, remorse, and guilt. She had known Gavin before this. He'd been a good guy. Goofy, nice, and just a normal guy. She trusted what she saw. "No, I'm not. I can't promise that Professor Brown won't question, interrogate, or do anything else, but I'm going to be there. And you'll tell him what you told me. And what I am sure of, is that he'll help you."

* * *

The prefects all sat around in the headmaster's office, waiting for the headmaster to say something. They'd all just listened to Gavin's confession, which still didn't give them a name, and then Gavin had been led out by Professor Macmillan, who would keep an eye on him, and make sure he was ok. Now, the prefects and the headmaster were alone.

"Can we trust this isn't a trap?" Hugo suddenly demanded. "I mean, if he was scared, why wouldn't he get help sooner?"

"Fear is powerful," Lily reminded.

"But he already came to us. Why not give his name. Nothing will happen, and we won't let the guy get to him," Tanner Zabini pointed out.

"When you fear that your life will be in danger, you will always be paranoid," the portrait of Albus Dumbledore pointed out very calmly.

"So what do we do with this information?" Kimberly Rickett asked. She flicked Tanner's hand, which had been drawing circles on the back of hers.

Professor Brown sighed as he ran a hand over his eyes. "First, if Mr. Helmsley has a fear for his life, we must take it seriously. He will need to be protected."

"You mean to take him from Hogwarts?" Nadia guessed.

"We may be able to keep an eye for him, but we all know how things can happen in an instant at Hogwarts. And even so, I don't think he'd have a peaceful moment being in the same castle as this boy," Professor Brown answered. "But, I will make sure that he is still able to graduate this year with his peers. After the terror he's been through, I think he deserves that."

"Sir, we're not solving anything ourselves," Dalton McLaggen pointed out. "I mean, maybe we need to bring in the Auror Department."

"That has already been discussed with both Mr. Potter, and the Minister of Magic," Professor Brown mentioned. "But, most of the Aurors are already on a serious case themselves. Otherwise, all they have are new recruits that are still being trained."

"Well, watching over Hogwarts could be like a training mission for them," Rick Whitby suggested.

"They aren't put through mission simulations until their next year of training," Professor Brown answered. "That's their normal routine. Some of the Aurors don't feel the new recruits are ready for simulations until then. And seeing how this is a real situation, I really don't think they'd agree to it."

"But we just have to get Lily's dad to agree," Hugo pointed out. "I'm sure that Lil could convince him. Right, Lil?"

Lily sighed. Her head was beginning to throb, and she just wanted to sleep. But of course, this meeting would end, and then they would all start patrolling for so many hours. "I don't know," she said dryly. "I know he'd love to help. But it's not just my dad's decision. It's also your dad's, Hugo. He's the one that trains them. The one that would know if they could handle something like this. And he's pretty stubborn about some things."

"Well there has to be something!" Lindsey Bletchley cried. "I mean, we're hardly getting anywhere! No closer to the one who started this."

"At least we got two of them out of the equation," Jaclyn sighed. "But it seems like they weren't the real danger."

"They probably never even did the damage to those kids. At least not as much as their leader did," Louis guessed.

"So that means that the most dangerous one is still out there. And, Helmsley thinks that he's murderous," Tanner Creevey muttered. "Fantastic!"

"What if he _is_ murderous?" Dalton mumbled. "It's obvious that we can't let that happen. But it seems to me that if we keep doing what we have been, this guy will keep getting away. He's too smart. He knows we're looking for him. So, if this guy isn't far from murder, then we need to do something more."

"But what?" Courtney groaned in despair.

"Maybe we need to tell the Aurors that we believe the leader isn't far from murder," Jaclyn suggested. "That would get them down here."

"But it would also throw the school into a panic," Lily countered. "Remember: Nothing stays a secret at Hogwarts. And it would also be the perfect chance for the school to be shut down. Word would get out to parents. Some would get scared, and then they'd be pulling their kids out of Hogwarts. Maybe even some of us. And the others, they'd fight to have something done now. It just raises the possibility of parents losing faith in Hogwarts."

"We worked too hard for Hogwarts to get shut down now!" Hugo said firmly. "This is our school. I'm not letting it go under because of one psychopath. Our parents didn't, and neither will we!"

"But what can we do, Hugo?" Dalton demanded. "Something has to change! We can't catch the guy ourselves! He's getting smarter, and not to mention more dangerous!"

"It just means we have to get smarter too," Hugo retorted.

"So you're willing to risk the chance of someone getting murdered? Just so things at school don't get rocky and risky? Guess what, they _are_ rocky and risky!" Dalton argued.

"Arguing amongst ourselves solves nothing!" Lily snapped at them both. Hugo settled into his seat, and Dalton closed his mouth. Lily relaxed her shoulders. "Now, I personally believe that you are both right. Things have gone past the point of simply dangerous. But I also believe that throwing out the information of a possible murderer would solve nothing. Especially when we really don't know."

"So we wait until someone _does_ die?" Carly Corner retorted sarcastically.

Lily sighed. "It may sound cruel. But we can't throw around the word 'murder' to the Aurors. Especially when it concerns the school. The Minister of Magic would be told, and his hands would be tied. I believe that we can get smarter and better as well. We just have to think rationally about this."

"Too bad this _isn't_ a ration situation!" Dalton snapped with a grumble.

"It doesn't mean that we can't be rational," Lily said calmly.

Dalton looked over at her. "Ok, Lily. So tell me something. What happens when he starts to come after us prefects?"

"We patrol in twos to avoid that," Lucy pointed out. "To increase our own defenses."

"But what if he comes up behind a pair of us? He shoots a spell at one, knocks them out, and then it's one-on-one. Then what?" Dalton demanded.

"He's never used spells before. Why would he now?" Lance replied.

"Besides, when Hugo and I chased them all down, none of them had their wands out. We fired at them, and they shot nothing back at us," Lily mentioned.

"And what if he gets smart enough to do it? What if that's his next move? The use of his wand?" Dalton inquired.

"That's when we check the seventh year boys' wands," Kimberly Rickett suggested. "Find the one who used the spell."

"But if we don't catch him when he does it, who's to say he won't do a few small and simple spells before the morning. Clear the traces," Dalton said smugly.

Miley Jordan bit her lip. "He has a point there."

"So what do you want, McLaggen?" Hugo hissed. "You want the school shut down? Do you want to be shipped off to Durmstrang? Lose everything we've come to know and love?"

"I want this guy caught, just like you! But unlike you, I understand that we are getting nowhere alone. We need help!" Dalton retorted.

"I think," Professor Brown spoke calmly, but it quieted every prefect, "that perhaps we need the opinion of a professional. Someone who has faced troubles like this. So, Albus? Any thoughts?"

Each prefect turned to face the famous headmaster of Hogwarts. Lily watched as his blue eyes gleamed and twinkled with thought. Then he spoke, and he was just as calm and relaxed as Professor Brown. "I think that because the generation of the war did not learn from history's tragedies, that now their children must suffer through a repeat of it. And I think that in order to catch this young man, you need someone to walk in his shoes, and step into his mind. You can never know the next move of a chess match, without knowing the basics of the opponent."

"But we don't even know the opponent!" Hugo argued. "How can we fight someone we can't see!"

"You can't fight him?" Albus Dumbledore commented casually.

Hugo stood from his chair. "Sir, you say we have to suffer because our parents and their generation didn't learn. But this is not a repeat! They knew who they were fighting! Voldemort! Tom Riddle! Death Eaters! They knew! But we don't!"

Dumbledore smiled. "You have all given enough evidence to tell you. You know he is a seventh year. You know that he does it for the feel of power. That he chooses no victim, but merely finds one. Take that information, and step into it."

"Sir, how is this a repeat?" Lily asked curiously. She trusted Albus Dumbledore's words. He was wise, and rarely wrong. But she needed to understand them first.

Now he smiled specifically at her. "I remember a certain year. And in this year, dangerous things were happening to students. To this degree? No. Only a few. And was it random? No. The kids were just victims to a mistake. There was only one target, and it was for murder. Not power."

"Then I don't understand how this is a repeat," Lily replied.

"I say it is a repeat because, there was one student, a favorite of mine at the time. In his heart, he knew who it was, he just knew. And he was right, but he had no proof. He couldn't catch the perpetrator. _That_ is how it is a repeat, Lily Luna," Dumbledore answered.

Lily thought, as did the others in the room. For the life of her, she couldn't think of what event he was mentioning. But she understood his point. Someone in their heart knew who it was, but they couldn't catch him. So, that meant they all needed to admit who they really thought it was. Then they could investigate those people.

"If that's true, then this is a really scary repeat," Louis mentioned.

"Why?" Lucy asked.

"Because Dumbledore just admitted that the kid couldn't catch the criminal. Even though he knew, he couldn't catch him. And if murder was the intent . . ."

Dumbledore nodded. "You are correct, Mr. Weasley. The student was not caught. And the one he wanted dead, was murdered in this very school."

* * *

"Dumbledore thinks that someone will die, doesn't he?" Hugo mumbled as he and Lily patrolled. The meeting had ended, and now all the prefects were on high alert. The meeting had done nothing to soothe their minds. It only added tension and fear.

Lily bit her lip momentarily. "I think he knows it could happen. But I think he's trying to point out that, somehow, we can stop it before it goes that far."

"By stepping into the mind and shoes of a psycho," Hugo sighed. "How do we do that? How do we step into the mind of someone who just finds kids at random?"

Lily thought about that. "Well . . . we also know that it's a seventh year, and that it's a boy. So, we need to maybe step into the shoes of a seventh year boy with a secret," she suggested.

Hugo was quiet for a moment, but then grinned. "That sounds like an awesome plan! Should we try it?"

"Not now. We still have to patrol at night," Lily replied.

"But during the day, we can go about doing it! We follow each individually, and find who's acting suspicious!" Hugo cheered happily.

"We have to find a starting point first," Lily reminded him.

"Ok. So . . . what do seventh year boys do?" Hugo muttered quietly.

Lily thought for a moment. "Seventh year is a big testing year. So they'd go to the library to study."

"Brilliant, Lil!" Hugo said with excitement. "That's where we start! The library!"

"Think a little more though, Hugo. We can't get caught spying on kids. Plus, would they really act suspicious during the day?" Lily pointed out.

Hugo crossed his arms as he thought. "Well . . . maybe . . . maybe we could get someone to keep . . . not a good idea," he mumbled.

"We can't risk someone's well-being," Lily agreed.

"Well we need to think of something. We can't waste time," Hugo retorted calmly.

Lily nodded. They were quiet as they continued to walk, but then Lily looked at her cousin. "Hugo, I've been thinking about all the things Dumbledore said. And I was wondering . . . is there anyone that . . . you just feel in your heart is behind this?" she asked.

Hugo was quiet, but Lily could tell that he was thinking. But after a moment, he shrugged. "No. I guess I don't. I've got ideas . . . but nothing like that."


	91. Stopping A Repeat In Time

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter**

**Note - Another chapter. I've been working on this one for a while, so I've had a lot of it written out already. I've worked all night to finish it, plus this morning. So, I'm a little tired, so sorry if I missed any spelling or grammar mistakes, anything like that. But, one more chapter before Lily's sixth year is at an end, and this chapter will bring around the end of some drama. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-One: Stopping A Repeat In Time

"_Dear Lily,_

_There's really no news on the Board of Governors. When old wizards get together to debate, you know how long they can take. But I do have news on Jon Ricardo._

_After taking various memories, we have found each account of him attacking a student. Sadly, none of these memories revealed a face, and no names were said. Honestly, it worries me to think that those boys could have been smart enough to anticipate their memories being looked at. But anyway, Jon Ricardo had his hearing, all evidence has been shown, and we have listened to his confession. He will serve five years in Azkaban, and will be examined mentally once a month. Well, that was the Wizengamot's wording. It basically means that he'll be counseled once a month._

_I thought that I'd give you an update on his punishment. Also, concerning the Helmsley boy, we've sent out an Auror to keep an eye on him, just to be sure that this issue isn't larger than we know. And, we know he feels safer with an Auror keeping a silent eye._

_Take care, princess._

_Love,_

_Dad."_

Lily sighed as she read over the letter during breakfast. She was glad that Ricardo would be put in Azkaban for his actions, but the letter did nothing to calm her fear of Hogwarts's future concerning the issue. Had this guy really been _that_ smart? Smart enough to know their memories could be searched? If he was already that smart . . . how much was he anticipating?

"Man, I still cannot believe how close that match was between you and Hufflepuff yesterday," Jace mentioned to Hugo.

Hugo sighed and nodded. "Yeah, tell me about it. And Lucy kind of laid into McLaggen for catching that Snitch so early."

"Can you blame her?" Lily replied. "I mean, you guys beat them by ten points when she caught the Snitch. They'd been creaming you, and she catches it? It could have lost you the game."

"Yeah. McLaggen kind of sucks when it comes to understanding what a strategy is. Lucy tells her to end the game as soon as she can, as long as Hufflepuff isn't way ahead of us. They're beating us by like fourteen goals, and she snags the Snitch," Hugo muttered. "If she doesn't improve, I hope she gets kicked off the team next year."

Lily simply listened halfheartedly as the two began to talk Quidditch strategies. She was more concerned about the situation. She and Hugo had yet to decide on what exactly they would do, now that they had decided to try and step into the shoes of a seventh year boy. It had only been two days, but the boy still wasn't caught, and although injured kids were found, none were found dead. But Lily knew that Dumbledore's words were still echoing in each prefect's head.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. Part of her wanted to talk to Dumbledore again. She had the feeling that if she simply knew what event he was talking about, then she'd have a better idea of what to do. But the other part of her knew that he probably wouldn't just give a clear answer. She sighed internally. Dalton McLaggen was right. They needed help. And at the moment, Lily needed help to understand the words of Dumbledore. Luckily, she had a good idea of who to ask for help concerning this. She stood from the table, giving the others a short excuse for leaving, and then hurried out of the Great Hall, and down toward the dungeons. Once she was in the common room, she rushed to her dorm, and dug through her things for a piece of paper and a quill and ink.

"_Dear Dad,_

_It's good to know that Ricardo got a proper punishment, and it is scary to think of how much the boys could have anticipated._

_Actually, Dad, I was wondering if you could come down to Hogwarts? I really need to speak with you. Actually, I kind of need your help with something. It's too much to say between letters, so I'm hoping we can talk in person. And if you could, make it as soon as possible. Time isn't anything that can be taken lightly with this situation._

_Love,_

_Lily"_

* * *

The next day, Lily and Hugo stood outside the library. Lily had cast the _Muffalito_ charm around them, keeping anyone from walking by and hearing their conversation.

"So we need a plan," Hugo muttered. "A way to keep an eye on these seventh years."

"With how cunning this guy is appearing to be, I doubt he'd act suspicious during the day. After all, Gavin said you'd never expect it of the guy," Lily mentioned.

"Then how should we go about this?" Hugo wondered. Then his eyes widened. "Oh, here comes Professor Brown! Lose the spell!"

Lily quickly and discreetly flicked her wand. "Finite," she whispered. Then she smiled as Professor Brown came closer. "Hello, Professor."

"Hey, Sir. Did you need something?" Hugo asked casually.

Professor Brown stopped in front of them, not smiling, but looking relaxed. "Hello, both of you. And actually, I need to speak with Lily. You don't mind if I borrow her for a while do you, Hugo?"

Hugo shrugged and shook his head. "Nah. Of course not. I'll see ya later, Lil." Then silently, he walked into the library, giving her one last glance before disappearing from sight.

Professor Brown placed a hand on her shoulder, causing Lily to finally look back at him. "Come with me, Lily. We're going to head toward my office, if you don't mind."

Lily began to walk with him. "Of course not. What's this about, though?" she asked.

Finally, he smiled slightly. "You'll see." They walked the rest of the way in silence. And when they reached the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office, he gave the password, and then ushered her forward. "Go on. Someone wants to talk to you."

Lily gave him a confused look, but her curiosity was peaked. She stepped onto the stairs, letting them carry her up to the office. Then she stepped into the room, and was surprised, and happy at who she saw.

"Dad," she said with a happy sigh. Her father was sitting on the edge of the desk, obviously waiting for her. He had his own smile on his lips.

He held up an envelope. "I got your letter this morning," he said simply.

Lily closed the door and stepped in further. "When I said time was important, I didn't think you'd come the next day."

Harry stood and ran a hand over his daughter's hair. "Well, my daughter wanted to talk to me about something important to her. And when she says that she needs my help, I'll be there the moment I hear about it."

Lily felt herself relax. "I'm glad that you did come, because it is important."

Harry crossed his arms as he leaned against the desk. "Then I'm all ears."

Lily sighed. "Things are getting bad for the prefects. I don't know if Gavin said anything to you, but he feels that the one that started all of this . . . is murderous. That he's capable of murder, and might not be far from it."

Harry gave a nod. "Ok."

"Now, there was an argument of bringing in Aurors, and fearing the closing of Hogwarts. We worked too hard, and we don't want parents to start pulling their kids out of the school. But we need help. And Professor Dumbledore gave some advice. To walk in the shoes of the attacker. But he also called this like a repeat of history. When I asked how it was a repeat, he gave a story. But I don't know what story he's talking about, and I feel like if I understood it more, it could help in figuring this out!" Lily explained.

"What was the story?" Harry asked.

"Well, he said that at one time, a student at Hogwarts had the intent to murder someone. One person. And during his attempts, a few other students kept becoming victims. And, one student, Dumbledore's favorite at the time, just knew who the person was. But he couldn't catch him, and couldn't prove it. And Dumbledore said that, because the student was never caught, someone was murdered at Hogwarts," Lily told him.

Harry was silent for a few minutes, as he seemed to think. But then, to Lily's surprise, he chuckled. He raised his glasses slightly to rub at his eyes, before righting them. "If he wasn't pretending to be asleep, I'd thank Albus for calling me his favorite," he sighed.

Lily sat down in one of the chairs near the desk. "The story is about you? You're the favorite student?"

He sighed. "Well, I must be, because I know that story. It's about my own sixth year."

Lily looked at him. She hadn't heard the full story of his sixth year. It had been a touchier subject for her father, mainly because of the fact that it was when Albus Dumbledore died. But then she froze. She gulped. "You never said that Dumbledore was murdered by a student," she whispered.

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "I don't like to remember, and I never thought it was a story for you kids. But yes, he was murdered at Hogwarts. But there's more to the story."

Lily closed her eyes. "A student murdered Dumbledore?"

"Lily," her father addressed, making her open her eyes, "this story . . . concerns someone you care about. So . . . don't jump to conclusions like I did. Hear all of it first."

Lily nodded. "Ok. So, who was it?"

Harry pulled the other chair around so that he could look at his daughter. "Draco Malfoy became a Death Eater in our sixth year, and was given a mission as punishment to his father."

Lily felt her heart get ready to drop. "Draco? Draco killed him?"

But he shook his head. "No. He was supposed to though. And his attempts are what other students fell victim to. But when the time came, he was scared. For his life, his family, and for what he was about to do. In the end, Severus Snape did it. Because Dumbledore knew about Voldemort's plan, and asked Severus to do it for Draco."

Lily ran her own hand through her hair. It wasn't Draco. She felt better about that. And she could tell there was more to the story, but nothing she really needed to know. "So . . . I'm still confused. There has to be something about this story. I mean, part of it supposedly has to do with how you just knew that it was Draco behind it all. But I still think there's more. Dumbledore never just gives a clear meaning. There's always something hidden."

Harry chuckled again. "For only talking to him sporadically, you've got a good grasp on how he acts," he joked mildly.

"He does it a lot," Lily sighed. "So . . . do you have any ideas?"

Harry took a moment to think. "Well, you say Dumbledore told you all to step into the attacker's shoes? If I think of it . . . Severus murdered someone that he had, in a way, come to care for. It wasn't love, in fact he sometimes resented Dumbledore for the way he did things. But you can't work with someone for so long without coming to feel some sort of connection to them."

Lily scowled with confusion and thought. "Are you saying that the attacker will murder someone he cares about?"

"Even the craziest man cares about someone. Again, it may not be love, but someone matters to them. It could even be themselves. And sometimes . . . things get out of hand. If you think about it, would someone crazy show their feelings in a normal way?" Harry replied.

Lily ran a hand over her face. "Dad . . . what do I do?"

He looked at his daughter, sympathy in his eyes. "Lily, it's hard to say. Every situation is different. I can only say what I know, what I think, and what I've seen."

"Well what would you suggest?" she asked.

Harry gave her a small smile. "I don't think you'd like it."

But she shrugged. "I still want to hear it."

"Well, then here it is. Stay close to your friends. Watch out for them, and let them watch out for you. And also, do what your heart, and your gut, and your instincts, tell you what's right. That is what I suggest you do. Because in all my time at Hogwarts, and as an Auror, it's never done me wrong in the end."

* * *

The rest of March passed at a normal and horrid pace. Every night, they patrolled, and one of the pairs would find an injured kid, sometimes two. And what was worse, was that now it was common to find the kids unconscious. And according to the kids, they were basically knocked out immediately, never even getting a shot at seeing their attacker.

"This is actually the second time this has happened to me," one of the kids told Lily when she went to see them in the morning. His name was Eric, and he was a second year Ravenclaw.

Lily had looked at him in surprise. "The second?"

He nodded gingerly. "Yeah. I was one of the first attacked when this began," he admitted. Then he looked at her. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you who hurt me back then."

"Well who was it?" Lily asked, her hopes rising.

"Jon Ricardo. I mean, I know there was someone else, but Jon's face is the only one I saw," Eric had told her. Lily's hopes dropped right back to the ground.

But so far, it was a bright side to the prefects. They'd all been afraid of how much "smarter" the attacker would get. So far, it wasn't murder, and for that they were thankful.

Easter Break came with more homework than Lily needed at the moment. But she was happy that she didn't have as many classes as the year before, since it lightened her load just a little.

"Lil, you get the feeling that these tests might come and kick my ass later this year?" Jace asked with a chuckle. He and Lily sat alone at a table in the common room. While finishing some of her own homework, she had agreed to help Jace more with his Potions homework.

"You'll be fine," Lily assured. "You've just got to put your mind to it. Don't view it as something hard. Just view it as something you can do."

"Yeah," Jace said with a heavy sigh. "Man, you're lucky, Lil."

Lily laughed. "Why would you say that?"

"I meant lucky when it came to normal life things," he retorted with his own laugh. "I mean, you're smart, you're pretty, and you already know what you're going to do for a career. Compared to me, I'm an idiot, average looking, and I have no idea what I'll do with my life."

"You stopped being average looking sometime last summer," Lily said with a smile. "You've got a lot of girls crushing. And you're not completely stupid. There's a difference between being smart, and book smart."

Jace ran a hand over his hair. "Maybe. But I still don't know what I want to do."

She shrugged. "You've got time to think it through. Just find what appeals to you."

Jace leaned back in his chair, leisurely placing his hands behind his head. "Hmm . . . what appeals to me? Well . . . I always thought that it'd be cool to be a metal charmer."

Lily looked at Jace in surprise. Metal charmers were rare and uncommon. It could be difficult work, charming and weaving magic into objects to last even after their deaths. She never would have thought it to be something that would spark Jace's interest. "A metal charmer?"

Jace nodded. "My uncle's one. I don't see him too often, but he's a cool guy. The rare times he talks about work, he always says that he loves it, and makes it sound cool. I've always been a little interested."

"Hm. I wouldn't have expected it of you," Lily admitted.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I know. And I know it'd be hard. But . . . my uncle never married, so he doesn't have kids. He told me last year that he'd be willing to teach me once I graduated. I just haven't thought much about it . . . because I'm just not sure what I want to do with my life. I mean, I've been trying to get my relationship with Lola on track and not awkward. I haven't thought too much on it."

"Well, you have this year, and next year, to think it through," Lily assured. "I wouldn't stress over it."

"Are you still looking for other alternatives to modeling?" Jace inquired.

Lily pushed her hair from her face. "Not really. I mean, I like modeling, I feel honored that I can be seen as a role model to other girls. And it's perfect for a girl like me, who has little ambition," she joked.

"Well you've got the right look for a model," Jace complimented. "You're pretty, Lil."

"You're cute yourself, Jace," Lily said with a smile.

"How's it going, guys?"

They both turned to see Lola coming toward them, a small smile on her face. Jace smiled happily at the sight of his girlfriend. "Hey, Lola. Not bad. Thanks to Lil, I'm a little less hopeless than I was before," he joked.

Lola ran a hand through his hair before sitting down next to him. "Well, anything I can help with?"

Lily smiled at her two friends, before focusing again on her homework load.

* * *

"Why did the break have to end?" Hugo whispered to Lily. Lily sat between Hugo and Jace while Professor Bell lectured about a bird conjuring charm.

"Because we were tired of doing just homework," Lily mumbled.

"This sucks," Hugo muttered.

"Well there's no need to worry about being bored, Mr. Weasley," Professor Bell addressed, making Hugo sit up straight in his seat, and making the others in the class snicker. "Because you are all dismissed."

Hugo glared at Lily and Jace, who were trying not to laugh as they all stood up. "Shut up," he grumbled.

"Well, before you continue to glare, Hugh, have you guys heard?" Jace asked as they left the classroom.

"About what?" Lily asked with a sigh.

"Well, according to Christian, they're bringing around Apparition lessons finally," Jace told them.

"Seriously?" Hugo asked, his curiosity touched. "Man, I figured with all the . . . kids getting hurt, that the school already had too much on its hands," he commented.

"I didn't honestly think they'd do it either," Lily agreed.

"They're putting the sign-up sheets by the Great Hall tomorrow. I guess Professor Longbottom asked Roxanne to put something in the school paper about it, so that the sixth years knew," Jace told them.

"Probably hoping to get minds off of the attacks," Lily sighed.

"You gunna do it?" Jace inquired.

"Might as well. Get it out of the way, so I don't have to do it later," Lily replied.

"Yeah. At least I'll be able to take the test while I'm in school," Hugo commented.

"You're so lucky to be seventeen," Lily muttered. Hugo's birthday had been a few weeks ago in March. Thanks to all the drama, they hadn't done much to celebrate it. And Hugo had commented that he hadn't felt like celebrating much anyway.

"The thing is, I'll probably forget that I can use magic outside of Hogwarts, and then complain about how I can't," Hugo joked.

Lily and Jace laughed. "That sounds like you, cuz," Lily teased.

"Don't worry. If you remember, I even forgot my birthday last month," Jace laughed.

"How do you forget your birthday?" Lily mocked.

Jace shrugged. "I don't know. I forgot." The three of them laughed again. Jace threw an arm around Lily. "Poor, Lil. The youngest of us all. Won't be seventeen until August. How will you live?"

Lily laughed with them, but shoved him away. "Bite me," she retorted with a smile.

Jace grinned. "Well, I'll see you guys later. I told Lola I'd meet her in the library. Later."

Lily and Hugo kept walking, Lily having previously agreed to walk with Hugo to his next class. "I can't believe you chose to continue History of Magic," Lily commented.

Hugo shrugged, still smiling. "Well . . . I basically thought 'what the hell' and decided to go ahead and take it. You can't imagine how ecstatic my mum was when I told her. She's so happy I'm taking a course that most students fail."

"Sounds like Aunt Hermione," Lily agreed. "I just don't really have a need for it."

"Being a model, you don't have a need for any class," Hugo countered teasingly.

Now Lily shrugged. "True. But what would you do without me around here?"

Hugo chuckled. "Lil, I sometimes wonder what Hogwarts would do without you around."

* * *

"So you and Frank are just screwing around, or actually dating?" Shannon asked. All the girls, minus Lola, were sitting around the dorm room. Lily was sitting on her bed, brushing through her hair, which was now a mess after Quidditch practice.

"Well after our date, we came to the conclusion that a relationship between us would end quickly. But we still had a major attraction to each other, so we decided to keep it physical," Megan explained to them.

"Take what you can get," Lily teased.

Megan grinned. "Exactly." Then she looked at Izzy. "What about you, Izzy? When will we see you with a new boyfriend?"

Izzy shrugged as she read over part of a textbook. "I don't know. I just don't have much interest in dating right now. Ya know?"

"Everyone has a similar moment in their life," Shannon replied.

"It can be long, it can be short," Lily agreed.

"So, what do you guys think of Apparition lessons so far?" Izzy asked. The lessons for the sixth years had started only a few days ago. The sixth years were ecstatic that they really would get the chance to take the lessons like everyone else who had been a sixth year.

"That old guy is practically senile," Megan muttered. Lily bit back a chuckle, as did the other girls. Of the five girls, Megan was admittedly the worst at it. Lily assumed it was because she had no patience.

"They're not too bad," Lily sighed. "Kind of sucks I won't be able to take the test until August."

"I like them. It's a nice break to have a lesson where we don't get homework afterwards," Izzy joked.

The door slammed open, and an angry-looking Lola stood in the doorway. "What the hell?" she hissed angrily.

Izzy gave Lola a look of worry. "What happened, Lola?"

Lola glared over at Lily, seemingly ignoring Izzy's question. "What the hell, Lily?" she seethed.

Lily looked at her with surprise. "What? What'd I do?"

"You kissed my boyfriend and didn't tell me?" Lola screamed, slamming the door shut.

The other girls gasped as Lily sat up and looked even more confused. "What? I didn't kiss Jace!"

"That's not what he said!" Lola argued. "He said that you were his first kiss!"

The other girls looked to Lily, who thought hard. She'd kissed Jace? When . . . It dawned on her. Third year, up in the Owlery. After Jace had admitted to having a crush on her, and hoping that maybe if they kissed, he'd be able to get it out of his system for good.

"Oh," she mumbled.

But Lola exploded. "Oh? You kiss my boyfriend, don't tell me, and then all you say is 'oh!'"

Lily stood from her bed. "That was three years ago! You still hated him!"

"You seriously kissed Jace?" Megan said with a grin and a raised brow. "Why weren't we told?"

"That's what I wanna know!" Lola demanded.

Lily just shrugged, not knowing exactly what to tell them. "I . . . I don't know! It wasn't that important at the time! And it was just a kiss! He'd had a crush on me back then, and we thought that if we kissed, he could just get it all out of his system! Hell, I forgot about it!"

"But you couldn't tell me?" Lola demanded. "Your best friend?"

"It wasn't a big deal!" Lily insisted. "It was a simple, two second kiss. And again, you hated him! I didn't think it would matter to you at that time! And I'd forgotten about it way before you two started dating!"

"Do I have to date a relative for yours in order to have a boyfriend that you haven't kissed?" Lola hissed angrily.

Lily bit her tongue for a moment. "It wasn't important!" she said through gritted teeth. "And I didn't think it would matter to you!"

"Oh, I would find it boring and unimportant that my best friend kissed my boyfriend?" Lola exclaimed. "How would you feel if you found out that me and Scorpius had kissed before you two dated?"

"Considering how you were dating Rex, and he was uninterested in dating, I'd be shocked," Lily retorted dryly. "But I wouldn't be angry about something that had nothing to do with me! If Scorpius told me about a kiss he'd had with a girl before we dated, I wouldn't take it out on him, _or_ the girl!"

"Ok, why don't you both calm down," Shannon said a bit timidly. "Take deep breathes, and speak rationally before anything worse is said."

Lily bit back the feeling of anger rolling in her stomach. "Forget it. I've got to patrol in an less than an hour. I'll just start early," she muttered. Then after grabbing her wand, she stormed past Lola, and out the door.

* * *

"Why can't we sit with them?" Hugo whispered as he and Lily sat together in the library. At a table not far away from them, sat Jace and Christian. It had only been a few days since Lola confronted Lily about the kiss with Jace, and the two had yet to speak to each other.

"I mean, she's obviously not mad at Jace. I mean, we both saw them snogging before Defense Against the Dark Arts yesterday. And Jace can't be mad at you since _he's_ the one that told her," Hugo mentioned.

"Because I know Lola, and so do you. If she catches me hanging out with Jace, she'll just get mad at him, because she refuses to talk to me. And I know that Jace really cares for Lola, so I'm not going to alienate him from her," Lily replied.

Hugo fixed his hat as he sighed. "I guess you're right," he agreed.

Lily looked at her cousin. "But you can go sit with them if you want," she assured.

Hugo just shrugged and grinned. "Nah. I'll stay with ya, cuz."

Lily smiled lightly, but then closed up her textbook. "Thanks. It's reassuring to hear that. But really, you can go. I've got Quidditch practice in fifteen minutes anyway. Our last match for the year is about a month away."

Hugo stood up as she did. "Yeah, and you need to be ready. Hufflepuff is killer this year." He walked out of the library by her side, his hands shoved into his pockets. "So, how long is your practice going to go?"

Lily pushed back her bangs, the rest of her hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Probably until about fifteen minutes or so before we start patrolling. You could have stayed back with the boys."

"Nah, they seemed to be actually studying, and I don't plan to actually study," he chuckled. "I'll walk with ya, and then maybe watch ya practice, or find something else to do."

"Well I'd hate to bore you," Lily replied.

He just shrugged again. "Don't worry about it. I'll probably end up just going and hanging out with Lucy and Zack." They were quiet for a brief moment, but then he spoke again. "Hey, Lily, can I ask you something about the whole 'kissing Jace' thing?"

Lily rolled her eyes, but nodded. "Yeah. What?"

"Well, I'm just curious but . . . did you tell Scor about that? I mean, if you didn't tell Lola or the girls . . . I don't know. I'm just wondering. You don't have to answer," Hugo told her.

Lily sighed. "Actually, I don't know if I ever told him or not. I mean, I talked to him a lot, even when we weren't dating. We talked about a lot of important things. It was what made it easy to start a steady relationship. So, I honestly can't remember if I told him or not."

"Gunna find out if you did?" Hugo inquired.

She shrugged. "I don't see why I should. Even if he doesn't know, why tell him? It's not like it matters."

"Don't you think he'd like to know? I mean, if he'd kissed another girl before you, wouldn't you want to know?" Hugo pointed out.

Lily shook her head. "No. I mean, what does it have to do with me? Besides, what would it matter? He loves me, I love him, we're happy, and nothing about us will change because of something like that. I just don't find it all that important."

Hugo gave a small nod. "Hm. I guess I can understand that. Personally, I don't know how I'd feel. Although, I don't think I'd be as angry as La has been about it."

"Personally, I don't get Lola's anger either," Lily muttered.

"I'm not saying I don't get her anger," Hugo amended.

Lily raised a brow as they entered the Entrance Hall. "You get it? Because if you do, please tell. I'm confused as hell."

"Well, you are her best friend. She's probably upset that you didn't tell her. Maybe she feels that you didn't trust her with that information at the time. Even if she did hate him, and even if it wasn't important," Hugo replied. "She might be a little upset that you didn't mention it, when she tells you everything."

"Hey, there were some things that it took a long time for her to tell me!" Lily retorted. "And technically, she didn't even tell me about Johnny! Johnny told me about himself!"

Hugo raised his hands in a sign of surrender. "I know, I know! But I'm just saying, that might be how she's feeling. And I could be totally wrong. It could be for a completely different reason."

Lily calmed, and then rubbed at her neck a little. "Sorry, sorry. I swear, I'm getting more tense, and more irritable as days go."

Hugo patted her reassuringly on the shoulder. "I know, cuz. The situation is getting to all of us."

"I don't know how my dad didn't just snap after having to do this for so many years. I'm tired of it all. I thought, for my last two years, it could just be normal. You know, neither of my brothers would be around, Brunt would be gone as well, and everything could be normal. And when the younger students wanted us to expand JB to make it to help them too, I said fine. I had you and the other two figure something out. But then all of this crap had to happen, and it just dragged _everyone_ down in it! And I keep getting asked to help!" Lily snapped in repressed frustration.

Hugo squeezed her shoulder. "Be calm, Lil. This won't last much longer. We'll get the guy," he assured.

Lily took in a few deep breaths, wanting to be calm. But she just couldn't get the tension out of her shoulders, and couldn't be rid of all of her irritation. "I just wish we could be sure of that. Besides, if he does get caught, the Potter luck will just throw a new problem at me next year," she mumbled.

"Well, remember what Dumbledore said? 'Because the generation of the war did not learn from history's tragedies, now their children must suffer through a repeat of it.' Remember?" Hugo reminded.

Lily rubbed at her temples. "Yeah, I remember. Maybe I should have taken history. Learn from its mistakes so no other generation is forced through this."

"Well Professor Binns said something a few months ago that I think is really true," Hugo told her.

Lily raised a brow. "Really? He said something other than just droning on?"

Hugo grinned. "Yup. Surprisingly."

"Ok. Well, what was it? I'm curious."

"It's easy to learn _about_ history. It's harder to learn_ from_ it."

* * *

"How much longer until we turn in?" Lily questioned. She and Hugo were patrolling the third floor tonight, and so far there was nothing out of the ordinary. And it was already sometime after curfew. The JB meeting was over, and they had already seen a few students down to the second floor.

Twirling his wand with one hand, Hugo lifted his other arm, and checked the watch on his wrist. "Uh . . . roughly five or so minutes left. So we just need to do another round of the floor, and then we should be done completely."

Lily sighed as she tapped the middle of her wand against the bag she had around her shoulder, and hummed with small thought. "Ok. It'll take about five minutes to do another way around anyway."

They began to walk in silence, until they heard an echoing scream.

"YYYYEEEEEEEE!"

Lily and Hugo quickly covered their ears. The scream was piercing and screeching, and not at all human. And sure enough, Peeves came zooming down the hall, screaming as loud as he could.

"Shut up, Peeves!" Hugo exclaimed.

Peeves stopped screaming, but kept talking. "STUDENT HELPLESS DOWN THE HALL!" he yelled. "IS HE ALIVE OR NOT AT ALL!"

Lily and Hugo wasted no time, and took off down the corridor. They turned the corner, and stopped immediately. But there was no one in the hall. But Lily noticed something off, and pointed it out to Hugo. "That classroom door is open," she whispered.

They both hurried to the door, and Hugo pushed it open further. And as they expected, and to their dismay, a body laid sprawled on the floor. Blood ran down the arm. They hurried to kneel next to the body. Hugo turned the face toward him, and Lily quickly dropped the bag, put her fingers to the boy's neck.

"I don't recognize him, but I don't think he's even thirteen," he told her. "He's warm though."

"And he's got a pulse," Lily assured. She quickly pushed the boy's robes away from his arm, and found that the sleeve of his uniform had a huge rip, and she could see a gash on the boy's arm, just near his shoulder. "He's got a pretty good cut on his arm. Any blood on his head?"

Hugo was running his finger's through the kid's light brown hair. "Well, there's no blood that I can tell. But there's some dried blood around his nose and mouth."

"Probably took a hit to the nose. Ok, do we have anything to stop the bleeding?" Lily inquired.

Hugo reached for Lily's bag, and quickly began to dig through it. This wasn't the second or third kid that they'd found during a patrol. So Lily and Hugo had started to come to these patrols prepared. They now carried a bag with things they might need if they found another student.

Hugo pulled out a thing of bandages, and handed them to her. Then he ripped the sleeve completely, allowing Lily to see the wound fully. She began to wrap it tightly and securely. Blood was already staining it. As she secured it, Hugo took a cloth from the bag and gently cleared the blood from the kid's face. Lily finished, threw the rest of the bandages in the bag, and then carefully pulled the robes off of the boy.

"Can you pick him up and carry him?" Lily asked as she folded the robe over her arm.

Cautiously, Hugo rolled the kid to lie on his back, and then scooped him up. "Yeah. Yeah, I can do this," Hugo assured. "He's pretty small. He's got to be a second year."

"Well let's get him to Pomfrey," Lily said, as she shouldered the bag, and picked hers and Hugo's wands from the ground. Going as quick as they could, while still being mindful of the injured boy, they made their way from the third floor to the Hospital Wing. Perhaps in preparation for the victim that Pomfrey expected to see by the end of the night, the door was already opened.

Lily pushed the door open, and Hugo hurried in and toward the nearest bed. "Madam Pomfrey, we got a kid in here!" Hugo called out.

Madam Pomfrey hurried in from her office quickly, and rushed over to them. "Foolish to ask what happened. What injuries can you see?" she demanded.

"There's a wicked cut on his arm, and I would check his nose. There was some blood there," Lily told her.

"Do you know who this is?" Hugo asked as Madam Pomfrey Vanished away the bandages. Immediately, blood poured from the deep cut.

Madam Pomfrey glanced at the boy's face. "I can't say I know for sure. But his tie shows that he's a Hufflepuff," she told them.

Lily looked to see the yellow and black tie around the boy's neck. Hufflepuff. Thankfully, Chris and Nadia, as Head Boy and Girl, always came down to check if anyone had been attacked before returning to their common rooms after patrols. Perhaps Chris could identify him.

"Could you two help remove his shoes, and that shirt? I want to do a full check to be sure there are no other injuries," Madam Pomfrey requested. "Bruises, cuts, or bones, we have to be sure."

Lily quickly began to untie his shoes and slip them and his socks off, while Hugo threw off the kid's tie, and began to undo the buttons of his shirt. Madam Pomfrey focused solely on whatever spell she was weaving into his arm.

Hugo looked solemnly at Lily. "You know, I'm starting to think that this sick freak doing this should receive every injury he's given," he muttered, a glare in his eyes.

Lily could see where her cousin's mind was going. "Revenge will get nowhere," Lily replied softly. "If he's caught, Dad will take care of it."

"Not _if_. _When_ he's caught," Hugo seethed quietly. "And I know. It's just a thought. I know once we catch him that he's out of our hands and into your dad's."

"Exactly. Let's just focus on what we can do," Lily told him.

They all heard the door creak open more, and heard a gasp, and then a sigh. Madam Pomfrey didn't turn from her work, but Lily and Hugo turned to see that Nadia and Chris had finally come.

"Another?" Nadia sighed with distress.

Lily nodded. "Third floor. Peeves warned us. He's a Hufflepuff. Do you know him, Chris?" she asked.

With a face that lack any emotion, but showed how serious the situation was, Chris made his way to the bed, and looked at the boy's face, while Nadia followed, and came to stand by Hugo. Chris sighed heavily, his face dropping to one of exhaustion. "Yeah. Robert Stanton. He's a second year," he told them. "Knocked out when you found him?"

"Yep. He hasn't so much as stirred," Hugo muttered.

Chris buried his face into his hand. "Maybe Tanner was right," he mumbled.

But Nadia was quick to turn to him. "No! We can't do that, Chris!"

Lily looked at the two curiously. "What are you talking about?"

Nadia looked firm and angry, but Chris just sighed. "The other night, you know that Tanner Zabini and Kimberly Rickett were the ones to find the kid?"

Lily nodded as she remembered. "Yeah. That Calvin kid from Ravenclaw."

Chris nodded too. "Yeah. Well, the four of us talked, and Tanner made a suggestion that was radical, but could work."

"We can't do it!" Nadia repeated.

"What was it?" Lily asked, intervening.

Chris ran a hand through his hair. "He suggested that maybe we could set a trap. If we could get a younger student to agree, use him as bait to lure out the attacker. Meanwhile, the two prefects would wait in hiding," he explained.

"But we can't risk that student's well-being," Nadia argued swiftly. "It wouldn't be right."

"It's a touchy subject!" Chris retorted. "Because I'm starting to see Tanner's point. Wouldn't it be worse to just let this continue for others to get hurt, instead of just having a kid agree to help, and protect him the whole time?"

"The rest of the prefects would never agree to it!" Nadia protested.

"We could put him outside the library," Hugo said suddenly. "A lot of seventh years are in the library before curfew. Just have the kid 'innocently' sitting around outside the library, reading or something. Lure the guy out, trap him before anything happens to the kid."

"Are we going to hurt anybody that passes by him?" Nadia demanded. "We couldn't know who it is until someone hurt him!"

Lily sighed. "Nadia's right about that. And I don't think the others would agree."

"Some might," Hugo argued. "We just need a majority vote."

"And the approval of Professor Brown," Nadia pointed out. "He would never approve."

"You don't know unless you ask," Hugo countered.

"I can't support it," Nadia stated. "It's wrong. It wouldn't be right of us to ask a student to risk themselves like that."

"Well, we've got another prefect meeting on the first of May in a little more than a week," Chris mentioned. "Let's bring it to discussion with the others. We'll see what happens."

* * *

"We can't do that!"

"It's the only idea we've got!"

"It's a horrible idea! Someone could get hurt!"

"People are already getting hurt!

"We can't ask it of someone."

"No one else has a better idea!"

"It's inhuman!"

"You have to admit that it's at least an idea."

Lily sat and ran a hand through her hair as she sat among the other prefects. They were all in the headmaster's office, having their meeting before going off to patrol. As he'd promised, Chris brought up the idea that Tanner had suggested days ago to him. And the others had immediately blown up into a debate.

"What other options do we have?" Dalton McLaggen demanded. "No one else has given any ideas!"

"So we risk the safety of an innocent kid?" Carly Corner demanded.

"Each victim has been innocent," Rick Whitby pointed out.

"Besides, do you have a better idea?" Lindsey Bletchley demanded. "I think if the kid agrees, why not?"

"But who's to say that the guy will even be around the library?" Sam Goldstein pointed out. "What if he chooses a completely different floor?"

"All seventh years with time are around the library," Tanner Creevey argued. "It's N.E.W.T. year for us. We're all studying when we can."

"That means most of those seventh years would be there until curfew," Nadia countered. "So wouldn't it be odd for a second or third year to just be sitting there past their own curfew? Wouldn't it seem suspicious?"

"That's why we send the kid out a little before his curfew," Hugo stated. "Have him walk around the library, catch the attention of the attacker, and then leave the library. Meanwhile, prefects hide to catch the guy, and keep the kid safe." It was obvious to Lily that Hugo had been thinking this plan through.

"But when spells start flying to catch him, who's to say the child won't be caught in the crossfire?" Courtney argued.

"Then let's put it to a vote!" Chris spoke over the arguing of the others, which brought them to silence. "Now, raise your hand if you are in agreement with this idea."

Lily silently counted all the hands as Chris did. Eleven of twenty-four. Hugo had his hand raised high.

Chris lowered his own hand. "That's eleven. Now, those against it?"

Lily counted this time on her own too. She counted twelve. Looks like they won.

Chris sighed. "Ok. Twelve. Looks like we are making another plan."

"Wait!" Dalton interrupted. "Twelve and eleven? That's only twenty-three of twenty-four. There's another vote!"

Chris looked around. "Well who didn't vote?"

Lily internally groaned as she raised her hand. "I didn't vote," she admitted. "I don't really have an opinion."

Chris shrugged. "Well, you're the last one, Lily. You can make it a tie, to where the Heads of Houses will take it over, or you can just throw the idea away. Which is it?"

Lily closed her eyes, although she could feel the eyes of all the prefects, and Professor Brown, on her. It didn't matter to her whether they did this or not. She understood both sides. They made valid points. She was in the middle. When she opened her eyes, she first locked gazes with Hugo, who was looking intently at her. Ignoring the feelings and urges of her heart, she broke the gaze and looked at Chris.

"I'm sorry, but I can't give a vote. I see the points of both sides. I throw my own vote away instead," Lily stated. She ignored the grumbles and the sighs of relief.

But she couldn't ignore the look of disappointment in Hugo.

* * *

"And Pritchard makes another goal! This has been a really even match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff!" Bryce Barnes commented.

Slytherin's last match of the year had finally come, and it really was pretty even. But Lily did feel that her Beaters were in much better training and condition. Tanner had been playing longer than either Hufflepuff Beaters, and Courtney's record of knocking out and injuring players was better than both of theirs as well.

"All the players of both teams are in great condition, and it's obvious that they've all been training hard for this, their final match of the year," Barnes announced. "Now, Hufflepuff Keeper, Marley Rickett, tosses the Quaffle over to Macmillan! He makes a straight line down the pitch, and Higgs is coming at him . . . but at the last moment Macmillan drops down, making Higgs fly right over him. But Macmillan now dodges a Bludger, and Pritchard catches him on surprise, and snags the Quaffle. He tosses it to Warrington, but it's snagged by Smith out of the air! This game has been a back and forth play for the Quaffle. I'm guessin' this'll be an even match until the Snitch it caught!"

Lily circled around faster, her instincts telling her the same thing. She'd have to catch the Snitch in order to keep this from being either a blood match, or a long and drawn out match. Either way, Lily was in no mood for either outcome. Besides herself, she had three other prefects on the team, and every prefect was tired in their own way. The situation at Hogwarts weighed heavier on them than most.

"Not a single goal has yet to be made again. This fight for the Quaffle is never ending!" Barnes announced. "But it's in Higgs's hands now. Higgs is, in my opinion, one of the better Chasers of the year. He's got a great record for how many goals he's made in just this year, let alone his entire career while playing for Slytherin!"

Lily began to circle lower and lower, avoiding a few stray Bludgers. She scanned around the grass, searching low, and then searching high. There was a slight overcast of clouds today, keeping the sun hidden, and preventing its glare from blinding them.

"Oh! And Pritchard takes a Bludger to the shoulder! He drops the Quaffle, but Warrington's close by, and he catches it with apparent ease. He makes a quick pass to his left, where Higgs zooms by to make the catch! He swerves past Macmillan . . . oh! And Macmillan takes a Bludger seconds later! But Higgs is determined and focused on the goals ahead. He passes it off to Warrington, who's caught up now, and Warrington barely dodges past Preece, hands it off to Higgs, who makes a wicked toss . . . but Keeper Rickett makes the save! This is a battle of wills and perseverance," Barnes announces.

More than an hour later, Lily had been all over the pitch and around in the sky, but she had yet to see the Snitch. And Kimberly had no luck either. And the scores were basically even. Lily hadn't been paying attention, but she was thinking that Hufflepuff was up by a goal or two. And both teams had lost one player. Their Chaser, Casey Preece, had been knocked out after taking a Bludger to the side of her hip and leg, effectively breaking a few bones. And Bobby had been part of a harsh collision with their Beater, Josh Finch-Fletchley. Barnes had only been told that something had happened to Bobby's shoulder, causing Professor Longbottom to take him from the game, and to the Hospital Wing.

"And with no sight of the Snitch, multiple hits from Bludgers, a player from each team out, and over an hour of game time, this game has moved at an even, but still a sluggish pace," Barnes commented.

Lily was making what must have been her millionth circle around the pitch, when something in the distance caught her eye. She turned her head immediately, and then caught a full sight of something golden above near the clouds. She was almost faster in lightening as she turned and headed for the sky.

"And Potter's taking off through the air! Has she seen the Snitch?" Barnes announced, making everyone gasp, and then began to cheer or boo louder. Lily ignored it all as she got higher and higher into the air. But of course, this game couldn't end _this_ fast.

Lily felt a gentle push, before a crushing, and agonizing feeling run down her arm, as a Bludger rushed and slammed into her shoulder, and part of her back. Lily felt her arm become painful deadweight. She let out a hiss of breath through her teeth.

"And Potter takes a nasty hit! That arm's looking bad!" Barnes announced to the crowd. "And it seems to me that she's lost the Snitch."

Lily closed her eyes momentarily, trying to ignore the pain. But then she snapped her eyes open, and saw in the clouds, the Snitch still dancing around in the air. Gritting her teeth as wind whipped at her arm, she started again, speeding through the air.

"Looks like I was wrong! Potter's still making her way up at an impressive speed! And Kimberly Rickett's making her way after Potter, but I don't see how she could possibly catch up!" Barnes exclaimed.

Praying that her sense of balance didn't fail her, Lily let her bad arm fall limply to her side, and brought her other hand from her broom, and held it out to the Snitch. She came closer and closer, shaking lightly on the outside and the inside. But then, taking a chance, she lunged forward. Her fingers closed around the Snitch, and her body fell forward. Without thinking, Lily used her bad arm to catch herself on her broom. She let out a groan of agony at the pain that slowly trickled around her shoulder. Her neck tensed, and she felt like cringing.

"Potter's caught the Snitch!" Barnes cheered. "Slytherin wins with four hundred fifty points!"

Lily quickly began to lower to the ground as the crowd cheered, and her teammates began to descend as well. Once she hit the ground, she felt a hand on her good shoulder. She looked to see Lance. He looked concerned. "You ok, Lil?"

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but then her shoulder throbbed, and she hissed. "Dammit!"

Lance chuckled. "Thanks for answering. Let's get you to Madam Pomfrey."

"Yeah, we'll celebrate later," Tanner assured. "Hank and I made sure a party would be waitin' for us in the common room."

Hank laughed. "Trust me. It'll be awesome!"

"Let's go, guys," Lance urged. "Lil looks ready to hurt someone if the pain doesn't stop."

"With what arm?" Lily muttered.

* * *

"That is a dislocated shoulder if I've ever seen one," Madam Pomfrey commented with a click of her tongue. "A nasty one as well. I'm sure it's painful."

"Thanks for that assessment," Lily mumbled.

Madam Pomfrey held out a cup of a potion. "Drink this. It'll be rid of the pain. I need to keep working on putting the bones in Miss Preece's hip and leg back into the right places."

Lily grimaced as she looked at the potion. She knew what it was, and knew how nasty it was. But she downed it completely, and winced once she'd swallowed it all.

"That face looked as if the potion was nastier than the pain," Tanner joked.

Lily took a gulp of air. "It's a tie," she retorted as the pain slowly, too slowly, ebbed away.

Lance overlooked her shoulder, which was bared so that Pomfrey could look it over. "You know, I know how to put that back into place," he told her. "If you'd like me to."

Lily looked at her arm. She could finally no longer feel the pain. Actually, she couldn't feel anything concerning her arm. If she wasn't looking at it, she'd question if it was there. So she shrugged, both shoulder moving. "Sure, why not."

"How did you learn this?" Courtney asked her boyfriend.

Lance took a hold of Lily's arm. "A few summers ago, practicing my game technique, I dislocated my shoulder. Well, my mum's a Healer, so she showed me how to manually put it back into place. She said at the time, I was too young to be able to perfect the spell to do it," he explained.

Lily watched with interest as Lance got ready to relocate her shoulder. As she watched him do it, she was quiet, while the other gasped or cringed at the process of popping her shoulder back into place. When he was finished, it looked much better. She didn't try to move it, but she stared at it. Then she looked at Lance. "Nice work, Lance," she complimented.

Lance ran a hand over her shoulder, making it was really in place. "Thanks. But still have Pomfrey look at it. I probably didn't do it the best way. It could probably pop out again easily."

Lily gave a nod. "Yeah, probably not a bad idea. It would suck if that happened," she commented.

Courtney still looked partially horrified. "Ok, I'm sorry, but that was disgusting. How can you keep a straight face?"

Lily grinned. "Because I can't feel my arm at all, and the rest of my body is a little numb too."

"In other words, she's feelin' pretty good," Hank joked.

"Yeah. For the first time in months, I feel really good," Lily laughed. "Too bad it won't last."

* * *

"You and the team prepared to face Ravenclaw in a few weeks?" Lily asked Hugo as they walked to the seventh floor to start their patrols.

Ever since Lily hadn't voted in the meeting, things had been just a bit tenser between her and Hugo. She could tell he was a bit upset by it, but he wouldn't say anything about it. She really wished that he'd just get it off his chest, so then they could be normal again.

Hugo shrugged. "I guess. It's obvious that Ravenclaw isn't as good as last year, so we aren't too worried. I know Lucy is really pretty confident. How was the party after Slytherin's win?"

"Considering half the team is made up of prefects, half of them went to bed the earliest, myself included," Lily sighed. "But on the bright side, Hunter, Monty, and Christian are already setting up to start planning an end of the year party."

"In your common room?" Hugo guessed.

"I think I heard them talking about the Room of Requirement," Lily corrected. "You gunna go?"

"Yeah sounds awesome. And after this year, I think we all need a time to have fun," Hugo agreed.

"Too bad if we don't have the guy caught, us prefects will be a little late to the party," she muttered.

"And probably tired," Hugo said as he readjusted his hat. "But, a time to relax would still be nice."

"If you catch Lucy after patrols in your common room, see if she wants to go," Lily suggested. "She would probably like a night to relax and have fun."

"Totally. I'll make sure to catch her before she goes to bed," Hugo replied. "Cool if she brings Zack? 'Cause you know she'll want to."

"Yeah, of course. Hell she can bring any of her friends. We're not really closed off or private about this type of party . . . or any party really," she chuckled.

After that they were silent, and they were silent through their entire patrol. They found no kid, and no attacker. There was nothing around them, and nothing said between them.

* * *

"He's frustrated with me, but he won't say it," Lily mentioned to Scorpius as she leaned the mirror against her pillow, and laid on her stomach. The patrol had ended, and when Lily came to the dorm, the other girls were asleep. So she got dressed for bed, cast a spell so that she wouldn't awake the other girls, and called for Scorpius. "It's been almost two weeks."

"He'll get over it. You two are best friends. You've gotten over bigger problems between the two of you," Scorpius pointed out.

Lily ran a hand through her hair, which was now free of tangles after she had brushed it. "I guess. But at least when we fought with each other, we were vocal about it. Now he's not even doing that."

"Give him time," Scorpius replied. "It'll be fine."

Lily sighed as she rested her chin on her crossed arms. "Yeah, I guess." Then she looked over his face, and immediately smiled softly. "So, how has training been?"

"Routine," he answered with a chuckle. "But it's gotten easier to get through each day now. I'm ready for each 'surprise' that your uncle tries to throw at us."

"Well, I'm glad," she said softly. Then she laughed gently. "Getting a bit scruffy-looking there," she teased, glancing over his jaw and chin.

Scorpius chuckled too as he ran a hand over the facial hair there. It looked like he hadn't shaved for a few weeks. "Yeah, I know. That was the first thing my mum noticed when I went to dinner with her and father the other day."

Lily laughed. "That sounds like Astoria," she agreed.

Scorpius smirked. "Think I should keep it?"

Lily licked her lips lightly as she looked him over again. "Hm . . . it's really up to you. But it's not a bad look on you, if that's what you're curious about."

Scorpius nodded. "Maybe I'll keep it until you come back for the summer. See how it looks then," he joked.

Lily laughed. "Ok. _If_ your mother doesn't do something to make you shave it," she teased.

Now Scorpius really laughed. "Now that would be a battle of wills."

* * *

Lily sighed as she made her way down the hallway. The castle was practically empty, seeing as how the last Quidditch match of the season was taking place at this moment. And that's what she was hurrying to. She'd been asked by Professor Creevey to help remove a niffler from a classroom, which had taken longer than expected. It had hidden behind everything it could, and ran to every corner possible. But as she near the stairs, Lily stopped at who she saw standing by a window.

"Stacy? What are you doing here?" Lily asked. "I thought you'd be at the game."

Stacy turned to look at Lily. She was smiling, but Lily could see a somber look about her. "Hey, Lily. I had something to do earlier, so I didn't go."

Lily came to the window, and when she looked out, she could see players flying around in the distance at the pitch. She was glad that the game was still going on. She looked at Stacy. "Well, it's still going on. I'm heading down there now. Wanna join me?" she offered.

Stacy bit her lip, looking like she was considering it. "I don't know."

Lily gave her a smile. "Come on, Stacy. It'll be fun. We'll both be cheering for Gryffindor. Come on," she insisted.

Stacy looked hesitant for another moment, but then finally showed a true smile. "Ok. Sure, let's go."

So the two girls walked together down to the Entrance Hall, and then out into the nice weather.

Lily sighed as she smiled. "So glad that it's May. It feels so much warmer than it has the past few months."

"I still kind of miss the snow," Stacy commented. "But I _am_ glad that it's not so cold." But after a moment's pause, she glanced at Lily. "So, are you ready for the exams next month?"

Lily shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much. I'm not worried. You?"

Stacy shrugged too. "I think I'll do ok. I am a little worried, just because with everything going on, I haven't had much time to study. With patrols, and Andy, and lessons, plus the trauma of it all . . . I haven't had much time."

Lily bit her lip, cautious as she took a step to ask a question. "I thought you were going to break up with Andrew?" Lily didn't want to get into something that had nothing to do with her. She didn't want to pry.

Stacy sighed heavily. "It's hard. I mean, you always hear about how hard it can be to break up . . . but it's really hard for me."

Lily didn't ask why. She wasn't going to get in the middle of it. "Well, at least we can go to the game, and take our minds off of every trouble we have. At least for a moment."

Stacy smiled again. "Yeah. You've got a point there."

* * *

"That lesson was a drag," Hugo muttered as he and Lily walked out of the Charms classroom. Lola and Jace didn't walk with them, on account of Lola still being angry at Lily. It'd been over a month, and Lily missed being able to talk with Lola. But Lily just surmised that it wasn't her year this year. Nothing was good about it, at least after break that is.

Gryffindor has won their match against Hufflepuff, mainly thanks to Julie McLaggen catching the Snitch, although she'd barely beat Candy Entwhistle to it. Before that, Ravenclaw had improved their game, although not by much. But because neither team had enough points to catch up Slytherin's overall score, Slytherin retained the Quidditch Cup, although it had been a little close for Lily's comfort.

"At least we didn't get homework from it," Lily pointed out. Things were still a little weird and tense between her and Hugo, but Lily was glad that it wasn't _as_ bad as it had been before. Maybe he was starting to forget about the meeting weeks ago.

"Yeah, I guess. But I could be doing something better than practicing summoning water into a glass," Hugo mumbled. "Apparition lessons are more exciting than that one was."

"You're in a fantastic mood," Lily retorted dryly.

"I just don't see the need," Hugo replied. "I mean, I could have been thinking of a way to figure out how to catch the psycho around Hogwarts. Figuring out how to stop this, or thinking of a plan to find who it is. Something more important."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Both things need to be done. The attacker needs to be stopped, and you need to learn the Aguamenti spell. For school safety, and your education. Both important."

Now Hugo rolled his eyes. "Where did this _passive_ attitude come from," he grumbled.

"It's not being passive, it's being _tired_," Lily countered. "After two years of extreme school drama and troubles, excuse me if I'm tired."

"Well it's too bad the psycho isn't tired," Hugo replied gruffly. "But when you're winning, you don't worry about being tired."

Lily sighed. "What do you want from me, Hugo?"

"Nothing. I've learned I can't even get your vote," he snapped back.

Lily glared over at him. "I had no opinion on the matter! It wouldn't have been right for me to give a vote!"

"You couldn't vote to support me? You know I was for it! And how could you not? Why not take a chance at stopping this?" Hugo demanded.

"Because it might _not_ have stopped it. And it might have. I didn't know, so I didn't vote! Even if I had, there's no way to know if the Head of Houses would have voted in favor for it! I would have only made it a tie!" Lily argued calmly. "It wouldn't have been right for me to vote."

"So it's right to let the guy run around without taking a chance?" Hugo hissed.

"You know, why not bring this up weeks ago?" Lily demanded. "Why wait until now to be pissy about this?"

"Well maybe I'm just _tired_," he mocked.

Lily bit her tongue, but her anger was too much, her tension high, her frustration running through her, and her exhaustion settling in. "You know what, Hugo, you can stand here and complain about my vote all you want. But when you actually come up with _your own_ idea, then come find me. Maybe then I won't be so tired," she sneered.

Then she stormed away.

* * *

"How many of your best friends are you going to fight with, Lil?" Xavier asked as he and Lily sat in the library later that day.

Lily rested her cheek on her hand. "I don't know. I'm just tired. Tired, and now a little guilty."

"Don't be like that. It's just a little fight. It'll blow over," Xavier assured.

"I thought that about Lola, and it's been a month," Lily muttered. "Besides, with this one . . . I broke a promise. I told Hugo that I'd stick by him, and I didn't. I got angry, and walked away." She closed her eyes, and ran a hand over her face. "I don't want to talk about it. How are your . . . 'talks' with Liz going?" she asked, changing the subject.

He only shrugged, but Lily noticed the small smile on his lips. "Ok, I guess. She's really good at helping people through this emotional pain stuff. She could make a profession out of it."

"Can I ask what you two do?" Lily inquired.

Xavier shrugged again. "We just talk. I mean, we're basically just learning about each other, but the more I learn about her, the more I learn about ways to cope with things. I mean, she's been through things just as bad. Heartbreak of her own."

Lily nodded slowly. "Well that's good. So, you're getting past Manny?"

"I think I am over her. I mean, again, I still wonder what changed . . . but I'm not ready to hear the answer. That's what I've learned lately. And, I'm hoping that soon, I'll be ready to ask and hear the answer, no matter what it is," Xavier explained, a slightly distant look to his eyes. But then he shook his head, as if pushing away certain thoughts. "But, I'm not there yet, and I know it. I think that's improvement enough for now."

* * *

The normal time before curfew came for Lily to make her way to the floor that she and Hugo were to patrol for the night. As she climbed the stairs, and turned the corner to their planned meeting place, she was surprised to see that Hugo wasn't there, but that Christian was pacing around in a small circle.

Lily looked at Christian with confusion. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she approached. "Don't you and Stacy patrol the fourth floor tonight?" And it was almost time, and why wasn't Hugo here? He was always early, and he had their normal bag of emergency supplies today.

Christian stopped pacing, and had a hesitant look in his eyes. But at least he was honest. "Hugo asked me to trade places with him."

Lily sighed and leaned against the wall next to her. "Damn," she mumbled under her breath.

"What? You don't think he should be working with Stacy?" Christian guessed.

Lily shook her head. "No. He's mad at me. That's why he wanted to trade." She ran a hand through her hair. "Forget it. Let's just start early, ok?"

They started walking, but Lily could hardly focus. Guilt racked through her even harder than before. She hadn't thought that Hugo would trade places with someone. She felt worse now. She felt as if she'd betrayed Hugo. He had been at her side with every plot she thought of while fighting Brunt's control. Even at the threat of expulsion. And he'd done his best to help her with personal issues concerning the family and herself. But when something important to him came up, she had given up and told him to figure it out himself. She had only had her best friend back for a year, and she had just shown how much of a terrible best friend she was. She had gone back on her word.

"Hey, C! Lil! Wait up!"

Lily turned around quickly at the sound of Hugo's voice. He was running toward them, his wand in his hand, the bag nowhere on his shoulder. Lily immediately sensed that something was wrong. What was he doing here otherwise?

Christian was just as confused. "What are you doing here, Hugh? Patrols start in about two minutes. You better meet up with Stacy."

Hugo stopped in front of them, his breath coming out in small pants. "That's the problem," he gasped, starting to regain control over his lungs. "Stacy isn't there. I've been waiting for like ten minutes!"

A chill set over them, and over the hall. Lily felt dread drop in her stomach, and felt her skin begin to crawl. "Maybe she thought you were supposed to meet somewhere else?" she suggested, although she knew that wasn't it.

And Hugo shook his head. "We agreed by which specific tapestry we'd meet by. And we planned to meet early."

Christian grabbed his hair, looking ready to panic. "Wait! When did you talk to her?"

"Sometime before dinner," Hugo answered.

"At breakfast, she gave me a heads up that she might be a minute late. She said she had to talk to Professor Slughorn about her essay," Christian told them.

Lily gulped, her fist clenching around her wand, as an instinctive fear whirled around her stomach. "Maybe she's still in the dungeons then?"

Hugo looked hesitant and afraid. "I have a really bad feeling about this. Something isn't right."

Lily nodded, agreeing completely. "Let's go check and find her. See if she's with Slughorn."

For a moment, the three started at a tense walking pace. But then they were sprinting down the hall. After running down halls and down two floors, Lily began to feel her muscles burning, but she kept running. Fear was pumping into her heart and in her blood. It couldn't be real! Stacy couldn't have been attacked! She was a prefect! She'd tell the headmaster who it was! The attacker wouldn't risk it! . . . Stacy couldn't have been knocked out in the hall! But the fear kept moving through her.

When their running brought them to Slughorn's classroom, Christian slammed the door open. But it was empty. Lily turned around to look down the empty hall of the dungeons. "Stacy?" she called out. She began walking further down the hall, unaware if the boys were even following her. "Stacy, are you down here?"

There was a clattering sound that gave a muffled echo. Lily jumped at the sudden sound, then froze. It was coming from one of the rooms down the hall. She ran her thumb over her wand as she kept walking. She swore that she could hear her heart in her ears. Closer, and closer, she stopped at where she felt the sound had come from. Where instinct told her to look. Point her wand in a ready position, Lily pushed open the door. Then she stopped completely. All she could hear was her heart pounding with fear at what she saw.

A body lay crumbled on the floor, seemingly motionless. Brown hair covered the profile of the face, but Lily knew in her heart who it was.

"Stacy!" Lily felt her throat catch as she hurried to where Stacy laid. She pushed Stacy's hair back, and saw that she was in fact, awake. But the sight was still horrific. There was blood trickling down her cheek in a slow but steady stream. Her lip was badly split, and her jaw was badly bruised. Tears fell and mixed with the streams of blood on her cheek, and Lily could feel that she was trembling.

Christian came closer and knelt next to Lily. "Stacy? Who did this to you?"

But Lily shook her head. "We've got to get her to the Hospital Wing. I don't have my bag!"

"Andrew."

They both looked at Stacy, whose lips were trembling as well.

Lily felt a fury run through her. Stacy's boyfriend? The man that had claimed to love her? "Andrew Hooper did this?" she hissed.

"He's going to . . . look for a kid . . . on the fourth floor," Stacy panted.

Lily felt herself tense at that news. "Christian, you guys go and find Hooper. I'll stay with her." Christian gave a curt and tense nod, then he was out of her sight, and Lily could then hear footsteps quickly disappearing in the distance. Lily carefully placed a hand on Stacy's arm. "Stacy? Can you sit up?"

Stacy only closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. "Help?" she whispered.

Tentatively, Lily helped pull Stacy into a sitting position, and then gingerly helped her to lean her against the nearby wall.

Lily looked at her with worry. "Can you make it to the Hospital Wing, or should I run and get Madam Pomfrey?" Lily asked.

But Stacy weakly moved her fingers over Lily's, and gave a shaky and weak squeeze. "Stay?"

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. Stacy needed help, and now. Because Lily knew that Stacy's head was bleeding, but she couldn't see from where, or how bad the wound was. But she also didn't want to leave her. Not when Stacy was this vulnerable and defenseless.

"He's changed," Stacy whispered suddenly. "And I think I saw it happening . . . but I never thought . . ."

"Stacy, has Andrew been doing this since you talked to me at Christmas?" Lily asked, her fury rising at the thought. Stacy was a sweet, and harmless girl. How could anyone, especially a man who claimed to love her, hurt her like this? Or at all for that matter.

"Not like this," Stacy murmured. "Maybe a shove, a tight grip, or an occasional slap. But nothing like this."

"_Why_ did he do it?"

Stacy's eyelids dropped heavily, her eyes just barely staying open. "I finally told him that I didn't want to be with him. That I didn't love him."

The door slammed against the wall behind them. Lily whirled around, her wand ready to attack. But it was only Chris and Nadia, looking at the shocking scene.

Lily calmed as much as she could in this situation. "Christian and Hugo found you?"

"They ran past us, yelling for us to come down here," Chris said with obvious shock.

Lily felt Stacy trying to squeeze her fingers again. She turned back to her. "Lily? Would you go and get Hugo? I . . . I need to talk to him," Stacy pleaded, sounding soft and desperate.

So softly, Lily squeezed her hand in return. "Of course." She let go of Stacy's hand, and stood up. She looked at Chris and Nadia. "Get her to the Hospital Wing. I'll make sure that the headmaster is told about this." Then Lily hurried from the room, and began to run down the hall. And she continued to run until she reached the stairs leading up to the Entrance Hall, but then something caught her eye that made her stop, and become tense again.

Hugo's wand lay on the floor, meaning that Hugo was unarmed against Hooper, a ruthless attacker. More than before, Lily felt a rush run through her. She grabbed Hugo's wand, and began to run again.

"Hugo, you'd better be ok," she murmured to herself. Because if he wasn't . . . Lily wasn't sure if she'd ever forgive herself for their fight, and for sending him out, when she should have known he'd be furious and emotional with the victim being Stacy.

Worried for her cousin, Lily pushed herself harder. Adrenaline pumped through her, allowing her to ignore the burn of her muscles, and the searing feel of her lungs. It wasn't long after she reached the fourth floor when she came upon the scene she'd expected, and yet didn't like seeing.

She saw the back of Hooper, and could see his wand being pointed at Christian, who stood in front of him, his own wand pointed at Hooper. Hugo stood by Christian, panting, with blood running down his nose, and his eye looking swollen. Silently, Lily came up behind him, and brought her wand up as well.

"Drop it, Hooper," she commanded.

She hadn't expected it. Maybe that was why she didn't defend herself. But she really hadn't expected Hooper to whirl around and backhand her before she could blink. Lily stumbled, and crashed into the wall.

"Stupefy!" Christian yelled.

Lily blinked back stars in time to see Hooper fly back more than four meters. He crashed down to the floor, and Lily pointed her own wand at him. "Petrificus Totalus."

Hooper froze right away, his arms snapping to his sides, his legs coming together, making him into a human log. Christian and Hugo hurried toward Lily, and Christian pulled her away from the wall, and looked at her face. "Shit, he knocked you hard," he muttered.

Lily shrugged, trying to ignore the growing sting of pain that bit at the side of her face. "Are you ok?" She held out Hugo's wand.

Hugo nodded as he took his wand. "I'm fine. He just got a few good hits in is all."

"But once Hugo had gotten him to the ground, Hooper pulled out his wand," Christian explained.

Lily sighed. "Chris and Nadia found Stacy and I. I told them to get her to the Hospital Wing so Madam Pomfrey could take care of her." Then she looked to her cousin. "She wants to talk to you."

Hugo gulped, and looked uncertain. "I should take Hooper to Professor Brown first. We need to get him out of here."

Lily shook her head. "No, we can handle this. You go."

Lily could see the gratitude in his eyes. He softly touched her injured cheek. "Thanks, cuz."

Lily smiled, gladly ignoring the pain she felt in doing so. "I told you before. I'm always going to be with you."

Now Hugo smiled too. "Just make sure to get your cheek fixed afterwards." Then after giving Christian a simple nod, which Christian returned, he took off down the hall.

Lily and Christian approached the frozen and motionless body of Andrew Hooper. They both stared down at him. And Lily suddenly realized what Gavin meant. She would have never expected it of Hooper. Although the one time she'd talked to him, he'd been a jerk, she never would have thought him capable. And she would have never thought that he'd attack Stacy. Rage ran through her, just at the sight of him.

Christian kicked him hard, making him roll onto his stomach. "That was for my brother!" he spat.

Lily bit back a spiteful grin. She pointed her wand at Hooper again, and brought him to float in the air. "Let's get this psycho to Professor Brown."

Letting Hooper's body lead, they began to walk toward Professor Brown's office. And in their silence, Christian suddenly started to laugh, causing Lily to look over at him. He just shook his head. "Lil, what are the chances of us have a normal year next year?"

Lily let out a laugh as well. "At this rate? Very slim."

* * *

Lily sat outside the Hospital Wing with all the other prefects. Because Madam Pomfrey considered their group too big, they weren't allowed to go in and check on Stacy. So they were all waiting to hear on how she was doing. Hugo was the only one in there with her. When Lily and Christian had brought Hooper to Jacob, and gave him the news of what had happened, he called all the prefects to his office, his voice somehow echoing through all of the castle, making the floor vibrate under Lily's feet. Once they all arrived, Lily and Christian explained the entire night to them as well. Then they were told to go on and let Jacob talk to him alone. He assured them that the Aurors would be called in immediately.

Lily sat on the ground, her back against the wall. She was holding a piece of cloth against the corner of her mouth. Not long after getting to Jacob's office, blood began to leak from the corner of her mouth. The left side of her face was beginning to really hurt, and everyone kept asking her how she was. Christian had at least been honest with her, and had told her it looked horrible. Lily didn't want to see it.

"Lily?"

"Lily, are you ok?"

Lily closed her eyes and sighed at the sound of her parents' voices. She should have known that Jacob wouldn't just contact her father.

"Scor!" Tanner exclaimed.

Lily's eye snapped open, and forgetting her injury, she quickly turned to look at where she'd heard her parents. Scorpius stood there, with a look of worry and frozen fury. But just the sight of him close and in person sent a wave of relief and comfort through her.

"Oh, sweetheart," Ginny murmured as she knelt by her daughter. That was when Lily remembered that her parents were there, and also finally noticed that Hugo's and Stacy's parents stood by as well. And of course, a group of about four or five Aurors stood by her father.

"Why haven't you had Madam Pomfrey fix that?" Hermione asked as she came closer as well.

Lily looked at her knees, not wanting to be able to see Seamus and Lavender Finnigan. "Because I want her to focus on Stacy," she whispered.

When she heard the door slam open and shut, she didn't have to look to know it was Stacy's parents running to their daughter.

"What's happened to Hooper?" Christian asked.

"That's to be discussed. Your headmaster suggested that I look at the recent damage first," Harry explained as he took came to kneel by his daughter. Lily noticed the worry in his eyes. "He attacked you too?"

Lily gently shook her head. "No. He just caught me with a backhand when I tried to get him to drop his wand," she explained.

"What about Hugo?" Ron demanded.

Lily nodded toward the door. "He's with Stacy. It looked like he only had a bloody nose."

"He and Hooper brawled a little before Hugo got him down. That's when Hooper pulled out his wand, and Hugo'd dropped his when we were running," Christian told him.

Ron placed a hand on his wife's shoulder as they moved to the door. "That's my boy," Lily heard him whisper.

Ginny pushed her daughter's hair back to get a better look at the side of her face. "We should take you in there," she mentioned.

"Stacy is more important," Lily argued calmly.

"Then you can come in and answer any questions I have," Harry retorted as he stood up.

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled a little. "Then Christian needs to come too. He saw more of it than I did."

Christian stood up, and held his hand out to her. Lily took it, and he gingerly pulled her up to her feet. Lily groaned softly. Her back was beginning to ache. As Christian and her parents, and the group of Aurors, headed for the door, Lily looked at where Scorpius still stood. This time, she wordlessly held out her own hand. Scorpius took it, and seemed to relax at least a little. But at how firmly he held her hand, Lily could feel his concern, and his anger. She squeezed his hand, and then pulled him to the doors.

When they stepped inside, and the doors closed, Lily could hear the soft sound of crying. Lily looked to where Stacy's parents stood, and saw tears on Lavender Finnigan's cheeks. Lily could also see her cousin sitting in a chair near the same bed. His hat was off, and his mother was running her fingers through his hair, while Ron had an arm around his wife, and a hand on his son's shoulder. She couldn't see Stacy from where she stood, but Lily didn't want to intrude. Instead, she moved to sit on a nearby bed. Scorpius stood by her faithfully, and her mum came to stand on her other side. Her father was talking to his small team by the door, and Christian stood with them, probably answering their questions.

Ginny looked at Lily and Scorpius. "I'm going to speak with Hermione quickly. I'll come back in a moment," she told them. Then she was walking away, leaving them alone. Well, as alone as they could be in the room.

Lily looked over at Scorpius. "Are you ever going to say something?" she asked softly, squeezing his hand again.

She watched as he seemed to choose what he wanted to say. "I don't think I have ever been so angry in my entire life," he muttered.

"I'm ok," Lily assured.

"That is not the point!" Scorpius hissed.

"But I _am_ ok," Lily repeated. "Remember that. And I'm not saying it makes what he did ok. Nothing will make what he did ok. But don't worry over me because of this. Be angry at Hooper all you want, because I think I'm just as furious with him as you are."

Scorpius turned to face her fully, and then slowly and very carefully brought a hand up to her cheek, his fingers hovering over the place of injury. "Does it hurt?"

Lily sighed. "It aches. That's about all. How bad does it look?"

Scorpius ran his other hand over his hair. "Not as bad as when you had to wear that protective mask to protect your nose last year."

Lily grinned. "Well I'm glad to hear that. That thing was hideous."

"Lily." They both turned to see her father approaching, his team behind him. And Lily now noticed that Ron was with them. Her father looked at her with concern. "Are you ok?"

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled. "I'm ok, Dad. Really."

"Then can we go ahead and get your explanation of the night?" he asked.

It took Lily more than ten minutes to explain it all to them, mostly because one of them always interrupted every few sentences to ask a question on what she'd just said.

When she finished her story, Lily looked over at her uncle Ron. "Is Stacy ok?"

Ron sighed. "Well, Madam Pomfrey is working like crazy, but she'll be ok. She's passed out now, so we'll talk to her tomorrow when she's awake," he answered.

"And Hugo?" Lily inquired.

"His mother fixed his nose. He wouldn't let Pomfrey stop working on Stacy for a second. He said he would talk to us tomorrow as well," Ron replied.

"And Hooper?" Lily asked.

Her father's face hardened. "That young man is looking at a long time in Azkaban. He's got a lot against him. Part of the team will be taking him away later tonight. And once we're finished talking to the students we need to, the rest of us will return, and I plan to get out of him what I can."

"Do you think he'll talk?" Christian asked as he came to sit in the chair next to the bed.

"We've got ways to make him," Ron assured. "That boy is a legal adult. We don't have to protect him from some of our methods."

Lily sighed. "Well, do you think someone can go and tell the others outside that Stacy will be ok?"

Christian stood up quickly. "I'll do it," he offered. He patted Lily's shoulder as he went by, and then made his way to the door.

Lily yawned. It had been the longest night ever. At least it felt like it had been. She leaned her head against Scorpius's arm as her mother came back to her side. She felt so tired, and her mother noticed. "Lily, maybe you should sleep?" Ginny suggested.

"Will you guys be here in the morning?" Lily asked softly.

"Of course, sweetheart," Ginny murmured.

But Scorpius moved so that his arm was now around her, and she was leaning into his side. "I have to leave tonight. I still have training in the morning," he whispered.

Lily looked up at him, sad that he would be leaving so soon. But she didn't voice her feelings. Instead she just sighed and leaned into him more. "Then I'll wait up until after you leave," she replied.

"What is it with Potters and being in the middle of every crisis at Hogwarts?" Pomfrey demanded as she approached them. "I swear, Miss Potter, if you're in here one more time, I'm going to make up a permanent bed for you."

Lily grinned. "Sorry, but it tends to run in the family."

Pomfrey rolled her eyes as she looked over Lily's injury. "You are just like your father," she muttered.

Lily laughed lightly. "Yeah, I've been told."

"Well you're going to need to take quite a few potions for this. The swelling, the bleeding on the inside of your mouth, the bruising. About four or so at least," Pomfrey commented. "But, your jaw doesn't look like it's broken or dislocated. I think it's just what you can see that needs to be fixed."

"So I won't need to stay the night here?" Lily inquired.

Pomfrey only shrugged as she turned her back to go and gather the needed potions. "We'll see. It seems like every time I release you, you end up right back here for something."

Ginny placed a hand over her daughter's. "She's right. You are too much like your father."

Harry scoffed. "You make that sound like a bad thing," he mocked.

Lily sighed and smiled. "It has its ups and downs."

"Ok, Miss Potter," Madam Pomfrey addressed as she came with a tray full of potions, "you'll need to drink these." She moved past Lily to put the tray on the bed behind Lily, and then gave a small gasp. "Oh, Miss Potter, your back!"

Lily turned her head, looking confused. "What about it?"

Madam Pomfrey placed her hand on the back of Lily's shirt, pressing it against her skin. Lily felt an ache, but also felt that something was damp. "I think it's bleeding," Madam Pomfrey told her. She began to pull Lily's shirt away from, and up, her back, so Lily helped.

"Oh, Lily," Ginny whispered with concern.

"Miss Potter, what happened to your back?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

Lily was irritated that she couldn't see what they were talking about. "What does it look like?"

"It's bruised," Scorpius muttered, his fury rising again. "And there's some blood."

Lily's shoulder slumped. "It's probably from when I crashed into the wall after he hit me. Compared to my cheek, it doesn't hurt much."

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Well, it won't be hard to fix. You'll just have to drink a little more of one of the potions than I'd planned. Now, sit still." Lily felt the need to run her hand along her back as she felt Madam Pomfrey siphon the blood off her skin with her wand. But when the feeling was over, she then wanted to scratch at her skin as Pomfrey fixed any and all cuts she had.

"That looks a lot better," Ron mumbled as he watched.

Madam Pomfrey righted Lily's shirt for her, and then came around to her side, holding out a potion for her. "Take two full mouthfuls. It'll get rid of the bruising," she instructed.

Lily did as she was told, trying not to cringe at the taste. Then she began to take other potions, some tasting worse, some tasting a little better. She also watched as her father sent part of the team away, instructing them to take Hooper away from Hogwarts. When she finished drinking them all, she now was simply forced to wait until everything had faded, and was fixed. But when Scorpius whispered that he had to leave, Lily ignored Pomfrey's protests, and walked with Scorpius outside the Hospital Wing. The other prefects were gone, possibly tired after the entire night, and wanted to get some sleep.

Scorpius placed a hand on her back cheek, stroking a thumb across her jaw. "It's looking much better," he murmured.

Lily ran her own hand across his cheek, which was now smooth. "I see your mum got you to shave," she teased, not really wanting to talk about anything having to do with the night she'd had.

Scorpius smirked. "Yeah, she did. She made a big enough deal that I gave in and just got rid of it," he replied.

Lily laughed softly. "What a kindhearted son," she joked.

Scorpius brought both of his hands to rest on her hips, and brought his forehead to lean against hers. "I aim to please," he murmured. Then one of his hands slid around to press gently against the small of her back, bringing her closer to him. Lily buried her face into his chest, loving the warmth, and how safe she felt at the moment. "Another month," he whispered near her ear.

Lily shivered lightly at the feel of his warm breath brushing along her skin. "Hopefully it'll go by quickly."

"I'm praying that the rest of my training goes by fast," he mumbled.

"That would cut my summer short," Lily pointed out.

"Yeah, but if it goes fast, that'll mean I'm done training, and you'll have graduated. That's what I'm looking forward to more than anything," he replied softly.

Lily smiled. "You've got a point there. I can agree with it."

Scorpius pulled away a little, then kissed her softly and passionately. Lily threw herself into the kiss, having missed the feel of being so close to him since they parted during break months ago. When their kiss ended, she buried her face into his shirt again, not really wanting to let him go.

Scorpius placed a kiss on her hair. "I might not be at King's Cross when you come home, but I promise I'll come see you when you get home."

Lily hugged herself to him tighter. "Then I promise that I'll be waiting for you at home."


	92. The Impossible

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Quick and short, I know. But I just needed to take a short chapter to wrap up the rest of Lily's sixth year. Tie up loose ends, and throw in things that will subtly lead to more plot points. So it's mainly just a few short segments put together, but I hope you like it. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Two: The Impossible

When Lily awoke the next morning, she felt like jumping from the bed and taking a stroll by the lake. It made her smile. She had been so tired for so long now . . . she hadn't felt this refreshed in a long time! Her head was clear, there was no tension in her body, and no underlying fear in her heart. Because her instincts, her mind, and her heart, were telling her that everything was right at Hogwarts. Things were as they should be.

"Lily, are you awake?"

Lily blinked as she sat up, to see her mother and father approaching her. Then she noticed that she was still in the Hospital Wing. She almost laughed. Had she been so tired that she'd fallen asleep in here?

Ginny smiled at her daughter, as she began to try and tame her daughter's hair. "How are you feeling, Lily?"

Lily smiled. "Great, actually. Never better."

"Well you look a lot better," Harry replied.

Lily looked, and saw that Stacy's parents were still sitting by her bed, and Stacy seemed to still be asleep. And on the bed next to Stacy's, Hugo was sitting at the edge, his hair mussed, and he had obviously just woken up. His father was gone, but his mother stood there talking to him.

"Where's Uncle Ron?" Lily inquired.

"He and the other Aurors are talking with a few other students. They'll be back to talk to Hugo, now that he's up," Harry answered.

"And Stacy?" Lily asked.

"Well, she woke up about an hour after you and Hugo fell asleep. We offered to let her sleep, and just talk to her later, but she insisted on telling us all right then. So we've got her entire story," Harry assured.

Lily ran a hand over her hair, and could easily tell that her mother was probably fighting a losing battle in trying to tame it. "It's not good, is it?"

Harry sighed. "It's not pretty. But she's ok, and she's sure that she'll be ok. She was actually a little more worried about Hugo's nose, and wanted to make sure it'd been fixed," he chuckled.

Lily smiled softly and shook her head. "As long as they're both ok," she replied. But then she noticed her aunt Hermione approaching. "Good morning," Lily greeted.

Hermione smiled. "Good morning, Lily. Hugo's wondering if you'd talk to him?"

Lily glanced at her cousin across the room, who was looking over at Stacy's bed. She nodded as she kicked off the blanket from her legs, and got off the bed. "Yeah. Of course," she replied, and then began to make her way over to him. Again, she felt so awake, so alert, and felt so fantastic. When she pulled herself up to sit next to Hugo, she looked at Stacy too, who looked much better, and peaceful in her sleep. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Hugo greeted back. Then he looked at her. "Are we ok?"

Lily looked at him, and smiled. "Are we?"

Hugo chuckled. "I think we are."

Lily held out her hand. "Then we agree."

Hugo shook her hand. "Sounds good."

The slam of the door made everyone jump, and both Lily and Hugo turned their heads to see that it was Lola who had hurried in, with Jace following behind her. Lily and Hugo got off the edge of the bed, and met them halfway. But before Lily could warn them that Stacy was asleep, Lola had practically attacked her with a hug.

"Oh, Lily, I'm so sorry!" Lola cried. "I don't know why I got so mad! And I'm sorry! And I'm so sorry that you got hurt! Are you ok?"

Lily blinked as everything Lola said slammed into her. Jace put his hands on his girlfriend's shoulders, and brought her back from the hug. "Chill, Lola," he said with a small and quiet chuckle.

"We don't wanna wake Stacy," Hugo warned with a smile.

But Lola still looked at Lily with worry. "I'm so sorry!" she said quieter.

But Lily smiled, and pushed back a laugh. "It's ok, Lola. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It just didn't mean that much to me or Jace. And I didn't mean to snap. I was just tired. And really, I'm ok," Lily assured her.

Lola sighed. "I'm an ass," she mumbled.

The three of them laughed. But Lily shook her head. "No, you're not. Trust me. I've dealt with a lot of people that were asses, and you are not one of them."

But Lola still looked a little somber. "So you forgive me for freaking out?"

Lily smiled. "Only if you forgive me for forgetting to tell you." Now they both smiled.

"Deal"

* * *

Word about Andrew Hooper spread like wildfire around Hogwarts, all in a single day. Lily, Hugo, and Christian were called heros for "catching" Hooper, and putting a stop to him. Lily didn't pay much attention to it, and Hugo heard none of it, since he refused to leave the Hospital Wing until Stacy woke up, and he could be sure that she was ok.

Lily's parents, and Hugo's, left once Madam Pomfrey gave Lily permission to leave, and once the Aurors had finally talked to Hugo. And although Lily loved her father and her uncle, she was glad to have Aurors out of Hogwarts. It was another way that told Lily everything was right.

As the last few days of May passed, Stacy was still in the Hospital Wing. It made some people worry, but Hugo assured the others that she was fine.

"She says that she just wants a little time," Hugo told them.

When the day before exams came, a lot of the sixth years were ready to panic. It would be their first exams with N.E.W.T. level classes.

"Why do we need to study?" Jace groaned to Lola as the group walked to the Great Hall for a "special" dinner, according to the professors, who were telling all of the students to be on time to dinner, and to _not_ skip out. It had caught everyone's curiosity.

"So you don't fail," Lola replied.

"I kinda agree with Jace," Xavier commented. "If you don't got it by now, you probably never will."

"Amen to that," Christian joked.

"See!" Jace replied. "They get it!"

Lola rolled her eyes. "Well I'm studying. If you're wanting to spend time with me, then that's what you're doing."

"Sit, boy, sit! Good dog," Megan mocked, making the other three girls laugh.

They entered the Great Hall, but they were slightly confused when they noticed that there was no food on the tables. But then Lily noticed something. "Professor Brown's at his podium," she pointed out to the others. They all went to join the Slytherin table, and patiently waited.

Lily wasn't sure how long they sat there. But after a while, the doors came to a soft, but noticeable close. Then they all turned to Professor Brown at the sound of him clearing his throat.

"Well, exams are tomorrow, and our fifth and seventh years have already started their own, different, exams," he spoke clearly, addressing them all. "But, exams have not been the biggest issue for everyone this year. I would like for all of our prefects, and of course our Head Boy and Girl, to stand up."

Shooting a curious look to Christian, Lily stood up, as did all the other prefects, and turned to look at the headmaster again.

"These students have worked hard since coming back from break to keep you all safe. Because as you all now know, vicious attacks had been going on around school, mostly at the hands of Andrew Hooper. And these students did all they could to catch him, and keep you all safe, and give you the care you needed," Professor Brown stated with pride.

Applause and cheers roared in the room, from students and staff alike. The prefects all stood a little humbled, and unsure of what to do. So they smiled, and then began to sit.

Professor Brown was smiling, and stopped clapping as everyone else did. Then he sighed. "Thank you, all of you. But, there's a little more that I want to talk about. More praise to give." Then his smile held even more pride. "I would like Lily Potter, Christian Vaisey, and Hugo Weasley to stand."

Lily sighed as the three of them stood up. But she smiled. This was very much like Jacob.

"These three were the ones to find out about Mr. Hooper, and to catch him. They have been called heroes around this school, and for what they did, that's what they are. So I award each of them, fifty points," Professor Brown announced.

As applause and cheers started, the three of them moved to sit down.

"Oh, don't get too comfortable, because I'm not done," Professor Brown joked. "Would Lily Potter please stand back up?"

Lily chuckled lightly as she stood up again. Smiling, she looked at Professor Brown.

He smiled too. "It's not a surprise to see and hear of a Potter saving the situations at Hogwarts," he joked, making everyone in the room chuckle. "And Lily has certainly lived up to that. By following her heart and her instincts, by taking her love for Hogwarts and its students seriously, and for having the greatest care and concern for her friends, Lily Potter has again been a hero in this situation. With the help of her cousin, she was able to catch Jon Ricardo. She was trusted enough that Gavin Helmsley was able to come and confess to her. And she was calm and rational enough to take the situation seriously, and to do what was right by it. And as said before, she helped to bring Mr. Hooper to justice. I award Lily Potter, one hundred points."

The cheers and applause that thundered around her were louder than any Quidditch match. Lily attributed it to the echoing walls of the room. She gave a nod, and then sat down.

"Now, will Hugo Weasley stand up?" Professor Brown requested. With a short pause, Hugo stood up. "I have never met a young man as dedicated as Hugo. Dedicated to his friends, to his school, to his cousin, and to what he cares about. Hugo has been on this situation every step of the way. Thinking of plans, giving ideas, and doing his best to bring things to justice. He was able to be part of catching Jon Ricardo. And by following his instincts, he was able to help in catching Andrew Hooper. And I wasn't personally there, but I heard he was a heck of a brawler," Professor Brown joked, making many laugh. "I award Hugo Weasley, one hundred points."

Lily cheered loudly for her cousin, as did the others. Hugo, with a sheepish smile, gave a joking bow, and then sat down again.

When the applause died down, Professor Brown, still smiling, almost looked elated. "Now, I know you're modest, but Stacy Finnigan, would you please stand?"

A hushed murmur went around the room at the mention of Stacy's name. Lily watched with surprise as Stacy stood up from where she sat at the Gryffindor table. Everything was quiet when she did.

"Fear can be very powerful," Professor Brown stated. "And as a very smart young witch once said, fear can sometimes be the hardest thing in life to beat. But to overcome fear, to not let it take you over. To beat fear, and do what you know is right . . . well that deserves to be rewarded and celebrated. And for overcoming fear, and not letting it control her, I award Stacy Finnigan, one hundred and fifty points."

The applause this time was deafening. Lily stood up, clapping and smiling. Hugo stood up as well, and soon all students were standing up, as was the staff.

Professor Brown was surprisingly able to speak loud enough over the cheers. "I'm never surprised that the saviors of Hogwarts in this generation are always the students. Because I believe that Hogwarts belongs to you students. This is your school."

* * *

Days later, Lily laid across the couch in the Slytherin common room. It was a beautiful day outside, prompting most students to enjoy the weather. For all but fifth and seventh years, exams were long done and over, with results pending. And with the last Apparation lesson being yesterday, the chance to take the test was today. But since Lily wasn't old enough to take it, unlike her friends, she didn't get to join them in Hogsmeade to take the test. So instead, she settled for relaxing alone in the common room, flipping through the pages of a magazine. Actually, it was the issue of _Witch Weekly_ that featured James, and herself, on the cover.

"_James Potter has set the Chudley Cannons on a brutal winning streak since joining the team. Right out of Hogwarts, his skills gave him a first string position with the Chudley Cannons. And his skills as a Chaser have been impressive. A little more than a year away from the Quidditch World Cup, and Potter has finally brought the Chudley Cannons into the running for the cup. Their next match will be against the Appleby Arrows, and the odds are turning in the Cannons's favor, all because of Potter."_

Lily sighed as she read and reread the article. She hadn't really been keeping up on the runnings for the Quidditch World Cup. Although she liked to play and watch Quidditch matches, she wasn't so much of an advent fan that she kept up on the scores and news of every match.

"Peaceful?"

Lily placed the magazine on the table as she moved to sit up at the sound of Professor Brown's voice. "Yeah, pretty much. What brings you here, Jacob?" she asked as she looked over at him.

Professor Brown shrugged as he walked over, and sat down as well. He picked up the magazine, looking over the cover. "Two of the Potter siblings," he muttered. "They must have made a hundred galleons for that cover alone."

Lily scoffed and smiled. "Yeah, more than likely."

Professor Brown dropped it back onto the table. "As for your question, I just found myself wandering, and I thought I'd see if you were down here. Maybe have a chat?"

Lily laughed. "Ok. Anything you're wanting to chat about?"

He sighed as he rested an arm on the back of the couch. "Well, what do you plan to do with your summer?" he asked.

Lily smiled brighter. She liked having simple and normal conversations with Jacob. It was another sign that things were normal. "I don't know. I'll spend time with Scorpius, my family, probably babysit my nephew and niece some days. And I'll have to go and see Duncan."

Jacob cleared his throat slightly. "I'm sure Duncan will love that."

Lily nodded. "You and I will have to start going to see him once a week during the next school year," she commented.

But to her surprise, Jacob looked hesitant. "Well . . . we'll wait and see how your homework load is on your final year. It is the hardest."

Lily didn't question his odd reply. She just nodded. "Sounds good." Then she sighed. "So, what will you do with your summer?"

"Well, my older brother is finally getting married a few weeks after the break starts, so I'll be going to America for a while. After that . . . well I don't really know," he admitted.

Lily smiled. "Happy to be getting a sister-in-law?"

"Well, I've only really met her once, but she was a nice woman. Very generous and hospitable. But I know she makes my brother happy, and that's what matters," Professor Brown replied.

Lily nodded. "Well that's good to hear. Which one is your older one? Gabriel?"

"No, that's my younger one. Marshal is my older brother," he told her.

"That's right. Gabriel was the one in Teddy's year," Lily remembered.

"You know, my brother Marshal was a Slytherin," Professor Brown mentioned in an offhanded way.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes. My younger brother and I were both Hufflepuffs, but Marshal was a Slytherin. And he was very proud of it. Very popular while he was in school."

"You never mentioned your brother was a Slytherin," Lily commented.

"He was Head Boy and Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. And smart as a whip too. I wouldn't be surprised if he was at the top of his class. I always thought he was perfect," Jacob spoke, and Lily could hear the fondness for his brother in his voice.

Lily was then reminded of what Hugo had said about himself, and about Albus. "Did you ever feel the need to compare to him?" Lily inquired. "To live up to him?"

Jacob shrugged. "Why would I? He's him, and I'm me. We're not the same person. It'd be terribly boring if we were. We wouldn't have fun debating against each other on certain topics. We couldn't poke fun at each other. And compare? I don't like playing Quidditch. And I never really had the drive to study as hard as he would at times. I was ok with being average," he chuckled. "And Head Boy? I didn't want to have that much responsibility."

Lily laughed. "Coming from the man that only years later became the headmaster of the entire school."

Jacob laughed as well. "Well I was only seventeen when I thought that. Years later, I knew I could handle it. A few years can change a person drastically, or sometimes not at all."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Lily asked Lucy as they stood in the Gryffindor common room, waiting for Hugo to come down. The day for the Slytherin party had come, and Lucy had turned down the offer to go.

Lucy shook her head. "No, me and Zack are just going to hang out here," she replied.

"I'll keep an eye on her, Lil," Zack promised teasingly.

Lily sighed. "Well if you're sure. It's in the Room of Requirement if you two decide to join the fun," she replied.

"Don't bother. I've been trying to convince them all day," Hugo commented as he approached. His hat was pulled over his head, a white long-sleeved shirt on, with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, and dark grey jeans. "You ready, Lil?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, let's go. Later, you two."

Lily and Hugo stepped out of the common room, and began their walk to the seventh floor. Hugo shoved his hands in his pockets. "So, I never asked, how'd you do on your exams?"

"Same as always," Lily replied.

"So perfect scores?" he mocked with a chuckle. "I'm so surprised."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well how did you do?"

"Pretty good," he answered. "Didn't fail anything, wasn't close to failing anything. It went well. But I am definitely ready to have a night of fun."

"Tell me about it," Lily sighed. "But, we just let the boys worry about setting it up, and they assured us that it would be great."

"So, besides me, what other non-Slytherins will be there tonight?" Hugo asked curiously.

Lily shrugged. "A lot. Chris Summerby, I got Louis and Paul to come, at least for a while. Megan is bringing Frank Brady, Tanner is dragging Kimberly, oh! And surprisingly, Izzy is bringing Leighton Fawcett."

Hugo raised a brow. "Izzy and Leighton? No shit?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Izzy says that they're going to consider it their first date."

"Hm. Well, Leighton's a cool guy, and Izzy's a cool girl. It could work," Hugo replied. Then he sighed. "So, you going to the graduation ceremony in a few days?"

"Yeah, I'm on the list to go," Lily replied. "Lucy put me on the list, as did Louis, Roxanne, Tanner, Hank, Zack, and Kimberly."

Hugo chuckled. "As popular as ever, Lil."

"Well, not that I think Kimberly hates me, but I think Tanner told her to put me down. He's been cracking jokes about how I _have_ to be there, because everyone wants me there," Lily joked.

"Sounds a lot like Tanner there," Hugo laughed.

Lily smiled. "Yeah." Then she sighed. "More and more of our friends keep graduating, and it's going to be really quiet around here."

"As quiet as it can be at Hogwarts," he chuckled.

"Which I guess isn't very," she agreed. But then she shrugged. "But we love it."

* * *

Days later, when the graduation ceremony came around, there was a happy, but yet still somehow somber feeling in the air. Lily felt both as she congratulated and parted with all three of her cousins. She felt them both as she hugged Tanner goodbye, waved to both Creevey boys, wished Nadia well, told Kimberly to take care, and teasingly warned Paul to take care of her cousin while she wasn't around.

As she watched with all the parents, siblings, friends, and other relatives, as the boats all floated off in the water, she felt someone nudge her elbow. Lily turned to look at Hugo, who was standing next to her. He looked surprisingly proper today. No hat. Just slacks, and a blue button-up shirt that complimented his eyes well.

Hugo motioned toward the back of the crowd. "Wanna walk?" he whispered.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."

The two walked out and away from the crowd of people, and began to walk the path up to the castle. But they soon diverted from it, and began to walk toward Hagrid's hut. His pen was surprisingly empty. Not even a hippogriff. They both pulled themselves up so that they sat on the fence, carefully balanced. Then they both looked out around them.

"One year left," Lily whispered, the thought striking her as unbelievable.

"Next year will be our last," Hugo agreed softly. "It feels strange to think that. And impossible to believe it."

Lily laughed in slight disbelief. "It's hard to imagine life outside of Hogwarts. Hard to imagine that after next year, I won't be spending about nine months of the year here."

"Won't be spending most of our time in lessons," Hugo added.

"Practicing for the next Quidditch match."

"Getting hurt in Quidditch matches."

"Siting by the lake with the others," Lily murmured. She ran a hand through her hair. "We only have a year left of those things."

Hugo chuckled. "You always think about how awesome it's going to be once you graduate . . . but it's hard to remember those things when you're about to lose something important."

"If we're like this _now_, how are we going to be when it's _our_ turn to ride those boats back?" Lily said softly.

Lily herself didn't have an answer, and by his silence, she had a feeling that Hugo didn't either. So for however long it was, a minute, ten minutes, maybe an hour, they sat there in silence. But then Hugo seemed to make a decision.

"I'm going to be a hit wizard," he stated firmly.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "A hit wizard?"

He nodded, and Lily had never seen him so confident and certain about something. "Yeah. A hit wizard. After this year . . . I want to stop people that think they can do that. You know, Aurors aren't put on the small cases where something like this happens to one person repeatedly, or just a few. But I want to stop this from happening to _anyone_. I want to make sure that psychos that think they can, are punished. I . . . I want to protect people." Then he sighed. "Sound too idealist?"

"If that's idealist, then the world needs more people like that," Lily replied. "It's never too positive, or too unrealistic to want to protect people. It's noble, respectful, and good. And isn't that what our parents wanted to raise us to be?"

Hugo nodded slightly, a sheepish smile on his face. "Yeah, I guess. Sometimes though . . . it almost seems like an impossible thought."

"Well you never know, cuz. Sometimes the impossible . . . it can turn out to be possible. And it can sometimes be what you do best," Lily murmured.

Hugo chuckled. "Is that so?"

Lily grinned. "Hey, no one thought it was possible for a Potter to be in Slytherin. And I'm sure not one person would have believed it possible for a Potter to fall in love with a Malfoy."

Now Hugo laughed fully. "Ok. True." Then he shook his head. "Cuz, _you_ are the impossible."


	93. The Changes of Growing Up

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I'm so sorry that this took so long! I just had a lot that got into the way of writing. School things mainly, and a birthday, and it was hectic. But, I have been working on it all chances I got, and I finally finished it. And I apologize for any mistakes in this one. I'm on some kind of sinus medication, and it's kind of wore me out. But, anyways, sorry for the big wait. And know that I would never abandon this. I love it too much. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Three: The Changes of Growing Up

King's Cross was crowded with families and friends greeting and hugging the students coming off the train. After saying goodbye to their friends, Lily walked with Hugo to find their parents.

"Man, it seems weird to think that it'll only be _our_ parents," Hugo mentioned. "Aunt Audrey won't be here to get Lucy. Uncle George and Aunt Angelina won't be here, nor Aunt Fleur and Uncle Bill. Seems weird."

Lily nodded. "We're the last two of the Weasley clan at school," she sighed.

"Scor coming?" Hugo inquired.

"No. He's coming over tonight," Lily replied. "He's still got training."

"Dad said he'd have his replacement take over for him at the training session today," Hugo commented. "He said he'd be here to come see me."

"You gunna tell him and your mum about the plan to be a hit wizard?" Lily inquired.

Hugo adjusted his hat. "I don't know. Dinner tonight at the earliest. I'm not sure how they'll react, so I'm not sure if I want to give it time."

"It is a dangerous job," Lily agreed.

Hugo scoffed. "They don't even train as long as Aurors. About a year, and then you're out on the field."

"My dad says that every hit wizard has his own bed at St. Mungo's," Lily told him. "I think that enough shows how dangerous it can be."

"Speaking of your dad. I see the family," Hugo said, pointing to the left, where Lily could see them through a slight break in the crowd.

Lily ran a hand through her hair as they began to walk. "Anyway, you should tell them."

Hugo sighed a bit heavily. "Yeah, probably. I'm just thinking of when Rose finally told our parents that she was going to be an Auror. I didn't hear the initial talk, but for like a week after, both parents were tense."

"Better get it over with now, instead of dragging it out," Lily replied. "And I'm not saying for you to just spring it on them. Just kind of . . . ease into, you could say."

"Well . . . I'll see if that's possible for tonight. You never know. Rose might decide to pop in for dinner," he mumbled.

Lily gave a nod. "Ok. But smile," she suggested. Then she smiled herself. "Hey, guys!" she greeted their parents.

* * *

Lily shifted through the books in her bookshelf, along with her textbooks from the last year that she had stacked on the floor. She was beginning to run out of room in her bookshelf, and she needed to figure out what to take over and put in her bookshelf at Malfoy Manor.

"Looks like you've got one too many books there, princess," she heard her father joke from behind her.

Lily turned her head to see him standing by her door, watching. Then she looked back to the two books in her hands. "I know. I'm trying to figure out what I want to stay here, and what I need to take to Malfoy Manor."

She could hear him walking further into her room. "I didn't even know you had so many books," he teased.

Lily smiled. "Well, most are potion books. I might just copy down each potion and compile it into one book. Then I can just box up some of these books."

"Sounds like a reasonable idea," Harry said with a sigh.

Lily turned again to see that her father was sitting on her bed, looking at her. She raised a brow. "I'm sorry, did you need something?"

Harry grinned. "Do I need something in order to come and speak with my daughter?"

Lily laughed as she put one of the books down in a new pile on her floor. "No, but I've just got the feeling that you want to talk about something."

"Will Scorpius be coming over tonight?" he asked casually.

Lily nodded as she put another old potion book into the new pile. "Yes. Probably not until later, depending on when training is done for the night. But yes, he is. Why?"

"Oh, just curious," Harry replied as he watched her start to pile up her old potion books. Then he spoke again. "Dinner will be in about twenty minutes or so, according to your mother."

Lily nodded as she traded a potion book with a Transfiguration textbook. "Ok. Anything else?"

There was a pause that Lily obviously noticed. "Well, your brother James is coming over for dinner tonight."

Lily froze for a small second, which her father obviously noticed. But then she continued to switch out books from her shelf. "Oh. Ok," she replied as casually as she could.

"And, Lily, don't think I'm just saying this to you, because I said it to James a week ago. I want this to be a peaceful dinner, ok?" Harry stated.

Lily sighed. A peaceful dinner? Was that possible with her and James at the same table anymore? She wasn't sure, but she'd have to make the attempt. It was already done. James was coming to dinner, and she couldn't just skip out. So she nodded again. "Yeah, no problem, Dad."

A little later after her father left her room, Lily was finished with her bookshelf, and had a whole stack of potion books that she no longer even flipped through. She was just beginning to organize them by level of difficulty when she could hear the muffled sound of the front door, and the very muffled and muted sound of voices downstairs in the hall. Her heart knew as well as her mind. James was here.

Her first instinct was to stay upstairs until he was gone. To go over and lock her door, and focus on her potion books for the rest of the night, and just skip dinner. But she couldn't do that. What would it solve? Nothing. It would just make it look like she was running. And she didn't want to run from things anymore. So she put down the book she held in her hand, and left her bedroom.

As she descended the stairs, she found herself alone in the hall with James, who was slipping off his shoes. They locked eyes for a moment, and Lily sensed no emotion between them. They were blank looks that they sent to each other. Finally, Lily blinked, and then continued down the stairs, and entered the kitchen.

The beginning of the dinner was spent in silence. Lily avoided looking at James, and she was sure he did the same. But James was never one for silences, and he finally spoke.

"So, Dad, did you and Mum see _Witch Weekly_ a month or so back? I made the cover," James mentioned casually.

Harry nodded. "I did. I saw both you and your sister. They were great pictures," he complimented, sending a look to Lily.

Lily slowly swallowed her bite of food before giving in and speaking. "Hugo showed it to me. I didn't know they had planned to put me on the cover. I read the article though. I didn't know the Cannons were in the running for the Cup this year."

James scoffed. "You must not be keeping up on the latest matches and rankings. We're at the top," he retorted.

Lily shrugged as she glanced at her plate. "I don't really keep up on it anymore."

"Well ya used to," James muttered.

"I also used to love the color blue, but that's now changed to a love for green," Lily replied in a mutter of her own.

"What a shocking change," James mumbled sarcastically.

"Heaven forbid someone _grow_ _up_ around here," Lily casually snapped back.

"So, Lily," their mother spoke, obviously trying to break up a possible outburst, "I didn't know you were modeling for other designs now?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Brandon's really done wonders on getting me jobs with other labels," she commented.

"Do you plan to work at all this summer?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, probably. It'll kill some downtime. Give me something to do during the day," Lily sighed.

"I figured you would be spending most of your time with Scorpius," Ginny mentioned.

Lily shrugged. "When we can. But since he'll still be training during the day, it'll be limited."

"What a shame," James grumbled.

"Why would it matter to you?" Lily hissed, her defensive nature rising. It was always on alert around James, especially since Christmas.

James's eyes narrowed, but they stayed on his plate, and didn't stray to look at her. "It's such a shame you can't contaminate yourself more by being with him," he retorted quietly.

Lily opened her mouth, but their father was quicker. "James, are you seeing anyone we should know of?" he asked innocently. Lily closed her mouth, and began to stab at her food.

James shrugged. "Eh, a few dates every so often. But I don't really have time to pursue a real relationship with all the moving and training."

"So you just sleep with a different girl every date," Lily countered casually and quietly.

"And what would you know about _anything_ of that nature?" James growled.

"I know when a man is respectable and when he's a whore," Lily snapped.

"Oh, and like Malfoy is respectable!" James countered.

"He's a lot more respectable than you!" Lily hissed.

"I'm sure that jackass has slept with more girls than I can count!" James argued.

"Well then you can't count that high because he's only slept with one!" Lily retorted angrily.

"Children!" Harry yelled above them, his voice firm and stern. Both Lily and James became quiet. Harry sighed. "I said a peaceful dinner. Can we return to that?"

"May I be excused?" Lily mumbled.

"No," Harry retorted. "There is no reason the two of you cannot sit and eat dinner together without throwing insults at each other."

Lily felt a flush come over her cheeks as she realized how close she was to admitting to what she and Scorpius did . . . well _do_ when alone. Then again, she probably did. She was sure that her father could connect the dots. She pushed her food around, no longer hungry. Again, James had riled her up, and she said something she shouldn't have. How did he always do that to her? He somehow always managed to get her upset. Maybe it was just a sibling thing. Megan always claimed that Dante just irritated and annoyed her every time he spoke, maybe that was what happened with her and James. Whenever he spoke, she just got easily angered, sensitive, and defensive.

Harry cleared his throat, and it was obvious to Lily that he seemed uncomfortable. "So, Lily, . . . how were Apparation lessons?"

Lily shrugged as she pushed her food around. "Ok. Easy enough, I guess."

"Will you be taking your test after your birthday?" Ginny asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, more than likely."

"Ron talked forever about Hugo the day he heard that Hugo passed his Apparation test," Harry chuckled.

Lily grinned. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. Hugo was pretty proud too." Finally she took another bite of her food, but it felt tasteless when compared to the amount of emotions running through her. She felt it hard to focus on anything else, so Lily did her best to block it out. Ignore it. And surprisingly, it worked . . . partially.

* * *

The dinner ended with an awkwardness that Lily never thought her family would achieve. It was one that had beaten the awkwardness of the last few family dinners put together. The small talk and pointless conversations were short, chopped, and uncomfortable. There were things each of them wanted to say, but they didn't. When they felt the need, they brought up another inane topic to keep themselves from bringing up something uncomfortable and awkward.

Lily trailed up the stairs sluggishly. She could still hear a murmur of voices coming from the kitchen, which she'd just left. She knew her mother was about to wash dishes the Muggle way, just to distract herself. And she knew that James and her father were probably still talking about their previous and pointless topic of the newest scores from the last Quidditch game of the Appleby Arrows. And in her heart, she was sure that as soon as they heard her door, they'd begun talking of what had happened at dinner. She just didn't want to hear it.

When Lily stepped into her room, she closed her door and leaned against it. Then she stepped further in and dropped onto her bed, her head landing on her pillow. She tried her best to figure out what feelings were still running through her body. A bit of anger, some sadness, . . . a blank emptiness even. And also, she was just tired. Lily wasn't sure why she felt so tired, but she did. She lay on her bed, her arms coming to wrap around her pillow, her face buried in it. She could easily fall asleep, and she knew that. But she didn't want to. Scorpius had yet to come over, and he promised he would. But she just couldn't keep her eyes open. They felt so heavy . . .

* * *

Something moving and shifting the weight of her bed was what awoke Lily. Her eyes shot open, but at the touch of a warm, and familiar hand on the junction between her neck and shoulder, she relaxed, and allowed her eyes to close again. She brought in a breath, smelling both her pillow, and a touch of cologne from beside her.

"I was worried that you'd forgotten," she whispered.

"I could never forget the day that I've been counting down to for a month," Scorpius whispered softly, his hand brushing her hair away from her shoulder. "But I also didn't mean to wake you."

Lily turned and opened her eyes again. He was laying across her bed, one arm stretched so he could run his fingers through her hair. His own hair, she was glad to see, was starting to get noticeably longer, and close to where she hoped it'd get to again. She smiled simply at the sight of him, and even brighter at the fact that he was actually face-to-face with her again, and not between a mirror. "I'm glad you did," she murmured. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

He smirked. "It's ok if you're tired. We can pick this up tomorrow," he offered.

But she shook her head. "I don't want to wait that long."

His fingers lightly began to trail up and down her arm. "I didn't think training would run so late. I would have warned you."

Lily shrugged. "It's ok. I've been preoccupied with organizing my bookshelf, and also with dinner."

Scorpius raised a politely curious brow. "What happened at dinner?"

"James came over," Lily whispered. "We didn't really get _that _into it. Dad stopped us. But . . . we both got riled up enough that my dad might know that we've slept together."

His expression didn't change, but his fingers stopped moving, and she could feel the tension in his body. "What do you mean?"

Lily sighed as she closed her eyes, her concern wiped away by the desire to just sleep. "Me and James started to get into each other about dating, and how he sleeps around, and he thought that you probably slept around, and then I burst out with how you've only slept with one girl. But that was where Dad stopped us, and he was a little uncomfortable for the rest of dinner," she explained.

Scorpius sighed heavily. "Ah, shit," he mumbled. "I'm gonna have to deal with that, aren't I?"

Lily just snuggled closer to him, his warmth a soothing comfort that seemed to promise her body a peaceful sleep. It was something that part of her mind and part of her body screamed at her to take. The other parts nicely yelled at her to stay awake. Who knew when she'd get another moment with Scorpius. A day, maybe even more than a week. She'd never know when training would end soon enough to give him time for them to spend together.

"Babe? Are you asleep?" Scorpius whispered.

Lily shook her head, her cheek rubbing softly against the soft material of his shirt. "No, I'm awake," she murmured.

"Why don't you get some sleep? I can come over tomorrow. Training shouldn't be as long," he assured.

Lily opened her eyes and glanced up at him. "I know it's selfish . . . but I don't want you to go," she said softly.

Scorpius's eyes darted away for a brief moment, before coming back to lock onto her. A passion and love was in them that made Lily's heart miss a beat. "Your parents know that I'm here. They're the ones that let me in. I can't just stay here without them knowing," he pointed out.

But Lily was just too tired to care if her parents knew or not. She'd basically admitted to the two of them having slept together, and they both knew that she'd been sleeping in his dorm the previous year. What did it matter? "So what?" she mumbled.

Scorpius chuckled, and she felt the rumble of his chest. "I don't think you'd feel the same if you weren't two seconds away from sleep," he teased lightly.

"Maybe," she sighed as she gently grasped his shirt. "At least stay until I _do_ fall asleep?"

She felt a gentle kiss on her the top of her head. "Of course, princess," he whispered.

Comforted by his gentle promise, and by the safety of his warmth, she finally fell asleep again.

* * *

Lily sat at her desk, copying down the different potions from her potion books. She decided to only copy the ones she thought she'd need or use, or maybe would make just for the challenge. And she'd done great for one day. In just one day, she'd already copied down the needed potions from all of her easy and simple potion books. But, she was also making it easier for her, illegally. She'd charmed her quill, no longer caring about how she was still under seventeen. So now, her quill wrote without, and she watched the progress, changing things if she knew a better way. Sure, it was boring, long, and monotonous, but it kept her from thinking back to the night before, or from dwelling on her longing to be with Scorpius again.

Lily sighed as she watched her quill quickly go line after line, as she continued to wait until she needed to flip the page. Scorpius. She'd woken up to find that he was gone. At first she'd thought that she'd just dreamed it up, but then she could still smell the faint smell of cologne on her pillow. It was the only sign he'd left to show he'd been there at all.

She was surprised when her door opened. Her quill dropped onto the desk as she whipped around in her chair. She relaxed when she saw that it was only Hugo. "Oh, it's you," she mumbled. She turned back to the book, picked up her wand, and recasted her enchantment.

"Good afternoon to you too," he teased as he closed the door. "Where's the rest of the house?"

"Dad's working, and Mum went out to have lunch with Aunt Luna. I didn't feel like going," Lily sighed.

She could almost feel him standing over her. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Illegally casting spells on my quill to copy down some of the potions from my books. That way I can get them out of my bookshelf, maybe put them into storage, and so I can have all the potions together in one big collection," she explained. Then she briefly glanced at him as she flipped the page. "I though you were working today?"

He nodded as he moved to sit on her bed. "Yeah, but it was just a morning shift. Aunt Hannah said she didn't want to overload me on my first real day back home," he told her. "So Stacy and I worked the morning shift, and then left."

"How is Stacy?" Lily inquired as she stopped her quill to manually switch around the next two directions. She found that the potion worked better when she did that.

"She's doing pretty good, actually. I mean, we haven't talked about Hooper or anything since she was in the Hospital Wing. I figure that if she wants to talk to me, she will. And if she's not ok, I think I'll notice," Hugo sighed. "It's pretty easy to tell with her."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I guess. I'm glad to hear she's doing ok," she replied. "I was thinking about maybe you, Lucy, and I could hang out at the Burrow sometime? When you don't work, maybe? What do you think?"

"I think you want to get out of the house after just one night," he pointed out. "But, I like the idea nonetheless. Write Lucy, see what she's doing."

"I will," Lily assured. "And you're right. I do want to get out of the house."

"I'm not surprised. I suggested to my parents that we have dinner with you guys last night, but then my mum told me James was going to your house for dinner, and your parents would probably just want it to be a family thing," Hugo said. "Actually, the way she looked, she knew that your parents just wanted to have you two in the same room for once."

"Bad idea," Lily muttered.

"You two end up fighting?" Hugo asked.

"We got close to really getting into it. But we both got riled up, and I basically admitted that Scorpius and I slept together," Lily sighed.

"Oh that sucks," he replied. "How'd your dad take that?"

"He was uncomfortable during the rest of dinner, but he hasn't said anything to me yet. At this point I'm just waiting," she mentioned.

"I'm dreading the day Rose decides to come home for dinner," he mumbled. "Part of me is hoping that training just exhausts her, and she never will."

"You really don't want to see your sister?" Lily inquired.

"When I tell my parents about my wanting to be a hit wizard, I don't want to be compared to Rose again. I don't want to hear about how if I had to choose a dangerous career, the least I could have done is pick being an Auror. Because I know that I'll snap, and that won't help me any," Hugo muttered.

"You didn't tell your parents last night?" Lily questioned.

"No. But . . . I'm thinking if not tonight, then I'll tell them tomorrow. I'm just going to wait and see if I have the courage to spit it out tonight," he admitted. "But, I'd thought about what you'd said. And you were right. I should just get it over with, and tell them. Give them time to get used to the idea and adjust."

Lily flipped to the very last page of the book she was currently on, brought out a new piece of paper, and then watched as her quill began to start copying again. "That's probably for the best," she sighed.

"You almost done?" he asked suddenly.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It just has to finish this page. Why?"

"Because I was wondering if you'd want to go outside and hang in the tree house," he replied.

Lily couldn't help but smile. "Sure. Sounds cool."

* * *

The weather was warm outside, and not a cloud hung in the sky. Lily and Hugo sat on the floor of the tree house, the blanket over the window maneuvered so that the two of them could look outside. It was calm outside, and inside the tree house. And they were quiet in the calm, until Hugo took off his hat, and spoke.

"Lil, can I tell you something? It's kind of selfish . . . at least it sounds that way in my head," Hugo asked.

Lily nodded. "Of course. You can tell me anything, Huey."

She was surprised when he chuckled dryly. "I'm afraid to grow up," he stated.

Lily turned her head to look at him. "Afraid?" she asked.

Now Hugo nodded, his fingers playing with his hat. "Yeah. Afraid. It's something I've kind of been thinking about lately."

"What do you mean?" Lily inquired.

"I started thinking about it when my mum wrote a letter to me a few weeks before school was out for the summer. She commented on how I was all grown up. But I don't feel grown up . . . and I don't think I want to grow up," he whispered.

"What about growing up scares you?"

He scoffed. "Everything, I think. I mean . . . the weight of the responsibilities in the world just seem to drop on you once you 'grow up' and leave school. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. I'm not sure if I'll be ready for that after next year either."

Now Lily scoffed and chuckled. "That's the bitch about life though, Huey. Life doesn't care if you're ready for something or not. It still tosses it to ya. I wasn't ready for . . . what the _effects_ of my being a Slytherin would be when I was eleven. But it still happened. Sometimes, you just have to suck it up and bare it."

Hugo grinned ruefully. "I know. I'm just scared that the weight will crush me."

"I'd never let it crush you," Lily retorted.

"But I can't lean on you forever, Lil," Hugo argued gently. "I know, you'd let me. Just like I'll always let you lean on me. But you know, just like I do, that there are things that have to be done alone. Things that a guy or girl needs to handle on their own. It's those things that I fear will crush me."

Lily let out a small breath as in her mind, she agreed with him. Because he was right. Some things had to be done alone. But she had again grown accustomed to leaning on Hugo in the past two years. It was like when they were young. Lily smiled at the memories her mind brought to the forefront of her thoughts. Then she laughed lightly. "Do you remember when we were little, and you had the biggest little kid crush on Connie's mum?"

Hugo looked over at her and laughed, scratching at his neck. "Yeah, I do remember that. Give me a break, I _was_ only like five or six. And I still think her mum's pretty hot." Then he laughed again and nudged her with his elbow. "Remember when you were going to marry Lorcan?"

Lily looked at him in amused confusion. "What?"

Now Hugo laughed harder. "You don't remember? Oh, man! You and Lorcan one day decided that you were going to get married. He said it was because you were the one girl he understood, and you said it was because he picked all the cherry flavored Bertie Bott beans and gave them to you!"

Lily laughed as she tried to remember. "I can't remember that," she admitted. "Really?"

Hugo nodded. "Yep. You were going to marry Lorcan one day."

Lily shook her head as she chuckled. "Yeah, well I remember the day you thought you could fly without a broom, and jumped out of this very tree house," she teased.

Hugo chuckled. "Yeah. I broke my leg and Mum was more pissed than sympathetic!" Then he pulled his hat onto his head again. "Remember when James and Fred convinced Albus to shove a Bertie Bott bean into his nose?"

Lily rested her back against the wall as she laughed. "He hid in his room all day because he didn't want Mum to find out. He had it up there for hours."

Hugo ran his hands over his face. "Man, what is it with stupidity and kids?" he joked.

"Well you have to start out dumb to become smart," Lily pointed out laughing. "The more dumb things you do, the smarter you get. At least, that's how it seems."

* * *

Using the key that Scorpius had given her long ago, at least it felt long ago, Lily unlocked the door to his flat. After waking up early, and leaving a brief and vague note about going to Diagon Alley, Lily left her house that morning, with the intent to see Scorpius before he went to training. She'd been home for almost a week, and she'd only been able to see him twice. Once the first night she'd been home, and also the night after. But it'd been four days, and she was just itching to see him again, and not just before she went to sleep. That was what brought her over so early in the morning.

As she closed the door, Lily first noticed that his flat was a lot cleaner than the last time she'd surprised him by popping over, although Lily guessed it was because he hardly had time to lay around and make a mess. She slipped off her shoes as she looked around. The only mess around was mostly clothes. A few tossed shirts, a pair of jeans on the couch, and a pair of shorts on the floor. She walked down the hall, noticing his door was partially open. She stepped inside his room, but he wasn't in bed. But then she heard the muted and muffled sound of running water coming from his bathroom.

Waiting for him, Lily went over and, as a habit, began to make his bed. She almost laughed as she did. The routines Grandma Molly put them through as kids would never die. Making the bed, having a good breakfast, well a good meal every meal, and cleaning up whatever mess you made. She had just pulled the blankets over when she heard his voice.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to break into an Auror's home?" Scorpius teased.

Lily grinned as she turned to sit on the bed, looking at where he leaned against the now open bathroom doorway. "It's not breaking in when you have a key," she pointed out. She also couldn't help but trail her eyes over him. He wore only a pair of jeans, a towel around his bare shoulders. His hair, and chest, was still a little damp from a shower. His eyes were smoldering, and a smirk was on his lips.

Scorpius gave a chuckle as he brought the towel up to dry his hair a bit more. "True. But what are you doing here so early?"

Lily stood, her heart automatically catching an extra beat at the short distance between them. "To see you before you go off to training today. Make sure you eat something, make your bed, and just roam around your flat," she teased.

Scorpius pulled the towel away from his head to look at her. "So, are you insinuating that you're here to take care of me?"

Lily laughed lightly as she stood up, and took the towel from him. "Basically. It would give me something to do today. That, and I kind of enjoy taking care of you, Merlin knows why."

Scorpius brought his hands to her hips, and his lips down to hers. The kiss was brief, but it immediately set Lily at ease. "Well, I love taking care of you too. But I _really_ love having you take care of me," he joked.

Lily smiled as dropped the towel back onto his shoulder. "Well I'll be glad to do so."

"But," Scorpius interrupted, "it might be hard to make me eat when I have very little food in my flat at the moment."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Scorpius."

"I don't have a lot of time to shop for food," Scorpius defend quickly but casually.

Lily leaned up to kiss his freshly shaven cheek. "Well then how about you and I get a breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron? Then you go train, and I'll take of things here."

Scorpius held her in his arms, but raised a brow in question. "And by take care of things, you mean?"

This time she kissed him on the lips. "You'll see," she teased.

* * *

Lily walked around a small Muggle grocery store in London, searching for the right food for Scorpius. Obviously, she'd need things that would be easy to make, and also things that wouldn't spoil quick. Not to mention, she had to get things he'd like.

"Lily?"

At the oddly familiar voice, Lily turned around, and was surprised at who she saw. "Stacy?" Sure enough, Stacy West, or now Bole, stood just down the aisle. Her hair was a bit shorter than Lily remembered, but was the same light blonde color, and her eyes were still a pretty emerald color. But also, there was now a bump protruding from her stomach. Lily locked eyes with her again. "You're pregnant?"

Stacy laughed lightly as she came closer. "Yeah. Due next month," she admitted, her hand coming to rest on her stomach.

Lily smiled. "Wow. Seems so . . . weird to think about," she commented.

Stacy's smile was glowing. "It was weird at first . . . but then it was amazing! Still is. I mean, Raven and I are actually having a baby!"

Lily laughed. "Well I'm happy for you."

Stacy brushed her bangs from her face. "Thanks." Then she noticed the cart next to Lily. "Running errands for you parents?"

Lily glanced at the cart. "Oh! No, I'm stocking the cabinets of Scor's flat."

Stacy looked surprised. "I didn't know you'd graduated?"

Lily chuckled and shook her head. "No, I didn't. But, he's training to be an Auror, and has hardly any food, and hardly any time to get any. As his girlfriend, I am taking up the position of taking care of him and his flat during my summer. First stop is food," she explained.

Stacy nodded knowingly. "Oh, ok. I just came to get an apple. Raven's at work, and I'm on maternity leave until further notice, so I came to get it myself. You know, you always hear about weird cravings when you're pregnant, but I've just been on a fruit kick since like the fourth or fifth month."

Lily smiled. "Well . . . would you like to come with me? I'm almost done here, then I'm going back to his flat. That way you can get off your feet, and not be alone," she offered.

Stacy smiled softly. "Sure. And on the way, you can catch me up on all the Hogwarts gossip and happenings."

* * *

"Scorpius has a nice little place," Stacy commented as she sat on Scorpius's couch. Lily was already putting things away. She'd insisted that Stacy sit and relax. "I imagined smaller since he was living alone and training all the time."

"I love him, but what Malfoy would ever live in a small place?" Lily joked as she put away a new box of cereal.

Stacy laughed. "You know, you spoil him."

Lily laughed too. "I know I do, but why do you think so?"

"You come to see him in the morning, feed him, take care of his flat. You spoil him," she joked.

Lily smiled. "I know I do. But I like doing it. Besides, I graduate next year, then I move in here, and I'll be doing it anyway. So, it's like getting practice before the real deal."

"So you already plan to move in with him after school?" Stacy teased.

"He and I have been planning for me to move in since my fifth year," Lily laughed. Then she looked back at Stacy. "So, do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"

Stacy had that glowing smile again. "Yeah. We're having a boy."

"Really? How happy is Raven?" Lily teased.

But Stacy laughed. "He's thrilled. I don't think he ever really thought he'd have a girl, since he doesn't have any sisters, aunts, or girl cousins."

"Well have you thought of names?" Lily inquired.

"We both decided that we would come up with different names on our own, and then see if we can agree on one," Stacy told her. "Personally, I like Roland. That's my uncle's name."

"Do you think Raven will agree to it?" Lily asked as she finished putting the last of the new food away. She grabbed a glass, and went for the sink.

Stacy shrugged. "I think he would. He knows my uncle is important me."

"What names does he have on his mind?" Lily questioned as she brought the glass to Stacy.

Stacy gave Lily a thankful smile as she took the glass. "I don't know actually. He's been thinking really hard on it, and he's always changing his mind. Last I knew, which was last night, he was considering the name Nicholas."

Lily thought about the name as she sat down. "It's not a bad name," she replied.

But Stacy grinned. "But trust me, he'll change his mind. A different name will pop into his mind, and he'll want that instead. It's been like that ever since we found out we were having a boy."

"With Raven that doesn't really surprise me," Lily joked. She got up and began to pick up the random clothes around the floor.

Stacy giggled. "So Raven isn't the only guy that just throws his clothes around the room."

Lily laughed as she threw some of them in the hamper near the wall. "Every time I've come over here, there's been at least one shirt."

"Raven used to do that all the time when we first got our own place. After working so hard, it was too long a walk to go to the bathroom and throw his shirt into the hamper," Stacy laughed.

"How is it being married to a Curse Breaker?" Lily inquired.

"Well, actually, Raven's not a Curse Breaker anymore," Stacy told her.

Lily turned to her in surprise. "Really? I thought that was Raven's big plan?"

Stacy nodded. "It was. But after a year or so, he didn't like the traveling. He said it wore him out more than the actual work did. He's still working for Gringott's though. He's working to help with all the spells and traps around the vaults and the bank instead. I think he likes it better," she explained.

"Well I'm glad he's happy," Lily replied as she moved the hamper near the door. His building had a room full of Muggle washing machines, so she'd go down and do his laundry later. She'd have to thank her father for raising her in a partially Muggle way. Lily looked back at Stacy. "So, what job do, or _did_ you have before getting put on maternity leave?"

"Well I was working as a secretary in a division of the ministry," Stacy sighed as she placed a hand over the baby bump of her stomach. "It was easy work, but it was the getting around that started to get tougher and tougher."

Lily raised her brow. "Then why were you walking around to get an apple?" she asked.

Stacy laughed lightly. "Because it was a really strong craving. It was worth the walk, although to be honest, I'm glad to be off my feet."

"Well do you need anything?" Lily questioned. "Anything I can get you?"

"No, I'm fine," Stacy assured her. But then she smiled slyly at Lily. "So, can I ask you a question, Lily?"

Lily shrugged as she let his sink fill with water. She poured a bit of soap into the running water. "Sure."

"Well, you admitting to moving in here after graduating has me curious," Stacy mentioned, "but how far ahead do you and Scorpius have your futures planned?"

Lily smiled lightly as she turned around to look at Stacy, and lean against the counter. "We have a basic idea of what we want, you could say."

"So you plan on marrying him?" Stacy teased.

Lily ignored the light blush she could feel on her cheeks as she turned off the flow of water, and began to place a few dirty dishes into the water. "Yes, after I graduate. And before you tease, no, we haven't planned a date or anything about it. We just know that we will."

"I guess I'm not surprised. I've never known Scorpius to be patient. At least he wasn't patient when he was younger," Stacy commented.

"In this case we're both a little impatient," Lily admitted.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Lily asked as she and Stacy walked out of the building. Stacy felt that since it was almost time for Raven's lunch hour, she should get home. Apparently, he always came home for lunch, just to check on her now that she was pregnant. And Stacy was apparently taking the Knight Bus. And with how bumpy of a ride Lily knew it to be, it made her wonder.

But Stacy waved it off. "I'll be fine. I've gotten so used to the bumps and sharp turns, I hardly notice it," she assured. She pointed her wand at the street, and with a "BANG" the Knight Bus appeared.

After giving Stacy a brief hug, Lily waved and watched her go. Lily sighed as she stood out on the sun-drenched sidewalk for a moment. She almost shook her head at the memories that came back to her. Of Stacy waiting for Raven after practice, or coming to the locker room to talk with Lily and wait. Of talking with Stacy in the common room, because Raven and the guys were discussing Quidditch tactics, which always used to bore Stacy. Lily smiled. And now they were married, and Stacy was pregnant.

"Oh, how time flies," Lily mumbled to herself.

"Lil?"

Lily whirled around at the sound of Scorpius's voice. She smiled when she saw him jogging toward her. Once he was close, he immediately picked her up and playfully spun her around. Lily laughed as she kissed him on the cheek. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Scorpius smirked as he set down. It was obvious that training had been a workout so far, as Lily could still see a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. "Well, it's our lunch hour, so I got permission from your uncle to go home for lunch. I told him it was very important," he replied.

Lily bit her lip as she waited for the erratic beating of her heart to settle. "Well, I might have to tell my uncle Ron thanks," she murmured.

Scorpius took her hand, and brought the back of it to his lips. "Want lunch? I'm sure I have something in my flat."

Lily laughed again. "Actually, I know for a fact you have something for us to eat up there. But, you're not allowed in until after training."

Scorpius raised a brow. "A surprise?"

Lily nodded. "Yep. So how about we go out and eat something for lunch?"

Scorpius had relented, and after taking her to the nearest Apparation point, took her to the Leaky Cauldron again. Lily glanced around for Hugo, but didn't see him. She figured he must be working a later shift.

"So," Scorpius said as he pulled the cap off of his bottle of butterbeer, "what kind of surprise do you have waiting for me?"

Lily grinned. "A clean one," she teased. "And I'll give you another hint. You can actually eat at home now."

Scorpius chuckled. "How much food did you buy me?"

Lily shrugged. "Knowing your appetite, enough to last you a while."

Scorpius leaned back in his chair, a smirk on his lips. "You didn't have to spend money on me, babe."

"I have more than I need," she retorted.

"And I have even more than that," Scorpius countered. "If you would have told me, I could have at least given you the money for it."

Lily rolled her eyes, but still smiled. "It's not a problem, Scorpius Malfoy. And I know very well that if roles were switched, you would do the exact same thing, and ignore every protest I had."

Now he shrugged, but it was obvious that he was agreeing. "Well thanks," he sighed.

Lily smiled as she took a drink from her own butterbeer. Then she sighed. "So, when do you usually get home from training?"

Scorpius shrugged. "It all depends. Usually between eight and nine at night," he answered. "Why?"

"Just curious," Lily said vaguely, a plan formulating in her mind. Then she attempted to change the subject. "So, did you know that Stacy and Raven were going to have a baby?"

Scorpius nodded as he chewed and swallowed a bite of food. "Yeah. I ran into him at Gringott's about a month or two ago, and he told me. How'd you find out?"

"I ran into her in London today," Lily answered. "So I brought her back to your flat where we chatted for a few hours. She had just left when you came around."

"Probably ready to pop any moment, isn't she?" Scorpius inquired.

"She said next month was the expected time," Lily told him.

"So, I haven't seen Hugo. He not working today?" Scorpius asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. He might just be working later. I haven't hung out with him for a few days. But, me, him, and Lucy are all going to take a day to hang out together. Maybe at the Burrow."

"Why don't you just bring them over to my flat?" Scorpius suggested. "It's always open to you, you know."

Lily smiled softly. "Well thanks."

He smirked. "Any time, babe."

* * *

The nearing sunset had discolored the sky with tints of orange and pink when Lily finally Flooed home. She'd finished cleaning Scorpius's flat, had his laundry done and put away, and had then gone to Diagon Alley, and found herself shopping. For some reason, Lily found herself in an incredible mood. She connected it to her great day.

"I'm home!" Lily called to the house as she slipped off her now slightly dusty shoes near the fireplace. With bags in her hand, she walked into the kitchen, where her mother and father were both sitting at the table, along with her aunt Hermione.

"Good evening, sweetheart. Have fun?" Ginny inquired.

Lily smiled. "Hello, Aunt Hermione. Having dinner here?"

Hermione smiled and nodded. "Well Hugo's working, and Ronald won't be home until training is done, and I'm already hungry."

"That was an awful long time at Diagon Alley," Harry commented casually.

Lily's smile didn't drop as she put the bags on the counter. "I know. I stopped by Scorpius's this morning, and had lunch with him. Otherwise, I've been cleaning his flat for him, and stocking it with food. Do all soon-to-be Aurors not eat?" she asked her father jokingly.

Harry sighed. "Well it can be hard to find the time," he muttered.

"But, I _have_ been in Diagon Alley for a while now. And I picked up a few things," Lily told them.

Ginny raised a brow as she came to stand by her daughter, brushing her hair over Lily's shoulder. "Like what?" she asked.

Lily pulled out a small box. "Well, I remember you commented on how you needed to pick up some new quills and ink, so here you go, Mum. And I got a few sweets, some more potion ingredients, and, Daddy, I stopped by Fortescue's and got you a sundae," she said, handing the plastic case holding the sundae to her father.

Ginny laughed lightly. "You are in a really good mood," she mentioned.

Lily laughed. "Yeah, I know. Actually, I kind of have a favor to ask you."

"And what would that be?" Ginny asked as she took the box of sweets Lily handed her.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd be ok with my going back to Scorpius's flat in about an hour or so? I want to make sure he actually eats something when he gets home," Lily replied.

But it was her father that answered. "You can if you come in the living room and have a talk with me first," Harry said.

Lily bit her lip as she turned to look at her dad. This was that moment she'd been dreading. Talking _alone_ with her dad. But she faked a smile. "Ok. Sure."

She followed her father into the living room, catching the sympathetic looks her mother and aunt sent her as she left. Lily took a seat on the couch, as her father sat in the nearby armchair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. She waited patiently for him to speak, hesitance and daughterly fear pumped through her.

Finally, her father sighed heavily. "I want to talk about dinner a few nights ago."

Lily let out her own heavy breath. She knew it. "Look, Dad, about that-," she started.

But Harry put up his hand. "No, I want to start this one," he interrupted. Then he ran his hand through his hair. "You know, I'm not going to pretend that I know him better than you, or anybody, but after the amount of time I've spent with Scorpius, I know him enough. And I think I know him well enough to know that . . . the one girl was you," Harry stated.

Lily gulped silently. "And?" she asked, unsure of what to say.

He adjusted his glasses. "And I would have never said this before, but I will say it now, and I might deny I ever said it later. But I also know him enough to know that . . . he . . . " It was obvious that her father had trouble continuing.

So she gave it shot. "That he did right be me?" She didn't want to make it sound like it was more than once. If she could get him to think they'd only had sex once, then she was sure his mind would rest much easier.

He let out a breath. "Yes. Did right by you, yes. But, um . . ."

"Look, Dad," Lily stopped him, "um . . . I'm sure we're both pretty uncomfortable with this talk. So, if I just say that it was safe, we were responsible, and he was respectable, and we didn't rush into anything, can we leave it at that?"

"Lily, princess, you do understand that I will probably never be comfortable with this, right?" Harry pointed out.

"Exactly. So why not forget this was brought up?" Lily requested.

Harry stared at her for a moment, so Lily waited. Finally he leaned back. "Only if you honestly tell me why you want to go to his flat tonight."

Lily blushed like a true Weasley. "Honestly, Dad, just to make sure he eats. I mean . . . we don't just jump at each other whenever we're alone. I mean . . . please tell me you know what I mean so I don't have to say any more?" she pleaded.

Harry chuckled, although it was a bit dry. "Yeah, I understand. And, you can go. Just be home by midnight."

Lily nodded as she stood up. "Thanks, Dad." She went to the door, but then stopped. "Daddy, you do know that you can still trust him and me, right?"

Harry rested his chin on his fist. "Lily, I promise you that I won't hate him again because of this."

Finally, Lily's smile came back. "Thanks, Daddy."

* * *

Lily knew that some day, she'd have to thank her grandmother for passing down her culinary ability to her granddaughter. Although she hadn't made much, Lily was proud of the work she'd done. His small table was set with food, and after tasting it, Lily knew she'd done a decent job. And better yet, his flat looked immaculate, and she was able to take time to clean the small mess she'd made while making his food.

She had just poured herself a glass of water when she heard the door open. She turned around just in time to see Scorpius staring at the sight around him, his jaw looking ready to drop. Then his eyes turned to lock onto her, and Lily could see his amazement. "You did all this?" he asked as he closed the door.

Lily smiled. "Yeah. Most of it during the day. I came back about an hour or so ago to make you something. I wanted to be sure you actually ate something," she teased lightly. But it was hard to tease when the look in his eyes made her heart flutter erratically.

Scorpius came closer to look at the food on his table. Then he looked back toward her. "You didn't have to go to all the trouble," he murmured as he moved around the table. Lily set her glass on the counter as his hands came to rest on her hips.

"It wasn't any trouble. And I wanted to do it," Lily replied softly. Scorpius placed a soft kiss on her lips, and in Lily's opinion, ended it too quickly. But she didn't protest as he moved to sit down at the table. She came to sit next to him. She'd eaten dinner with her parents and her aunt before coming over, so she had made herself a plate. "I know it's not a lot," she mentioned.

Scorpius raised a teasing brow at her. "Not a lot? Babe, even in the Malfoy family, this would be like a feast," he joked lightly as he began to put food on his plate.

Lily blushed lightly. "Well, we eat a lot in my family, as you know. I don't think this would even sate Hugo and Teddy completely," she replied.

Scorpius reached over and took a hold of her left hand, making Lily instinctively lock eyes with him. He brought her hand closer, placed a kiss on the finger with his ring wrapped around it, and then another kiss on the back of her hand. "It's perfect," he whispered. "Thank you."

As he let go of her hand and began to eat, Lily felt a familiar rush run through her body. The rush that ran on ever bit of love she felt for Scorpius. It warmed her body immediately, and kept the very light pink color on her cheeks, and kept her heart dancing beneath her rib cage.

Scorpius looked over at her again, his gaze soft and curious. He carefully chewed, and then swallowed a bite before speaking. "What's on your mind, princess?"

Lily smiled softly at him. "I love you," she murmured.

Scorpius's normal smirk became a small smile. "I love you too," he replied before taking another bite. When he swallowed the bite, he leaned over and brushed her bangs away from her face. "You spoil me, woman," he mumbled softly.

Lily laughed lightly. "What?"

He chuckled. "Only you would come over to your boyfriend's flat, clean it, stock it with food, and then let him come home to find that you've cooked him dinner," he replied. "Only you."

Lily smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I think it's a trait I get from my mum, who got it from her mum. We're very good to our other halves."

"I could get use to it," he teased gently, his hand moving to caress the back of her hand.

Lily's heart beat harder at the feel of his hand on hers. "You should. Because you'll be living with it for the rest of your life."

His hand clasped over hers, and gave it a small squeeze. "Remind me to thank Merlin for that every day."

As her heart skipped a beat again, she felt another small blush join her sheepish smile. "Well, spoil me just as much as I spoil you," she whispered.

"How so?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Because only you know how to say the most perfect things to me, and you say them with every sentence."

* * *

Lily tapped her foot as she waited for the elevator of St. Mungo's to reach the second floor. She felt a little too overdressed, but she'd just finished a photo shoot, and she didn't want to wait much longer to see Duncan. She felt bad enough about it having been so long since she'd been to visit him. And she missed him. Sure, they always wrote a few letters back and forth, but it wasn't the real thing. She missed seeing him smile when they talked. Or hearing his laugh about something so simple. He really was the symbol of innocence in a harsh reality.

When the elevator finally opened, she stepped off and practically rushed down the hall. But life was never that simple. Out of the dozen Healers walking up and down the hall, one seemed to recognize her.

"Hey," a female Healer stopped her, looking at her curiously, "do I know you?"

Lily looked at the woman. She was obviously a few years older than her, but probably not older than thirty. But Lily was positive that she didn't know her. "Um, I don't think so," Lily told her.

But while Lily had been looking the woman over, the woman had been looking over her. And now a look of awe and surprise was on her face. "You're Lily Luna! I recognize you from the cover of _Witch Weekly_!"

Lily bit back a sigh, and forced a smile at the woman. "Oh, yeah that's me. If you'll-,"

"I love your picture on that cover! You and your brother looked great!" the woman complimented.

Lily forced herself to keep smiling. "Thank you. If you'll excuse me."

"Oh! Of course!" the woman said cheerily.

Lily let the fake smile fall once she'd passed the woman, and reached Duncan's door. With a smile that was true, Lily opened the door, only for the smile to drop with confusion. The room . . . it was empty. The bed was made, the pictures she had taken of Hogwarts for Duncan were gone, and Duncan himself was not in the bed. This room was empty, and had obviously been unused for some time. But . . . what could this mean? Did she dare hope that he'd healed in the time they'd been apart?

Lily closed the door, checking the number to make sure it was right. _234_. That was right. She turned, and caught the arm of a passing Healer. "Excuse me?"

The Healer, a man that could be no more than thirty, stopped to stare at her curiously. "Yes, can I help you?" he asked kindly.

Lily pointed at the door. "Um, my friend Duncan used to be in this room . . . did something change?" She felt stupid for how she worded it, but she was too scared of the answer to sound smarter.

The man looked at the door, then his face lit with understanding. "Ah! Duncan! He's been moved to a different room on this floor. Just go down this hall, and take a left, then keep going and take the first left again. His room is _298_."

Although her hopes of Duncan healing had dropped, she felt relieved to know that he was in fact _alive_. "Thank you," she said with another honest smile, and then hurried down the hall, following the directions he'd given her. Her steps were quicker, her heart eager to see that he really was ok. When she finally took the last turn, she walked slower as she scanned the door for the right number.

As she should have expected, _298_ was the last room on the left. She was curious as to why he was moved so far, and wondered if maybe Duncan himself knew. She knocked once, and then opened the door. Duncan was looking expectantly at the door, but looked oddly surprised when he saw that it was her.

"Lily? You came?" Duncan spoke, his voice surprisingly a little deeper than it had been before. A sign of age she guessed. But it was hard to imagine Duncan older than the little boy she'd first seen.

Lily smiled as she stepped into the room fully, closing the door. "Of course I came. And I'm sorry it's been so long," she apologized as she sat down in the chair beside his bed.

But Duncan only shrugged, at least shrugged the best he could. "It's ok. I don't expect you to interrupt your life just to see me. I understand."

"I missed seeing you though," Lily said honestly. "It was nice when I was able to visit you once a week."

He chuckled. "Really, it's ok," he assured.

Lily sighed. "So, how are you? Any changes? Why did you move down here?" she asked.

Now Duncan sighed. "Well, there's just one small patch of grey." He tilted his head so she could see a small patch near his collarbone. "But, they say it won't be fatal. And, I got moved because they felt I'd be a bit more comfortable down here. Less people and Healers roaming about, less noise. It's more private."

"But you're ok?" Lily inquired.

Duncan looked at her, and really smiled, making Lily smile as well. "I'm ok. In fact, I feel great. Happy. Like nothing but good things can come my way."

Lily laughed lightly. "You're not mocking me are you?" she teased.

Duncan laughed. "No, I'm not. I mean that. I feel great. My health may not be great, but I _feel_ great."

"That's great to hear," Lily murmured. "I'm hoping that I'll get to start visiting you once a week again when school starts."

Duncan gave a small and humble smile. "I don't want to disrupt your studies."

Lily shrugged. "It's ok. I don't really need to study anyway," she joked lightly.

"Still, you don't have to interrupt your life just for me. I can handle it. Besides, my dad quit his second job, so now both of my parents are visiting more often," Duncan mentioned.

Lily stroked his good cheek. "Well I'm glad to hear that you're not so alone anymore."

When he looked at her, he still held a small smile, but Lily saw a true happiness, and content look in his eyes. "Honestly, I haven't felt this happy and relaxed in a while. It's nice. Everything is . . . ok now."

And with the sincerity in his smile, Lily knew he believed it. And spurred by his sincerity, she did her best to believe it too.

* * *

"I always thought I'd be a bit more sad to leave Hogwarts," Lucy commented as she, Hugo, and Lily sat around the living room of Scorpius's flat. Lily had taken up his offer to let the three of them hang out there while he was at training. It was much quieter than it would have been at the Burrow.

"Are you happy to leave?" Hugo asked.

Lucy twirled the end of her ponytail around her finger. "Well . . . I _am_ sad to leave the school . . ." she trailed off, almost as if she were unsure of what to say.

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

Lucy rested her head against the back of the arm chair she sat in. "I can tell you guys something, right? Something kind of big?"

"Of course," Hugo assured.

"Tell us anything you want," Lily said as she picked a cherry jellybean out of a pile of Bertie Bott beans.

"Remember that Slytherin party that you guys went to? And Zack and I stayed back instead?" Lucy reminded them.

"I also remember all the fun you missed out on," Hugo teased lightly.

Lily grinned. "What about that night?"

Lucy sighed as she picked up a purple bean, examined it, then popped it into her mouth. She chewed it carefully, then swallowed. "Grape," she told them as they looked at her curiously. But then she began twirling the end of her ponytail again. "Anyway, Zack and I ended up going up to his dorm, because it was just really loud in the common room. We played a few games, Exploding Snap, a chess match, and so on. But, we started talking. About Tyler, his ex . . ." She sighed heavily.

"What happened, Lucy?" Lily inquired, sensing that where this was going, wasn't somewhere great.

Lucy let go of her hair, and picked up another bean. "I slept with Zack that night," she finally admitted.

Hugo choked on a jellybean, and Lily looked at Lucy in shock. "You slept with Zack?"

Hugo finally swallowed the bean completely. "You slept with your best friend, and ex's brother?"

Lucy groaned as she ran a hand over her face. "I know, I know! It was dumb! But . . . it just happened. We didn't mean for it to. But now that it has, Zack's been avoiding me like I have dragonpox. The one nice thing about not being in school is that I don't have to hear his excuses as to why he can't hang out with me."

Lily sighed. "Damn, Lucy. Can you even get him to talk to you?"

Lucy shook her head. "I've tried. But he's always 'busy' with something."

"I'm sure he'll come around," Hugo replied. "Give him time. You two _are_ best friends. Eventually, it'll all come back to you two. It did for me and Lil."

"But you and Lil have more history. And you're . . . different than us. Zack and I used to date, and then I went out with his brother . . . and you know the rest," she mumbled.

"Well I have faith in the relationship of best friends," Hugo retorted. "Despite our history, if Lily and I could reconnect after everything that had happened between us, then I think any best friends can reconnect after a falling out."

"He has a point," Lily agreed. "I've seen you and Zack. You two are like, perfect friends. Just give it time."

Lucy ran her fingers over her jeans. "I just miss hanging out with him." But then she sighed. "But, whatever. I have three different tryouts for some teams coming up, and I'd really rather just focus on them. I can't play and have my mind be worried about Zack, no matter how much I care about him. I have a future to start."

"Wow, that's weird to hear," Hugo murmured. "A future to start."

Lily laughed lightly. "Can you actually start a future? Doesn't it kind of come at ya whether you're ready or not? It's already started, isn't it?" she joked.

Lucy laughed too. "Well, I have a future to mold and shape. Is that better?"

Lily shrugged. "I knew what you meant."

"I know you did," Lucy laughed.

Lily smiled. "But you are right. You do have your life ahead of you. Adulthood staring you in the face. Time to step in, right?"

"What teams are you trying out for?" Hugo inquired.

"I have a try out with the Appleby Arrows next Friday, the Holyhead Harpies in two weeks, and a tryout with the Wimbourne Wasps three weeks from tomorrow," Lucy listed off.

"Of all those teams, why didn't you choose the best one of all?" Lily teased.

Lucy raised a brow. "What team would that be?"

"The Falmouth Falcons," Lily retorted.

"I thought about it, honestly," Lucy replied.

"Lorcan could probably get you a tryout," Hugo told her. "After all, he is on the team."

"Second-string. Is his influence that great? No offense to him, that is," Lily mentioned.

"Well, from what I hear, he's pretty close to being one of their first-strings. The coach has been really impressed with him at practices," Hugo told them.

"With Lorcan, I guess I'm not surprised," Lily sighed. "He is dedicated."

"The guy's a beast on the pitch," Lucy complimented. "I respect him for that."

"I respect him for putting up with my sister for as long as he has," Hugo joked dryly.

"Why are you so mean to your sister, Huey? She's nice," Lucy replied.

He shrugged. "We're siblings. We can't just _always_ be nice to each other. And she bugs me sometimes. And Dad bugs me because of her. I mean, I don't hate her."

"I think we can all admit to having sibling problems," Lily muttered.

"True," Lucy sighed. "And they never seem to get better, do they?"

"Just worse and worse," Lily mumbled.

"Like you said, Lil. You've gotta give it time," Hugo stated simply. "You gotta give it time."

* * *

Lily yawned as she staggered down the stairs to the kitchen. It felt too early to be up, but she couldn't get herself to fall back asleep. When she stepped into the kitchen, it was empty. Catching sight of the clock, she saw that it was almost noon. Shrugging, she began to make a bowl of cereal, not concerned that it was almost lunchtime. But as she placed a bowl on the counter, she saw the mail, and found an elegant envelope with her name written on it. Pushing the bowl aside, she grabbed the envelope and opened it. There were two papers inside. The first was a simple square with fancy handwriting. As she read it, her surprise grew. It was an invitation to Martin Pritchard's wedding! Marty was getting married? Lily hadn't even known that he'd had a girlfriend, let alone a fiancee!

So Lily grabbed the next paper that was inside. It was a slightly longer letter, and Lily easily recognized Lola's handwriting.

"_Lil,_

_Ok, I know you'd probably come anyway, knowing you, but I'm really hoping that you'll come to Marty's wedding. Because I've finally decided to tell both Martin, and my dad, that I'm dating Jace. I thought the happy occasion would soften the blow, so to speak. And I could really use the support, and I know you'll make sure that I don't chicken out. So, please come? I'd really appreciate it._

_Lola"_

Lily laughed as she read the letter. Of course Lola hadn't told her oldest brother and her father about her boyfriend. The two were very protective of her, and her other siblings. But of course she would go, to congratulate Martin, and to backup Lola.

Lily was half way into her bowl of cereal when her mother walked into the kitchen. "Good morning, sweetheart," Ginny greeted.

Lily gave her mother a smile. "Hey, Mum. Dad at work?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes, and on that note, could you do me a favor? I was hoping you could take a lunch to your father?"

Lily nodded as she chewed her bite. "Of course."

"Don't rush through your breakfast though. Finish first, then go ahead and take it. It's in the fridge," Ginny told her as she began to leave the room.

"Got it," Lily assured.

It was another hour before Lily had finished her breakfast, dressed out of her pajamas, and tamed her hair before she finally made her way to the ministry building to bring her father's lunch. She hadn't had to bother with the check-in desk for visitors. They knew her so well now, that the man working there had kept her there for at least five minutes, remembering and discussing on how much she had grown, and how he remembered when she was little and hiding behind her father's leg. Lily had politely laughed with him, smiled, and then excused herself.

When she finally made it to her father's floor, she was stopped even more often by dozen of Aurors, who all wanted to stop and reminisce too on how grown she is. She'd been cornered by Mr. Harkin, and Auror older than her father, when her dad finally came to her rescue.

"Lily? What are you doing here?" Harry asked as he caught sight of her.

Lily smiled as she looked at her dad. She raised the brown bag in her hand. "I brought food on Mum's request."

Harry chuckled. "Well thank you. Come on." Placing a hand on her back, he led her to his office, letting her inside. As he closed the door, she placed the bag on his desk, and sat down in one of the few chairs inside the room.

"I'd forgotten how many of these men knew me," Lily joked.

Harry smiled. "You're hard to forget, princess," he commented as he sat down. "You haven't been around in a while. You seem so much older and bigger to them."

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I guess."

Harry pulled out a sandwich, and took a big bite from it. Lily had a feeling that he'd been waiting for that lunch. "So, how was your morning."

"I got an invitation to Lola's brother's wedding. It's on the twenty-fourth. She wants me to back her up when she tells him that she's dating Jace," Lily told him.

Harry chuckled. "So you're going to go, obviously."

"Obviously," Lily laughed with him.

"Just like I'm sure that Scorpius will be going with you," Harry said with a raised brow.

Lily looked at him with confusion. "Well, I don't think that would be possible. The wedding's at three, and Scorpius has training."

But Harry shook his head. "No, on the twenty-fourth they don't have an all day training. They'll be done by one or two. We had to cut it short because Kingsley needs to speak with the Auror department about something important."

Lily felt her hopes rise at the thought of actually having almost an entire day with Scorpius. It'd been so long since they'd gotten that luxury. "Well I hope it's nothing bad," she commented.

Harry just dismissed it. "No, it's nothing bad. Just about a few details on a few department regulations that we've discussed changing, along with Azkaban regulations as well."

Lily nodded, but didn't press further. Yes, she was sure that any of these changes would soon be released to the press, and then to the public, so she'd hear about them eventually. But she knew that her father liked to keep the detail of his job away from her. To "protect" her from the dangers and evils that surrounded his work. And even if she knew she didn't need the protection, she did her best to give her father peace of mind.

So she smiled at her father. "So, would you mind if I went out tonight? I might not be around for dinner."

Harry grinned. "Only if you admit that you're going to Scorpius's, and making him eat again."

Lily laughed, a small blush rising to her cheeks. "Well at least you know," she joked.

Harry rolled his eyes, but still smiled. "Of course, as long as you're home by midnight, as usual."

* * *

It was just a little after eight when Lily made her way into Scorpius's flat. And knowing that she had probably no more than an hour, she immediately began on a simple meal, this time for them both to eat. She was glad that she'd stocked up on food for him, and was even more happy to see that he had obviously been eating some of it while she wasn't around.

Lily had finished a small meal for the two of them, and was just pulling a few plates from the cupboard when she heard the door open. She set the plates on the counter and turned to see Scorpius walk in. But she knew instantly that something was wrong. A scowl was on his face. He slammed the door shut, and kicked his shoes off at the wall. He was angry.

"Scorpius?" Lily said hesitantly.

Scorpius whirled around, anger and surprise in his eyes. Then his scowl deepened when he saw it was her. "What the hell are you doing here?" Before Lily could even speak, he shook his head and held up his hand. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I'm just in a bad mood," he apologized.

"I can tell," Lily mumbled lightly. But then she sighed. "I wanted to talk to you, so I thought I'd go ahead and make you dinner again. This time I'll actually eat with you."

She made both of their plates as Scorpius pulled off his jacket, and picked up his shoes to place them a bit nicer by the door. When he sat down, Lily put his plate in front of him, and then sat down with her own. They both began to eat in silence, while Lily tried to see if she could figure out his anger. But as usual, it was just pure anger in his eyes. Not simple irritation, but a full-blown rage it seemed.

But Scorpius finally spoke. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked gruffly.

Lily swallowed the bite of food she'd just taken. "Oh, well I got an invitation to Martin Pritchard's wedding this morning."

Scorpius nodded. "I got one too, just before I left for training," he mentioned.

"Well, my dad mentioned that the date was on a day where, although you would have training, it wouldn't be too long. And with the time, we could probably make it before the ceremony started," Lily commented.

Scorpius dropped his fork and groaned. "Lily, I don't want to go," he stated, seeing where it was going.

Lily sighed. "It won't kill you. It's a wedding. My best friend's brother's wedding in fact."

"I'll probably be dead tired," Scorpius argued. "I'm full out exhausted after a whole day of training."

"It would only be a few hours," Lily pointed out.

"That I'd rather spend sleeping!" Scorpius retorted.

Lily did her best to bite back her anger, but as a Weasley, it didn't work well. "So you'll skip sleep to talk to me over a mirror, but you won't skip a little sleep to go to a wedding with me?"

"We can't just stay here?" Scorpius demanded.

"It's Martin's wedding! And Lola wants me to go because she plans to finally tell them that Jace is her boyfriend, and she wants a little support!" Lily countered. "I'm going."

"Then go!" Scorpius snapped. "Was there a point to this?"

"Well I didn't know that asking my boyfriend to be my date to a wedding would result in an explosion!" Lily retorted. "I don't care if you're pissed about something, but do _not_ take it out on me, Scorpius Malfoy!"

Scorpius rested his face in his hands, gripping at his hair, as he obviously tried to either calm down, or not say anything else. But then after a moment, he moved his hands to run them through his hair completely, and sighed. "I got into a fight at training today," he admitted in a muttered tone.

Lily relaxed her shoulders as his anger seemed to settle a little. "A fight? With Uncle Ron?"

He shook his head. "No. I got into a full-out fight with Albus. They didn't stop us until I'd latched onto a few pressure points in his neck and collar. I haven't been able to be angry all day, and now that I can . . ."

"Do I even want to know what the fight was about?" Lily questioned.

Scorpius shrugged. "I don't know if there was a point. I got the feeling he was just trying to pick a fight. But as we argued it got a bit personal, then a bit physical."

"Are you ever going to learn to ignore Albus?" Lily inquired with a sigh. "He could end up being your teammate one day, you know."

"I know. And I can ignore him to a certain degree. Up until he starts taking low blows. And, I can point out that you have yet to learn to ignore James," he pointed out.

"Albus isn't your brother," Lily retorted quickly, her eyes dropping to her plate.

They sat in silence, this time neither of them were even eating. Her appetite had completely vanished. The air around them was tense, like either one of them could explode now.

When Scorpius finally sighed, it did nothing to relieve the tension. "This tastes great, babe, but do you mind if I just shower and sleep? I'm sore, and I'm tired. I really need the sleep."

Lily looked over at him. Although the anger was still in his eyes, she knew that he no longer wanted to fight either. So she nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. I'll clean this up for you, and then let you sleep."

"I can do it," he offered.

But Lily shook her head as she stood up, and took both of their plates. "No, really. I've got it. I'd rather you get to sleep quicker." She moved over to the counter, and set the plates down. But as she turned, she almost jumped to see that Scorpius had somehow snuck up to stand right behind her. He brought her in a soft, but still tense embrace. Lily closed her eyes briefly as she rested her cheek on his chest.

Scorpius played with the ends of her hair. "I should at least take you home," he murmured.

"I'll be fine. I'd rather you sleep," Lily countered.

Scorpius pulled back a little to place a kiss on her lips. Lily felt the normal warmth run through her with his kiss, but her heart also tugged at the unknown feeling that it brought her as well. She couldn't give it a name, but it wasn't far from sadness. Maybe uncertainty?

Whatever it was, it scared her to death.


	94. Growing Toward The Future

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - I'm sorry this took so long to get out. I ended up getting sick with influenza, so I've been out on bed rest for over a week now. But, I've done my best to get it done the past few days. So here it is. And sorry for any mistakes in there. Writing while sick and dizzy, not a great idea, but I think caught all the mistakes in there. If not, sorry. Anyways, read, review, and enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Four: Growing Toward The Future

"You're worrying about it way too much, Lil," Hugo told her as they sat in his room. Lucy was sitting at his desk, looking over the morning's copy of the _Daily Prophet_, while Hugo had convinced Lily to play a game of chess. She was losing horribly, and with her mind overly preoccupied with her argument with Scorpius a few nights back, he was killing her. But since he had been trying to get her to tell him about the fight, he had been killing her slowly in the match.

"Hugo's right," Lucy said as her eyes still scanned the paper. "Couples fight. And it's not like you and Scorpius haven't fought before anyway."

"I know, I know," Lily mumbled before smashing one of Hugo's pawns with her last knight. Then she watched as, in return, he led his rook to smash her knight. "I wasn't the one that brought it up. Hugo was."

"Well it was obvious that you had yet to talk about it, and that you needed to," Hugo retorted. "You've been quiet ever since you last saw him. You just sit in your room copying potions down."

"That is one bright side. I'm almost finished now," Lily muttered.

"That's not a bright side, Lil," Hugo retorted. "It just proves that you've been up in your room being miserable for like three days now!"

"Trust me, Lily, that's not fun," Lucy threw in, finally tearing her eyes away from the paper. "I did it for a week, and it just made me feel worse and worse each day."

Lily sighed, then gave a command to one of her bishops. "I don't think I can feel any worse about it."

"Look, Lil, it was nothing. You'll both get over it. He was just angry and stressed out. Let him cool, then all will be well," Hugo assured as his queen broke her bishop in half.

"I wish I was as sure as you are," Lily mumbled.

Hugo looked at her with a raised brow, a serious and almost worried look on his face. "What do you mean? Are you seriously doubting your relationship?"

Lily shook her head. "No, it's not that. I know I love him, and that he loves me. But . . . I've just got this feeling in my gut that I can't shake. I don't even know what to call it. But I don't like it," she whispered.

"Lily, your relationship with Scor is going to last forever," Hugo chuckled. "Face it. You two are way too perfect for each other. I mean, who else but him could put up with your attitude?" he joked.

Lily smiled at his attempt to cheer her up, but the feeling in her stomach still didn't disappear. "I know that too, but thank you. I doubt we'll ever break up. I have faith in that. But something's off, and I don't know what it is." Lily then gave her king a new command, effectively providing it safety behind her queen.

Hugo calmly gave his knight a command, moving it further away from the possible wrath of her queen. "Ever had that feeling with Tyler, Lucy?"

Lucy's sigh was a bit heavy, but not too sad at the mention of Tyler. Both Lily and Hugo were happy that she was _finally_ getting over him. "Only once, but it disappeared."

"What did it end up being?" Hugo inquired as Lily moved her last rook.

"I'm not really sure either. I just felt like something was off, or like something was going to happen," Lucy told them. "And it was around exam time, so I figured maybe I was afraid that stress would get to him, and we'd end up fighting. But we never did, so the feeling went away due to naivety, because not long after that we broke up," she finished with a mutter.

Lily felt a pang in her chest at that thought. "Really?"

"Lily, I doubt that our situations are the same. We all have heard about how tough and stressful Auror training is. Hugo's probably right on that subject," Lucy assured.

"Scor would never break up with you," Hugo agreed. "That dude is crazy in love with you." Then he gave a command to his queen, which moved closer to her own.

Seeing a chance, Lily gave her queen the command, allowing it to move and smash Hugo's. "If I've learned anything, it's that just because you're in love, that doesn't mean everything will work out perfectly."

Hugo gave her a serious look. "Lil, if I've learned anything about love, and I know that you know this too, is that it takes a lot of sacrifice. And when you're filled with uncertainty, then all you can do is take a chance." Then he gave a command to his knight, making it move closer again, and smash her queen. Then he grinned slightly as he looked back at her. "Checkmate."

* * *

Lily sighed as she stepped into the house. The air outside was almost sweltering, and she was happy to be in the slightly cooler air of her home. She heard talking from the kitchen, along with the sounds of dinner being made. She caught parts of the conversation as she kicked off her shoes.

"Soon they'll be put into team projects," she heard her father say. "I'll probably start being late coming home too. I'll be helping Ron set them up, and putting them through the tests."

"Sounds like Hermione and Hugo will be having dinner over here more often," her mother joked.

"Actually, on that subject, has Lily mentioned anything about Hugo lately?" her father asked. Lily stopped where she stood in the hall, curious as to where he was heading with his question.

"No, nothing in particular. She only mentions when she's going over to his house, or if he's coming over here," Ginny replied. "Why?"

"Well, apparently, Hugo's decided to become a hit wizard, according to Ron," Harry mentioned.

"Really? When did this happen?" Ginny asked.

"I guess Hugo announced it over dinner a few days ago," Harry sighed. "Ron's not too happy, and I can't imagine that Hermione is either."

Lily scowled. Why hadn't Hugo told her that he finally told his parents about his plans? Was it because it had obviously not gone well? Or was she really _that_ preoccupied with her thoughts of her and Scorpius? Shaking her head, Lily walked up the stairs, and to her room. This summer couldn't be any worse.

* * *

A couple of days later, Lily found that her "almost" depression was still floating around her. She had yet to see Scorpius again, and he hadn't tried to see her either. She'd done another modeling shoot at Brandon's request, but it had done little to relieve her feeling of hesitance and sadness. And since Hugo was supposed to be working, Lily thought she'd just go and see Lucy instead.

Usually, Lily would have taken the Knight Bus and knocked on the front door of the house, since her uncle Percy was all about being proper and polite, and not just Flooing into people's homes. But since she knew he'd be at work today, Lily simply Flooed into their living room. As she brushed a bit of soot off her shirt, she was greeted by her aunt Audrey, who appeared in the doorway.

"Well hello, Lily," Audrey said with a smile. "Lucy isn't here at the moment. She stepped out."

Lily sighed as she felt her spirits drop even more. "Oh. Well . . . just tell her I-,"

"Come into the kitchen," Audrey interrupted. "I was just making a fruit salad, and I'm sure Lucy will be home soon. Come eat a little with me."

Lily didn't bother arguing, and instead just followed her aunt into the kitchen. On the counter was an assortment of fruits, whole and cut. Audrey went over and began finishing up as Lily sat at the table. "So, what'd Lucy go out to do?"

"Oh she didn't say," Audrey replied casually.

Lily raised a brow. "You didn't ask?" she said with a bit of a surprised laugh.

Audrey laughed openly. "She's a grown woman now. I don't have to. I'm not her father," she joked.

Lily smiled. "I guess you've got a point."

"What are you doing here? Something on your mind?" Audrey inquired as she brought over the two salads, and set one in front of Lily.

Lily shrugged. "It's nothing," she lied before taking a bite, and crunching into an apple.

"You know what you learn when you have two daughters, Lily?" Audrey asked as she stabbed a piece of a strawberry with her fork.

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

"When girls lie. So, really, what's up?" Audrey asked as she popped the strawberry into her mouth.

Lily sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. Of course Audrey, the casual, and openly honest aunt, would see through a simple lie. "I don't think you'd want to hear it," she replied.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked," Audrey quipped. "Spill."

Lily sighed again. "I had a fight with Scorpius. That was about five days ago, and I haven't seen or heard from him since, and it sucks."

Audrey thoughtfully chewed on a piece of fruit before replying. "Well, it always does suck when separated from the one you love. But what's stopping you from seeing him? Still angry?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I have nothing to be angry about. It started because he was stressed and already angry, and . . . he basically took it out on anything he could, me included. So, when I left, I thought I'd let him cool off. But he still hasn't even tried to talk to me, or see me. And it just puts a really bad feeling in my gut," she explained.

Audrey gave a knowing nod as she set down her fork. Then she got up and went toward the refrigerator, and came out with two butterbeers. "Why not just go see him and have sex with him then? Make up sex can fix just about anything."

Lily choked on the piece of pineapple she'd been eating. Her aunt simply sat back down, and handed her one of the now open bottles. Lily took a big gulp, and looked at her aunt in shock. "What?" she demanded in surprise.

Audrey grinned slyly at her niece. "Lily, are you really going to try to look me in the eye and deny that you're having sex with that man?" Lily felt her cheeks heat up a little as she tried to find something to say. But Audrey simply continued. "Exactly. So, why not make up the way millions of couples do? It's always worked on my end."

Lily ignored all possible thoughts and images of what her aunt was implying about her uncle, and just took another big drink. Then she cleared her throat. "Either way, he trains all day, and he's usually pretty exhausted when he gets home. Wouldn't be a great idea."

"Believe what you will," Audrey sighed. "But if he's always tired when he gets home, then wouldn't it be difficult for him to see you, or try and talk to you?"

Lily let her eyes follow to the salad in front of her. "Yeah," she mumbled.

"So, wouldn't it just be easier for you to see him?" Audrey pointed out.

Lily ran her finger around the edge of the bowl. "Because . . . I'm scared. I don't think I've ever felt so . . . hesitant in our relationship. Or even for as long as we've been friends. It's new and, . . . it scares me."

Audrey moved her chair so that she was closer to me, and took a gentle hold of her wrist. "Lily, I'm going to tell you something that my mother once told me. I didn't want to hear it then, but she told me anyway. So, even if you don't want to hear it, I'm still going to tell you."

Lily grinned ruefully. "What is it?"

Audrey smiled and gave her wrist a gentle squeeze. "It's that as you get older, you have to go out and face life head on. And life includes love, a career, financial issues, finding where you want to live, and perhaps even children. And you know what? Life is scary. So suck it up, take what courage you can gather, and go out and live it."

Lily couldn't stop the laugh that came past her lips. "And some of us kids wondered how you ended up like you did?" she joked.

"I ended up like I did, because it was advice I took. So trust me, and do the same."

* * *

It took Lily another few days to finally do as her aunt Audrey had suggested: suck up her courage and go and deal with her problem. She guessed that was how she found herself pacing around the floor of Scorpius's flat ten minutes before nine in the evening. A small part of her mind wondered if she should have made him something to eat when he got home, but a bigger part of her mind was still too worried about what was next.

Maybe sex would be the easier solution? It was always proof of their love, and it would be a show that she felt things were ok with them . . . wouldn't it? Or maybe he'd see it as her just trying to convince him to go to the wedding?

Lily dropped down onto the couch. This sucked, this sucked, this sucked! She was going to have to talk to him first . . . and the idea of that still scared her. What if he was still all angry, or stressed out, and they ended up snapping at each other again? What if it just made it worse?

The door began to open, and Lily shot up from where she sat. Just as she turned to the door, Scorpius had stepped in, surprised to see her standing there. They were both silent as he closed the door, and silent still as he slipped of his shoes. Then they stared at each other for another moment.

Lily sucked up her courage, and spoke. Sadly, it wasn't much. "Hi."

"Hi," Scorpius murmured back. He took a few steps closer, allowing the couch to be what separated them. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Lily felt her heart pound harder with all her uncertainty, and all of her still obvious love. "I just think that maybe you and I should talk," she whispered.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair as he came around the couch, and sat down. "This sounds perfect," he mumbled.

Lily came to sit next him. "I just think we should talk about the other day."

"I said I didn't mean to snap," he muttered. "I was just angry."

"If that was all then why didn't you come see me? Or talk to me on the mirror?" Lily asked.

He shrugged. "I didn't think you wanted to see or talk to me. I figured you were angry with me."

"I wasn't. I just thought maybe you wanted to cool off a little," she replied.

Scorpius sighed as he leaned back into the couch. "So you wanna break up with me because I snapped at you and didn't talk to you?"

Lily looked at him in shock. "What? No! No, I don't want to break up with you! Why would you think that?"

He sighed, looked obviously relieved, but tired. "How many relationships usually continue after the 'we should talk' comment? Besides, I was a dick."

"Doesn't mean I don't still love you," Lily retorted. "I know you're an ass, I'm use to it," she teased weakly.

He finally smirked a little. "I guess that's all good to hear." He finally looked at her again. "Still want me to be your date to the wedding?"

Lily smiled softly. "Of course."

He held out his hand, which Lily immediately placed hers in, relaxing as his fingers softly ran over her skin. "Then I'll go. Meet me here?"

Lily nodded. "Sure. I'll be here waiting for you."

Scorpius moved so that he could nuzzle his face into her neck, one of his hands coming to rest on the small of her back. "I missed you," he mumbled into her skin. His hand slowly moved until his fingers curled around her side.

Lily brought her hand up to run through his hair. Her lips brushed against the top of his ear as she spoke softly. "I missed you too."

He gently and reassuringly squeezed her hand. "Lil, you know that you're the most important person to me, right?"

"And you know that I'm not going anywhere, don't you?" Lily teased lightly. "Like I've said before, you're stuck with me, Scorpius Malfoy. There could never be a good enough reason for me to break up with you, even if you are an ass."

His hold on her tightened gently, allowing Lily to relax even more. "When do you have to be home?" he murmured.

"About three hours from now," she replied.

Lily felt his lips press a kiss on her neck. "Good," he mumbled.

* * *

"It was a beautiful ceremony, and Martin looks happier than ever," Lily assured Lola as she and Scorpius stood beside her at a table. Martin's wedding to Cassie Bennett was a beautiful ceremony, and the reception was just as lavishly decorated, with many in attendance. Now, Martin was standing near a table of food, speaking with two men. His and Lola's father, and a man Lily didn't recognize.

"Just because he's happy doesn't mean he won't snap," Lola muttered as she ran her finger around the rim of her still full glass.

"Well maybe you should wait until he's standing with Cassie again," Scorpius suggested. "Then he won't really get the chance to freak out."

"Try to get your mum to walk with you too," Lily told her. "Your mum would have your back."

"It's just that, no matter what situation, or where we were, Martin has a habit of still making a scene. He has no anger control, even in front of other people," Lola sighed.

"I think we're about to see an example of that," Scorpius muttered with a chuckle.

Lily looked at him curiously, while Lola's look was terrified. "What?" Lily asked.

Scorpius pointed over to the left. "Look who's headin' Martin's way," he mentioned. The girls looked to where he was pointing, and saw just whom he was talking about. Jace.

Lola set down her drink, looking ready to either faint or puke. "Oh, Merlin!"

Lily bit her lip. "This could be bad," she mumbled.

As Jace got closer to her brother and father, Lola looked at Scorpius. "Scor, could you please do something?"

Scorpius looked at her in surprise. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well you're the only one here about to be an Auror! There has to be something!" Lola cried, looking closer to fainting now.

Lily gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Maybe you could go and keep things quiet?"

Scorpius sighed as he set down his drink too. "Well, at least my wand is easily accessible," he mumbled. Then he looked at Lily. "You owe me," he joked.

Lily gave him a brief kiss. "Thank you," she replied with a smile.

The girls watched as Scorpius walked away, Lola shaking her head. "Your boyfriend's a saint. I might kill mine after this."

"Well that's only if my boyfriend stops your brother from doing so first," Lily replied as she watched the scene. Just before Jace could get there, Scorpius clapped Martin on the shoulder and began talking. Then when Jace approached, Scorpius took him by the shoulder, and them and Lola's father and brother began walking toward one of the doors leading outside.

"Please, Merlin, let him come out alive," Lola whispered.

"It would be hard to break in a new boyfriend," Lily sighed. "Always is."

"And I really want to keep this one," Lola muttered before finally settling enough to take a drink from her glass.

"It'll be fine," Lily assured. "Scorpius is usually pretty good at keeping a situation under control. Usually." But then Lily smiled, hoping to try and calm her friend. "So, how's it feel to have a sister-in-law?"

Lola shrugged as she and Lily sat down at the nearby table. "It's ok, I guess. I mean, I like Cassie, but I hardly know her. I only met her once during the holidays last year. But she was nice, polite. Oddly quiet, which makes me wonder how she chose my loudmouth brother of all people to marry," she muttered.

Lily chuckled. "Opposites attract?"

"I guess," Lola sighed. "But if Marty's happy, then so I am. But if my boyfriend comes out dead, then I'm telling Cassie every embarrassing little detail I know about him."

"I figured Marsha and Candy would have beaten you to that. Candy on accident, and Marsha on purpose," Lily joked.

"Nothing as far as I know," Lola replied. "But there is always the possibility they've beaten me to it by now. Either way, I'm older, I know more."

"Know more about what?" Megan asked as she dropped down into the seat next to Lily.

"Humiliating brothers," Lola replied.

"The best sport a sister could have," Megan muttered.

"So, I heard your brother complaining about you dancing with some guy," Lily teased. She'd been talking with Lana earlier, and that was all Dante had been muttering about.

Megan sighed and nodded. "Surprise, surprise, can't keep to himself," she mumbled.

"Well, I figured it wasn't anyone he hated, since he hadn't dragged you off, and hadn't thrown any punches," Lily joked.

"Nah, it was Evan Flair," Megan told them. "I never heard of him and Dante fighting before."

"Wait, Evan Flair?" Lola questioned. "Isn't even older than Dante?"

Megan rolled her eyes. "By a year. Besides, he asked me to dance. I just agreed."

"Anything to annoy Dante?" Lola teased.

Megan practically scoffed. "But of course."

"Oh! Thank Merlin, girls!"

Confused, the three girls turned at the sound of a close and almost panicked voice. Lola and Megan looked surprised at what they saw, but Lily smiled. Raven Bole was now standing by their table, a baby held awkwardly in his hands.

Lily stood up as she looked at the cute little baby. "Aw! Stacy had the baby?" she practically squealed.

Raven nodded, a smile on his face, but panic still in his eyes. "Yeah. This is little Roland Martin Bole," he introduced. The tiny baby was dressed in a light-blue pajama suit, with a white hat on his had. He had thin blonde hair peaking out from the hat, and Raven's blue eyes. A perfect mix of Raven and Stacy.

"He's so cute," Lily cooed softly.

"Yeah, could you take him please? Stacy just left to the bathroom," he said quickly.

Lily bit back a laugh as she carefully took the tiny baby from Raven's awkward hold. "Have you ever even held him yet?" Lily joked as she brought the baby into her arms.

Raven looked relieved. "Well, usually Stacy's there to guide me on how to do it. But then she really had to pee, so she rushed off and left me there. I saw you, and figured you might know how to do this better than me."

The other two girls came around to look at the little guy. "He's adorable, Rave," Lola complimented.

"A peach," Megan agreed with what was almost a smile.

Now Raven's smile was big and proud. "Yeah. He's only a few weeks old. Born on the ninth."

"Well, Stacy mentioned liking the name Roland, but why Martin?" Lily inquired as she looked down at the small baby in her arms.

"Well Marty's a real good friend of mine, so . . . yeah," Raven finished lamely.

"It's a good name," Lily assured.

"We can only hope he grows up like his mum and not his dad," Megan teased.

"Ha, ha," Raven muttered.

"Why does my girlfriend have a baby in her arms?" Lily looked up at the sound of Scorpius's voice. He came closer, a smirk on his lips, his hair not even the tiniest bit ruffled.

Lola immediately looked away from the baby. "How did it go?"

Scorpius gave her a small pat on the shoulder. "They're wanting to talk to you now. I said that I would get you, and let you all be alone. But, they promised not to kill Jace. If they try, yell for me," he told her.

Lola took a big breath. "Ok. Well, here I go."

"Good luck," Megan muttered.

"It'll be fine," Lily assured as Lola left.

"Anyway, this your little man, Raven?" Scorpius inquired as he took the baby from Lily's hands, holding him up in the air.

"Yeah, Roland Bole," Raven told him.

Scorpius lowered the baby, and brought him into a careful hold, supporting his head. "Thank Merlin he looks more like his mother," he mocked.

Lily knew Raven would have elbowed him if he hadn't been carrying his child. Instead he rolled his eyes. "Funny. Anyway, how the hell do you know how to hold a baby?"

Scorpius chuckled. "Well, I was around for the births of all of Tanner's siblings, plus Lola's little brother, not to mention some of the Averys."

"Ok, I get it," Raven muttered. "You've been around a lot of babies. Well, jackass, I can't wait until you have one. Then not only can you be good at holding them, but also at staying up all night when they cry."

"I'm never having kids," Megan agreed.

Scorpius just shrugged lightly. "I wouldn't mind staying up."

Raven raised a brow. "Really, tough guy?"

"Yeah. I mean, if Lily's gunna be willing to put in the effort to _give birth_ to the child, I'd be willing to stay up with him," Scorpius mocked.

"Then you are a true man, Scorpius Malfoy," Stacy commented dryly as she came to stand next to Raven.

Raven closed his eyes and sighed. "You saw her coming, didn't you?"

Scorpius laughed as he passed the baby off to Stacy. "Yeah, I did. I thought I'd give the two of you something to talk about later."

Raven chuckled now. "You are an ass! How do you deal with him, Lil?"

Lily smiled at Scorpius. "One day at a time, usually."

* * *

Lily later found herself dancing with Scorpius. She could see Megan dancing with Evan Flair again. And since Jace had survived the talks with Martin and Mr. Pritchard, he had Lola dancing as well.

"Well, I have to admit that I'm glad you had me come out here tonight," Scorpius told her.

Lily smiled. "See how much fun you can have outside of training," she teased.

Scorpius smirked. "Yeah, I know. It has been fun. Even dealing with a feral Martin wasn't too bad. Fun in its own way."

"Aren't you happy that you don't have to deal with that with me," Lily laughed.

Scorpius laughed too. "Yes. I love that I just have to hate and beat them up because they're assholes."

"Ehm!" someone cleared their throat. Lily and Scorpius stopped moving, and looked to see both Brady and Richard, with Max between them, both of them holding one of his hands. "We'd hate to interrupt," Brady said.

"But this little guy insisted on coming over to Lily," Richard added.

"We tried to keep him back," Brady told them.

"But he tugged and tugged," Richard commented.

"So here we are," Brady finished.

Lily smiled and rolled her eyes as she reached down to pick up a giggling Max. "Well that's ok. Hey there, little Max," she greeted.

Max smiled happily. "Hi, Lily," he greeted cutely.

"How about we go and get a piece a cake?" Lily suggested.

Max giggled. "Yeah!"

Scorpius chuckled as he pressed a kiss to Lily's cheek. "Aren't you just the Slytherin den mother," he teased.

Lily playfully, but still a little firmly, stomped on his foot. "Cute. Go and dance with Megan and save Evan. She looks ready to verbally hurt him," Lily said as she caught sight of her friend's annoyed face.

Scorpius sighed. "Ok, but if she bites me, you're kissing it better," he whispered in her ear. Then after smiling at Max and ruffling his hair, he gave a goodbye before walking toward Megan and Evan.

Lily smiled at the twins. "Would you two like to join us?"

The twins laughed. "No," Brady said.

"Marty's near the cake," Richard explained.

"And we don't want to be by him after what he found out today," Brady laughed.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Be nice, you two." Then she smiled at Max. "Well, handsome, let's get you a piece of cake."

Max clapped his hands as they began to walk. "Yes!" he said gleefully.

"You're getting to be quite the talker," Lily mentioned as they approached the cake, and also Martin.

"Yeah," Max babbled sweetly.

Martin noticed them coming, and smiled a little. Probably at the sight of his brother. "Hey, Max. Getting some cake?"

"Yeah!" Max giggled again.

"Does he like that word now?" Lily joked as she picked up a plate of a slice of cake.

Martin took it from her hands. "Here, let me." He took a fork and then stabbed at the piece of cake. Then he held up to Max to eat. "Give him cake and a fork, and Max will have it all over his face and clothes."

Lily laughed. "That's not too surprising with a three-year-old."

"Thanks for babysitting my siblings last break by the way," Martin told her. "I tried to get that day off work, but it didn't work out."

"Oh, it was fun. I didn't mind. Besides, Max was the easiest to handle," Lily replied. Then she glanced up at Martin. "You really care about your siblings, huh?"

"I'm the big brother," Martin said with a shrug as he gave Max another piece of cake. "And not like Johnny or Bobby being Max's big brother. I'm the _big_ brother. The oldest, the biggest. It's my job to take care of them, and watch out for them."

Lily smiled softly. "Well, as your sister's best friend, and as someone that cares a lot about your siblings too, I should tell you that, you don't need to worry about Lola dating Jace."

Martin scowled. "She's been dating him for like half a year, and I find out now," he muttered.

"She worried that you'd freak out, which you did," Lily pointed out. "Plus, she just wanted to get comfortable with dating him before telling her family. It took her awhile to simply get used to the idea of _liking_ a guy that she'd been fighting with for years."

"I don't worry about Lola. I trust _her_," he replied.

"And Jace is a really great guy," Lily added. "A great friend, and from what I've seen, a great boyfriend. He cares about your sister. Otherwise, do you think he would have tried to approach you 'man-to-man' and tell you without Lola with him?"

"I still don't like it," Martin argued.

"I don't think Lola is expecting you to like it. I think she just hopes you'll tolerate it. I was like that with my dad when I started dating Scorpius," Lily replied.

Martin put down a now empty plate, then took Max, and set him on the ground. Max quickly stumbled off toward the twins again. Lily prayed that Max didn't take after them. "I just don't like the idea of Lola having a serious relationship. Because if she is, that means Marsha probably isn't far from just dating for fun like girls around her age do. Then Candice is getting older."

"Woah," Lily interrupted him. "Slow down, Martin. Lola is seventeen now. An adult. She's going to have a serious relationship. She had one when she was fifteen and dating Hugo. And Marsh is thirteen. She'll have crushes, and maybe a boyfriend or two. But she's smart, and won't do anything stupid. And Candy? Candy is only seven."

"I thought the whole 'only seven' thing when it was Lola that was only seven," he mumbled. "Now she's _seven_teen."

"You know, you don't give Ginger half as much crap as you give your other sisters," Lily pointed out.

Martin looked away a little embarrassed almost. "I did once. Until she beat the crap out of me when I was fourteen," he mumbled.

Lily bit back a laugh. Hearing that didn't surprise her. Martin may be big, but Ginger was strong and independent. Plus, Martin would never hurt one of his sisters. "Still, think of how annoyed she was. Lola feels the same, and Marsha will soon too. Just relax. Besides, Lola has me and the girls. If Jace does something, we'll be there to kick the crap out of him," she assured.

Martin finally chuckled. "Ok. Fine, I can relax at that, but with one more condition."

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

Martin gave her a serious look, but it still held some amusement. "If he does something, and you girls kick the snot out of him, tell me. That way, _I_ can kick the crap out of him too."

Lily smiled, but then fully laughed. Then she nodded. "Ok. Deal."

* * *

Lily brushed through her hair in a hurry. She had a photo shoot in about fifteen minutes, and Brandon would be at her door to Apparate her in about five minutes. She'd woken up late to find that she was the only one home. A note from her mother explained that she had gone to a lunch with Hermione and Luna, and apparently had wanted to let Lily sleep. But Lily had needed to be up early to be ready. The job was for Astoria's designs, so she knew Astoria wouldn't mind if Lily was late, but she didn't want to be. Plus, Brandon would be all over her if she was.

Lily was just coming down the stairs when there was a knocking at the door. She sighed. He was early, and she probably wasn't going to be able to grab at least an apple for breakfast. "You're here early," Lily muttered as she opened the door, but was stunned to see that it was Teddy standing with baby Gabby in his arms, and Theo holding his hand.

"Lily!" Theo said cutely, before dropping his father's hand, and hugging Lily's waist.

Teddy was looking at her confused. "You expected me?"

Lily shook her head as she patted Theo's purple hair. "Oh, no, sorry. I thought you were Brandon. What are you doing here?"

"I need a huge favor, Lil," Teddy said as he stepped inside. Lily closed the door and picked up Theodore.

"What's up?" Lily asked.

"I need you to watch these two for me," Teddy told her.

"What? Ted, I've got a photo shoot in a like ten minutes. Can't you run them over to the Burrow?" Lily inquired.

"Watch us, Lily!" Theo pleaded.

"Lil, I did, but they weren't there. And Theo wanted to come here. Please, Lily?" Teddy practically begged. "You said the other day this was for Scorpius's mum, she'd understand. I'm in a bind."

Lily sighed. "Well, what's up?"

"I was supposed to have the day off, but there's some emergency meeting, and they need me there. And Vic's part of some big research thing today or something. Please, sis?" Teddy asked.

Lily bit back a groan as she put down Theodore, and reached for Gabby. "Ok, ok. But you owe me for this, Ted. Big time."

Teddy looked relieved. "Got it. You're a lifesaver, Lily." He gave her a kiss on the cheek as he rushed back to the door, putting down Gabby's baby-bag. "I'll come get them when it's over. I'll pay ya back, Lil." Then he was gone.

Lily sighed as she held Gabby. "You definitely will," she muttered. Now she really wasn't getting breakfast. But she smiled at Theo. "Well, you guys are going to have to come to work with me. Think you can behave?" she asked him.

Theodore smiled cutely as his hair began to fade to a light magenta. "Promise," he cooed.

Lily leaned down and kissed his head just as a knocking on the door sounded again. "Good." Then she turned and opened the door.

"Hey, are you rea . . . what the hell is that?" Brandon asked dumbfounded as he caught sight of Gabby.

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's a baby, Brandon. More importantly, my niece, Gabby. And this is my nephew, Theodore."

"Hi!" Theo greeted happily.

"But why are you holding her? We gotta go," Brandon pointed out.

"Well they have to come with us. Teddy had an emergency, so I'm watching them," Lily explained. "Astoria won't mind."

"How can you babysit and work at the same time?" Brandon demanded.

Lily smiled. "Simple. You pick up that bag, and then Apparate us there. Trust me."

Brandon sighed heavily. "Of course, you take up babysitting on the day of a shoot," he grumbled as he picked up the bag.

"Wasn't my idea," Lily retorted. Then she motioned toward Theo. "Now pick him up, and we can go. Or do you want to just Floo now?"

Brandon nodded as he picked up Theo. "It'd probably be easier on me."

Lily closed and locked the door, then led him to the fireplace. "Careful with my nephew," she warned firmly.

"Yeah," Theo giggled.

"I will," Brandon assured.

Once they had both Flooed into Malfoy Manor, and Lily had checked over both kids to make sure they were ok, she and Brandon took both kids up to Astoria's work room. And once they stepped in, Astoria was even more excited.

"Oh, she's adorable!" Astoria said gleefully as she looked at Gabby.

"Yes, this is Teddy's and Victoire's little girl, Gabriella. Wanna hold her?" Lily offered.

"Of course! She's just a darling," Astoria murmured as she took little Gabby.

As she did, Lily took the bag from Brandon, and put it down, then took Theo, who latched onto her. "And this is Theodore, if you didn't know," Lily told her.

Theo looked at Astoria shyly. "Hi," he said softly.

Astoria smiled at the little boy. "Well I met him when he was very little. But you've gotten very big now," she said with a smile.

Lily put Theo on his feet, but he kept hold of her hand. "I'm sorry I had to bring them. Teddy needed me to watch them last minute."

"Oh, it's just fine!" Astoria assured. "Lana should be here any minute. I'm going to have her do your hair and a little makeup. I can watch them while she does. Then I'm sure she and Brandon can keep an eye on them while we do the pictures."

Brandon gave a half-smile. "I'd love to."

"You've watched over your brothers before, Brandon," Astoria pointed out as she handed Gabby back to Lily, since Gabby was reaching for her.

"But it's been awhile. And they're related to me. I know nothing about these kids," Brandon muttered.

"They're simple," Lily assured. "Especially when Theo's playing shy over here," she teased as she looked at the little boy, whose face was buried into her side.

"Woah! Why are there kids here?" Lily turned to the door to see Lana standing there, looking at the scene with a curiously raised brow.

Lily grinned. "I had to babysit last minute. Meet Theodore and Gabby."

Lana simply nodded as she stepped further in. "Ok. Are we ready to start then?"

"Almost. First," Lily held Gabby out to Brandon, "Brandon has to hold the baby."

Brandon looked hesitantly at Gabby. "Maybe Astoria should."

"No, you should," Lily teased. "Now hold the baby."

Brandon sighed as he reached out and brought Gabby into his arms. He held her the correct way, surprisingly enough, but he still looked unsure of it all. "Ok. So . . . I'm holding the baby. Now what?"

Lily and Lana laughed. "It's a child, Brandon, not an Exploding Snap card," Lana mocked.

"Just hold her," Lily said a bit nicer. "If she starts kicking or squirming, you can set her down. She has toys in her bag, take a few out. And she likes to try and walk, so if you would, take her hands and help her?"

Brandon nodded as Lily walked over to the vanity. "Got it. I'll do my best."

"I'm here to help, Brandon," Astoria laughed.

Lana rolled her eyes as she came over to where Lily was now sitting, and began working with her hair immediately. "Men," she laughed.

Lily grinned. "If only we could live without them."

"If only, if only," Lana joked with her. "So, how's my brother?"

"Same as always," Lily replied. "A bit more stressed, but he's managing."

"I hardly see him anymore. He's always training. Actually, Aaron is the only one of my brothers I ever see much of anymore," Lana mentioned.

"Well what's Lars doing?" Lily inquired.

"Actually, he's in Australia right now as part of his job. Since he's the assistant, his boss decided to drag him along," Lana told her. "Thankfully, he likes the job."

"What about you? How have you been?" Lily asked curiously.

Lana shrugged. "Fine, same always. I'm having to deal with listening to Dante complain about his sister more now that you guys are back from break, but I'm getting used to it."

Lily laughed. "I don't know which one to feel bad for. They both irritate each other on purpose. But just remember, you chose to live with him."

Lana chuckled. "Yeah, I know. But if I remember correctly, you're choosing to move in with Scorpius."

"But he doesn't complain about you," Lily countered. "It wouldn't be as bad."

"But he is an ass," Lana joked.

"So is Dante, but you still love him," Lily retorted with a smile, making Lana laugh as well. Lily felt a little jostled, and looked down to see Gabby pulling herself up to her wobbly feet, using the chair for balance. "Well, hey there, pretty girl. What are you doing over here? Brandon boring you?" Gabby smiled cutely and babbled softly.

"She's a cutie. Takes after her mother?" Lana asked as she finished Lily's hair.

Lily nodded as she went ahead and pulled Gabby into her lap. "Yes, exactly like her. Based on that her hair isn't always changing colors, and she's able to wrap anyone, especially men, around her teeny, tiny finger in a second."

"Veela?" Lana guessed.

"It shows, no matter how little of it is in her blood," Lily said as Gabby cuddled into her, obviously ready to nap.

Lana came around to stand in front of her. "Well I won't disturb her doing your makeup will I? She's looking pretty comfortable."

Lily smiled. "She'll be fine, go ahead."

"How is it that you are so great with kids, Lil?" Lana asked jokingly.

Lily laughed lightly. "Couldn't tell ya. I guess I'm just really likable."

Lana chuckled. "I can see that being why, I guess."

"So, Lily," Astoria spoke from where she stood by a rack of clothes, "what are you doing for your birthday this year? It's coming up."

Lily sighed, careful not to move while Lana worked. "Nothing really. This year, I really just want to relax. Get through my big family birthday, maybe come here for dinner the next night."

"That sounds perfectly lovely," Astoria said. "And what about my son. Please tell me you're dragging my son out of his flat to do something."

"That or to get him to stay in and at least do something besides eat and sleep," Lily replied.

"Here, she's finished, Astoria," Lana stated.

"Good to both statements," Astoria said with a laugh as she looked at the two girls. "Now, Lily, I've got what I want you to wear. Let Lana and Brandon watch the two kids."

Lily looked at Lana as she carefully stood up with the sleeping baby. "Think you can do this?"

Lana rolled her eyes and grinned. "Yeah, I know how it's done. I haven't done it recently, but I've done it before. Just hand her over. I'll call for you if something comes up."

Lily gently set Gabby into Lana's arms, not wanting to wake her. "Ok, thanks. I'll be as quick as this job allows."

"So you'll take forever?" Lana teased, making both her and Lily laugh.

"Sounds about right, sadly."

* * *

Later that day, Lily found herself back at home, and still watching Theo and Gabby. She hadn't even heard from Teddy yet. But now it was noon, her mother still wasn't home, and she _and_ Theo were hungry. So they were all in the kitchen. Theo was sitting on the floor, coloring randomly on a piece of paper. Lily was holding Gabby as she made lunch, humming a small tune to herself.

"Well isn't this a darling sight?" Lily turned her head to see her father standing in the doorway.

"Grandpa!" Theo burst, standing up and running to hug her father's legs.

Harry chuckled as he picked Theo up. "Hey there, little man. What are you doing here?"

Lily turned back to their lunch. "Teddy had an emergency meeting and I was the only one he found to watch them," she told them. "So I'm making lunch."

"Mind making some for me? That's what I came home for," Harry asked as he set Theodore down, and then came to stand by her.

"Well like any Weasley woman, I made plenty," Lily joked. "Mum's with Aunt Hermione and Aunt Luna."

"Oh of course," Harry chuckled. "So, how's my granddaughter doing?"

Lily smiled as she turned off their stove. "She's doing great. Mind taking her while I make plates?"

"I have no problem with that," Harry said as he took Gabby into his own arms. "Hi there, beautiful!" he cooed, making Gabby giggle.

Lily made three plates, setting them on the table, where Theo hurriedly got up from the floor and came to sit at the table. "I've got a thing of baby food over on the counter. Mind grabbing it for me? I was going to feed her while I ate."

"Sure," Harry told her. As they all began to sit down, Harry set Gabby back on Lily's lap, while setting the baby food on the table. They all began to eat, while Lily balanced feeding herself, and Gabby.

"Why come home for lunch?" Lily asked curiously.

"Because Ron and Hermione had another little fight, and eating with Ron in that mood is never fun," he joked. Lily laughed as well. But Harry smiled. "I'm glad to see you're so good with your niece and nephew."

"It's been three years," Lily replied. "You learn. Plus I've babysat Lola's little brother."

"Lily's a good sitter," Theo said cutely.

"She sure is," Harry agreed with a smile at his nephew. Then he glanced at Lily. "I just hope it doesn't give her any ideas."

Lily rolled her eyes and grinned. "Dad."

"I mean I love having grandchildren, but two is enough for now," Harry teased.

"I'm not even seventeen yet. I know. Be safe, be smart, so on and so forth," Lily sighed. "I know the drill of the speech, Dad, no worries."

"What's a speech?" Theo asked curiously.

Lily laughed. "It's a bunch of really boring words," she mocked.

Now Harry rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha. I'm just checking. Because you _will_ be seventeen soon. And soon you'll have graduated from Hogwarts, and starting a life. I don't want you rushing your life."

Lily sighed. "Dad, some things I have planned out, some things I don't. Kids are on the not planned yet list, I promise. I know that's something I'll wait on."

"Well what kind of things do you have planned out?" Harry asked as he took a bite.

Lily grinned. "I'm sure that you're curious, but once you hear my plans, you won't want to know anymore."

"Tell me anyway," Harry retorted.

Lily shook her head, but gave in. "I plan on moving in with Scorpius soon after I graduate."

Harry nodded. "Not too much of a surprise. Your mother and I expected that. Sad, but expected."

Lily raised a brow as she brought the spoon to Gabby's mouth. "You're pretty accepting of it."

"Well your mother and I had this talk months ago. I've had time to come to terms with it," Harry said with a small and almost sheepish smile.

Lily giggled lightly. "I'm glad."

"But what else?" Harry asked. "Keep tossing them at me. So I have time to accept them too."

Lily shrugged. "I'm sticking to modeling. I'm going to marry Scorpius eventually."

"Wait!" Harry stopped her. "Describe eventually."

Lily bit her lip. "Well, it's hard to. But it means that we've decided that we're going to get married once I graduate, but we haven't expressed an actual time."

"I will get a warning, won't I?" Harry asked a bit grimly.

Lily laughed. "Dad, I don't even have a warning yet. He hasn't even 'properly' asked me yet, which he says he wants to do first."

Harry sighed. "Well, I said I wanted to hear it," he mumbled.

"And now you have time to accept it," Lily said with a smile as she placed a kiss on Gabby's forehead, and gave her the last bite of food.

"What does 'marry' mean?" Theo asked.

"It means that me and Scorpius will be like you're mommy and daddy," Lily said. "We'll live together for the rest of our lives, and be very happy."

"So does it mean that you'll be a mommy and daddy too?" Theo questioned.

"Not for a long time," Harry corrected as he took away their empty plates.

"So, you'll live with him forever?" Theo questioned.

Lily nodded. "Yup. And be happy."

Theo gave her possibly the cutest look that Lily had ever seen. "So, would you marry me, Lily? Then we can live together forever, and be happy."

Lily could stop a bright smile coming to her lips. "I'd love to Theo, but someday, you're gunna meet a great girl that you'll want to marry instead."

"Better than you?" Theo asked with wide eyes.

Lily nodded. "Better than me."

Theo shook his head. "But no girl is better than you. Other girls are icky."

Lily laughed as she reached out to ruffle his soft pink hair. "Only some girls are icky. Not all. I promise."

* * *

Days later, Lily found herself being awakened by the sun through her curtains. She sighed as she looked at her clock. It wasn't even ten in the morning yet. Closing her eyes, she turned, buried her face into her pillow, and brought the blankets way over her head, cuddling into the warmth of her bed.

She wasn't sure how long she laid there, drifting in and out of sleep in a comfortable pattern. But eventually, Lily heard her door opening, and then closing. She'd hoped that whoever it was had left. But then she felt a new weight on the side of her bed.

"Somebody's birthday is coming up!" Hugo called in a singsong tone.

Lily rolled her eyes before closing them again. But she didn't move, pretending to be asleep. Nothing against Hugo, but she was way too comfortable.

But then he poked her cheek. "I know you're awake under those blankets," he teased.

"Then go away. And stop touching me. Why are you so chipper in the morning?" Lily groaned.

"Not every morning," Hugo laughed. "Just today. I had a fantastic night last night."

"Why?" Lily mumbled, knowing that Hugo really wanted to talk about it.

"Stacy and I are hanging out tomorrow afternoon," Hugo told her.

Now Lily threw the blankets off her head, and turned to look at her cousin. "You have a date with Stacy?"

Hugo shook his head. "No, we are hanging out as friends. I told her that I wanted to start this out slow. No rushing, just to be sure she's comfortable."

Lily rolled her eyes as she dropped her head back onto the pillow. "I guess with Stacy's situation, that's a good idea. But just remember not every girl likes slow."

"That's why I told her that she controls the speed of our relationship. Whatever she wants, she gets. Friend, boyfriend, anything. She sets the pace," Hugo replied.

"Well I'm happy for ya, cuz. Now please, I'm comfortable, warm, and content. So get the hell out," Lily muttered.

Hugo laughed loudly. "Come on, cuz, it's beautiful outside. And we got to decide what to do for your birthday."

"Something relaxing," Lily mumbled as her eyes closed. "With a few friends. Bring Stacy. And we can hang out here, or at the Burrow, or something."

"It's your birthday, so I'll take care of all of it," he assured. "And if you're not getting out of bed, then at least scoot over and let me under those covers. They must be pretty damn warm."

Lily chuckled as she went ahead and moved over, allowing Hugo to climb under the covers with her, their backs pressed together. It made Lily smile. It reminded her of when they used to do this as kids. "Comfy?" she asked.

"Toasty warm, that's for sure," Hugo said with a laugh of his own.

* * *

When the day of Lily's birthday did come around, she didn't feel any different. She was seventeen, and now supposedly an adult. She could do magic outside of school now. But she just felt . . . like she had the day before. Lily laughed to herself. Apparently Hugo had been right when he said turning seventeen felt no different from turning sixteen or fifteen. Just another birthday. So she took her time showering and getting ready for a day at the Burrow. It was her birthday, she'd take all the time she wanted.

When she finally walked into the kitchen, she could finally see all the food she'd been smelling from down the hall. Her father was sitting at the table, as always. And she was soon pulled into a hug by her mother.

"Oh, my little girl's seventeen," Ginny sighed.

Harry grinned. "Happy birthday, princess."

Lily pulled away from the hug and smiled at them both. "Thanks, guys. And, Mum, you didn't have to go through the trouble."

"It's your birthday, so I made your favorite breakfast," Ginny argued. "It's your day."

Lily just shook her head as she sat down. "Ok. Well thank you again."

"So, what do you have planned for your birthday?" Harry asked. "You're an adult now. At least considered one by society, even if I won't always see you as one," he teased.

Lily grinned. "Not a lot. Just today, maybe have dinner with the Malfoys tomorrow, and Hugo wants to spend a day later this week celebrating, apparently."

"And when will you be seeing Scorpius?" Ginny guessed with a knowing smile.

Lily bit back a small blush. "Tonight. After the party with the rest of the family."

"Be home by midnight," Harry said with a sigh. It was obvious that he was still taking in what Lily had told him about her and Scorpius's plans for their future.

After arriving at the Burrow, Lily found that all of her family was there, except James, Albus, Rose, and Molly. Not a bunch she'd miss terribly. Besides, she hadn't expected Rose or Albus, what with Auror training.

"Happy birthday, flower," Arthur greeted Lily from his seat in an armchair.

Lily smiled at him. "Thanks."

"Our little girl is finally seventeen," Charlie joked. "A big girl now."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha. Thank you."

Lucy gave her a hug. "Happy birthday, Lily."

Lily hugged her back. "Thanks, Lucy. How have your tryouts been?"

Lucy smiled. "I've gotten offers from both teams I've tried out for so far, and a few other teams have expressed some interest as well."

"That's great," Lily said with a smile of her own. "Have you made a decision, or are you waiting?"

"Waiting until my last tryout," Lucy told her as Theo ran up to them. "Just so I can get a good look at all my options before making a commitment."

"Happy birthday, Lily!" Theo exclaimed as he took her hand.

Lily leaned down to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you, handsome."

"So are we opening presents or eating cake first?" Bill asked.

"William," Grandma Molly scolded lightly as she finally came into the room. "Don't be rude. It's Lily's choice today." Then Lily was swept into the normal crushing hug of her grandmother. "Happy birthday, dear."

When she let go, Lily took a big breath. "Thanks, Grandma. And if people are hungry, we can eat first. I don't mind."

"I'm starved!" Hugo spoke up.

"I'm with the boy," Charlie agreed.

So they ate first, and of course it was practically a feast, which to any normal family, it would have been almost three feasts. But like any Weasley, Lily loved it all, and ate a lot. Cake, ice cream, there was pie, and not to mention normal lunch food. Lily was sure she would gain a lot of weight from this, but she couldn't care at the moment.

Lily found herself sitting between Lucy and Hugo, and with Fred across from her. And she noticed that Janie wasn't with him. So she couldn't stop her curiosity. "Hey, Freddy, where's Janie?"

Fred glanced at her, before shrugging. "Work. She couldn't take the day off like I did. But she says 'happy birthday' and wants you to know that she would have been here if she could."

But Lily dismissed it. "It's ok. I can understand her having to work. I'm just glad you're here."

"Yeah, Freddy. You should play with us later," Hugo joked.

But Fred only raised an eyebrow. "Play?"

Hugo grinned. "Yeah, play. We play lots of games, don't we, Lil?"

Lily laughed. "Oh yeah. Like Exploding Snap, or whose Chocolate Frog can jump the highest? Oh! And finding gnomes in the garden," she teased, listing off games they'd all played as kids.

"But be careful. Those gnomes bite something nasty," Hugo warned.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "How would you know? _You_ never got bit by one as a kid."

Hugo ran his finger through some of the red icing on his piece of cake, and leaned over to wipe it on Lucy's cheek. "Yeah, then why am I bleeding?" he joked.

"Ew! Hugo!" Lucy chided while laughing. And surprisingly, she took her finger through a bit of frosting, and reached over to wipe it on him. But he reached out and licked her finger first. She snatched her hand away. "Ew! Huey!" Lucy, Lily, and Hugo all began laughing, and surprisingly enough, even Fred laughed. It was something they hadn't seen in a long time.

* * *

Lily couldn't help the smile that was on her lips as she stood in the lift that would take her to the floor of Scorpius's flat. She hadn't seen him in a few days, both of them having to settle for conversations using the mirrors. The previous night, he'd told her to come over at nine, and that he would be sure to be home. He promised to be home soon around that time. It excited her. But when she got to his door, she found it locked. Thankfully, she still had his key on her, just incase he was a little late. But when she opened his door, she was shocked at what she walked into.

The lights were off, but the room was lit dimly by over dozens and dozens of candles around the flat. And on the table, Lily saw a meal on the table. She closed the door and went to the table. She was shocked to see that the meal was still warm, even steaming a little. How had he done all of this?

She heard the door open and close. "Damn, you beat me here." Lily turned to see Scorpius standing in the doorway, and even how he looked tonight surprised her. He wore a deep burgundy button-up shirt with black pants, and his hair was combed nicely. And even in the dim lighting, he was as dashing ever.

Lily made a weak gesture at the room around her. "How did you do all of this?" she asked softly. She felt a little out of place dressed as she was. Sure, she was dressed in a pretty skirt and top, but nothing to the caliber of this setting.

Scorpius smirked as he walked closer. "I had some of my parents' house elves set this up for me. I asked them to get it done before nine, and told them to have a fresh meal. All for you."

Lily raised an astonished brow. "For me?"

He nodded as he rested his hands on her hips. "It's your birthday, babe. And I never had time to get you an actual gift, so I had this done . . . although I had planned to have this done anyway. But I made it a surprise instead to make up for the lack of a gift." Then he raised a brow of his own. "Do you like it?"

Lily's smile felt the biggest she'd ever smiled in her life. She brought her hands to his shoulders. "I love it," she whispered. "It's perfect."

Scorpius pressed a brief kiss on her lips. "I'm glad. So, how about we eat, and you tell me how it went at the Burrow?"

Lily bit her lip, emotions and love running and jumping around her body. "Well, I'm still a little full from all the food at the Burrow. Not that I don't appreciate this. It looks delicious. But it also looks like something we could heat up another night," she mentioned softly.

Lily watched as an obvious desire started to rise in his eyes, mimicking her own. He brought his forehead to rest on hers. "Well you're the birthday girl. What would you have us do then?"

Lily licked her lips lightly. "Just kiss me," she whispered.

And he did just that. It was obvious that he was trying to keep it slow by the soft and sweet kiss he gave her. But it didn't last long. Soon Lily felt her long running desire and emotions take over, and she could feel him giving into his own desires, as his arms wrapped around her, and pulled her flush against his own body. Lily moaned softly into their kiss. Her hand slipped down his arm, her fingers slightly curling around the muscles of his arm. He was like a rock, just when she thought he couldn't have gotten any more toned.

Scorpius broke the kiss, but then trailed his lips across her cheek, and down to her neck. Then his hands moved to take hold of her hips again, and lift her off her feet. Lily hiked her skirt up a little to allow herself to wrap her legs around him. Scorpius brought the two of them to the couch, sitting down and allowing her to straddle his lap. All the while, his lips kissed and sucked at different parts of her throat.

"I am sorry I couldn't get you a gift," Scorpius mumbled against her skin.

Panting only slightly, Lily brought her hands to his face, and pulled him away from her so that she could lock eyes with him. "Just having you is perfect," Lily murmured.

Scorpius smirked. "You always have me," he whispered.

* * *

Days later Lily found herself contently sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through and reading different articles in _Witch Weekly_ as her mother sat writing an article about a Quidditch match that had happened two days previous. The Kestrels had smashed the Arrows by over two hundred points.

Lily's birthday had been perfect. She and Scorpius had a fabulous night together, and able to get home by midnight. Dinner with the Malfoys had been great, and Hugo's planned night had been great as well. He'd brought Stacy, got Lola, Megan, Shannon, and Izzy, along with Jace, Hunter, and Xavier. It'd been a fun day. Plus, just two days ago, she'd finally gotten around to taking her Apparation test. She'd passed on her _first_ try. It had been a proud day for her. Not to mention how relieved she was to not have to take the rocky ride the Knight Bus provided.

Both Lily and her mum heard the sound of the front door opening and closing, and not a moment later, saw Hugo walk in. Lily grinned at him. "Hey, cuz," she greeted.

"Hello, Hugo. Coming to prepare for dinner?" Ginny teased.

Hugo chuckled a bit awkwardly. "Yeah, my mum will be over in a bit. But, Lil, can I talk to you?"

Lily nodded as she dropped her magazine, and stood up from her seat. "Yeah, sure." She followed Hugo out of the kitchen, and let him lead her up the stairs to the hall on the second floor. When they finally stopped walking, she looked at him expectantly. "What is it, Hugo?" she asked.

Hugo still looked hesitant and awkward. "Um . . ." he sighed. "I don't think I'm supposed to be telling you this. Hell, I'm sure I'm not supposed to know," he mumbled.

Lily raised a brow. "What? What should you not know or tell me?"

Hugo sighed heavily. "Well, it's about Scor."

"What about Scorpius?" Lily asked, feeling suddenly hesitant herself.

Hugo brought in an obvious gulp. "Well . . . I overheard my dad talking to my mum through the Floo Network. He and a group of Aurors, your dad included, are at St. Mungo's. Something happened to Scor at training."

Lily was down the stairs and out the door before Hugo could say any more.

* * *

When Lily rushed into St. Mungo's, she immediately saw her dad and a group of people standing around the waiting room. She rushed to her father, who seemed to notice her. He had an amused grin on his face as she approached. "Why am I not surprised that you found out?" he mocked lightly.

Lily ignored his little joke. "Is he ok?" she asked immediately.

Harry sighed. "He'll be fine. During a spar, one of Hassle's spells went wrong, and so they needed to bring Scorpius in. From what Ron said about ten minutes ago, he's been basically fixed up."

"What room?" Lily demanded. She was going to see him, and she didn't care who complained.

Her father looked like he wanted to, but after a moment, he sighed again. "Fourth floor. Room 407. Ron is in there with him, explaining things to the Healers."

Lily nodded as she turned around and hurried to the hall, ignoring whatever it was that her father had started to mutter behind her.

* * *

Lily didn't bother knocking as she rushed into the room. Her uncle sat in a chair, a Healer was puttering around with something, and Scorpius was sitting up in the bed. When he saw her, he sighed heavily. "I told them not to tell you," he mumbled.

Lily ignored him as she came to stand by his bed, hardly noticing that her uncle got up to leave. "They didn't. I heard from Hugo, who heard from his mum, who heard from your trainer, my uncle," she replied. "And why wouldn't you want them to tell me?" she demanded. She didn't mean to sound angry, but her worry was starting to reach its peak, and she couldn't handle being calm.

"I didn't want you to be worrying about me. I wanted to wait until I was fixed," Scorpius replied.

"Well you may be patched up, but you're going to ache and be sore for some time. You'll probably have to stay on bed rest for at least a week, so no going back to training," the Healer in the room mentioned.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Yeah, you told me that already," he mumbled.

"Now, I also don't want you walking around or doing too much, so is there someone living with you that can help take care of you?" the Healer asked.

Scorpius opened his mouth to speak, but Lily beat him to it. "I can," she told him.

The Healer nodded as he wrote something down on some chart. "And you are?"

"Lily Potter," she answered.

"She's my girlfriend, Mr. D," Scorpius drawled out with a bit of boredom and grumbling.

The Healer raised his brow and had an amused grin. "Well what does your boss think of that?" he joked.

Scorpius smirked. "Oh, you can imagine how thrilled he is to have me as his future son-in-law."

The Healer shook his head. "I think I can." Then he looked at Lily. "Well, Miss Potter, don't let him be up for more than ten minutes a day. If he wants to be back in perfect condition, he needs to rest so that these spells and potions can work properly. And, I'm going to give you a few potions that he'll need to take for about two weeks, which is when he'll need to be brought back so that I can reevaluate his condition. After that, we'll see where it goes."

Lily nodded as she took it all in. "What kind of potion is it?"

"Something to relax his muscles and body. If he's too tense, things won't work right. This potion is just a precaution, to make sure it all works correctly," the Healer explained.

"When can I get out of here?" Scorpius asked.

"Once my assistant has the potions all ready, we'll give you one, and then let your girlfriend take you home," he replied. "Now, I'm going to go and update your party out there on the condition, and then I'll be back."

"Thanks, D," Scorpius called as the Healer left the room. Then he looked at Lily. "Really think you can get me to stay in bed?" he teased.

Lily smiled a little. "Positive. You're crazy if you think I'm going to let you be moving much."

"I'm ok, Lily," Scorpius assured. "Yeah, I'm sore, and I'm a bit achy, but I am ok. Nothing I can't handle. Besides, they fixed everything."

"No, everything is being fixed as we speak," Lily corrected. "Just because the majority of it is done, doesn't mean it won't need time. Remember how long it took my injuries to heal when I took that fall during my fifth year? I was wearing that protective mask for about a week."

"You had a lot of injuries, I only have one," Scorpius pointed out.

"One injury that did _a lot _of damage," Lily countered. "And I'm not risking it, which means you're doing what he says. So deal with it."

Scorpius smirked. "Fine. If I feel antsy, I guess I'll just walk a bit once you go home tonight."

Lily was determined to make damn sure that didn't happen . . . but she just wasn't sure how, except by sleeping over at Scorpius's flat. But she was sure she would never get her father to agree to that, and even if she was an "adult" now, she didn't want to just run over his feelings and rules. But she also wasn't sure she could get him to believe her if she said she was just going to stay at Lola's for the night. But it looked like it would be her only option.

* * *

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Scorpius complained to the guys that were helping him to his room. Lily had followed her father and the two other Auror's he'd brought with to help Scorpius to his flat. Apparently, he'd sent the rest home, and Ron had gone back to the training.

Harry sighed as he stood by his daughter. "So, you wanna take the day to watch over him for me?"

Lily looked at her father with mild surprise. "Really? You're asking me to?"

Harry shrugged. "I can't have his condition getting worse or not healing. He's one of our best in training. He'll be a great asset to the Auror Department."

Lily bit back a laugh. "Why not just say you care about his well-being?" she teased.

"Why not just admit that you planned on taking care of him today anyway," he shot back with a smile.

Lily smiled too. But then she took her shot while they were still alone. "Dad, do you think I could maybe stay at Lola's tonight? I don't really want to go home and just worry about him."

Harry gave a small laugh as he ruffled his hair. "Lily. You know, when the Healer told me about Scorpius's condition, he told me _every_ thing. When he could come train, what potions he'll take, and _who_ would take care of him."

Lily bit her lip. "Really?"

"But it's fine if you stay at Lola's," Harry said with a sigh, avoiding her eyes. "I understand you'd hate to come home and worry."

Lily tried to look into her father's eyes, but he kept avoiding her. Was he . . . , was he giving her permission to stay over with Scorpius? If he knew what she'd told the Healer . . . then he was _letting_ her stay! But Lily knew what he was doing. Pretending it wasn't really happening. Playing ignorant. So she smiled, took her father's hand, and gave it a small squeeze. "Thank you for understanding, Daddy," she whispered.

Harry finally looked at her again. "Well, thank you for telling me that you're staying at Lola's tonight. It'll be a good distraction."

"Man, he's not happy," one of the Auror's mentioned as the two walked back in.

"He's a tough one, Potter," the older one commented.

Harry chuckled. "Well, let's get back to work, boys. Lily's got it from here."

Lily watched the men leave before finally turning and making her way down the hall. When she opened the door, Scorpius was laying on his bed, his back propped up against the headboard, a pillow keeping his back comfortable. But he smirked when she saw her come in.

"Hello again, princess," he said softly. He held a hand out to her. "Join me?"

Lily smiled as she walked over and climbed up onto his bed. But she was careful not to lean on him. She didn't want to hurt him. It almost made her laugh, the idea of _her_ hurting _him_.

But Scorpius apparently wasn't going to allow that. "I'm not made of glass now," he whispered near her ear, before nipping her earlobe softly.

Lily bit her lip as she moved a little further away. "Scorpius," she warned slowly, "you're hurt."

"Not paralyzed," he retorted. "I can move a little. I'll be able to walk myself to the bathroom, I'll be able to take showers, and eat. I'll be able to handle this."

Lily smiled a little, and leaned up to give him a small and short kiss. "Well, that won't be necessary tonight. I'm staying over."

Scorpius raised a brow. "You don't have to sneak out for me," he replied.

"I didn't. My dad knows I'm staying here," Lily retorted.

Now Scorpius looked shocked and hesitant. "Your dad let you stay the night?"

Lily laughed "Well, we didn't say it out loud that I would be staying here. We're both pretending that I'll be staying at Lola's tonight. But, he knows."

Scorpius looked unsure, but then finally chuckled a little. "Wow, he must really like me now."

Lily gave him another short kiss. "He does," she assured.

Scorpius leaned down to kiss her again. "Well, if I have you here for the whole night, might as well not waste it," he murmured.

But Lily pulled away from him again. "Oh, we are not doing anything. You're injured. I'm here to give you your potions, make you food, and basically help you go about the day," she retorted. "So why don't I make you something to eat."

Scorpius scowled cutely. "You, my girlfriend, are going to stay the night with me, and then _deny_ me?" he complained mockingly.

Lily smiled and laughed. "Yes, I am. Because I am a good girlfriend, and I care about your well-being. That's why I'll be sleeping on your couch."

Now Scorpius looked defiant. "No. My girlfriend will not be forced to sleep on my couch. I can behave enough for you to sleep in my bed with me. I promise."

Lily rolled her eyes, but also had to repress the urge she had to sleep in his bed with him. "We'll see. Now, I'm going to make you something to eat. If you get up from that bed, I'll make sure you regret it."

Scorpius laughed as she headed to the door. "What, are you going to do? I'm already forced to be put on bed rest."

"I'll put you on a guilt trip you've never been on before. I'm your girlfriend, and I'm good at it," Lily threatened.

* * *

Lily was putting away the now clean dishes from dinner when there was a frantic knock on the door. Setting down a small stack of plates, Lily hurried over to the door, opening to find a panicked looking Astoria, and a slightly scowling Draco.

Smiling a little, Lily moved aside to let them in. "He's resting in his room. He's still awake, just don't let him get out of his bed."

Astoria kissed her cheek briefly. "Thank you, sweetheart." Then she was rushing down the hall.

Lily closed the door behind Draco, who stayed behind. He looked at her. "I know you'll be more honest than my son will be. So, what happened?"

Lily sighed. "I guess during a spar, his partner's spell went wrong. He's been given a lot of potions, and a lot of spells were cast, and he's healing as we speak. I guess the brunt of the damage is fixed, but it's not done. He's supposed to stay on bed rest for at least a week."

Draco ran a hand over his slicked back hair. "Ok. Anything else?"

Lily shrugged. "He's not allowed to go back to training until he goes back to see the Healer in two weeks. I'm staying here at least for the night to help and take care of him. And most likely every day," she admitted.

Draco pressed a small kiss to her forehead. "Well thank you, Lily. Excuse me."

Lily nodded, letting him leave down the hall to check on his son. She didn't want to intrude, so she just went back to the kitchen area and began cleaning up from dinner again. She had just finished, and was going to clean the clothes sitting in his hamper, when Astoria came from down the hall, and sat down on the couch.

Lily looked at Astoria hesitantly. "Astoria? Everything ok?"

Lily bit her lip and felt a sadness of her own when she saw the tears in Astoria's eyes. "No," the woman sniffed. "My son is hurt, still determined to go into a job that could kill him, and at this rate, it can only get worse for him."

Lily sat down next to her, and gave Astoria's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know, it's scary. I've dealt with this kind of thing before. But, as I've gotten older, I haven't as much, so things _haven't_ gotten worse," Lily said, thinking of what would make Astoria feel better.

Astoria looked at her, a little hopeful. "Really?"

Lily nodded. "I'd been to St. Mungo's too much as a kid, for my uncle Ron, and my father. And as a kid, I was always terrified that they wouldn't be ok. It can be hard having someone you love and care about be an Auror, but you learn to cope when they're hurt, or when they're out on a mission. It just takes time."

"He's my little boy," Astoria whimpered softly. "What if something even more horrible happens?"

Lily sighed. What could she say? It was something that scared her too, only she was able to push that fear back. So she took a chance and gave Astoria the same speech she'd been giving herself. "Well, if something worse happens, it'll probably be when he's actually an Auror. And either way, you can be proud of him. Because he got hurt doing what he wanted, helping and saving people. You can be proud that your son is a great man."

Astoria smiled a little as she wiped any tears away from her eyes. "You're pretty good at this kind of thing, Lily."

Lily shrugged. "Well, I remember my mum telling me something similar about my father when I was really little. I've just converted it to help me get through this."

Astoria looked at her, and brushed Lily's hair back over her shoulder. "I'm very glad my son has a young woman like you to take care of him, and love him. He's very lucky. All of our family is lucky and happy to have you."

Lily blushed a little, humbled and unsure of what to say in response. So she smiled a little. "I think I'm just as lucky to have all of you in my life. I can't imagine who I'd be if you guys hadn't been around."

* * *

Lily awoke lightly, feeling a hand slowly stroking her shoulder, then moving to lightly playing with her hair. Keeping her eyes closed, she couldn't help but smile. After a battle of wills, Lily had given in and agreed to sleep in Scorpius's bed with him, as long as he didn't move around and hurt himself more.

"How long have you been up?" Lily asked softly.

"I woke up an hour or so ago. I haven't been able to go back to sleep," Scorpius whispered.

"Are you ok?" Lily asked as she finally opened her eyes, and turned over to look at him. His hair was ruffled from sleep, but he looked fully awake.

Scorpius smirked. "I'm ok. Just a little sore."

"You're not tensed, are you?" Lily whispered. Scorpius shook his head, still playing with her hair. "Then I'll wait before giving you that potion."

He chuckled. "You just don't want to get up. It's ok though. I don't want you to, either."

"Well, when I _do_ get up, you're still taking that potion," Lily teased.

Scorpius scowled. "It's disgusting," he muttered.

Lily laughed lightly. "All medical potions are. It keeps people from getting addicted," she pointed out.

Scorpius playfully tugged on her hair before smirking. "Ok. I'll take that disgusting potion, but you owe me," he teased.

Lily smiled as she pulled his hand away from her hair, but interlocked their fingers. "Sure. Once you're healed," she added.

Scorpius groaned as he closed his eyes. "I hate being injured!" he moaned.

Lily reached up to brush the hair away from his forehead. "Comes with the job," she said.

Scorpius just opened his eyes and gave her another small smirk. "Just kiss me before you get up and leave me in this bed, alone."

Lily laughed fully this time, but sat up, and leaned down a little to press a kiss on his lips. She smiled at him. "That's something I have no problem doing, if you're injured or not."

* * *

Lily walked up to the front door of the house, and opened it with a small sigh. Someone was home. She could only hope it was her mother. Sure, her father understood, and _knew_ where she'd been. But it would still be easier if they had time to avoid the subject a little.

"I'm home," Lily called.

"How's Scorpius?" her mother called back.

Lily rolled her eyes as she kicked off her shoes. Of course, her mother was always straightforward with everything. "He's fine," Lily said as she made her way to the kitchen, only to see both her mum and aunt Hermione sitting at the table. "Dad told you I was staying there?"

Ginny grinned. "No he mumbled about you staying at Lola's but I'm not stupid. I knew where you were, and that he knew too," she joked.

Lily laughed a little. "Surprise, surprise. Where's Hugo?"

"He's working today, but he said he might stop over by Scorpius's to see how he's doing," Hermione told her.

Lily smiled as she grabbed a bottle of water. "He'll like that. I hope you don't mind, but I just came back to pick up a few things."

"Oh, I figured you planned on going back," Ginny laughed.

Lily raised a brow at her mum. "Did you do the same with dad?" she guessed.

Ginny shook her head. "No, he was surprisingly never injured when he was training. But I know that if he had been, I'd do exactly what you're doing. Just, for your father's sake, come home tonight?"

Lily nodded. "I planned on it. I'm just grabbing some potions to help him sleep through the night." She started for the door. "And maybe one to numb his legs and keep him in that damn bed," she added in a mumble.

* * *

"What is all of that?" Scorpius demanded as Lily began to pull multiple potions out of her collection box. So far four in total, but there was one more she was looking for.

"One for sleeping, one is for relieving mild pains, a calming solution, one is to help you relax your nerves, and not just your muscles . . . and there's one more if I can find it," Lily listed off to him.

"What's the other one?" Scorpius asked hesitantly.

"It'll numb the pain in your nerves," Lily said vaguely. She left out the part about it leaving him almost numb and unable to move. To her defense, she didn't plan to use it unless he started to try and get out of the bed again.

"Well, I'm bored," Scorpius sighed. "We should do something," he hinted.

"You're not getting out of bed," Lily said easily as she finally found the potion she wanted. Sounds like she might have to use it sooner than she'd expected.

"But it's boring just laying here," Scorpius argued.

"Well I heard Hugo was thinking about stopping by later. Maybe the two of you can play chess or something," Lily replied.

"I guess," Scorpius sighed. "You just wait until I'm better," he mumbled.

Lily raised a brow. "What was that?" she mocked.

"Then you'll be the one not getting out of this bed," Scorpius kept mumbling.

Lily turned her head as a blush spread across her cheeks. She pulled the caps off all of the potions except the one to numb him, and the one to make him sleep. "Look, just take a mouthful of each of these potions, no more and no less," she said, pretending that she hadn't heard him at all.

* * *

Lily yawned as she walked down the stairs. She'd hurried through her entire morning process, hoping that she'd be able to get to Scorpius's flat before he woke up. She stepped into the kitchen where her mother and father were already eating breakfast.

"Morning, princess. You've got some mail on the counter. It's from Hogwarts," Harry told her with a smile.

Lily nodded as she wiped sleep from her eyes and picked up her letter. It was a bit thicker than usual. She sat down at the table and ripped open the envelope. She pulled out the first letter inside, which invertedly pulled something else out, which clattered onto the table. Putting down the letter and envelope, Lily picked up what fell from the letter, and turned it over. It was a badge, with shiny, glossy _Head Girl_ staring back at her.

Lily shook her head and sighed. "Of course. Dammit, Jacob," she mumbled.

"What is it?" Ginny asked curiously.

Lily pulled out the other letter inside the envelope. "Jacob made me Head Girl," she told them.

"Oh, that's great, Lily!" Ginny exclaimed with a smile.

"Good job, princess," Harry complimented. "You should be proud."

Lily nodded. "I know. I was just hoping for a normal and relaxing year," she mumbled. She read through the letter explaining her appointment to Head Girl, and smiled when she caught the name _Mr. H. Weasley_. "Well at least Hugo made Head Boy."

"I sense another party at the Burrow coming on," Harry joked.

"Do we need to go shopping for school, or would you rather do it yourself?" Ginny asked.

Lily shrugged. "Do you wanna go? Otherwise, I can do it myself."

"It's your last time. We're taking you," Harry said with a smile.

Lily nodded. "Ok, but you're not spoiling me, and buying me everything. I have money of my own."

"Oh, I think a present for making Head Girl is in order," Ginny retorted.

"Nothing big," Lily said as she put both letters and the badge back into the envelope. She left it on the table. "Anyway, I need to get going. I'll be back later tonight. I promise."

* * *

"How's it feel to be out of bed, Scor?" Hugo asked as Lily helped him sit down on the couch in the Burrow's living room. With the careful planning of her mother and grandmother, the small party for Hugo and Lily fell on the first day that Scorpius was medically allowed out of bed, while still not allowed to go to training. And at his insistence, Lily brought him over to the Burrow.

"Feels fantastic," Scorpius said with a bit of a groan. Lily rolled her eyes. It was obvious that he was still a little sore. "How's it feel to be Head Boy?"

Hugo sighed as he sat on the floor and leaned against the couch. "I don't know yet. How does it feel, Lil?"

Lily shrugged. "No clue. Although, I already feel a small burden of responsibility coming on."

Hugo chuckled. "Sounds about right. But there's always a chance that we might have a more relaxed year."

Lily raised a brow. "Really? I thought that a year ago. Besides, it'll be our N.E.W.T. year."

Hugo shook his head. "So pessimistic," he mocked, prompting Lily to roll her eyes.

"I'm sure you two will be fine," Scorpius assured. "You both did fine with O.W.L.s."

"I wonder what we'll do about JB," Hugo mentioned. "I mean, what about us seventh years? You know that some will want help with their lessons since it's our testing year, but younger years will still want help."

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I think we should just wait until we get back, and talk it over with Randy and Jaclyn. Maybe even the other seventh years."

Hugo nodded. "Probably a good idea. Have four heads instead of just two thinking it over." Then he sighed. "Man, next year will be a lot of leading. Seventh year leading younger kids, Head Boy leading prefects, and Quidditch Captain leading a team. How the hell are we gunna handle it all, Lil?"

"One day at a time," Lily sighed. Scorpius groaned slightly. Lily gave him a small and worried look. "You ok?"

Scorpius nodded, a scowl on his face. "Yeah, I'm ok. Just aching a little. Mainly my shoulders."

"When do you get to go back to training?" Hugo asked.

"Well I have to go back and see the Healer in a few days, and it all depends on what he says," Scorpius replied. "If he tells your dad that I'm ok, then I get to go back immediately. If not, then I have no idea. But I'll be fine by then."

Lily just looked at him. He _had_ been doing better over the last few days. And he'd stayed in bed and taken it easy. But part of her was still worried that he wouldn't fully be ok when he was sent back to training. And that she'd have to go back to school, and wouldn't be around to help him. But she knew that if he was allowed back, nothing would stop Scorpius from going. He'd been dying to go back into training. She knew he hated just sitting around.

* * *

"What a perfect day!" Scorpius cheered as he and Lily walked into his flat. The day of Scorpius's return to the Healer came, and he had stated that Scorpius was in great condition, and allowed to go back to Auror training.

Lily sighed as she closed the door. Scorpius was doing better, and was able to walk on his own without a small and pained scowl. But she still wished that he wouldn't have to go back to training just yet. She would be going back to school soon, so their time was already short. And with him returning to training, it would be even shorter. She liked being able to be with him all day, and had grown used to it over the past two weeks.

Scorpius plopped down onto his couch, and propped his feet up on the table. He turned to smirk at her. "Don't you agree?" he asked her.

Lily blinked as she was shaken from her thoughts. "What?" she asked as she came over to sit next to him.

"That it's a perfect day?" Scorpius inquired.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I guess," she replied.

Scorpius still smirked as he ran a hand through her hair. "Disappointed that I go back to training? I'm really ok, babe."

Lily nodded. "I know that. But I go back to school soon. And I was used to spending all day with you."

With his other hand, Scorpius took her hand, and placed a kiss on her wrist. "One more year, princess," he murmured. "Then I finish training, and you finish school. It won't be long."

Lily sighed. "I hope you're right," she murmured.

Scorpius chuckled. "I'm a Malfoy. We're always right."

Lily rolled her eyes, but she smiled lightly. "I'll hold you to that," she joked. She reached out and ran her fingers along his jaw, which was a bit scruffy again. "You gunna wait for me?" she teased.

Scorpius pulled her closer, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'd wait my whole life for you," he replied. Then he placed a brief kiss on her lips. "Will you wait for me to finish training?"

Lily smiled, finding a chance to playfully one-up him. "I'd wait _forever_ for you."


	95. The Beginning of the End

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took so long, but I got writer's block right near the end, so sorry for the short chapter and slightly bad ending. Anyway, this will be the start of their last year. I'm thinking that it won't be too long of year for them. But don't worry, plenty of drama, haha. Anyways, read, review, and enjoy.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Five: The Beginning of the End

Lily walked by Hugo's side as they stepped onto Platform 9 and 3/4. As early as they were, it was still teeming with families.

"Well, we're Head Boy and Girl, Lil," Hugo sighed. "What do we do?"

Lily shrugged. "No clue. What do you want to do?"

"Honestly? I just want to find the others, relax, and get that meeting over with," Hugo admitted. "But what _should_ we do, is the real question."

Lily grinned. "I think we should do just that. Find our friends and relax. We have time."

Hugo chuckled. "Ok, sounds good. And I think I see Lola and her siblings up ahead." He pointed where he was looking, and sure enough, Lily saw Lola standing with a group of her younger siblings.

"Well let's go say hi," Lily said as she began walking over to the group of Pritchard kids.

Hugo quickly began to follow. "I'm surprised I don't see Jace. You said things went ok at the wedding."

"Probably not here yet," Lily suggested.

Marsha noticed them coming, and began waving. "Hey, Lily! Hugo!" she greeted, catching the attention of the other siblings. Lily noticed little Patrick standing with them, a cat in his arms. Bobby stood up straight, smoothed down his hair, and smiled at them. Lily noticed the badge on his chest, and smiled back at him.

"You're a prefect this year, Bobby?" Lily said. It was nice to know that one of the new prefects would be easy to deal with.

"Oh, it's _Robbie_ now, Lily," Marsha teased. "Bobby just isn't manly enough for him."

Bobby's cheeks turned red, and glared at his sister. "Bite it," he hissed. But then he looked sheepishly at Lily. "Call me whatever you want. It really doesn't matter."

"You blew up at me earlier for calling you Bobby," Marsha mocked.

Lola rolled her eyes and smacked both of them on the head. "Be nice," she replied. Then she gave both Lily and Hugo a hug. "How have you been?"

Hugo shrugged. "Good. Glad to hear things went well with Marty and Jace."

"Hi, Hugo," Patrick greeted quietly.

Hugo grinned at the boy. "Hey, Ricky! Glad to see a cool dude is coming to school with us now!"

Lily smiled at her cousin as he began to talk to the youngest Pritchard coming to Hogwarts. She'd never seen Patrick talk so much. She looked back at Lola. "Happy to go back?"

Lola sighed. "I don't know yet. It's our last year."

"Man you're old," Marsha teased.

Lola rolled her eyes again. "Why don't you go find your boyfriend, Alec?" Lola joked back.

Marsha blushed lightly, but Bobby glared in the girls' direction. "She is not dating Alec," he defended.

Lola just smacked the back of his head again. "Shut up, _Bobby_."

Marsha just cleared her throat and looked away sheepishly. "Anyway, we should go say goodbye to the others quick."

"We'll just meet you guys on the train then," Hugo said with a sigh. He ruffled Patrick's hair. "See ya around, little dude."

Lily patted her cousin's shoulder. "We should probably go say goodbye too. Let's go."

* * *

Lily stood with Hugo in the prefect compartment, waiting for a few last prefects to arrive. From the looks of it, they were missing two new fifth year prefects. That was no surprise. New fifth year prefects were usually the last ones to arrive to the meeting.

"Pretty good crop this year," Hugo whispered to her. And he was right. Along with Bobby, Monty's sister Eve was the other new Slytherin prefect. And she knew some from Quidditch, such as Joey Belby from Ravenclaw, and Talia Smith from Hufflepuff.

"Who are we missing?" Lily mumbled.

"Well, the fifth year girl from Gryffindor is missing. I don't know who it is, but I don't recognize any of these new girls as a Gryffindor," Hugo told her.

"Must be a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, because all the Slytherins are here," Lily sighed.

The door opened, and a girl stepped in. She had pretty brown hair and green eyes. And even at fifteen, she was probably taller than Lily. "Sorry if I'm late," the girl apologized.

Hugo waved it off. "It's fine. Stephanie, right?"

The girl blushed as she moved to sit next to the empty seat by Lance. "Yeah. Stephanie Cleveley," she replied.

Hugo nodded. "I knew I recognized your face. Well, that's the last of Gryffindor. So, we're just waiting for-,"

The door slammed open again, and a boy hurried in. He had ruffled blonde hair and wide brown eyes. A small blush surfaced on his cheeks when he noticed everyone looking at him. He cleared his throat. "Um, sorry I'm late."

Lily bit back a grin. "It's fine. What's your name?" Lily recognized him, but she just couldn't think of his name. She was sure he played Quidditch.

"Todd Macmillan," he answered as he hurried to close the door and sit down.

"Ah! Hufflepuff's Chaser, right?" Hugo commented. Macmillan nodded quickly. "Ok, well let's get this meeting done and over with. Obviously, Lil and I are your Head Boy and Girl this year. Our big thing is unity between Houses, so any fighting between them is something we don't tolerate. So, most of the pairing this year will probably be between Houses. I know you older guys know this, but we want to make sure our new prefects understand."

"There are patrols each night for prefects," Lily told them. "We don't really have a list made up yet, so we're going to just pick today. And we're going to pair a fifth year with a sixth or seventh year, that way they can learn what to do. So . . . Todd, you and Lance can take the first part of patrolling the train."

Lance gave a nod. "Got it, Captain."

"Next . . . how about Jaclyn and . . . Ashley Corner?" Hugo suggested. The two of them slowly made patrol groups, taking volunteers, and picking partners for the new perfects.

Once they were finished, Lily sighed. "Ok, as for tonight. It's going to be the seventh year prefects. But after that . . . a lot of nights may be given to sixth years. Mainly because of O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. testing preparation. Not all nights, but a good chunk of them."

"Lily and I are going to make a schedule for patrols, and who will be patrolling, and all that," Hugo said. "We'll make sure it gets posted in all your common rooms once it's finished. Any questions, just ask us."

"Also, fifth years," Lily addressed, "as you know, it's going to be your job to lead the new first years to their common rooms after the feast. Make them feel welcomed, and explain the rules to them."

"Just remember how it was when you were a first year, and someone was leading you on the first day," Hugo commented.

Lily looked at Hugo and shrugged. "So, I think that's it. Keep kids in line, make first years feel welcomed, and help them out. You know the patrols, so that's it. Todd and Lance, start off the patrols, everyone else go find your friends."

Hugo and Lily hung back while everyone started filing out. Hugo looked at Lily. "So, want to go find the others?"

Lily shrugged. "Might as well." She ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know what it is, but I've got an uneasy feeling about today."

Hugo opened the compartment door for her. "You too?"

* * *

"So you and Chris really had sex over the summer?" Lola questioned as th girls, minus Megan, walked toward the castle.

Shannon nodded. "Yeah, a few days ago. A great way to say goodbye, I think," she joked.

"So, looks like Izzy is the only virgin left among us," Lily teased as she rested a hand on Izzy's shoulder.

Izzy laughed with the other girls as she brushed off Lily's hand. "Ha, ha. Not every girl finds the right guy early in life, _Lily_."

Lily rolled her eyes, but still laughed. But Lola spoke up next. "It doesn't always have to be the guy you'll eventually marry. I mean, look at me and Hugo."

"And Megan and Ted, and Megan and Logan," Shannon listed off with a giggle.

Lily grinned. "Where is Megan anyway?"

"She rode in a carriage with the boys," Izzy said.

Lola raised a brow. "Like, our boys? Monty, Hunter, Christian, etc.?"

"She hates hanging out with them," Shannon commented.

Izzy shrugged. "I thought so too. But I saw Hunter helping her into a carriage."

"Hunter? She and Hunter fight all the time," Lily mentioned. "I can't imagine either one of those two wanting to sit with each other."

"I sense trouble," Shannon sighed.

And she was right. Because as soon as the girls set foot in the castle, they saw a crowd in the Entrance Hall, cheering and laughing about something. But when the girls heard the word "fight!" emit from somewhere in the crowd, Lily sighed heavily.

"Damn," she mumbled as she approached the crowd. "Move aside!" she commanded. Kids began to look at her, and immediately stepped away to let her through. Some just looked at her, and some looked at her badge. When she finally got to the center of the crowd, Lily was shocked at what she saw. Megan, on top of Hunter, brutally attacking him. Hunter, back on the floor, trying to cover his face from Megan's attack.

"Oh, shit," Lily heard Lola say.

Lily sighed as she hurried to them, and began to pull Megan off of Hunter. The other girls hurried to help her. But Megan kept trying to break away from them. "Megan, stop!" Lily demanded.

"Fuck you, Lily!" Megan hissed. "You have no idea what you're getting involved in!"

"Then tell me!" Lily said just as fiercely. She stood in front of Megan, looking her straight in the eye. "What the hell are you doing?"

"None of your business!" Megan seethed.

Lily closed her eyes and sighed. She hated doing this. But she opened her eyes, and looked at Megan firmly. "Ok. Then for the next week, weekend included, you'll be serving detentions at eight o'clock, under the supervision of a professor."

"It's fine, Lily," Hunter spoke from behind the girls. Lily looked back to see him rubbing his cheek as he stood up. "I crossed a line, and I deserved that."

"Everyone go on to the Great Hall!" Lily then heard Hugo yell. She looked to see him coming through the crowd. "Go on!" he continued. "Disperse, now!"

Slowly, all the other kids began to go to the Great Hall, leaving just the Slytherin seventh years, and Hugo. Once they were all alone, Lily gave her cousin a grateful look. "Thanks, cuz."

Hugo shrugged. "No problem. Now what's going on."

"Megan was attacking Hunter," Monty told him.

Megan broke away from the other girls, but she didn't try to hit Hunter again. "He deserved it!" she growled.

"I know I did," Hunter agreed. "That's why there's no need to give her detentions."

Lily sighed. "I have to. As Head Girl, I have to enforce a punishment, especially when she does it in front of the entire school!"

"Take your badge and shove it," Megan muttered as she shoved past Lily, and stormed away toward the Great Hall.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" Shannon wondered.

"It's got to be something big," Lola stated.

Lily looked over at Hunter. "Hunter, what did you say that crossed the line?"

Hunter ran a hand through his copper hair and sighed. "It's private, Lil. No offense. But it's something I know Megan wouldn't want me to say."

Lily rubbed at her temples a little. "Ok, ok. I can understand that. But please tell us one thing. As her friends, do we need to be worried about her?"

Hunter shook his head. "No. She'll be fine. You know Megan. It'll all blow over by tomorrow morning."

"We're trusting you, Hunter," Shannon said with a warning. "She's our friend, so if you're lying, we will hurt you worse than she did."

Hunter grinned. "Honestly, Shay, I don't think you could throw a right hook as hard as she did. She's got an iron fist."

* * *

Megan _was_ over it by the next morning. In fact, she basically pretended that it never happened. When Lola mentioned it, Megan simply waved it off, and said nothing more. She didn't even complain about Lily giving her a week of detentions.

"Either she's dealing with PMS, or something is up," Lola muttered to Lily at breakfast.

"Well, we can risk asking, but I'd like to keep her from ripping out my throat," Lily sighed quietly.

Slughorn came over to them then, handing out lesson schedules. "Good morning, all. How was your summer?"

"Very well, Professor," Lola said politely.

Lily just shrugged. "It was ok, I guess."

"And how is Hogwarts's new Head Girl?" Slughorn said with obvious pride.

Lily grinned a little at his pride and excitement. "I'm good, Professor."

"At what? Oh, hello, sir," Hugo greeted as he joined their table, stealing a slice of toast from Lola's plate as he moved past her to sit next to Lily.

"Ah! Hugo, my boy!" Slughorn said happily. "Our new Head Boy. How are you this morning?"

"Not too bad, sir. Well rested," Hugo said with a humorous grin.

"You've got your schedule then?" Slughorn asked as he gave Jace his schedule.

Hugo held up a folded piece of paper. "Got it 'bout a minute ago," he told him. "Just thought I'd come and join the cool crowd over here."

"Why didn't you bring Stacy?" Lola asked curiously. "Aren't you two basically dating now?"

Hugo didn't blush, but Lily grinned slightly when she noticed his ears turning red. "Well . . . sort of, in a way. I guess . . . But, anyway, she's talking with the other girls at the moment."

"So, what are you two now?" Lily asked as Slughorn moved on.

Hugo sighed. "I don't know, actually. I guess . . . good friends."

"So you haven't even kissed her yet?" Megan asked.

Hugo shook his head. "No. I make no move she doesn't want me to. This whole . . . relationship we have works at her pace. I want her to feel comfortable, you know?"

Shannon smiled. "I think that's sweet."

"I guess," Megan mumbled.

Hugo opened his mouth to speak, but Lily quickly kicked his shin. The last thing she needed was to stop a fight between Megan and Hugo. "So, still taking Transfiguration, Huey?"

Hugo nodded as he took a piece of bacon from Lily's plate. "Yeah, of course. You teaching Potions again?"

"As usual. So, when do you want to find a time to talk with Randy and Jaclyn about JB?" Lily asked.

"Dinner tonight? Have them meet us in the kitchens?" Hugo suggested.

"Sure. You tell Randy, I'll catch Jaclyn," Lily replied.

"You got it," Hugo said with a sigh.

* * *

"So, Lola, how have you and Jace been?" Izzy asked as the girls all walked to Charms together.

Lola shrugged. "Good. Nothing new."

"So you two are still moving through the slowest relationship possible?" Megan guessed. She rolled her eyes. "You know, you moved much faster with Hugo."

Now Lola rolled her eyes. "I'm aware of that. But, Jace and I just like the pace we're at. We're both comfortable. I mean, if he made a move, I wouldn't object. But I'm not going to push or anything. I'm ok with where we're at."

"That's a healthy realization," Izzy assured.

Megan looked over at Lily. "Didn't you and Scorpius have sex less than a year of dating?"

Lily raised a brow, curious as to where this was going. "Yes."

"And wasn't he going beneath your shirt only months after you started dating?" Megan inquired.

"Yes," Lily said.

Now Megan looked at Lola. "See. There's no need to move that slow. Lily and Scorpius moved at a faster speed, and it's no doubt that those two are stuck together."

"I'm not Lily," Lola retorted.

"And no offense, but Jace is no Scorpius," Shannon said with a grin.

Megan chuckled. "You've got a point there. But still, I moved faster with Logan."

"You only dated Logan to have sex with him," Lola argued. "That _was_ the basis of your relationship."

"Good point, but still," Megan replied, "we're waiting for a great story from you."

Lola just rolled her eyes again. "Well when I have one, I'll tell you right away," she said as she opened the classroom door.

"Good morning, girls!" Professor Flitwick greeted cheerily.

"Good morning, Professor," they each greeted back.

* * *

"Where's Randy? It's not like him to be late," Jaclyn mentioned as the other three sat in the kitchens.

"She's right. Randy's a pretty punctual guy," Hugo agreed.

"He'll have a reason for being late, I'm sure," Lily replied as she took the cap off of a bottle of butterbeer.

"So, how was your summer, Jackie?" Hugo asked curiously

Jaclyn looked a little hesitant, but she answered. "It was ok. I got to take a trip to Ireland with my parents."

Hugo turned his chair so he could rest his arms on the back of it. "Yeah? Why Ireland?"

"My uncle works for Ireland's Quidditch team," Jaclyn answered. "So we went up to visit him."

Hugo grinned. "Lucky. Did you meet any of the players?"

Jaclyn nodded. "Only two. They had dinner at my uncle's with us."

"Bitchin'," Hugo said.

Jaclyn smiled a little, but just shrugged. "I guess. I'm not the biggest Quidditch fan." Again, she hesitated, but then spoke again. "So . . . how was your summer, Hugo?"

"I didn't do much," Hugo told her. "Worked, hung out with Lil. 'Bout it."

Lily bit back a grin. She was happy that her cousin was able to start mending what he messed up.

The doors opened, and Randy walked in. "Sorry, I'm late," he apologized. "I got held up trying to help a first year into our common room. It was a bit of a tricky riddle this time around."

Lily waved it off as she held a bottle of butterbeer out to him. "It's no problem. We were just catching up on summers. Now that you're here, we can get to business."

Randy took the bottle and then sat down. "Right. So, I guess this is about JB?"

Lily nodded. "Exactly. We need to discuss how we'll work it this year."

"After all, it's our testing year as well," Hugo commented. "Some in our year will probably need help. But, the younger years will still hope that we'll help them too. So . . . how do we solve this?"

Randy twisted the cap off his butterbeer. "Well, what if we do as we have been, only now we add in someone to teach the seventh years as well?"

Lily looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

Randy took a quick drink before answering. "Ok, so last year we had five sixth years teach a certain subject to the years younger, right?"

"Yeah."

"So, this year we would have had to have six seventh years to teach those younger," Randy said. "But now, we can just make it seven of us. One will help each year."

"But we never set up for that," Jaclyn mentioned. "We'd have to hold a meeting for our year again. Then get another list of who could help with what subject."

"That's not a problem," Lily replied. "We'll hold it day after tomorrow. Warn every seventh year in your House about the meeting. After dinner, day after tomorrow."

"When do you think we'll be able to get JB running again?" Hugo inquired.

"I think sometime next week at the latest," Randy said. "Depending on how much we work once we have the names of volunteers for all subjects."

"I think we should hold a meeting for the new first years about the group too," Jaclyn said. "Tell them the same rules we gave the kids last year. Let them know how it works, and such."

"I think that's a good idea," Hugo agreed. "That way they don't walk into it blindly."

"Yeah, but I think we should wait until we have the lists made up," Randy said. "That way we know for sure what's going on."

"Think we need prefects to watch around the room again?" Jaclyn asked.

Lily ran her finger around the rim of her butterbeer. "That might not be a bad idea. You never know when a spell could go wrong, or someone could get hurt. But like last year, it'll just be prefects from our year. Jaclyn, do you know any healing spells?"

Jaclyn bit her lip lightly. "A few. Nothing for extensive injuries though."

"That would be enough," Hugo assured. "We just always need one prefect watching over that _does_ know some healing spells."

Lily sighed. "Ok, so it's settled then? Day after tomorrow, meeting for the seventh years. After dinner."

Hugo sighed heavily too. "This our last year of this, guys. Let's make it good."

* * *

"Hey, Captain, what's up?" Lance asked as he and Bobby came to sit around the fireplace, where Lily and Lola sat together on the couch.

"Studying, apparently," Lily sighed as she flipped the page of her textbook with boredom.

"You cannot go through school without studying, Lily," Lola retorted.

"I hardly studied at all for my O.W.L.s, and look how good I did on those," Lily pointed out.

"Really?" Bobby asked.

"Robbie, you are not Lily, don't try it," Lola said quickly. Then she looked at Lily. "It's his O.W.L. year, Lil, don't give him ideas."

"Oh yeah. I forgot. This is your fifth year, huh?" Lily said looking at Bobby.

Bobby grinned proudly. "Yup. Big year ahead of me."

"Personally, my fifth year kinda sucked. But I had more on my plate," Lily replied.

"It's really not so bad," Lance assured. "As long as a bunch of other crap isn't happening around you."

"Like governors," Lily stated.

"Or psychos," Lance added. "If all is cool, then you'll be fine."

"Nice pep talk," Bobby joked.

Lily grinned as she shut her book. Talking with these two was much better than pretending to study. "It's really not bad. Do you know what you're going to tell Slughorn during Career Advice talks?"

Bobby scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, not really."

"You have plenty of time," Lily assured.

"Yeah, but you knew what you were going to do," Bobby sighed. "I have no idea what I want to do."

"You'll figure it out, Robbie," Lola told him. "You don't have to know right away. I'm still not totally sure if I want to be a Healer or not."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but thanks for telling Mum and Dad that idea of yours. Now they see you as a big overachiever, and they're going to expect the same crap from the rest of us."

Lola rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. They always expected good things from all of us. I didn't start that."

"Well maybe all I want to do with my life is drive the Knight Bus," Bobby joked. "I may not know exactly what I want to do, but I do know that I don't really want some fancy job. I just want to be an average guy."

"Nothing wrong with that," Lance stated. "I agree, but I want to play Quidditch more than anything."

"You'll be amazing in the pros," Bobby replied.

"And you've got a friend with contacts," Lily teased. "After all, Lorcan's a Quidditch player, and Lucy just joined up with the Holyhead Harpies."

"I might just play you on that," Lance joked.

* * *

"Now class, this is very important for you to practice when you have time," Professor Bell told the seventh years in class.

Lily was hardly paying attention. At the moment, she was focused on the paper in front of her, holding the list of seventh years willing to help with JB. They had the meeting the day before, and many seventh years had agreed to the idea, and signed up for classes they could help with. And to make it easier on their four "leaders," they decided to split up the work load of deciding who would help with what. At the moment, Lily was looking over a list for Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she also had Potions and Herbology to go through.

Lily sighed as she sat back and looked at Hugo, who sat next to her. "This sucks," she whispered under Professor Bell's notice.

Hugo was looking at a paper of his own. "Tell me about it. We have this, running the prefects, and not to mention setting up for Quidditch tryouts!" he hissed with a groan.

"Well, at least we don't have to replace many players on our teams. I only have two," Lily pointed out.

Hugo gave a nod. "I guess you've got a point. But still, this sucks. Plus, we have classes to attend."

"So would you please pay attention to this class you're attending, Mr. Weasley?" Professor Bell asked with a raised brow.

Both Lily and Hugo jumped, then straightened up when they saw Professor Bell staring at them. Hugo gave her a sheepish grin. "Sorry, Professor. But, I do know what we're talking about," he defended.

"Then please explain it," she retorted.

Hugo cleared his throat. "You were telling us that human transfigurations need to be practiced outside of class, but you need to be careful. After all, they can be dangerous. You don't want to make a mistake. And if you do, you might need help around to correct it."

Professor Bell shook her head and smiled. "Well, it was obviously in your own words, but that was the gist, yes. But please, listen to what I say."

Hugo gave her a salute. "You got it, Professor." When Professor Bell looked away, he gave Lily a sigh. "Now, what on human transfigurations are we discussing?"

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "At this rate, you might wanna sign up to study with JB during Transfiguration."

* * *

"So, I'm sucking hard at Defense Against the Dark Arts this last week. When is the JB meeting where we start?" Jace asked with a pleading voice.

Lily chuckled as she, Lola, and Jace walked through the halls. "Soon," she assured. "We've had our meeting with the first years to let them know what's up. Now, we just have to do some finishing touches on who will help with what year and class, and then put up the lists. Less than a week, for sure."

"Awesome," Jace said with a relieved sigh. "Because it's close to killing me."

"Why not ask one of us for help?" Lola pointed out. "I know Hugo's usually really good at it."

"Yeah, but he and Lil are both busy," he pointed out to her.

"Thanks for noticing," Lily replied with a grin.

"You don't think I could help you?" Lola asked teasingly.

Jace grinned. "Is it really a good idea for me to be shooting spells at my girlfriend?" he joked.

Lily laughed, but Lola smiled. "If she allows it. And if you need the help, then I don't mind. Besides, I know shield spells."

"If you're sure," Jace said as he threw an arm around her. "So, Hogsmeade trip, what do you wanna do?"

Lola shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it."

"When you do, let me know," Jace replied. He looked over at Lily. "What are your plans, Lil?"

"Haven't made any," Lily answered. "I might just stay here."

"Well why don't we all do something together?" Jace suggested. "Have the whole group together. Maybe go to the shack?"

Lily grinned. "Maybe, yeah. We'll see what happens."

"Shannon was talking about how Chris might come see her during the trip, so she might not come," Lola said.

"And Hugo said that he and Stacy might be hanging out. But he could always bring her with," Jace mentioned.

"That's just what that poor girl needs. A day dealing with all of us," Lola joked.

"We are crazy. All of us," Lily agreed. "But, I guess we'll just have to see what time brings us."


	96. Ready, or Not, We're Moving Forward

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, I got this one out faster than I'd expected. Another chapter or so and they'll be returning home for the holidays. I'll tell you know, most of this year will include drama concerning her friends, for Lily. I felt I needed one of those, get away from Lily's personal drama. Anyway, read enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Six: Ready, or Not, We're Move Forward

"I don't know what it is, but I kind of like patrolling at night now," Hugo commented as he and Lily walked along the empty corridors of the sixth floor.

"Perhaps because there's no longer a psycho roaming them?" Lily suggested.

Hugo chuckled. "Perhaps." He looked over at her. "Think JB is almost done?"

Lily nodded. "I would think. Wanna walk by?"

"Yeah, let's," Hugo agreed. So they both changed their course of direction, and made their way to the seventh floor. JB meetings had started up again just a few days ago, and so far, all had gone well. "So, Lil, what are you doing for Hogsmeade this month?"

"I dunno yet," Lily sighed. "Part of me wants to just stay at the castle and be really lazy. What about you?"

"I'll probably hang out with Stacy," Hugo replied. "I'm not sure if she has plans already, though."

"I'd bet she'd include you if she did," Lily assured.

"Yeah, but if she's hanging out with someone like McLaggen or Wilde, I'm not sure I want to be included," Hugo joked lightly as he scratched the back of his neck. "It's a little awkward now."

Lily raised a brow. "Is Wilde still hostile toward you?"

But he shook his head. "Not toward me, but to Stacy. She's been like that ever since people found out that Stacy and I were . . . together kind of. But, anyway, whenever Stacy and I are together around her, Paige gets defensive and hostile."

"Jealousy in its prime," Lily mentioned.

"I guess," Hugo agreed. "Hey . . . it's the guys."

Lily looked ahead to where Hugo was looking. Just in front of the doors to the Room of Requirement, Jace, Christian, Xavier, Hunter, and Monty all stood around. Jace had his hands shoved his pockets, a scowl on his face. The other guys seemed to be talking to him.

"Why are they here?" Lily questioned. "Today's meeting is for Arithmacy. None of them take it."

"Maybe Jace is waiting for Lola?" Hugo suggested. Then he raised his hand in a small wave. "Hey, guys, what's up?"

Hugo's greeting caught the attention of the five boys. Jace looked oddly livid, while the other four seemed really hesitant. Without warning or a word, Jace stormed over to Lily and Hugo, who had stopped walking after the sight of the boys' faces. Jace was quickly in Hugo's face, their height almost equal now. Jace was only slightly shorter.

With a fierce glare, Jace grabbed the collar of Hugo's shirt. "Stay the hell away from my girlfriend, Weasley!"

Hugo looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"You heard me!" Jace growled. "Stay away from Lola!"

Lily looked at them in surprise and confusion. "Jace, what are you talking about?"

But now Hugo was looking a little irritated. "Look, Jace, I don't know what your problem is, but Lola is my friend. I'm not going to avoid her because you've got a problem."

Before Lily could stop it, or before Hugo could blink, Jace reared back and slammed his fist into Hugo's face. Hugo ripped away from Jace's grasp, but instead of throwing his own punch, he just nursed the side of his face. Lily quickly stepped in-between them, while Xavier and Hunter were the first ones to push Jace away.

Jace moved away easily, but still glared. "Stay the hell away from Lola, Weasley! Got it?"

Hugo glared back. "Bite me," he muttered as Jace stormed into the JB meeting room, followed by Monty and Christian. Hugo looked at Hunter. "What the hell is his problem?"

Xavier ran a hand through his hair. "He just found out about the fact that you and Lola had sex."

Lily raised a brow. "That's what he's upset about? Something that happened over a year ago?"

"He's pretty pissed about it," Hunter replied.

"Merlin, they're so alike," Lily mumbled.

Hugo rubbed his thumb along his brow, which was sure to bruise. "I thought he knew already. Otherwise, I would have told him myself."

"Not a good idea," Xavier argued calmly. "Jace isn't mad that no one told him. He's angry that it happened at all."

Hugo looked at him skeptically. "He'd expected Lola to be a virgin? Had he ever been around the two of us while we dated?"

"I think he had more faith in Lola," Hunter retorted.

Hugo sighed. "Well, I guess I get it now. He's pissed, because he's afraid he'll have to compare."

"Exactly," Hunter agreed.

"You've got it," Xavier sighed.

Lily looked at the three of them in confusion. "What do you mean by compare?" she demanded.

"It's a standard fear for a guy like Jace," Xavier replied. "You know, you're a virgin, but your girlfriend isn't. Sometimes you start to think that you're going to suck in comparison. It's a lot to live up to for some guys."

Lily rolled her eyes. "A lot to live up to? Boys are idiots," she muttered as she moved past the boys. "I'll finish up patrols. Hugh, go ice your face."

* * *

Lily sighed as she watched Slytherins trying out for the open Beater position. It had been almost a week since Jace had punched Hugo, and things had gone downhill. Jace refused to be anywhere near Hugo since then, and Hugo had refused to get rid of, or hide, the bruise near his eye. Rumors had flown around about what had happened, only a few close to the truth. And even worse, Lola had found out about why Jace and Hugo had fought, and now she was mad at Jace. So those two sat near each other in a chilly silence, with Lily in the middle of them. And Hugo refused to sit at the Slytherin table, not wanting to make things worse with Jace.

Lance came and clapped Lily on the shoulder. She looked up at him, and began to wonder when he had become so much taller than her. But he was. Probably almost as tall as Scorpius. His black hair, which had been spiked as of late, was now matted around his forehead with sweat. Muscles wrapped leanly around his arms, keeping his build quick and thin.

"How's it going, Captain?" Lance asked her.

Lily sighed. "Sucky, but being back on the field makes everything better, even for a brief period."

"I know the feeling," Lance said with a chuckle. "Some Quidditch and some flying can make anything feel better." Then he sighed. "So, who's looking good to take Tanner's old spot?"

"Hard to tell at this point," Lily replied. "But I'm thinking that I'll look for someone in a younger year. That way when you take over as captain next year, you can have more time to train someone."

"So I'm going to be captain next year?" Lance inquired.

"I can't imagine anyone else being made captain but you," Lily retorted casually. "But it's not my decision."

"Hey, guys," Hugo greeted. His normal hat was pulled down over his hair, the small bill creating a shadow over the bruise around his brow. It only did a crappy job of hiding it.

"Hey, dude," Lance greeted. Then he sighed. "Well, I'm going to go shower, Captain. That cool?"

Lily nodded as she kept her eyes on the tryouts. "Yeah, no problem. Tell the others that have finished their tryouts to go ahead and shower too."

Hugo moved to stand closer once Lance left. "Things looking good, cuz?" he asked.

"Not too bad," she replied.

Hugo adjusted the hat on his head. "So, I didn't know you were planning to make the whole team tryout again," he commented.

"Just a formality, and to let the others get a workout in," Lily told him.

Hugo gave a nod. "So . . . how's Lola and Jace doing?"

Lily forced herself not to scowl. "Ask Lola yourself," she countered.

Hugo sighed heavily. "I don't want to make things worse."

"I'm not sure they can get worse at this rate," Lily argued. "And I don't want to be in the middle of this. I just want to stay out of it. Let them figure out their relationship, and let Jace get over his problem with you. No offense, cuz, but I really want to stay out of it."

Hugo rubbed the back of his neck. "I can understand that. But . . . I don't want to make it worse. I mean, before I knew what was wrong, I wasn't going to stop hanging out with Lola. But now that I know the problem, and now that the two of them are having problems too, I don't want to damage things even more."

"Lola and Jace are too much alike. Lola was mad at me for kissing Jace years ago, and she got over it. Jace will eventually get over it too," Lily assured.

"Yeah, you're right," Hugo agreed. "But I worry about Lola. I'd like to think that I know her well enough to know that, inside, she's not taking this well."

"You're right, trust me," Lily muttered. "And she's not helping the situation. Whenever Jace isn't around, she's complaining about him, and then will even occasionally compare him to you."

Hugo moved to sit on the grass. "I feel like I should talk to her . . . but I don't want to make it worse, as said before."

"Well, Huey, do what you think is best," Lily sighed. "Don't let anyone change your mind, and every other generic advice ever given."

Hugo gave a sound that was a mix of a scoff and laugh. "Gettin' lazy there with the original advice there, ain't ya, cuz?"

Lily shrugged. "I'm a model, not a guru."

* * *

"I've decided to not get involved with this one," Lily told Scorpius as she propped the mirror against her pillow, allowing her to look at his face in the mirror perfectly. She'd been telling him about the recent problems concerning Hugo, Lola, and Jace. Mainly how little involvement she wanted.

"That might be best," Scorpius agreed. "You can't solve everything, babe."

Lily rolled her eyes as she began to brush through her hair. "I know that, but that isn't my reason for keeping out."

Scorpius chuckled. "Then what is the reason?"

Lily sighed. "I'm tired. Really, really, tired. And all I want is _one_ year with little drama involved. I can handle small and normal things. Little tiffs here and there, fine. But big crap like this? No. I'm tired, and really just want to graduate, and continue with my life."

Scorpius smirked. "I see."

Lily sighed again as she put down her brush, and dropped onto her stomach, resting her head on her arms. "Does that make me a bad friend?" she whispered to him.

Scorpius closed his eyes, looking almost peaceful. But when he opened them, they were stormy as usual, but soft in their own way. "It makes you normal, Lily. After what you've been through in the last seven years, anyone else would be exhausted. It's understandable that you'd be tired. Take a year and relax. After all, it's your last year."

Lily lifted her head a little, and shifted her position, allowing her to rest her chin on her palm. "I guess you're right," she mumbled.

"A Malfoy is always right," Scorpius joked. "Never doubt it, love."

Lily smiled. "I've given up on doubting you."

* * *

"It's so irritating!" Lola complained as she and Lily walked toward the library. "I mean, he thought it was 'silly' when I was mad at you for not telling me about the kiss you two shared. Then he does this?"

Lily just brushed her bangs away from her eyes as she listened to her friend rant. It wasn't the first time she'd heard this complaint, and she was sure she'd hear it again.

"And, he's taking it worse than _I_ did! I mean, it's not like I ever hit you! But then he hauls off and hits Hugo! And for what? I mean, it's ridiculous! Because I had sex? I mean, _I_ had sex with Hugo. Why not be mad at me too? It wasn't like Hugo forced me! Trust me, it was a two-way street!" Lola raved.

Lily rubbed her temple and groaned under her breath. She really didn't want to hear too much more about this subject. Especially concerning her cousin.

"I mean, did he expect me to be a virgin forever? I had a very serious relationship with Hugo! Sex would of course be an option! He is such an ass!" Lola hissed. "Besides, what does he care? So, I'm not a virgin? Big deal!"

Lily sighed heavily. "Lola, chill out, please?"

"I mean, do you think Scorpius would freak out like that if you were in my situation?" Lola grumbled.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Scorpius would murder whoever the guy I'd slept with was. But luckily for you, Scorpius and Jace are two different guys."

"Well I got over him kissing you!" Lola argued. "And he can't get over my history? Even if I went a little further, I don't see why he couldn't get over it! I mean, does he really think I'm going to compare him to Hugo? It's nice to know that he's been thinking about sex this entire time!"

"I wasn't."

Both girls jumped and then swiftly turned around to see Jace and Xavier not far behind them, standing by the door to the boys' bathroom. Xavier looked hesitant as he stood by Jace. Jace looked as if his expression was made of stone. Lily bit her lip as she assessed her situation. She was standing between the two of them, one with a face of stone, the other with surprise and hesitance. Fantastic.

Lola obviously gulped in a breath of air. "Then why would you care about whether or not I slept with Hugo?" she demanded, although her voice was much softer.

Jace shoved his hands in his pockets. "I guess I just made the mistake of caring about you so much. But thanks for stomping on it again. Watching you and Hugo fifth year wasn't enough to kill it. Maybe this'll do it." Without another word, or even a change in expression, Jace turned on his heel, and began to walk away.

Lily glanced over at Lola. Her lip was trembling, but her eyes were still firm in their anger. Lily watched as her other best friend steeled herself. "I've gotta study," she mumbled. Then she too turned around, and headed for the library, leaving Lily and Xavier left standing there.

Lily ran a hand over her eyes. "One year. All I wanted was one year."

Xavier sighed heavily. "Well, I think I'm just going to go find Liz. See what she's up to, since Jace obviously doesn't feel like studying anymore."

"I'm going for a walk," Lily muttered.

* * *

It was late when Lily found herself finally walking back to the common room. She'd been walking around the castle and grounds for hours now, just wanting an hour of peace. Her only luck of the day was that she wasn't scheduled to tutor or watch over the JB meeting for the night.

When Lily stepped into the common room, she'd expected it to be empty. It was way past curfew, even for the older kids. But to her surprise, and yet not too surprising with her luck, Lily found just one person sitting alone in the common room. Jace, sitting on the couch, and staring into the low fire.

"What are you doing up, Jace?" Lily asked quietly as she walked over to the couch. "It's late. Go to bed."

"How long ago was it?" Jace asked in a whisper.

Lily glanced at the clock on the wall, and sighed. "I don't know. Hours."

Jace gave a stiff nod. "Sounds right. I've been sitting here since I came back here after that moment. My ass is kind of numb."

Lily scoffed as she sat down next to him. "Then why don't you get up?"

Jace shrugged. "My foot's been asleep for a while now."

Lily leaned back. "So, have you been beating yourself up since you sat down?"

"No, Lola did that for me. There's not much left to beat," Jace murmured.

"Jace, you're both just angry at each other. It's nothing new. It'll blow over," Lily replied.

Jace didn't say anything back. Instead they both just sat there in a long moment of silence. The fire was getting lower, leaving a dim glow around them, sending shadows around the rest of the room.

"Lil," Jace mumbled quietly into the silent air of the common room.

Lily looked at his somber face. "What is it?" she asked.

He turned to look at her, his handsome face holding a slightly sad expression. "Did you really forget about kissing me?"

Lily looked at him in surprise, and then felt worry roll in her gut. Was he upset that she forgot? She gulped. "Sort of," she admitted. "It was just so long ago. I'm surprised you remembered."

Jace chuckled dryly. "No one forgets their first kiss, Lil. I didn't . . . But I guess since it wasn't your first . . . I can understand that you forgot. Tons of guys were aiming to kiss you that year anyway. And still to this day."

"Jace," Lily protested lightly.

"But it's true," Jace sighed as he looked back to the fireplace. "I can name ten easily off the top of my head. And honestly, if I wasn't totally in love, I would too."

Lily looked at Jace in complete and utter shock. "Love?" she inquired.

Jace nodded. "Yeah. I love her, Lily. I never thought I would before, but I really do. With all my heart . . . and I know that she doesn't love me. At least not yet. And I want to take the next step with her. I want to be closer with her . . . but I don't want something to change, and for me to just be another boyfriend." He looked at her again, with a real pain in his eyes. "I'm scared, Lily. And I don't think that there's anything I can do to make it stop."

Lily reached forward and brushed some hair from his brow. "Jace, you have to fight fear. Otherwise . . . it'll eat away at you. Trust me. And Lola . . . she really cares about you. Just give her time to sort it out, ok?"

Jace moved over and leaned his head on her shoulder, so Lily gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "What if she changes her mind about me though? Like how she and Hugo suddenly changed? I'm not sure what I'd do if she changed her mind."

"Well no matter what, I'll still be here, Jace," she promised. "You're one of my best friends. I won't leave you hurting."

* * *

Lily knew it was morning, but she was way too tired. She wasn't sure how long she'd stayed up with Jace the previous night, but she was just glad that it was Sunday. He'd been so sad and hurt, Lily couldn't bring herself to leave. They stayed in the common room for hours, just sitting. He was hurting, and Lily hated that he was hurting. But he was right. It was all something that Lola would have to figure out herself. She held control of it all.

She heard the curtains of her bed being pulled around in a rush, so Lily opened her eyes and kept her head on her pillow. Megan was standing by her bed, a curious brow raised. "You were with Jace last night?" she questioned.

Lily sat up and yawned. "Yeah," she replied. "He wanted me to stay with him for a bit, so we just sat in the common room."

Megan sat on the edge of the bed. "Just sat there?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, why? . . . And how did you know that?"

"Because Lola saw you last night, and now she thinks that because of what happened between her and Jace, that he ran to you last night, and that he still has feelings for you," Megan answered.

Lily sat up straight and with alarm. "What?" she demanded.

Megan was the one nodding now. "Yeah. She thinks that Jace is still hung up on you, and that you two were pretty close last night."

Lily groaned as she dropped onto her back. "Dammit! Why must things always involve me? And why must they always be bad? Jace was upset because of what happened! That's why he wanted me to stay down there! He thought I could shed some light on a few things!"

"Well then you better find and tell Lola that, because she is internally freaking out," Megan told her.

Lily sighed as she quickly got up. "Where is she?" she asked as she began to grab an outfit to wear.

"Last I knew, she was off to the library to 'study' for N.E.W.T.s," Megan replied.

"Fuck my life," Lily mumbled as she made her way to the bathroom.

* * *

After Lily had showered and dressed, she'd practically ran to the library. But there was no sign of Lola anywhere. She asked a few Ravenclaw girls if they'd seen her. They could only tell Lily that Lola had left about ten minutes ago, but they had no idea where she'd gone. Lily left the library, thinking of places Lola might be, but was coming up blank. So she headed back to the common room. But just as she got to the dungeons, she heard a voice calling to her.

"Lily!" Lily turned to see Hugo hurrying toward her. Lily felt a bit of relief. Hugo. Maybe he would know where Lola was.

"Hey, Huey," Lily greeted. But just as she opened her mouth to ask if he'd seen Lola, he spoke.

"Are you insane!" Hugo yelled at her, surprising her.

Lily moved back a little. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"You spent the night with Jace?" Hugo hissed.

Lily rolled her eyes, and felt like banging her head against the wall. He _had_ seen Lola. "No!" Lily argued, but then hesitated. " . . . Well not like what you're thinking."

Hugo scowled. "Then what?"

"Look, Jace was really upset about what happened between him and Lola. So he wanted to talk about it, and he got even more upset, so he needed someone to stay and comfort him. So I did! I don't know what Lola thought she saw, but she was wrong! Jace didn't come running to me, and he's not hung up on me. He's in love with her! And he's admitted that!" Lily practically snapped.

Hugo seemed to relax, but his face was serious. "He loves her?"

"Yes. But he's afraid that she doesn't, and never will, love him back," Lily explained. "So I need to find Lola, and explain this to her. Now, have you seen her?"

Hugo adjusted his hat. "She's taking a bath in the prefects' bathroom. I gave her the password. I felt like she needed the time to relax. I know using the prefect bathroom is relaxing for me."

Lily ran a hand through her slightly messy hair. "Well . . . I guess I'll just wait in the common room for her."

"I'll send her your way," Hugo assured. "I'll lie and say that Izzy or someone is waiting for her."

Lily smiled. "Thanks, Huey. For doing that . . . and sticking up for Lola, even if it was a misunderstanding."

Hugo shrugged and grinned. "I still care about her, although in a different sense than Jace. She's . . . special to me in someways that I don't fully understand yet," he joked lightly. "Besides, I told her if she ever needed me, I'd be there. I won't back down from that."

"I'm glad to hear that, cuz. Really glad."

* * *

Lily paced around the dorm room, her body feeling tired, and her mind just the same. She was mainly tired of all the drama, but life would probably always be full of that. But all at one time? Too much.

When the door finally opened, Lily turned to see Lola step in. Lola looked at her, at first with a terrified look, but then with one of hurt. "He lied," she mumbled.

Lily sighed. "I asked Hugo to get you here, because we need to talk about last night."

Lola wrapped her arms around herself and leaned against the door, her eyes downcast. "What about it?"

Lily sat on the foot of her bed. "Nothing happened between me and Jace last night. But he is upset about what happened between the two of you. He's afraid that you're going to break up with him."

"Well tell him that I'm not," Lola replied, finally looking at her.

"You need to tell him that," Lily argued. "This is your relationship. And Jace loves you, Lola. _Loves_ you. And he doesn't want to just be another boyfriend. But he thinks that you'll break up with him."

Lola slid down so that she was sitting on the floor. "Truth is . . . I know he loves me," she whispered. "He's never said it . . . but I've just somehow known it. But I've never known how to react to it."

Lily felt a pang of pity for her friends, but she knew that there was little she could do to help. "Lola, you need to figure out how you feel. This whole thing is up to you. Jace's feelings are on the table. You need to sort out yours, and put them there too. Then you and Jace really need to talk. You're both internally going crazy, and only the two of you can solve it."

Lola buried her face into her hands. "I don't know what to do, Lily," she admitted.

Lily sighed. "Honestly, Lola, I don't know what you should do either. But, if you just think about it, I'm sure the answer will come to your heart."

* * *

A place of solitude. That was all Lily wanted. A place where she could sit and not be bothered. A place where drama could be avoided. And the library seemed perfect for that. Madam Pince kept it quiet, so drama was very rare for the library. At least public drama was.

When Lily stood at the door to the library, she looked around, wondering where she would sit. Hopefully, a table alone. Her eyes found Megan and Hunter sitting together at a table, which made her hesitant. Megan and Hunter? After what happened the first day back? And Lily's thoughts were right, because not a minute after she noticed them, Megan stood up, smacked Hunter on the head with her book, and then stormed away toward the shelves. Shaking her head, Lily walked over toward Hunter.

Hunter was rubbing the back of his head when he noticed Lily. He grinned a bit sheepishly. "Hey, Lil. Studying?"

Lily sat down and placed her textbook in front of her. "Hunter, what are you doing? What is it that's making Megan beat the crap out of you?"

Hunter just waved it off. "Nothing," he whispered. "She's just being sensitive and a baby about something. I'm just trying to get her to agree to something."

Lily raised a brow as she flipped her book open to a random page. "Agree to what?"

"A date," he replied as he flipped the page of his own book.

Lily felt her shoulders slump in disbelief. "A date? That's why she's beating the crap out of you?" Surely not. Lily had seen Megan reject a boy before, and it was never violent. Maybe a bit rude, but she never punched one. Was it because Hunter was apparently being persistent?

Hunter chuckled. "Partly. There's a bit more to it, but it's private, Lil. If Megan wants you to know, she'll tell you. Promise." Then he looked over at her. "So, how's it between Jace and Lola?"

Lily sighed as she ran her finger over the edge of the table. "Terrible and rocky at the moment. It's all up to Lola to decide how she feels now."

"So she knows that Jace loves her?" Hunter asked.

Lily shrugged. "Apparently, she's known for a while how he felt. Not that he said it, she just knew. But either way, the Quaffle's in her hands now."

"I feel bad for those two. Too much drama in their relationship," Hunter said sympathetically.

Lily scoffed. "Coming from the guy that's getting beat up by the girl he wants to date?"

Hunter grinned. "Hey, not everyone has a relationship that has as little flaws as yours does."

Lily rolled her eyes. "There are plenty of flaws between Scorpius and I. We're just better at not being so obvious and public about them."

"Apparently, because I've never seen a major problem between the two of you," Hunter replied. "Compared to everyone else? Tons of drama and crap. Xavier's heartbreak over Manny, Hugo and Stacy, Lola and Jace, Lana and Dante, and Megan . . . hitting me whenever I ask her out."

She didn't know why, but Lily didn't like how Hunter hesitated when he started to bring up Megan's supposed drama with relationships. It was obvious from the start that something more was up. But now . . . it seemed worse to Lily. But she knew Megan wouldn't say anything. She'd just dismiss it or avoid it. But . . . what was up?

* * *

"Are you sure you don't wanna hang out or anything, Lil?" Hugo asked as he, Lily, and Stacy stood by the doors to the Great Hall. It was the day of the first trip to Hogsmeade, and Lily was opting out, and staying at the castle. Apparently, everyone else was going. Shannon had a date with Chris, while Megan and Izzy were dragging Lola out with them. And the guys were taking Jace as well, forcing him to "have fun" as Christian put it.

With a sigh, Lily nodded. "I'm sure," she replied. "I just want to relax and not worry about a thing today." She ran a hand through her hair. "And if I go to Hogsmeade . . ."

"Then you might run into the girls, or the guys, and have to listen to drama that makes you worry," Hugo finished. "Understandable."

"If you change your mind, you can always come find us," Stacy assured her.

Lily smiled at her. "Thanks. But if possible, I might just go ahead and sleep the whole day away." As she walked by him, she gave her cousin's arm a reassuring squeeze. "See you later."

She made her way back down to the dungeons, and headed toward the common room. Maybe she'd play around and make another potion, or something. Or, maybe she really would sleep the day away. It didn't sound like a bad idea at the moment. When she entered the common room, it was practically empty, since most kids were at Hogsmeade, and the first and seconds years were enjoying the nice weather outside.

"Hey, Lil," Liz West greeted from a table near the stairs. Not seeing any harm in doing so, Lily walked over and sat with her.

"Hey, Liz. You're not hanging out with your friends in town today?" Lily inquired.

Liz shook her head as she closed the magazine she'd been flipping through. "No. Courtney and Lance have a date, and Xavier said he was hanging out with the guys today. I decided to stay here today."

Lily gave a nod of understanding. "So, if you don't mind my asking, what are you and Xavier now? Just friends, or what?"

Liz sighed as she seemed to think about it. "Well . . . I guess you could say that we're at a stage of benefits right now."

Lily laughed lightly. She liked how Liz was very straight and honest about things. "How so?"

Liz shrugged. "Well, I really like Xavier. And I know he likes me. But we have yet to reach a point where we want to begin officially dating, to avoid the annoying questions of friends and such. But, if another guy asks me out, then I could always say I'm already hanging out with Xavier that day. When I say that we aren't dating, rumors are avoided. Hence the benefit."

Lily raised a brow. "That's the only benefit the two of you get? Less questions?"

"Well that, and the occasional snog," Liz replied honestly. "But it's not as often as some would assume. We talk a lot more than anything. I like talking with Xavier. He's interesting."

Lily grinned. "Yeah, he can be."

Then Liz looked at her, and rested her chin on her fist. "So, what was it like dating Xavier for you?"

Lily thought about it, then shrugged. "Nothing special, really. I mean, we were thirteen. We were just like really good friends that kissed."

Liz gave a nod. "That's pretty much what Xavier said when I asked him."

"You two talk about your relationships?" Lily asked.

"Kind of, but I was a little more curious about the two of you, since I knew how his and Manny's ended," Liz told her.

"Why be curious about ours?" Lily questioned.

Liz grinned. "Lil, when a girl dates a guy who has dated or kissed you in his past, she's curious."

Lily rolled her eyes. "What is so special about me?" she demanded, knowing that Liz would actually answer.

"Well, ever since I can remember, you've always been exceptionally pretty. Beautiful in your own way really," Liz replied. "And, you've always been able to have fun, and be casual no matter who you were with. Boys or girls. And you've been revered by boys for years now. Since I'm not a boy, I can't completely explain why you're seen that way, but you are."

Lily sighed. "So why are girls curious about me when they date a boy I've kissed or dated?"

"It would be a miracle if a boy were to ever break up with you, Lily," Liz retorted. "So, a girl always knows that a relationship ended because you broke it off. Some girls wonder if they're really over you. Me, I wondered because I was curious as to how good of friends you two are. How high he holds you in regard."

Lily raised a brow. "What did you find out by his answer?"

Liz smiled. "He sees you as his best girl friend. He'd do anything for you, because he knows that you'd do anything for him. In that sense and way, he loves you."

* * *

It wasn't until September was finally coming to an end and fall was beginning to show that things seemed to get a little better on the "relationship drama" end.

"I know what I want to tell Jace!" Lola squealed as she burst into the dorm room. Megan was close to asleep from boredom, Shannon was brushing her hair, while Lily and Izzy were flipping through an issue of _Witch Weekly_ together.

Izzy raised a curious brow. "What are you going to tell him?"

Lola closed the door, and sat on the end of Lily's bed. "Well, I've been thinking a lot lately about me and him."

"A lot? It's been forever," Megan grumbled.

"And," Lola said, obviously ignoring her, "I've come to the conclusion that . . . I think I love him too."

"Aw! That's great, Lola!" Shannon gushed.

"He'll be happy to hear that," Izzy said with a smile.

"Woah! Wait," Lily stopped them. She looked at her best friend. "You think?"

"Well it's better than nothing," Lola pointed out. "And, I really think I do. I'm just not totally sure yet."

Lily shrugged. "I guess that's true. He'd be happy to hear at least something."

"But what about his fight with Hugo?" Izzy asked.

"I'm going to tell him that if he wants to be with me, than he has to get used to Hugo being one of my best friends," Lola said firmly. "Hugo is important to me, and Jace will have to deal with that. I won't sacrifice my friendship with Hugo."

"Good for you," Shannon said with a smile.

"It took you practically a month to come up with that?" Megan mocked lightly.

Lola threw a pillow at Megan and laughed. "Bite me!"

Lily looked over at Megan. "So, Megan, what's this I hear about Hunter wanting to go out with you?"

While the other girls squealed with excitement and surprise, Megan only rolled her eyes. "That idiot told you?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Just that he's been asking you out, and you keep saying no."

"Pretty much," Megan replied dryly.

"Well why not go out with him?" Shannon asked. "Hunter's really not a bad boyfriend, speaking from experience."

"Because I don't really want a boyfriend," Megan sighed. "I'm not up for a relationship."

"But didn't you hook up with a Hufflepuff boy during the Hogsmeade visit?" Izzy pointed out.

Megan rolled her eyes again. "There's a difference between casual sex and a relationship."

"Well why not suggest that to Hunter?" Lily inquired.

"Because he wants a relationship," Megan told them.

Lily raised a brow. "You really think Hunter would be against the two of you just having sex?"

Megan nodded. "Yeah, eventually, he'd want more. Trust me on that."

"You should give him a chance," Izzy said. "I mean, Hunter's a great guy."

"Not risking it," Megan stated firmly. "No matter what you say, I'm not giving him a chance. I do not want a boyfriend. There's no point in it for me."

Lily didn't say anything else, but something about the way Megan acted . . . seemed off. It was . . . changing. She normally didn't care if she ended up in a relationship. She didn't care with Logan. So . . . was it Hunter?

* * *

Lily walked out of the Quidditch locker room to see the Gryffindor team entering the pitch. The Slytherin team had just finished practice themselves, and now Lily really wanted to just relax in the prefect bathroom.

"Hey, Lil!" Hugo called as he jogged over to her.

Lily gave a dismissing wave to the rest of the Slytherin team. "Go on ahead, guys. I'll catch up."

"Kay. Later Captain," Rachel Derrick, their new Keeper, said with an excited smile.

Hugo came to her just as her team stepped off the pitch. "Hey, so Jace actually came to talk to me yesterday."

Lily raised a brow. "It took that long?" Lola had finally told Jace about her feelings over a week ago, and he was just now apologizing to Hugo?

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. He came up, apologized for hitting me, to which I said I understood. Then he asked for some advice."

"What about?" Lily asked as she walked with Hugo as he made his way to the locker rooms.

"Well," Hugo said as they stopped by the door, "he wanted to know a few more things about what Lola finds romantic. Things like that."

"What' s he up to?" Lily asked hesitantly.

Hugo scratched at his neck. "Well, he didn't for sure say . . . but he may be thinking about bumping their relationship up to the next level. Possibly."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course. And you would know just how to do that."

Hugo laughed. "Not in the way he's wanting to do it. He wants it to be like a thirteen-year-old girl's dream. Totally romantic, perfect, and blah, blah, blah. I just admitted that between me and Lola, it just happened. And we liked it that way. But, I also understand how he'd want it to be perfect. After all, he's got some competition."

Lily laughed. "From you?"

Hugo grinned. "Not just me. But from Scorpius, and Chris Summerby, and all the other stories she's heard from friends."

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

Now Hugo chuckled. "Ok, so it's a guy thing. But we like being the best. So, when we know that our girlfriend hears about all her other friends' stories, we want to be better than those. So we are always trying to top them. And he knows that Lola has heard about you and Scor, and Shay and Chris, and others. He's gotta compete." Hugo held up a hand just as Lily began to open her. "I know it's stupid, but it's in our genes. We can't help it."

Lily shook her head. "So, that's how guys compete against other guys?"

Hugo nodded. "Yup. Boyfriends compete against ex-boyfriends, and other girls' boyfriends."

Lily scoffed. "I'm sure Scorpius knew he didn't have to worry about competing with Lysander."

But Hugo raised an amused brow. "Really? You should ask him that. Because I bet you three galleons that he did." Then with a small salute, he stepped into the locker room, leaving Lily to just shake her head at the stupidity of men.

* * *

Lily and the other girls sat in the common room together, all studying for N.E.W.T. exams. Personally, Lily found it boring, but Lola had tricked her into it by pretending to need help, and now she was stuck.

"Total waste of a Sunday," Lily mumbled.

"Amen to that," Megan agreed.

"Quit pouting," Lola retorted. "What else would you be doing?"

"Anything," Lily replied.

"A guy," Megan said with a grin.

"You're hopeless, both of you," Izzy said as she grabbed the Herbology book from the table.

Lily sighed as she leaned back in her seat. She was so bored! . . . But then she heard a song. One she'd never heard before, but was sung by a voice she'd known all her life. Lily turned to look at the table of kids listening to the song. "Hey, turn that up?"

Alex Branson, a first year, turned it up as his eyes skimmed his book. Lily felt a wave of happiness at the song's vocalist.

"Who is this?" Lola asked. "I think I know the band."

"It does sound familiar," Izzy agreed.

"The band's called Magic Unknown," another kid at the table said.

"It's Dominique," Lily told them. "That's her voice." The girls became silent for a moment as they all listened to the song.

"Merlin, it is!" Lola gasped.

"I didn't think they were popular enough to reach back here," Shannon mentioned. "At least not yet."

"Maybe they've come back?" Izzy suggested.

But Lily shook her head. "No, I have faith that Dom would have at least let me know if she'd come back."

"They're sounding pretty good though," Megan complimented. "A lot better than when they started. And at least they finally settled on a name for their band."

"I wonder if they'll come back at all? Even for a simple concert or tour?" Lola wondered absently as she turned back to the books in front of her.

But Lily kept her mind on the song, and wondered that too.

* * *

Lily found days moving faster and faster for her. She fell into a simple and normal pattern for herself. She went to classes, taught potions, helped with JB in some way, patrolled as Head Girl, and had Quidditch practices. Besides that, she was sometimes dealing with drama within her group of friends. She'd caught Megan hitting Hunter multiple times, and didn't bother to give her detentions anymore. At this point, something was seriously up with Megan, and Hunter was seriously asking for it. And Lola and Jace were still a little shaky, but somehow on an equal level of understanding. And because of Hugo, Lily found herself hanging out with Stacy much more, even when Hugo wasn't around.

"I heard that our Hogsmeade trip this month will be on Halloween," Stacy mentioned as she and Lily sat in the Quidditch stands, watching the Gryffindor team practice.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, Professor Brown told me. He thought it'd be nice for the older kids to go out, have fun, and then come back for a big feast."

"It is a nice idea," Stacy agreed. Then she sighed. "Lily, can I ask you a question?"

Lily nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

"It might be a bit awkward, since I'm kind of dating your cousin," Stacy warned.

Lily played with her ponytail. Of course Stacy would ask her. "It's fine. Ask away."

Stacy took in a breath. "Well, has Hugo told you anything about me and him?"

"Just that he's very serious about you, and that he's very serious about moving at the pace you want. He doesn't want to rush, or make you feel uncomfortable," Lily replied.

"Yeah, and he's told me that . . . and so I was wondering . . ." Stacy trailed off, and by the look on her face, Lily would guess that it was from embarrassment.

Lily nudged the girl's shoulder. "What's up, Stacy?"

Stacy's cheeks turned pink as she looked at Lily. "Well, how do you tell a guy like Hugo that . . . that you want to move a bit faster?"

Lily raised a brow. "Faster?"

Stacy began playing with her own hair. "Yeah, faster. I mean . . . we haven't even kissed yet . . . and I want to. I don't want him to think that he has to move slower than he wants just because of what happened to me. I know Hugo's different from Andrew was. I'm not afraid that Hugo will change too. So I don't want him to feel like he has to move slow for me."

Lily looked back to the pitch, and found her cousin hovering near the goals, waiting for a shot attempt. "Well, then why not tell him that?"

Stacy looked over at her. "Tell him what?"

"Just what you told me. Let him know that he doesn't need to move slow, and that you're not afraid, or fragile. Just be honest," Lily told her. "Hugo's a straightforward guy. Just tell him."

"You think I should?" Stacy murmured.

Lily grinned jokingly. "That or just kiss him," she joked. "He might get the message then."

Stacy laughed lightly as she too turned to look at Hugo. "Yeah, maybe."

* * *

"So, I thought Chris would have come out to see you, Shay," Izzy commented as the girls, minus Lola, walked through the streets of Hogsmeade. It was Halloween today, which wasn't really Lily's favorite day. Perhaps of because of a certain birthday that fell on this date. It was funny, Lily mused, how one day could go from a favorite day, to one that you dreaded.

"He would have, but he had some family function he had to go to today," Shannon sighed.

"Probably boozing it up at a Halloween party," Megan countered.

Shannon rolled her eyes, and didn't comment back. Over the past few months, the girls had grown used to Megan's increasingly snippy attitude. They had taken to letting it go when she said something like that, and were now just waiting for Megan to tell them what was wrong. "But, he said he'll be out on the next one, hopefully."

Izzy looked at Lily. "Do you think Scorpius will ever be able to make it to a Hogsmeade visit?"

Lily shook her head. "No. He's always training. And now that they're in their final year, they do a lot of mission simulations. Teamwork tests and so on," she told them. "He gets home a little earlier though, now."

"Wouldn't the simulations take longer, though?" Megan asked.

"Depends on the person or team. Generally, once the team or person is finished, they're allowed to go, even if they get done early, or late. They just can't go until it's done," Lily explained it the same way Scorpius had explained. They kept it to the basics.

"Oh, well that sucks," Izzy said sympathetically.

Lily shrugged. "I've come to accept it. Besides, a little after the school year ends, and he'll be done."

"You know," Megan spoke in a tone that was soft . . . at least for Megan that is, "I almost . . . don't want our time at school to end this year. I kind of wish we could stay for another year."

Shannon raised a brow. "I don't think I've ever heard you say something so sentimental."

Megan sighed. "Well, it's true. I like Hogwarts. I feel better here . . . almost a little free, despite the rules and crap."

"Does this tone have something to do with whatever's been up with you lately?" Izzy inquired.

Megan seemed to ignore her question. "I mean, are you guys really that excited to leave?"

Lily didn't press Megan like Shannon and Izzy obviously wanted to do. "I guess I can understand that, and agree a little. As much as I'd love to be out of school and continue my life, be with Scorpius more often . . . I would miss this place dearly. It holds seven years of my life."

Shannon twirled a piece of her hair around her finger. "It does sound sad. Hard to think that we've only been here seven years. It seems like a lifetime."

"Only months left," Izzy agreed.

"I wish it was years," Megan mumbled.

Shannon stopped, and placed a hand on Megan's shoulder, stopping her as well. Lily and Izzy stopped walking, watching with curiosity. "Megan," Shannon spoke, "the five of us girls have been through a lot together. Seven years worth of life, problems, and memories. So, why now, won't you tell us what's wrong? And don't try to play like nothing's wrong. We know something's up."

Megan looked to be thinking about it, like debating the pros and cons in her head. But then she looked away from the three girls, and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "It's nothing big . . . at least not to me. I just . . . don't want to leave Hogwarts yet. I'm not ready to."

Lily stepped a little closer. "Megan, I don't think any of us are really ready. But we'll have to anyway, and we're going to have to face whatever life wants to throw at us."

"Yeah, but I know what life will throw at me, and I'm not ready for it," Megan mumbled.

Lily looked at her curiously. So . . . Megan was dreading something that she _knew_ was going to happen? But what could it be? "What's going to happen after school?" Izzy asked.

Megan shook her head. "Nothing."

Shannon sighed. "Come on, Megan. You're always dragging things out of us, let us do the same. Tell us."

"Hunter drags it out of me enough. I don't need someone else doing it too," Megan argued. Then she ran a hand through her dark hair. "Let's stop in and get a butterbeer." Without another word, she moved away from the girls, and stepped into The Three Broomsticks.

The other three looked at each other. "You think that's why she's been beating up on Hunter so much lately?" Izzy wondered.

"Has to be," Shannon replied. "But . . . if he's been asking her out, why would he bring it up? Whatever it is."

"I'm curious as to how he knows," Lily mentioned. "Because he obviously does. And, how does it relate to him asking her out?"

"Bad part is . . . I don't think Hunter will tell us if we ask," Shannon mumbled.

"I know he won't," Lily retorted. "Hunter's pretty good at keeping secrets. He won't say anything."

"But then how do we get Megan to talk?" Izzy questioned.

Lily shrugged as she headed for the door to The Three Broomsticks. "For now, we just wait for her to crack, and tell us."


	97. Life in the Future, Together

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry for the wait. I wanted to fit the whole of Christmas break into the one chapter. It got long without my noticing. But, a few surprising actions and news, some drama, and of course awkward moments with siblings. Sorry for any mistakes in there. I hope you all read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Seven: Life in the Future, Together

"Look, at this point in the match, I really want to get this over with," Lily yelled to her team over the raging storm that was whirling around them. November had come, and the day of the first Quidditch match brought horrible weather with it. It was making the game difficult. They could hardly see where they were going, or where the Chasers were throwing the Quaffle. It was hard to see or hear Bludgers coming. Slytherins had already lost a good and dangerous portion of their team. They lost Courtney, leaving their only Beater to be Riley Vaisey, the new one. He was nowhere near as good as Courtney. And they had lost two of their Chasers! That left only Lance to be their offense. Thankfully, Rachel was still up to defending the goals. And the Gryffindors had lost some players too. Both Beaters, and a Chaser. It didn't make the teams even, but it was better than nothing, Lily thought.

"I'm catching the Snitch as soon as I see it," Lily told them. A timeout had been called by Gryffindor, giving Lily time to update her team.

"But, Lil, we're still tied!" Lance replied. His hair was blown everywhere, a pair of goggles protecting his eyes.

"I don't care!" Lily retorted. "We're losing people fast! Before we lose anyone else, I want to win. Even if it is by a small margin!"

"But we can handle this, Lily!" Rachel argued. "Really!"

"Look, here's the plan. Riley, along with hitting the Bludgers, I want you to protect Lance. Stick by him, and make sure that when he has the Quaffle, no one steals if from him. Rachel, I want you to stick to the middle goal more often. Luck's on our side, and the wind is against them. That'll slow them down a little, and they can hardly see where they throw it anyway. And Lance, don't do anything fancy. Just get the Quaffle, and run it straight through. Got it?" Lily explained.

"Got it, Captain!" Lance assured.

"No problem, Lily!" Rachel agreed.

"Ok!" Riley said back.

Lily sighed, it going unheard in the howling wind. "Then let's get out there!" she told them.

When the whistle rang out faintly in the storm, Lily began to pick up her speed as she made her way in circles around the pitch. She mainly kept her search toward the Gryffindor goals. With all the wind blowing that way, she was sure the Snitch couldn't push its way toward the other end. Lily was starting to get exhausted. She was freezing, her muscles hurt, and her skin was burning from the air.

"And it looks like Gryffindor makes another goal!" Barnes announced, his voice somehow carrying through the storm. "This is one heck of a storm, people!"

Lily groaned as another chill went through her from the wind. Yeah, it was a storm, all right. She was starting to forget why she'd argued with Madam Hooch earlier about cancelling the game. It had been an option, but both teams had argued that they could play just fine. How wrong they were.

"I don't think this game can end! I'm not sure the Seekers will even be able to see the Snitch!" Barnes commented. Lily was starting to fear that he would be right about that. But Lily knew that she had to catch it. This was her last match against Gryffindor, and she refused to lose it now. Her winning streak was reaching seven years, and she wanted to keep it that way. This was one thing even her father wasn't able to do in the end, and she wanted to be the one to do it now.

"And that's another ten points for Slytherin! Higgs may be the only Chaser left for his team, but he hasn't let that slow him down," Barnes cheered. Lily began to fly lower. The Snitch had to be down low. She couldn't find it anywhere else. It had to be down here! "Oh! And it looks like McLaggen's losing control of her broom. It's some nasty wind today!"

Although it wasn't a great thing, Lily couldn't help but feel a bit relieved to hear that McLaggen was having problems too. At least it wasn't just her. But then the wind began to beat even harder on her too, making her thankful she wasn't so far in the air. But then a strong gust blew into her, and knocked her from her broom completely. Lily dropped to the grass with a "thud" and rolled a little until her body was able to stop. Her broom landed not too far away from her. She was now really glad that she wasn't too far into the air.

Lily groaned. She was kind of aching after that fall, even though it wasn't a big one. She was even colder now, her skin stinging. And it felt like there was a stick under her back. Whatever it was, she landed on something uncomfortable when she rolled. But then . . . she felt that thing under her move slightly. Almost like it was struggling. Lily hissed as she moved her hand to reach under her back, and searched for whatever it was she'd landed on. Her hand touched something icy cold. So cold that it initially made her flinch, until something feathery touched her palm. Lily reached further and grabbed it completely. When she pulled her hand out in front of her to see what it was. She almost dropped it.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Lily mumbled in disbelief. The Snitch rested in her hand. The metal was cold, and the wings were beating uselessly against her fingers.

A whistle blew, and not far from her. Lily turned her head to see Madam Hooch not far above her. "Slytherin wins! Potter has caught the Snitch!" she announced, her voice somehow booming above the storm. Her voice had to be enhanced.

Lily rested her head on the cold and wet grass. She'd won. She was sore, cold, and tired, but she'd won. And best of all, the match was finally over, and they could all shower and warm up.

A hand appeared in front of her face, and after Lily blinked a few times, she could then see Hugo above her as well. He was grinning at her. "Good game, cuz. The win was deserved."

Lily grinned as she took his hand. "No matter who won, it was well deserved."

Hugo pulled her up to her feet. "What a game, what a day," he mumbled.

"Now, I just want to get inside and be warm," Lily laughed as she picked up her broom.

Hugo laughed. "Yeah, but I'd bet us players all have some nasty colds tomorrow."

* * *

"It's almost December. You staying here for the holidays, Hagrid?" Lily inquired. She was sitting on the fence around the back of his hut, which was keeping in a slightly injured hippogriff at the moment. She'd been bored, and decided to pay her father's old friend a visit.

"O' course," Hagrid replied gruffly as he lifted a heavy bucket up, and moved it past the gate. "I gotta take care o' these creatures, ya know."

Lily nodded. "Good point."

"What are yer plans for the holidays?" Hagrid asked as he threw a ferret to the hippogriff.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Go home, spend time with family, maybe work a little too," Lily told him.

"What 'bout that boyfriend 'o yers? Ya gunna see Scorpius any?" Hagrid inquired as he came to stand by her.

Lily smiled at the thought of spending time with Scorpius again. "Yeah. A little after I go back, he should get a break from training again. It won't be as much time as I'd like, but I'll live."

Hagrid smiled fondly. "Ya know, I keep forgettin' how old you kids are gettin' these days. Seems like only yesterday that I was teachin' yer father in his third year. Now he's grown, and you ain't a baby no more."

Lily sighed. "I know. I can remember when I thought that the fight between me and my brothers was just a simple tiff about Houses. Hell, I can remember back when all I wanted was to be a Gryffindor like Teddy. Time just flew by and changed just about everything," she said with a small laugh.

"I wonder if I'll be here for yer kids when they come on through here," Hagrid said thoughtfully.

Lily smiled. "You're young, Hagrid! Of course you will."

Hagrid laughed, and patted her on the knee, which almost rocked her hard enough to make her fall off the fence. "Young, huh? That's sumthin' I ain't heard in a while 'bout me!" he said as he continued to laugh.

Lily laughed a little too. "I'll have to come by here more often. I've just been so busy that I've never had time. I'll have to start making it with what little I have left at Hogwarts."

* * *

"Man, it's not even December yet, and it's starting to snow!" Lola complained as they walked back to the castle.

"At least it's not a blizzard," Jace replied. "It's just light and fluffy now."

"I can't wait for December," Hugo sighed. "Because once it comes by, then Lil will see Scor again, and we won't have to deal with her subtle pouting and longing."

Lily elbowed her cousin. "Bite me. I am not pouting."

"Face it, cuz. Once it starts getting closer and closer to break, you start getting antsy, tense, and pouty," Hugo joked.

"You would too if you were in my position," Lily argued. "But luckily for you, you and Stacy are the same age. You aren't two years apart."

"True, I guess," Hugo relented. "But still, I can't wait for break to come by. Take a break from all this test stress."

"It has been rough," Jace agreed as they stepped into the castle.

"At this rate, I just can't wait to go home for break," Lola sighed. "I mean, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this is our last year at Hogwarts."

"It does seem weird to think about, let alone believe," Hugo mentioned.

"Only so many months left," Lily commented.

"And then we're outta here, and on our own," Jace said.

"Well not completely on our own," Lola argued calmly. "We have each other, and the others. So, not completely alone."

"Point taken," Jace replied.

"What are your plans for Christmas, Jay?" Hugo asked.

"Well, I'm going to go and stay with my uncle for a few days of break," Jace told them. "Nothing much, besides that. Just the usual."

"Where's your uncle live?" Lily inquired.

"Greece. I've been there a few times before. It's really pretty cool, with awesome food," Jace said with a laugh.

"I didn't know you were going all the way out there," Lola commented. "How long will you be gone for?"

Jace shrugged. "I dunno. At least two days, but I can stay however long I want to, really."

"All the way in Greece?" Lola asked.

Jace nodded. "Yeah, why?"

But Lola just turned and shrugged. "Just curious."

A weird tension set around the four of them, and Lily and Hugo immediately began to slightly separate themselves from the couple, walking a little further away. Jace looked over at his girlfriend, curiously. "Well . . . are you upset about that?"

"No," Lola said quickly. "I was just curious. When you said you were going to your uncle's, I didn't know that was a completely different country."

Jace's brow furrowed in slight confusion on what to do. "Oh . . . Well, did you wanna come with me? I'm sure my uncle wouldn't care."

Lola looked at him in surprise, and Lily and Hugo looked at each other curiously, before looking back at their friends to see it play out. "What? Go with you?"

Jace nodded. "Yeah. It'll just be me anyway, and my uncle will still have to work part of the time. You could come, and I could show you around. It'd be fun. A lot more fun than just hanging out by myself."

A small blush came over Lola's cheeks. "I don't think my parents would go for that."

Jace simply shrugged. "Well, the offer's open. If you work it out so that you can go, just let me know."

* * *

"I really want to go!" Lola groaned later that night. The girls were all doing various routines as they got ready for bed. Lily sat brushing her hair, Megan was choosing a pair of shorts for the night, Shannon was just coming out of the bathroom after showering, and Izzy was clearing the books off her bed.

"Then just lie to your parents, and go," Megan told her. "How would they find out?"

"What would I tell them?" Lola questioned.

"Tell them that you're staying at Lily's," Shannon told her as she dried her hair. "I mean, they obviously love Lily, but they don't talk to her parents, like they talk to mine or Megan's."

"You could just say you're staying with me too," Izzy suggested. "Our parents don't even know each other."

Lola bit her lip. Then she looked at Lily. "Lil, if you were in this position, what would you do?"

"Didn't she go to one of the Malfoy summer houses by herself once?" Megan pointed out.

"Yeah, but Scorpius's parents and grandparents went, and we weren't dating then," Lily retorted. Then she looked at Lola. "And as to what I would do . . . I would probably tell my parents, and at this stage, they'd probably be ok with it."

"But if you had parents like mine?" Lola asked.

"I'd lie my ass off, and go," Lily said honestly.

"So, you think I should just go?" Lola wondered.

"I'm just telling you what I would do," Lily countered. "You have to decide what you want to do."

"But it all comes down to should I do what's right, or should I be selfish and dishonest," Lola groaned.

Lily sighed. "Well . . . it is a tough choice. And although it sounds selfish, you should do what you think is best for you. Whether you think it would be a better benefit for you to be honest, or for you to take a chance and sneak out on this trip. Think about it, and then make a choice."

* * *

"This will be on our N.E.W.T. exams, so I suggest that you try hard at it," Professor Longbottom told the class. "Now, get to work."

Lily sighed as she picked up the pot that she was given, and began to fill it with the needed soils.

"So, what the hell are we doing?" Jace asked as the plant they were supposed to be repotting, grabbed and wrapped around his arm.

"We're moving them to another pot," Lily told him.

"Just follow what Professor Longbottom did," Lola instructed.

Jace started to try and pry the stems away from his arm. "And if I wasn't listening?"

Lola rolled her eyes, but smile. "Then I'll help you." So she began to instruct him on what to do as he pulled the plant off his arm.

"What an idiot," Megan muttered as she easily moved the plant into a different pot. Lily was always surprised at how great Megan was at Herbology without trying.

"I'm with Jace. This damn thing is deadly," Christian mumbled as a leaf from the plant snapped at his finger. "How do you tame this thing?"

"Well it certainly isn't by flicking it," Xavier groaned as he nursed his bitten finger.

"You don't come at it so quickly," Lily told them. "Move toward it a bit slower."

"Otherwise it takes you as a threat. Lucky for you, these are young, and they aren't old enough to reach out and strangle you . . . unfortunately," Megan joked.

"I'm so counting down the days until we leave. Fourteen left," Xavier stated.

"I got ya beat man. I'm countin' down hours," Christian said as he quickly pulled his hand away from the snapping plant.

"Closer we get to break, the closer we get to N.E.W.T.s," Lily pointed out jokingly.

"Don't remind us!" Xavier complained. "I'm dreading them already!"

"It's gunna suck!" Christian agreed.

"Then perhaps you should work more than complain," Professor Longbottom jokingly explained as he walked by them, making Lily and Megan bite back laughter.

* * *

Lily sat in the Potions room, watching as fifth years worked frantically to make their potions. Lily didn't see the rush, but she didn't want to interrupt them when they were actually trying to work. Salazar sat on her shoulder. Honestly, Lily hadn't known what he did while she was at class, but he'd insisted on going to class with her today. His insistence involved biting on her sock, dragging him until she finally picked him up. And honestly, he was getting a little too big to just sit on her shoulder. He was growing slowly, but surely, and getting heavier. But he was at least balancing his weight well on her shoulder.

"This is way too difficult!" she could hear Bobby complain from across the room.

Lily laughed lightly as she reached up to stroke Salazar's head, who then moved his head to nuzzle it against her cheek. "You are very affectionate today," she murmured to the tiny dragon. His only response was to push a little harder against her cheek.

"Cute little thing, isn't it?" Slughorn commented as he came to stand by her. "I'm amazed at the sight of a tiny little dragon."

Lily laughed. "You should have seen Hagrid's face when he first saw him. He was amazed too."

"What kind of breed is it?" Slughorn inquired.

"I don't know really. He was a gift from a friend," Lily told him.

"Professor Slughorn! Could you help me?" a Hufflepuff girl called to him.

Slughorn sighed. "Of course, Miss Adams," he said as he walked over toward the girl.

When she felt Salazar grab a bit of her hair between his teeth, Lily gave a gentle flick to his side, a sign for him to let go, which he did. But then he hopped from her shoulder, his wings flapping lazily as he came down to her lap. He then curled up, and looked ready to sleep. Lily gently began stroking his wing. "You know, you and I are going to have to go see Duncan soon," she told the tiny dragon. He seemed to almost purr at her words.

"Excuse me, Professor Slughorn," the door opened to show Professor Brown. He walked in with a friendly smile to everyone in the room.

"Ah, Headmaster. What can I do for you this morning?" Slughorn inquired.

"Well I'm hoping I could borrow Lily from you for a bit?" Professor Brown asked. Lily sat up straighter.

"Oh, of course! I can take care of all of this," Slughorn assured.

Lily sighed as she lifted Salazar into the crook of her arm, and stood from her seat, pulling her bag off the desk and over her shoulder. Salazar began to shift, so Lily moved him to allow him back onto her shoulder, where he perched with balance. Lily followed Professor Brown out of the classroom, and looked curiously at him as they walked through the dungeons.

"What's up, Jake?" Lily inquired, keeping it casual since everyone else was in class, and not the halls.

"You know, I got some interesting news today," Professor Brown commented casually.

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

"Well, the Board of Governors for Hogwarts has had two members dismissed this last week, with the investigation of other governors still ongoing," he mentioned.

Lily felt a smile come across her lips without hesitation. "Who?" She prayed that one was Brunt.

"Brady Edwards and Napoleon Cross," Professor Brown told her.

Lily sighed, but still felt happy. Sure, it wasn't Brunt, but those two were horrible, and surely Brunt would be kicked off sooner or later. "That's great. How long do you think the investigation will take now?"

"From what I've been told, they've made it through six of the governors at this point, and they are investigating one as we speak," he explained.

"That's good," Lily said, but then looked at him again. "But, I'm sure that's not why you came to get me."

Professor Brown lazily lifted his hand to stroke down Salazar's back. "You sure are perceptive, Miss Potter."

Lily raised a brow. "Miss Potter?"

"Who do you think should be captain of Slytherin's Quidditch team next year?"

"Lance, without a doubt," Lily said immediately, playing along with whatever he was doing. "He's the most dedicated."

"Head Girl?"

Lily laughed lightly. "Couldn't tell ya, at this point. Give me time to answer that."

He nodded, and they continued to walk in silence for a moment, before he finally spoke. "I'm going to have a meeting with the Minister of Magic on Friday, and I was hoping you could tighten the patrols that night. I might not be back until the next morning."

Lily nodded. "Of course. You think more kids will sneak out just because you're gone?"

He chuckled. "Well it's happened before. Long, long ago. But there's one other thing."

"What is it?" Lily inquired.

When Professor Brown stopped walking, Lily did as well. Salazar's claws tightened a little on her shoulder as he attempted to keep his balance. "Do you remember the end of your fourth year, when basically the entirety of Slytherin House was found in the edge of the Forbidden Forest, hosting a party at almost midnight?"

Lily actually remembered that night perfectly. The freedom she'd felt, and the fantastic and perfect kiss she'd shared with Scorpius for the first time ever. Yes, she remembered that night perfectly. But she just smiled casually. "Yeah, I remember. The night we got busted."

Professor Brown grinned as well. "Well, I know you kids, especially you, Hugo, and your friends. I just want to ask one thing of you."

Lily couldn't repress her grin. "What?"

"Please, at least keep it indoors this year?" Professor Brown requested.

Now Lily laughed. "You aren't even going to tell me not to do it?"

"Lily, you kids would do it anyway. All of the staff knows that. There's no way around it. Kids are kids.

"Hm, you really do know kids, huh?" Lily joked.

"Well," he sighed, "it's only taken me about ten or so years."

* * *

"Have you decided what you're going to do about the trip with Jace?" Lily asked as she and Lola walked through the train, heading for the compartment the girls were occupying. Lily had wanted to take a snack run, and Lola had joined her.

"Actually, I did. I sent a letter to my parents a few days ago, telling them of my plan to stay with you for a few days. And, I told Marsha, so she should spread the word to the other siblings. Could you cover, if they ever ask?" Lola inquired sheepishly.

Lily nodded as she popped open a small box of licorice wands. "Yeah, no problem. How long will you be gone?"

"Jace said we'll be back on the twenty-second," Lola told her.

Lily grinned as she offered her a licorice wand. "Really? That many days together and alone?" she teased.

Lola blushed as she broke the candy in half. "Well his uncle will be there too."

Lily bit into her own piece. "Think you'll have sex?"

Lola sighed. "I don't know. I guess it's possible," she admitted as they slid open the compartment door.

"What's possible?" Shannon asked as the two walked in.

"Whether or not Lola and Jace will have sex on their trip," Lily told them as she slid the door shut.

"Do it," Megan stated simply.

"What's the harm?" Shannon agreed.

"Well . . . what if it _is_ like what happened with Hugo and me, and it just makes us break up in the end?" Lola pointed out.

"You and Hugo broke up because you realized that you two weren't ever going to be in love with each other. Now, if that were to happen with Jace, wouldn't that be a good thing?" Lily countered. "Get the heart break over quicker. Trust me, dragging it out is a terrible idea."

"But I don't want that to happen with Jace! I really, really care about him, and possibly love him, remember?" Lola groaned.

"Then you don't need to worry about it," Izzy assured. "Because if that's true, then it's not possible to realize that you'll never be in love with him. And we all know that he loves you."

Lola sighed as she sat next to Shannon and leaned against the seat. "How did this happen? Wasn't it yesterday that I hated his guts, and that we always fought, and that he had really big ears?"

"How time flies," Lily sighed as she picked Salazar up from her seat. She sat down, and placed him on her lap, letting him continue sleeping.

"It does seem just like yesterday," Shannon agreed.

"But you two still do fight," Izzy said with a reassuring smile.

"The only difference is that the two of you are practically in love, and he's mega-hot now," Megan mentioned.

The door slid open, and Lance appeared in front of them with a bright smile. "Knock, knock, ladies. Mind if I come in?"

"Sure, come on in," Lily told him before biting off another piece of licorice.

Lance stepped in and shut the door behind him, and then moved to sit next to Lily. "What's goin' on, Captain?"

"Is there a reason you're here?" Megan muttered.

Lance leaned back, resting his arms along the back of the seats. "I'm bored. Courtney's talking with the other girls, so I thought I'd walk around, and I saw you through the door's window, there."

"We're just sitting and talking," Lily said as she held out a piece of licorice to him.

Lance took it with a smile. "Thank you. Anyway, happy to be out of Hogwarts for break?"

"It's nice to not have to worry so much about freakin' N.E.W.T.s," Megan mumbled.

"Amen to that," Shannon agreed. "They are getting way too stressful."

"So thankful I don't have to go through that for another year," Lance chuckled. "O.W.L.s sucked enough."

"These are even worse than O.W.L.s," Lola told him.

"Maybe you guys just complain too much?" Lily teased.

"Maybe you're just a freak of nature," Lola mocked back.

The others all chuckled and laughed. Even Lance. He patted Lily on the shoulder. "I'm gunna miss you next year, Captain. Hogwarts won't be the same."

"How did you go from being a little squirt to such a stud Quidditch player?" Lily teased with a smile.

Lance just shrugged and smiled. "Shit just happened, I guess."

* * *

As usual and expected, Lily and Hugo's parents were waiting for them at the train station when they finally arrived. Although Hugo's dad was missing, but that too was expected. After all, he had training to look over. But that also meant that Hugo would be over for dinner that night. And as they made their way out of the station, Lily found that her brothers wouldn't be home either. Neither of them. Albus was obviously training as well, and James apparently had practice for the rest of the week. And Lily was thankful that the only people joining her and her parents for dinner were Hugo and his mother. For the first time, it felt like she could come home and have a relaxing first day back. Her only hope was that she could for once have an entire break of relaxing, and no drama with her brothers.

"So, when's Dad getting home?" Hugo asked as the five of them sat around the table. He waited until he finished speaking to shove a fork full of food into his mouth.

"Not for a few hours I'd expect," Hermione told him.

"They have simulation training today. Ron has to stay until the last one finishes. Although, if things have run smoothly, they should be at least part way into their last run for the day," Harry assured him.

Hugo looked hesitant. "Rose isn't coming home today, is she?"

"I'd bet she'd be exhausted by the time the training's done," Harry replied.

"But she can come home any time she wants," Hermione mentioned, making Hugo almost roll his eyes. Lily just sighed. It was a little reassuring to know she wasn't the only one with sibling problems.

"Albus was saying he might come home and stay for a few days around Christmas," Ginny commented with a smile. Now Lily felt like rolling her eyes. So much for a whole break with no drama.

"Well they get a break from training on the twenty-first, all the way through to the twenty-ninth," Harry said.

Lily tried to suppress the excitement she felt. "Really? More than a week this time?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Most are even more tired from all the simulations they're put through. They need a little longer of a break."

"That and Harry and Ron both have a soft spot for a certain trainee," Ginny teased, giving a smile to Lily.

Harry shrugged, not locking eyes with any of them. "That man is a going to be a damn good Auror. I don't want to tire him out before he even finishes training."

Lily smiled, and felt a bit of pride in her heart. Not to mention that happiness of knowing her father and uncle, both hard asses, were lightening up and liking Scorpius more and more as time went. But she was even happier at the thought that she just might get to see him tonight or tomorrow.

"So, Hugo, when do you start work again?" Harry asked, obviously trying to shift the conversation.

Lily knew that Hugo stopped to swallow his food before speaking, only because his mother was not only present, but sitting close enough to pinch him. "Two days. I'll have the lunch shift, according to Aunt Hannah's recent letter."

"What about you, Lily?" her father asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't gotten word from Brandon, but he's also not a fan of speaking through letters. He's probably been waiting for me to come home. I'd expect to see him tomorrow."

Harry gave a nod, then looked back at Hugo. "You know, just a thought, Hugo, but I'm curious. Are you going to keep your job with Hannah once you start training to be a hit wizard?"

Hugo shrugged as he swallowed another bite. "I've been thinking about it. I mean, I'll need the money while I train, since I plan on getting a place of my own sometime after graduating."

"What?" Hermione demanded.

Before Hugo could defend himself, someone knocked on the front door. Lily grinned, not wanting to be around for the coming battle of mother and son. "I'll get it," she said as she stood. Then she patted Hugo on the shoulder on her way out. "Good luck, cuz." Lily shook her head once she was in the hall. She could only imagine how her aunt would explode. After all, Hugo was her little boy.

Lily opened the front door, only to stop short in surprise at who she saw. Scorpius stood there, leaning against the doorway as he waited. He smiled when he saw her. "Welcome home, princess," he greeted as he pushed himself away from the door.

Lily felt a smile of her own spread across her lips as she took in the sight of the man she'd been wanting to see all day. But before she really could, Scorpius pulled her closer into a tight embrace. But that was fine with her as a gentle heat seemed to wrap around her. She heard the sound of the door shutting, but she paid no attention to it as she breathed in the scent that was purely Scorpius. There was no better way to describe it.

Lily felt her entire body relax. "I missed you," she mumbled into his shirt.

She felt his breath fanning against her hair. "I missed you more than you could imagine. Knowing that there's only so many months left of you being at school is just about killing me," he murmured.

"It won't be much longer," Lily whispered, to herself, and to him.

It was then that Scorpius must have finally heard the voices coming from the kitchen, because his embrace loosened just slightly. "I didn't know you guys would have company."

Lily laughed as she pulled back a little to see his curious face. "Well, I'd hardly call it company. Hugo and his mum are eating dinner with us tonight. Right now, she's probably getting ready to explode on the fact that Hugo plans to move out after graduation."

Scorpius chuckled as he brushed her bangs away from her face. "Well, shall we go save him?"

Lily grinned. "One more thing." Then she reached up and kissed him. Scorpius was quick to respond, and Lily felt her heart beat faster at the feel of such a simple kiss. When she pulled her lips away just slightly, she felt her body's urge to kiss him again. But she repressed it. "Now we can go," she whispered.

Scorpius sighed as he leaned down to rest his forehead lightly against hers. "Well I'm not sure if I want to now," he teased softly.

Lily smiled as she took his hands, and pulled a little further away. "Too bad. I stay out here any longer, and one of my parents is going to come and see who was at the door. Is us snogging really something you want my dad walking in on?"

Scorpius chuckled. "No, you've got a point. Let's go then."

Lily felt a hundred times lighter now that Scorpius was here. It was like that Muggle saying about being on cloud nine, or something like that.

When the two stepped into the kitchen, the obvious argument of Hugo's living arrangements after Hogwarts had apparently calmed to a deadly silence. Harry and Ginny quickly looked at the two, obviously wanting to turn the air away from the argument.

"Scorpius! Done at training already?" Harry inquired.

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. I got done earlier than the others."

"Pretty quick, isn't it?" Harry asked.

Scorpius glanced at Lily. "Well, I wanted to get out of there as quickly as I could."

"Well sit down and join us," Ginny insisted. "I can get you a plate if you're hungry." But she was already standing to make him a plate of his own.

"Thank you, Mrs. Potter," Scorpius said with a smile as he sat into the previously empty seat next to Lily.

"So, what kind of simulation were you all running today?" Harry asked curiously.

"How to get into a building with multiple spells and traps set up," Scorpius told him. "It was pretty basic once I got the hang of it."

"Who'd you get paired up with for a teammate?" Harry inquired.

"Beacom. He was pretty good with counter-jinxes, I'll admit," Scorpius mentioned.

"That's what Ron said too," Harry replied. "That's a good person to have on a team though. Very useful these days."

Lily had tuned out most of the Auror talk that began between her father and boyfriend. But then she wasted no time dragging him upstairs, leaving Hugo downstairs with the parents.

Scorpius smirked as he let her drag him to her room. "What are we doing?" he asked with a chuckle.

Lily smiled. "Well, I was planning on making up for the fact that I haven't seen my boyfriend since August."

Scorpius laughed, but still sighed. "In my boss's house?" he mocked.

Lily laughed a little too. "Would you quit using that as an excuse," she teased. "And, on the subject of you being an Auror, how do you feel?"

He raised a brow. "What do you mean?" he asked as they stepped into her room.

Lily really wanted to close her door, but out of respect for her father, she kept it open. "I mean that you had an accident that damaged your entire body. How are you now?"

He sat down on her bed. "Haven't we gone over this question every time we've talked over the mirrors?" he retorted.

Lily shrugged as she sat next to him. "I don't care. Tell me again."

He rested his chin on her shoulder, but then turned his head to nuzzle into her neck. "I'm fine. Really," he assured.

Lily shivered at the feel of his warm breath on her skin. But she pulled away from him, just so she could press her lips to his. She'd expected Scorpius to keep it light like he usually did when they were in the house with her parents, but he surprised her by pressing his lips against hers a little rougher. His hands slid over her waist, making her skin burn pleasantly. She did her best to pull herself closer to him, loving the feel of all that was simply Scorpius.

But as she expected, Scorpius pulled his lips away from her, and he didn't lean in for another kiss. But he thankfully kept his hands on her hips, which was where Lily preferred they be at the moment. "What are you doing the twenty-first?" he asked with a slight lack of breath.

Lily shrugged. "I'm not really sure yet. I mean, I haven't talked to Brandon, so I'm not sure if he's getting me a job then or not."

"Well tell him that you're not working that day," Scorpius mumbled. "And let your friends know, Hugo included, that you'll be busy."

Lily raised a brow. "I'll be busy? With what?"

Scorpius smirked as he finally leaned forward and pressed his lips against the pulse in her throat. "With me," he murmured before nipping a bit of her skin between his teeth.

* * *

Lily quietly opened the door leading to Duncan's new hospital room. And she was glad she did so, because she found him sleeping soundly. As he slept and breathed softly, Lily glanced over him to see if there were any new grey or invisible patches. In the few letters they'd sent back and forth, Duncan hadn't mentioned any, and Lily couldn't see any now. But that didn't rule out the areas under his shirt. But Lily didn't want to disturb him. Instead she sat down on the chair next to his bed, and pulled Salazar out from her unopened bag. The small but kind of fat dragon stretched out his legs and wingspan, then curled up to lay and sleep on her lap.

"Lily?" a groggy voice spoke.

Lily looked back to Duncan to see that he was now awake, but still looked a little tired. He blinked a few times, and shook his head to wake himself up. Lily couldn't help but to smile at his sleepy face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," she apologized.

But Duncan just smiled. "It's ok. I've been asleep all day."

Lily laughed a little. "Really? You must have been tired if you've been asleep 'till now. It's almost four o'clock."

Duncan laughed a little too, but then he noticed the little dragon on Lily's lap. His eyes brightened a little. "So you brought Salazar," he mentioned.

Lily nodded as she ran a soothing finger down Salazar's scaly back. "Yes, but he's getting to be a fat and lazy little dragon," she joked.

"He does look a little thick," Duncan laughed. "Been feeding him a lot, have you?"

"No, he's just gotten lazy and content at school," Lily told him. "He used to explore our dorm room all the time. Now he just lies on the bed, or sits on my shoulder."

"Sounds like he's pretty content with life," Duncan murmured as he gazed at the tiny dragon.

Lily looked at Duncan. "How have you been in your new room?" she asked softly.

He smiled a little. "Content. Nothing unexpected has happened. If possible, I'd probably be fat too. But with hospital food it's hard," he joked.

Lily laughed a bit too. "So you're happy?"

Now Duncan's smile was full and bright. "I've never felt better than I have as of late." And with the smile on his lips and sincerity in his eyes, Lily believed him.

* * *

"Today's Scor's last day of training before his break starts, right?" Hugo asked. Lily, Lucy, and Hugo were sitting around the living room of Hugo's house. Lucy had a few days off of practice, so she'd come to spend time with her two cousins. And Lily's mum had dragged Lily out of the house, where she'd been holed up, waiting for the day when Scorpius would be done training for the holidays.

Lily nodded as she gently petted Hugo's cat. Although it was only a little more than two years old, it was getting to be a bit fat too. But it was still getting a lot of exercise. Harlen was practically impossible to find at Hogwarts. He was always exploring, and according to Hugo, he didn't show up until Hugo went to bed.

"So I guess we won't see much of you once he's on break?" Lucy teased lightly. Despite being on a break of her own, Lucy had practically brought her work with her. She was sitting on the floor, working over the wood of her broomstick.

Lily smiled. "There's a chance of that," she joked.

"Not working this break?" Lucy guessed with a curious brow raised.

"I did a photo shoot yesterday for Astoria," Lily replied. "And I might do a few more once Scorpius goes back to training. Brandon is already looking over offers."

"You heard anything from Lola?" Hugo inquired as read the back of some Muggle book his mother had bought for him.

Lily shook her head as she let Harlen scamper off to explore. "No, but they're supposed to be coming back in two days. I'm sure I'll see her at some point over the break." Then Lily glanced over at Lucy. "So, Lucy, how's Quidditch life treatin' ya?"

Lucy shrugged. "Not too bad. My captain thinks that by the summer, I might be able to take first-string."

Lily smiled. "That's great!"

"We're proud of ya, cuz," Hugo agreed.

But Lucy waved it off. "It's nothing. One of our best Chasers, Holly Hotch, is pregnant, so she's taking time off, and has been thinking about just leaving the pros altogether," she explained.

"It's still a good thing," Lily retorted.

"How'd your team's last game go?" Hugo inquired.

"We lost by twenty points," Lucy told them. "We had them in points until their Seeker caught the Snitch."

"How are you in overall rankings?" Lily asked.

"Top ten, but it's looking like the next Quidditch World Cup match will be between the Chudley Cannons and the Falmouth Falcons," Lucy answered. "Both teams are kicking ass lately."

"He may be an ass, but James _has_ really turned that team around," Hugo admitted.

"I can agree to that," Lily said with a nod.

"And while we're talking about James, I have good news for you, Lily," Lucy commented.

Lily raised her brow. Good news concerning James? "What is it?"

"The Chudley Cannons won their last match, so they've got another match on Christmas Eve. So, James won't be at the Burrow until either late at night, or until Christmas morning," Lucy guessed.

"I wonder how Grandma will take that news," Hugo mumbled as he sighed. But Lily didn't say anything. Instead, she just leaned against the couch, wondering how she felt about the news herself.

* * *

"That feels good," Scorpius mumbled. He had come over early to the Potter house on his first day off of training. The two currently were in the living room. Lily was sitting, and Scorpius had placed his head tiredly in her lap. Lily was now working a bit of tension from his shoulder.

"Training must have been tough yesterday if you're still sore," Lily commented.

Scorpius shifted so that one of his hands rested on the small of her back, which then began to rub small circles through her shirt. "It was more of a physical training simulation than a magical one," he sighed.

Lily smiled softly. "Well, you could have stayed home and slept more. You didn't have to come over so early."

"I wanted to," he replied simply. "So, how have the last few days been?"

Lily shrugged. "Fine. Nothing unusual really. I hung out with Lucy and Hugo yesterday. That's about it."

"How is Lucy doing with the pros?" Scorpius inquired. Lily smiled. His eyes were closed, and he almost looked ready to fall asleep. He was so tired.

"She's really enjoying it. She won't have another match until after Christmas. Hugo and I were thinking about going. Would you like to join us?" Lily asked.

"When is it?" he mumbled.

"The twenty-seventh," Lily answered.

"Sure. Sounds fun," Scorpius sighed.

Lily stopped the movement of her hands, and for a moment just silently combed her fingers through his hair. It was starting to return to the length she preferred, at least slowly. She'd just have to convince him not to cut it short again. "Scorpius?" she whispered softly.

"Hm?" Scorpius hummed quietly.

"Mind lifting your head for a moment? I'm going to get something to drink," Lily said. Quietly, Scorpius lifted his head from her lap, allowing Lily to quickly stand, allowing him to drop his head back onto the couch. "Would you like something?" Lily asked, already knowing his answer.

"No thanks, babe," he muttered as his eyes closed again.

Lily smiled softly. Sleep tight, she thought as she left the room. She walked into the kitchen, where both her parents sat at the table. Her father was reading _The Daily Prophet_, while her mother was reading what looked like a Muggle book.

Her father noticed her first. "How's he doing in there?" Harry asked.

Lily laughed lightly as she got herself a glass of water. "He's asleep. He was obviously tired."

"Training will do that to a man," Harry sighed with a nod.

"Is he staying for lunch?" Ginny asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I figured we'd just stay in since he's still sore from yesterday." She took a long sip from her glass as she joined them at the table.

Her father put down the paper, and Lily noticed the hesitance on his face. It made her a little wary. "Princess," he addressed.

Lily raised a brow. "Yeah, Dad?"

Harry sighed. "Just to . . . well I guess you could say, warn you, dinner will be consisting of more than just the four of us tonight."

Lily sighed too. This couldn't be good. "Who's coming?"

"Well Ron and Hermione are bringing Hugo and Rose, and Albus will be coming as well," Harry told her.

Lily bit her lip for a moment. Albus and Rose? It could have been worse. James could be coming as well. But she could easily ignore Albus and Rose. Actually, Rose made more of a habit of ignoring her than the other way around. And Albus was nowhere near as bad as James. He could easily be ignored. But . . . Lily wondered if Albus and Scorpius could ignore each other. Albus had a long habit of picking fights with Scorpius, and Scorpius was rarely one to back down.

But Lily pushed all thoughts aside to give her father a slight smile. "That's fine with me." Then she quickly changed the subject. "So, what _will_ dinner be tonight?"

* * *

"She completely irritating!" Hugo ranted as he paced around Lily's room. Scorpius sat on the edge of Lily's bed, while Lily sat on her knees behind him, her arms around his middle, and her chin resting on his shoulder. Hugo had brought Harlen, so he and Salazar were silently sizing each other up. Neither had made a threatening move yet.

Hugo turned to look at Scorpius, who was now wide-eyed and awake after his nap earlier. "How do you deal with her during training!" he groaned.

Scorpius smirked. "Well, she's usually pretty focused on training, so she's rarely speaking, especially to me directly."

"You're lucky, because she's annoying!" Hugo snapped as he dropped into the desk chair. And before Harlen could jump up to where Salazar sat on the bed, Hugo grabbed him, and placed the cat in his lap.

Lily smiled encouragingly at her cousin. "What happened, Huey?"

Hugo almost looked disgusted as he spoke. "She comes home and is immediately treated like she'd been gone for a decade! Then she thinks that she can lecture me on how I should study for N.E.W.T.s, and how I need to start planning for when I graduate, and blah, blah, blah," he grumbled.

Scorpius chuckled. "And now you get to spend dinner with the lovely woman," he joked.

Hugo rolled his eyes. "And we are all _graced_ by Albus's presence," he mumbled sarcastically.

"Should be fun," Lily muttered in a similar tone.

Hugo glanced at Scorpius. "Think you could just hit him once? Because you know he's going to open his mouth about something."

Scorpius chuckled. "No way. Not in front of my trainer and boss. Not happening. They'd kill me and boot my ass out of the training program."

Hugo sighed as he leaned back into the chair. "Well we can't have that. Maybe I'll just do it. I'm still bigger than him."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Chill, Huey. We're going to try and get through this one dinner peacefully. This little gathering will only last a few hours."

"For you!" Hugo complained. "But Rose is staying at home tonight instead of going back to her flat. At least Albus is going back to his."

Lily raised a brow. "Hugo, would you like to stay over?"

"I already tried that. My dad said I have to stay home tonight, since my sister is staying over. Family time," Hugo grumbled.

"Yeah, that's always fun," Scorpius sighed. But then he smirked. "I got an idea, Hugh. How about you come over to my place tomorrow? A bunch of the guys have been demanding we all hang out sometime soon, so we're all meeting at my place tomorrow. You wanna hang with us?"

Hugo raised a brow. "Aren't you and Lil hanging out?"

"I'm spending the day with Lola," Lily retorted. "You should go, Huey. Have fun."

Hugo nodded. "Sure, sounds great."

"Dinner's ready!" they heard Harry called.

Hugo sighed. "Well let's get this over with."

"Let's be nice, Hugo," Lily reminded as the three of them left the room.

They were the last ones in the kitchen Used to having many over for dinner, Kreacher had obviously brought out a few extra chairs to fit everyone at the table. Seeing a spot away from his sister, Hugo quickly grabbed a chair on the opposite side and corner from Rose. Lily took the seat next to him, and Scorpius sat beside her. Soon, everyone had a plate full of food, and conversation flowed around.

"I'm gunna hang out with Scor and some friends tomorrow," Hugo mentioned to his father.

Ron raised a brow. "Who all will be there?"

"My cousin Tanner," Scorpius told him. "My buddies Dante Montague and Will Nott. Maybe a few others."

Ron shrugged. "Sounds fine to me."

"I hear James's team is picked to win their next game," Rose commented.

"Will he be at the Burrow then?" Hermione asked.

"Well he's hoping that he'll have time to after the game, but if it's as brutal as it's vamping up to be, he might just go right to bed, and come over on Christmas," Ginny told her. The conversation was moving easily around them, but Lily still felt a bit of awkwardness. Perhaps it was how Albus sat silently eating, almost like he was pouting about something.

"You know, Harry, I think we might have to make Scorpius here one of our captains once he's done training. The boy's got great leadership skills," Ron commented.

Scorpius shrugged modestly. "I learned years ago that you can't play Quidditch without teamwork, and you can't be team captain without being a leader."

"Those are still great skills to have. And it's rare in a rookie," Harry told him.

The conversation moved easily and casually, but Lily couldn't help but notice the same thing. Albus didn't say a single thing unless asked a specific question that was directed toward him. And he sat there with an almost glum and pouty expression.

* * *

"So how was Greece?" Lily asked Lola. The two sat at their own table at The Leaky Cauldron. They decided on just grabbing lunch, so they both sat with full plates and a couple of butterbeers.

Lola shrugged, her eyes on her plate. "It was great," she said vaguely.

Lily raised a brow. "Just great? You spend days with basically just your boyfriend, away from your parents, and it was just great?"

Lola bit her lip as a small blush spread across her cheeks. "Ok. It was actually kind of perfect," she murmured.

"So what did you two do?" Lily inquired.

Lola's blush became an even more prominent pink shade. "A lot of things. He showed me around the small town his uncle lives in. Showed me a few things that his uncle made, and showed me how they were made. We went swimming in the big pool in his uncle's backyard."

It was obvious to Lily that Lola was leaving something out. "And what else?"

Lola looked up at Lily a bit shyly. "Well, something happened the night before we came home."

"What was it?" Lily asked before taking a bite of her food.

Lola took a quick but still big drink of her butterbeer. "Well," she said after swallowing her drink, "Jace and I . . . we had sex."

Lily looked at Lola in surprise as she swallowed her own bite of food. Then she spoke. "Seriously?"

Lola nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I didn't plan for it to happen or anything. It just . . . did," she admitted.

"Hm. After what happened at the beginning of the year, I figured it'd be a while before you guys took the next step," Lily commented.

Again, Lola shrugged. "Like I said, it just happened. I mean, I'm really glad it happened. I think it was perfect for us."

"Well I'm happy for you," Lily said with a smile.

Now Lola grinned and raised a brow. "That's it? You're not going to ask me anything else on it?"

Lily laughed. "No, I think Megan does it better than I do," she teased.

Lola rolled her eyes, but she also laughed as well. "Wow, thanks. So, how's Scorpius?"

"Done with training until the twenty-ninth, and obviously a bit wore out," Lily sighed. "He and Hugo are hanging out with a few of the guys today."

"I was a little surprised when you showed up alone. I didn't think you and Scorpius spent much time apart when he had time off," Lola teased.

Lily grinned unashamed. "Well I figured I'd go ahead and share him today," she joked. "Besides, I'll spend just about all of tomorrow with him."

"So he's joining the Weasleys and Potters at the Burrow again?" Lola commented. "He seems to be fitting in more and more each time."

"Thankfully, yes," Lily replied. "And then I'll be going with him to the manor for dinner on Christmas."

"And you used to think that your family would never like Scorpius," Lola teased.

Lily smiled. "Well, this is the one time I'm glad I was wrong."

* * *

"It's so nice to have so much family around on the holidays," Grandma Weasley commented. She had grabbed all the young girls into the kitchen, and had given each of them a task to do. Rose and Victoire were making more than a dozen pastries, and Molly was meticulously putting together a few pies. Roxanne had been asked to make a large salad, and the girl was looking nervous the entire time. Although, Lily noted, Roxanne had been looking oddly nervous all day. And Lucy was helping Lily with the cookies that she always made.

"I really like Patrick, Molly," Victoire commented, obviously trying to be nice and start a conversation.

Molly had finally brought Patrick and introduced him to the entire family. Personally, Lily had found him to be pompous, a snob, and he a bit of a superiority complex. In other words, perfect for Molly.

"Well my mother insisted I at least bring him over for Christmas Eve," Molly sighed.

"He should at least see what kind of family he's getting into," Rose joked.

Lily rolled her eyes as she glanced over at Lucy. "I wish we could have done that before being born," she muttered.

Lucy glanced at her sister before turning away. "Tell me about it."

"I'm glad that Scorpius was able to come. He's such a sweet young man," Grandma Weasley commented.

"Well his family waits until Christmas day to actually celebrate anything," Lily told her. "Besides, he apparently loves coming here on Christmas Eve."

"You still going to the Malfoys' for dinner tomorrow?" Lucy inquired.

"Yeah. He's coming to get me at about six. Dinner will be at seven," Lily answered.

"I can't imagine how you two will spend the extra hour," Lucy teased under her breath.

"Wow it smells good in here!" Hugo spoke as he walked in.

Lily didn't bother to look away from her work, but she laughed when she heard her grandmother. "Don't even think about sneaking any food or bites."

"I didn't plan on it!" Hugo lied obviously and innocently.

"I know you, Hugo Arthur Weasley, and you are just like your father," Grandma Weasley retorted.

Then Lily felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her. "I think I know why it smells so good in here," Scorpius's voice whispered near her ear.

Lily leaned into his hold, but continued adding small ingredients as the spoon stirred the batter by itself. Scorpius reached out and swiped his finger into the batter, then popped the finger into his mouth. "Yum," he said teasingly.

"Ok, now why did Scorpius get away with it!" Hugo exclaimed with a laugh.

Lily ignored the others. "Taste good?" she asked.

Scorpius nipped at the top of her ear. "Good, but I know something that tastes much better."

Lily raised a brow. "And what might that be?" she asked as she turned to look at him.

He gave her a brief but still sweet kiss. "You," he answered when he pulled away.

"Yes, let's act like there's not almost a dozen other people in the room," Lucy mocked. Despite her teasing, there was still a slight pink color to her cheeks.

Scorpius chuckled. "I'm sorry, did I embarrass you?" he teased back.

Lucy rolled her eyes and continued with her own batch. "Your boyfriend's an ass, Lil."

* * *

Just after lunch ended, the Weasley family was surprised with an unexpected knock on the front door. It turned out to be a young man named Dave Hart, who was apparently Roxanne's boyfriend. Well, Lily had thought, that explains Roxy's nervousness.

But Dave was shaping up to be a nice guy. "It's really nice to meet you, sir," he said as he shook George's hand.

George gave him a friendly smile back. "Good to meet you, Davy. It's about time my daughter brought home a boyfriend."

"Dad!" Roxanne complained, obviously embarrassed.

But Dave just smiled. "Well I didn't want to barge in, so I waited for her to ask me. I just didn't think it'd take her Gryffindor courage that long to ask," he joked.

"What House were you in?" George asked as they sat down on the couch together.

"A Ravenclaw. A really great House, but I had friends everywhere, I'd like to think," Dave said.

"I think I remember that guy," Scorpius mentioned as he sat by Lily, running his fingers through her hair. "I think he's younger than me."

"Then he must be Roxanne's age, because I don't really recognize him," Lily sighed in comfort.

Scorpius gave a small sound of agreement as his lips brushed against her brow. "So, you mind coming to my flat the day after Christmas?"

Lily let her eyes close in her content state. "Sure. What for?"

"It has to do with your Christmas gift," Scorpius replied.

"So I'm not getting a gift tomorrow?" Lily teased.

Scorpius chuckled. "You're getting two gifts this year. One is too big to bring over here."

Lily smiled as she opened her eyes to look at him. "I won't even ask," she joked before pressing a kiss on his lips.

* * *

Later that evening Stacy even showed up after her shift at The Leaky Cauldron. Lily hadn't ever seen Hugo so thrilled to see someone. And already used to the Weasley family, Stacy had no trouble settling in and talking with others.

"Stacy, how can you play that game with him?" Lily asked as she watched Stacy and Hugo play a game of chess.

Stacy shrugged. "Well, I know I'll lose, but he likes to play. And he does a million things that I like to do. It's like returning the favor."

"Just because you're terrible at the game, babe, doesn't mean others don't like it," Scorpius teased. Lily just flicked him lightly on the cheek.

"Don't worry, Lily, I hate this game too," Lucy muttered. "It was never really fun enough to play."

"Girls in this family can be so picky," Hugo sighed teasingly.

A knock sounded on the door, and before Grandpa Weasley could get up to get it, Albus popped up from his seat on the couch. "I got it. It's about time he got here," he mentioned.

"You know, Hugo, not everyone can-," Lucy broke off her sentence, and when Lily looked at her, she seemed almost frozen.

Lily raised a brow. "Lucy?" Lily turned to see what Lucy was staring at, and then felt a rush run through her. "Hugo!" she hissed.

"What?" Hugo looked up from his game, and then he froze too. "What is that son of a bitch doing here?"

The three were right to be frozen in surprise, and Lily and Hugo were right to be angry. Because the man Albus was bringing to the house and out of the cold, was Tyler Creevey. He was slipping off his coat and carefully pulling off his still snowy shoes.

"You have got to be kidding me," Lily mumbled.

Scorpius's lips brushed across Lily's ear. "That's Creevey, isn' it?" Lily nodded stiffly. "Think I should throw his ass out of here?"

Lily shook her head. "No. At least not yet," she muttered.

"What the hell is Albus thinking?" Hugo practically growled.

"Welcome, Tyler!" Grandma Weasley greeted kindly as she entered from the kitchen. "You're just time. Dinner's ready, everyone."

The entire family began to stand and head for the kitchen. Lily looked at Lucy, who still looked frozen and unsure of what to do. Lily reached over and took her hand. "Come on, Lucy. Let's go eat. Then we'll all go and hang out upstairs."

Lucy nodded mutely as she stood up with the others. Their group walked into the kitchen, and was thankfully able to take seats away from Tyler and Albus. Lucy was obviously doing her best to not even look the boys' way, while Hugo sent obvious glares at Tyler.

"Leave it to your brother to make a dinner uncomfortable," Scorpius mumbled in Lily's ear.

"So, Tyler, it's been awhile since we've seen you here," Rose commented.

"Yeah, we were having fun, why ruin it?" Hugo said dryly.

"Hugo Weasley!" Hermione scolded. But Hugo didn't seem to mind as he glared at Tyler.

Tyler cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, my brothers are all doing something different tonight, so Al invited me over."

"I didn't think anyone would mind," Albus said with a smile.

"As usual, you thought wrong," Lily retorted.

"Lily," Ginny said with a sigh. Lily only shrugged.

Tyler shifted awkwardly in his seat. "So, Malfoy, never thought I'd see you here," he mentioned.

Scorpius kept his hand in Lily's, and didn't say a word. He just looked at Lily with a raised brow, as if asking for permission to act. But Lily squeezed his hand. "Well he's part of the family."

"We all _wanted_ _him_ here," Hugo grumbled.

"I get the feeling that you kids would love to eat in the other room for a change," Harry commented.

"You must be a mind reader, Uncle Harry," Hugo said as he stood and grabbed his plate and Stacy's. Stacy hurried to stand up too and follow.

"Sounds like a good plan," Lily agreed. Scorpius stood and took both of their plates. Lily nudged Lucy's arm. "Come on, Lucy."

Still silent, Lucy grabbed her plate, and followed the others out. Lily could hear Albus saying something just as they stepped out, but she decided not to go back and say something. Instead she sat on the couch next to Scorpius.

"What is that jackass thinking coming here?" Hugo hissed.

"I'm wondering what the hell Albus was thinking," Lily seethed. "The inconsiderate ass."

"Are you sure that you don't want me to throw him out?" Scorpius asked.

Lily shrugged. "Ask Lucy."

But Lucy shook her head. "No, it's ok," she whispered.

"I can," Scorpius assured. "No real man does what he did to you, or to any woman," he said with a scowl.

"He's a coward, not a man," Lucy mumbled. "And Albus . . . I'm not even sure what to call him."

"He may call all Slytherins snakes, but he's one of the slimiest guys I've met," Hugo said in disgust.

"Hugo, you need to be calm," Stacy said soothingly. "I know you're angry, being like this won't help you right now. Not while in front of your entire family."

"I don't know if he's just stupid, or trying to be brave for coming tonight," Lucy whispered. "I don't get it. And I really don't want to understand it . . . but I don't want him here."

"I can throw him out," Scorpius reminded.

But again Lucy shook her head. "No. It's sweet to offer, but our family is just getting used to loving you, and I don't want you attempting to something for my comfort to ruin that."

"Well if they disapproved of my doing something to help you, then I don't think I'd want their love," Scorpius pointed out. "And honestly if we told them, I'd bet they'd understand and agree."

"I don't want to cause a scene," Lucy stated. "If Albus wants to invite his friend, then so be it. Besides, I don't think Albus did it to be mean. My guess is that he was clueless on how I would take Tyler's being here."

When dinner had ended and the rest of the family and guests had begun to trail back into the living room, the five of them went upstairs and into Uncle George's old room at the urging of Stacy and Lucy. Hugo paced around angrily, cracking his knuckles every once in a while. Lily sat on one of the beds with Scorpius, his arms around her as she leaned back against his chest.

"You know," Hugo mentioned, "it's going to be pretty dark when he leaves tonight. Bad things can happen in the dark."

"Hugo," Stacy warned softly.

"I'm just saying," Hugo retorted.

Lucy sighed. "I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'll be back." Then she got up and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Stacy gave Hugo an exasperated look. "You could be a bit nicer about this," she stated.

Hugo looked at her in surprise. "What did I do?"

"I know you're upset, but you could be considerate of how Lucy's feeling," Stacy told him. "She may be angry, but she still might be sad about it. She loved him for a long time. Feelings don't fall away that easily, trust me."

Hugo's body relaxed as moved to sit next to her on the other bed. He kissed her on the temple. "Sorry," he sighed.

"I just think that you need to let Lucy handle this," Stacy replied.

Hugo glanced over at Lily. "But we do get to take over if she lets up?"

"Of course," Stacy answered.

Hugo grinned. "Good, because if I can use magic outside of school, might as well take advantage of it."

Someone knocked on the door, so with a sigh of her own, Lily got up to answer it. A normal rush of anger ran through her when she saw Tyler on the other side of the door. He looked even more hesitant when he saw Lily. Lily watched as he brought in a gulp of air. "Can I talk to Lucy?" he asked.

Lily's only reply was to slam the door in his face. Then she came back to sit with Scorpius on the bed.

"What a dick," Hugo muttered as he laid back on the bed. Then he glanced over at Stacy. "Hey, Stacy, when do you need to be home?"

Stacy shrugged. "I don't know. When I told my parents that I was coming here for Christmas Eve, they just told me to be home before Christmas Day," she joked. "I get the feeling they know how long and hectic this night can be here."

Hugo grinned. "Well, tell me when you want to go home. I'll take you back."

"You don't have to," Stacy replied.

Lily smiled as she relaxed into Scorpius's embrace around her. "Aren't they cute," she said quietly.

"Oh, young love," Scorpius teased quietly. "Lucky for them, it only gets better as it goes."

Lily began to say something just as the door opened with a swing, and closed with a slam. Lucy stood near the door, obviously furious. And Lily had a good idea why as she sat up straight. "What did Tyler do?"

Lucy kicked a nearby box, which was thankfully empty. "He's such an ass! Like he really thought I was waiting for him! As if I've spent all my time waiting for him to come and talk to me again!"

"Wait!" Hugo shot up from where he was laying. "Are you saying that he just asked you out?"

Lucy rolled her eyes as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. "No. He just assumed that we could pick up where we left off. Apparently he didn't remember that we left off with him breaking my heart! Great place to pick up!"

"So you told him off?" Lily guessed.

Lucy grinned, and this one was surprisingly vicious for Lucy. "Better. I told him about having sex with Zack."

Hugo gave a nod. "Following up with a shot to the pride and ego. Nice. Did you say that Zack was better?"

"That and much more like a man," Lucy agreed.

* * *

Late that night Lily sat alone in the Burrow's kitchen. All the guests had gone home, and every family member was now asleep, except for her. She felt she couldn't sleep, and she didn't know why. Perhaps she felt overwhelmed. Lucy had gone from being upset and confused about seeing Tyler to completely furious with him. Lily didn't know who she was personally more furious with herself: Tyler for showing up, or Albus for inviting him. All night she had wanted to say something to Albus. To tell him off and call him insensitive. But she didn't. She didn't even look at him for the rest of the night.

The sound of the kitchen's backdoor lock coming undone, Lily flinched, and brought her wand up in a flash. "Lumos!" she murmured.

Although her heart beat with surprise and light fear at being startled, she only saw James in the light of her wand, looking just as surprised as she felt. Wordlessly, he closed the door behind him as Lily moved the light out of his face. But she could still easily see him dimly in the room. He looked tired, completely wore out.

For a moment, the two stared at each other in the silent air about them. Lily stayed silent because . . . well she wasn't sure if there was anything she could or should say. Should she ask him how his game went? Ask if he won? But did she really want to risk hearing him gloat and brag? She wasn't in the mood to hear it, or in the mood for the fight that would most likely result if he did boast or say something stupid.

Finally after staring each other down for what felt like an hour, but was probably only a minute or two, James moved away from the door. He wordlessly passed by where Lily sat, and left to the living room, probably to set up his place on the floor with the others, and sleep. Lily waited until she heard only silence from the other room, before sighing heavily and getting up herself. She ran a hand through her hair as she made her way toward the living room. She was so tired of these awkward moments.

* * *

"You sure you like it?" Scorpius asked.

Lily smiled as she flipped through the pages of her new potion book. "I love it. I mean, I have a few books on medical potions, but none this complicated or extensive," she assured.

"Well, I asked Lana to pick you up a potion book while I was working. I was praying you didn't already have it," Scorpius joked. The two were sitting in his room at Malfoy Manor. Dinner was to be about thirty minutes or so, and Scorpius had brought her up to privately give her one of her Christmas gifts.

"I get the feeling that the other gift is going to be much more grand than this one," Lily teased.

Scorpius chuckled. "You bet. But I'm still not telling you."

There was a small knock on the bedroom door before it opened, and Tanner's younger sister, Candy, popped her head inside. "Scorpius? Lily? Aunt Astoria wants you guys to come downstairs."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I think she plans to occupy your time," he joked. "We'll be down in a minute, Dee."

Candy smiled, then closed the door. They could hear her quick footsteps disappearing down the hall. Lily sighed and closed her book. "Well, we should go and rejoin the party."

Scorpius sighed too. "I hate having to share you at these moments where _I_ seem to have so little time with you."

Lily smiled as she stood up. "Well you'll have me all day tomorrow."

Scorpius smirked. "Well when you put it like that."

And Scorpius had been right. As soon as they returned downstairs, Astoria was dragging her away. Not that Lily minded terribly. She loved talking with Astoria. And this time she found herself also talking with Cecilia Goyle, Lana and Lars's mother. Even though Lily had only talked with Cecilia Goyle a few times, she really liked her. And with her soft-spoken and sweet personality, Lily wondered how her kids grew up the way they did. It was obvious that they took after their father more than their mother in those areas. At least they inherited their mother's intelligence.

"Those pictures you did for Klover Fabrics in one of the summer articles of _Witch Weekly_ were fantastic, Lily," Cecilia commented.

Lily smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Goyle. I really liked working for Klover actually. She's a really nice lady."

"How long before Brandon starts pitching your portfolio to Muggle fashion designers?" Cecilia teased.

Lily and Astoria laughed. "Whenever he wants, I guess," Lily replied.

"Dinner is ready, everybody," Narcissa announced to the room.

As Lily made her way to the dining room, Scorpius seemed to be beside her in a flash, his arm around her. "I don't plan to lose you to my mother again, so I'm going to start keeping you close by," he joked softly.

Lily leaned into his side a little. "Well I promise not to go anywhere." When they were all seated and began eating, Lily found herself between Scorpius and Lars, who she was happy to see. He had apparently gotten back just a month ago, and was even more in love with his job than before.

"So, Dante," Lars spoke, "how long you gonna have my sister live in sin with ya?"

"Yeah, when will my little sister be made an honest woman?" Aaron joked.

"Boys," Cecilia chided.

Lana looked at Dante with a raised brow, who was obviously avoiding her eyes. So Lana rolled her eyes. "Actually, Dante and I decided that we'd get married within the next month or so," she announced.

Mr. Goyle immediately began choking on what he was eating, forcing Aaron to pat his father on the back. Lars looked at Dante in surprise. "Dude, seriously?"

Lana crossed her arms and nodded. "Yeah. So bite it, Lars."

"Oh, Lana, that's great!" Cecilia cheered.

But now Lana looked as if she were ready to regret speaking. "Mum, can this excitement wait?"

"But, Lana, it's exciting to hear about!" Astoria agreed.

Lana sighed. "Yeah, but . . ." She looked over at Dante.

Dante cleared his throat. "Well, could we wait and talk about it after dinner?"

"Talk about what?" Mr. Goyle demanded.

Lana hesitated for a moment. "Well . . . we don't really plan on . . . having a wedding."

Mr. Goyle took his wife's hand before she could speak. "I think it'll be better to talk about this after dinner," he quickly agreed.

"I think that's a better idea," Draco agreed, giving Cecilia a reassuring look.

The dinner grew quiet for a moment, but Lily should have known that it would be her boyfriend to say something. "So, Lana, does this mean that I don't get to be a bridesmaid? . . . Ow!"

As some of the other guys at the table laughed, Lily glanced at Scorpius, who was now nursing his shin. He looked sheepishly at her. But Lily shook her head. "You deserved that one."

* * *

"So, I thought the gift was at your flat?" Lily questioned as Scorpius led her around Muggle London, his hand in hers. He'd Apparated her to Diagon Alley, and then took her to walk around London it seemed.

"No, I just asked you to come over to my flat," Scorpius retorted. "I never said the gift would be there."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Playing with words, how very Slytherin of you," she mocked.

Scorpius chuckled and gave her hand a small squeeze. "Why thank you. Don't worry, I think you'll like it."

They only walked for another five minutes at most, before Scorpius brought her to stand in front of a large building. Lily looked at him and raised a brow. "I don't get it," she admitted.

Scorpius smirked. "That's ok. You'll get it soon enough. Come on." He brought her inside the building, which looked like a normal lobby. But when he took her into the lift, it hit Lily as he pressed the button for one of the top floors.

"You're getting a new flat?" Lily asked.

But Scorpius shook his head, a smirk still on his lips. "No, _we're_ getting a new flat. I thought the one I'm in now was a little too . . . cramped."

"It was . . . homey," Lily replied.

"Nice way to say small," Scorpius chuckled. "Just wait until you see this one. I think you'll really like it. I picked it with you in mind." When the doors opened, Scorpius brought her into the hallway, and brought her to a door only a few steps down the hall. He pulled a key out of his pocket, and began unlocking the door.

Lily raised a curious brow. "Have you already chosen this one?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I think you'll love it. So, I signed for it, and I get to start moving my stuff in next week. Some of the guys are going to help me. It's empty right now. My mum is dragging my out to get a bunch of new furniture for me, according to him."

When he opened the door, he allowed Lily in first, and Lily looked around her in a small state of wonder. The carpet was light beige color, and the walls were white. The kitchen area had a black and white tiled floor, and an extensive amount of Muggle kitchen appliances and cabinets. Windows let in a lot of light.

"This seems really big for a normal flat," Lily mentioned.

Scorpius took her hand again, and began to lead her further inside. "It is. They offered me some place called a 'penthouse,' but it seemed too much." He brought her down a wide hallway, and brought her to one room. "I was thinking that you could put all your potion books and things in here. I know you like to play around with different things, so I thought this room would be perfect."

Lily looked around the room as she stepped inside. There already some built-in shelves in the walls, and there was plenty of space to put more for anything else she had. "Well, I'd probably have to get more shelves and maybe a cupboard or something."

Scorpius came up behind her and kissed her cheek. "Anything you want. I'll get it for you." But then he began leading her out of the room again. "Let me show you the rest." He showed her a room across the hall, one he admitted to making into a room where he would workout, and keep himself in shape. Then he brought her to a room across from the hallway bathroom.

"You know," Scorpius mentioned, "you are very close with your friends, and some of your cousins. And I'm close with my siblings and friends. So, when it came to this room, I thought we could make up some guest bedroom."

Lily smiled at him. "I think that's a great idea."

Then he brought her to the room at the end of the hall. "This would be our room," he commented softly.

Lily looked around here as well. The carpet was grey here instead, but the walls were still white. There were two doors in here as well. One that led to a closet, and one that opened to a bathroom. It was a normal room, but the idea of it being _their_ room, made Lily love it.

"If there's anything about it you want to change, I'll make it happen," Scorpius told her. "Carpet color, the color of the paint on the walls, anything."

Lily turned and gave him a smile. "Well, it could always use a little green," she commented.

Scorpius chuckled as he smirked. "I was thinking that too, actually. I'll bring Lana over, and let her work it out. She's better at these things than I am." But then he looked at her, his eyes locking with hers. "So, do like it? Or should I try again?"

Lily leaned up to kiss him softly. "I think it's perfect. You did good."

He pressed his forehead softly against hers. "Well, I do try. Love you."

She kissed him again. "I love you too. And I'm really liking this whole _our_ flat thing. It'll be a nice thing to remember while I'm away at school."

Scorpius brought her closer to him. "Just one last stretch of time apart," he sighed. "Think it'll go by fast enough?"

"I hope," Lily murmured. "I really do hope so."


	98. A Promise Kept

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well here's the next chapter. Kind of a big and important one, at least I think so. And I apologize for any mistakes in here that I didn't catch. It's pretty late and I'm a little tired. But I wanted to get this one out to you guys as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Eight: A Promise Kept

The day to return to Hogwarts came, and it wasn't as Lily expected it. Actually, it started off with something unusual once she'd stepped on the train. She'd been speaking with Hugo when Shannon suddenly zipped by, grabbing Lily's wrist, and bringing her along.

Lily looked at Shannon in surprise as she pulled her down the hall of the train. "Where are we going?" Lily demanded.

"Just a moment!" Shannon insisted. And after checking to make sure a compartment was empty, Shannon pulled Lily inside, looking almost panicked as she closed the door.

Lily raised a curious brow. "What's up, Shay? Is something wrong?"

Shannon gulped and looked hesitant. "Ok, so you won't tell anyone will you?"

Lily nodded. "Not a word."

"Good, because I don't want this getting out. But I also really need your advice," Shannon sighed as she sat down.

Lily sat across from her. "And you don't want the advice of the other girls too?"

Shannon fiddled with a strand of her hair. "Well, I'm not in the mood for Megan's replies, and I know that you've personally been through this."

Now Lily sighed. "Then it must not be good. Ok, what happened?"

Shannon leaned back against the seat, looking at her lap. Then she mumbled something that Lily could hear or understand.

"What?" Lily asked.

Shannon let her eyes flick toward the window. "I cheated on Chris," she whispered.

Lily looked at her in surprise. "What? Are you serious?"

Shannon nodded, almost looking ashamed. "Yeah, I am."

Lily ran a hand through her hair, but then moved to sit beside Shannon. "Tell me what happened."

"Well, Adrian was home a few nights, and he invited Raven over one day, and Raven brought his brother Derek with him," Shannon started. "Well, I guess Adrian and Raven began talking about Quidditch, and Derek isn't a big fan. So he came downstairs, where I was hanging out in the kitchen. We ended up talking and . . . well he was so sweet, and kind, and he gave the sweetest compliments. I felt really special and pretty . . . and I kissed him." She brought in a gulp of air. "He kissed back, and we ended up snogging for what felt like ten minutes."

"Was that all you did?" Lily asked hesitantly.

Shannon nodded. "Basically. I mean, he went up my shirt a little, and I unbuttoned like one button of his shirt, but that was it. Suddenly it hit me, and I pulled away. I think my freaked out face confused him, and then I just ran upstairs and hid in my room." She gave Lily a desperate look. "What do I do?"

Lily sighed. "Well, do you love Chris?"

Shannon bit her lip for a brief moment. "Well . . . I don't think I'm _in _love with him. But I do care about him. And I feel terrible! I cheated on Chris, and also probably horrified Derek! I don't want him to think he did something wrong, but I'm not sure I can face either one of them!"

Lily nodded a little in understanding. "Look, I know it sucks. When it happened to me, I felt horrible. But I also didn't regret it. Do you?"

Shannon didn't answer for a moment as she seemed to think. Then she sighed. "Well . . . kind of, but not really. I mean, it was like a nice change. I mean, Chris is always throwing out compliments. They never feel totally special. Honest, yes, but I never feel special from it. But with Derek . . . I knew he meant what he said, and I liked it! I liked how I felt! So . . . no. I guess I don't."

"Well do you want to be with Derek? Are you thinking about breaking up with Chris?" Lily inquired.

"I'm not sure," Shannon mumbled.

"Well you need to figure it out," Lily said firmly. "And soon. You can't just string them both along."

"I know, I know," she groaned. "But how do I face them? And if I do break up with Chris, what do I tell him? That it's because I cheated on him and found that I couldn't be with him? That would crush Chris!"

Lily sighed. "You tell him that you just aren't in love with him. That you're not a right match. Tell him every cliché in the book if you want. But don't just string him along to break his heart even harder."

Shannon let out a large sigh, looking slightly defeated. "You know, you always hear how bad the person who got cheated on feels . . . but sometimes the cheater can feel just as bad," she mumbled.

"The one cheated on doesn't feel like crap until they find out," Lily replied. "And it's up to you if you let Chris find out or not."

"I don't want to hurt Chris anymore than my breaking up with him already will," Shannon said firmly.

Lily raised a brow. "So you are going to break up with him?"

There was a moment's pause, but then Shannon nodded. "Yeah. I'm going break up with him." She paused again, but then with a bit of strength in her voice, she spoke. "I want to be in love, Lily. I want to feel special when I'm told I'm beautiful. I want to feel butterflies in my stomach when he smiles . . . I want to be loved. And with Chris . . . I won't ever get that. Not like how I want." Shannon leaned her head back. "I sound really selfish."

Lily smiled. "Well, love is tricky like that. While being the most selfless thing ever, it can also be the most selfish thing ever. A paradox in itself."

* * *

"If I'd known that you guys planned on forcing me to study our first night back, I wouldn't have come back at all," Megan muttered.

The girls sat around a table in the common room, books open in front of them. Because it was just the first night back, they hadn't scheduled for JB until the next night. So Izzy and Lola had insisted on the five of them studying.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you sound much less bitchier than you did before break," Lola commented. She looked at Megan with a raised brow. "Feeling better?"

Megan shrugged, and avoided their eyes by skimming the page in front of her. "Eh."

"That's a mouthful," Shannon replied sarcastically.

"What changed, Megan?" Izzy asked.

"Nothing really," Megan insisted.

Lily glanced over to where the guys were goofing off. Christian had obviously just eaten something, because steam was blowing out of his mouth in little rings, and the others were all laughing. "You know, Hunter seemed in a good mood this afternoon. He wouldn't have anything to do with it, would he?"

"Well aren't you observant," Megan said dismissively.

"Did you finally agree to a date with him?" Shannon asked eagerly.

Megan finally looked at the rest of them, and they were all looking at her with expectant looks. So she sighed. "Yes, ok. I went on a date with Hunter over break."

"And how was it?" Lily asked.

Megan shrugged. "It was ok. It was a date."

"Well what'd you guys do?" Izzy asked.

"Well, he took me to Diagon Alley. We hung out, he bought me dinner, and that was it," Megan replied.

Lola raised a brow. "Really? Nothing else? That was it?"

Megan nodded. "Yup. That was it."

Lily closed the book in front of her. "Ok, so you accepted the date, and you two didn't even kiss. So tell us this, why the change of heart?"

Megan shut her own book. "He just finally convinced me, that's all. So I agreed to a date."

"So you guys are an item?" Izzy asked.

Megan shook her head. "Nope. It was just a date. That's all we agreed to."

Lily sighed. "I sense something else. Why else would Hunter chase for so long just to get a single date?"

"Look, it was just a date!" Megan insisted. "We decided to try it, and we did."

"It just doesn't sound like you," Shannon countered.

"Well, shit happens," Megan mumbled.

* * *

"Hugh, what would you think about being roommates?" Jace asked. Lily sat next to the two of them during Care of Magical Creatures. Today they were sketching the complex skeletal system of two different dragons, emphasizing the difference in the makeup of the wingspans.

Hugo shrugged. "I don't know. Why?"

"Well, there's a pretty nice flat that my dad showed me during break. It's pretty cool, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to afford it on my own. You interested?" Jace asked.

Hugo scratched his head as he stared at his picture. "Uh, I'll think about it. How about you take me to check it out once graduation's over?"

"Awesome," Jace said simply. Then he looked over at Lily. "What are your plans for moving, Lil?"

"Scor picked out a flat for them as a Christmas present," Hugo said with a scoff.

Lily rolled her eyes at his teasing. Then she smiled at Jace. "Scorpius and some of the guys are getting it ready and moving things in. I'll start moving my things in the day after graduation."

"I got to see it before we came back to school. It's pretty nice," Hugo mentioned. Then he looked at Jace. "Hey, why don't you and Lola just get a place of your own?"

Jace tapped his fingers against his knee. "Well . . . I'd thought about that. But I don't want to be pushy or anything. I thought I'd allow us some space. Settle into our lives before we jump into something big like living together."

"A wise decision," Lily assured.

"What about you and Stacy?" Jace asked Hugo.

Hugo sighed. "Honestly, that's my trouble. I mean, I'm with ya, Jace. I don't want to be pushy or anything. But at the same time . . . I'd feel better knowing she was close by."

"Oh, my noble Gryffindor cousin," Lily sighed with a smile. Although she teased, she did think it was cute and sweet that Hugo felt so protective of Stacy. And after what she'd been through, it might just be what Stacy needed.

"That's understandable," Jace agreed. "And if you two decide to move in together, I'll understand that you don't want to be roommates. I could always ask Christian."

Hugo sighed again, this time heavily. "That might be a good idea. Because . . . I would really rather have Stacy close by. But . . ."

"It's not easy," Jace said with understanding.

Hugo put down his drawings, then rolled onto his back, looking up at the clear, but wintery, grey sky. "I sometimes wish that I could be like Lil and Scor, and just know if shit's gunna happen or not."

Lily rolled her eyes. "We're not Seers, Huey. We just know each other well enough. I've known Scorpius for like seven years now. But you've only really gotten to know Stacy over the last year or so. Give it time."

"You know what I really worry about?" Hugo spoke suddenly, apparently having given up on trying to perfect his drawings.

"What?" Lily inquired as she finished the last wing on her second dragon.

"Well . . . if Stacy and I do end up living together . . . how awkward will it be?" Hugo said.

"Why would it be awkward?" Jace asked.

"To start off, do we get a one room, or a two room, flat?" Hugo stated.

"Oh," Lily muttered.

"Then, let's say we agree to a one room, how awkward will it be to share a bed?" Hugo wondered. "I mean, we obviously have yet to have sex, and I don't plan on that changing by the time graduation comes."

"Really?" Jace asked. "I mean, that's like . . . five months or something. You really don't think you'll have sex by then?"

Hugo shook his head. "Nope. I mean, I would love it if we did have sex within five months, but I'm not pushing any limits."

"You should talk to Stacy about this," Lily told him. "First about the whole living together thing. See if it's something you even need to worry about."

Hugo sighed as he crunched snow under his gloved hand. "Yeah, I guess."

"Yeah, you could be worrying over nothing," Jace retorted. "Talk it out with her."

Hugo rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Yeah, because you are the king of talking it out."

Jace grinned. "Yelling it out, talking it out, there's not much difference between them," he joked.

* * *

"So, this is going to be on the N.E.W.T.s for sure?" Clay Angel asked. Lily sat with him in a secluded corner of the library.

Days before he'd asked her for help with Potions, since it would be almost a week before Potions would be the subject of JB. So Lily offered to help him today, choosing a place in the library where Madam Pince wouldn't hear them if they talked.

Lily nodded as she continued to write out directions for an everlasting elixir. "Yes. Everlasting elixirs will be on the test. They can sometimes be the hardest concept to figure out, and then to make perfectly. That's why it's so advanced, and why they are sure to test on it. Now, what I'm writing out is a simple enough elixir among the everlasting. I suggest you try making it a few times. I feel that once you make the potion, it's much easier to understand it," she explained.

"Well, am I going to have to try it to know that it's right?" Clay asked.

"You can, but this one it's easy to tell. It has to be a light orange, and it has to smell sweet. Otherwise, you did it wrong. Now since it's advanced, it obviously has to be done carefully and perfectly to get it right," Lily told him as she pushed the paper toward him.

Clay sighed as he looked it over. "Because telling me that isn't daunting," he mumbled.

Lily laughed lightly. "You'll be fine."

Clay put the paper down and looked at her. "How did you get to be so good at this?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I guess my grandmother was really good at it, so maybe it was inherited. I just find it kind of fun to do. How you can take an ingredient, and make a healing solution from it, but then turn around and use it again to make a poison. I like all the possibilities potions can bring."

Clay gave a nod. "I'm more of a Herbology man myself. Well, that and a mix of Care of Magical Creatures. I love the variety of life, and learning about what's all out there. I love planting some exotic plant, and bringing it to life, basically. One day, I hope I can go out and see it all."

Lily smiled at how excited he sounded. "Well, I'm sure you will. My godmother made a career out of doing that."

"Yeah, but I've already been offered a position to join the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures after I graduate," Clay mentioned. "I sent in an application, and I guess one of the higher ups was really impressed. He offered me an assistant position in the Beast Division."

"Well that's not so bad," Lily commented. "It's around the subject you like at least. And I'm sure you can always find the chance to go out and see what you want to see."

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess. Just . . . part of me wishes I could postpone taking the job so I could travel first. But then the smart part of me remembers that I should be sensible."

Lily laughed again. "Sensible? I personally think it's more sensible to follow a dream. I mean, I know that I'd hate to regret not taking a chance on living a dream."

Clay smiled at her, and Lily couldn't deny that the dimples in his cheeks made him look innocent, and cute. "That's a pretty idealistic belief."

Lily raised a brow. "You think."

He chuckled. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. Actually . . ." He paused for a moment, but then smiled sheepishly and continued. "Actually, I think that's kind of a wise and . . . beautiful belief."

Now Lily smiled a little sheepishly. "Well thank you."

Clay laughed shortly as he ran a hand through his hair. "Well . . . who knows! Maybe I will go out and see the world first. Who knows," he mumbled.

Lily gave him another small smile. "Only you know."

* * *

"You will not believe what happened on this side of the mirror," Scorpius said. It wasn't too late at night, which Lily was thankful for. It was another sign that his training was getting easier for him, and letting him get home earlier.

"What happened?" Lily asked.

"Remember how Lana and Dante announced that they were getting married?" Scorpius said.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

"Well, yesterday, they went out and did it," Scorpius told her.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "They went out and got married?"

"Yep," he said with a sigh. "Apparently they got their parents together to witness it, and they did it." Scorpius sighed again. "They got married."

Lily smiled. She was happy for them. And if she knew Lana, she was probably ecstatic. And she'd be happy with Lana when she next saw her. But right now she was facing someone else. The man who was her brother in every way but blood. "How do you feel about this?"

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "I'm happy for her. For both of them. It's a little weird to think that my sister's married, though."

"Well I'm sure when the time comes, Lana will think it's weird that her brother's married," Lily teased.

Scorpius looked at her in surprise, which surprised her as well. "What?" he demanded.

Lily looked at him confusedly. "I was pointing out that she might end up feeling the same way in the future as you do now. Why are you making that face?"

Scorpius relaxed, although Lily could tell that something was still off. "Oh. Sorry, I just didn't get what you meant."

Lily laughed a little, although she was still a little confused. "I didn't mean to make it hard to understand. I didn't know I had."

"Ha, ha. Enough teasing," Scorpius said with a laugh of his own.

For the rest of their conversation, Lily couldn't help but notice how he now seemed . . . different. He acted normal and spoke normal. His smirk was still handsome, and his laugh was still rumbling deep. But there was something in his eyes that Lily recognized. He wasn't telling her something.

* * *

Lily sighed as she sat alone in the kitchens. That morning, Randy had run up to her, asking her to meet him here at lunch. Apparently he had an important issue to discuss with her. So since Lily had a free period where she helped with Potions before lunch, she'd left Slughorn early, and now was waiting. She figured he'd be here soon. Class had surely ended by now.

"Oh! Lily?"

Lily turned to see Jaclyn stepping inside. The house elves swarmed around her, asking her what she'd like and if they could do anything. Jaclyn said something softly to them, then as they began to get whatever it was, she came to sit with Lily.

"What are you doing here, Jaclyn?" Lily inquired before she took a sip of her butterbeer. When the house elves had asked her what she'd wanted, she hadn't really been hungry. So she'd only asked for a butterbeer and a pastry. She was in the mood for something sweet.

"Randy asked me to meet him here. Did he ask you the same thing?" Jaclyn asked as one of the elves handed her a glass of water.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, but he didn't say what he wanted to talk about. Did he tell you?"

Jaclyn shook her head. "No, but if we're both here, then it must be about JB."

"Randy catch you girls this morning too?" Hugo asked as he stepped in, startling them both.

Lily sighed. "Yep. Must be about JB."

Hugo walked away from the elves as he came to sit at the small table with the girls. "Randy didn't tell me it was all four of us. Although he was in a rush when he caught me earlier."

"I wonder what's up," Jaclyn murmured as she took a plate from a house elf with a few words of thanks.

Before one of them could speak, the door opened again, and finally it was Randy coming in. He told the house elves something, then came to join the other three at the table. "Hey. Thanks for meeting me here today, guys."

"No prob, Randy," Hugo said as he accepted a plate from a house elf. "So, what's up?"

Randy cleared his throat as one of the elves set a mug of tea in front of him. "Well, as you probably guessed, it's about JB. Well, last night while I was helping the fourth years with Arithmacy, a thought occurred to me. And that was: what's going to happen once we've graduated?"

Lily scowled lightly in thought. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it was our year that created the group, and it was the four of us that basically made the foundation of the group," Randy explained. "We made rules, we made schedules, and each year we made it work so that we could help anyone that needed help. We worked to keep peace between our Houses, and we helped raise test scores. This group . . . it's kind of our legacy. So, what will happen to it once we're gone?"

Jaclyn bit her lip lightly. "Oh. That is a good question."

Hugo scowled now too. "I hadn't really thought about it. I mean, I'd thought about how it's our last year of it, but never really what would happen to the _group_ once we left."

Lily tapped her fingers on the wood of the table. "Well we can't just let it fall apart. Not with how much effort everyone has put into it. And especially not with how well it's worked to help everyone."

"That's what I was thinking. But what can we do?" Randy wondered.

The four of them were silent in thought as they ate their food. Lily twirled the end of her ponytail around her finger. They just couldn't let JB fall apart. All the work, the meaning behind the creation of the group. It couldn't go to waste. And when they had planned to let the group disband the year before, it was the years below that had hoped they'd revive it. It was the younger students who seemed to love and appreciate it the most. They couldn't just let it fall through on them.

"What if," Hugo spoke suddenly, "we had the sixth years take it over?"

"Well, no offense to the sixth years, but could they handle it? It's not easy," Jaclyn mentioned. "Plus it's a lot to do. I'm not sure they'd know what to do."

"We do what we did the first time," Hugo stated, almost as if he was saying it as it came to him. "We have the sixth years elect someone from their House to represent them. And then we each take the representative from our own House, and we teach those four how to work things. How to plan it out, and all that. Like a protégé. Then they could be ready to lead the group once we're gone."

Lily mulled that idea over. "Well . . . it's not a bad thought. It'd be a lot to teach them. I mean, they could obviously keep the schedule of classes we have. I mean we've used it each year. But they'd have to learn how to keep the peace, how to decide who will teach what year, how to help the kids, and how to hold the meetings with those in their own year."

"But I do think it's possible," Jaclyn said. "I mean, we have the time. I think we should use Hugo's idea."

"I do too, but one thing," Randy stated. "I think that, while the sixth years should choose who represents them, I also think that the four of us should each approve of who they pick. Otherwise, it could always end up as a popularity choice. Last thing we need is someone incompetent ever taking this group over."

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea," Hugo agreed. "I like it."

"So, is that what we want to do?" Lily asked.

"I think so. We'll need to hold a meeting for the sixth years and let them know about this," Jaclyn mentioned.

"How about this coming Sunday?" Randy suggested.

"Well, first, I think we should let the others in _our_ year know what's up," Hugo commented. "I mean, this is their group as much as it is ours. I say we hold a meeting with them first. _Then_ hold a meeting for the sixth years. Just so we know all in our class agree on this."

"I'm with Hugo," Lily sighed. "So, this Sunday, a meeting with our own classmates. Next Sunday, the sixth years?"

"Sounds good to me," Randy agreed.

"Perfect. We'll each make flyers to put on our common room bulletin boards. Spread the word," Hugo said.

There was a pause among the four of them. Then Jaclyn sighed. "This really is our _last_ year with this group," she murmured. "I know it's only been three years . . . but it seems like such a big part of us now."

"It is weird to think about," Hugo sighed. "To think that it's our turn to pass the torch instead of taking it."

"A new generation of leaders is on its way," Randy replied. "And they're going to take care of Hogwarts for us."

Lily smiled. "They're going to have to take care of it for themselves. You know, it was stressful, but it was never terrifying when it came time for us to do it. But now . . . I feel a little scared to be passing the job along. I kind of feel like a parent," she joked weakly.

Hugo rubbed his shoulder. "Yeah. Like letting your kid grow up and take responsibility. Only, it's us growing up and joining the world. Leaving these kids behind." But then he sighed. "But they can do it. They're good kids, and we have to have faith in them. After all, the others had faith in us."

* * *

It was only a few days after the four of them met together that the meeting with all the seventh years came. The word had spread throughout the castle about how there would be a meeting for the seventh years, and then the sixth years. But the four had been tightlipped about what the meetings would be about, sending curiosity through the castle. Study sessions were postponed and even Quidditch practices were canceled, just so all the seventh years could be at their meeting. And Lily had heard that the same was apparently being done the next week, just to assure that all the sixth years could be there.

They held the meeting for the seventh years, who were luckily all in agreement on the idea of how to pass along the group. Needless to say the four of them were thankful. None of them thought they would have been able to think of a better idea.

February came the same week, distracting almost everyone. And that was because it was announced formally that because Valentine's Day was on a Saturday, it would be made into a Hogsmeade trip for those in third year and up. It was nothing new, but it was always distracting to students. Especially those who were just coming into having crushes and hormones.

* * *

"Lily?"

Lily looked up from her book to see Marsha coming to sit across from her. She'd made it to breakfast early, mainly because Lola and Jace had been taking forever with being cute and romantic toward each other. As happy as she was for them, she was hungry. So she'd left the common room on her own.

"What's up, Marsha?" Lily asked marking her page and setting down the book.

"I have a question for you," Marsha told her, obviously hesitating.

Lily smiled. "If it's about JB, I'm not telling you what the meetings are about." As the four asked of the other seventh years, the meetings stayed secret. They didn't want word getting around, and that influencing who the sixth years chose.

Marsha laughed a little, although it was weak. "No, it's nothing like that. It has more to do with . . . Valentine's Day."

Lily raised a brow as she pulled the crust of her last piece of toast. "Ok. What about it?"

Marsha sighed. "Well, what do you think it means if a boy asks you to hang out with him on Valentine's Day?"

Lily bit into her toast. "How did he ask?"

"Well, he just asked me if I would like to hang out with him on Valentine's Day," Marsha said.

"Who was it?" Lily asked, although she had a good guess.

"It was Alec," Marsha told her.

So Lily thought about it. Although she didn't spend a lot of time wit Alec, she knew that he was a pretty straightforward guy. He never used riddles or hidden meanings. He never beat around the bush. "Well, I hate to say it, but I think he just means to hang out. If Alec meant it as a date, I personally think he would have asked you out on a date, instead to just hang out."

Marsha sighed, and her disappointment was obvious. "Yeah, I thought so too. I just kind of hoped maybe someone else thought different." Then she looked at Lily again. "Ok, well now I have another question for you. Should I go with Alec, or accept an offer for a date by another boy?"

Lily looked at her in surprise. "A boy asked you out?"

Marsha nodded, her cheeks a little pink. "Yeah. John Warrington, from fourth year. He asked me yesterday, and I asked him to give me a day to think about it. But now I don't know what to do. Should I go with Alec as a friend, and hope that maybe something more could come out of it . . . or do I go with John where I know what the intentions are?"

Lily looked at Marsha carefully. Although only fourteen, it was obvious that the little girl Lily had once known was growing up. Marsha's hair was longer and had toned to a more honey color than the bright blond it'd been before. It was obvious her body as changing and developing as she got older, and she was even a little taller. But it was very obvious by her eyes that she was confused on what to do.

"Marsha, it comes down to this," Lily told her. "You have to decide what you want more. Take a chance on Alec, or try moving on to what you know is a sure thing. Trying out a date and a relationship for the first time."

Marsha tapped her index finger on the table as she thought, then she sighed, still looking a little disappointed. "I want to date. I want to get out there, be someone's girlfriend. To do something other than pine away for an older boy who is obviously never going to notice me."

Lily gave her a sad smile. She knew the feeling of crushing on a best friend very well. But she also knew that it didn't always end up as it did for her. "Then you should tell John that you accept."

Marsha gave her a small smile. "Yeah. Thanks, Lil. Can you do one more thing for me?"

Lily smiled at her reassuringly. "Sure. What?"

"Can you keep Robbie in line? I know he'll somehow find out, and throw a fit. And I'd rather John not die before the date," Marsha joked lightly.

Lily laughed. "Of course I will. I won't have Robbie killing one of my Chasers, even if he is dating his little sister."

Now Marsha laughed too as she stood. "Thanks a lot, Lily."

"No problem," Lily assured as the young girl walked away.

"What'd Marsha want?" Hugo asked as he came to sit next to Lily.

"Girl advice," Lily said vaguely.

Which Hugo accepted. "Oh, cool." Soon the others finally showed up to join them for breakfast. Even Jace and Lola, who were still too wrapped up in each other to notice much else, let alone eat.

"What's put them in such a good mood? They have sex last night or something?" Megan muttered.

"If they did, it wasn't in our room," Xavier said.

"Yeah, Jace came to bed alone," Christian laughed.

The sound of a hundred owls soon filled the room as the post came. Lily received a letter from Lana. Lily had sent her one about a week before, congratulating her on getting married. And Lana's letter was obviously full of happiness and excitement, even though Lana claimed nothing was different now that they were back from the honeymoon. Lily felt that Lana was just trying to seem casual about it, and was actually still giddy about the whole thing.

"Sounds like Lana and Dante had a good time," Lily mentioned to the others as she folded the letter back up.

"I still can't believe she married my brother," Megan muttered. "I thought she was smarter than that."

Lily laughed with the others, but noticed that Hugo was the only one _not_ laughing. He was wrapped up in a letter of his own. Curious, Lily nudged his elbow. "Who's your letter from, cuz?"

Hugo looked at her surprised, then quickly began to fold up the letter. "Oh, it's just from home. Mum wrote about this muggle book, and it sounds really good." He spoke fast as he shoved the letter into his pocket.

Lily raised a brow. His ears were turning red. That meant two things. He was embarrassed, or he was lying. "Really?" Lily inquired casually.

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. It's about some muggle war, or something. A lot of action. Sounds cool," he rambled.

Lily gave a nod. "I didn't know Aunt Hermione read those kinds of books," she said, trying to see if she could get him to admit it.

Hugo just playfully scoffed as he avoided looking her in the eye. "Please, Mum reads all books," he laughed. Lily gave a small laugh too. She would let it go. Knowing Hugo, he'd tell her soon enough.

* * *

The day came for the meeting for sixth years. The four of them had gone to the Room of Requirement to make sure it was like they wanted, casual, relaxed, and comfortable. Then they waited for all the sixth years to come in. They were all buzzing with excitement, and all asking each other questions as they sat down. Then they obviously asked questions about their seats. The four had thought of simple but comfortable desks, each with a piece of paper, quill, and ink. There was a big desk by where the four of them were standing, with four comfy chairs for themselves later. Finally, all the sixth years were present, and the doors were closed.

Randy cleared his throat, his voice the loudest, and best to use when gaining attention. "Ok, guys," she spoke to the large group, "I know you've all been curious for weeks now about what this meeting is for. Well, it's important and serious, so we need you to listen up." He looked at Lily and nodded.

Lily stepped forward. "Ok. Now as you know, the four of us have . . . kind of been leading JB since its start. And as you know, we won't be here next year. We will no longer be able to do that."

"You aren't shutting the group down are you?" Stuart Yale from Ravenclaw questioned with obvious worry.

"That can't happen! This group is too perfect for students!" Ariel Reso from Hufflepuff worried.

"Hold it!" Hugo shouted, quieting the clamor that had slowly began to rise.

Lily gave him a thankful smile before looking back to the sixth years. "I understand your worry. And we worried about it too. We don't want this group to fall. We want it to continue even when we're gone. When you're gone. We want this group to stay. So together, the four of us have come up with a plan. Hugo?"

Hugo stepped forward now. They'd chosen for him to explain it to them, since it had been his idea. "Today, each of you has paper, a quill, and ink in front of you. And we are going to ask that each of you choose the person from your House and in your year, that you think will be the best person to represent you guys. We will count up your votes, and then decide if we approve of who they are. Then, those four will be the ones to take over for us next year."

"What?" Courtney Derrick said in surprise.

"We'll be gone next year," Jaclyn spoke up. "Everyone in our year. We won't be able to guide you kids next year. So we want you to do what we did. Choose who you think can represent and lead you the best. Then once those four are chosen, the four of us will teach them on how to take care of JB. On how to run things."

"I know it's hard to believe," Randy said to them, "but next year, _you_ guys will be the leaders of not only this group, but this school. You will be the ones leading the studies for each year and each subject. You will be watching over meetings, and keeping unity among our Houses. It'll be your job next year."

"But we're not going to just blindly throw you into it," Lily assured them. "That's why the four of us will take the time to teach those who will be our replacements. So, think about it, write down the name of the person in your House who can best lead you guys, and then bring them up to us. To make it simple, hand to the one that's in your same House. We'll go from there."

The four of them waited as the sixth years seemed to sit there, thinking. Surprisingly, Lance was the first one to walk up to the four of them. His paper was folded, and he held it out to Lily. He smiled at her as she took it. "Thanks for doing what you can to keep JB going," he said to them. "We appreciate it."

As if his words opened the floodgate, soon the sound of quills scratching came, and others were soon all getting up, and handing in their own papers. It was a few minutes before they were all in, and the sixth years had sat down again. Murmurs floated around them as the four seventh years counted up votes. Lily smiled at who had been chosen from Slytherin.

They all showed each other the results from each House, then looked at each other. "Well I approve," Randy said.

"So do I," Jaclyn said.

"I think it's perfect," Lily stated.

"I'm with Lily," Hugo agreed. "Let's spread the news."

The four of them turned to face the sixth years again, which brought them all to a silence of anticipation. Randy cleared his throat, and went first. "Those who have been chosen, come up when we say your name. So, with yours and my approval, the choice from Ravenclaw is . . . Carly Corner."

There were some cheers and claps as Carly Corner got up and came to stand next to Randy. Although happy, she still looked a little embarrassed. Not that Lily was surprised. Carly always was a modest girl.

Randy looked at her seriously. "Carly Corner, you've been asked to take the responsibility of leading your peers next year to take command of JB. To be on of the biggest promoters of House unity, and to take the helping of all younger students into your hands. Do you accept this?"

Carly nodded. "Yes."

Randy smiled and held out his hand. "Then congratulations. I'm happy to teach you over the next few months."

There were a lot of cheers this time, and even Lily, Hugo, and Jaclyn clapped this time. "How the hell did this get so formal and serious?" Hugo whispered to Lily as the applause went on.

Lily shrugged. "It's a serious thing. Yet still something to be happy and proud of. Fitting."

Jaclyn was the next to go. "For Hufflepuff, by your choice and my approval, it will be . . . A.J. Brady."

There were surprisingly a lot of cheers this time, especially from a few Hufflepuff girls. And Lily had a good idea why that was. A.J. Brady was kind of a cute guy. Jaclyn smiled at him as he came to stand by her. "A.J., you've been asked by your peers to lead your classmates next year on taking control of JB. To promote peace between Houses, and to take lead of helping all students. Do you accept this?"

A.J.'s smile was bright and quite charming. "You bet I do."

Jaclyn shook his hand. "Then I'll be happy to teach you the next few months."

Once all the cheers had died down, Hugo went next. "Ok. You Gryffindors chose him, and I approve, so the one to represent you will be . . . Seth Alexander."

Lily didn't know Seth that well, but she knew he was a good guy. Goofy, but still so nice. And he was personable, and very likable. He was a good choice.

Hugo smiled at him as Seth came to stand with him. "Well, Seth Alexander. These guys want you to take on leading them and JB next year. They want you to promote friendship among our Houses. And they want you to take on helping every student who needs it. And I want you to take those things on too. So, do you accept?"

"Hell yeah!" Seth said excitedly, making the four seventh years laugh.

Hugo was still chuckling a little. "Then I can't wait to start teaching ya!"

Once the cheering and applause were done, it was finally Lily's turn. "With the Slytherins' choice and my approval, the one to represent you will be . . . Liz West."

There were a lot of cheers from the Slytherins as Liz came up. "Go, Liz!" Courtney cheered with excitement. Liz rolled her eyes, but still smiled happily when she stood next to Lily.

Lily smiled back at her. "Liz West, we want you to take the responsibility of leading these guys and taking the reigns of JB next year. We want you to be the one to take charge of promoting unity among all Houses. And we want you to take care of making sure any student who wants and needs help gets it. Do you accept this?"

Liz sighed but then nodded. "Yeah. I do."

Lily shook her hand. "Then I'll be glad to teach you."

Randy smiled. "These are your choices for next year's leadership of JB. Next year, you guys will be in charge, with these four leading the way. Next year, it's going to be your turn. Prepare yourselves. Because right now, we're still here to help."

* * *

"Hugo, don't you have a date with Stacy?" Lily demanded as her cousin dragged her out of the Slytherin common room.

The day had finally come. Valentine's Day. After the meeting with the sixth years had ended, the word spread like wildfire on what had happened. It sent even more excitement and gossip through the halls. They had all decided to wait on teaching their new "students" until the week after Valentine's Day. They hoped that all the gossip that would evolve once Valentine's Day came around would die down by then, allowing more focus.

Hugo smiled at his cousin. "Of course I have a date with Stacy."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Then why are you dragging me out of the common room and demanding that I come to Hogsmeade with you? I refuse to be a third wheel!"

Hugo laughed. "You won't be. Stacy needs to shop for something, so I want to hang out with you until she's done!"

"We can't do that here?" Lily questioned. This was just another way of how Hugo was acting weird lately, and she was getting ready to just rip whatever secret he had out of him. He had been acting odd ever since he'd gotten that letter. And it apparently concerned today. Every time someone suggested an idea for Valentine's Day, Hugo was always trying to convince Lily to come to Hogsmeade. Even when she said that she planned on staying at the castle. Something was up.

"No, we can't do that here!" Hugo protested. "It won't be as fun! You need to get out of the castle! It's Valentine's Day, cuz. You can't just hide out in your room!"

"This day is a little pointless for me at the moment," Lily pointed out. "Besides, I was going to use my mirror to talk to Scorpius when he was at lunch."

"Well I thought you had put your mirror in your jacket pocket?" Hugo inquired.

Lily shrugged now as they entered the Entrance Hall. "I did."

Hugo smiled at her again. "Then no worries! You can still do that. But later."

Lily rolled her eyes as she let her cousin drag her outside the castle. "This better be good, Huey," she mumbled.

It was still cold outside, and there was a small layer of snow on the ground, although a pathway had been made for the students. The sky was clear and blue, looking like a summer day if it weren't for the cold air. Luckily there wasn't any wind to make it freezing.

Lily sighed as she shoved her hands into her pockets, absentmindedly running her fingers over her mirror. "So, what are you and Stacy doing for your date?" she asked curiously.

"Well I've got a few things planned," Hugo said. "I thought maybe I'd take her to Honeyduke's and buy her anything she wants. Then go to the Hogsmeade and get something to eat."

"Did you already buy her a thing of chocolates?" Lily asked. She remembered him giving them to Stacy this morning.

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, I did. But now I'm taking her to get her whatever she wants."

"So you're spoiling her," Lily said with a smile.

Hugo smiled too. "Exactly."

* * *

When they reached Hogsmeade, Lily had expected them to simply walk around, or wait around whatever shop it was that Stacy was in. But instead Hugo kept leading her down the streets. It only took Lily a moment to realize where he was taking her.

"Did you plan to meet Stacy at the Shrieking Shack?" Lily guessed.

But Hugo shook his head as he climbed over the fence. "No. I just thought you and I could sit around while we wait for her to finish."

"Then how will you know she's finished if you aren't in the village?" Lily pointed out.

"Intuition," Hugo said simply, making Lily roll her eyes.

"Ok. That's it! What are you up to, Hugo Weasley?" Lily demanded as she stopped at the door.

Hugo laughed. "You'll see if you just indulge me. Now, will you go in?"

Lily sighed. This was almost starting to tire her out. "Ok. Fine. Yes, I will go in."

Hugo motioned her toward the door. "Then go in. And, you're welcome."

Lily looked at him with confusion. "What?"

"Just go!" Hugo urged, yet not opening the door himself.

Giving him one last look, and thinking about how weird he was acting, Lily opened the door and stepped inside. At first she thought that she was just glad to be out of the cold, but then she stopped. Sitting on the old couch was Scorpius!

He was smirking and looked as dashing as ever. His hair was now that perfect length that she loved, along with that wonderful shade of honey blond. He wore a simple grey shirt which wrapped around him nicely. His pants were also simple black, and looked nice.

Lily was so stunned that she didn't even hear or notice the door closing behind her. She was more focused on Scorpius and how he seemed to be slowly walking toward her now. And she was especially focused on how he was here! In the flesh, standing before her on Valentine's Day!

Scorpius finally came to stand in front of her, close enough to touch. "I don't think I've ever seen you so surprised," he murmured.

Lily licked her lips, her mouth feeling dry, her heart beating rapidly. "I don't think I've ever been so confused on what I want to say."

Scorpius took her hand, and a familiar warmth seemed to encompass her immediately. "I can wait," he whispered as he brought her hand up to place a kiss on her knuckles.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked quickly. It was the first question that came to her mind.

"I got permission to take a day off of training to come and see you," he answered. "And I thought I'd surprise you, so I enlisted Hugo's help."

Well that explained Hugo's weird behavior. "Why today?" she inquired.

Scorpius chuckled. "What better day for us?" Then he leaned forward to press a kiss on her forehead. "Now, come with him. I have something to show you upstairs."

Still in a state of surprise, Lily let him wordlessly lead her up the stairs. She wasn't surprised when he brought her to the room where their first time had been. But upon the bed was what looked like a picnic layout. There were containers of food, two plates, some silverware, and two butterbeers were carefully and magically balanced, all on the bed.

Now that her surprise was starting to fade, a bright smile came over her lips. "You did this?"

Scorpius turned to smile at her as he brought her toward the bed. "Yep. All for you."

He sat on the bed, but before he could pull her to sit with him, she leaned forward to kiss him chastely. "Thank you," she whispered.

Scorpius gave her an equally short kiss in return. "You're welcome. Now sit. Eat."

Lily moved onto the bed across from Scorpius, her legs crossed. They then both began to eat, but Lily was still more occupied with the fact that Scorpius had actually come to see her! That he was here! What had he told her uncle?

Lily gave him an amused smile. "Does my uncle know you're here?"

Scorpius smirked. "Only if your father told him. Your dad was the one I got permission from."

She raised a brow in curiosity and surprise. "You asked Dad?"

Scorpius nodded. "Yep. I was already talking to him about something, so I thought I'd go ahead and ask him. Plus, I knew I had a better chance of getting permission to take the day off if I asked him."

Lily laughed. "Calling my dad a softy?"

"No, I'm calling your uncle a hard-ass," Scorpius joked, making them both laugh again. But then his laughter softened into a smile as he gazed at her. "I've missed you, princess," he murmured.

Lily smiled too, although she felt a small heat in her cheeks. She was sure they were pink now. "I missed you too. I think this is the best gift you could have gotten me."

Scorpius shrugged, looking almost modest. "I think I can top this," he said teasingly with an air of confidence.

Lily giggled lightly. "I'm sure you can," she agreed softly.

Scorpius sighed as he carefully moved so that he was laying across the bed, and placed his head in her lap. "So, catch me up on all the Hogwarts gossip. What's happenin'?" he said teasingly.

Lily laughed a little. "Well, looks like Shannon is going to break up with Chris," she told him, leaving out the details.

"Really? Not happy?" he asked before popping a grape into his mouth.

Lily sighed. "Sort of. She just wants more from a relationship."

Scorpius gave a nod. "What else?"

"Little Marsha's out on a date today. Her first," Lily said with a smile.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Marsha Pritchard? Seriously? Isn't she like twelve?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "She's fourteen now, and in her third year."

"Do her brothers know?" Scorpius asked with a chuckle.

"Yes. I told Robbie, because she's going on a date with one of my Chasers, and I wasn't going to have Robbie throwing some fit and fighting with him," Lily replied.

"Well who is it?"

"John Warrington. Justin's little brother."

"Wow time flies," Scorpius commented. "Seems like yesterday when that kid was like seven-years-old."

"I know what you mean. I remember when Marsha used to skip up to me and hug me around the waist. Now she's getting to be almost as tall as me," Lily mumbled.

"So, how's Robbie? My number one contender for your heart?" Scorpius joked.

Lily playfully smacked him on the arm. "Be nice. And he's fine. Much more relaxed about O.W.L.s than his sister was during our fifth year."

"Well that's good. Although I'm not surprised. Robbie was never one to get into a panic," Scorpius mentioned. "How's Hugo and Stacy? He still treating her right?"

"Better than a queen could even hope for," Lily answered. "They're so cute, it's hard not to smile when I see them."

"Well Hugh's a good guy. The kind Stacy deserves," Scorpius retorted.

Lily smiled. "So, how's Lana?"

"Exploding with happiness," Scorpius chuckled. "She tries to contain it, but it leaks out every now and then." But then Scorpius started to laugh.

"What is it?" Lily inquired.

Scorpius ran a hand over his face. "Something Lana told me. Remember Beth Crowley and Wade Macnair? From a year above me?"

Lily nodded. She remembered them. Beth had been Amanda Baddock's best friend, and Wade had been a friend of Will Nott's. He'd been a pretty nice guy, and Beth . . . had been kind outgoing and flirty. They were nothing alike, so Lily was curious as to what they had to do with each other in the coming story. "Yeah. What about them?"

"Well, I guess that they'd been sleeping with each other for a while. A bit ago, they finally became an actual couple," Scorpius told her.

Lily let out a short laugh. "That sounds like a weird couple. But go on."

Scorpius chuckled again. "Well, I guess ole Wade knocked her up."

Now Lily laughed fully. "You're kidding?"

Scorpius shook his head. "Nope. So now they're getting married tomorrow. Beth had apparently wanted it to be today, but Wade couldn't get out of work. So they're getting married tomorrow, and then going on a two-day honeymoon."

Lily tried not to laugh. "Only two days?"

"Well Wade only has two days off a week," Scorpius laughed. "So I guess she's moving all her stuff into his place today. Lana told me this yesterday, and I almost died laughing."

"I honestly don't know who to feel bad for in that situation," Lily joked.

"I feel bad for Wade!" Scorpius said. "Beth is way too much to handle for anyone. And now he's going to have to deal with even more of her hormones."

The two of them continued that way, catching each other up on how their friends were doing. Scorpius told Lily how it was looking as if Tanner and Kimberly were starting to have an "on-again-off-again" type of relationship. Apparently they'd broken up a dozen times already, and always got back together within a day or two.

Soon all the food had been finished, same with their butterbeers. But they simply cleared it all from the bed, and continued to lay next to each other, talking about anything and everything.

"You know, I got to go into your dad's study recently," Scorpius told her. "And . . . wow. It's so cool."

Lily smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, it is. I love it in there."

"It's like a legendary place among Aurors," Scorpius commented. "I walked in, and just seeing everything in there, I felt like a child."

"I think it's funny how a bunch of men can see a room as legendary, and I just see it as the best room in our house. Same with how a million people can see my dad as some great hero, and to me he's just Dad," Lily mentioned.

"Well he did save a million people," Scorpius said with a chuckle. Then he sighed. "I always used to think that he gave the coolest lectures when he'd come and talk to us for Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Now I get to work under the guy. _And_ I get to date his daughter."

Lily laughed. "You are lucky, aren't you?"

She felt him place a kiss on her hair. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

They were silent for a few minutes. Both simply relaxing in being with and next to each other. Lily was starting to think that this was probably the best day of her seventh year by far. But then Scorpius began to shift, so Lily pulled her head off of his shoulder, and he sat up on the bed, leaning his back against the headboard. And the look he gave her . . . his face was so serious, but his eyes were so . . . hesitant. Almost like he was nervous.

"Lily?" he addressed softly.

Lily sat up too. "Yeah?"

He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. But when he opened them, he seemed to have more confidence in his eyes. "You know I love you, right?"

Lily nodded slowly, wondering where he was going with this. "Yes, I know."

"And you know that you are the most important person to me," he continued.

Again, Lily nodded. "Yes."

Scorpius took her hands in his, his thumb running over the back of one of her hands. "You know, I can't see myself living without you, and I sure as hell don't ever intend to. In fact, I plan on moving you in first chance I get."

Lily smiled. "Scorpius, what's your point?"

He smiled too. "I'm getting to my point, be patient," he teased. His smile softened, and Lily felt a warmth run through her at the sight of the love in his eyes. "You are probably the most beautiful woman in this world, Lily Luna. And I don't think I know anyone as witty, intelligent, and kind. Nor as stubborn and persistent. But all these things, they make you perfect in my eyes. And I can't think of anyone better that I could spend my life with. I can't wait for when I can wake up and not have to remind myself that it's not a dream, because you'll be next to me, reminding me instead."

Scorpius dug in his pocket for a brief moment, before pulling out a small black box. And Lily could easily tell what it was, and it made her heart beat faster than it ever had before. "Scorpius?" she whispered.

Scorpius smirked when he caught her expression. "Lily, I know I'm not the perfect guy. I'm stubborn, selfish, and I know I can be arrogant. But for some reason you've still accepted me, and loved me. So, I'm hoping that, knowing all these things about me, you'll marry me?" And with a simple flick of his thumb, he popped open the velvet box.

Inside was a simple diamond ring. The diamond wasn't small, or overly big. Just . . . perfect. The band was gold, and there were a few tiny diamonds embedded around the main one. Although beautiful and obviously expensive, it was simple. It was perfect.

Lily thought her heart would explode. She was so . . . surprised! Sure, she knew he'd ask her one day. He'd told her so before. But she'd never thought that he'd do it today! And . . . even though she knew, she never thought she'd be so . . . speechless once he asked.

Slowly, Scorpius began to look hesitant. "I . . . I didn't ask this too soon, did I?"

His words made her laugh softly as she brought a hand to brush his hair away from his eyes. "No. No, you did perfectly. And, yes. Yes, I will marry you."

Scorpius's smile was as happy as Lily felt. He even let out an almost giddy chuckle as he gently took her hand, and removed his Slytherin ring, just to replace it with the diamond ring. Then he brought her hand up to place a kiss on the ring, and then on the back of her hand. "I promised you that I'd replace that ring with a better one."

Lily took in a much needed gulp of air before giving out her own giddy laugh. She moved so that she straddled his lap, her hands cupping his cheeks. "Scorpius, you may be stubborn, selfish, and arrogant. But you are still the most perfect man I've ever known. And I love you, Scorpius Malfoy."

Scorpius leaned forward, their lips a breath away. "I love you too, Lily Potter."

Then he kissed her.


	99. Decisions Always Ride on Shoulders

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, everyone has been dying for a quick update, so I obliged. I hope you guys like it. The seventh year will soon be coming to a close. Also, sorry for any mistakes. It's kind of late here, and I'm a little tired, so I might have missed some. Anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter Ninety-Nine: Decisions Always Ride on Shoulders

Lily felt as if her heart would never stop pounding so roughly in her chest. Engaged. She was officially engaged to Scorpius Malfoy. It felt so different and yet so fantastic! It was so different from just the simple knowledge that she would one day be engaged to him. Now she really was! And honestly, it made her miss him all the more, and it had only been ten minutes since she'd left him. And she'd only left him because it was nearing the end of their Hogsmeade trip, and she was forced to go back. Otherwise, she probably never would have.

"_I don't know if this is going to make our time apart seem shorter or longer."_ It was something that Scorpius had admitted before they parted ways at the Hogwarts gate. Now she was making her way down the path to the castle, hungry for dinner, and excited to tell the others. But Lily didn't even step inside the castle before she saw Hugo. He was standing just outside the door in the dusk light, obviously waiting for her with a smile on his face.

Feeling like her heart would burst, Lily ran to him, and hugged him tightly. Hugo hugged her back just as hard, and even lifted her off her feet. "Congratulations, Lily. I'm really happy for you," he whispered near her ear.

He put Lily back on her feet, and Lily looked up at her cousin. And oddly enough, with all the emotion in her chest and throat, she felt her eyes water a little. "Thank you, Huey. You are not only the greatest cousin, but also the greatest best friend in the world."

Hugo's smile softened, and his ears turned a little red. "Same to you. And you're also one of the greatest girls I know, and you deserve to be as happy as you are now. That's why I was not only honored that Scorpius told me and included me, but I was also happy to do it for you."

Lily hugged her cousin again tightly. "Thank you," she murmured, blinking back those minor little tears.

Hugo squeezed her once before letting her go. "Come on. Let's go to the kitchens. Then you can tell me all about it, and drive the other girls crazy by not showing up at dinner," he said with a grin.

Lily laughed and let him lead the way.

Their walk to the kitchens was in a comfortable silence. But once they'd arrived, and the house elves had provided them both with a plate of food, Hugo gave her a sly look, and held out his hand. "Come on. Let me see it."

Lily laughed again and placed her left hand in his. "It's really kind of simple, but I think that's why I like it so much."

"It fits you," Hugo agreed as he let her hand go. "So, where's his Slytherin ring now?"

Lily showed her right hand, where it was now placed on the other ring finger, where hers had previously been. "We made a trade. He has mine now, which he says he's going to put on a chain to wear around his neck."

"Cute," Hugo commented. Then he sighed. "So . . . how's it feel?"

Lily allowed herself to take a bite of her food before speaking so that she could arrange how to word her thoughts properly. And she found that it was difficult to put it into words. "Well, know that feeling you get when you're with the one you love? The feeling you get when you're with Stacy?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah. I get ya."

"Yeah. Like your heart's going to burst at any moment, and it's going to set off a million different sparks of love and happiness?" Lily continued.

Again, he nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, it's like my heart finally exploded into those sparks, but they're not dying down. They keep popping and sizzling, and sending sparks through my veins and nerves. Like it's never-ending." Lily smiled. "It's the best feeling in the world."

Hugo smiled. "I'm glad, and I'm excited for the day when I get that feeling." But then his smile deepened. "So, can I tell you about my date?"

Lily nodded. "Of course. I'd love to hear about it."

"Well, Stacy and I talked about what we would do after graduation. And . . . we we've decided that we would try living together," he murmured.

"Really? That's great, Huey! I'm really happy for you," Lily told him honestly.

Hugo smiled sheepishly. "Thanks. I'm actually really excited about it, too. Although, I am a little nervous as well. But, I talked about the idea of me and her sharing a bed, and we've also decided to give that a try."

"So, what did Stacy say about it?" Lily asked.

"Well, she thinks that it's something me and her will be ready for by the time graduation comes around. And . . ." Hugo trailed off, almost like he was a little embarrassed.

Lily raised a brow. "What, Hugo?"

Hugo rubbed the back of his neck. "And she said that she would feel a lot safer if she and I lived together."

"Cute," Lily said, repeating his earlier words.

Hugo nodded, his smile soft and obviously full of love. "Yeah. You know, I never knew that I would feel so . . . happy and excited about wanting and being able to protect someone. But, knowing that Stacy wants me to be like a protector . . . I feel needed, ya know? It's a great feeling, being needed. Ya know?" Then he laughed a little. "Well of course you know. I think the world knows that Scor could never get on without ya."

Lily laughed lightly. "Well it's equal, because I don't think I could get on without him either."

"Even I can't picture you two not being together," he joked.

Lily leaned back into her seat. "Maybe it's fate, or maybe it all turned out to be a coincident . . . but either way, I'll be thankful for the rest of my life."

* * *

"Lily Luna Potter, where were you!" Lola complained when Lily finally came into their dorm room that night. Lily had stayed with Hugo for most of the night, and then went out on a patrol. It was late, but apparently all the girls had waited up for her.

"We looked for you everywhere at Hogsmeade, but we couldn't find you!" Izzy mentioned.

Lily carefully hid her left hand in her pocket. "Sorry. I was caught up with something, and then Hugo and I hung out for a bit. We had a patrol. How was your guys' day?"

Shannon laid on her stomach. "I broke up with Chris."

"Oh. Not the Valentine's Day he was expecting," Lily commented as she sat on her own bed, moving her left hand behind her back.

"Yeah, but I didn't want to drag it out," Shannon mentioned.

"How'd he take it?" Lily inquired.

Shannon sighed. "He wasn't very happy or calm. He started panicking like he'd done something wrong. Then I had to try and explain that it was me, and that I just didn't love him, while not admitting that I cheated on him."

"You didn't tell him?" Lily said.

Shannon shook her head. "I was already breaking his heart on Valentine's Day. I wasn't going to make it worse by telling him that."

"That's probably a good thing," Lily agreed.

"So, what'd you do all day, Lil?" Izzy asked.

Lily grinned. "Well, remember when I mention Hugo acting weird?"

"Yeah, I noticed too," Lola mentioned. "Did you figure out why?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. He dragged me all the way out to the Shrieking Shack today."

"For what?" Megan questioned.

"Well, it turns out that Scorpius was out there waiting for me," Lily told them.

"Aw!" the girls squealed.

"That's so cute!" Lola commented.

"So he skipped training to spend Valentine's Day with you?" Megan said.

"That's so romantic!" Izzy sighed.

"That's not even half of it!" Lily said with excitement. Even she had been waiting to tell them this! "Look." Then she showed them her left hand.

The screams and squeals of excitement and happiness that emitted from the girls probably almost shattered Lily's ears, but she was just as excited, which didn't allow her to care.

"He asked you to marry him!" Shannon screamed.

"And you waited this long to tell us!" Lola said, giving Lily a playful shove as she sat next to her.

Megan came to look at the ring. "It's a keeper," she said with a smile of her own.

"Was it as romantic as Scorpius always is?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah! Details!" Shannon insisted.

Lily smiled. "Well, it wasn't down on one knee. It was simple, romantic, and perfect. It fit us, I think."

"Ok, story time!" Megan stated as she sat next to Shannon. "Start from when we left you this morning. No skipping parts. Go."

Lily smiled as she felt a little tired. But she was sure that she'd be up for at least another hour now. And she didn't care one bit.

* * *

When Lily woke up on that next Monday, she laid in bed for a moment. Her weekend had been perfect! First she got to see Scorpius on Saturday, who proposed, and then on Sunday, Slytherin won their match against Ravenclaw. It had been a close match, but their Seeker still hadn't been a match for Lily. Not with her great mood radiating through her.

But now it was Monday. Time to return to lessons. And now she was a student, but also a girl officially engaged to be married. It felt . . . surreal almost. It felt so different in a way. But her routine was no different. She got up, showered, dressed, and fixed her hair as she talked with the other girls. Then together, they left the dorm, and met up with Jace, who was waiting for Lola by the stairs. It wasn't different until they left the dungeons, and started for the Great Hall.

"Miss Potter. May I speak with you for a moment?" Professor Brown asked as he approached them.

Lily nodded. "Yeah." She looked at the others. "I'll catch up in a bit." As they began to walk away, she looked back at Professor Brown. "What's up?"

Professor Brown smiled at her. "Well I just wanted to say congratulations on your win yesterday. And for you engagement."

Lily looked at him in surprise, and then glanced down at the ring on her left hand for a brief moment. Then she looked back at him. "How did you know about that?" she asked.

He grinned. "Well, word gets around, as do rumors." Then he held out a copy of the _Hogwarts Prophet_. Lily took it in surprise. It'd been awhile since she'd picked up a copy of the school newspaper. She'd been so busy, and when it came to anything with announcing something for JB, one of the others always took care of that.

"_POTTER ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED"_ was printed in big letters on the gossip column. Lily sighed. She was really beginning to wonder who this girl was, because she seemed to know everything that went on around school.

Lily handed him back the paper. "Well, thanks. For both events."

Professor Brown gave a nod as he took the paper. "So, does your father know?"

Lily shook her head. "Not that I know of, and I can't imagine that Scorpius told him."

"Think he'll take it well?" Professor Brown asked curiously.

Lily shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I mean, I told him it was coming eventually, but I am still only seventeen. He really likes Scorpius, but I am still his daughter. It's kind of hard to say," she joked lightly.

Professor Brown gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure it'll all work out for the best."

"Well, honestly I'm too worried about how my dad will take the news," Lily admitted. And it was true. Her father wasn't the figure standing in the dark corner of mind.

"Your brothers?" Professor Brown guessed easily.

"More like James," Lily answered. "It's obvious that neither will like it but . . . I'm not really afraid of what Albus will do."

"James always was quick to act while at Hogwarts," Professor Brown agreed. But then he gave her a small smile. "Well, go at it with confidence. I know you'll be all right if you do."

"Thanks, Professor," Lily said as they began to walk toward the Great Hall together.

"Well, Lily, I've seen you go about life at Hogwarts with confidence for the last seven years. It'd be a shame if you stopped now," he told her. Then he gave her another smile. "Well, I'll let you go off to your friends now and eat. Have a nice day, Miss Potter."

"You too, Professor," Lily said before heading for the Slytherin table.

"Oh, Lily!" Professor Brown stopped her before she got too far.

Lily raised a brow. "Yes, what is it?"

"Well, Duncan was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming to see him next Sunday? I don't mind allowing you to go, if you have the time," Professor Brown told her.

Lily smiled. "Sure. That sounds great. Any reason why he wants to see me?" she asked curiously.

Professor Brown shrugged. "I'm sure. All he really said was that he wanted to show you something."

* * *

"So you're really engaged to Scorpius Malfoy?" Liz asked as Lily led her down the corridor of the dungeon.

Lily smiled at the girl. Today was the first day that she, Randy, Hugo, and Jaclyn would be teaching their "protegees" as Hugo had taken to call them. And they'd decided to teach them separately for the first lesson.

"Yes, we're really engaged," Lily assured her. Rumors had flown around school after the gossip article appeared in _The Hogwarts Prophet_, and Lily was constantly answering that same question, and of course showing the ring to every group of younger girls that asked to see it.

"Well, the congrats," Liz told her. "Hope it works you for you."

Lily was loving Liz more and more. She was sure that was the shortest conversation she'd had yet concerning her engagement. "Thank you. So, how excited are you for today?" Lily stopped in front of the class room door to the potions room. Lily had asked Professor Slughorn for permission to use the room today, allowing complete privacy for her and Liz.

Liz sighed as she closed the door behind the two of them. "Honestly, I'm a little nervous about all of this. I'm honored that my friends think so highly of me, but it's a lot to take on."

Lily smiled at her as she took a seat at one of the tables. "Welcome to not only my world, but the world of a leader. It's a lot to put on your shoulders, but I trust that you'll be able to handle it."

Liz sat across from her. "Ok. So where do we start?"

"With a question. Why do you think the four of us had to approve who you sixth years chose?" Lily asked her.

Liz shrugged. "I don't know. So you had some say in it?"

Lily shook her head. "No. When it comes to being a leader, there are things that you need. You have to be strong in mind. You have to have faith in those you lead. You have to have the respect of them, even if they don't exactly like you. It can't be a popularity contest. And that's what we wanted to avoid. So that's why we haded the stipulation of our approval. Does that make sense?"

Liz took a moment to think about it. "Yeah, it does. So, when we do this ourselves next year, that's something we'll have to do as well?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. And it will be harder for you guys. We had it easy, because you all had no warning of our plans to have you vote. But now word has gotten around, and the fifth years will expect it next year. And all of next year, one or two fifth years could take the time to practically campaign themselves in order to win the favor of their peers. The four of you will have to take special care on who you approve. Who you pick can't just be popular. They need the traits that we saw in you guys this year," she explained.

"What did you see in me that made you approve?" Liz asked curiously.

"You're a smart girl, Liz," Lily told her. "You're honest. You like someone for who they are, and dislike someone for who they are. It's all personality. Never their House or name. And you are fair. You don't see yourself as any better than others. And you stick to what you believe in. That's why I approved of you."

Liz's cheeks turned a little pink in modesty, making Lily smile. "Well, ok so what's next?"

Lily chuckled at her attempt to move the conversation. "Well, I don't think I need to really stress the idea of House unity to you. You've never been one to care who was in what House, and I believe that you'd know how to handle a fight between two kids if that were to happen. So, why don't we move on to how to start up and hold a meeting with your peers?"

* * *

Lily opened the door to Duncan's new hospital room softly, not wanting to wake him if he were asleep. But when she stepped in, he was wide awake, and smiled brightly at her.

"Lily! You really came!" Duncan said happily.

Lily smiled back at him as she came to sit in the chair next to his bed. "Of course I did. I'd come every day if I could."

Duncan's smile softened. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your last bit of time at Hogwarts. But there was something that I just really wanted to show you."

"That's what Jacob told me. What is it?" Lily asked curiously.

Duncan nodded toward the small end table near his bed. "It's in that drawer."

Lily pulled it open, and pulled out the paper inside. She was surprised at what she saw. It looked like a sonogram picture that you got when you were pregnant. "What is this Duncan?" she inquired.

"Well, see that small dot-like thing near the center?" Duncan said.

Lily looked to where he was talking. "Yeah, I see it. Why?"

"Well, that little dot's my baby sister," Duncan said happily. "My mum's having a baby."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really? Well that's great Duncan. How far along is she?"

Duncan thought about it for a moment. "I think she said almost four months."

"And they already know it's a girl?" Lily asked as she looked at the picture once more before setting it down.

Duncan smiled a little again. "Well, no. But whenever I picture it, I see a baby girl. I always thought that, if I were to have a sibling, I'd like a sister."

Lily smiled at him gently. "You seem really happy to be having a sibling."

He nodded. "I am. It's the best news I've ever heard. I thought that, maybe with a new baby, my mum wouldn't have as much time to worry about me so much." His smile became a little sad. "I just wish she were happier about it."

Lily felt her heart squeeze a little had the sadness in his eyes. "She didn't want another baby?"

Duncan sighed. "She's . . . well she's afraid that the baby might get sick like I did. It took two of the head Healers to assure her that Vanishing Sickness wasn't genetic or passed down in the family. But she still worries. I know she does," he explained softly.

"A mother always worries about her baby. Even if it's not born yet," Lily said with a sigh of her own. You didn't have to be a mother to know that. It was like an obvious truth of life.

"I know," Duncan agreed. "But, I think that her having another baby is like a blessing. Among all the terrible things going on, this baby will be like a miracle, or a ray of light in the darkness."

"Well your little sister will be lucky to have you as a big brother," Lily assured him. "She'll have the best big brother in the world."

For hours, Lily stayed by his side, talking about what must have been a million different things. She told him of her engagement to Scorpius, which he was oddly very excited to hear about. And of course he spoke more on what he hoped for his baby sibling. He thought that a baby sister who looked like his mother would be very pretty. When Lily asked what his mum looked like, Duncan described her as a very pretty woman. Short, with really long hair that was blonde. And she had the prettiest blue eyes. It was obvious by his description that Duncan himself took after his father, well except for his own pretty blue eyes.

Finally, a knock sounded at the door. The two of them turned to see Professor Brown standing in the doorway. "I hate to stop the fun, but it's time to go back to Hogwarts, Lily."

Lily sighed, sad to go. "Ok. Just give me a moment."

Professor Brown nodded. "Of course. I'll be in the hall." Then he closed the door as he left them alone.

Lily turned back to Duncan as she stood from her chair. "Well, I'll be back as soon as I can be. It won't be long before I'm out of school."

Duncan smiled softly. "Don't worry about it. Just focus on your tests. They aren't far away either."

Lily laughed a little. "Of course. You take care, and let me know how your mum's pregnancy is going in your letters."

Duncan nodded. "I will," he promised. Then he too looked a little sad at their parting. "Goodbye, Lily."

Lily leaned forward to place a small kiss on his forehead. "Goodbye, Duncan. I'll see you soon." Then after ruffling his hair playfully, Lily turned around and made her way to the door. Then with one last look at the boy in the hospital bed, Lily left the room.

* * *

February faded into March, which although had plenty of sunshine, also had the remains of the cool and windy air of February. While going on with her normal routine, Lily often found herself wondering if she should write to her parents and tell them of the engagement. But then she thought that it would be better to do in person.

March also brought around more homework for the seventh years. Teachers were forever reminding them of their approaching exams. And what better reminder than homework? So far, they had all found ways to relieve their stress concerning the added work and coming exams. Hugo spent more time with Stacy, which seemed to relax him best. Xavier was often seen talking with Liz in the common room, while the other guys all hung out together in their dorm. Shannon and Izzy had taken to discussing their future plans on moving in together after graduation, Lola was often seen talking with Marsha, and Megan . . . well Lily really had no idea how Megan dealt with her stress. Actually, she seemed to hardly see Megan lately.

Lily herself took to making potions. She was glad her collection box could expand, because she was forever making new ones. Everlasting elixirs, strengthening solutions, beauty potions, any thing she could think of or find in one of her books.

But it wasn't just the stress that seemed to be getting to all the seventh years. It was the slow dawning and realization of time, and how little they had left. Days were moving by fast, and their graduation was coming. Their final days at Hogwarts would soon be upon them, and life would be looming over them. And they were all asking themselves the same thing.

Were they prepared?

* * *

"So, Stacy and I are going to take some time to search through a few flats, and find a place that suits us," Hugo explained as he and Lily patrolled the corridors.

"How long before you tell your parents that you plan on moving in with your girlfriend?" Lily teased.

Hugo grinned. "Well, we're going to tell her parents first. Get their approval. Then I plan on telling my parents, and whether they approve or not, I'm going to do what Stacy wants."

"Stacy doesn't care if she has your parents' approval?" Lily challenged.

Hugo shrugged. "I haven't asked about that, so she hasn't said. If I avoid the topic, then I can do so without going against what she says."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Despite that confusing way of words, are you afraid your mum and dad won't approve? They love Stacy."

"Yeah, but . . . I don't know. I mean, my mum's already hesitant and unsure about my moving out. I wonder if she'll think it's 'proper' for Stacy and I to live together so soon," Hugo admitted.

"But if you explained your reasoning, I'm sure she'd understand," Lily retorted. "Give them a chance."

Hugo ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno." Then he sighed. "Hey, JB is almost done, right?"

"It should be. Why?" Lily inquired.

"Well, do you mind if I run over there? I promised Stacy that I'd walk her back to the common room afterwards. She plans on going to bed straight after, so I wanted to be able to say goodnight. I'll run back as soon as possible," Hugo assured.

But Lily waved it off. "No, go ahead. We're almost done anyway. I'll finish the rounds, and then go to bed myself. I'll see you in the morning."

"If you're sure. Thanks, cuz," Hugo said before running off the other way, heading for the seventh floor.

Lily smiled as she continued to walk. Her cousin was just so cute when he's in love. As she continued on alone, she found herself wondering what she would go over with Liz during their next lesson. So far, she'd taught her how to hold and run a meeting with her peers, as with first years. Then they went over a little on how to decide who to pick to tutor which subject and for which year. Lily thought that maybe next she'd teach Liz how to go about tutoring an entire year herself.

A loud "THUMP" knocked Lily away from her thoughts, and startled her in the process. She stopped walking and looked around. There was no one else around. She hurried down to the end of the hall, and looked around the corner. But there was no one there as well. She walked back down the hall, and as she did, she began to hear muffled whispers.

"What the hell?" Lily mumbled as she looked around. But then the sight of a door to the left of her caught her eye. She walked closer to it, and once she was close, she could hear rustling, muted and muffled sounds, and movement. Lily sighed silently. She had a good idea of what was going on behind that door, and she hated breaking things like that up. It was always awkward.

Steeling her nerves, Lily pulled open the door. "Ok, break it up . . . oh, wow!" Lily said dryly as she finally saw who was behind the door. Megan and Hunter, both looking a bit mussed up and short of breath. Lip gloss shined around and on Hunter's lips, and was smeared on Megan's. Both of their shirts were a bit wrinkled, their hair a mess, and the top few buttons to Megan's shirt were undone.

Hunter was the first one of them to speak. "Hey, Lil."

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Ok. I'm going to close the door for two minutes. When I open it, you both need to be composed and . . . looking a little less like sex. Then, Hunter, you will go back to the common room, and Megan and I are going to chat. Ok? Good." Then without giving them a chance to speak, Lily shut the door.

Lily leaned against the wall near the door, and thought as she waited. Megan and Hunter . . . What was going on? Megan had said that they'd had a date and that was that. There was no relationship between them. Obviously a lie. But why would Megan lie was the real question. Megan was usually pretty blunt and honest. She never hid when she was simply sleeping with a guy. Ted and Logan were two examples. So why did she hide it about Hunter? Something about this didn't make sense, and Lily was tired of it.

After two minutes, Lily opened the door, and was thankful to see that they both looked a little better, although Hunter's hair was still a mess. Once they both stepped out, the three of them stood awkwardly in the corridor, until Lily looked at Hunter.

Hunter looked back at her before a look of understanding came over him. "Oh! Yeah. Uh . . . I'll see you girls later. Bye."

Lily and Megan watched as Hunter walked away, and neither said a thing until he had turned the corner. Then Lily looked at Megan, and Megan looked at her with her usual bored and careless expression. "So are we in trouble? And if so, how much? It really doesn't matter to me at this point," Megan said.

Again, Lily sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I won't do anything to the two of you on one condition," she said.

Megan raised a brow. "Yeah? What?"

"You have to explain all of this. Because you said nothing was going on between you and Hunter after your date," Lily told her. "So if you explain what the hell has been going on with you, then you won't be in trouble."

Megan eyed her for a moment, but then looked away and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll take the punishment," she muttered.

"Oh, come on, Megan!" Lily exclaimed. "The rest of us have been worried about you for months. You've obviously been hiding something, not to mention lying to us. I get it if it's difficult to talk about. I'll understand. But as your friend, I deserve an explanation. Because I'm starting to really worry about you."

Megan leaned against the wall now, looking as if she were debating on what to do. So Lily waited patiently. If she was finally going to get an answer, she would wait all night if that's what it took. But it was only a short moment before Megan finally spoke. "Lil, you know how you used to feel like your brothers could get away with more when your dad was concerned?" she said quietly.

Lily nodded. She did remember feeling like that. As if her father would let James and Albus get away with murder, yet crack down on how she simply dressed. "Yeah. I know the feeling. It sucks."

"Sucks majorly," Megan agreed. "But at the same time, it's something I've been used to. I'm used my dad being a sexist ass. It's just who he is. Girls need to be protected, and they don't always make wise choices. But men, they are the protectors, and they can do no wrong. It's always been his way of thought. And my mum lets him think that. It's actually kind of amazing that I ended up the way I am now, because Em is sure on the road to being a passive girl like Dad wants."

"So this is about your dad?" Lily questioned.

"My dad arranged my marriage to Evan Flair. A guy that's older than my own brother. It's why I've been putting up with him lately. Because my dad's planning for us to marry soon after graduation. It's why I haven't gone into many relationships. I don't have time to stay in a long one. I have to make due with the time I have," Megan told her.

Things suddenly snapped into place for Lily. Why Megan was so hesitant about graduating, her lack of faith in love, her being against relationships. It had all been about this. She was being forced to marry a man she hardly knew, let alone loved. "Oh," Lily mumbled uselessly.

Megan nodded. "Yeah. My mum doesn't fight against it. I mean, it's common among the pureblood Slytherin families. That's how my parents originally got together. It was sort of arranged for them. So, although Dante never went through it, my dad expects me to do it, and Emily as well."

Megan ran a hand through her still lightly mussed hair. "I thought I'd be ok with it. I would just take advantage of the time I had, then go ahead and get married. Over the years, I came to accept it and not care. That was, until Hunter opened his fat yap."

Lily looked at her confused. "What do you mean?"

Megan sighed. "I guess that his parents plan on him having an arranged marriage too. I guess for business purposes. Supposedly, he thinks that the girl is sweet enough, but he's not in love with her. And he wants the chance to fall in love. And for some strange reason, he wants to take that chance with me. When he told me that . . . I agreed to a date. We decided that, without our parents, or really anyone, knowing, we would see each other. And not just physically."

Lily gave a nod. "So, what would happen when you were both married to different people."

She shrugged. "We agreed that, if we were . . . in love, or felt we could fall in love, then we would continue to see each other. I don't really give a crap about Evan, and Hunter . . . well he says he's willing to risk hurting his fiancee if it means he could fall in love."

The two stood in a silence for a minute or so, absorbing what was said. Then Lily moved to stand next to Megan, and leaned against the wall as well. "You know, you could have told us this. I may not personally understand what it's like to be in that kind of pureblood family. But I would have listened, and helped where I could."

"That's the thing, though," Megan retorted. "There's nothing you guys could have done to help. I'm going to be married once we graduate. There's no fighting it. It's the way things are."

"But why would you shoulder all of the situation's weight on just your shoulders?" Lily replied. "Why keep it bottled up? We could have at least been an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on."

"Dante doesn't know," Megan stated. "And I didn't want him to know. I didn't word to get around, and for him to figure it out. That's why I was so pissed at Hunter for a while. Because he'd found out."

"What's so bad about Dante knowing?" Lily asked.

Megan looked blankly at the wall across from them. "I know he and I fight a lot, but he's my brother. And he's protective of me and Emily. If he knew, he'd throw a bit fit to Dad about it. Then he and Dad would most likely end up fighting . . . and I wasn't going to risk Dante getting into that. Fighting with my dad . . . it's like running in circles. You get nowhere but frustrated and tired. And if Dante were to say or do something that pissed Dad off, it's no saying what he'd do."

"Look, Megan," Lily began.

But Megan stopped her. "Look, Lil, I know you mean well. I get it. You guys want to help, to listen. But this isn't something anyone can help me with. Only I can do anything about it. And I've chosen to go through with it. I _chose_ it. And I'll shoulder the weight of that decision. So . . . don't tell the others. Just leave this between us, ok?"

Lily bit her lip. The other girls were just as worried. "Megan . . ."

"Lily, I did what you wanted. I told you. Now as your friend, I deserve my privacy. So please, don't tell them. They all have their own problems to worry about. Let me worry about mine," Megan insisted.

Lily looked at her, and saw what was probably the closest thing to a pleading look she'd ever seen on Megan's face. And she knew that she couldn't betray Megan's trust. Not as her friend. And not after she trusted her with her problem and secret. "Ok, Megan. If that's what you really want," Lily promised.

Megan sighed as she rested her head against the wall. "Thank you, Lily."

Lily just shrugged. "That's what friends are for."

* * *

"The amount of homework we're getting lately is ridiculous!" Monty complained as they all sat at breakfast. Monty wasn't the only seventh year at Hogwarts doing their homework at breakfast. Even Xavier was working on something.

"Why not do it last night, moron," Megan mocked.

"Bite me, bitch," Monty countered casually.

"I actually agree with Monty," Shannon commented. "It's getting bad."

"Like they're trying to kill us," Jace mumbled. Unlike Monty and Xavier, he had stayed up the night before to finish his homework. Now he simply looked dead tired.

"It'll all be over soon," Lola mentioned as the post began to arrive.

Lily received two letters. One from Brandon, and one from her mother. Lily read the one from her mother first, then sighed and shook her head. "Are you serious?" she mumbled.

"What's up, Lil?" Christian asked curiously.

"A letter from my mum. Apparently, Victoire's pregnant again," Lily told them.

"Merlin, isn't this like her fourth?" Megan said with surprise.

"Third," Lily corrected. "But at this rate, it's like having a baby every year and a half."

"I couldn't handle that," Izzy commented.

"Well, Vic always said she loves a big family. I guess it's not terribly surprising," Lily said with a sigh.

"How old are her two kids?" Shannon asked curiously.

"Theo will be four next month, and in May, Gabby will be two," Lily answered. "I feel old whenever I think of Theo turning four. I remember when the kid was born."

"You feel old? I feel old just thinking about how the twins will be coming to Hogwarts next year," Lola mentioned. "I can hardly believe that they're already eleven."

"Hey, Lil," Xavier addressed, "are you and Liz having your lesson things tonight?"

Lily shook her head. "No, not tonight. We have one planned for the day after tomorrow. Why?"

Xavier shrugged. "Just curious."

"Why don't you just admit that you're dating that girl?" Shannon demanded.

Xavier avoided eye contact with the rest of them. "Because, we're not exactly dating."

"Yeah, you kind of are," Lily argued. "Liz has told me about you two, and it sounds like dating to me."

"It's just a little awkward to bring up," Xavier retorted.

"You're just too stubborn and a coward," Megan countered.

"Whatever," Xavier muttered, closing the conversation.

* * *

"You think this is a good idea, Randy?" Hugo questioned. "You don't think this will be a little tough for them at this early point?"

The four of them were sitting around the Room of Requirement. It was a warm and cozy room at the moment, like a common room. A fire was burning in the fireplace, and they each a comfy chair to sit in. A small coffee table sat among the four of them, papers scattered on top of it. They were waiting for their "protegees" who were outside.

"I think it is," Randy assured. "I think that once every so often, we put them through a . . . well a simulation of what it's going to be like. Like a practical lesson instead of just a lecture. I think it'll be a good way to test them."

"Well, I have to admit, it's not a bad idea," Jaclyn agreed.

"And this is a nice setup you made," Lily complimented as she looked at a paper. Randy had brought up the idea of putting the four sixth years through a test. Randy had made a list of seven fake people, who were all supposedly good at Charms. The four were supposed to decide which person would tutor which year based on a few personality traits Randy had written down for each person. It was a good idea, and Lily was surprised at how much work Randy seemed to put into it.

"Well, if we don't test them, how will we know they learned?" Randy pointed out. "You guys really like it? I tried my best with it."

"I think it's great," Jaclyn said as she looked over the list of people Randy had made up. "It's a great way to test them. I mean, you have personalities for them which are nicely described. And I see how they should obviously be put."

"I just wonder if they'll get it," Hugo mentioned. "I mean, I've gone over choosing who should tutor a subject but not by personality. I've only gone over how to pick by their better subjects. At first, I was just focusing on how to be a leader."

"I've worked with Carly on how to choose people to tutor kids. If anything, she can help," Randy said with confidence.

"I'm with Hugo. I haven't really touched much on this subject with A.J. at all. What about you, Lily?" Jaclyn asked.

"Well I've gone over it with Liz for a few lessons now. I think this might be something she can handle," Lily replied.

The door then opened, and the four sixth years filed in. Lily and the others got up to rearrange their chairs so that they were sitting next to each other. And once four more chairs appeared in the room, they moved them so the sixth years could sit across them. Once they were done, they all took a seat and started to get comfortable.

"Well, do you four think you have the answer?" Lily inquired.

Liz nodded as she put a piece of paper down on the middle of the coffee table. "Yeah, we do. We put a number by each name to indicate who we thought should tutor that year," she told them.

The four of them looked it over, then looked at each other.

"We got some work to do, and things to talk about," Hugo sighed. "Who wants to start?"

* * *

"I hope you don't mind, but I told my parents about our being engaged," Scorpius mentioned as they conversed through the mirrors.

Lily continued to run her brush through her hair. "Why would I mind? And what did they say?"

"They're thrilled," Scorpius said with a chuckle. "I convinced my mum to be patient and wait until we decide on a date before making any plans or arrangements."

Lily smiled. "That's probably a good idea. What did Draco say?"

"Basically, that he wasn't surprised, and that he's happy and proud," Scorpius answered. "So, how are things on your end of the mirror?"

"Same as always," Lily sighed. "I hold Quidditch practices, prefect meetings, JB sessions, patrol some nights, and deal with the workload I get from my professors."

Scorpius smirked. "Yeah, I remember when professors dumped a crap ton on us just before my seventh year ended. It's something that always haunts ya," he joked.

"Thanks for letting me know," Lily said with a small giggle. She set down her brushed and crossed her legs, getting herself comfortable. "So, how's training going?"

"Not too bad. We've been working on stealth and apprehending criminals, although now it's in a more simulated fashion."

"Is it hard?" Lily asked.

Scorpius sighed. "Well, the apprehending part isn't too hard. But the whole stealth thing . . . apparently is pretty difficult for guys my size. At least that's what your uncle told me, in place of saying I suck at it."

Lily laughed lightly. "Well, you are easily noticeable. It's easier to sneak up on people when you're smaller."

"Well, he says I'm at a passing level, although it's still not great," Scorpius muttered. He ruffled his hair. "I'm thinking I'll get better as we go about it."

"I'm sure you will," Lily assured. "You've always been able to beat expectations."

Scorpius smiled, and Lily felt her heart skip a beat at the love she saw there. "Thanks, princess."

* * *

"Ok, guys, I really want to focus on dodging Bludgers," Lily told the rest of the team as they finished changing. "We had some close calls last time, and I want to avoid that happening in our last match. This way our Beaters get some more practice too."

"Hey, I think we might have to add some weight to my bat," Riley Vaisey mentioned. "It's starting to get a lot easier to handle this one."

"I'll take care of it, Lil," Lance assured as he pulled out his wand.

"How's yours, Courtney?" Lily asked.

Courtney pulled her bat up, and Lily could see that it was heavy. "It's still a little work for me. Give me some time."

Lily nodded. "Ok."

"I'm going to have some major arm muscles after all this," Courtney joked.

Lily laughed. "Well that's good for a Beater."

"Ok, I think we're good, Captain," Lance said.

"Then let's get out there," Lily told them. They all grabbed their brooms, and Lance and Robbie grabbed the case of Quidditch equipment, and headed for the door. But Lily sense a bit of trouble as she saw who was stepping onto the pitch. The Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"What are you doing here?" Hugo asked as they met near the middle.

The boys put down the case as Lily approached him. "We have the pitch signed up for practice today."

Hugo groaned. "You're kidding me? Dirk, you said you signed us up for today!"

"I thought I did!" Dirk Angel replied.

Lily sighed. "So, what do we do?"

Hugo sighed too, but then it looked like a thought came to him, and he started to grin. "Well, how about we play a match? Then we both get some practice in? Sound good?"

Lily looked back at her team. "What do you think, guys? A friendly match sound good?"

"Sounds awesome!" Lance agreed.

"I'm game," Robbie agreed.

Lily looked over at Hugo and smile. "You got a match. You guys change, and we'll be here."

Hugo's grin became challenging. "You're on, cuz. Come on, guys!"

Lily turned back to her team as the Gryffindor team headed for their locker room. "Ok, Courtney, Riley, let's fix the weight of your bats to normal. Then I want everyone in the air, and doing five laps around. We finish that, then I want Chasers doing some passing drills."

Lily's Chasers were well into doing passing drills when the Gryffindor team finally came out to the pitch, dressed in their practice gear as well, brooms in hand.

"Ok, guys! Get at least five laps in!" Hugo called to his team as he flew over to Lily. He stopped next to her. "So, how do we want to do this? You toss the Quaffle, and I release the Snitch?"

"Sounds good to me," Lily agreed.

Lily soon found herself in what was probably one of the most fun and relaxed Quidditch matches she'd ever had at Hogwarts. It wasn't intense or competitive. It was fun. And when it ended, with Lily obviously catching the Snitch, they all basically started to practice together! Lily ended up giving Julie advice on catching the Snitch, and Lance and Hugo practice scoring and blocking together. Courtney showed the Gryffindor Beaters a better way to aim, and the rest of the Chasers all did passing and stealing drills together.

"Keep low to your broom," Lily instructed Julie. "Because when you're trying to speed around, this is going to help. Also, the wind won't bite at you as much."

"I think speed is my worst problem," Julie admitted. "I'm just never as fast as other Seekers."

"Well speed isn't the _most_ important thing for a Seeker, although it is one of them. Others are precision, reflexes, and a sharp eye," Lily listed.

"Well thanks for the tips. Hopefully they help me in our last match. I'd like to win my last game here if anything," Julie mentioned with a sigh.

Lily gave a nod as her thoughts took over her mind. Had it really just been a few years ago when she had hated this girl? When she fought and despised her, along with many others from Gryffindor? Lily glanced over at Julie, who was letting go of the Snitch, and then quickly catching it again, although it was a bit clumsy. Lily smiled to herself. Growing up may be scary at times, but if this was the result . . . then she would deal with it.

* * *

"Merlin, I am so hungry!" Shannon commented as the girls left their dorm to go to breakfast.

"I'm just tired," Lola sighed. "It took forever to finish all the homework we got yesterday."

"Well how about we get breakfast, and make it through the day?" Lily suggested with a grin.

"Sounds good to me," Megan said with a yawn of her own.

"Lily!"

The girls all stopped to see Christian motioning for Lily to come over to the fireplace. Lily looked at the others, who looked at her, and shrugged. "I'll be back in a minute."

"We'll wait," Izzy assured.

Lily walked over to where Christian stood, and gave him a curious look. "What's up, Chris?"

Christian looked back at the other girls quickly, but then looked back at Lily. "I need you to do me a small favor. I need you to make sure that the five of you pick up a _Hogwarts Prophet_ and look at the front page, ok?"

Lily scowled lightly. "What for?"

"Just do it, and you'll see," Christian said. "It's nothing bad, honest."

Lily sighed. "Ok, fine. I'll see you later, Chris."

"Thanks, Lil," Christian said with a smile.

Lily headed back to the other girls, and they began walking out of the common room. "So, what did Christian want?" Shannon inquired.

"Honestly, I have no idea," Lily replied.

When the girls reached the Entrance Hall, they noticed a large group of girls clustered around the doors to the Great Hall, all with a copy of the school paper in their hands it seemed.

"What the hell are they gawking at?" Megan muttered as they got closer to the doors.

Then two girls from Hufflepuff walked by, each smiling. "You're so lucky, Izzy!" one of the girls gushed.

"You should totally say yes," the other said before they headed up the stairs.

Izzy looked at the other girls in confusion. "What the hell are they talking about?" she demanded.

Lily walked over to where the large cluster of girls was, and moved through them, and took a copy of the _Hogwarts Prophet_ for herself. She looked at the front page, and understood immediately. Quickly, Lily walked back to the others. "Guys, you have got to see this. Especially you, Izzy." The other four crowded around to see what she was seeing, and gasped.

"_Izzy Bones, Will You Go Out With Me?" by Christian Vaisey_

"Are you serious?" Megan commented.

"It's . . . kind of romantic, you think?" Shannon mentioned.

"I didn't even know Christian liked you, Izzy," Lola replied. When Izzy said nothing, the four of them looked over at her. Izzy's eyes were glued to the paper. "Izzy?" Lola prompted.

Izzy blinked a few times as she seemed to come back to reality. "Sorry," she mumbled. Then she nervously began playing with a strand of her hair.

Lily eyed her carefully. "How do you feel about this, Izzy?"

"I don't know," Izzy said truthfully. "I mean, I never knew that Christian liked me. And . . . I mean I've always thought that he was kind of cute . . . but I never imagined going out with him."

"But now?" Lola inquired.

Izzy let go of the strand of hair. "Now . . . I don't know! I mean, now I'm obviously thinking about it . . . but I still don't know what I want to do about it!"

"Calm down, Iz," Shannon soothed. "Just relax. You have time to think. I'm sure Christian won't expect you to have an answer immediately."

"But what are people going to say if I decide not to accept his date offer?" Izzy demanded as they led her to the Great Hall. "Then I'm just a bitch who turned down what they see as the best and most romantic way to be asked out!"

"No, you won't be," Lily argued. "Besides, it's no one else's business."

"Yeah, fuck everyone else," Megan agreed.

"Well that's the Megan way of putting it, but I agree," Lola said.

"Yeah, just ignore the stares, and the things girls say," Shannon replied.

"I can handle stares and comments," Izzy admitted. "They don't bother me. I just don't want to be seen as some . . . I don't know."

"Well don't say yes just because of other people," Shannon warned. "That wouldn't be the right start to a relationship."

"I know, I know," Izzy sighed as they sat down at the Slytherin table.

"Hey, Iz." The girls turned to see Monty coming toward them. He held a piece of paper out to Izzy. "It's from Christian. Take it."

Izzy took the little paper and unfolded, then read the message. "What does it say?" Lola asked curiously.

Izzy sighed again. "It says to take my time. He doesn't expect me to decide today."

"Well then no worries," Megan replied. "You don't have to decide now."

"But I still have to think about it. That's what's worse," Izzy mumbled.

"Just do what you think is best, Izzy," Lily said as she began to eat from her plate.

"Bad part is, I don't know what's best," Izzy whispered.

* * *

Days later, and Izzy still hadn't made her decision. But Christian really wasn't impatient. He didn't seem to mind that she was taking her time to think about it. According to him, he preferred that she be sure about it.

"I still can't believe that Christian has been harboring a crush on Izzy for almost a year," Lily commented to Hugo and Xavier.

"I can't believe that guy thought of asking her like that. I mean, it's perfect, romantic . . . girls all over school have been swooning over it," Hugo replied.

"But those same girls have all been asking Izzy for her answer," Xavier said with a sigh. "It's probably been getting to her."

"It has been," Lily agreed. "She's been agonizing over it ever since it happened."

"Lily!"

The three turned their heads to see Robbie heading toward them. "Hey, Rob," Lily greeted with a kind smile.

"What's up, Robbie?" Hugo asked.

Robbie leaned down, and talked quietly, as if he wanted no one else to hear. "Can you do me a favor, Lil?"

Lily raised a brow. "I'm being asked that a lot lately. What is it?"

"Could you dye my hair black?" Robbie asked in a whisper.

They looked at him in surprise. "Black?" Hugo questioned.

"You want to dye your hair?" Lily asked.

Robbie nodded. "Yeah. Will you do it?"

Lily eyed him carefully. He was being awful secretive about this. "Do you have the stuff to do it?"

Robbie patted on the backpack he had on his shoulder. "Yeah, I've got it. So will you?"

"Is this something you aren't supposed to do?" Xavier inquired. "I mean, you're whispering."

"I just want it to be a surprise," Robbie answered. "So?"

Lily sighed and shrugged. "Ok. Let's head to the prefect bathroom then. We'll do it there to keep it a surprise."

* * *

"What made you want to decide to dye your hair black, Robbie?" Hugo asked. Lily was carefully working on Robbie's hair, while Hugo and Xavier watched.

Robbie carefully shrugged, not wanting to mess Lily up. "I just wanted a change, and I've never really been a fan of my hair color. So I thought I'd dye it something different. And I didn't want blonde, because almost all my siblings are blonde, and I already have a little brown color in my hair. So I picked black," he explained.

"You know, I'm probably going to have Lola take the black out of my hair soon," Hugo said as he ran a hand over his black and red streaked hair. "I'll just have her make it this slightly darker red that she and Lana did before, and keep it like that."

"It would probably be a nice look on you," Xavier agreed.

"Well, I took the green streaks out of mine," Lily replied as she worked on the back of Robbie's hair. "I thought about getting rid of the pink, but too many people said I should leave it in. That it looked good on me."

"It does look good on you," Robbie complimented. "You should keep it."

"Well thanks," Lily said as she moved around to sit in front of him. "Ok, I'm going to do your bangs, and the top of your hair, ok?"

She noticed a small blush on his cheeks. "Ok," he mumbled.

"Got a good view there, Robbie?" Xavier teased, making both him and Hugo laugh.

Robbie's blush just got bigger. Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't be jackasses, you two," she chided in a casual manner. She glanced down at Robbie. "I can move though, if this makes you uncomfortable."

"Oh! No, you do what you need to. That I'm trying to get you to stay here!" he amended quickly. "I just . . . um . . ."

Lily laughed lightly. "I get what you meant, Rob. Don't get so flustered, it's ok."

"Sorry," Robbie mumbled.

"You are so easy to tease," Hugo said with a chuckle.

"So, you guys must be excited to graduate soon," Robbie said in a quick attempt to change the subject.

"Eh, I guess," Xavier said with a shrug. "But, in a way, it's kind of sad."

"Yeah. A lot of seventh years are starting to get sentimental," Hugo sighed as he scratched at his hair.

"It'll be quite the change. I mean, September rolls around, and we'll be expecting to hop on the train to Hogwarts. But alas, we'll have already started on the rest of our lives," Lily stated.

"Well I can't imagine you guys would have much to worry about," Robbie commented. "I mean, you all know what you want to do as careers, and what you want from life."

"Ah, but even in the most confident of minds, a drop of fear lies in the shadows, waiting to expand into an ocean," Hugo retorted.

"And you have to have more than confidence to fight away that ocean," Xavier agreed.

"So what do you have to have in order to fight it away?" Robbie asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. We have yet to really learn ourselves. And we might not learn until we're old and grey. Or maybe . . . maybe we won't learn at all."


	100. Now Begins The End

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - A quick update, just for you guys. Actually, I had been working hard on so many pieces of this chapter early that, all I really had to do was put them together and fill in a few spots. A hundred chapters. I'm pretty excited myself. Anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Important Note - A lot of people think that I'm ending at chapter one hundred. Not true. There's still more to tell with this story. It's not over yet.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred: Now Begins The End

Lily paced around the Quidditch locker room. Today was the day of their match against Hufflepuff. The last match of the season. But to Lily, it was more. It was her last game period. Her final match at Hogwarts. Her final match as part of Slytherin's team. She had to win this one! Sure, she'd won every other match she'd been in. She'd won every match since first year. But this was her last one! She wasn't playing to prove that a girl could play for Slytherin, to prove that she was a better Seeker than Albus, or to prove that she could win against James's team. She was playing this match to wrap up not just the season, but her entire Slytherin team career. She couldn't end it with a loss. She wanted to go out with a victory.

"Nervous, Captain?" Lance asked. The rest of the team sat around, dressed and ready as well.

Lily occupied herself by finally tying her hair back. "More so than when I played my first match," she admitted.

"We haven't lost a match yet. We won't lose this one," Robbie assured. It had been a big shock around school when Robbie showed up in the common room and halls with black hair. It _was_ a difference from his natural copperish color.

"But it's my last one. It's nerve-racking," Lily muttered.

"We won't let you down, Lily," Courtney promised.

"She's right, Captain," Rachel Derrick agreed. "We've worked way too hard to lose now. And we crushed Ravenclaw last match."

"But Gryffindor's not far from us in total points," Lily retorted. "We need a big lead today. And we also have to hope that Ravenclaw has at least a good enough defense against Gryffindor, which I doubt. As we learned during our last match, they just aren't as good without Lorcan leading them, and being their Beater."

"But Ravenclaw does have a pretty good offense," John replied. "I think they can form a pretty good challenge against Gryffindor."

"And we can definitely crush Hufflepuff today," Riley said with a confident smile.

Lily gave them a weak smile. "Yeah, yeah I know." She looked over her team, and couldn't help but feel a bit of pride at the sight. She'd seen each of these kids grow over the few years. She'd been on the team with some for years now. And now she wasn't the only girl on the team. A girl on Slytherin's team was no longer a rare sight. "I wanna say something before we go out there," she stated.

Lance tapped his fingers on his broom. "Yeah? What's up?"

Lily smiled at them. "I'm proud of you guys. You _have_ worked hard all year, and years previous. This is my last year on this team, and I know that I'm leaving it in good hands. So, let's go out there, play fair and play great. Let's get out there and win the game and the cup."

"Your word is our command, Captain!" Lance exclaimed with a proud smile of his own.

* * *

"And this is an intense match between Slytherin and Hufflepuff!" Barnes exclaimed. "Both teams are on top of it, but I gotta admit, Slytherin is playing their best today! As we know, this is Lily Potter's last match at Hogwarts. Today's match will decide if she graduates with a seven year winning streak, or not!"

Lily sighed as she circled the pitch. She really didn't need, or want, the reminder.

"Now Higgs has got the Quaffle, and he's swerving through the Hufflepuff players!" Barnes commented. "And he passes it off to Pritchard, who just barely dodges a Bludger hit by Summerby. Higgs tosses it to Warrington . . . Oh! It's intercepted by Preece! She makes a quick throw to Macmillan . . . but Pritchard catches it for the steal! As I said before, Slytherin is bringing its best out today!"

Lily spared her team below a quick glance before bring her eyes back to search the sky for the elusive Snitch. The weather was perfect for a Quidditch match. A clear blue sky, warm air. But it was the sunlight that was making it hard to find the Snitch. Every time she looked up, it blinded her momentarily, preventing her from searching more for the Snitch.

"And Warrington scores another ten points for Slytherin!" Barnes announced as an equal amount of cheers and boos aroused from the crowd.

Lily turned and kept close to the stands. She kept herself in a tight circle around the pitch as she kept on her search.

"Now Rickett passes the Quaffle off to Smith, who barely swerves past Higgs, and makes her way down the Pitch!" Barnes said with excitement.

Lily moved her search lower as she looked down toward the grass. Maybe she'd catch a glint of gold in the green of the grass. She kept going lower and lower in the air, hoping that she'd find the gold color of the Snitch. Their team had a nice enough lead that she was no longer worried. As long as Hufflepuff didn't start catching up.

The game continued with Lily not having even a small or quick glance of the Snitch. The Quaffle went back and forth between teams, sometimes ending up as another ten points for one team. Neither team had lost any players, although there were quite a few injuries. Robbie had taken a Bludger to the side, and John had accidently crossed brooms with one of the Hufflepuff Chasers, making them both slam into each other and knock heads. He still looked a little dizzy from Lily's standpoint.

"The score is one hundred ninety points to Hufflepuff, and Slytherin in the lead with two hundred and fifty. This match has been intense, and it seems as if the Snitch is nowhere in sight!" Barnes announced.

Lily sighed. Nowhere was right. She was slowly getting irritated by the lack of seeing the glint of gold anywhere. Usually there was at least a quick glimpse by now. But so far the only golden glint she saw that the overbearing sunlight. That was another thing. It was starting to get increasingly hot, and she was sweating through her clothes.

Lily glanced over at the Hufflepuff Seeker. Since Kimberly Rickett had graduated last year, they had replaced her with second year, Bill Whitby. He was skinny and kind of short, and from what Lily was told, he hadn't even gotten close to catching the Snitch all season. It made Lily curious as to why he was picked for their team, but she didn't question it. Especially now.

Lily felt something brush lightly and teasingly across her ear. She twitched on instinct, and went to swat whatever it was away. She felt cool metal on the back of her hand for the briefest moment.

Lily quickly turned her head to see the Snitch zooming off ahead. Like a shot, she quickly turned and made her way for the glint of gold in the air.

"I think Potter's seen the Snitch!" Barnes exclaimed with a yell. Soon others from the stands were cheering and yelling too. And with one look back, Lily saw Whitby heading her way. But he was far behind. Lily wasn't too worried.

"Oh! Whitby takes a Bludger to the shoulder!" Barnes announced. "That looked painful, folks!" Lily tried not to grin. Although it sounded cruel, it would be much easier without having to worry about the other Seeker tailing her. But she soon found that it wasn't much easier.

Lily wasn't sure if she'd ever dealt with the Snitch moving this fast before. She kept on it, but it seemed to evade every attempt she made to grab it. Not once did she again even feel the fleeting touch of metal skim across her fingertips. Becoming increasingly frustrated, Lily lunged forward a little, making a mad grab for it. It rose quickly past her hand, making Lily quickly grab onto her broom to steady herself. It began a rapid drop toward the grass, so Lily followed it. The wind whipped at her, chilling her a little in the hot air.

The ground came closer and closer in sight, and Lily began to worry that the Snitch would never level out, and would force her to crash to the ground. She reached for the winged ball, but to no avail. Her heart started to pound wildly in her chest, and adrenalin pumped through her veins. Closer and closer, the ground was coming at her. But then she noticed that the Snitch was getting closer too. But a revelation hit her then. She knew. She wasn't going to catch the Snitch without hitting the ground.

A risk she would take. She kept going, and reached her hand out further. Metal finally skimmed along her palm, and Lily quickly closed her fingers around it.

Then her knuckles crushed against the ground, and Lily felt something snap, and something crack. The impact threw vibrations up her arm, wracking her body. Then it threw her from her broom, making her roll across the grass. She finally stopped with a small thud, and laid on the grass, panting.

A sharp pain was circulating through her hand, and dull throbs were going around her body. But as her heart and nerves calmed, Lily smiled despite the pain. She'd caught it. She'd won the game, and hopefully had given Slytherin a big enough lead. She had won her last Hogwarts Quidditch game.

She had just finished the last match she would ever have at Hogwarts.

* * *

"You talked to Izzy today?" Xavier asked as he and Lily walked to class together.

Lily shook her head. "No, not since breakfast. Why?"

"I guess she accepted Christian's date offer," Xavier told her. "Chris has been giddy all afternoon."

Lily was a bit surprised. Izzy had been agonizing over whether or not she should accept Christian's date. As far as the other girls had known, Izzy had made no progress in what her decision would be. "Really? Well I'm happy for them. It's been awhile since Izzy's gone on a date, and I'm not sure if I've ever seen Christian with a girl."

"Think they'll last?" Xavier inquired as they reached the classroom.

Lily shrugged as they took a seat near the middle. "Maybe. You never know what fate will bring you. Especially when it comes to relationships."

"You got that right," Xavier sighed. They heard footsteps coming into the room, so they both instinctively turned their heads to the door. Manny Fleet had come in, her hand clasped with the hand of Leighton Fawcett. Both of them were smiling goofily at each other as they took the two nearest seats to them. They looked to be in a world of their own. Lily hadn't even heard the two were dating.

Lily glanced over at Xavier, who was looking at the two new lovebirds. "Xavier?" she said hesitantly.

But Xavier himself looked calm and relaxed as he looked at his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. "You know, last year I would have probably lost it if I'd seen these two together. I would have probably punched Leighton, and reverted back into hiding in the dorm. But now . . ." A content smile overtook Xavier's face. "Now, I'm really happy for her. And I'm glad that Manny's found someone that makes her happy."

Lily raised a brow. "So, you're ok with this?"

Xavier nodded. "Yeah. I mean . . . I think part of me will always care for Manny. I mean, she was special to me, and was a big part of my life at one point. That won't disappear, at least not for a long time. Really, I hope it never does. I want to keep that part, and be able to say that I got past it. I don't want to ever forget something that was at one time important to me."

Lily glanced back at the couple just as they shared a tender kiss. Then she smiled at Xavier. "You know, I think Liz was the best thing that ever happened to you," she mentioned.

He smiled. "Yeah, I think so too. I . . . kind of hate to think about how we'll be apart for a year. I mean, not that we're dating!" Xavier amended quickly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Xavier, why don't you ask her out, and then be officially dating?"

Xavier rubbed the back of his neck. "Well . . . I think about it often, but . . . I'm kind of scared to."

"You can't be afraid of getting hurt, Xavier," Lily warned. "Besides, it's not a secret that Liz really likes you. Or that you really like her."

Xavier shook his head. "Actually . . . I really think that I might love her. But being a year apart . . . I can't be here to make her happy . . . and I don't think I could handle going through that again. Especially with Liz."

An idea came to Lily then. After all, she understood his fear of being apart from someone you love. So she turned her head to look forward. "Well, at least invite her to the graduation. Otherwise, I will."

* * *

Lily hurried up the stairs to the girls' dorms. Lunch was almost finished, and she'd forgotten her Defense Against the Dark Arts book, which was her next class. Lily hurried to their dorm room, and turned the door knob. She was surprised to find the door locked.

Odd. The girls never locked their dorm rooms. After all, they all got along, so they were safe from each other, and the boys couldn't get up the girls' side of the dorms. Why would it be locked? Lily pulled out her wand, muttering a simple spell and unlocking the door. This time the knob turned without difficulty, and Lily opened the door.

It was dark, making the idea of the room being locked even odder. Why lock a room that no one was in? But then she heard a small noise. Lily closed the door, and then flipped on the light. It was empty . . . but the curtains on Lola's bed were pulled close, unlike the others. Lily slowly moved over to them.

"Lola?" Lily called softly.

There was no response, but behind the curtains Lily heard a sniffle and a muffled sob. Slowly, she slipped a few fingers inside the curtains, but she did not pull them apart. "Lola?"

There was a chocked sob. Lily felt the worry begin to overcome her, so she hastily pulled the curtains open to find Lola on her bed in the upright fetal position. Her hair was a sticky mess, her face was sweaty and tear stained. Her hair was sticking to the sweat and tears. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she was still shedding new tears. Her bottom lip looked really red and sore, as if she had been biting it repeatedly.

Lily quickly sat down beside her. "Lola, what's wrong? Are you ok? What happened?" She knew that shooting off questions a mile a minute wouldn't help anything, but it was all she could do at the moment.

"Ju-ju-just go, Lily. C-c-close the c-c-curt-tains," Lola stammered through her sobs.

Lily didn't leave, but she did close the curtains. A small bit of light illuminated the bed, casting a dull green glow. Then she looked back at Lola. "Lola, what's wrong?" she whispered, not wanting to rant off questions again.

Lola rested her head on her knees, and then shook her head frantically. No words came from her mouth.

"Lola, please tell me," Lily pleaded. "You can tell me anything, you know that! Please, just tell me what's wrong!"

There was a pause, then a sniffle, and then a sob. Then Lola turned her resting head so that Lily could see her bloodshot eyes looking at her.

"I'm pregnant, Lils."

Time froze for a short moment, and then seemed to quicken at a rapid pace. Well, maybe it was just that way for Lily. But soon her thoughts were whirling around her, as were questions. So she took the most basic and important one. "Are you sure?" she whispered.

Lola nodded. "Yeah. I'm really, _really_ late. And I have no other reason to be late other than . . ." A few more tears dropped.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "I thought you and Jace were being safe."

"I thought we were too. I mean, I didn't take a potion, but we were always using a spell for it. And it always seemed to work . . . but I guess at one point it didn't," Lola murmured.

Lily moved so that she could move the hair away from Lola's face. Her best friend was a mess, physically and emotionally right now. And Lily wasn't sure what she could do or say. "What do you wanna do, Lola?"

Lola sat up a little straighter, and rubbed her sleeve against her eyes, wiping away a few tears. "I don't know. I don't know how to tell Jace, or my family, or the others. I don't even know how to be a mum! I mean, it's one thing to look after siblings, but my own child? I don't know how to do that! Outside of actually having the baby, I'm clueless on what to do!" She rested her head on Lily's shoulder as another sob erupted from her throat.

Lily moved her arm around her, and rubbed her shoulder. "Well I'll be here, Lola, so will Hugo. And Jace will always be there. You won't do this alone. Once we graduate, I'll take you to see Victoire. She'll know what to do better than anyone. She's dealt with young pregnant girls before. She'll help anyway she can too."

Lola' shoulders shook as if she were cold. "I'm scared, Lily. Really scared."

Lily hugged Lola close to her. "I know, Lola. I know. But I'll be here every step of the way. I promise."

"I don't want this getting around school," Lola cried softly.

"We only have a little over a month left at school," Lily reassured.

"But I'm not sure how far along I am!" she exclaimed hoarsely. "What if I start showing?"

Lily rubbed Lola's back soothingly. "Well, how about we talk to Madam Pomfrey? She'll probably be able to find out, and you know she'll keep it a secret."

"Will you go with me?" Lola whispered.

"Of course," Lily assured.

Lola paused for a moment, but then after she took in a shuddering breath, she spoke again. "Then can we go now?" she murmured.

Lily nodded. "Of course. Do you want to wait until the next lesson starts? That way no one else will be in the halls."

Lola took in another breath as she pulled away from Lily, and wiped her tears away on her sleeve again. "Yeah, I'd like that. It'll give me time to not look so much like a disaster."

Lily pushed back the curtains of the bed, allowing Lola to get up. "Do you need help?"

Lola laughed, although it was only an echo of her normal laugh. "I'm pregnant, Lily. That doesn't mean I need help with my hair."

Lily smiled. "Ok, smartass. Go get ready then."

* * *

"Well, by my examinations, I'd say you're probably not far from being two months along, Miss Pritchard," Madam Pomfrey told the girls. "So, as for your worry of showing, you don't need to worry about that for a while."

Lola gave a nod. She looked much better now. She'd just pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and she'd wiped the sweat from her skin. But her cheeks and eyes were still pink, and there were still faint tear tracks on her cheeks.

Madam Pomfrey stood in front of the two of them. "Now, I obviously don't need to ask how this happened. That's obvious. And you're an adult, Miss Pritchard, so I'm not obligated to alert your parents. I won't if you don't want me to."

"I want to be the one to tell them," Lola said quickly.

"I understand," Madam Pomfrey said gently. "Now, do you know what you want to do?"

"Once graduation is over, I'm going to go and see Lily's cousin, Victoire Lupin," Lola told her. "She deals with pregnancies at St. Mungo's, so she'll know what to do."

"So you have a Healer in mind, even. I must say I'm impressed," Madam Pomfrey commented.

"It was Lily's idea," Lola whispered.

Madam Pomfrey gave Lola a sympathetic look. "You're about to go down a hard road, as you are probably aware. And although more probably could have been done to prevent this, I never like to see a young girl suffer."

"Thank you," Lola sighed. "But . . . I think after a while, I'll be ok. I just . . . I just wanted to see how . . . pregnant I was. I don't want to be that pregnant girl that everyone at school feels sorry for."

"I understand," Madam Pomfrey assured. "And as you know, this will stay between the three of us. But I do want you to come in at least once a week. Just so we can keep an eye on your condition, ok?"

Lola nodded. "Ok."

"And I'll come with you if you want," Lily assured.

Lola looked over at Lily. "How do you think I should tell Jace?" she whispered.

Lily bit her lip for a moment, then sighed. "Well, I'd wait until after dinner. Get him once he's tired and relaxed."

* * *

Lily stayed by Lola's side for the rest of the day. She skipped the rest of her lessons, since Lola wasn't up for classes, or for facing the rest of their classmates just yet. And apparently, she wasn't ready to face Jace yet. Lily brought her to the kitchens to eat dinner there, allowing her a bit of privacy.

"I'm going to tell Jace when he gets to the common room after dinner," Lola had told her as they ate. "I'm not sure how, but I know that . . . I have to. He has a right to know."

"Do you want me to be there when you tell him?" Lily inquired.

Lola had simply shaken her head. "No. I need to at least do this by myself. Just wait for me in our dorm? If all goes well, I'll come back and tell the girls. If all goes bad . . . I'll probably run back and break down," she admitted. "So, wait there for me?"

Lily couldn't say no.

That night, Lily found herself laying on her bed, waiting nervously for Lola to return. She was honestly worried on how Jace would take the news. Would he panic? That seemed likely. Angry? Probably not. Would he react in a way that would unknowingly upset Lola? Very good chance.

"Where have you and Lola been all day, Lily?" Shannon asked curiously as she brushed through her hair.

"Oh, well Lola didn't feel up to going to classes today, so I stayed back with her," Lily said vaguely.

"Is she ok?" Izzy asked with a bit of worry.

Lily sighed. "Well . . . she seems better now than she was earlier."

"Well she can't be feeling too bad. I saw her and Jace head up to the boys' dorm like ten minutes ago," Megan commented as she dropped onto her bed.

Ten minutes? It felt like an hour ago, Lily thought to herself. "So, Izzy, when is you and Christian's first date?" Lily asked, hoping to change the subject.

Izzy smiled as she sat on her bed, and placed her pillow over her lap. "Well, we've decided to wait until after graduation."

"Why so long?" Shannon asked as she sat next to Megan.

"Well, we have our last Hogsmeade visit coming up in a few weeks," Izzy mentioned. "Originally, we were going to go out then, but then we thought that . . . well it'd be nice if we all hung out together that day. What do you think?"

"I think that sounds perfect!" Shannon agreed.

"Yeah, I'm game," Megan said.

"Sounds like a great idea," Lily said with a small smile.

The door opened, and Lola stepped in. Lily sat up and quickly looked her over. There were no tears, but at the same time there was no smile. She didn't look happy, nor sad. Almost like . . . she was just simply disappointed. "Hey," she greeted dully with a sigh.

"Hey, Lola. Lil said you weren't feeling well earlier. Are you ok?" Izzy asked with a bit of worry.

Lola nodded. "Yeah, I'm ok. Lil?"

Lily raised a brow. "Yeah?"

"Um . . . Jace went for a walk, but I don't want him getting in trouble with one of the other prefects. Would you mind going out and finding him?" Lola asked.

Lily looked at the other girls, then back at Lola. "Now?"

Lola nodded. "Yeah. Besides, I'm just going to tell the girls about today, and you already know about today."

Lily got up from her spot on the bed and walked to where Lola stood by the door. "Well, if you're sure."

"I am," Lola said with a firm look in her eyes. So Lily gave a nod, and left the room.

As she looked for Jace around the castle, she began to wonder how Jace had reacted. Lola hadn't come back and broken down, so it obviously hadn't been terrible. But she didn't look at all relieved either. It made Lily curious.

After what must have been an hour, Lily still had seen no sign of Jace. And she felt like she'd looked everywhere, even the Astronomy Tower. Where else could he be? If he was going for a walk after hearing the news, . . . then he probably wanted a bit of air. He most likely wouldn't risk going out and walking the grounds. So that left . . . the Owlery!

Sure enough, that's where she found him. He sat at the top step, his elbows on his knees, his head down. The air was warm, with not a bit of wind. It wasn't stifling, but more comfortable. Quietly, Lily moved to sit next to him. She didn't say anything, but instead waited for him to speak.

It only took him maybe a minute. "I'm a terrible boyfriend."

Lily sighed. That sounded like he reacted badly. "What happened, Jace?"

Jace's hands clenched into fists. "What happened? I've ruined her life, that's what happened!"

Lily looked at him in surprise. "What?"

Jace finally looked up, a scowl on his face as he looked forward. "I ruined her life. Like an idiot, I knocked her up, and she's not even out of school yet! I forced her into being a teenage mother!"

Lily couldn't believe it. He was beating himself up over this! Jace was taking all the blame for Lola being pregnant, and felt like he'd ruined her. "Jace, it's not your fault. It takes two to make a baby, and you never forced Lola to have sex with you. Lola's openly admitted to always being willing and up to it."

"It doesn't matter, Lily!" Jace exclaimed. "_I_ got her pregnant!"

"Jace, she's an adult," Lily argued calmly. "And we only have a little more than a month of school. Now, she's not blaming you for this, and she's not blaming herself. So you need to stop blaming yourself."

"Lily, because of me, she's going to have a baby! You really think she wanted one at eighteen?" Jace retorted, almost hysterically.

"Jace!" Lily exclaimed, standing up. "That doesn't matter! What matters is that you two are having a baby! So stop kicking yourself in the ass for it, and just take care of her!"

Jace was silent as he stared up at her.

"You wanna blame yourself and say it's your fault? Fine! Make it up to her by being there every step of the way. Because no matter whose fault it is, it won't change that fact that you're going to be a dad, and she'll be a mum. So how about you put all of your efforts into helping her through this instead of beating yourself up?" Lily ranted, her own frustration and nerves at the situation finally exploding.

Jace stayed silent for a moment. He ran his hands over his face, then through his hair. "I . . . don't think I know how to be a dad," he murmured.

Lily dropped down to sit next to him again. "Well no one knows how to at first! Being a parent . . . it's just something you learn as you go. There's no textbook to it."

"Yeah. One of the big things that Hogwarts can't teach you," Jace whispered. "Only life can."

"Only experience can," Lily added. "And from what I've gathered, it's tough. Three kids, and my dad still probably doesn't have it all down. I honestly think that the only man to know what it's about is my grandpa, and he's old and had seven kids."

Jace sighed heavily. "I'm gunna be a dad, Lil. I'm eighteen-years-old, haven't even graduated yet, and I'm already going to be a dad." He took in a deep breath. "And I'm scared."

"So is Lola," Lily replied. "So you two can go through that fear together. Besides, it's about time we all learned that growing up is scary. It's time we face that fear."

* * *

The news of Lola's pregnancy was probably the biggest and real secret of Hogwarts. And it was really a secret. The only ones to know were the Slytherin seventh years, and of course Hugo and Stacy. And they all kept silent about it, only speaking when they were sure they were alone. And each gave their support, and promised to help in any way they could.

Although Lola went back to classes the next day, and got her notes from what she missed, it was obvious that she was less than focused. She was always spacing out or staring blankly at nothing. And Jace was always there next to her, holding her hand. He seemed oddly protective of her in her current condition. In a way, it was kind of sweet.

* * *

The last Quidditch match of the year came about for Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. And it seemed like the entire school attended. Even Lola, who wasn't a fan of the sport at all. Lily made sure the Slytherin team came to watch. Mainly because this match would decide who won the Quidditch Cup. And although Lily loved Hugo, she couldn't help but pray that Gryffindor didn't play too well.

Sadly, it was an intense match, with each team going back and forth on making points. Lily had begun to worry that perhaps the lead Slytherin'd had before hadn't been enough. Julie had caught the Snitch, very obviously using the pointers Lily had given her weeks before. Then everyone in the stands waited with anticipation as total points were added, and the winner of the Quidditch Cup was decided.

"Would the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams come to the middle of the pitch?" Professor Brown's voice boomed over them all.

Lily felt her blood hum in her veins as she and the team made their way down the stands. They joined Gryffindor at the middle. Professor Brown and Madam Hooch stood by them, the Quidditch Cup in Madam Hooch's hands.

"After this match, we have some very close scores for the win," Professor Brown told them all. "In fourth place with a total of six hundred ninety points, Hufflepuff."

Cheers and applause went around the stands, but Lily began to grow impatient. She knew what Professor Brown was doing. Dragging it out to get them nervous and excited at the same time.

"In third place with nine hundred points, Ravenclaw!" Professor Brown said. His enhanced voice boomed over the stands as they all cheered again.

When they had all calmed, Professor Brown spoke again. "Now, our second place team had a total of one thousand one hundred and sixty points. Our first place team won with one thousand one hundred, and _seventy_ points. A ten point difference."

Everyone, the staff, the students, and the two teams in the middle of the pitch, waited with jumping nerves and pounding hearts.

"Now, your runner up for the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup is . . . Gryffindor!" Professor Brown announced with a smile.

Lily felt a wave of relief run through her. She'd done it. Barely, but she did it! She kept a seven year winning streak! Something that not even her father had done.

Hugo grinned and held out his hand to Lily. "Good job, cuz," he congratulated under the cheers and excitement.

Lily smiled, her heart still beating a little harder than normal. "Thanks. You too, Huey."

"That makes our winners, Slytherin!" Professor Brown exclaimed.

Madam Hooch handed the Quidditch Cup to Lily, who held it up high for everyone to see. Cheers, applause, and excitement rang around them. Lily passed it off to Lance, who also held it high.

When all had died down, except for the excitement in the air, Professor Brown smiled. "This year was a great one. And I am proud at the sportsmanship I've seen among all four teams and their players. You all did a great job. Congratulations."

* * *

Lily, Randy, Hugo, and Jaclyn stood in front of the other JB members. It was the end of May, and tomorrow, the fifth and seventh years would start their exams. It would be the start of O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, and it was slightly intimidating. Also, the other years' exams weren't far away either. So the four of them decided it was time for a meeting with them all.

Once everyone was sitting and quiet, Lily stepped forward. "Well, guys, it's that time of year again. Exams. The fifth years start on exams that will be the deciding factor of their next two years at Hogwarts, and seventh years will start on the exams that could determine their futures. And the rest of you will soon be taking the exams that the professors have been preparing you for all year. It's time to see if this group has done its job."

"We'll continue to have meetings while exams go on," Hugo stated. "We know that some years will want a little more prep before their exams come. And we definitely understand that fifth and seventh years will want more help with the subjects of their exams."

Jaclyn stepped forward now. "The four of us just wanted to wish you all well, and good luck. We hope that everyone does great, ourselves included."

"The next few weeks will be intimidating," Randy said. "We get that. Even we feel that way. But we're hoping that by going at these exams with the support of everyone else, maybe it'll be a bit easier on us. So let's show these exams what we worked so hard for all year."

"In other words, let's go kick some ass over the next few weeks," Hugo said with a grin and a laugh.

* * *

A tense air hung over fifth and seventh years the next day. It was starting. Exams. For Lily and the others, that meant N.E.W.T. exams had finally come. After hearing about them, and being prepared for them by professors for two years now, they had finally arrived. And Lily felt that the worst part was that the seventh years had their Potion exam first. That meant Lily didn't have to take it. And while that gave her time to study more, it did nothing to ease her nerves about the next day's tests.

* * *

"I don't think I was this nervous about taking my O.W.L.s," Lily told Scorpius as she talked with him that first night.

"N.E.W.T.s are on a totally different level," Scorpius replied. "They are much more intimidating. But you'll do fine, princess."

Lily sighed. "I guess. After all, I guess it doesn't matter how well I do on them. You don't really need them as a model."

Now Scorpius sighed. "So there was nothing that happened to change your mind about being a model?" he teased lightly.

Lily grinned. "Nope. I'm sticking with it."

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair and smirked. "Well, whatever makes you happy. I won't complain . . . much," he teased. Then he raised a brow. "So, have you written to your parents about the engagement?"

Lily shook her head. "No. I've finally made my absolute decision. I'm waiting until we get back home from King's Cross."

"Ok. So, when do you plan on moving your things in?" he inquired.

"The day after graduation. I'm going to spend the first night at home," she told him. "I think Mum and Dad would really prefer it."

"That's fine with me. I understand," Scorpius assured.

"Are you going to be a graduation?" Lily questioned.

"You bet. Your uncle called off training that day even," Scorpius replied. "I'll be there."

"I'm glad. And, could you do me a favor?" Lily inquired.

Scorpius raised a curious brow. "Sure. Anything you want. What is it?"

* * *

Lily waited outside the greenhouses with some of the other seventh years. It was the day for the Herbology exam. The morning had already passed along with their written test. Now it was time for the practical exam. Some were pacing about, some were simply sitting, a few were studying over a book or two, and some were conversing in small groups.

Lily found herself sitting on the grass next to Hugo. Neither of them said a word. They just relaxed in the warmth of the sun, and tried to keep their nerves calm.

"Hey, Potter?"

Lily opened her eyes and was shocked to see Paige Wilde standing above her. "Um . . . yeah?"

Paige fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, a small blush on her cheeks. "Well . . . I just . . . I guess I just wanted to apologize for all the crap I gave you over the years."

Lily felt another rush of surprise come over her. "Oh."

Paige didn't look directly at her. "And I don't expect you to forgive me, or anything. I just . . . well I just thought I would apologize now. After all, the likelihood of us ever seeing each other after we graduate is pretty slim."

Lily looked over Paige Wilde. She was as Lily'd always remembered. A little taller than she was herself. Dark blonde hair that had grown longer over the last few years, and dark green eyes. But unlike in pervious years, there was no hostility in her posture, and no hatred in her expression. She was the same, yet different, all at the same time. After all, this was the girl that Lily had fought with for years. A girl that had hated Lily just as Lily hated her. And now, here she was, apologizing for it all.

So Lily stood up. "Well, I'm sorry too. Especially for each time I hit ya. I obviously wasn't always a peacemaker."

Paige shrugged. "I can accept that I sometimes deserved it."

Lily gave an awkward nod. "Yeah. So . . . we're obviously both feeling awkward, and we're both kind of bad at this apologizing and forgiving thing. So . . . are we good?" Lily held out her hand in a sign of forgiveness, acceptance, and peace.

And Paige took it. "Yeah. We're good."

The two said nothing else to each other, and Paige simply walked away. So Lily sat back down next to Hugo again, and said nothing.

"I think I just witnessed a miracle," Hugo stated.

Lily tapped her fingers on her knee. "I think I was just part of a miracle."

* * *

Lily sighed happily as she left the Great Hall. Finally, the last day of N.E.W.T.s had come, and she had just finished the practical exam. She was finished! Finished with testing, stress, studying . . . and sadly, practically done with Hogwarts. Lily felt her mood drop just a little at that realization, but then she shook it off. She wouldn't let it bother her. After all, she still had time left at school. Tomorrow would be the last JB meeting of the year, and now she had to head off to conduct her last session with Liz.

Lily found Liz in their planned meeting spot, which for today was the Room of Requirement. It looked like the common room, only smaller. Liz sat in one of the two comfy chairs that surrounded a table. And on that table was an assortment of sweets and candies.

"I had a craving for something sweet, so I raided my candy stash and brought it," Liz said as Lily sat down. "Help yourself. I need to get rid of it before school ends."

Lily grabbed a licorice wand. "Thanks. Anyway, today is our last session. And honestly, I'm not sure what else I need to teach you."

"I know what you need to teach me," Liz retorted. "Everything."

Lily raised a brow. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I'll be a seventh year in September," Liz stated. "I'll already be a person younger students look to, and now with leading JB, I'll be someone my peers look to. I'm not as smart as you are, and not always as likable. And I can already tell that my year's probably going to suck at the beginning, because like some of the others, I'll just be missing some of you guys. And despite everything you've taught me about running JB, I'm lost on what to do."

Lily had simply watched as Liz went through her small rant, and then she still just watched her for a moment after. But then she sighed. "I know how you feel. The fear at being at a loss of what to do. I've been feeling like that more and more each day lately."

Liz scowled in thought. "What do you have to be afraid of?"

"I'm graduating this year, Liz," Lily stated. "In just four or so days, I'll be leaving Hogwarts. I'll be leaving a place where I spent seven years of my life. The place where I made so many friends, where I met the love of my life, and where I've learned so much about life and myself. It's throwing me out into the world now, and although I know where I'll live, what my career will be, and such . . . I still don't think I'll know what to do when the time comes."

Liz relaxed into her seat as she began to tear her own licorice wand into pieces. "That does sound scary." She paused, and looked as if she wanted to say something else. So Lily waited until Liz finally cracked. "Well, there is one specific thing I'd really like you to teach me."

"What would that be?" Lily inquired. "I'll teach you what I can."

Liz popped a small piece of the licorice into her mouth and ate it before speaking. "I was hoping that maybe you could teach me how to get through being . . . being away from someone that you l- . . . really care about, for a whole school year?"

Lily wasn't surprised at her question, and she knew what Liz meant. And she wouldn't try and coax her real feelings for Xavier out of her. "Look, Liz, . . . I know it's hard. I know from experience, which is probably why you're asking me. One thing that I've found helpful is staying in contact. See each other when you can, write, and anything else you can do. Also, you have to fight away any fears, and you can't let doubt get to you. You have to have faith and stay strong in the idea that the other person is still thinking of you, and still cares for you."

Liz gave a nod. "What else?"

Lily gave her a small smile. "You also need to honestly tell the other person how you feel. You can't hide behind half-truths. You need to be honest with each other, and your intentions with each other."

Liz looked hesitant. "What if you don't share the same intentions or feelings?"

Lily shrugged. "It's a risk you have to take in order to make it work. I know it's scary. But being hurt . . . it's something that you will generally always have to risk when it comes to something important. So now, you just have to decide if it's worth it."

* * *

This JB meeting, it was different. It was like the room was split. All the seventh years sat to the left, while those in the other years sat as normal. Lily, Hugo, Jaclyn, and Randy all stood in the center of a slightly raised platform. And Liz, A.J., Carly, and Seth were sitting of to the right, although they were also on the platform.

Lily looked over all the students as they situated themselves. Students from all ages and all Houses were casually conversing with each other. Honestly, Lily felt pride. In herself, and proud of them. They had all come a long way.

Hugo shoved one of his hands in his pocket, as the other adjusted his signature hat. "It's a sad day, huh?" he murmured to the other three.

"It's very sad," Jaclyn agreed quietly.

"Dawning of a new day," Randy sighed. "But it's time."

Lily nodded. "It's their turn now. And we have to hand it off."

Hugo placed a hand on Lily's shoulder. "You start, cuz. This group is more your baby than ours."

Lily stepped forward, and almost immediately, everyone began to quiet down, and a hush fell over the room. They all looked toward her with eager eyes, and with obvious anticipation. Lily took in a deep breath before speaking. "Well, exams are over. And the year is coming to an end here at Hogwarts. But . . . that's not all. The end is also coming for us seventh years. The start of it all. We are graduating, and we won't be coming back. We won't be here to guide you any longer. This group will fall to all of you. We're . . . we're leaving a legacy in your hands."

"You know," Hugo said as he moved to stand next to her, "in our fifth year, we had a bad situation. Hogwarts was changing, Houses hated each other, and we were about to lose a headmaster we all loved. And although we were all hesitant, when Lil brought up this idea to us, all in our year took a chance on. One of the best decisions in our lives, really. This group is important to us. And we didn't want it to die once we were no longer around. And we knew that you wouldn't want that either. That's why we took . . . well precautions against that."

Jaclyn moved to join them. "Just months ago, we gathered the sixth years together, and had them choose someone from each House to take our places. You see them sitting to the right before you. Seth Alexander, A.J. Brady, Liz West, and Carly Corner."

Randy was the last to join them. "Since then, we have been . . . I guess you could say 'training' them on how to run and take care of JB. We have total confidence in them. So we will be passing JB onto them, as the rest in our year will be passing it onto all of you."

Lily sighed as the other three looked over at her. "I'll admit that this is a sad day for us all. We're letting go of a group we've come to really love and cherish. But we're also proud. We've created something from nothing, and it's grown. You all have grown, simply in the past year. And so we do not only leave JB in your hands, but Hogwarts as well. So take care of it, just as it's taken care of us the past seven years."

* * *

The days were moving at a sluggish, but some how still rapid pace. The day for the seventh years' graduation was approaching. Kids were packing, saying goodbye to professors, friends in younger years, and even some of the ghosts. Professors were saying a few last words, and giving their best wishes.

But it wasn't uncommon to see a few seventh years just walking around the castle or the grounds. Because they were all taking their last look around. They could feel it in their veins. The coming of an end. And none of them were completely ready. They all had a few loose ends to tie up.

* * *

"What do you think about sex, Lily?"

Lily looked at Stacy in surprise. The two were sitting together out by the lake, enjoying the weather and beautiful day. And so far, sex had never entered their conversation. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Stacy sighed. "Well, when do you think it's the right time to have sex?"

Lily thought about how to word her response for a moment. "Well . . . obviously after you're sure it's something you and your relationship is ready for. Once you think that all of your . . . 'personal requirements' have been met. And then . . . well I think the right time comes to you," she explained.

Stacy gave a nod. "So, you don't think that there's a certain amount of time you should wait before you should have sex? Like so many months, or anything?"

Lily shook her head. "When it's right, it's right." She looked at Stacy. "Do you think that you're ready?"

Stacy crossed her legs where she sat. "Well . . . my first time . . . it wasn't anything I'd dreamed of, or really wanted. With Andrew, that's obvious." Lily felt a bit of hatred and anger just at his name. "But with Hugo . . . I feel like I've got another chance to have what I'd dreamed of, and what I'd wanted."

Lily smiled at her. "What is it you want?"

"I want to know for sure that I'm in love," Stacy said. "I want it to feel like, in that moment, it's supposed to happen. And although it may sound sappy, I want it to be slow, and romantic, and meaningful."

"And Hugo can give you romantic?" Lily teased.

Stacy laughed lightly. "Hugo is probably the most romantic and . . . well sweetest man I've ever met. He does the sweetest things without my even thinking of asking him. He'll say things that make my heart skip beats. And he's always so considerate about what I might think, or want, or feel. I know that a lot of people think he's acting that way because of what happened to me . . . but I can tell that he's sincere. That it really is just how he is."

Lily felt happy for her cousin as she rested her elbows on her knees. Stacy really seemed to know and care about him. Honestly, Lily wasn't sure which of the two was luckier. "So, you think that, soon, it could be the right time for you and Hugo?"

Stacy nodded. "Yeah. I really do. And I get that something could go wrong. It could end up being a bad time, or not the right place . . . but if it's going to be with Hugo . . . then I think it'll still be perfect. At least for us." Stacy looked at her. "Do you think that's silly?"

Lily shook her head as she stared out at the deep blue color of the lake. "No, I don't think that's silly. I think it sounds like you're really in love. And that's never silly."

* * *

Lily sighed as she walked through the corridors. Normally, it'd be time for JB, but now that all exams had been taken, and they had gone through one last meeting, JB was done for the year. It was out of her hands, and now waiting for the sixth years to take hold of it.

The girls were all packing right about now, but Lily had already done the brunt of her packing. She'd finish up before going to bed. Honestly, packing just felt so final to Lily. And before her finale, she wanted to take one last walk around the castle. One last walk. Her last. For all she knew, she might never walk through these halls again. She might not ever walk into the kitchens again, or sit in the Astronomy Tower on warm nights. Hogsmeade visits wouldn't hold a special feel to them any longer, and she'd never again run through the castle after curfew, hiding in secret passageways. Her time at Hogwarts was coming to an end. She had grown and matured in the last seven years, and it was time to face that fact. She was no longer a child. And soon . . .

Hogwarts would no longer be her school.

Lily found herself standing in the awards room, looking at all the names in the glass protected shelves. She could see the name of her father, her grandfather, and millions of names she didn't know. Part of her wondered how she ended up here, but she didn't question it. For now, she'd just let herself roam wherever her feet took her.

"Lily!"

Lily turned away from the glass to see Robbie hurrying toward her. He looked a bit ruffled, like he'd been running for a while. His tie was loose, his shirt a little wrinkled, and his hair a little blown around his face. When he stopped in front of her, he was panting a little.

Lily smiled. "I hope finding me wasn't difficult. I was just walking around."

Robbie just shook his head. "No, it's ok. I just . . . I wanted . . . I _need_ to tell you something," he said firmly.

Lily looked him over once more. There was a small blush on his cheeks, and his hands kept clenching into fists, and then relaxing. And his shoulders seemed very tense. Lily had a good idea of what he was going to say. And unlike how she'd been with Lysander years ago, or with Jace even more years back, she was calm. "What is it, Robbie?" she prompted.

Robbie took in an obvious gulp, then ran a hand through his hair before speaking. "Lily, . . . I really like you! And I know that . . . that you probably already knew. I was obvious about it, and people always joked about it. But I wanted to say it, out loud, and directly to you. I just . . . I couldn't let you graduate and leave Hogwarts without telling you. Because . . . I wanted you to know! And I also know that it makes no difference in anything. I know that you're totally in love with Scorpius, and that my feelings could never come close to changing that! But I . . ." He trailed off, looking flustered, and no longer sure what to say.

Lily's smile softened at his words. Dear little Robbie. How was it that he had grown up so fast? Two years younger than her, and he was already her height. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and then laid a small kiss on his cheek. She could practically feel his cheeks heat up even more at her actions. Lily moved back, and then brushed his hair away from his forehead. "Thank you, Robbie. I think that it takes a brave man to admit to every thing you said, knowing the result. And I'm honored that you feel that way about me, and I'm sorry that there's nothing I can do to make this easier on you."

Robbie looked down at the floor, then closed his eyes. "I'm sorry if my feelings leave a burden on you," he whispered.

Lily gave his shoulder a squeeze. "It's nothing I can't handle. I understand that sometimes, you just need to say how you feel, and get it off your chest. So, this is a burden that I don't mind sharing with you." Lily moved her hand to raise his chin, forcing him to look at her. "You've grown up a lot in the years I've known you, Robbie. I'm proud of you. And most importantly, I will miss you. And I don't want to graduate and leave without telling you that."

Robbie gave a slight nod. "Thanks," he said quietly.

Lily smiled at him. "And there's something else as well."

Robbie looked at her curiously. "What?"

Lily reached up to ruffle his hair. "Take care of your siblings. And let Marsha date who she wants. I understand the protective brother thing, but at least let her choose who she dates. And next year the twins will be here, so keep an eye on them. Just don't crash all of their fun."

Robbie nodded firmly. "I can do that," he stated.

"And one more thing," Lily said.

"Anything," he said with assurance.

Lily took his hand, and gave it a friendly squeeze. "Take care of yourself, and be happy."

* * *

The day had finally come. The beginning of the end, and the end of their time. The day of the seventh years' graduation had finally arrived. They had all packed their bags, said their goodbyes, and had one last look around.

Lily and the girls had found themselves looking at their now empty, and bare-looking, dorm room. A place that had housed them for seven years. Without their things on the floor, books scattered, and pictures on the walls . . . it seemed so eerily empty. They had only been able to look at it for a minute before they could all no longer take it. Megan had shut the door, and they all had walked away.

As it had been lately, the weather was beautiful. Hardly a cloud in the sky, the sun shining down, and only a light and warm breeze in the air. Perfect for an outdoor graduation. And as the girls looked out from where they'd sat on the Astronomy Tower, the setup looked beautiful. Just as it usually looked, but still classic and pretty. Some of the staff was still running about and setting things up, and even further away, down by the school's gate, they could see parents and family starting to arrive.

"It's starting," Lily whispered. "It's starting, just as it's ending."

* * *

Lily had honestly probably paid more attention at Scorpius's graduation than she did to her own. Her mind was too boggled with questions and feelings. As the seventh years all walked down the aisle between the chairs, she caught sight of her parents first, and smiled immediately. But that smile grew when she saw that Scorpius, Astoria, and Draco were all sitting next to her parents.

As it kept moving along, Lily kept spacing out. She wasn't really focusing on any particular thought or question. She mainly focused on the feeling in her gut and in her heart. Parts of her were obviously sad at what she was leaving behind after this. And she was hesitant and scared about what would lie ahead of her. She was also eager with the knowledge that she would no longer be away from Scorpius for most of the year, and would instead live with him. All of these feelings . . . they were making it hard to concentrate on any one thing.

"Potter, Lily."

When her name was called, Lily stepped up on the platform. Applause and cheers rang their loudest when she did. Lily shook Professor Brown's hand, and smiled at him. And he smiled back at her. "I'm proud of you," he said firmly.

Lily's smile softened. "Thank you, Jacob. I don't think I could have grown this much without your help and advice."

As the rest of her classmates and friends went up, Lily paid more attention and applauded them as well. But she was eager for it to be done with, and was excited once it finished. Because as soon as it had, she made her way to the family section of seats.

Scorpius had met her halfway, and had pulled her into a tight embrace in no time. "Congratulations, babe," he whispered near her ear.

Lily smiled. "Thanks."

Scorpius politely let her go and moved aside when their parents hurriedly approached. Lily's mother was the first to give her a very tight hug.

"I am so proud of you, sweetheart," Ginny said with a slightly teary voice.

"Thanks, Mum" Lily murmured. Then she hugged her dad.

"Good job, princess. You did it," he said with a smile.

Lily smiled too. "Yeah." Then she hugged both Draco and Astoria. "Thank you guys so much for coming," she told them.

"We wouldn't have missed it for the world!" Astoria exclaimed, her own voice sounding teary.

"And expect a gift from my wife," Draco said. "I know she already bought one for you."

Astoria elbowed him playfully. "Be quiet." Then Astoria leaned in a little closer as Lily's parents congratulated Hugo. "I'm also very excited about you and Scorpius. I'm guessing you haven't told your parents yet?"

Lily shook her head. "I thought it would be better if I waited until we were home," she whispered back. "I just slipped the ring on a chain." Lily pulled up the small chain around her neck, to show the diamond ring that had previously been hidden by the fabric of her clothes.

Astoria smiled giddily as she looked at it. "It's beautiful. I have to give my son credit."

Lily smiled too as she let go of the chain, hiding the ring once again. Then she turned, and was hugged by more of her family. But something caught her eye. Xavier and Liz were standing next to each other, obviously talking to each other. So she quickly hurried over to Scorpius.

"Scorpius, did you bring what I asked?" Lily inquired.

Scorpius nodded, and pulled the item out of his back pocket. "Yeah, I did. And I think it's a great thing, what you're doing."

Lily kissed him on the cheek. "So do I. Excuse me for a moment." She walked over to where Liz and Xavier still stood.

Liz smiled when she saw Lily coming. "Congratulations, Lily."

Lily smiled back at her. "Thanks, Liz. I actually wanted to give you guys a gift."

They both looked at her in surprise. "A gift?" Xavier questioned.

"What do I deserve a gift for?" Liz asked.

Lily just laughed and held out what Scorpius had given her. A mirror. "Here, Xavier. Consider it a graduation gift."

Xavier looked at the mirror with confusion as he took it. "Thanks," he mumbled.

Then, out of her own pocket, Lily took out her own mirror. "And, Liz, see this as a thank you present, for taking the reigns of JB for me."

Liz took the mirror, and it finally seemed to dawn on Xavier what they were. "Wait! Lily, do you mean . . .?"

Lily nodded, and looked to Liz. "Liz, these are called Two-Way Mirrors. Teddy got these for me the summer after Scorpius graduated. It was supposed to help us ignore the distance between us. What you do is, just say Xavier's name into the mirror. He'll hear it, and then you two can see and talk to each other, no matter how much distance is between you," she explained.

Liz looked at her with awe and surprise. "Are you serious?" Lily nodded, and Liz looked at the mirror in her hands with a newfound respect. "Are you sure you don't want to keep these?"

Lily shrugged. "Well, I might want them back after you graduate. But for the next year, I think you'll get a better use out of these than I will."

Liz looked as if she would either laugh or cry. But instead of doing either, she hugged Lily tightly. "Thank you, Lily," she whispered.

Lily hugged her back, and smiled at Xavier who stood in her sight. "It's no problem. I care about both of you. And I had my shot at love, and succeeded. Now it's your turn."

Xavier moved to hug her next. "I really love you, Lil. You are probably one of my best friends, and I hope you always know that."

Lily hugged him just as tight. "I know. And you're one of my best friends too, Xavier."

The last few goodbyes to all the friends and family was long and sad for the seventh years. Teddy had teased that they were all a sentimental bunch. Lily just shrugged and admitted that he was probably right. But after all, how could they not be?

One by one, the seventh years all began to board the boats. Lily had probably never felt so nostalgic. Seven years ago, she had boarded these boats to go to Hogwarts, sure she'd end up a Gryffindor. Now, she was boarding them to leave Hogwarts, sure that being a Slytherin was the best thing that could have happened to her. Because of Hogwarts, and because of Slytherin House, so much had changed and happened.

Scorpius, being a part of the Malfoy family, having so many close friends from Slytherin families, that had once been her father's enemies. She and Hugo were closer than ever. She had left a legacy at Hogwarts, and it had left an imprint in her heart.

But it was time to let go.

* * *

There was a still silence around the seventh years as they each sat in the boats. Not a word was said, and not a noise was made. They all sat backwards in their seats, watching as they drifted further away. Despite the beauty of the weather, the blue of the sky, the warmth in the air, and significance of the day . . . they were silent. Each held emotion in their hearts and in their eyes. Some were close to tears, while others had already shed a tear or two. The celebration of their graduation . . . it was over. They were drifting away from it, and leaving it on the shore. Now a somber air whirled around them all, and there was a heavy feeling in their heart. But then one moved to turn herself around, and sit facing forward. Soon the others all followed her example, and moved to face forward too. Because it was time. They all had to look ahead and face their futures. Besides, no longer did they want to look back.

They couldn't bear the sight of Hogwarts, of seven years, becoming smaller in the distance.


	101. Smile

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, this chapter got really long without me meaning for it to be. But I hope you like it. I felt very happy with this chapter. There's just so many emotions. And I know that a lot of you won't be happy with this chapter's ending. But things happen for a reason. So sorry for any mistakes that I didn't catch. But read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred One: Smile

The Hogwarts Express gave its quietest journey that day. The seventh years, all sitting in compartments close to each other, stayed silent. It wasn't that they were all still sad, although some were, but it was mostly because . . . what was there to say? As they thought of their classmates, they all realized that this could be the last time they'd see some of them. Because Paige Wilde had been right when she said it to Lily. What was the likelihood that they'd see each other after they graduate?

Lily was confident in the idea that she'd still see all her close friends . . . but what about the others? What about Randy, or Jaclyn? Or Connie Wood, or Jake Cadwaller? Would she ever see them again?

Lily looked around at her equally silent friends. Were they thinking the same thing? Or were they more occupied by their own problems? Were Megan and Hunter thinking about their upcoming weddings to people they didn't care for? Were Lola and Jace panicking on how they would tell their families that they would be parents? Was Xavier still worried about his time away from Liz?

Lily sighed as she relaxed into her seat. She had to stop worrying about it. They were things that she couldn't help with. Lola and Jace wanted to do it alone, Xavier was just simply worrying, and Megan didn't want any help. There was little she could do, but focus on her own problems and worries.

Instinctively, Lily glanced down at her ring finger. She had slipped the pretty diamond ring back onto her finger as soon as they'd boarded the train, and honestly loved how it would occasionally sparkle in the sunlight from the window. That was one worry. Telling her family of her engagement. And this time, she wasn't just worried about her brothers.

How many would think it was much too soon, or too rushed? Would her grandmother think it improper? Would her uncle Ron throw a fit? A million questions whirled in her mind. She tried to pick out who would approve and who wouldn't, but it seemed impossible. This situation was so unlike others she'd dealt with in her family. And just to give herself more time, she and Hugo had told their parents that they'd meet them at home, and to not bother showing up at King's Cross.

Not to mention the fact that she would be moving in with Scorpius tomorrow. Sure, her parents knew . . . But how would they take it once she really did it? After all, she was their youngest. The baby. The last child still living at home. All Lily could think about was that "empty nest" thing her grandmother had talked about one Christmas when she was little.

When they all arrived at King's Cross, they stepped off the train slowly, looking back repeatedly. The last train ride they'd have on the Hogwarts Express had ended. Then as the seventh years started to greet their parents again, or leave alone, Lily and her friends looked at each other.

Jace held Lola's hand, and looked at the others with a small and sort of sad smile. "Well, we'll see you guys around?"

"Are you guys going to tell your families now?" Shannon asked.

Lola nodded. "Why waste time? We're telling my parents first. Hopefully Martin's not home. I'd like to wait a bit before I tell him."

Megan sighed. "I've gotta get home. My dad wanted to discuss something that's supposedly important with me."

"Yeah, and my dad wants me to be dressed and ready for a business dinner tonight," Hunter said.

Hugo looked at Lily. "You gunna tell your parents about the engagement when you get home?"

Lily nodded. "That was my plan. What about you?"

Hugo gave Stacy's shoulder a squeeze. "I'm taking Stacy home first. Wait for me at Godric's park?" Lily nodded.

"So . . . this is it?" Izzy said softly and sadly.

"Well it's not the end," Xavier amended. "I mean, we're friends. We've been friends for years."

"Why stop now?" Monty agreed. "So, more like, . . . see you guys later."

"Yeah. See you later," Hugo replied.

"Without a doubt," Lily said reassuringly. And this time, she didn't worry.

* * *

"So, where'd you send Scorpius off to?" Hugo asked as he and Lily walked down the sidewalk to Godric's Hollow. Hugo'd just Apparated to their neighborhood, and they were now walking home.

"I told him to just head home and enjoy his day off. Besides, he and his parents are coming over for dinner tonight as well as yours. My mum invited them," Lily explained.

"Are you telling your parents now, or at dinner?" Hugo inquired.

"Now. That's one of the reasons I didn't have Scorpius come over. I want to tell my mum and dad alone. I think that . . . I think that it's something I should do," Lily said, pushing her own worries away.

"You're probably right," Hugo agreed as they stopped just outside her house. "Well, I'll probably see you in less than an hour. Good luck, cuz."

"Yeah, thanks, Hugo. Later," Lily said with a wave as she made her way to the door, and Hugo continued down the sidewalk. Lily opened the front door and stepped inside to the cooling and refreshing air of the house. As she closed the door and kicked off her shoes, she noticed her trunk by the stairs. She was very thankful that her father offered to take her trunk back with them. She really would have hated having to take it all the way home in this heat.

Down the hall, Lily could hear the sounds of a casual conversation coming from the kitchen. It sounded as if it were just her parents, which was perfect in her eyes. So Lily made her way down the hallway, ready to finally give them the news.

But Lily hesitated at the kitchen doorway. "Mum? Dad?" she said hesitantly.

Her parents smiled when they saw her. "Lily! We're so glad to actually have you _home_!" Ginny said as she hugged her daughter for what must have been the fifth time that day.

When Lily pulled away from the hug, she moved to sit at the table. "Thanks. But . . . well I want to tell you guys something."

Ginny moved to sit next to Harry, who looked at his daughter with interest, and an almost amused look. "And what would that be?" he asked.

Lily hesitated again. What would be the best way to tell them? Well . . . with her parents . . . bluntly. "This last Valentine's Day, Scorpius asked me to marry him, and I said yes," Lily stated quickly.

For a moment, neither parent said a thing. Her father still looked amused, and then her mother smiled brilliantly. "Oh, Lily, that's great!" her mother exclaimed. And Lily was sure that if they hadn't been sitting on opposite ends of the table, she would have hugged her again.

Lily felt just slightly surprised, and very relieved. "Really? You don't think it's a rush or anything?"

Ginny shook her head. "Sweetie, if I could have married your father the day of my graduation, I would have. Did you really think I'd be angry that you simply got engaged?"

Lily looked at her father. "Dad?"

Harry grinned. "Oh, I already knew. Scorpius told me his plans when he asked me if he could have Valentine's day off so he could ask you to marry him."

Now Lily felt complete shock run through her. Ginny smacked Harry's shoulder. "Harry James Potter! You knew about this and didn't tell me?"

Harry smiled gently as he took his wife's hand. "Well I didn't want to ruin the surprise for you."

"Wait!" Lily interrupted. "Scorpius really came and asked you that?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, he asked me not long after you left after Christmas. He asked, and I had no reason to say no. He's a good man, and I trust that he can take care of you. So I said he could."

This time Lily got up from her seat, and went around to hug her father. "Thanks, Daddy."

Harry patted her arm as she pulled away. "It's no problem, princess. And I'm glad you said yes."

Ginny took her daughter's hand. "I'm guessing that you two don't have a date planned?"

Lily shook her head. "Not yet. We thought we'd wait until after I had graduated to talk about that. But we do hope that both you and Astoria, and of course probably the rest of the women in our family, would help in planning it?"

Ginny's smile became even happier. "Of course, sweetheart!"

Harry looked at his daughter. "I only have to walk you down, right? Because I would be no help in planning."

Lily laughed. "Of course, Daddy."

"Am I allowed to tell Hermione when they come over in about ten minutes?" Ginny asked teasingly.

Lily smiled. "Of course. Tell the whole world if you'd like." Then she sighed. "Well, I'm going to take my trunk upstairs."

"Oh, Lily, when will you be moving into you and Scorpius's new flat?" Ginny asked.

Lily looked at her mother. How many more time would they surprise her with their relaxed or excited reactions to her growing up and leaving? "Oh, well I was thinking I would start tomorrow."

"I figured that. Well, I put a few boxes up in your room, along with your brothers' old trunks that they left here. You can use those if you want to start packing things tonight," Ginny told her.

Lily smiled softened. "Thanks, Mum." Lily started to leave the room, but was stopped again.

"Oh, Lily," Harry said quickly. Lily turned to see him pull a folded envelope out of his pocket. "Your headmaster gave this to me, to give to you."

Lily took it from him and looked at it. It only had _Lily_ written on the back. "Oh. Thanks, Dad. I'll open it later."

When Lily entered her room she saw that her mother hadn't lied. There were at least five boxes, and both trunks in the corner of her room. Lily set the envelope on her desk, and moved over to the trunks. They'd be the easiest to start with, as they obviously held more room.

Lily knelt down by the closest one, and found herself looking at it for a moment. There was a Chudley Cannon symbol plastered to each corner of it, along with a picture of a lion, that every few seconds threw its mane back to let out a silent roar. The wheels had been painted red and gold, and _James Sirius Potter _had been painted with black along the side. This was obviously James's at one time.

Lily unzipped it and threw it open. The inside was empty, so after a moment she decided that she'd start with her clothes first. She opened her closet, and started taking things off the hangers. Slowly, she folded them and placed them neatly inside the trunk.

"Would you like some help, beautiful?"

Lily turned to see Scorpius standing in her open doorway. Her heart automatically skipped a beat, and a smile came to her lips. "Sure. Do you wanna take things out of the closet, or fold them?"

Scorpius smirked as he came to stand next to her. "Well I'm hopeless at folding," he joked as he pulled out a shirt and handed it to her.

"Well lucky for us, I don't," Lily teased as she folded it. "So, why are you here so early?"

Scorpius sighed as they began the routine of packing up clothes. "Well I obeyed your order and went back home. Actually, I went back to the manor with my parents. I spent some time with them, and then my mother became impatient. So she decided that we would come early."

Lily laughed lightly. That sounded like Astoria. "So, I told my parents about the engagement," she stated.

"Then my mother is most likely gushing about it with your mother," Scorpius chuckled.

Lily looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me that you asked my father for permission to marry me?"

Scorpius smirked again, only it was a bit softer. "Oh, he told you?" Lily nodded. "Well, I really like and respect your father. And I know that you've always wanted him to accept our relationship. So, I didn't want to go behind his back and ask you. I wanted him to feel like he was part of this. And I was also kind of scared to death to go behind his back anyway."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Like my dad would do anything to you at this point. He loves you."

Now he smiled. "Well thanks, babe. So, who's all coming to this dinner besides my family?"

"Just Hugo and his parents," Lily told him.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Not your brothers?"

Lily shook her head. "Nope. I'd bet that James probably had practice or something. As for Albus . . . I have no clue. He's probably enjoying his day off."

Scorpius's smirk returned. "I know I am."

"Packing already? Is your mum trying to throw you out?" Hugo joked as he walked in.

"Hey, Hugo," Scorpius greeted.

"Hi, Huey," Lily said.

"I heard that you told your parents about the engagement," Hugo commented.

"Did you really?" Lily said casually.

"Well it was the first thing your mother said to my parents when we walked in," Hugo retorted. "So, is there anything I can do to help?"

"You can take one of those boxes, and put some of the stuff from my desk in it," Lily replied.

"Any way you want me to organize it?" Hugo questioned as he grabbed a box.

"Well, put all my muggle stuff together. Any potion things . . . put those in w pile next to the desk, actually. I want to put all that together," Lily told him.

"I'm on it," Hugo said. "What about this letter?"

"Leave it there," Lily replied. "I just got that today. I haven't read it yet."

Together the three of them slowly began to pack up parts of Lily's room. When Lily and Scorpius filled the trunk with clothes, Lily was happy that there were only a few clothes left to pack from the closet. "We'll put the rest in the other trunk," Lily said as she zipped up the trunk.

"What about the smaller pockets of that one?" Scorpius asked as he nodded toward the now full trunk.

Lily unzipped one of the small pockets. "I'm not sure yet," she replied. But then she noticed something white inside the pocket. She grabbed it to take a look, and saw that it was a picture. James stood with his two friends Kyle Matlock and Eric Kirke, along with a girl that Lily recognized vaguely, but couldn't remember the name of.

"What's this?" Scorpius asked as he took a look.

"I guess James left a picture in here," Lily replied as she set it on the floor. "I'll just put it in his room later."

"I'll start putting things in the other trunk then," he said.

Lily nodded, but then saw what must have been another picture inside the pocket. She reached in to grab it, intending to put it with the other. But she stopped when she saw what the picture was. It was of her and James, back when she was probably six, and he was nine. He was giving her a piggyback ride, and both of them were laughing in the picture. Lily was missing her first baby tooth in the picture, and James's hair had been cut incredibly short, due to a very explosive game of Exploding Snap from around that time.

Lily felt her throat tighten a little as she shoved the picture back into the pocket. Then she zipped it up, and quickly hurried to help Scorpius again. But the entire time her mind was plagued with emotion and questions. Why did James carry that picture around? Was it maybe from before she was Sorted, and he just never took it out? That would probably be easier for her to accept. Any other explanation . . . it just gave her too much hope.

* * *

Later that night, after Hugo and Scorpius had both left with their parents, and her own mother and father had gone to bed, Lily sat at her desk. She found herself staring at the picture of her and James. She didn't know what to do with it. Should she stick it in his room? Part of her really did want to keep it. While the picture wasn't hers, the moment it captured was a favorite of hers.

Whenever the Potter kids went out to the park in Godric's Hollow, James would always give her a piggyback ride home. Lily honestly couldn't remember how or why they started doing that, but she knew she had loved it. He carried her home, and then their mum always made them lunch.

Lily sighed as she set the picture down and ran a tired hand through her hair. She just never knew what to do when it came to James anymore. Then the envelope from earlier caught her eye, so Lily took it and opened it. She was surprised to see that it was actually a letter from Duncan.

"_Dear Lily,_

_I hope you had a great graduation ceremony. I'm really happy for you. And I bet you did great on your N.E.W.T. exams. Anyway, I'm having Jacob give you this letter because I wanted it to get to you as soon as possible. The reason for the letter is that I'm hoping that you could make time to come down the St. Mungo's on the twenty-fifth of this month. I know you'll be busy with moving and unpacking things, but I really hope you can be here. There's something I want you to see. And also, there's something I want you to have. I hope you make._

_Love,_

_Duncan"_

Lily smiled at the humble and hopeful letter. Of course she'd make the time. Why did he always think that she would be too busy to see him? She'd drop anything and everything to go see him. But Lily was curious about what he wanted her to see, and what he wanted her to have.

The boy was always full of surprises.

* * *

A knock sounded on Lily's door the next morning. Lily was busy packing things into boxes. She'd been able to fit all her clothes into both trunks. All her muggle things were in one box, along with any and all of her textbooks, new and old. Now she was just working with her potion things. Her cauldron took up most of one box, but she was able to fit a couple small containers of key ingredients inside as well. She had put her large compilation of potions from all her books into one very large muggle binder that her dad had picked up for her last summer, and now she set it on the bottom of another box.

"Come in," Lily called as she started to carefully put contained ingredients on top of the book.

Her mother was the one to walk in, to no surprise. Her father was at work, and Hugo was working a morning shift at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Need any help?" Ginny asked.

Lily looked around her. "Um, if you have time, sure."

"Where would you like me to start?" Ginny inquired.

Lily sighed as she eyed her bookshelf. "Well, I've still got some books that need to be packed. That'll probably take two boxes. After that, it's just any hair and makeup stuff on my vanity and in the bathroom," she told her.

"Do you need any more boxes?" Ginny asked as she grabbed a box and began to pile books in.

"I'm not sure yet," Lily replied. "I've been trying to think of anything else I need to pack. I left all my things from school in my trunk. I have my clothes, textbooks, things from my desk. I'm getting the rest of my potion things now. I think I just might have accessories and pictures left to pack otherwise."

Ginny sighed. "It's so strange to see most of this room so boxed up and bare," she mentioned.

Lily looked around her. It had looked weird to her as well when she woke up that morning. It was almost kind of sad. She'd been in this room her entire life. "Yeah, it is. Honestly, I'm kind of curious to see what our flat looks like now. Scorpius said that he had the guys help make a few changes."

"Will your father and I finally get to see it?" Ginny teased.

Lily smiled as she put her last ingredient in the box. "Of course. Once I'm finished packing, you can help me take some of this stuff over, and see it then." Lily sealed the box shut, and set it next to her bed.

"I'll do that," Ginny assured with her own smile.

Lily grabbed another box, and began to carefully pack the things on top of her vanity. "Mum, are you ok with all of this?" she asked.

Ginny looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Are you ok with all of these changes? Me moving out, being engaged. I mean, I never thought you and Dad would take so well to this," Lily admitted.

Ginny smiled softly at her daughter. "We are just fine with this, Lily. Happy for you, even. I can easily tell that you're thrilled about being engaged, and about finally living with Scorpius. And besides, you're an adult now. We couldn't stop you even if we disagreed."

Lily gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I guess."

"Besides, your father and I have been waiting over twenty years to have the house all to ourselves again," Ginny joked.

Lily laughed a little too. "Ok, Mum. More than I wanted to know."

* * *

"This is a pretty nice place," Ginny commented as she looked around Lily and Scorpius's flat. Lily and her mother had brought over their first load of boxes to drop off.

Lily looked around as well. "Yeah. I really like it." And really loved the changes she saw. The carpet had been changed to a smoky gray, and there was now furniture to add a home feel to it. It looked less bare. A suede couch with two comfy looking armchairs to match. There was now a large bookshelf near the opening to the hallway. There were a few framed pictures on the walls, and a decent-sized dinner table with chairs had been added. And that wasn't even half of it.

"Where should we put these?" Ginny asked as she held one of the boxes in her arms.

Lily sighed. "Well, just set them on the floor. I've got them all marked, so I'll know what to do with them once they're all here."

"Well, it's almost lunchtime. How about we go home and I make us something before we bring the last of it over?" Ginny suggested.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea to me."

Hugo showed up at lunch after his shift, also offering to help Lily move her things. And her father showed up on his lunch break as well. The four of them ate lunch together, and then they all helped Lily get the last of her boxes out of her room. Then she was standing in her doorway, looking at her old and familiar bedroom.

It was now just a room in looks. A bed with a green comforter and white pillows. Bare walls and an empty closet. A desk and vanity mirror which showed nothing to the eyes but the lack of light. A clean floor, along with an empty bookshelf.

"It looks weird to see it like this," Lily admitted to Hugo, who stood just behind her.

"Yeah. Kind of surreal," Hugo agreed.

Lily took one last looked around. Hugo held Regal's cage in his hand, Regal sitting on his perch inside. Salazar rested on Lily's shoulder, a comfortable weight. Lily sighed. "Well . . . it's time to go."

She closed the door.

* * *

"This looks like a perfect setup for ya, Lil," Hugo commented as he set a box of potion things by the door.

Lily herself looked at her new potion room in wonder and amazement. Scorpius had really made sure work was put into it! There was a large cupboard against the wall across the door, and it had glass doors that would allow her to see everything she put inside it. There were now more than twice as many shelves in the room as there had been before. A table stood in the middle. As Lily walked to it, it reached her waist in height. It was the perfect table for making potions. And a bookshelf was to the right, and now there were even a few cabinets on the walls as well. Next to the bookshelf was a desk, which had a nice pair of scales sitting on it.

"This is amazing," Lily mumbled. "I can't believe he had this much work done on it."

"Are you really surprised that he'd do this for you?" Hugo chuckled. He opened the first box. "So, what first? What ingredients do you want where?"

Lily helped to instruct Hugo on where she wanted things. She set her cauldron on the table, and her compilation of potions to the left of the table. She placed all her ingredients in the shelves, and had them organized by rarity. In the cabinets she placed all her empty bottles, vials, glasses, and such. She placed all her old textbooks in the bookshelf for now. And she finally placed all her potions from her collection box into the glass cupboard. Each of them nicely labeled.

When the evening arrived, Hugo left for home to eat dinner. And then her parents had to leave for dinner themselves.

Ginny hugged her daughter tightly. "I'll see you soon, sweetheart. And your grandmother is expecting the family to all come over this Sunday for a big family dinner. To celebrate you and Hugo graduating. She's hoping you'll show up by two?"

"Of course, Mum," Lily assured.

Ginny pulled away from the hug a little, and pushed Lily's bangs away from her face. "Are you sure you don't want to have dinner at home?"

Lily smiled. "I'll be fine, I promise. I'll make something soon for both of us to eat."

Ginny kissed her cheek. "Take care then, sweetheart."

Her father's hug wasn't as tight, but it was just as long. "You let us know if you ever need anything, or if you need us for help. We'll be over here before you can blink."

"Thanks, Daddy," Lily sighed.

"And don't hesitate to come by the office at lunch. I know I won't be the only one there happy to see you," Harry said teasingly as he smoothed down her hair.

Lily teasingly reached up and smoothed down his hair as well. "I will. Now you two be good while I'm gone," she joked.

When Lily closed the door behind her parents, she turned and looked around her. A large flat that was looking more and more like a home for her and Scorpius. She looked at the clock on the wall. It was only seven. She still had probably an hour or so before Scorpius would be home, maybe even two. So Lily took one of the trunks and took it down the hall. And then she opened the door to the bedroom. _Her and Scorpius's_ bedroom. The thought alone made her smile.

Lily opened the door for the first since she'd first seen the flat, and she liked what she saw. The previously white walls were now a Slytherin shade of green. And a Slytherin wall banner hung over the bed. That bed was covered in a thick and silk green comforter, with black silk pillows. More of Scorpius's things were around. There was now a desk, along with a separate vanity desk.

Lily set down the trunk to look at the vanity. It had one big mirror in the middle, and a small mirror on each side. There were three drawers on each side, and tiny little shelves on top of the desk for her to put things on. Lily smiled and shook her head. She honestly didn't know who to blame for such an extensive and expensive-looking vanity. But she knew it was either Scorpius or Astoria.

Using her wand, Lily brought the trunk up to sit and balance easily on her vanity's stool. Then she unzipped it to look inside. This one had most of her shirts, jeans, dresses, and clothes she'd gotten from her closet. Lily glanced around the room again, and was a little confused when she didn't see a dresser. Curious as to where Scorpius was keeping things like his socks and boxers, Lily walked over to the closet and pulled open the door. Now she was really surprised.

What she knew to previously be a normal closet, was now expanded and had been changed to a walk-in closet. It was probably close to half the size of the actual bedroom! There were hundreds of empty hangers for her own clothes, and there were also small shelves, and medium-sized drawers in the wall. Lily soon guessed that this was probably Astoria's work, because the drawers were labeled _Lily_ and_ Scorpius_.

As she put away her clothes, Lily didn't notice time passing. So she was surprised when a strong pair of arms wrapped around her middle. She jumped, almost dropping the shirt she was hanging up.

"Hi," Scorpius murmured near her ear.

Lily finished hanging up the shirt before turning in his arms to look up at him. His hair was sticking up and obviously drenched in sweat. The white shirt he wore stuck to him tightly, and he looked absolutely rugged. She smiled at him. "Hi," she greeted back.

Scorpius leaned down and pressed a rough and passionate kiss onto her lips. Lily had expected it to be short, but as she started to pull her away, Scorpius pulled her closer. While one of his hands buried itself in her hair, the other stayed around her waist and pulled her flush against him. He nipped at her bottom lip, but instead of parting her lips for him, she fully pulled away from his kiss. But Scorpius didn't let her get too far as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Are you hungry?" Lily inquired.

A small grunt escaped his throat as he pressed a kiss just near her earlobe. "In what sense?" he mumbled.

Lily felt a tiny blush come across her cheeks. "Well, I haven't eaten either," she said, her nerves tingling as Scorpius's lips kept teasingly moving across her cheek. "So, I thought that I would make us both something once you got home."

Scorpius sighed as he finally pulled his lips away from her skin, and looked at her. "Ok. I'll shower while you do. But," he added, "we're finishing this before you go home." Then with a quick kiss to her forehead, he headed for the door.

"I'm not going back tonight," Lily said quickly. Scorpius stopped just at the door. "I'm staying here."

Scorpius turned his head to look at her, a passionate, intense, and eager look in his eyes. "Really?"

Lily nodded, her own heart jumping in her chest. "We were able to bring all my stuff over in one day. I just have to unpack it all."

Lily tried to bring in a steady breath as she watched Scorpius's eyes run over her for a brief moment. "I'll make it quick then," he mumbled before hurrying to the bathroom.

Taking a calming breath first, Lily then left the closet and then hurried out to the kitchen to start making a small dinner for them. She wasn't far from finished when she heard Scorpius's footsteps on the tiled floor. Lily turned to look at him, and felt a heat pool in her stomach and in her cheeks. He wore only a pair of black sweatpants, and his skin and hair was still lightly damp. He leaned against the end of the table, watching her.

"Almost done?" he asked in a low voice that made Lily shiver internally.

Lily gulped silently. "Yeah. I didn't make anything big."

"I thought Lana and my mum stocked this place full of food. At least that's what my dad told me," Scorpius mentioned.

"They did," Lily replied shortly.

She felt him come to stand right behind her, and his hands came to rest on the counter, trapping her between them. "Do you need help?" he whispered by her ear. Lily shook her head, not trusting her ability to speak. "Well, would you like me to maybe start unpacking a few things while I wait?"

Lily cleared her throat, her skin tingling with their close proximity. "No, I'm finished now."

Scorpius placed a small kiss behind the lobe of her ear. "Then I'll get the plates."

Their dinner was tense, and Lily thought her nerves would explode from the obvious sexual energy that was radiating between them. Her insides were shaking, her heart was pounding, her skin was tingling. She wasn't sure how long she could take it. It was enough to make her hardly eat a thing.

"I thought you were hungry," Scorpius murmured.

Lily shrugged, her heart skipping a beat at his intense gaze. "I guess not."

Scorpius set down his fork. "Yeah, same here."

"Well I'll take your plate," Lily said quickly, standing from the table. She only made it to the counter before both plates were taken from her. She turned just as Scorpius set them down, and then trapped her against the counter again. Lily ran her tongue along her bottom lip. "I should probably clear those," she whispered.

Scorpius shook his head. "They can't wait. I can't."

Lily let her eyes slowly close as his lips descended onto hers. She felt his hands on her hips, and she bit back a squeal of surprise when he lifted her from her feet. He placed her on the edge of the counter, putting them at an equal height. Lily brought one of her hands to the back of his head, and tugged lightly on his hair.

Scorpius groaned as he wrapped her legs around his waist. He pulled away from the kiss, but then trailed his lips down her jaw and to her pulse point. "I missed you," he whispered against her skin.

Lily sighed contently as she let her nails scratch lightly against the skin just around his collarbone and shoulder. "It's only been a day," she teased softly.

Scorpius pulled her closer as he nipped at her pulse. "So? It's still a whole day. And it's been much longer since I've had you all to myself."

Lily pulled him away from her throat to look his in the eye. His were as dark as a storm, and his desire and passion was obvious to see in them. "Well now you do have me alone. What are you gunna do about it?" she teased.

Scorpius lifted her from the counter and began walking backwards. "I'm gunna keep you for the rest of my life," he replied.

* * *

Lily hummed with the music that flowed around the room as she continued to unpack things. She had finished unpacking anything that needed to go into the bedroom, closet, and bathroom. Now she was mainly just putting up a few picture frames, and sticking a few of her books in the living room bookshelf.

She was interrupted by a knock on the door. She turned the music down, despite the fact that due to one of Scorpius's spells, noise from inside could not be heard outside their flat. Then she walked to the door and pulled it open. She was surprised, but still happy, to see Jace standing in the hallway. Then she was confused by the backpack on his shoulders.

"Hey, Jace. What are you doing here? Come in," Lily urged, closing the door behind him once he stepped inside.

Jace sighed. He looked tired, and sort of upset. "Look, Lil, I know this is going to be a lot to ask of you, but can I stay here for a few days?"

Lily looked at him in shock. "What?"

"Well I remembered you said that you and Scor were making a guest room, and I need a place to stay. I'm already looking for a place of my own, so it shouldn't be too long," Jace rambled.

Lily stopped him. "Jace, what happened?"

His shoulder slumped. "My parents kicked me out, and my dad backed out on helping me afford the first few months of that flat he found."

"They couldn't have," Lily disagreed in disbelief. She hadn't had much interaction with Jace's parents, but they had seemed to spoil their only child. Now they were kicking him out?

Jace nodded. "Yeah. I told them last night about Lola being pregnant. They gave me one more night to stay home and pack some of my things. They said I could come back for the rest once I had a permanent place."

Lily took his backpack from him. "Of course you can stay here. And Astoria made the guest room look wonderful, so you'll be comfortable. Come on," she said, leading him to the hall. "Are you hungry?"

Jace scratched at his hair. "A little, yeah. But you don't have to go any trouble."

"It's no trouble," Lily assured as she opened the bedroom door. This room stood out in their flat. The carpet was a light beige, and the walls a clean white. The bed was big, and was in the middle of the back wall, next to the window. It had its own dresser and mirror, along with a writing desk.

"Wow, this is a lot nicer than I expected," Jace mumbled.

Lily smiled at him as she set his bag on the bed. "Why don't you unpack what you brought, and I'll make you something."

Jace gave her a weak smile. "Thanks. I'll pay you back for this, Lil."

"You don't need to, Jace. It's not a problem," Lily repeated as she walked out of the room. She absentmindedly tugged at the end of her ponytail as she walked down the hall. Jace's parents had thrown him out? How had Lola's parents taken it? He hadn't said anything, and she hadn't talked to Lola since they left King's Cross. They had planned to meet up at St. Mungo's tomorrow, so that Lola could have an appointment with Victoire. Did Lola know about Jace's predicament? Probably not.

Lily was halfway into making their lunch when Jace tentatively stepped into the kitchen. "Do you need help?"

Lily sent him a smile. "No, just sit down and relax. It won't be long."

Jace did as she said and sat at the table. But he continued to give offers. "Well, I could help you unpack. It looks like you've still got a few things left."

"It's not necessary," Lily assured.

"Lil, you have got to let me do something. Otherwise I'm going to feel terrible!" Jace insisted.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Fine. You can help me unpack." She glanced back at him. "So, are you going with me to Lola's appointment?"

Jace nodded. "Yeah, I am. I just don't know how I'm going to tell her about what happened."

"Well how did her family take the news?" Lily inquired.

"Let's see. Her dad was pissed and ready to kill me. Her mum was worried, and a little disappointed. The twins surprisingly didn't even joke about it, and Candice just asked if it was a boy or a girl," Jace listed. "I'm afraid that Martin or Ginger will hunt me down once they find out."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Lily joked. "Especially here."

There was a moment of silence between them as Lily brought him a plate, and then made her own. As she sat down across from him, he looked hesitant. "Uh, Lil?"

Lily raised a brow. "Yeah?"

"Is Scorpius going to be ok with me staying here?" Jace asked. "I mean, it's really short notice."

"He'll be fine with it," Lily told him. "It's what we have a guest bedroom for."

"Just let me know if he's not. I can always go to another friend's place," he assured.

Lily shook her head. "It will be fine. I promise."

Jace gave a nod. "Ok. So, how did your family take the engagement?"

"They're really excited about it," Lily replied. "My dad already knew. I guess Scorpius had actually asked him for permission to marry me."

"And he said yes?" Jace said with surprise. "Wow, lucky you. So, when are you two gunna tie the knot?"

Lily shrugged. "We're still not sure. Honestly, we haven't talked about it much since I've been back. The first night we spent with my family, so we weren't really alone. And yesterday was a lot of moving and unpacking."

Jace gave her a teasing look. "And that's all? On your first night alone?"

Lily rolled her eyes as a blush came to her cheeks. "Either way, we haven't really had a chance to talk about it."

"Well do you know when you want it to happen?" Jace inquired.

Lily thought about it for a moment. "Oddly, no. I think everyone expects us to want to get married at the first chance we get, but neither of us is in a rush. I'd be ok if it happened tomorrow, or if it didn't happen for ten years. With feelings like that, it's hard to pick the right time."

"There has to be something about it that you want though. I mean, doesn't every little girl dream about what their wedding will be like?" Jace joked.

"Not this one," Lily corrected with a laugh. "I actually never thought much about it. I mean, Rose always used to, so I used to play along and make things up as I went. But now . . . I'm really just kind of content."

"Will you guys have it in your grandparents' backyard like your other cousins did?" Jace questioned.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. It does seem like a tradition." But as she continued to picture it, she didn't completely love the idea. It seemed so . . . expected. Normal. And really, what was expected or normal about her and Scorpius? Everything about them, from their relationship to them themselves was unexpected.

"Hey, Lil, . . ." Jace obviously hesitated with his words, before sighing. "Do you think I should ask Lola to marry me?"

Lily raised a brow. "I don't think that's a question you should really ask anyone but yourself."

"Well, I love her, no doubt. But . . . I'm starting to think that, with her being pregnant with my kid, we should get married," Jace admitted.

Lily pondered that. "Well, that is what some people do. But honestly, I'm not sure if Lola would love to hear that you're only asking her to marry you because she's pregnant."

"But that wouldn't be the only reason!" Jace protested. "I mean, I'm in love with her. I want to be with her forever. And yes, I probably wouldn't have asked her this early if she wasn't pregnant, but my reasons for doing so aren't totally different. The pregnancy . . . it's just a catalyst."

"Then I say go for it," Lily told him. "Although . . ."

Jace honestly looked a little scared. "Although, what?"

Lily gave him a sympathetic look. "You might want to get a ring first. Lola does see that as an important thing to a proposal. And it makes it seem less like you're doing it because of the baby."

Jace rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh, yeah. You got a point . . ."

"Would you like me to help you pick one out?" Lily offered.

He shook his head. "There'd be no point. I'd never be able to afford one."

"Well I could help you with that too," Lily assured.

Jace gave a humorless chuckle. "Lil, I can't let you do that. You've done enough. I mean, you're letting me stay here, you're helping Lola with appointments. I can't make you buy a ring too."

"But you wouldn't be making me," Lily argued calmly. "I'm offering to do it."

"I still couldn't. It wouldn't be right to take your money just to buy an expensive ring," Jace retorted.

"I have more money than I know what to do with," Lily replied. "And if you really want, you can look at it as a . . . loan. You can pay me back when you can."

Jace tapped his fingers on the table. "That . . . doesn't sound so bad, I guess," he admitted in a mumbled.

"Take your time to think about it, and let me know your answer," Lily told him. With a sigh of her own, she got up with her now empty plate and headed for the sink. "Well, are you still up for helping me unpack?"

Lily couldn't believe how insistent Jace was being about helping her. Thanks to his speedy help, Lily was finally able to unpack all of her things. It made the flat look and feel much more like home. Now all she had to do was take both of those trunks back to her parents' house. But once they'd finished, Lily had mentioned that she had needed to make more of a simple bruise remedy, and Jace had again insisted on helping her. Lily had to admit, he was a decent assistant when he wasn't actually in control of the potion.

It was late in the evening when Lily and Jace heard the front door open. They were still in her potion room, only now Jace was helping her organize her ingredients, and make a list of what she needed to pick up.

"Babe, you here?" Scorpius called.

"Yeah!" Lily called back to him, not looking away from the shelf of ingredients she was currently looking over.

"Oh. Hey, Jace," she heard Scorpius greet.

"Hey, Scor. You look tired," Jace mentioned.

"I am. Training was tiring today," Scorpius admitted. Lily could hear and feel Scorpius come up behind her, and place a kiss on her cheek. "Hi."

Lily turned to smile at him. "Hi. Are you hungry? I made something for you. It should still be on the counter, hot and ready."

He gave her a kiss on the lips this time. "You're a saint, princess," he said as he moved toward the door.

"Oh, and Jace is staying in the guest room for a while," Lily told him.

"That's cool," Scorpius said from down the hall.

"Wow. I didn't think he'd just agree to it," Jace said after a small moment of silence.

Lily laughed. "Why?"

"I figured that I might be killing some kind of drawn out 'we now live alone' kind of thing," Jace muttered.

Lily rolled her eyes. "First of all, you're our friend. We're going to help you when you need it. And second, it's not hard to silence a room if we need to."

Now Jace laughed. "That is true."

* * *

"Scorpius," Lily said as she climbed into bed next to him that night.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Lily?"

"Well, Jace and I were talking about the wedding this afternoon, and I started thinking . . ." Lily mentioned.

Scorpius began to twirl a strand of her hair around his finger. "About a date?"

"About a place," Lily amended. "It's just, I don't want to do what everyone else in my family does and get married at the Burrow. I mean, it's a lovely place, but I don't think it fits us."

Scorpius gave a nod. "Where were you thinking, then?"

"Well, what about if we got married in the manor's backyard?" Lily suggested. "It's always really beautiful in the summer and spring, and there would be a lot more room and space."

Scorpius moved to rest his head in the crook of her neck and shoulder. "I think that sounds nice. So, are you saying that you want to get married during the summer or spring?"

"I'm not one for having an outdoor wedding in the cold," Lily teased as she treaded her fingers through his hair. "Doesn't mean I know when I want to get married yet. How about you?"

Scorpius gave a soft groan. "Lily, it doesn't matter to me. I'd marry you tonight if that's what you wanted."

Lily smiled. "But what do _you_ want? Is there anything in particular you want our wedding to be like?"

"Well I think it'd be cool if we invited every guy that ever expressed an interest in you. That way they can see up front that you're completely taken," Scorpius joked with a small chuckle.

Lily rolled her eyes as she laughed. "Scorpius, really."

He placed a small kiss on the junction between her neck and shoulder. "Hmm . . . anything?"

Lily nodded. "Anything."

He sighed, his breath warm against her neck. "Well . . . I know something I want after the wedding. Is that close enough?"

"I guess. What is it?" Lily asked.

"I wanna choose the honeymoon," Scorpius mumbled.

Lily smiled. "Ok. Where do you wanna go?"

He made a small hum against her throat. "Well, I'm trying to decide between two places. Can I keep it a secret until then?"

"Sure," she whispered. "I'll let you take care of that business alone."

* * *

"How do you feel, Lola?" Jace asked as he sat beside Lola in the hospital room. Lily stood on her other side, waiting for Victoire to come back in. She had done what were apparently the normal tests when it came to pregnancies. She would apparently be able to tell for sure how far Lola was, and when she would be expected to be due.

"I'm ok," Lola assured him. "Just a little nervous." She took his hand. "How did your parents take the news? You did tell them, right?"

Jace nodded. "I told them. And . . . well it didn't go too well," he admitted.

Lola gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry. Martin and Ginger found out yesterday too."

Jace gulped. "And?"

"It took us a few hours to convince him not to kill you. But he's still not happy," Lola admitted. "And Ginger, well she was more disappointed in me than you."

There was a soft knock on the door before Victoire stepped back inside with a clipboard in her hand. "Ok, we've got your results back. You are approximately three months through. If all goes well, you'll be giving birth in December. And right now, everything is healthy. The baby is doing fine and developing normally, and you yourself are in great health. So, the next step will be to schedule another appointment in three week's time. Can you do that now, or do you need time to figure out your schedule?" Victoire asked.

"Oh, no I can do it now," Lola assured. "This is more important anyway."

Victoire smiled. "Great. Then that's all there is to it. When you get to the desk, just give them this, and tell them when you want to schedule your next appointment." She handed Lola a small piece of paper.

Lola gave her a grateful look. "Thanks, Victoire."

"It's no trouble at all," Victoire assured. As the three started to walk out, Victoire stopped Lily. "I heard about your engagement," she commented as they left the room.

Lily stopped as Jace and Lola continued down the hall. "Oh, yeah. I'm sure it's gotten around the family by now."

Victoire laughed. "Well I'm happy for you. And I think it's great that you're helping Lola through this."

Lily shrugged. "Well she's my friend. Wouldn't you do the same?"

Victoire bit her lip. "Well . . . I actually had the chance to, years ago. But I didn't."

Lily looked at her in surprise. "Wait. You mean one of your friends was pregnant in Hogwarts?"

Victoire shook her head. "Well, she wasn't actually a friend of mine. But she was someone that I had really looked up to when I was younger. And when she got pregnant, the father chickened out and denied that it was his."

Lily couldn't imagine Jace ever doing that to Lola. Besides, the girls would have killed him if he had.

"I always thought that it was so sad, and I felt bad for her," Victoire admitted. "But, I was amazed that _she_ never seemed sad. She never seemed mad that the dad had done that. And she was just so . . . brave. Eventually, I got up the nerve to ask her why it didn't bother her. I'll never forget what she told me."

"What'd she tell you?" Lily asked curiously.

Victoire's smile softened as her eyes seemed to disappear in memory. "She said that, she was more worried about making sure that her baby would be healthy, than she was about the father. And that she was much more scared about the birth itself, than if the father was there. She cared more about raising her baby to be brave, and cared little on how much of a coward he had been." She blinked then looked back at Lily with her usual bright smile. "I thought that it was so cool when she said that. Actually, it's what really got me thinking about being a Healer. I wanted to help young mothers to believe the same thing as she did. I wanted to help them be brave too."

Lily smiled. "I wish I had a great story about how I chose my career. All I can really say is that it started with a favor."

Victoire laughed. "That's ok. It doesn't matter how you came about picking a career. What matters is that you love it. And you love modeling, right?"

"Yeah, I do," Lily said honestly. "I mean, it may not be like a normal job where I work every day . . . but I love it. It's something I can call my own."

"I know what you mean," Victoire agreed. "That can be hard in such a big and important family like ours."

"And when you find it, you've got to keep it," Lily finished. She stretched a little as she sighed. "Well, I should probably catch up. Jace already wants to see if maybe Uncle George can give him a job for the time being."

"Is he uncomfortable staying with you and Scorpius?" Victoire asked as she walked alongside Lily.

"I think it has more to do with him feeling as if he's imposing on us. I keep telling him that it's not an imposition, but he can't stop how he feels. So I offered to help him," Lily replied.

"Oh men. They can be so stubborn," Victoire laughed.

"Trust me. At this point I think I know that better than anyone," Lily joked.

"Any idea why we can't live without them?" Victoire teased.

"I think that's just a universal mystery," Lily replied with a smile.

* * *

Lily walked up the lane to the Burrow, happy for the sunshine and warm air. She could hear voices as soon as she came to the door. She opened it to see what looked like most of the family sitting around, talking, playing chess, playing with Theo, or gushing over baby Gabby. But as soon as Lily walked in, her grandmother caught sight of her.

"Oh, Lily!" she squealed as she hugged Lily tight. "Your mother told us about the engagement! We are so happy for you two!"

Lily looked at her in surprise as she pulled away from the hug. "Really? I thought you'd have thought it was too soon."

"Oh, nonsense!" Grandma Weasley dismissed. "When you're in love, you're in love."

"So, little Lily, how's it feel to live in sin with your boyfriend?" Uncle George teased. "I'd say exhausting?"

Lily grinned ruefully and shook her head, although she did blush lightly. "George!" Grandma Weasley chided. "There's no need for jokes like that."

George just winked at her when his mother turned away, making Lily laugh a little. "So, is Scorpius coming over after training?"

Lily nodded as she kicked off her shoes. "He planned on it, but he's not sure how late it'll go."

"Well apparently your grandmother plans to hold us all hostage at least until Ron, Rose, and Albus get here, so I'm sure he'll have time to make it," George said with a chuckle.

The thought of one of her brothers being here twisted her stomach, but then she looked around. James wasn't anywhere around. "Where's James?" she asked.

"He has a morning practice. He'll be here in time for lunch," Grandma Weasley assured her.

Lily did her best to keep from cringing at the awkwardness that would likely ensue.

* * *

When lunch came around, James had arrived in time, but not alone. A thin, blonde, pretty young woman was with him, James's arm draped around her. Lily vaguely recognized her, and when James introduced her to the family as Melody King, Lily was sure she'd even heard that name before. Lily had honestly hoped to simply avoid talking to James, simply to make it just a little less awkward for her. But his "date" was making it difficult, because she kept trying to talk to Lily.

"So, you work with Brandon Avery, right?" she asked Lily. Her voice was kind of high, almost making Lily wince at the sound.

Lily sighed. "Yes, I do. Why?"

Melody smiled. "Well, I model too, and my own agent is really good friends with Brandon. He talks about you all the time."

Lily simply nodded, hoping that someone could save her from her situation. The announcement of lunch finally did. With the beautiful weather, they'd decided to eat outside. The enlarged table and all the chairs had been brought out. And they all helped to bring a dish of food outside.

Lily took a seat between Hugo and Paul, just to avoid the chance of James's date wanting to sit by her. Thankfully, James sat on the other side and end of the table. He didn't even look at her.

Conversation flowed easily around the table, and Lily was glad that none of it required for her to even say a word to James. Instead she talked with Paul, to who she described her new flat to, and who told her how he and Louis were thinking about finding a better flat for themselves. But as usual, when did things ever go right?

Louis reached across Paul, and held his hand out. "So, Lil, can I see the ring?"

Lily smiled as she placed her left hand in his. "It really is pretty," she commented.

Paul whistled. "Wow, that's a beauty. I'm glad I don't gotta ever worry about impressing a girl with a ring."

Louis gave a look of mock offense. "You won't try to impress me?"

Paul rolled his eyes but laughed. "You know what I meant."

Louis grinned. "So, Lil, have you and Scor discussed a wedding date yet?"

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but she was stopped. "What wedding?"

Lily froze momentarily, but then slowly turned to look where James was sitting. He was looking at the three of them with a scowl and disbelieving eyes.

"Well, James, didn't you hear?" Ginny replied. "Scorpius asked Lily to marry him. They just have yet to discuss a date, which I am also eager to hear about."

"She's not even eighteen yet!" James argued.

Lily stood up. "James, can we talk in the house?" If they were going to do this now, she at least wanted to be out of earshot from her family, mostly her grandmother. At what could be said, Lily was sure it would greatly upset her.

James stood up, and when Melody began to stand, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stay here. I'll be back."

"He would hate for you to see what a jackass he's about to be," Lily muttered as she made her way to the house. Once they were both inside, and the door was shut, Lily turned on him. "Look, it does not matter how old I am!"

"You are seventeen, and now you're going to go off and marry that jerk?" James hissed.

Lily stood proudly. "Yes, yes I am. I'm living with that jerk, I love that jerk, and I'm going to marry that jerk. And that jerk has a name!"

"You're living with him?" James yelled.

"Where have you been for like two years now?" Lily yelled back. "Even Dad knew that I was going to live with him! And I love living with him!"

"How can you live with someone you're dating? You know what he'll expect!" James retorted.

"He doesn't have to expect it! Because you know what, James, he and I have had sex!" Lily admitted. "And I can't even count how many times!"

James looked even more livid now. His shoulders tensed, his hands clenched into fists, and his jaw tightened. "Are you out of your mind?" he snarled.

"You look me in the eye and tell me you haven't had sex with that tramp out there!" Lily snapped back.

For a moment James didn't say anything, just looked more and more furious as seconds went by. When he finally spoke, it was through clenched teeth. "You can't marry him," he spoke slowly and in a low tone.

Lily glared at him. "I can, and I will. I'll marry him tomorrow if I want to."

"You are acting like such a child!" James snarled.

"And you're acting like an ass!" Lily countered. "And why do you even care!"

"Because . . ." James stumbled over his words, and Lily was suddenly unsure if she wanted to know his answer. But her hesitance didn't stop her growing anger. "You know what, I'm allowed to care!" he snapped.

"You lost the chance to care when you denied me as a sister! You lost it after everything you've done to me!" Lily exclaimed.

"I haven't done anything to you!" James stated.

"What about when you had me attacked by like five other girls?" Lily pointed out.

"I did not tell them to attack you!" James defended.

"I didn't believe that lie before, and I don't believe it now!" Lily said firmly.

"Look, getting married at seventeen is idiotic. And getting married to Malfoy is the absolute stupidest thing you could possibly do!" James told her.

"Then I'll happily be an idiot for the rest of my life," Lily retorted. "Just because you have never in life loved anyone but yourself, does not mean that I don't love Scorpius."

"You know nothing about how I've felt about other people," James growled. "And if you think that, you know less than you think you do."

"I could really care less about how you feel," Lily replied. "I'm in love with Scorpius. I gave my virginity to him, I'm happy living with him, I'll marry him when we feel it's right, and one day, James Sirius Potter, I'll start a family with him. And I don't really give a damn about how you feel about it."

A lie. A big lie. Because no matter how she tried to deny it to herself, Lily did care. She cared about James deep in her heart, although she had lost how to show it. It hurt her when he disagreed or didn't accept something about her. Especially when it concerned her relationship with Scorpius. Lily had known for a few years now that she couldn't escape her love for her big brother. Because as much as she hated it, she did love him. Her stinging hatred for him had turned into a painful love for him.

James's scowl became more pronounced, and his body became tenser. "If you do this, don't expect to see me there."

"Don't expect to be invited," Lily countered.

"Fine!" he snapped.

"Fine!" Lily didn't move as he stormed back outside. Instead she stood around the living room for a moment. She was never going to get anywhere closer to bridging the gap between her and James. They were never again going to get along, were they? He couldn't accept the facts of her life, and Lily couldn't accept and take what he said to her. It was a vicious circle they kept running around. A dangerous and painful line of love and hate they stood upon. It now seemed impossible for them to step away from it.

* * *

"Something on your mind, beautiful? You've been kind of quiet all day?" Scorpius asked as he and Lily walked down the lane from the Burrow. The warm day had turned into a warm evening. Scorpius and the others had shown up after Auror training had finished for the day, and it had been a pleasant evening . . . for everyone besides Lily and James. An awkward tension had settled between them and had refused to leave. The two had not said a single thing to each other since their argument. They hadn't even looked at each other.

Lily sighed. "It's nothing, really."

"That's ok, I like hearing about nothing," Scorpius replied easily. "So come on. What's up?"

Despite the fact that she knew what would result from her answer, Lily told him. "James and I had a private argument after he found out about the engagement."

She heard Scorpius's heavy sigh beside her. "What's his problem now?" he muttered with a bitter tone.

"I'm too young, I want to marry _you_ of all people, I'm living with you, we've had sex, I love you, I'm still breathing, and probably a lot more that I don't even know about," Lily replied dryly. But she then gave him a weak smile. "But it's not important. What is important is that most of the family approves of the idea. Grandma loves it."

But Scorpius's own expression was one that plainly said he didn't believe her. "That's not true. It is important you."

Lily bit her lip as they stopped walking. She wanted to at least finish this conversation before they Apparated home. Now that they had given Jace his own key, he was able to go work, or check up on Lola at any time without having to unlock the door with his wand, and risk being seen by any muggle.

"Look, Scorpius, I'll get over it. I may hate it . . . but it's something that I'm getting used to. So just . . . forget about it, ok? Don't let it bother you," Lily said softly.

"But it bothers you," Scorpius retorted. "It bothers you for an entire night, and sometimes the next few days. It happens every time something happens between you and your brother. And no offense, baby, but I'm tired of not being able to do or say something about it."

Lily hugged him around his middle, and rested her head on his chest. "I know. And I'm sorry that you have to put up with me being like this afterwards. I'm sure it's not fun."

She felt another sigh heave through his chest as his arms wrapped around her, one of his hands playing with the ends of her hair. "Lily, I am never sorry about having to put up with you. No matter how you're feeling, I want to be there and take care of you. But I hate that I can't stop you from hurting, or that I can't stop it before it happens."

"It'll be ok. I mean, I hardly see James at all anymore. These moments are becoming rare," Lily mentioned. "And I'll be fine by tomorrow morning."

"What about the dinner your parents invited us to? Your brothers are supposed to be there as well," Scorpius pointed out.

"I doubt anything will happen. Two days is hardly enough time for the awkward tension to clear up for another fight. I'm sure that dinner will be more tense than anything. We might just have the occasional snap at each other," she commented.

Scorpius's arms tightened around her. "Lily," he murmured.

"Hm?" Lily questioned with a small hum. Despite the heavy conversation, Lily felt so comforted and relaxed as they were at that moment. Simply standing in the warm air of the night, his strong arms around her. It was almost peaceful.

"Remember the other day when you asked me about what I wanted concerning our wedding?" he reminded her.

Lily nodded. "Yeah?"

"Well I know something else I want now," he admitted.

Lily looked up at him. "What is it?" she asked.

"I want to get married next summer," Scorpius stated with certainty. "I want for us to take a year to settle into our lives and careers, and then I want to marry you."

Lily felt her heart quicken a bit at the thought. A year. In just a year, she could be married. In just a year, she could officially be a part of the Malfoy family. _Lily Luna Malfoy_. It had a wonderful ring to it, and the thought brought a smile to her face immediately.

"I like that idea," Lily admitted softly. "I think it's great."

"So we can tell our mothers that they can plan a wedding for next summer?" Scorpius asked with an eager smile.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Next summer I claim you as mine for life," she teased.

Scorpius smirked as he brought one of her hands to rest on his heart. "Well you technically already have me, but I really like the sound of being possessed."

Lily laughed softly. "So, our mothers are going to want a specific day."

Scorpius rested his forehead on hers. "We'll just let them pick a day. I don't mind what day. As long as it's next summer." He sighed happily "So when should we tell them?"

"Well, I told your mum I would join her and Draco for lunch tomorrow, so I can tell them then. And we can tell my parents when we have dinner with them in a couple of days," Lily told him.

She felt his fingers running softly through her hair again. "That sounds like a plan to me. So, am I allowed to brag to my friends and training partners that I'm getting married to the most beautiful woman next summer?"

Lily massaged the muscles around his shoulder. "You can tell whoever you want. And I'll be sure to tell all my friends that I'm marrying the greatest man alive next summer."

Scorpius smirked again before pressing a kiss against her lips. "Love me?" he murmured.

"With all my heart," she promised.

* * *

Lily brushed through her hair carefully. She was getting ready for a nice dinner with her family. She had showered and let her hair dry naturally. She changed into a nice green blouse with a black skirt with green lace at the hem. Once she finished running the brush through her hair, she'd curl the ends lightly, just as she knew Scorpius loved. Her pendant was around her neck, her Slytherin ring on her right hand, and her engagement ring on her left. The glittering shine of the diamonds caught her eye every few moments, immediately making her smile.

The bedroom door came open with a rush, and Scorpius rushed in and to the bathroom. "Sorry I'm late, princess. Training went a little longer than planned," he called from the bathroom. Despite the door still being open, she could hear him starting the shower.

"It's fine," Lily said with a laugh. "You have plenty of time to shower and get ready."

"Where's Jace?" Scorpius asked.

"Work," Lily replied as she began to lightly curl her hair. She felt a nip at her ankle that made her jump. She looked down to see Salazar near her foot, looking up at her. Lily rolled her eyes as she reached down to pick him up and place him on her vanity. "You lazy dragon," she murmured to him. "I'll set some more food out for you before we leave."

Scorpius was clean and out of the shower in no time. When he came from the bathroom he was freshly shaven, a towel around his waist, and his hair and body still a little damp. "So, I never got the chance to ask last night on how my parents took the news of us getting married in a year's time," he mentioned.

"I thought Astoria would burst she was so happy," Lily commented with a smile. "And Draco seemed very pleased."

"How many plans did my mother start to make?" Scorpius teased as he walked into their closet.

"Not many. She was just very insistent on meeting with my mother to start planning it once we told my parents our idea," Lily told him.

"Did you tell my parents about wanting to get married at the manor?" Scorpius inquired as he stepped back out in a pair of black boxers, the rest of his clothes in his hands, which he dropped onto the bed before he began to dress.

"Your mum thought it would be very pretty. But your dad was very happy and excited about that idea," Lily admitted. "I never thought I'd see Draco so excited about a simple wedding plan."

"I can't imagine what his excitement's about," Scorpius mentioned. As he did up the buttons of his charcoal-colored shirt. Once he finished, he began to roll up the sleeves, making his appearance a nice mix of formal and casual.

Lily finished her hair and got up from her vanity to stand in front of him. She fixed his crooked collar out of habit. "Well, are you ready for what will most likely be a tense dinner?" she asked. After all, both her brothers would be there, and James would probably bring about his little "girlfriend" again.

As she fixed his collar, Scorpius brought his wand to his hair, which, with what was probably a nonverbal spell, began to dry rapidly. "I'll do my best to be polite to your brothers. No promises, though."

"As long as you try," Lily said as she reached up to straighten his now dry hair. "Also, your parents want us to have dinner together once you finish training next week. To celebrate." It was honestly something Lily was looking forward to herself. The day when Scorpius would finally be done with training. When he would officially be an Auror, and would be home more often when not on a mission.

"Well I will officially be an Auror on the twenty-eighth. My last day of training will be the day before, and on the day of, I just have a small 'ceremony' as your dad called it. Next day I start working as an Auror under your father's command," Scorpius said proudly.

Lily kissed him softly. "And you'll do wonderful." Scorpius gave her another kiss in return, only his was longer with a passionate undertone. Knowing where it could possibly head, Lily pulled away. "We have a dinner to get to," she reminded.

Scorpius sighed. "Ok, ok. Are we ready?"

"Almost. I just need to put out food for Regal and Salazar," Lily told him.

Scorpius smirked. "Well you set out some for the cat and I'll set some out for Regal," he teased.

Lily laughed as she left to the kitchen. Scorpius had taken to calling Salazar a cat because "all he does is sit around like a fat cat." It seemed like Salazar had picked up that he was being teased when called that, so he was never too happy when you said "cat" around him.

Lily brought a small bowl of food back to the bedroom for the small dragon, and placed it near his makeshift bed, which was all of the bottom shelf of the bookshelf. After a few days, Salazar had claimed it for his own, so Scorpius and Lily refrained from putting books there now. And the book they had put there, they moved somewhere else.

Scorpius was just closing the window, and Lily caught sight of Regal in his cage, eating the food Scorpius had placed out for him. But Lily was sure that she could also see a dead mouse in the cage now too.

"You know, if Regal keeps eating the food we set out for him, along with what he brings in, we're going to have two fat pets on our hands," Lily joked.

Scorpius smirked. "Bad time to suggest getting a puppy?" he teased.

Lily laughed. "We might want to wait on that," she agreed.

Scorpius came over to place a kiss on her cheek. "Ok. Then let's get going, princess."

* * *

Lily was right. It was an awkward and tense dinner. While their parents were at the ends of the table, Lily sat next to Scorpius, while James, Melody, and Albus sat across from them. Albus glared at her personally, while James strictly glared at Scorpius tonight. Lily had to admit that it was a little nice to have his glaring eyes off of her for once.

"So, Albus, you're going to be an Auror too?" Melody asked amid the tense silence.

Albus nodded. "Yeah. I finish training next week."

"You must be excited," she commented.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied.

Melody looked at Scorpius. "And you're training to be an Auror too?"

Scorpius nodded, and when he spoke his tone was much politer. "Yes, I am. I'm personally very excited to begin actual work as an Auror." Then he cleared his throat, and Lily could tell he was trying to be polite, despite the fact that she was James's girlfriend. "So, Melody, you're a model too, correct?"

Melody nodded with excitement. "I just got into the field last year. I think it's a lot of fun."

Scorpius nodded with understanding. "I see. So . . . do you work for just one brand?"

"Well I've only really worked with Klover, but I've done a few others," she answered with a smile.

"Uh, you've worked with Klover, right, babe?" Scorpius asked with obvious uncertainty.

Lily nodded. "I have, yes. Not much though."

Scorpius gave another nod. "So . . . uh, are there certain types of . . . clothes that you like modeling?"

Melody giggled. "You're just trying to be polite, aren't you?"

Scorpius shrugged. "Yes, but I think it's nice that you're so enthusiastic about your work."

"That's sweet of you to say. James never seems very interested in talking about work," Melody mentioned, playfully elbowing James.

James continued to glare at Scorpius.

Scorpius seemed to ignore it, and simply relaxed in his seat, placing his arm around the back of Lily's chair. "Well, I may not like that my own girlfriend models, but I'm always interested in talking about anything she wants to talk about," he said with a cute smile toward her.

Lily smiled back at him, and gave a small squeeze to his knee. "Aren't you cute," she teased softly.

"That's so sweet!" Melody gushed.

"Son, you're making the rest of us men look bad," Harry joked.

"Yes, he is," Ginny teased.

Scorpius just continued to smile at Lily. "Well there's no helping that when you sit me next to the prettiest girl in the world."

"You done sucking up, Malfoy?" James mocked.

Scorpius turned slightly to look at James, and Lily could feel his arm tense around her. "You got a problem with me?"

"Oh, I have a lot of problems with you," James hissed.

"James, stop," Melody said quietly.

"Yes, stop," Harry said, only much more firmly.

James didn't say anything else to Scorpius, and Scorpius simply began to play with Lily's hair.

"So, Lily, Scorpius, I have yet to hear an update about a wedding date," Ginny teased.

Scorpius smirked. "Well we have made some progress on it."

"And what would that be?" Ginny asked eagerly.

"Well we're thinking about next summer," Lily told her. "That way it'll be nice . . . and I was wanting to have it in the Malfoy Manor's backyard."

"Oh, that would be beautiful," Ginny agreed. "And it would be a lot more room."

"So, you like the idea?" Lily inquired.

"I think it's lovely," Ginny assured.

"So, can we expect you and my mother to start getting together and planning a wedding?" Scorpius teased.

"Maybe," Ginny said with an equally teasing tone.

"Well Astoria says to stop over the first chance you get, so that you two can start planning," Lily said with a laugh.

"Why are we talking about this?" James mumbled.

"Well it's an exciting event," Ginny retorted.

"I think it's ridiculous," he muttered.

"I could care less what you think," Lily snapped calmly.

"Because you're a heartless bitch," he retorted just as calmly

Scorpius stood up suddenly. "Ok, outside now, Potter."

James raised a cocky brow as he stood up too. "You think you're gunna beat me up?" he mocked.

"No. I_ know_ that I'm going to beat the shit out of you," Scorpius said firmly.

"Boys," Ginny warned.

"No, let them, Ginny," Harry interrupted. "Take it outside boys."

"Gladly," Scorpius growled as he pulled the chain from around his neck, and set it next to Lily.

"All right, fine!" James agreed.

"James," Melody sighed.

Lily watched as the two of them headed for the door, and stepped outside into the light of the back door's light. Then she sighed and got up as well. She grabbed Scorpius's chain, and then walked outside too. Scorpius was rolling his shoulders, while James was rolling up his sleeves.

"Ok, snake, you take the first hit," James offered.

"If I do, you won't have a good chance," Scorpius warned.

"Try me," James mocked.

Scorpius swung back his first, then slammed it into James's jaw. James stumbled back, but quickly straightened up and threw his own punch, catching Scorpius near the cheekbone. Lily leaned against the wall of the house, and waited for the two of the to wear themselves out. But knowing both their rage and stamina, Lily knew it could be awhile if one didn't get the upper hand.

But Scorpius surprised her by stomping his foot at James's knee, immediately making James wobble and stumble. Then Scorpius grabbed one of James's arms and twisted it behind his back, and put his other arm around his neck. Lily watched them in surprise. Scorpius really was going to make a good Auror by the looks of it.

Scorpius brought James to the ground, and placed a knee on his lower back. But then James kicked at Scorpius's other leg, forcing Scorpius to fall and let him go. The two of them got back up, panting with shallow breaths.

"Are you two ok now?" Lily jumped as she whirled around to see her father standing next to her. She was really going to hate if Scorpius started doing that to her too.

James glared at Scorpius. "No. Never in my life am I going to be ok with this snake!" he snapped.

"And I'll be dammed if I'm ever ok with someone who puts the woman I love through so much pain!" Scorpius snapped back.

"Scorpius," Lily spoke. She was honestly touched and thrilled that he loved her enough to go to such lengths. But at the same time, she hated seeing him get hurt. And James was pretty close to Scorpius in strength. "Let's just finish dinner and go home, ok?"

Scorpius nursed the side of his face as he glanced over at her. Then he sent a withering glare at James before turning and walking back toward the door. He stopped in front of Lily, who pushed his hair from his face to see his bruise.

"What's the damage?" he mumbled.

"A black eye and bruised cheekbone. And you've got a small cut just on the side of your jaw," Lily told him. "Does anything hurt?"

Scorpius shook his head. "No, I'm ok. I might be a bit sore tomorrow, but I can handle it."

Lily sighed. "Oh, Scorpius."

"Don't," he interrupted. "I wanted to do this. You may be able to let it go when he says something to you. But I'll be dammed if I don't stand up for you, especially when something's done right in front of me."

Lily nodded. "I know. I'm not even going to try and argue about it."

"Are you kidding me?" James exclaimed.

Lily turned back toward the yard to see her father and James standing by the edge of the back light's glow. James looked livid, while she could only see her father's back. She couldn't hear her father speak either, but by the fury that grew on James's face, she knew it was something that probably had to do with her or Scorpius.

"You know what, no! Forget it. I'm gone!" James said angrily as he stormed past their father. He didn't even take the time to glare at Lily and Scorpius as he entered the house. "Melody, we're leaving." Lily heard James say. Ignoring what was going on inside, she turned to her father, who was approaching them now.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter," Scorpius apologized. "I just can't accept some of the things he does."

Harry simply patted him on the shoulder. "No, I understand. If one of my wife's brothers were to say something like that to her, I would have done the same. At least in a verbal sense, if not physical. And while he may be my son, you will be too in a year. And you might as well be now."

Scorpius gave a nod. "Thanks, sir."

Harry gave him a rueful smile. "Scorpius, you're going to be an official part of this family soon. Not to mention an Auror. How about just calling me 'Harry' now?"

Lily smiled as she gave Scorpius's hand a gentle squeeze, while Scorpius's smirk became a modest smile. "Ok. Thanks, Harry."

Harry chuckled as he patted Scorpius on the back. "Think nothing of it. Now, let's get back into that dinner. I'm still hungry."

* * *

"Ow!" Scorpius hissed. They were now home, and Lily had made Scorpius sit at the kitchen table while she clean his cut before giving him a potion to fix it up.

"I told you it would hurt," Lily reminded as she wiped the last bit of dried blood around the edges of the cut. She placed the cloth down and looked at it. "That looks a lot better. Ok, so take a drink of those two potions, and you should be good as new by morning."

Scorpius did as he was told, then sighed. "Thanks, baby. Will you have something for me if I'm sore in the morning? I'd hate being sore throughout a whole day of training."

Lily smiled as she placed a kiss on his cheek, careful of the bruise. "Of course. I get something and place it on the bedside table just incase."

Scorpius took her hand before she could move away, and placed a kiss on her back of her hand. "You are an absolute angel," he murmured as he began to pull her closer. "An angel with a great bedside manner."

Lily smiled as she brought her other hand up to massage through his hair. "Well I do try," she replied softly.

Scorpius smirked with an obvious desire in his eyes. "Want to show me the great extent of your fantastic bedside manner," he hinted in a low tone.

Lily felt a familiar heat rush through her body, settling in her cheeks and in her lower body. "You just trying to make yourself sore tomorrow, aren't you?" she teased in a soft tone.

Scorpius groaned as he quickly stood from the chair, and literally swept her off her feet.

* * *

Two days later, Lily opened her eyes as a shifting on the bed awoke her. Lily turned her head to see Scorpius getting out of bed and stretching his arms above his head, the muscles of his back flexing under his movements.

Scorpius turned and noticed that she was awake. "Did I wake you?"

Lily sighed. "Yeah, but it's best that you did. I wanted to get up early today anyway," she told him as she sat up.

"What for?" he asked as he headed for the closet.

"I'm going to see Duncan today, remember?" Lily reminded him as she threw the blankets off of her.

"Oh, that's right. When will you be home?" Scorpius inquired.

"Some time in the late afternoon I guess," Lily answered as she went to join him in the closet to grab her own outfit for the day.

Scorpius was slipping on a pair of shorts. "You should come join me for lunch if you have the time," he invited with a smile.

Later that morning, after Scorpius had headed off to training, Lily was sitting at the table, flipping through the _Daily Prophet_ as she continued to eat part of her breakfast.

"Good morning, Lily," Jace greeted as he came in from the hall. "Any breakfast left?"

Lily nodded. "On the counter."

"Thanks," Jace sighed as he began to make up a plate.

"Are you working today?" Lily asked.

Jace nodded. "Yeah. I have tomorrow off though. I told Lola I would spend it with her. She's starting to really stress about getting our N.E.W.T. results back. It's all she's waiting for before sending in her application to start Healer training," he explained.

Lily laughed a little. "That sounds like Lola. Tell her to relax. She's smart, and I'm sure she did just fine."

"Eh, I've already tried telling her that a million times," Jace chuckled.

Lily smiled, but then felt a nudge at her leg. She looked down to see Salazar, so she reached down to pick him up and place him on the table. "Hey there, big guy," she greeted sweetly. But when she reached up to rub his head soothingly, he avoided her hand. Then he curled up and hid his head away, almost like he was sulking.

"What's up? Did you forget to feed him?" Jace teased.

"No, that was one of the first things I did this morning," Lily replied. She ran a finger down one of his wings. "What's wrong, Salazar?" she murmured. Salazar moved closer to her arm, and practically buried his face into her palm. Lily lifted him back into her arms, and rubbed his wing soothingly. "Poor baby, what's wrong?"

"Maybe he just feels sick from eating so much," Jace suggested.

"Maybe," Lily mumbled as she stood up. "I'm going to bring him to his bed. Sadly, I don't think I have a potion to help a charmed dragon's stomach ache."

Lily walked back to the bedroom, and kneeled down to place Salazar down on his bed in the bottom shelf. As she rested him on the pillows, she was surprised by what she saw. The bowl of food she'd placed for him earlier was still there. It hadn't been touched. Salazar hadn't even eaten. Lily rubbed the small dragon's head comfortingly. What was wrong with him then?

* * *

Lily tapped her foot on the floor of the lift as she waited for it to reach Duncan's floor. She was honestly trying to push thoughts of her upset baby dragon still at home. He hadn't gotten any better by the time she left for the hospital. And he didn't seem sick. Just . . . sad. But that confused Lily. What could the little dragon have to be sad about?

Lily shook her head, trying to rid herself of the worry. Today was about her visiting Duncan. And she was eager to see him, today especially. Honestly, she wasn't really sure why. Perhaps it was because she had finally graduated. She could now come and see him any time, no matter what time of the year. And she liked the thought of that.

When the doors opened, Lily stepped into the hall, which seemed practically empty. The only people she could see were two Healers. One was walking her way, the other was standing by a door. Both were looking down at the papers in their hands. Lily started down the hallways, her steps echoing in an almost hollow way. It sent a weird feeling pounding through her chest. It made her walk quicker, wanting to get away from the sound.

When Lily got close to Duncan's door, she noticed his favorite Healer, Gordon, standing in front of his door. Lily approached him carefully. "Gordon? Is Duncan sleeping?" she asked. Why was he blocking the door?

Gordon looked at her, then ran a hand through his hair. He looked tired. "Lily, I just want to say something first. You know Duncan wants you to see something, so please, don't leave until you see it."

Lily gave him a confused look, but that weird feeling pounded harder in her chest. "Why would I leave?" she questioned.

Gordon didn't answer her. Instead he pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and handed it to her. "This is from Duncan. He wanted you to have it. Don't read it yet, though."

Lily stared at the envelope for a moment, still confused. But she also began to recognize that weird feeling, which was beating harder and harder within her every moment. Fear. "Gordon, what's going on?"

Gordon twisted the door knob and pushed the door open a little. "Come in, Lily," he told her.

Lily felt fear crawling like spiders up her neck, and her fingers clutched the envelope tightly. He had gotten worse, she worried. A big and important part of his body was getting ready to disappear. Lily stepped inside, and first noticed how all the pictures she'd given him of Hogwarts were gone. Then she noticed what Duncan must have wanted her to see. But she couldn't for the life of her figure out why he'd want her to see it.

The bed. It wasn't empty. But whoever was laying on it, they were still and a sheet was pulled completely over them.

Lily's throat and heart clenched, and her breath hitched. She felt her body began to shake and tremble, and her eyes started to burn. "No," she whispered with a small shake of his head. "No."

She felt a strong hand on her shoulder. It was Gordon. "I know. I didn't want to believe it either, and I was here." He gave her a sad and sympathetic look. "But this isn't what he meant when he said he wanted you to see something."

"Gordon, I can't," Lily whispered, one tear finally falling down her cheek. But when Gordon moved to the bed, she didn't move to run or even turn away. She was stuck. Her fear was gone, replaced by an agonizing sadness that cut through her heart. Duncan. Sweet, kind little Duncan . . . he was gone. He was . . . dead. Memories quickly assaulted her mind. His excitement at having a new sibling, when he gave her Salazar, when she gave him the pictures of Hogwarts. Every small conversation they could have.

Gordon reached for the top of the sheet, and pulled it down just so that she could see his face. And it was as if her heart stopped, and that agonizing feeling trickled down her like water. A smile. He was smiling.

_"Thanks, Lily! These are the best gifts I've ever gotten!"_

_"You're very welcome, Duncan. You are my friend, how could I not get you a gift."_

_"Well, you're my friend, . . . but I didn't get you anything."_

_"Duncan, as long as you smile when I visit, you're always giving me a gift."_

_"Ok. Then whenever you see me, I'll be smiling!"_

Finally, she ran.

* * *

"Lily? Lily, wake up."

As Lily slowly did wake, that agonizing pain ran over her once more as memories came back to her. Her running through the hospital and Apparating home. Walking in to see Duncan . . . his smile. Again she began to tremble, and her eyes began to burn, and a sob broke past her lips as she shut her eyes tight.

"Woah! Lily, babe, what's wrong?" Scorpius's voice murmured near her ear.

Lily opened her eyes, her vision slightly blurred. But she could easily see Scorpius laying on top of the bed next to her, having obviously just come home from training. His face was worried and confused. And she couldn't help but to throw her arms around his neck, and cry into his shoulder.

"Duncan . . . he's . . ." she couldn't say it. She just couldn't get the words to pass through her lips. They wouldn't accept it.

But Scorpius seemed to understand as he wrapped his arms around her, and let her cry. "I'm so sorry, Lily," he whispered.

"He knew," Lily cried. "He knew he was going to die today. And he . . . he wanted me to . . . well I'm still not totally sure what he wanted from me."

"Well, what's this?" Scorpius asked.

Lily pulled away from his shoulder to see a small white envelope in his hands. The letter. Duncan's . . . last letter to her. Lily quickly took it from him and tore it open.

"_Lily,_

_Take care of yourself, and don't be upset. Don't worry about me. Take care of my little sister who's on her way. Cecilia. That's what her name will be. And I really don't like to be demanding or selfish, but I smiled for you. So now it's your turn to do it for me._

_Smile._

_Duncan"_

"What's it say?" Scorpius murmured as he brought Salazar up onto the bed with them.

Lily didn't answer him as she allowed the little dragon to rest on her lap and snuggle into her. Hot tears continued to run down her cheeks as she read over the letter again. That brave boy. That brave, sweet, and innocent boy. He didn't deserve this. Fate hadn't been fair to him. But he had accepted what he was given. And he had wanted her to know that he was ok with it. He was ok with that fact that he had died. He didn't want her to be sad. He just wanted her to smile with him.

As she did, she cried again.


	102. Lessons of Life

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry for the delay, but things have been busy around my house. So I finally found the chance to finish this chapter up and get it out to you. I think it has the perfect things to make up for the wait. Friends, drama, many emotions, and some growing up. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Two: Lessons of Life

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather I stay with you today?" Scorpius inquired with a concerned tone. Lily understood his concern. After all, she had cried herself to sleep the night before. But when she woke up that morning, and that sad and painful ache had ripped through her, she looked over at where Duncan's letter rested on the night stand. _Smile_. That word rang in her head, and it took hold. So she forced any tears back, and got up from the bed before Scorpius was even awake. She showered and dressed, and Scorpius had found her making a slightly large breakfast for him.

She wouldn't lie. That ache was still in her heart. But it wouldn't be right for her to dwell on it. It wouldn't be what Duncan wanted. Besides, a plan was forming in her mind, and she was going to put it to work.

"I'm ok, Scorpius. Really," Lily assured.

Scorpius came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her, and resting his chin on her shoulder. "I won't mind. If you're hurting, I don't want to leave you alone."

"I won't be," Lily replied.

"Jace is spending the day with Lola, remember?" Scorpius reminded.

"I wasn't talking about, Jace," Lily retorted. She gave one of his arms a squeeze. "Really. It'll be ok. Now sit down. Breakfast is ready."

Scorpius watched her carefully all through breakfast, but Lily paid little attention to it. She so wrapped up in her thoughts and the plan that was slowly but surely mapping out before her. So she assured Scorpius ten more times before sending him off to training. Then she cleaned up and left a note for Jace. Then she too was out the door.

* * *

Lily sat in the office of one of St. Mungo's head healers. She had asked to see him, and as soon as she gave her name, she was lead to his office. It was one of the first times she had purposely dropped the Potter name.

The door opened, and a man stepped in. He was middle-aged with thin gray hair. But he had a friendly looking face. Almost like an old fatherly figure. He gave Lily a smile as he came around the desk to sit in his chair. "Ah, Miss Potter. I'm Greyson Carnige," he greeted as he shook her hand. "Now, I understand you had some questions about a patient?"

Lily nodded. She pushed away the ache, and took a deep breath. "Yes. I was hoping that I could ask a few questions about Duncan Chapman. He was a very dear friend of mine."

Now Greyson Carnige looked a bit somber. "Well, I'll try my best. What's your first question?"

"How long did he know that he for sure wouldn't make it?" Lily asked immediately.

He sighed. "About a year, although it wasn't until about three months ago that we could give him a specific day."

Lily bit her lip as she pushed away tears. A year. He had known that he was for sure going to die for a year! And he didn't tell her. He had kept the truth from her, just to keep her from being upset. "Do you know why this happened to him? Why no method worked?"

"Well, our theory is his immune system. It was uncommonly weak, hence the infection he got as well. We just don't think his system was able to fight it off. And while we have potions and spells to help the process, the body still must be able to work. It's a magic of its own," Greyson explained.

"Was he ever hurting?" Lily inquired.

Greyson shook his head. "No. There was never any pain that he felt. At least physically."

Lily thought about her new answers. A weak immune system. That had apparently been the main factor. "Will this happen to his baby sister?" she asked.

"It's possible. From what we've seen through tests, neither of his parents had a weak system. But his father thinks that Duncan's grandfather did. He too had apparently died of a disease that rarely kills," he explained. "But we won't know until the baby is born."

"When is she due?" Lily questioned.

"Next month," he answered easily.

Lily sighed now. "Well, what does it take to strengthen an immune system. Is there a spell or potion for that?"

"Well, there are things out there that can help certain parts of the immune system. But not as a whole, which was what Duncan truly needed," he told her. They sat in silence as Lily took it all in. So Greyson folded his arms on his desk. "Any other questions?"

"Just one," Lily told him. "Are you allowed to give me the address of his parents? I think it's time that I finally met them."

An odd little smile crossed over Greyson Carnige's lips. "Normally no. But luckily, Mrs. Chapman wanted to speak with you too, and requested that we send you the directions to her home."

* * *

The small little neighborhood that Lily Apparated to was cozy. There were kids playing out in the sun, parents doing yard work, pets lazing in the grass. It was picture perfect, which didn't at all match Lily's aching heart. But with the address of Duncan's house on paper in her hand, she pressed forward, and looked for the house.

It was in the middle of the block. It was two-stories, and maybe with an attic. It was a light yellow color, with a white wooden door. But it just seemed . . . sad. Unlike the other houses, no kids were out. No adults gardening, or getting the mail. No dog was trying to escape the sun under the shade of a tree. It was just plain sad. And the air around it practically screamed that something was wrong.

Lily walked up to the door, and gave a firm knock. She waited, wondering if maybe no one was home. Duncan had once said that both his parents had to work to pay the hospital bills. But just as she was debating on if she should go, she heard movement on the other side of the door. It opened to reveal a small, pregnant woman, with glossy blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. But even something was amiss with this beautiful woman. That glossy hair was a mess. And the pretty blue eyes were rimmed pink. And her cheeks had obvious tear stains.

"Hello?" she asked in a small voice that sounded so sad.

Lily gulped. "Hi. I'm Lily Potter. Are you D- . . . Mrs. Chapman?" Lily wasn't sure if she should say Duncan's name out loud. Perhaps it would just sadden her.

The woman nodded. "Yes. I'm Duncan's mother. Please come in," she insisted softly. Lily stepped inside and on instinct looked around. It was just a normal home. It was slightly messy, but Lily was sure it had been neglected due to their recent tragedy. "So, Lily," she spoke, "I've heard all about you. Duncan was always talking about your visits."

Lily looked over at her. "Really?"

Mrs. Chapman nodded. "Always. He remembered every detail. He loved it when you'd come to see him."

Lily felt her throat tighten a little, and found herself at a loss of words. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Chapman," she whispered.

Lily was surprised when she took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Thank you. And I'm sorry for your loss as well. I can tell he meant a great deal to you, as you meant to him."

Lily could only force herself to push back more tears. How was this woman not crying?

"Now, come sit down. I have the kettle on for some tea. I'll get some for us," Mrs. Chapman said.

"I can help," Lily offered.

"No, you just sit down. This pregnancy has me off my feet most of the day. I go crazy if I can't move around at least a little," she retorted as she moved toward what was probably the kitchen.

Lily sighed as she sat down on the couch, and looked around. There were pictures on the walls. She recognized Duncan's parents from pictures he'd shown her. And there were others she didn't know. But there were many of Duncan when he was much younger. Lily wondered how they could look at these pictures and not be heartbroken to the point of tears.

"Here we are," Mrs. Chapman said as she came in with a tray. She set it on the coffee table, and took a seat in the armchair. She handed Lily a mug, and then took one of her own. "So, I know what Duncan asked of you. And, Lily, I don't want you to feel obligated to look after the baby."

"No, I'd love to help," Lily assured. "After all, little Cecilia is very important to Duncan. And with how much he loved her and talked of her, she's become important to me."

Mrs. Chapman rested a hand on her swollen belly. "Well thank you. At this point, we're just waiting for the day she's ready to enter the world."

"If there ever is anything you need, you would only have to ask," Lily told her. "I mean, from financial, to simply getting something for the baby. Anything."

"You really are as sweet as Duncan always said," Mrs. Chapman whispered.

Lily tried her best to push back a modest blush. "Thank you."

But Mrs. Chapman grew a little somber. "So, I'm guessing that you know about Duncan's immune system. And the chances that it could affect the baby."

Lily nodded. "Are you scared?"

"Terrified," she admitted. "I will do everything I can for this child . . . but there are some things that are even out of the mother's hands. And honestly I don't think I could bare through it again."

"I'll still be here," Lily reassured. "I mean, I'm not a complete genius, but I know some healing potions, and strengthening solutions. I would do what I could. And I always babysit my little niece and nephew. I could do the same for you."

Mrs. Chapman stared at Lily for a moment, then stood up again. "Would you like to see his room? We've left it the same since before he was sick."

Lily stood up too. "Yes. Very much so." So Lily followed her up to the second floor, until Mrs. Chapman pointed to the third door to the left.

"It's that one. Go ahead and go in," she assured Lily.

So Lily opened the door and stepped inside. The walls were a bold blue color, the carpet a soft green. There was a short dresser against one wall, a bed with red blankets. There was a small bookshelf, and as Lily looked at it she noticed the titles of old children tales. There were toys on the floor still, and probably close to a hundred Chocolate Frog cards laying around. A small toy broom rested near the window. But what really took Lily's attention was a picture frame on the bedside table. It held a picture of her from a magazine. Lily picked it up to look at it.

"That's the only thing that's changed." Mrs. Chapman came to stand next to Lily. "He gave me a cover of a magazine one day and asked me to put near his bed . . . Just in case he did get better and could come home." Mrs. Chapman gave a small tearful laugh. "He said it might make his own bedroom feel like home again, he had grown so used to the hospital by then."

Lily felt her throat tighten even more, and while her eyes burned, she couldn't stop one tear from being released. She dropped down to sit on the bed, unsure of what to do.

Mrs. Chapman sat next to her. "He really saw you like a big sister, Lily. You were very important to him. So not only do I want to thank you for visiting my son so often, but I also want to thank you for loving him like you do."

One more tear, and another smile.

* * *

"You're really ok?" Scorpius asked as he changed for bed.

Lily was already under the covers, her back resting against the headboard. Salazar laid in her lap as usual, his tail curled around his body. "I'm fine, Scorpius," she told him.

Scorpius came over to move the small dragon off of her, and placed him near his bed on the bookshelf. "You know, it's ok to not be fine," he said as he came to join her under the covers.

Lily rested her head against his shoulder. "I've never dealt with this before. I'm not really sure what to do."

"Just feel however you really feel. You don't have to bottle things up," Scorpius assured her.

"I feel like if I let it out I'll never stop hurting," she admitted. "And maybe if I just let it come up for small parts of the day . . . maybe I'll eventually get it out of my system."

"I'm still here for you," he whispered. "I'll stick by every step."

"You know, there won't be a funeral," Lily mentioned softly. "The only people he really knew were family, so when you couple that with the fact that they're already struggling to get by, they decided against it. I offered to pay for it, but they didn't want to put it all on me. And . . . I'm kind of happy they didn't."

"Why's that?" Scorpius asked.

Lily bit her lip. "Because I don't think I could handle a real last goodbye."

* * *

Lily waited in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic with an eagerness. Today was finally the twenty-eighth. That meant Scorpius was finally complete with training! Despite being wore out from training, he'd been so excited the night before that Lily had actually forgotten her sadness.

"Ah! Lily, what are you doing here?"

Lily turned to see Louis walking toward her with a smile. She smiled back. "Hey, Louis. I forgot you worked today. Off to lunch?"

Louis nodded as he stood next to her. "Yeah, I'm starving. You?"

"Scorpius graduates from training today," Lily told him. "So I'm taking him out to lunch, and then later we're having dinner at his parents' house."

"Celebrating, huh? Well it is deserved," Louis said. He jokingly rested an elbow on her shoulder, as if using her as a rest. "So, I heard about the plans to marry next summer? So will it be like that little muggle tune? You know, first love, then marriage, then a baby in a carriage, or whatever?" he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes and blushed a little. "That last part won't be until years from now. I'm not even eighteen yet," she mumbled.

Louis laughed. "Better be careful then. You never know what will happen if you aren't," he continued to joke.

"Shut up," she said with her own smile.

Louis still grinned. "So glad I never have to worry about knocking up Paul and having to unexpectingly have a kid."

"Well aren't you special and lucky," Lily laughed.

"Lily!" The two turned to see Scorpius walking toward them.

Louis sighed. "Well, I'll let you two get to it. I need to eat something quick before I die of hunger anyway. See you later, and tell Scor I said congrats."

"Bye, Louis," Lily said as her cousin walked away. Then she turned to meet Scorpius halfway, where he quickly brought his hands to cup her cheeks and kiss her. Lily smiled. "Hi," she greeted when he let her go.

Scorpius smirked. "Hey."

Now Lily placed a kiss on his lips. "I'm proud of you," she murmured.

Scorpius wrapped his arms around her. "Thanks. This is on the list of best moments in life."

Lily raised a brow. "You have a list?"

"Yes, and you are in just about every one of those moments," he admitted.

Lily couldn't help but tease. "Well what's your absolute best moment?"

Scorpius sighed. "Well it's honestly a tie. But I'm leaning more toward the day you were Sorted."

Lily looked at him in surprise. Out of all the things he could have said, she hadn't expected that. "My being Sorted? Why?"

Scorpius took her hands, and brought them to his lips. "Because it was that day that life brought you to me."

Lily felt her heart skip a beat at his words, and there was a tiny flare of heat in her cheeks. "You are so cheesy," she mumbled.

He placed one of her hands over his heart. "But you make me this way."

* * *

"We're very proud of you, son," Draco said at dinner that night.

Scorpius smirked, and it mirrored his father's. "Thanks, Dad."

Astoria placed a kiss on top of her son's head as she moved to sit down at the table herself. "You're so grown up now," she sighed. But then she brightened quickly. "Speaking of growing up, Ginny and I had a thought about a specific day for your wedding."

Scorpius looked at Lily with raised brow. "Did you know they'd already met up?"

Lily shook her head. "I had no idea."

Scorpius sighed. "So, what day did you think?"

"June 28th," Astoria stated.

Lily thought about that. A year from now? Scorpius looked just as curious. "Why'd you pick then?"

"Well because it's your anniversary, duh! Ginny and I thought it would be the perfect day, and it would just combine the anniversary of when you were dating, and when you were married," Astoria told them.

Lily and Scorpius looked at each other in surprise. They had never really celebrated their anniversary before. There seemed to always be something going on, or some kind of drama.

"Oh, yeah," Scorpius murmured. "I'd forgotten about that."

"Scorpius Malfoy! How could you forget your anniversary?" Astoria exclaimed.

Lily looked a bit sheepish. "I'd forgotten too. We never celebrated it."

"You two have been dating for almost three years now, and you never celebrated an anniversary?" Astoria said in surprise and almost outrage. "And you had the chance to today, but didn't?"

"Well, we'll just celebrate it this weekend," Scorpius assured.

Lily smiled. "That's not a bad idea. And I think that it would be the perfect day for a wedding."

"So what kind of color scheme should we plan around?" Astoria asked.

"Green and silver," Scorpius said immediately. He looked at Lily. "Unless you had a different idea?"

"No, that's fine," Lily replied. "It's a nice idea"

"I think Lily would look beautiful in a silvery white dress," Astoria agreed. "You should think about what line you want to get your dress from."

Lily sighed. "Well, at least I have a year."

* * *

"Lily? Baby?"

Lily groaned lightly as she closed her eyes tighter. Why was Scorpius waking her up so early? "What?" she mumbled.

"It's morning. Mind making me something to eat before I go off to work?" he whispered near her ear.

At that, Lily finally opened her eyes and rolled to lie on her back. Scorpius was hovering over her, an excited smile on his face. "Oh yeah. Sure I can."

Scorpius leaned forward and kissed her. "Thanks. I need to shower quick."

Lily sighed as he got up and left to the bathroom. Lily laid there for a small moment, before she too got up. She didn't bother changing out of her pajama shirt and shorts, and made her way to the kitchen to start breakfast.

Lily had just finished fixing a plate when Scorpius came in, buttoning up the last button on his collard shirt. He had a scowl as he looked at her. "Do you think this is good for my first day?" he asked as he fiddled with the sleeves before rolling them up.

Lily put a plate on the table before she walked over and fixed his collar. "I think it looks fine. But," Lily undid the top button, "you look much better when it's not completely buttoned."

Scorpius placed a kiss on her forehead. "You're a saint, princess." He moved to sit at the table, and started eating. Lily moved to grab her own plate, but was stopped by a tapping at the window. She walked over to see an owl holding the morning's _Daily Prophet_ in its beak. Lily opened the window to let him in, and went to grab some money from the small dish kept aside specifically for the paper. She took the paper and placed the coins into the pouch tied to the owl's leg. As she closed the window after the owl's departure, she looked down at the headline, and stopped.

"Oh, boy," she muttered.

"What's up, babe?" Scorpius asked curiously. Lily came to the table to show him the headline of the paper.

"_POTTER ENGAGED TO MALFOY? FAMILY BETRAYALS OR TREATIES?"_ And the picture under it was of Lily and Scorpius from yesterday at the Atrium in the ministry building. And one corner was a blown up picture of Lily's left hand, the ring sparkling in the photo.

Scorpius sighed as he put the paper down. "Good. Maybe other guys will finally back up so I don't have to smack the crap out of them," he mumbled.

Lily rolled her eyes as she sat down at the table, and read over the article. "No surprise, it was written by Rita Skeeter."

"What does it even say?" Scorpius asked.

Lily skimmed it over. "It's mainly just discussing the possibilities of whether or not our families approve, and then it hashes over the feud our fathers had years ago, and the different sides of the war."

"So nothing important?" Scorpius mentioned. Then a knock on the door sounded loudly and in a hurried fashion. "I got it," he said as he got up from the table.

Lily continued to eat her own breakfast as she flipped to the Quidditch Standings, and looked over the recent points, and who was predicted to head to the Quidditch World Cup game this year. She only heard the door open, but looked up when she heard the voice.

"Lily Luna! How could you not tell me you were getting married?" Brandon Avery exclaimed as he walked in. He came to the table to steal a piece of bacon from her plate as he sat next to her.

Lily raised a brow. "Well good morning to you too. And I've been busy, as have you. I thought you were setting up a few big photo shoots for me or something?"

"I was, but you getting married could lead to even bigger ones!" Brandon told her.

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked.

"Weddings," Brandon said simply. "And when a woman as famous as you gets married, all designs will be dying for you to pick a dress from their line, and show in all over magazine covers. This could be the big one."

"Look, Brandon, I've got a year to choose. Must we do it now?" Lily replied.

"Well it's better to look at all the options I could get you now rather than later," Brandon answered. "Because the earlier you start, the more anxious designers will be to hear if you're choosing their design. Jobs will be flying toward you."

"As much as I'd love to stay and talk fashion," Scorpius sighed, "I need to get going. I'd really rather not be late my first day." He got up and kissed Lily quickly. "I'll be home later tonight. Love you, princess."

"Love you too," Lily said as she watched him leave the flat. Then she looked back at Brandon. "So, what do you have in mind?"

Brandon pulled a bag off his shoulder, and then pulled about ten letters out of it. "Theses are all letters I've gotten from the designers I live by, just this morning. And all of them are dying to have you come by and look at a few selections they have to offer. I'm expecting more than a dozen by the end of the day. So, I was thinking that today, we could set up a meeting with one of them, and take a look."

"Ok, that sounds fine. We just need to wait until Jace gets up and ready. I don't want him to go without breakfast," Lily said.

"Awesome!" Brandon cheered. "Ok, so Yaz Harper said she would gladly set aside some time for us this morning, and I know that Anastasia would gladly set aside some time tomorrow if you don't mind me scheduling it."

Lily nodded. "Go ahead and do this however you want, just nothing this weekend. Scorpius and I are celebrating our anniversary. And who is Yaz Harper?"

"Oh, sorry, she's the designer for the Magical Twilight brand," Brandon said. "She does a lot of dresses, evening wear, and things like that. I'd imagine she'd have some good choices. But," he added quickly, "if you find one that you just fall in love with and know you'll pick, don't say it."

Lily raised a brow. "Why?"

"Because like I said before, the more anxious they get, the more jobs they'll try to throw your way. They'll do what they can to win your favor," he explained.

"Ok, that's fine," Lily said as she stood from the table. "So, have you heard anything from Mitch?"

"Yeah, I heard from him not too long ago. They're in the middle of a tour right now. I guess they got signed up with a pretty big label, and they might even get to do a worldwide tour in the next few years," Brandon told her.

Lily bit her lip as she looked at him. "Think they'll ever make it back here for a concert or something?"

Brandon shrugged. "Maybe. It's possible, but it depends on them. If they get the chance to do a worldwide tour, they'll get the chance . . . if they take it."

* * *

"Hey, Lily, we gotta talk," Jace said as he helped her make dinner that night. Lily had spent the entire day looking over wedding dresses and different designs of dresses. Honestly, she never wanted to see another one, but she still had to meet with Klover Fabrics tomorrow. She had told Brandon to try and fit some actual modeling shoots in-between them, just to keep her sane.

"So serious sounding," Lily commented. "What's up?"

"I found a flat. One for me and Lola," he told her.

Lily smiled at him. "Well that's good, right?"

Jace nodded. "Yeah. And she likes it. I mean, it's small, but that'll be ok for now. So we signed a lease, and we're going to start moving in tomorrow."

Lily looked at him. "Wasn't that a lot to decide in one day?"

He looked sheepish. "Well, we actually decided a lot today. Mainly because we really want to start getting on our own feet."

"What else did you decide?" she asked.

"That we'd get married after the baby came," Jace said softly.

"So you two did finally talk about getting married?"

He nodded. "Yeah. And she wants to wait until after the baby's here. Which gives me plenty of time to get her a ring on my own."

"And you're sure about all this?" Lily asked.

"Positive," Jace said firmly. "So, tomorrow I'm going to go out and start moving all my stuff from my parents' house into the flat. I'll leave the spare key you gave me on the table if you've already gone."

"No, you keep it," Lily told him. "I want you and Lola to have it, and use it whenever you need to."

That was when Jace moved over to hug her tightly. "You're a great friend, you know that right?"

Lily hugged him back. "So are you. That's why I do these things for you. Because you'd do them for me."

Later that night, Lily was putting the remains of their dinner away. Scorpius had yet to come home, and Jace had gone off to shower before visiting with Lola's family. She was honestly ready to go to bed. After her long day, she was tired. And tomorrow, she'd have to go through the same thing all over again.

The door opened and closed, and before Lily could turn around to greet Scorpius, she was turned around and brought off her feet and into a hug. A small squeal left her lips on instinct.

"Hello, baby," Scorpius greeted with a happy smile as he set her down on her feet.

His smile made her smile too. "Hello to you too. Why are you so happy?"

"I don't get why people say that work isn't fun. I had a blast on my first day," Scorpius stated.

She sighed. "Well, I just put dinner away, but I can heat it up for you."

Scorpius kissed her softly. "No, I can do it. You've probably had a long day. I'll make it myself, and you can go and relax, ok?"

Lily thought about that. A bath sounded nice before going to bed. "Will you come to bed once you're done?" she asked.

"I think I'll do a short workout first," he told her. "But I promise I won't be long."

When Lily had finally finished her bath, she slipped on a small silk robe and stepped out of their bathroom. She could instantly hear the sounds of Scorpius's workout equipment from down the hall. With a sigh she moved over to her vanity and looked in the mirror. She had put her hair up before her bath, the ends a little damp. She simply felt clean and refreshed now.

At the sound of a tapping on the window, Lily turned to see Regal sitting on the windowsill, obviously wanting out. She got up and let him outside. She'd leave the window open for him, the independent bird.

Now relaxed and clean, Lily dressed into a small pair of shorts and a thin shirt. She let her hair down, and ran a brush threw it several times. Then she kneeled down by Salazar's bed on the bookshelf. The lazy dragon was fast asleep, his food dish almost empty, with a little water left in his bowl. She gave a sad smile to the little dragon. He still seemed a little sad after Duncan's passing. He wasn't eating as much as he used to either.

Lily had already climbed into bed and was ready for sleep when the door opened a little, and Scorpius slipped into the room. Lily just allowed her eyes to flutter shut as she listened to him move around the room as he got ready for bed as well. She soon felt the normal warmth that Scorpius provided as he came to lay next to her under the covers.

"You awake, princess?" Scorpius whispered by her ear.

"Yeah," Lily murmured back.

She felt his fingers brush along her cheek and push her hair back. "How was the whole dress thing today?"

Lily smiled a little. "Tiring. And I get to do it again tomorrow."

"I wish I could help, but I don't think I'll look pretty in any of those dresses," he teased softly.

Lily laughed lightly as she took his hand and intertwined their fingers. "It's ok. The first time our mothers try to drag me over to help them plan, I'll just drag you along with me."

He placed a small kiss next to her ear. "Sounds like a plan, beautiful."

* * *

The month of June began to turn into days of July at a nice and blissful pace for Lily. Jace moved into his and Lola's new flat. Apparently his parents had seemed a little more accepting of what had happened, but had not given their full support.

Hugo and Stacy moved into a flat of their own as well. Hugo had told Lily it had taken a lot of persuasion on his part to get his mother to accept it. Then it had taken him time to find the perfect place for the two of them. He was now just waiting for his exam results so he could start training as a hit wizard.

Scorpius loved his job as an Auror more and more each day. He had yet to go out on an actual mission, as his team was still simply doing "research" as he put it. Brandon had put Lily through tons of photo shoots and meetings with designers to look at dresses. She never thought that modeling could be so exhausting.

But with July Lily found herself waiting for only two things. Her exam results, and the coming of Duncan's baby sister. Both could come any day now, but nothing was so simple for Lily.

* * *

Lily yawned as she walked into the kitchen. Even after her shower she was still tired. Scorpius was eating his breakfast and reading _The Daily Prophet_. He glanced up at her and smiled. "Hey, beautiful. You've got a letter from Megan on the counter," he told her.

Lily gave his shoulder a squeeze as she walked by him. "Thanks. Are you leaving soon?"

"After breakfast, yeah," he replied.

"Are you coming home for lunch?" Lily asked as she picked up the envelope. It felt oddly . . . thick.

"No, I told your dad I'd have lunch with him and some of the guys from the team," Scorpius answered.

"That's fine," Lily said as she tore the letter open. But what she pulled out surprised her. It was black with silver designs. And the wording was silver and a little surprising.

"_Evan Richards Flair and Megan Adair Montague invite you to the happy occasion of their wedding on the twentieth of July at two o'clock."_

Lily sighed. "Oh, Megan," she whispered to herself. She looked at the other piece of paper that was now sticking from the envelope. It was just a square slip of paper, but it had what was obviously Megan's writing on it.

"_Do me a favor and come over to my place today. The other girls will be over too, and I'm sure that I'll have to explain this. It'd be really nice to not have to deal with it alone. Come over at noon, my parents will both be gone."_

Looks like she was hanging out with the girls today.

* * *

"You're seriously getting married?" Shannon exclaimed. All the girls had finally arrived at Megan's house, and were now ready to pounce. Lily sat next to Megan, planning to keep it clean, and stay supportive.

Megan shrugged. "Yeah, is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes!" Lola, Izzy, and Shannon exclaimed.

"You've hated the idea of love and romance for as long as we've known you, and you hated relationships," Izzy pointed out. "Now you're suddenly getting married? Seems strange."

"Evan asked me to marry him, so I said yes," Megan said simply.

"But why? It's so unlike you," Shannon argued.

"And I don't think I've ever heard you even _mention_ Evan before," Lola added.

Lily just kept her mouth shut as Megan threw out another excuse. She thought that Megan should just tell the girls the truth. At this point, they could be a comfort. There was nothing they could do to change or stop it, and Megan couldn't worry about Dante anymore. He had to know by now. So why not just tell them? Was it pride, embarrassment, shame? Why lie?

"Look, I just didn't have a reason to say no," Megan told them. "I mean, why shouldn't I just get married? He's got a decent enough money that he can spoil me with. And maybe now my parents will leave me the hell alone about settling down."

"But you shouldn't marry someone for those reasons," Lola disagreed.

"Right. You should marry a man you love," Izzy commented.

"Well not everyone finds love in life," Megan countered. "And some people that do marry for love, find that it's not enough in the end, and get divorced."

"I still find it suspicious," Shannon stated. "It's not like you at all."

Megan shrugged. "Think what you want." There was when the screech of an owl, and a small muted sound that came from the kitchen. "Must be mail," Megan sighed as she got up from her seat and walked into the other room.

"Something is not right about this whole thing," Shannon said once she left.

"She's obviously lying," Lola agreed.

Izzy looked over at Lily. "What do you think, Lil? You've been quiet through this whole thing."

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know. If she says she's ok, then she's ok." Lily did her best to not completely lie, and avoid the real answer to the question.

Megan walked back in with a scowl, looking down at the envelope in her hand. "What is it, Megan?" Izzy asked.

Megan threw the letter onto the coffee table. "Something from the Baddocks, I don't know," she mumbled.

Lily picked it up. The script was too elegant to be Hunter's . . . or even Amanda's. "Are you gunna open it?"

"Knowing my luck, it's probably from Hunter, and I don't care what he has to say," Megan said dismissively.

Lily rolled her eyes as she tore the envelope open. "You cannot just avoid Hunter," she said, knowing that Megan probably did want to know, but was too proud to open it in front of the others. Lily pulled out the paper from the envelope, and stopped. Either coincidences were running high, or fate was being cruel. "Oh, boy."

"What is it, Lily?" Shannon asked.

Lily looked at Megan. "Well, I don't think you'll have to worry about Hunter asking you out anymore," she hinted.

Megan scowled again. "What are you talking about?"

"You are formally invited to witness the merging of business with the wedding of Alyssa Monarch and Hunter Baddock," Lily read. "The ceremony will be held on the ninth of July."

"Hunter's getting married now?" Shannon exclaimed.

"And in three days?" Izzy added.

"Sounds like his parents are marrying him off for business," Lola said with a look of sympathy.

"Poor Hunter," Shannon sighed.

But Lily was more worried about Megan. And after glancing at her, it only made her worry more. Megan's face was completely closed off, without a single emotion. Her eyes were hard with no real expression. As if she were frozen.

But then Megan blinked and practically shook out of it. "Huh, I'm not surprised," she mentioned casually. "I mean, like anyone would marry him willingly." From there the topic of weddings and marriages was changed and not brought up again. But Lily still worried about Megan. How long would it be before she finally exploded?

* * *

"I'll kill Evan," Dante stated firmly. A few days had passed, and the guys had all finally found time to come over to the flat and hang out with Scorpius. Lily had planned to simply make them something to eat, and then spend time in her potions room. But they had all insisted she stay and hang out with them.

Dante had been a bit sullen since he showed up. It was obvious he didn't like the impending marriage of his sister and Evan. And like the genius he was, Lars had brought it up.

"What's wrong with Evan?" Will asked. "I think he's a cool enough guy."

"He's older than I am!" Dante complained.

Scorpius scoffed. "By a year. I'm older than Lily by two years, and we're getting married next year."

"That's different. You've been dating for forever now!" Dante retorted. "I have never once seen her with Evan Flair. I just don't get it! And it's not like he's _that_ cool. He's a jerk, snobby, and arrogant."

"Dante, if your sister wants to get married, just let her," Lily assured. "Let her be happy."

"But she's not!" Dante argued.

Lily raised a brow. "You know her that well?"

"Yes," Dante said a little more calmly. "I've known that girl all her life, and I can tell. She's not all that happy. She's been pouting and bitchy about something for a long time now. Something is not right."

"You're looking into it too much," Lars disagreed. "A lot of girls are weird, and especially sisters. You never fully understand a sister. I mean, I'm a twin, and I still don't get Lana half the time."

"That's because she's smarter than you," Lily teased as she got up from the couch and moved toward the kitchen area. She really needed to feed Salazar before he came out and started biting at the guys' heels in frustration.

But as the guys moved to a new conversation, Dante followed her to the cabinets. "Lil, do you know anything about this marriage? I mean, surely she said something to her friends, right?"

Lily sighed and bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't want to lie to Dante, who was a good friend and good guy. But she didn't want to break Megan's trust. Megan, who was one of her best friends. "Look, Dante, she hasn't said much to me about Evan," she said vaguely. "But Megan has always known what she's wanted, and how to get it. I would trust her."

Dante shrugged as he leaned against the counter. "Yeah, I guess. But something's weird," he mumbled. "So, you going to Hunter's wedding tomorrow? Lana's dragging me since Amanda invited us."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, we'll see you there. I wouldn't miss a friend's wedding."

"I'm getting sucked in by Lana and my parents," Dante mentioned. "They say I have to make an appearance. I guess Meg isn't going."

Lily wasn't too surprised, but she played it well. "Really? Why not?"

Dante shrugged again. "I don't know. She just said she didn't want to go, and didn't care what the hell Hunter did with his life. I figured she was just being her usual bitchy self."

"Sounds like Megan," Lily said with a small laugh. There was a knock on the door then. Lily looked around at the men sitting in her living room. Had Scorpius invited someone else? She walked over to the door as Dante went to rejoin the other guys. She couldn't think of anyone else that would show up. She opened the door a little, and was surprised to see Megan. But before she could open the door wider, she was pulled out into the hall, and the door was closed behind her. "What the hell, Megan?" Lily demanded on instinct, but stopped when she saw that Hunter was there too.

Hunter gave a small wave. "Hey, Lily."

Megan glared at her. "I didn't know my brother was here!" she hissed.

Lily raised a brow. "Is that a problem?"

Hunter placed a hand on Megan's shoulder. "Chill, Megan."

Megan closed her eyes and released a breath quickly. "Sorry, but this is important."

"What's up?" Lily asked curiously.

Megan looked at Hunter expectantly. Hunter just looked sheepish. "Well, this may sound weird, but do you think we could borrow a couple galleons from ya? We need a little money so we can have a place to stay tonight."

Lily scowled. "Well, yeah I do, but you can always stay here."

"No!" Megan said quickly. But then she calmed. She really was like her brother. "Look, I don't want Scorpius to know. He's too loyal of a friend, and he'll tell my brother. And Dante sure as hell cannot know yet."

"Ok, know what?" Lily demanded.

Hunter ruffled his mahogany colored hair. "We're running away together, Lil. Tonight."

Lily looked at the two of them in surprise. Honestly, she hadn't expected this. She had mainly expected something about them wanting to spend at least one last single night together before Hunter was married. But this? "So, you cancelled the wedding, Hunter?" she guessed.

Hunter looked guilty. "Not yet. All I could do was leave some notes to a few people."

"And that's all I did for my family," Megan agreed.

"So you're just bailing out and running away," Lily commented. She sighed heavily and rubbed at her temples. "Wow, you two. Just wow."

"We don't have that many options, Lily," Megan countered. "If I were to just tell my father, he'd probably lock me up, moved the wedding date to tomorrow, and then drag my ass down the aisle."

"This was all we could think of," Hunter said softly. "I don't want to hurt Alyssa, but I can't marry her. Not when I'm sure that I love another woman. I thought I could . . . but I was wrong."

Lily ran a hand through her hair. She could understand that. She would never be able to marry someone other than Scorpius. That was never a lie she could never live. But she was still unsure and worried about this whole thing. "Where will you two go?"

"Leaky Cauldron for the first night," Megan answered. "Then we plan to lay low for maybe a week. We only have a week worth of things." She nudged one of the three bags by the wall as reference.

"But the money we have between the two of us won't get us far," Hunter admitted. "And we didn't know who else to go to. So, we know it's a lot to ask, but could you help us?"

Lily sighed again. "Yeah, but on one condition. I'm allowed to tell Scorpius later tonight."

Megan narrowed her eyes. "What for?"

"Because, Megan, one day you'll learn that when in a relationship as serious as Scorpius and I, and are about to be married, you don't keep secrets. So if he asks why I was pulled out of our flat tonight, I want to be able to tell him," Lily explained.

"That's understandable," Hunter said immediately. "And thanks a lot for this, Lily."

Lily nodded. "It's not a problem. Just wait here, and I'll be as discreet as I can be." Lily quietly opened the door and peaked in. The guys were completely preoccupied with whatever they were talking and laughing about. Lily silently slid inside and shut the door. Then she made her way down the hall to their bedroom, and filled a small pouch with some spare galleons. She knew that it was more than they had meant, but she didn't care. If they were going to take this road, she didn't want them to suffer for it.

When Lily had slipped back out to them and handed the pouch to Hunter, he gave her a hug. "Thanks, Lily," he sighed. Then he looked at the pouch. "This feels like more than enough."

"I know. But I don't want you moving from the Leaky Cauldron to some rundown place. I'd like for you to be comfortable, and we know Megan's standards," she teased weakly.

Megan rolled her eyes, but then hugged Lily too. "Thanks. And don't think we're going to just disappear. We'll still be around, just . . . quiet for a bit. Until things have gotten settled, and we're both ready to face our families and the consequences."

"Good," Lily sighed. "I'd hate to have Scorpius and his team hunt you two down."

Megan chuckled. "I promise you. Now, one last thing." She kneeled down and pulled something from the pocket of one of her bags. An envelope. She stood up and gave it to Lily. "Give this to Dante before he leaves tonight. I was going to just leave it on his door or mail it to him, but if he's here . . . and if you give it to him, then he'll know who he can talk to in order to get in touch with us."

Lily took it from her and nodded. "I will. And you two take care of yourselves and each other."

"We will," Hunter assured.

The two of them left with another hug and goodbye, and then Lily slipped back inside. She kept the letter hidden, and avoided staying and talking with the guys again. Instead she gave Salazar his food and studied over her compilation of potions. It wasn't until she heard them leaving that she finally went back out to catch Dante.

Dante smiled at her. "I'll see you around, Lily Lu," he said.

Lily smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah. And here." She held out the envelope to him. "Read this when you get home, and don't ask questions."

Dante just gave her a confused look as he took the envelope. "Um, ok. Thanks, I guess. Later guys."

When they had all finally left, and Lily closed the door, Scorpius gave her a curious look. "What was that all about?" he asked.

"Megan and Hunter are running away together," Lily admitted. "They're skipping out on their weddings. That was Megan's letter to her brother."

Scorpius looked at her in surprise. "No shit? Megan and Hunter?"

Lily nodded as she wrapped her arms around his middle, and rested her cheek on his chest. She was starting to get really tired. "Yep. Sounds like they're in love, or close to it. So they're laying low until both wedding dates have passed, I think."

"That's brave of them," Scorpius commented as he wrapped his arms around her. His fingers began to run through her hair. "Are you ok, babe?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, just tired. They assured me they'll still be around to keep in touch." She closed her eyes. "It just kept reminding me of when Dom and Mitch did that."

"This is different, baby," Scorpius assured. "They were up front on how they might never come back. And Megan's pretty blunt and honest too. If they were never coming back, she'd say so."

"It's just not a great memory," Lily murmured. "I realized the other day that . . . that I'm getting married next year, and Dom most likely won't be there to be a bridesmaid or maid of honor. Mitch won't be there as a best man, or to at least crack a joke. I had never thought that I'd really want them to be there so much."

He rested his cheek on the top of her hair. "I wish I could do something. Maybe Brandon could get in touch with them?"

"Maybe," she whispered. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Wanna go to bed now?"

Scorpius gave her a small smile. "Whatever you wish, princess."

* * *

"I like it," Lily commented as she and Hugo walked into Hugo and Stacy's new flat. Lucy had sent a letter to the both of them, asking to hang out and talk. So they decided to meet up at Hugo's, since neither had been there yet.

"Well it's not as big as yours, but it's comfy," Hugo joked as he plopped down onto the couch.

Lily rolled her eyes and laughed. "So, where's Stacy?"

"Working the lunch shift," Hugo answered.

Lily sat down too. "So, what's Stacy's plan career-wise?"

"She wants to work with troubled teens," Hugo replied.

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really? She never mentioned it."

He nodded. "Yeah. She's not sure how she wants to go about it, but that's what she wants to do. Me, I'm just waiting for my results."

There was a small knock on the already open door. "Hey, guys," Lucy greeted lightly as she walked in. Her tone worried Lily. It sounded like when she was still hung up over Tyler. Sad and upset. Hugo looked just as worried.

"What's up, Lucy?" Lily asked.

"Everything ok?" Hugo inquired quickly.

Lucy sighed as she sat down in the armchair. "That obvious?"

"Very obvious," Hugo stated.

Lucy tapped her fingers nervously. "I had to get a physical the other day, due to team rules," she started.

"And it was bad?" Lily guessed.

"I got some really big news," she said.

"Which was? Spit it out, we're worried," Hugo told her.

Lucy looked at them for a moment, then sighed again. "They told me I'm pregnant."

Frozen. That's how Lily and Hugo were at the news. Then Lily's mind started to race. Pregnant. Lucy pregnant? But she didn't even have a boyfriend . . . and a one-night stand wasn't Lucy's type of thing. So . . . what?

Hugo seemed to be on the same page. "Who the hell's the father?" he demanded.

Lucy looked at her tapping fingers. "I'm not completely sure," she admitted quietly.

"You don't know?" Lily exclaimed.

Lucy ran a hand through her messy hair. "Well, I have it narrowed down to the only two possibilities . . . I just don't know which one it is."

"Well who are they?" Hugo retorted.

Now Lucy looked embarrassed. "Zack or Tyler."

Lily and Hugo looked at each other before looking back at her. "Creevey?" they said at the same time.

"You slept with both of them _again_?" Lily said.

"How the hell did this happen?" Hugo interrogated.

So Lucy began to explain. "A while ago, Zack finally showed his face to me again. And at first I was kind of happy to have my friend again, but within seconds he was apologizing and telling me that he loved me. And . . . I don't know how it happened . . . but we had sex."

Lily raised a brow. "So, you got caught up in the moment?"

Lucy nodded. "Kind of, yeah. Then after he left the next morning, it all kind of hit me, and I was really pissed off at him. And I ended up hanging out with some of my teammates, and drank a little . . ."

"And somehow slept with Tyler?" Hugo guessed lamely.

"Well, I was tipsy, and was going to go and yell at Zack. My teammates encouraged it even. But then it hit me that I didn't know where Zack was living or working. So my idiotic and drunken state took me to his parents' house, where I ran into Tyler. And it's a little blurry and shameful, but we ended up having sex too," Lucy mumbled out.

"And now you're pregnant with a Creevey baby," Hugo sighed.

"What are you going to do, Lucy?" Lily asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. You guys are the first I told. I'm a little too ashamed to tell my parents, let alone the rest of the family."

"You should probably tell Zack and Tyler first," Lily countered. "I mean, one of them is the father. They have a right to know."

"And Zack's a good guy . . . as is Tyler at times. They'll want to help," Hugo added.

"How the hell am I going to get the two of them in the same room together?" Lucy pointed out.

So the three began to plan over how to get Tyler and Zack in the same room together so Lucy could give the news. They debated on maybe just telling them separately, but ultimately decided against it. They then helped Lucy decide when she would tell her parents and sister. But then the three of them sat with each other, a little unsure of what to say.

"I'm going to be a mom, guys," Lucy mentioned into the silence. "It's so . . . surreal."

"I thought it was weird when Lola ended up pregnant, but this . . . wow," Hugo said in agreement.

"Talk about a wake up call to growing up," Lily mumbled. "You're having a baby and I'm getting married in a year."

"It's so . . . strange," Hugo sighed. "I'm still surprised every morning and night that I'm falling asleep and waking up next to Stacy. That I'm really living with her."

"You know, I sometimes can't believe that I won't be going back to school this September," Lily laughed lightly.

"I can remember the first ride to Hogwarts," Hugo joked, "and being so nervous about being Sorted."

"That seems so long ago," Lucy sighed.

"But still just like yesterday," Lily added.

"Well at this rate," Hugo stated, "we'll be in our seventies and thinking the same thing about today."

Lily smiled. "I'm ok with that."

"Me too," Lucy said with a slight chuckle. "At least when that happens I won't be saying I'm pregnant with some awkward story."

"Nah, it'll be my turn," Hugo joked.

"What if you don't have some awkward pregnancy story?" Lily mocked.

"Then I'll make one up," Hugo retorted.

"You two are amazing," Lucy said with a sigh and a smile.

They looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"If I had told anyone else, it would have been much more shameful and awkward, and I wouldn't feel better after. But whenever I tell you guys something like this, it's calm and relaxing, and I always feel better and am able to smile afterwards," Lucy explained. "It's nice."

"Ya know, Lucy, it's not just because we're family," Hugo mentioned. "It's also because we're friends. We care about you."

"And we'd like to think you'd do the same for us if we were in your shoes," Lily added. "So when you're in a bad situation, or not happy, how could we not help you?"

"I'm probably your friend that gets into the most bad situations though," Lucy joked weakly.

"Nah," they both said.

"Think about Stacy," Hugo commented.

"Megan and Hunter just got into a big one," Lily threw in.

"Then Lola got pregnant in school."

"Xavier almost failed and left Hogwarts out of heartbreak."

"I got abandoned by family and friends who I always thought would be by my side no matter what I did."

"I have yet to make peace with my brothers," Lily finished with a small and sad smile. "So, no. You are definitely not the most troubled person we know. And it doesn't matter who is. Troubles are troubles, no matter how big. And no matter what, they suck. We know personally. So we could never abandon you with your troubles. Not when we know how much it can hurt."

Lucy shook her head. "You two . . . are way too understanding and smart about these things."

"The more you screw up as a kid, the smarter you become because of what you learned from it," Hugo said wisely. "If there's one thing I believe, it's that. I know that from experience, and I'll always trust in it. You learn from what you do, and from what you mess up in."


	103. A Two Year Wait

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well, another update, and a kind of long one at that. I didn't really know where to end it, so once I saw the length, I thought I'd go ahead and give it to you now. And as usual, sorry for any mistakes that I missed. So some drama, many emotions, and a few family moments. Read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Three: A Two Year Wait

News of Megan and Hunter running off flew through the gossips of remaining pureblood Slytherin families. But they stayed true to their word and kept in touch with Lily, and apparently Dante as well. They were apparently still in London, but they hadn't said exactly where.

Brandon went off and married his girlfriend Ciara Lanes without telling anyone until days afterward. Lily had at first assumed he'd knocked her up, but Brandon denied it and promised that they'd all have dinner one night. He also assured that he had written a letter to Mitch and Dominique to let them know of Lily and Scorpius's wedding next summer. He was just waiting to hear back.

Lily and Scorpius settled into living together more and more each day. While Lily did different modeling shoots, and looked at different dresses each day, Scorpius went off to the ministry. He was still waiting to go on his first real mission as an Auror.

Lily had finally gotten back her test results for her N.E.W.T. exams, and was mildly happy and proud to see a string of O's on the paper. She was more happy to hear the Hugo and Lola got their needed results to start the training for their desired careers. Lola would be officially starting in August, and Hugo started immediately.

Lily found herself a bit nervous as the month of July was slowly coming to an end. Because it meant only one more thing for her. A day that she knew was approaching, but unsure of when.

* * *

Lily sat at the Leaky Cauldron with Brandon, both eating a much needed lunch. They had spent the morning between two different fashion meetings. One to look at dresses, and one to model a few outfits. It was becoming routine, but it still made her a little tired and hungry after each one.

"So, this next meeting will be a bit casual. You won't be trying on a million different dresses, I promise," Brandon assured her. "They just want to talk about different styles you might like."

"And then we'll do another meeting where I'll try a hundred different dresses with the styles I mention?" Lily guessed dryly and with a fake smile. "Fantastic."

"Oh, and by the way, there was something I wanted to ask you," Brandon mentioned after swallowing a mouthful of food. "What do you think about getting a muggle phone? A mobile one?"

Lily raised her brow. She obviously knew what a phone was, her father was raised by muggles, as was her aunt. But a mobile one? What the hell was that? And why would she need one? "Um, a mobile phone?"

Brandon nodded, and then pulled something out of his pocket and set it between them on the table. "It's called a cellphone. It's like a normal muggle phone, but much more convenient. You can take it anywhere. They're amazing. I got one when one of my muggle clients suggested it to me. It's a great way to quickly get in touch with someone. I figured it'd make things easier on you and me. In case something comes up for you suddenly, or I have sudden news, ya know?"

Lily picked up the small rectangular thing. She ran her fingers open, and almost jumped when part of it flipped up suddenly. At first she'd thought she'd broken it, but it seemed intact. The screen was like a muggle television almost, although much smaller. And there were the normal buttons a telephone had, along with a few others.

"I could teach you how to use one," Brandon assured. "It's really easy once you get the hang of it. So think about it."

Lily just looked at it hesitantly as she handed it back to Brandon. "Maybe."

"Lily!" Lily was surprised at the sound of her father's voice. She turned to see him hurrying toward her from the fireplace.

"Hey, Dad. How'd you know I was here?" Lily asked curiously.

"Scorpius said you would be having lunch here. But that's not important," her father said quickly.

Lily felt a small bit of worry enter her. Was something wrong? Had something happened to Scorpius? Or her uncle even? "What's up?"

"You need to get down to St. Mungo's. Some healer just ran in to give me the message that Nicole Chapman has gone into labor, and is going to give birth," Harry told her.

Lily's eyes went wide, then she hurried to stand up. She looked at Brandon. "Sorry, but I've got to go. Apologize to the designers for me," she said in a hurry.

Brandon still spoke as she practically ran to the fireplace. "This is a perfect example on the need for phones when something suddenly comes up."

"Sure, whatever!" Lily said dismissively back.

* * *

Lily was sure she was going to wear out the floor of St. Mungo's with how much she paced around the waiting room. She had stayed with Mrs. Chapman until she'd been fully dilated, but was then ushered out by the healer, since only one person could stay with her, in this case her husband.

"Lily? What are you doing here?"

Lily stopped pacing and turned to see Lola. "What are you doing here?" Lily asked curiously.

Lola raised a brow. "I asked you that first."

Lily sighed. "Yeah, sorry. Duncan's mum went into labor today."

Lola smiled. "That's exciting. I'm just here for an interview as an introductory part of my training as a healer. I can't wait to really start next month."

Lily finally sat down. "How have things been going with you? The new place, the pregnancy?" She glanced over her friend's obviously pregnant belly. It wasn't all that big yet, but there was an obvious baby bump there, which was expected. She should be about four months through now.

Lola smiled a little bright as she sat down next to her. "Great actually. I'll be five months in a few weeks, and we'll finally get to see if it's a girl or boy."

"Have you thought of names yet?" Lily inquired.

"A few," Lola admitted. "Jace likes the name Michael for a boy, and Melody for a girl. I think they're both really pretty."

"How's Jace's parents?" Lily asked hesitantly. She was really glad her friend showed up. She didn't feel as nervous and fidgety now.

"Getting better," Lola said with a sigh. "I'm just happy that my parents are ok with it. Even my dad was excited when we said we'd find out the sex in a few weeks. He even offered to help set up a crib and things for us."

"That's good to hear," Lily replied. "How much do you have left to get the baby?"

"Not too much more," Lola answered. "My mum took me out and practically bought out the store on unisex baby clothes. She's even started on a baby blanket."

Lily raised a brow. "You mean your mum's making it?"

Lola nodded. "Yeah, it's a tradition on her side of the family. Her grandmother made hers, my grandmother made mine, and so on."

"Your grandmother made a lot of blankets considering how many kids your mum had," Lily joked.

Lola laughed as well. "Yeah, she actually made two for Patrick, because the twins accidently ripped his first one when they were really little."

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled. "Why am I not surprised to hear that."

Lola leaned back in her seat a little. "So, how have things been with you? Jace says that you've been busy with wedding dresses?"

Lily almost groaned. "I'm trying on new ones every day. It's exhausting."

"Why are you doing this so early? I mean, you have basically a year before the wedding," Lola mentioned.

"Brandon's idea. Otherwise, Scorpius and I left everything to our mothers. I'm sure they won't involve us unless completely needed," Lily said with a small laugh. "They let us know every now and then that they've got everything under control."

Lily was glad to talk with Lola for what was probably an hour or two. It felt normal . . . like they were just sitting around the common room, or even just sitting around at one of their houses. It was nice, and Lily never knew how much she missed it.

"Lily Potter?" a voice addressed lightly.

Lily and Lola turned to see a timid-looking healer standing near them. "Yes?" Lily inquired.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mrs. Chapman has finally given birth to the baby, and I'm supposed to take to them," the girl stuttered out.

Lily felt her heart skip an excited beat. She looked at Lola. "We'll talk some other time."

Lola nodded with an understanding smile. "Of course. I need to get home anyway. Jace is probably wondering where I am. Bye, Lil."

"Later," Lily said quickly as she followed the healer through the double doors. She felt her nerves jumping with an eagerness as they moved down the hall to the lift. Her mind kept racing with questions. Was the baby healthy? Would it have the same problems as Duncan? Or would she get to go to Hogwarts when her time came?

When they arrived at the door to the room, the healer held it open for her. "Go on in," she urged quietly.

Lily nodded and stepped inside the room. A tired and sweaty Nicole Chapman sat upright in the bed, with a small, whimpering bundle in her arms. Her husband, Declan Chapman, looked tired but excited. He waved Lily over. "Come on and take a look at your new goddaughter, Lily," he said softly.

Lily's heart and throat squeezed with emotion at his words. _Goddaughter_. She was honored and emotional at the thought. But she walked over to the bed, and stopped when she saw the small baby in the pink blanket. Her eyes were closed, and there were small wisps of what was probably blonde hair on the top of her head.

"She's so beautiful," Lily murmured quietly. And at the thought of illness and possible death being able to plague this beautiful baby made Lily's heart ache all over again. "When will we know?" she asked.

And they knew what she meant. "She's too little and fragile for them to the test right away," Mr. Chapman told her.

"In a few weeks though," Mrs. Chapman told her. "Then it should be safe for her to go through them, and we'll know."

Lily tried to ignore the dull ache in her chest. "I can't imagine anything being wrong with her," she assured. But she wasn't really sure who she was trying to convince. Maybe all of them, because she herself was still afraid.

* * *

Lily returned home that evening with a bag in her hand. After spending some time with the Chapmans and little Cecilia Kay Chapman, she went straight to Flourish&Blotts, and bought every advanced medical potion book she could find. For the first time, she didn't care what time it was, or if Scorpius was home. She just hurried to her work room, pulled out the first book, and flipped the chapter that would most likely discuss immune systems. It may not have been confirmed that Cecilia could face the same problems as Duncan, but Lily wasn't going to take the chance without being prepared.

Lily had poured over two of the books she bought with not much success when she felt a tender kiss being placed on the back of her neck. "How much longer are you going to be at this, because I've got you timed for over an hour at the least already," Scorpius whispered.

"Mrs. Chapman had the baby today," Lily mentioned as she turned the page.

"I know. Your father told me," Scorpius replied. "So, does the baby have a weak system?"

"We won't know for a few weeks, but I'd rather be prepared just in case," Lily admitted.

"What do you expect to find in these books?" Scorpius inquired as he looked at the cover of one. "I mean, if there was nothing that the healers could do, then what do you have in mind?"

"I just need to figure out a few potions that help immune systems. Maybe I can figure out a way to tweak them, and give them a more powerful and lasting effect," Lily explained.

"That's going to be a lot of work and studying, princess," Scorpius commented. "I mean, you'd have to study the potions, the ingredients they take, and then other possible ingredients, and . . . that's a lot by itself."

Lily shrugged. "I don't see the problem."

"Well don't you work?" Scorpius hinted.

"All things that can easily be changed to different days, and I can work over this when I'm not working," Lily retorted. Scorpius sighed and pulled the book away from her sight. Lily turned to glare at him, but his face was one of concern and slight hesitation. "Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, give it back. I'm not in the mood and kind of in a hurry."

"Just listen," Scorpius interrupted. "Lily, I understand your concern and worry. I get it. And I think it's great what you're trying to do. But you're starting to obsess, and I know you're a potion prodigy, but I don't want to see you be crushed if you find out that there's nothing you can do. Because sometimes, magic just can't fix things. Some things are out of our hands." He sighed again. "Besides, we don't even know if the baby will have a weak system."

Lily closed her eyes and sighed herself. "What would you have me do, Scorpius? They named me her _godmother_! And one of Duncan's last wishes was that I would watch over Cecilia. So how can I not do what I can to be prepared?"

Scorpius took her hand. "I just want you to relax. I don't want to lose the love of my life over this. And while hearing about Duncan's passing was sad, it broke my heart more when I saw how much it hurt you. And I'm just trying to avoid that happening again."

Lily stayed sitting and looked at the books splayed around on her desk. She knew how she had acted when Duncan died. And she was sure that she'd be upset if Scorpius was ever that sad or hurt. So she could understand. But still . . . she couldn't just do nothing! That was nowhere in her blood or spirit. But . . . "Ok. I'll tone it down. But I'm still studying over these at least once a day."

Scorpius smirked. "As long as you're realistic about it, then ok."

* * *

Lily stared at the green muggle phone in her hand. Having forgotten about the short conversation and dismissive agreement she'd given Brandon, she had never expected that just a few days later, he would take her to some muggle store in London to buy one. After her last photo shoot of the day, he had sat her down and showed her how the basics of how to work it.

"You'll learn more as you go, trust me," Brandon had told her before he left.

Lily ran her fingers of the smooth metal lightly. She was sure that she'd never really use the thing, and that Brandon would probably be the one always calling, while she rarely would.

"I guess I could show it to Grandpa," Lily murmured to herself. "I bet he'd love to play with it for a while."

The door swung open with an excited bang, making Lily jump a little. She turned to see Scorpius who had an equally excited expression on his face. He quickly closed the door and approached her. But before Lily could greet him, or even ask what had made him so happy, Scorpius pulled her from her seat and planted his lips on hers in a searing and passionate kiss. Lily responded after a small and shocked moment, and then Scorpius was lifting her off her feet with a tight embrace.

When their lips parted, there was still a bright excitement in his eyes. "Hey, princess."

Lily raised a brow. "Hey, handsome. Good day?"

He placed her back on her feet. "Fantastic! We've finally got a lead on the case we've been working on! We might have the location of a hideout!" he said eagerly.

Lily couldn't stop the small laugh that left her lips. His happiness was contagious it seemed. "So, what's your team's next move?" she asked curiously.

"It means they're finally sending me on my first mission!" Scorpius finally burst.

Now Lily felt his contagious excitement leave her. "What?" she questioned.

He nodded, oblivious to all but his eager attitude. "Yeah! I'm getting sent out on the twenty-fifth on a stakeout with one of the guys from the team." He ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "So, I was thinking we both make dinner and celebrate my going on my first mission?"

Lily nodded mutely, and Scorpius immediately gave off an idea for a meal, and began to get out the needed ingredients. But Lily was lagging a little still. "So, how long will you be gone?" she asked.

Scorpius shrugged. "I don't know. We're just supposed to stay long enough to be sure we have a good idea on their routine and habits. So it's hard to tell how long it'll take."

"And it's just two of you?" Lily questioned.

"Yeah. It's not that risky or dangerous, so the captain thought two would do for now. I think we're only watching over three to five people," Scorpius said vaguely.

Lily stayed quiet for a moment as she thought that over. It wasn't supposed to be dangerous, so there was really no need to worry. And from what she could gather from Scorpius's vague comments about his team's current case, they weren't dealing with high-class criminals or death eaters. Besides, that would be something they'd give to a team with much more experienced Aurors. A team that her father or uncle would lead. She really had nothing to worry about.

So why was this nervous fear settling in her gut?

* * *

"It's a natural fear, sweetheart," Ginny assured as she set a cup of tea in front of her daughter.

Lily sighed as she let her finger run a round the rim of the cup. It had been just a few days since Scorpius had given the news of his first upcoming mission, and he would leave tomorrow. An awkward and unsettling fear still stuck to Lily's mind, and she found herself coming back to her parents' house, and bringing it up to her mother.

"I remember how nervous and afraid I was when your father went on his first mission as an Auror," Ginny said with a sigh on her own. "But it gets easier to deal with."

"Does the fear ever leave?" Lily inquired.

Ginny shook her head with a small and sympathetic smile. "Not really. It always shows up, but it gets easier to accept and handle. I promise."

Lily ran a hand through her hair, which seemed to make her mother laugh a little. Lily looked up at her. "What's so funny?" she asked.

Ginny grinned. "Well, I have to admit that having you three kids really took my mind off of any fear I felt when your father went on missions. Especially you."

Lily raised a brow. "Why me?"

"Because there are times when you are just like your father. And you have the same strange little habits," Ginny commented as she reached over to straighten Lily's hair that she'd just moved her hand through.

Lily smiled wryly. "Well I think I'll pass on the whole having a kid thing for now. While it could possibly alleviate my fears with Scorpius's mission, I'm sure it would bring around a whole more fears. Not to mention giving dad a heart attack."

Ginny laughed fully. "I think he'd be just as excited as anyone else in the family," she assured. But then she simply smiled at her daughter. "So, you are aware that your grandmother is throwing you a birthday party at the Burrow again this year, right?"

"Aren't I too old for that by now?" Lily joked.

"Not enough in her eyes, apparently," Ginny teased. "Besides, your birthday falls on a weekend this year. There's a chance that most of the family will actually be able to come out and spend the day together, which is really what she wants."

"Well then I guess I can go along with it, for that reason," Lily said with a smile.

Lily had enjoyed spending the day with her mother, as it had been a lovely afternoon. But once she'd returned home, that fear crept back into her heart. She did her best to hide it from Scorpius that night, who was much too eager to pay too close attention to the feelings she hid from him. He spent part of the night packing a light and simple bag, and doing one last workout before going to sleep next to her. Lily found herself awake for most of the night, unable to sleep.

When morning came, Lily was tired, in a less than good mood, still a little scared, and now sad as well. She stared at Scorpius from across the breakfast table with a bit of longing. How much time would pass before he came home? Days? Weeks? A month? She rubbed her temples. She was being much too dramatic about this, and it was irrational.

But then again, she thought, who said love and fear were rational?

"I'll be back as soon as possible," Scorpius assured her as he slipped his shoes on. "I really don't think it'll take too long. A week maybe? At most."

Lily gave him a smile, although her gut still twisted in silence. "I'll be waiting for you," she murmured as she straightened his collar, which she always seemed to be doing for him.

Scorpius smirked. "I love you, princess." Then he pressed a sweet kiss on her lips, which just unintentionally added to her longing for him.

"I love you too," she whispered. When he finally left, Lily found herself staring at the door, wishing that she'd admitted how she felt about this. But she knew that would never be a good idea. Knowing Scorpius, he'd do something incredibly stupid and noble, and take a simple desk job in the Auror Department. And Lily knew that this was what he really wanted to do. Scorpius was never one to just sit around. He loved to be out there and involved. And she had said long ago that she would never stop him from doing what he wanted and what he loved. This was a dream of his, and she would not stand in the way of it.

Even if she had to lie to him about it.

* * *

It had only been a day since Scorpius had left, and Lily was already thrilled to be out of their quiet flat. After so long, it felt unnatural to fall asleep alone in their bed. It was if he had graduated from Hogwarts all over again.

But the situation that Lily found herself in wasn't the greatest, even if it did get her out of the house. As part of the plan to get the Creevey brothers into the same room, Hugo and Lily were in Lucy's flat as support and protection for if the boys blew up at each other, or her. Lucy was getting dressed, after Lily and Hugo had forced her to take a relaxing shower. She had been so panicky and nervous when they arrived.

Hugo looked over at Lily. "So, how's it been, cuz?"

Lily shrugged. "Same as always."

"Don't lie," Hugo retorted. "How have you been since Scorpius left yesterday?"

Lily twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Oddly lonely for being only one day." She sighed. "It doesn't matter though. I'll grow used to it. I mean, I can't stay dependent on having him around all the time." She glanced at him. "And you?"

"I am told that come February, I'll be an official hit wizard," Hugo said with a proud smile.

Before Lily could congratulate him, there was a knock on the door. She sighed again. "Here we go. Got your wand, Huey?" she asked as she went to the door.

Hugo patted his pants pocket. "Always do. And you?"

Lily tapped her wand, which she'd placed on her ear as if it were a pencil. A little quirk she'd picked up from her godmother. She opened the door and saw that it was Zack behind the door, a large bouquet of flowers in his hand. He looked ready to say something, but stopped. "Oh, Lily, you're here?" he questioned.

Lily nodded and allowed him inside. "Yes, and nice touch with the flowers, but I'm getting married," she teased.

Zack gave a small laugh. "Sorry, I didn't think anyone else would be here when Lucy told me . . . whatever it is she wants to tell me. She's avoided me and refused to talk to me for so long, I was afraid I did or said something, so I thought I'd take this chance to apologize a million and one times," he explained.

Lily took the flowers from him. "Well that's sweet. But let Lucy say what she needs to first, ok?"

Zack nodded, and held out his hand to Hugo. "Hey, Hugo, how's it been?"

Hugo looked a bit too serious, but he'd been a little more angrier at the boys for what happened to Lucy. But he shook Zack's hand. "Not too bad. And you?"

Zack cleared his throat, obviously noticing Hugo's tone. "Busy." He turned to Lily, who was placing the flowers in a vase on Lucy's counter. "So . . . , Lily, how's the modeling going?"

Lily gave him a more friendly smile. "Good, thank you."

"And . . . you said you're getting married? I mean, I saw the article in the paper but with Rita Skeeter . . . hard to say what's true and a lie," Zack joked, obviously feeling a bit awkward. At least he knew when something was up, Lily thought.

"We are getting married," Lily assured. "Next summer, actually."

Zack gave a nod and shoved his hands in his pockets. "So . . . where is Lucy?"

"Right here," Lucy said in a bit of hesitant and quiet voice.

Zack looked to where she stood by the hall, and quickly hurried over to her. He took her hands, and Lily honestly felt sorry for him, for he looked so upset and sorry himself. "Lucy, I'm so sorry . . . for whatever I did or said. Was this because I had avoided you? Because I can't tell you how sorry I am for that," he rambled off.

Lucy pulled her hands away from his. "I know you're sorry, Zack. And it's not that. I was just . . . a little mad at myself for what happened that night," she admitted. Then before Zack could say something else, she looked at Lily and Hugo. "Is _everyone_ here yet?" she hinted.

Lily shook her head. "Not yet."

Zack looked back at them, then to Lucy. "Wait, more are coming? I thought you just had to tell me something."

Lucy nodded. "I do, but there's someone else I need to tell it to as well."

Zack had a small scowl of curiosity on his face. "Oh. Well, who?"

"You'll see," Hugo retorted. His words were followed by a knock on the door. "Like now. Lil?"

Lily nodded as she took her wand into her hands. Hugo pulled his own discreetly out of his pocket, and the two moved toward the door. Lily opened it, and unlike Zack who had waited, Tyler quickly stepped inside. "Look, Lucy, I'm really confused as to why you're suddenly avoiding me again!" he burst out. Then he caught sight of his brother, and the two of them and Lucy froze.

Lily closed the door, then the two of them moved closer, stepping around to stand on either side of the space in-between the brothers. Hugo scowled at the two of them, waiting for one to pounce. Lily just eyed them both carefully, wondering who would speak first.

And it was Tyler. "What the hell is he doing here?" he sneered.

Zack turned his back to Lucy, as if shielding her, and glared at his older brother. "I could say the same to you. And as to why she's avoiding you? I can list a few reasons, but the biggest one might be heartbreak."

Tyler glared just as fiercely. "You think you can speak for her just because she pitied you after your breakup years ago? Get over yourself, Zack, and get out."

"This isn't your flat to command!" Zack hissed. "And at least when I say I love her, I mean it! I'm no coward about it!"

"Love her?" Tyler questioned, his fist clenching in anger. "You have no idea what love is! I've always loved her, and I've always put her first!"

"Bullshit! You made decisions for her! That's not love, you selfish prick!" Zack argued.

"Enough!" Lily interrupted as she shot sparks into the air between them, startling both brothers. Then she gathered in a breath. "Look, this meeting is not about your hatred toward each other. Save that for another day."

"Lucy needs to tell both of you something," Hugo said firmly. "And you're both going to shut up and listen to her." He glanced at Lucy, who still hid behind Zack. "Lucy?"

Lucy seemed to be taking in a couple of deep breaths herself as she came to stand next to Hugo. "Ok, now this is going to be big news for both of you. But you deserve to know that . . ." Lucy took in one more deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

A brief pause, then both brothers reacted. "What?" they exclaimed.

Zack took a step toward where Lucy now stood. "You're pregnant? How long have you known?"

Lucy sighed. "A few weeks now. I've been taking time to process it, and try to figure out how to tell you guys and my family."

Tyler scratched his at his jaw. "Wow. So, why does Zack need to be here for this? So you can finally tell him off?"

Zack turned and glared at his brother in an instant. "It's my kid, why would she tell me to get lost?"

Now Tyler's eyes seemed to burn, and Lily knew this was where it would _really_ begin. "Your kid? You're dreaming. It's mine! You can't be pregnant for two years, or however long ago it was that she slept with you out of pity."

Zack took a threatening step toward his brother. "For your information, I told her I loved her, and _showed_ her, this last March!"

Tyler turned to Lucy, and anger in his eyes. "You slept with him again? And you didn't think to tell me that before sleeping with me, which was probably weeks later?"

Now Lucy glared at him. "Hey, I was drunk when I slept with you then."

"You took advantage of her while she was drunk?" Zack exclaimed. And before Tyler could even think to defend himself verbally, Zack jumped at his brother, knocking him to the floor, but not before crashing through the coffee table, breaking it into about four pieces. The brothers rolled around on the floor, throwing punches and possibly breaking or dislocating bones.

Hugo looked over to Lily. "With the way Zack put it, I'm tempted to let them go at it."

Lily nodded. "Give them a few minutes to get it out of their systems, then we'll stop them."

Hugo placed a comforting hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Don't worry. Any damage they do to your place will be easily fixable," he assured.

"I'm not worried about the damage to my flat," Lucy said vaguely.

It wasn't until Zack had finally seemed to pin his brother, with his fingers tightly around Tyler's throat, that Lily stepped forward and pointed her wand at Zack. "_Immobulus_," she cast. Zack stopped moving immediately, and Tyler quickly pushed his brother off of him.

But Hugo was quick to move as well. "_Levicorpus_!" Tyler was instantly brought into the air by his ankle, where he dangled and struggled.

Lily looked at the two of them. "Now, Hugo and I are going to let you move again. And you both will be mature adults. No physical fighting."

"Try it, and these spells will seem like a cheering charm," Hugo threatened. Both of them waved their wands silently, and Tyler fell to the floor with a thud, while Zack quickly scrambled to his feet.

Lucy stepped forward. "Now look, you two . . . I honestly don't know which of you is the father. And I won't be able to know until after the baby is born. Right now, they can only tell me that it's a Creevey, which I obviously know already."

Zack sighed. "Look, Lucy, I'm sorry. And I'll fix the table. But . . . is there anything I can do?"

Tyler scoffed. "Oh please. What could you possibly do?"

"Well unlike you, I don't make decisions for others," Zack countered. He looked back at Lucy. "That's why I'm offering. If there's anything you need."

"Hey, I can provide a lot more than you can," Tyler defended.

"You can't even live by yourself!" Zack mocked. "At least I have my own place and don't go running to Mum and Dad for help once a month!"

"At least I wasn't afraid to tell her I was in love with her!"

"You wouldn't have even been with her if it hadn't been for me! And if I regret anything in my life, it's that I let you hurt her!"

"I hurt her? You were the one that avoided her after having sex with her!"

"You don't know what it was like for us then! We were both suffering from a breakup! And at least I didn't tell her I love her, have sex with her, and then leave her like you did! You hurt her!"

"I was graduating!"

"Excuses, excuses! You have one for everything, you child!"

Lily tightened her grip on her wand, ready to intervene if needed. Lucy just closed her eyes and leaned her head on Hugo's shoulder. Hugo whispered something that Lily couldn't hear over the fighting of the brothers, but Lucy nodded in agreement with his words, and left down the hall without a word.

Hugo turned to the brothers. "Shut it!" he said in a voice that boomed over theirs, making the Creevey boys stop arguing and look at him. Hugo glared at them both. "Lucy is going to go and sleep off the drama now. So quiet down, and let's figure this out."

Tyler glared at his brother again. "She's carrying my baby, and you know it."

"How?" Zack mocked dryly.

"Because . . . because I had sex with her last," Tyler stumbled, looking confused at his own words.

Lily rolled her eyes. "That was the stupidest piece of logic I've ever heard," she stated. "Moving on, that does not matter. What does matter is that Lucy is pregnant, and one of you is the father. Now, you both claim to love her. If that's true, then help her. Stop arguing and fighting, and help her. She's going to need it. And I'll warn you now, if one of you abandons her now without her telling you to get lost, I will hurt you. My father may be The Chosen One, but I'm much scarier than he is."

Zack ran a hand over his face. "How can we help? You know she's not going to tell us anything like that."

"There will be things that the baby will need," Lily listed. "She'll have appointments with healers to make. She'll start getting morning sickness very soon, and her hormones will be all over the place."

"And she'll be looking for a new flat," Hugo told them seriously.

Tyler looked confused. "Why is she moving?"

Hugo shook his head. "She's not moving by choice. She got this flat because she was part of the Holyhead Harpies, and they provided her with it. But she resigned from the team when she found out she was pregnant."

"They can't give her time? She's pregnant!" Zack exclaimed.

"They did," Lily assured. "They even said she could stay during her pregnancy, and until after she was settled once the baby was born. But Lucy plans to start looking right away."

"That makes no sense," Tyler retorted.

"It doesn't matter," Hugo replied. "She thinks it's best, so that's what she wants to do. You wanna help, help her find a place. Get things for the baby, help think of names for Merlin's sake! Just do something to help the situation you two put her in!"

Zack dropped down onto the couch with a small flick of his wand, the coffee table came to form one whole table again, then he leaned back and groaned. "Shit," he mumbled.

But Tyler looked more determined. "A place. I can do that. Tell Lucy she has nothing to worry about," he assured before rushing out of the flat.

Lily looked at Zack. "Zack, if you're staying here to talk to her, then don't bother. I think she really needs to just rest and process what happened."

But Zack shook his head. "That's not it. I'm just processing it myself," he replied. He ran a hand through his hair, making his blonde locks stick up awkwardly. "I fucked up bad. More than I thought I would."

Hugo cleared his throat. "So, you might have knocked up our cousin, and are fighting with your brother. It's not the end of the world."

"It's not that," he muttered. "When I confessed my feelings months ago, I promised her that I would never hurt her. That I wouldn't be a burden. And what do I do? The exact opposite. And I didn't just do it to the woman I love, but my best friend. I don't blame Lucy for avoiding me. I deserve it."

Out of all the things Lily had expected him to say, she hadn't expected for Zack to be angry with himself. She'd mainly expected anger to his brother. But then again, Zack was the more sensitive Creevey, always aware of the feelings of others.

Hugo sat down next to him. "Well, while I'm pissed at the two of you for putting her through this, I'm rooting for ya, Zack. You're a much better man than Tyler."

"But it's never easy to fight with a sibling," Lily sighed, giving Zack a sympathetic gaze.

But Zack only shrugged. "I may not like it, but my anger at him exceeds that. I will not be sorry for fighting for her. And I don't plan to give up until she tells me to."

* * *

Lily knew that Lucy's pregnancy would be sure to cause drama throughout their family. In fact there never seemed to be a time where the Weasley clan didn't have some kind of drama running through it. Lily found that with only dealing with the fear of Cecilia's immune system, and her longing for Scorpius to return home, she was dealing with less drama than she'd been used to. But she knew that her "birthday party," the day for her family to finally gather back together, would be a day for everyone to catch up on every piece of drama the members were involved in.

* * *

"So, I told my parents," Lucy mentioned quietly to Lily and Hugo as they sat in the Burrow's living room.

"How'd they take it?" Hugo inquired.

Lucy shrugged. "Better than I expected. My mum was really supportive, and once Dad calmed down, he was too. Molly ended up missing the dinner, so she doesn't know yet. They're expecting me to tell the family today."

"Not a bad idea," Lily agreed. "Since we're all here."

"Yeah, and it might calm the excitement Lorcan has about going to the Quidditch World Cup this year," Hugo joked.

Lily rolled her eyes, and Lucy laughed. "Leave him alone. He should be excited. Not only is his team going to play for the cup, but he's going to be a first-string player this time. He has the right to be excited."

"Who's their opponent?" Hugo inquired.

"We won't know until tomorrow. A match with Arrows happened last night, so it all depends on how those scores evened out," Lucy explained.

"Who does it look to be?" Lily asked.

"Unless the Arrows lost horribly, it's either them, or the Cannons," Lucy answered.

"Please, Merlin, let it be the Arrows," Lily mumbled.

But Merlin wasn't listening to her. Because just an hour before lunch, the door burst open, and James walked in with his usual smile. "The Cannon are going to the World Cup!" he cheered as Melody walked in behind him.

Lily groaned quietly as the rest of the family congratulated him. Despite their problems, Lily understood that it was something that James should be proud of. But she wasn't sure if she could endure the bragging. Because it seemed that every time he did so, it never ended well with the two of them.

"Auntie Lily?"

Lily looked over to see four-year-old Theodore climbing up to sit on her lip. She smiled softly at him. "Hey, cutie," she greeted.

Theo looked up at her with an adorable smile. "Happy birthday," he said in his childishly soft voice. His hair was the color of grass, and his eyes were a normal soft brown.

Lily placed a small kiss on his forehead. "Thank you, cutie."

He rested his head on her arm. "Is Uncle Scorpius coming today?"

Lily shook her head. "No, he's still working," she said vaguely. She didn't want to explain her sadness of Scorpius's absence to a child.

A very pregnant Victoire came to sit with Lily as well. "Did you tell Aunt Lily happy birthday, Theodore?" she asked.

Theodore nodded. "Yes, Mommy," he replied. "When are we gunna eat?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask Grandma?" Victoire replied. Theodore quickly got off Lily's lap to run to his grandmother. Victoire just chuckled. "That boy definitely has a Weasley appetite."

Lily looked at her heavily pregnant cousin. "So, when is this one due?"

Victoire smiled as she placed a hand on her belly. "In two months."

"Will this finally be the last one?" Lily teased.

Victoire laughed. "Oh, I don't know. While being pregnant can be taxing at times, the outcome is always worth it. I love being a mother."

"Well what's the maximum number of kids you'd have. Or is there a limit?" Lily joked.

Victoire looked to be considering it. "I don't know, actually. I've never really thought about a limit."

When lunch finally came around, there was a surprisingly casual air about the table, which was unusual when Lily and James were together. But he was chatting with Lorcan, both discussing their excitement about playing in the upcoming match. And Lily was more focused on supporting Lucy, who finally admitted to their grandparents that she was pregnant. It had caught the attention of most of the family.

"Pregnant?" Grandma Weasley questioned. "I didn't know you were even seeing anybody."

Lucy cleared her throat, obviously uncomfortable. "Well . . . I'm not really seeing anyone," she admitted with a heavy blush.

"One night stand gone bad?" James said with a shake of his head. "Ah, that sucks."

Lucy pushed her food around on her plate. "That's one way to put it."

"Well, if it doesn't make you uncomfortable to answer, may I ask who the father is?" Grandpa Weasley asked.

"It's Tyler's, isn't it?" Albus questioned. "I mean, that's what he told me."

Lucy glanced at Lily, looking unsure. Lily gave her a reassuring smile, so Lucy hesitantly smiled back. "Well, it's a bit complicated. I don't know for sure if it's Tyler's or not. A fifty-fifty chance, really," she said as casually as she could.

"Well who's the other guy then?" James questioned.

Lucy paused for a brief moment, before speaking casually again. "Zack."

"Whoa!" Albus interrupted. "Zack, as in Tyler's little brother, Zack?"

Lucy just gave him a look of finality. "As I said, it's complicated."

"So, what are you gunna do about Quidditch?" James asked.

"I'm no longer a part of it. I can't play while pregnant, and after the baby's born, I still won't be able to play. So they're letting me out of my contract, with the promise that I could always come back when I'm ready," Lucy explained simply.

"Well at least you'll get the chance to go back and play," James said lightly. "You know, I really thought the Harpies were going to go the cup this year."

Lucy scoffed. "After our last game? No way."

The air and conversation relaxed then as the conversation turned toward the coming of the Quidditch World Cup. Lily was able to avoid joining the conversation and making it awkward when her grandfather asked her if he could see her new muggle phone, for what had to be the fiftieth time by this point. But she smiled as his face lit up as he pressed button after button, asking a dozen more questions about it.

* * *

Days later, Lily sighed with relief as she stepped inside, loving the cool air of the flat. With summer almost done, it was getting hotter and hotter by the day. She was almost sweating after a simple shopping trip.

Lily set down her bags on the counter, and began to put things away. According to what her father had said on her birthday, Scorpius shouldn't be gone too much longer, and could be home any day at and time. So when that day came, Lily thought she'd make his favorite foods for dinner to welcome him back.

Lastly, Lily pulled out a small stuffed dragon. While shopping around Diagon Alley to restock some of her potion supplies, she had seen this in the window of a small shop. She bought it hoping that little Cecilia would like it. She grabbed the bags with her new potion ingredients, the stuffed dragon, and headed down the hall. She put away her new ingredients and supplies, and then headed for the bedroom. Not paying much attention details, Lily ignored the fact that the door was slightly open already, and just pushed it open fully. Then she stopped in surprise, and her heart fluttered rapidly.

An open bag looked to have been dumped onto the floor, with wrinkled and crumpled clothes spilling out of it. And sprawled across the bed was none other than Scorpius. He had apparently only gotten his shirt off before passing out. His hair was a mess, and she could see the traces of exhaustion on his face even as he slept. His cheeks and shin were covered with stubble, and looked the scruffiest she'd ever seen him.

Setting the toy dragon down on the desk, Lily quietly crept over to where Scorpius slept soundly. She glanced at the time. It was only two o'clock in the afternoon. He really must HAVE missed a lot of sleep if he was this tired in the middle of the day. She leaned down to place a soft kiss on his temple.

Scorpius flinched a little in his sleep, and his eyes opened a little, before falling shut again. "Hey, beautiful," he mumbled into the pillow.

Lily smiled. A relief and happiness had set into her heart once she'd seen him safe and home. It was a lovely feeling. "I didn't mean to wake you. I forgot how easily an Auror wakes up," she teased.

A slow and tired smirk came across his lips. "Once you do a stakeout, you wake up if a paper falls on the floor. Trust me."

Lily gently smoothed down his hair. "I won't keep you awake then. Will you be hungry in a couple hours?"

"Starved," he muttered.

Lily placed one more kiss on his cheek. "Then I promise to have something ready for you."

She kept her promise, and had a large meal ready for Scorpius be the time he woke up to eat. He still looked tired, but more alert as he ate like he'd been starving for weeks. Lily refrained from teasing him, knowing that being on a stakeout of all missions was probably one of the most exhausting.

"So, what's your team's next move?" Lily asked instead.

Scorpius shrugged. "No clue. When we got back today, we gave our findings and reports to the captain and the boss, and then he told us both to go home and to not come back until the day after tomorrow," he replied.

Lily felt another smile tug at her lips. "So, you'll be home tomorrow?"

He nodded. "Yep, all day. You?"

"The same. I don't have a job scheduled until three days from now. I needed the break," Lily told him. "Oh, and I hope that you'll be ok with taking the twenty-fourth of August off."

Scorpius raised a brow. "Depends. What am I taking it off for?"

"Because you're going to join me and my family at the Quidditch World Cup match," she answered. "It's the Cannons against the Falcons. So since that means both Lorcan and James, the whole family is going."

He nodded. "Sounds fun. I'll make sure to wear a Falmouth Falcons shirt." He took another bite of food, and quickly swallowed it. "So, how did it go with the Creevey boys and Lucy?"

"Not terrible, all things considered. And it went well enough with the rest of the family too," Lily retorted. "Apparently Zack's been showing up at Lucy's every morning to check on her."

"You're rooting for him, aren't you?" Scorpius guessed.

"Well I like Zack better," Lily replied easily. "He's not a coward, and much more mature from what I've seen."

"Anything else that I missed?" Scorpius inquired.

"Did you miss me?" Lily teased.

Scorpius smirked as he reached over to take her hand. "Every free second I had was dedicated to thoughts of you."

Lily kept up her teasing. "And how many minutes was that?"

He chuckled. "The few times I got to sleep. But it provided wonderful dreams."

Lily raised a brow. "Really?"

"Really," he assured with a chuckle. "Did you miss me, princess?"

Lily rested her cheek in her palm. "You have no idea."

* * *

"So, what exactly do you do around here when you're not working?" Scorpius asked curiously the next morning. He was much more refreshed now that he'd had a long period of sleep and a warm shower. He was now lounging across the couch, obviously unsure of what to do with himself.

Lily bit back a grin as she kept her eyes on the page concerning ingredients with healing products in potions. "Well, I keep the place clean, take care of Salazar, go shopping, study over a few potion books. Sometimes I hang out with a friend or two."

"Ah," Scorpius said with a sigh.

Lily rolled her eyes and laughed. "You know, you can go do a work out, or see one of your friends if you want. You don't have to stay here."

"No, I just wanna hang out and relax," Scorpius assured.

"You seem and sound utterly bored, though," Lily pointed out.

Scorpius sat up. "It's not that I'm bored. But I've just been so busy the past few years that it feels like I've never really had a time like this. Where I could literally sit and do nothing at all."

A knock sounded on the door then, so Lily marked her page and shut her book. "I'll get it. You continue to sit and do nothing," she teased. Lily got up from her seat and went to open the door. She was happy, surprised, and slightly worried when she saw Mrs. Chapman standing there, little Cecilia in a carrier.

Mrs. Chapman's smile was one that set Lily at ease and gave her hope for good news. "Hello, Lily. I hope you don't mind us stopping by, but I was hoping I could talk to you?"

Lily smiled. "Of course. Come in," she urged. She shut the door behind them, and motioned to Scorpius. "Oh, this is my fiancé, Scorpius Malfoy. Scorpius, this is Nicole Chapman, and that's Cecilia," she introduced.

Mrs. Chapman set the carrier down on the couch as Scorpius stood and held out his hand. "It's lovely to meet you, Mrs. Chapman," he greeted.

"You too, Scorpius," Mrs. Chapman said with a soft smile.

Scorpius leaned down near Cecilia. "So this is the little one. She is adorable," he mentioned. Then he looked at Mrs. Chapman hesitantly. "May I hold her?"

"Of course," Mrs. Chapman assured. She carefully took Cecilia out of the carrier, and helped her into Scorpius's arms.

Lily smiled at the sight. "Would you like something to drink, or anything?"

"Oh, no I'm fine," Mrs. Chapman replied as she sat down. "I actually just came back from the hospital."

Lily sat down as well, her body instinctively tensing. "Really? Were they able to run the tests?"

She nodded. "Yes. And according to the healers, Cecilia is currently in no danger of having a weak immune system."

Lily felt as if her entire body relaxed, and a permanent smile crossed her lips. "That's really great to hear."

"It was," she said with a bright smile of her own as she glanced at the small infant in Scorpius's arms. "Greyson suggested that we bring her back in for a follow up test after she's at least a year old, but he's confidant that Cecilia will be in the best of health when it comes to the strength of her immune system."

"Well I personally can't imagine something like a weak system plaguing this little beauty," Scorpius commented as he looked at Cecilia.

"Also, I wanted to come by and give you this," Mrs. Chapman said as she began to dig around in the diaper bag that she had placed at her feet before. She pulled out a small and thin picture frame, and handed it to Lily.

Lily took it, and felt her heart squeeze at little at the picture inside. It was of Duncan. He was smiling brightly in the picture, his hair surprisingly shorter than she was used to seeing. There was a bit of dirt on his cheek, and she could see that his hands and arms were dirty. Every so often, the picture would look to be laughing, or try to rub the dirt off his face.

"He was about eight when we took that picture. He used to love playing outside, and would always come back filthy and in need of a bath," Mrs. Chapman commented softly with a sad look in her eyes.

"I love it," Lily told her. "And I really appreciate you giving it to me."

Mrs. Chapman stayed for a few hours. She and Lily chatted, Lily gave her the stuffed dragon, and she promised to keep Lily updated on Cecilia. In return, Lily promised to come by and see her when she had time, and told her that she could babysit Cecilia anytime. The entire time, Scorpius had held on to little Cecilia, letting her grasp one of his fingers with her tiny hands.

Once they left, Lily began to start making dinner, while Scorpius sat at the table in an odd silence for a while. "Hey, Lil," he finally spoke.

"Yeah?" Lily inquired.

"Well, . . ." Scorpius trailed off hesitantly.

"Well what?" Lily questioned.

"When do you wanna have kids?" he blurted out.

Lily dropped bowl that had been in her hand, and it clattered along the counter. She turned to look at him with obvious surprise etched on her face. "What?"

A small scowl was on his face, one of thought. But Lily could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "Well . . . we've never really talked about that. I mean, sure we've mentioned that we'd want kids sometime, or the fact that I want more than one, and you want no more than three. But . . . we never really talked about _when_ we would have kids," he explained.

Lily felt an odd blush came over her cheeks as she turned her back to avoid him trying to lock eyes. "What brought this up?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know. A lot. We've got a lot of friends it seems either having kids, or that have kids. It just makes me wonder, I guess," Scorpius replied. "So, _do_ you know when you . . . want to?"

Lily gulped quietly. "I haven't really thought about that honestly . . . Have you?"

"Not until lately," he admitted.

"So . . . do you know when . . . you want to?" Lily was sure that she had never had a more awkward conversation with Scorpius. Maybe it was the seriousness of the topic, or maybe it was the hesitancy they both felt toward the topic. Either way, Lily wasn't sure what to do or think. She wasn't even sure she was ready for whatever Scorpius had for an answer.

He gave an awkward chuckle. "Not really. Every time the thought comes up, I never come to a conclusion."

Lily finally turned to look at him again. "Well . . . how about . . . a year after we've been married, we talk about it then, and come to a conclusion then?"

A relaxed smirk came over his face, and it made Lily relax as well. "Sure. That's not a bad idea."

"So, two years from now?"

"It's a date."


	104. The Way of the Game

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - A quick update for you guys, but plenty of family moments. And thanks to misspotter94 for a wonderful idea that I was finally able to use. I hope you guys like it so read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Four: The Way of the Game

"So, you really have no idea why our parents decided to have dinner together tonight?" Scorpius asked Lily as the two of them walked through Godric's Hollow. The evening was warm, without a single breeze running through the air.

Both of them were dressed nicely for a dinner with both of their parents. Her mother had stopped by to visit Lily today, and tell her about the sudden dinner plans, and her father had told Scorpius at work. Neither gave a reason why.

"No clue," Lily replied with a sigh. "My guess is that it has to do with the wedding."

"Well I guess it's nice that our mothers are having so much fun with this," Scorpius said with a chuckle as they approached the door to the Potter household.

The two stepped inside, and could immediately smell dinner being made, as well as hear voices from the living room. They walked down the hall, and saw not only their fathers, but Lily's uncle Ron as well, although her uncle had a small scowl on his face.

"Ah, there you two are. Your mothers have been waiting forever," Harry said with a chuckle.

Scorpius smirked as he stepped into the room, coming to sit by Ron. "That's not a surprise. This felt like a trap as soon as I learned our mothers had set it up," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled as she left the room, and went to the kitchen to join their mothers, and most likely her aunt Hermione. She wasn't wrong, and found the three women all in the kitchen.

"Lily! We were wondering when you two would finally show up," Astoria teased lightly.

Lily smiled as she came to sit at the table. "Well we're here now. What have we missed?"

"Besides Ron's amusing sulking, not much," Ginny joked.

Lily looked at her aunt Hermione. "What's Uncle Ron's problem."

Hermione looked at her in mild surprise. "Hugo didn't tell you?"

"I haven't seen Hugo since my birthday," Lily replied.

"Oh. Well Rose and Lorcan have decided to get married this October," Hermione answered.

"Seriously?" Lily inquired, a little surprised. "What brought this on?"

Hermione shrugged. "I honestly don't know. As Rose puts it, they both just decided it was time. They both thought October would be the perfect time. They want something simple and small. Friends and family."

"At the Burrow?" Lily guessed.

"Yes, that was their other request. You'll be there?" Hermione asked.

Lily raised a brow. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

Hermione shrugged. "Well I know that you and Rose haven't been the best of friends for years now. I wasn't sure."

Now Lily shrugged. "At this point, I honestly have no problem with Rose, or attending her wedding. Besides, even if I did, Lorcan is great friend. How could I not attend his wedding?"

"Speaking of weddings," Ginny hinted, "that's sort of the reason for this dinner."

"I knew it," Lily sighed. "What about it?"

"Let's wait until dinner, so we can tell both of you," Astoria retorted.

When dinner was ready, and the men were called in, her uncle Ron seemed in a better mood, as all the men were still chuckling about something. They all sat down to eat, and Scorpius played with a strand of Lily's hair. "So, what are we being summoned for? None of the guys would tell me."

"We're about to find out," Lily assured him.

But it wasn't until about part way though dinner that Astoria brought it up. "Ok, so, Lily, Scorpius, a question for you. How many people are we allowed to put on the guest list?"

Scorpius immediately put down his fork. "I knew it. Who are you wanting to invite?"

"Well obviously family, your friends. Brandon talked to me about a few designers to invite, and I know you'll have colleagues that you'll now want invited. So how many people?" Astoria inquired.

Lily looked at Scorpius and shrugged. "Honestly, it doesn't matter to me. As long as we can keep reporters to a minimum, I'm fine with whoever."

"So could you two give us a list of specific people you want invited by . . . the end of the week?" Ginny questioned.

Scorpius scowled. "Why then?"

"For your engagement party," Astoria said simply. "We need to know who to send invitations to."

"Whatever happen to just having wedding receptions?" Scorpius mumbled. "Isn't one party enough?"

"What is it with you being against parties?" Astoria mocked lightly.

"I just want to get married," Scorpius answered. "I honestly don't even want a bachelor party. I already told Lars and Aaron no."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "Really?"

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. The point of a bachelor party is to celebrate your last night as an unmarried man. Well I've been in a relationship for years now, and I like it that way. Who the hell wants to be a bachelor forever?"

"Well I'm glad to hear that, but we're still throwing you an engagement party," Astoria said with a smile. "But, we'll keep that one much smaller and much more casual. Close friends and family. But we'll still need a list of who you want us to invite to the actual wedding."

"You know, some people had it right by eloping," Scorpius muttered.

"I'd hurt you," Astoria said with a serious look. "I want to see my little boy get married."

Scorpius rubbed his eyes. "Yes, Mother."

* * *

Lily's eyelids flickered as the shining sun began to wake her. She silently cursed the window before snuggling closer to Scorpius's warm body behind her. She turned around and nuzzled his neck softly, enjoying the smell of his cologne reaching her nose. Scorpius gave a small hum, and his arms tightened around her, bringing her flush against his body.

"Morning, beautiful," he murmured. Lily pulled back a little to see that his eyes were half opened, and a content smile had reached his lips.

Lily giggled softly, and kissed him. "Morning, hun." She kissed him again. She began to pull back when he pressed his lips against hers harder, and held her in place. Lily smiled against his lips and eagerly kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He dragged his tongue across her bottom lip, begging for entrance. Lily granted it happily, her tongue darting to meet his. But too soon, she pulled back.

"Scorpius, don't you have to get ready for work?" Lily murmured softly.

Scorpius scowled above her. "How are you always right?" he mumbled, his lips brushing against hers.

"It's me. I'm always right," Lily giggled.

Scorpius smirked. He sat up and pushed the blanket off of him. He got up, stretching as he did. Lily admired his back, and toned muscles. But once he began to turn, she also got out of the bed. "What's your plan for the day, baby?"

Lily shrugged as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Nothing. Same as always."

"Sounds like a fun day," he joked.

She sighed and fell back on the bed. "Always is," she muttered.

She heard him walking around the room, but soon felt a little extra weight on the mattress. She opened her eyes to see that he was hovering over her. "Well, I've still got some time. I could always occupy your morning for you," he suggested as his lips moved to brush against her jaw. But then he pulled back as if burned. "Ow!"

Lily sat up and looked down to see Salazar at Scorpius's heel. At the sight of Scorpius's irritated expression, Lily tried to repress her laugh. Instead she reached down to pick up the small dragon. "You're probably hungry, huh?" She leaned forward to kiss Scorpius on the jaw. "I've got to feed him. You go ahead and get dressed."

She could still hear Scorpius mumbling as she left the bedroom. "Dumb cat-like dragon." Once she was in the kitchen, she finally let out a little laugh.

"You silly dragon. You know better ways to get my attention," she chided lightly as she set Salazar on the counter. She grabbed the small thing of food they kept in the kitchen, and placed it in a bowl for Salazar to eat from. As he did, she looked around at the flat. What _would_ she do with her free day?

Scorpius came into the room in a pair of pants, and a smart black shirt. The sleeves were rolled up, and the top button was undone. But Lily still moved forward to smooth down his hair and fix his collar. "How's the cat," he muttered.

Lily reached up to kiss his jaw again. He had yet to shave since he came home from his mission, and while it was different, Lily had to admit that she liked how it looked on him. "Don't be upset. You have to work this morning anyways. What do you want for breakfast?"

Scorpius sighed as he moved toward the cabinets, glaring at Salazar as he did. "Nothing big, so I got it."

Lily was about to protest, but there was a knock on the door. She sighed. "I've got it." Lily went over and opened the door, expecting Brandon, who had a habit of just showing up lately with new ideas for her career. So she was immensely shocked when she was met with the sight of Rose. "Um, hi?" she greeted.

Rose looked just as nervous and hesitant. "Hi. I didn't come at a bad time, did I?"

Lily looked down at her own attire. She was still in her pajamas, which as of last night consisted of a small green tanktop and small black shorts. "Oh, uh, no. I just haven't changed out of my pajamas. Come in," Lily invited, unsure of what this was about. Surely it wasn't just for a friendly chat. They hadn't had anything like that since before Lily went to Hogwarts.

Rose walked, looking much too ready for the day for so early in the morning. She was dressed in black pants and a mahogany blouse. Her brown hair fell straight down her back, not a strand out of place. Rose took a short look around, then nervously and sheepishly looked at Lily. "You have a lovely place here," she complimented.

Lily gave a sheepish smile back. "Thanks. Um, would you like something to eat? We were just making breakfast," she offered.

Rose turned to look at the kitchen, where Scorpius was still making his breakfast, and hadn't said a word. Apparently the sight made Rose even more nervous. "Um, no thank you."

Lily cleared her throat lightly. "Well, you know Scorpius, obviously."

Scorpius turned, a plate in his hand, a brow raised. "Oh, yeah. Good morning, Rose," he greeted politely.

Rose gave an uncomfortable nod. "Hello, Scorpius. Working today?" she guessed.

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. I guess you aren't?"

She shook her head. "No, not today." She looked to Lily. "So, my mother said she told you about me and Lorcan getting married."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, a few nights ago. Why?" she inquired as she sat on the arm of the couch.

Hesitantly, Rose came to sit across from her in one of the armchairs. "Well, I've been planning it out with my mother and Grandmother . . . and yesterday we were talking about the wedding party . . ." Rose trailed off, apparently unsure if she should continue.

Lily raised a brow. "And?" she urged.

Rose sighed. "I know that this will sound weird after all that's happened, but . . . I've been imaging my wedding since I was a little girl, and I still can't fully imagine it without having you as my maid of honor. So, I thought I'd ask if you'd be my maid of honor. And you don't have to say yes, so don't feel forced to. I just . . . I just wanted to ask you."

Lily stared at her cousin in surprise. Maid of honor? She, Rose, wanted Lily to . . . "Seriously?" Lily questioned. "Not that I'm saying no!" she quickly amended. "I just . . . I never thought that you'd ask me. I mean, you're right. We haven't been at all close in the past years, and when you could have asked any of your friends . . . I didn't think you'd come to me."

Rose shrugged, looking a little humbled. "Well, I want to fix that. I mean, we used to be so close . . . and I miss that. I thought we could maybe start trying to get back to where we were, starting by having you be my maid of honor."

Lily felt an unstoppable smile pull at her lips. Rose had been Lily's sister, the only other female cousin that spent a lot of time at the Potter house. "I'd really like that," she admitted.

Rose began to smile too, and Lily suddenly felt reminded of days when she used to spend all day with Rose and Victoire. "So, you'll do it?"

Lily nodded. "Yes, I'll do it."

"Does this mean I'm invited too?" Scorpius teased from where he stood by the counter, still eating his breakfast.

A bit of a blush came over Rose's cheeks, as if slightly embarrassed. "Of course you are," she assured. She turned to look at Lily. "So, how has it been planning your wedding?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, we passed that off to our mothers, much to their delight. We do very little, and only when they require us, as per their instructions," Lily joked.

Rose gave a small laugh. "You do realize how big that event will most likely be then, right?"

"With my mother, probably bigger than you can even imagine," Scorpius told Rose as he approached the girls. He leaned down to place a short kiss to Lily's lips before giving her a handsome smirk. "I'll be home later tonight. Don't go crazy with boredom all day," he teased.

Lily pinched his arm lightly at his teasing. "Get out of here," she mocked.

Scorpius kept smirking, and sent a wink her way before leaving. Rose sighed. "Lily, can I ask you a question?"

Lily looked back to her cousin and nodded. "Go ahead."

Another small blush came over Rose's cheeks. "What's it like to live with your boyfriend? Honestly . . . it's something I'm a little nervous about. To be actually living with Lorcan."

Lily thought about it for a moment. "Well, I find it comfortable. Secure. It can take time to become fully comfortable. You might have to get used to the other's routine, or habits you didn't know about."

"I'd like to think I'm already used to Lorcan's more unpleasant habits. If he does anything worse than occasionally wearing his sweaty workout clothes to bed right after a workout, then we may have a problem," Rose muttered with a roll of her eyes.

Lily gave a laugh. "I never thought I'd be thankful that Scorpius cleaned up after all his workouts."

"Well Lorcan doesn't do it often, but it's disgusting when he does. I don't know how many times I've gone to his place early in the morning, only to find him sleeping in the sweatiest clothes ever," Rose commented.

"At least Lorcan doesn't have a violent temper," Lily pointed out with a small smile. "If not handled carefully, Scorpius can rampage for hours."

"I don't even think Lorcan really has a temper," Rose laughed. "It's buried so deep, that it only comes out maybe twice a year."

Rose stayed for about an hour, and Lily had to admit . . . she really liked being able to talk to her again. Having back the cousin that was basically a sister.

* * *

Lily fanned herself with a thin pamphlet as she walked with some of her family through the heat and excitement that surrounded the Quidditch World Cup. Her hand intertwined with Scorpius's, she walked in-between him and Hugo, who was pulling off his usual hat, and running a hand through his slightly sweaty hair.

"This heat is exhausting. I'm starting to hope that they guys both lose so we can leave," Hugo muttered as he attempted to use his hat to fan himself.

"Why did England have to choose the hottest year to choose which of their teams would represent the country?" Lily complained.

"I didn't even think they did that," Stacy commented. "I thought we had a national team that represented us in the World Cup."

"We do," Lucy replied. "But they got quarantined for an outbreak of dragonpox. They apparently got it after a match in Brazil. So this year they've been keeping track of the points in the British league to decide which two teams would come here and have a match. The winner will represent us instead this year."

"Couldn't they have just flipped a coin?" Hugo muttered as he wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead.

"Well according to the program, their match is up next, once Japan and Argentina finish their match," Scorpius told them as he looked at his own pamphlet.

"I guess we should go back to the others," Lucy said with a heavy sigh.

Stacy gave her a sympathetic look. "You can't avoid Zack and Tyler forever."

Albus, like an idiot, had invited Tyler to come along with the family at the World Cup, and they all knew it was purely so Tyler could be around Lucy. But then Zack had shown up as well, claiming he pulled some strings at work to get a ticket. It was why they were out walking around now, just so Lucy could spend some time away from the brothers.

"I'm not trying to avoid them," Lucy amended. "But it just gets tiring. If it's just Zack around me, everything is normal. Like it used to be. And when it's just Tyler, it's all ok. While he can be a bit overbearing, it's manageable. But when the two of them are together, they're unbearable. They compete over who can get me a glass of water!"

Lily gave Lucy's shoulder a friendly squeeze. "It'll work itself out."

"Or the brothers will kill each other, but either way it'll work out," Hugo joked as he slipped his hat back on.

"Maybe the match will start soon, and we can avoid them by heading for the box," Scorpius assured.

"Can I sit between some of you guys? Because otherwise, knowing my luck, I'll end up between both brothers," Lucy inquired.

"Don't worry, Lucy, me and Scorpius got ya," Hugo assured. "You can sit right between us."

"No place safer than between an Auror, and a soon to be hit wizard," Scorpius said with a smirk. "Look at us as two personal bodyguards. They give you trouble, then let us know."

"We'll flank ya all day," Hugo added with a grin. "We won't even let them come near you without your permission."

Lucy finally cracked a smile and rolled her eyes. "Well that much isn't necessary, although I am thankful."

When they returned to the rest of the family, Lucy hadn't been lying. Both brothers were immediately asking her if she needed anything, then they would fight about who would get it, or who could get it better or faster. Scorpius and Hugo did as they said, and just pushed through the two brothers, leading Lucy away.

Soon the large family was making their way to their own personal box to get ready to watch the match of the Chudley Cannons and the Falmouth Falcons. They're great view probably had more to do with the Potter name than the fact that they were family to two of the players.

"Hey, Lucy, wanna sit by me?" Albus offered with what was probably his attempt at seeming innocent. But with Tyler lurking behind him, it really threw it off.

Lucy shook her head, not looking at either of them. "No, I'm sitting by Hugo," she replied as she quickly took a seat. So Scorpius quickly sat on her other side, sufficiently blocking her from both brothers. Lily sat beside Scorpius, giving his hand a thankful squeeze. Scorpius just smirked as he intertwined their fingers again. But that was where Lily's smile stopped.

"You don't mind if I sit by you, do you?" Melody asked Lily, seeming a bit sheepish.

Lily now faked a smile. "Sure, go ahead." As Melody began to sat, Lily looked at Scorpius and rolled her eyes.

Scorpius chuckled as he leaned forward to press a short kiss to her lips. "Just deal," he mumbled softly.

Lily nodded as she rested her head on his shoulder. Scorpius let go of her hand, opting to place his arm around her shoulders instead, his fingers coming to run through her hair as usual. But they both grimaced when they heard a new voice enter.

"Hey, everyone, ready for an awesome match?" James said as he walked in, coming around to stand next to Melody.

Ginny gave him a kiss on the cheek as she moved past him. "Good luck, James. We're proud of you."

"Go get 'em, bro," Albus said with a grin.

James leaned down so that he was eye to eye with Melody. "Kiss for good luck?" he whispered, just loud enough for Lily to hear.

Melody gave a small giggle as she complied. Lily looked down toward Hugo. "You know, I forgot to tell Lorcan that I'd be cheering for him this morning."

When she came to lean into the back of her seat, she caught a look of steel on James's face. But soon he was putting a cocky grin back on his face. "Well, I've got to go join the team. I just thought I'd come up for a moment. Enjoy the match," James said. Then he left the box, much to Lily's relief. While everything may have been casual, she still felt a bit of tension being so close to him.

* * *

"And the match starts off in the Cannons's hands!" the match announcer said with excitement. Not that it was needed to pump up the crowd. People in the stands were on their feet, screams of excitement and elation with every pass of the Quaffle. This match would determine who was going to represent England in the rest of the World Cup. The winning team would go on to face Bulgaria tomorrow morning.

"And Potter's got the Quaffle, and he makes his way down the pitch, and tosses it off to Jackson, who quickly makes a beautiful handoff to Van Pelt! Van Pelt dodges the Falcon Chasers, ducks a Bludger, and . . . oh! He fakes a shot attempt, makes a quick pass to Potter who scores! What a beautiful play!"

The fans, and the family, cheered as James flew back to his team, obviously celebrating a little himself. The Falcons' Keeper, Jacob Larson, made a sharp pass to their best Chaser, Kelsey Mach, who began darting down the pitch.

"What the Falcons really need to do is place their Beaters' aim on not only James, but Van Pelt as well," Scorpius commented to both Lily and Lucy. "See, while Potter and Jackson are the main scorers, Van Pelt is the one making all the passes. He's assisting over half the points the other two have gotten."

"And then they need to get the Quaffle to Mach, and then their other Chasers need to keep tight defense around her. If they can get her down the pitch, she can make any shot," Lily mentioned.

"OH! And Nelson takes a well shot Bludger to the shoulder! Looks like the Cannons might just lose one of their best Beaters to a perfect shot by Scamander!" the announcer commented. "Lorcan Scamander, son of famous war hero Luna Lovegood, has been tearing up the league, making hits no normal reserve Beater has. For this reason, the Falcons made him first-string for their biggest game of the season."

Unlike James, Lorcan didn't show any happiness or celebration at his achievement. It was very obvious to Lily, who had played against him for years, that he was still intent and focused on every thing that was the current match he was in. That was Lorcan. A good guy on a normal day. But during a match he was intent, focused, and lethal.

The match continued with not only the loss of one of the Cannon's Beaters, but also the Falcons' Chaser, Emily Ryde. One player from each team was gone, but it was still intense, and an excitement was still running through the crowd. It was a close match, with the Falcon's only having a thirty point lead. The Snitch had yet to be seen, but for the moment, Lily was sure that the crowd didn't mind. This match was too exciting to watch for it to end too easily.

Melody sighed in an almost dramatic way. "I didn't know Quidditch matches took this long," Lily heard her mumbled.

Lily rolled her eyes again, and tried to ignore the pouty blonde. She'd obviously never been to a real Quidditch match before, which again lead Lily to question how "real" her and James's relationship was.

"Oh! And another hit by a Bludger! This time it's Van Pelt that takes the hit, but again it was Scamander that makes the hit! Scamander is on a role today, to the luck of the Falcons!" the announcer cheered, the crowd's excitement apparently reaching him as well.

"Lorcan is on fire today," Hugo commented. And he was right, because it was only moments later that Lorcan finally made his most accurate hit ever. A hit that was so accurate that it brought the crowd to silence. It was one that even made Lily finally stand up from her seat.

It was as if it had been slow motion in Lily's eyes. She watched as Lorcan hit a flying Bludger as hard as he could toward the Cannon Chasers. She watched as the Bludger made a straight line through the air, and connect, with a fierce and audible "CRACK," with James's back. And she watched as the crowd made noises of worry, and Melody gave a cry, as James flew off his broom, and went hurdling toward the ground from an incredible height and with an incredible speed. And Lily knew from sight and experience that there was no chance of anyone catching him at that speed. And she flinched instinctively when James smashed against the ground, practically bounced back into the air just to tumbled back to the grass, and roll a few times. It was obvious that he was knocked out, and Lily could see the blood on his face, and seeping through his orange uniform.

Lily was slightly aware of her family moving around her, and she was sure it was probably to go down and check on James in the medical area of the World Cup grounds. But Lily couldn't find it in her to move from where she stood. She stayed put as she watched a bunch of medi-wizard and medi-witches hurry to James, and then levitate him and hurry him off the pitch.

Lily personally thought that she was now alone in the box, but she felt someone squeeze her hand. Lily blinked a few times as she turned to see that Scorpius was standing next to her still, her hand in his. He brought a hand up to stroke her cheek. "Are you ok, princess? You seem a bit out of it," he murmured. She was amazed that she could hear him over the crowd and the announcer.

Lily brought in a needed breath of air as she blinked again. "I'm ok," she whispered. "Just . . . just a bit surprised. I don't think I've ever seen a Bludger hit the mark so accurately."

"Do you want to go down and join the rest of the family? They went to go and check on him," Scorpius told her.

Lily licked her lips, her mouth and throat feeling oddly dry. "Yeah, I guess we should."

As the two of them began to walk, Lily tried to sort her thoughts and feelings in her mind. Surely she'd seen James take worse hits? Like the time Lars hit him in the face with the Beater bat? But even so, why did it matter so much? Stupid question, Lily thought. It was obvious why. No matter how tense things were, that was still her brother. She still cared about him, even if she didn't like him at times. Even if she couldn't get along with him.

When the two of them reached the rest of the family, they were all standing outside the medi-witches' tent. Scorpius placed a hand on Hugo's shoulder. "What's up?"

Hugo sighed as he adjusted his hat. "Well, I guess it's looking bad. They're taking James to St. Mungo's now. I guess that hit was worse than even _I_ had thought." He looked a bit hesitant as he looked at Lily. "Um, some are going to the hospital too, but I'm not. Neither is Stacy, and Rose is staying. You wanna stay with us?"

Lily nodded, a strange feeling of worry still in her chest. "Yeah, I'll stay here. See who wins, say hi to Lorcan," she mumbled. She glanced at tent. "Have they said anything at all?"

Hugo had sympathy in his eyes. "Only that it was worse than how it looked, despite how it bad looked already."

* * *

It wasn't until the next day that Lily found herself entering St. Mungo's with her parents and Albus. They'd come to get her, and her mother, while explaining their plans to go and check on James, gave Lily that look of a mother that left no room for arguments. Apparently, the healers had been working on James all day yesterday after his hit, and no one had been able to see him.

"Did they ever say how bad it really was?" Albus asked his parents as they walked down the halls, heading for James's room.

"Well, I guess while the Bludger had done some serious damage to his back, it was the landing that messed up the rest of his body," Harry said as he ran a hand through his hair. "He had damage to his shoulders, elbows, a lot to his legs, and some to his head. Luckily, they said the damage to his head was minor and was fixed easily and right away."

"What about the rest?" Albus inquired.

"That's what they were working on all night," Ginny answered. "But they said he's in much better shape. While there are still things that they're fixing up, he's awake, talking, and he can have visitors."

When they finally came to the door of James's room, Lily was beginning to wish that she had attempted to argue with her mother. She felt awkward. What would she even say? All she could really think to do was stand by the door and not say a word. But her mother opened the door to see that there were already two people in the room, with James sitting up and talking with a smile.

"Nah, I don't blame Lorcan for this. It's all part of the game. You play, you expect to get injured every now and then. In fact, I applaud him for what was probably his greatest hit," James told the reporter and cameraman. It was then that Lily noticed who they were.

Rita Skeeter was smiling widely at they story she was getting. "Such a brave and understanding man you are."

"Are we interrupting?" Ginny asked, a slightly cold look toward Rita Skeeter. For good reason, after every story she's printed out of context.

James seemed to hardly notice. "Oh, hey, guys! Come on in. I was just giving a statement."

Rita Skeeter kept her smile. "Of course, I'll just go. I'd hate to impose on this sweet family moment." But as she began to leave the room, she caught sight of Lily. "Ah! Lily Luna, our dear friend! It's been forever. A few years and tons of stories have come and gone since we've last spoken. You know, I would love a moment to talk with you."

"Well, Rita, you've already done a story on her upcoming wedding, so it's not necessary," Harry said with a look of finality in his eyes as well.

Now Rita looked a bit put down. "Of course. Again, I'd hate to impose on the family moment. If you ever get time though, Lily Luna, you let me know." The cameraman snapped one more picture, this time of the entire family, before they both finally left.

Ginny shook her head. "Really, James, you give your statement to her of all reporters?"

James just shrugged one shoulder. "Why not. Even if I don't, she'll write the story anyways."

While she looked to want to roll her eyes, Ginny still came to stand next to her son's bed. While she began to smooth out her son's hair, Lily looked her brother over. There were bandages wrapped around James's forehead, along with a thick bandage on his cheek. She could see tight wrappings on his shoulders, that wrapped all the way down to his elbows, and over his entire torso, covering not just his chest, but his stomach as well.

"How do you feel, bro?" Albus asked.

"Pretty good. But that's because of all the potions they've got running through me," James said with a chuckle. "I can't feel any of it, which the healers say is good. But I do have the use of one shoulder." But then he sighed. "So tell me, I know the Cannons lost, but how bad?"

"By two hundred and thirty," Lily said quietly, as the only one there who had stayed to watch it. "The Falcons should be playing their match against Bulgaria now."

James groaned. "Man! This was the perfect moment for the Cannons to bring back the old pride! Damn!"

"And Lorcan wants you to know how sorry he is for all this," Harry mentioned. "He came over last night and apologized for about an hour."

James just shrugged one shoulder again. "Ah, it's not his fault. He was doing his job, taking out one of the best players on the other team. I can't blame him for that. If it had been me, I'd have done the same thing."

And while the rest of her family fussed over James, Lily did as she knew she would, and stood by the door in silence.

* * *

The rest of August ticked by with a weird air about it. As if something was brewing in silence and secret. Maybe it was just all the drama that Lily expected to eventually blow. Megan sent a letter to Lily, telling that they got married. According to her, it was the only way to stop her dad from forcing her to marry Evan Flair. So now they were on a "honeymoon" as Megan said. But Lily had the feeling that a honeymoon to Megan and Hunter wasn't the same it was to everyone else.

With Lucy's own personal deadline for moving out of her flat coming closer and closer, Zack surprised everyone, and topped his brother, by offering to let Lucy move in with him. Lucy had told Lily that it had taken some persuasion on Zack's part, but she had relented.

Apparently as a spur of the moment thing, Dave Hart, Roxanne's boyfriend, had asked her to marry him. According to Lily's mother, they were planning for it to be in November. Lily just kept thinking that a lot of her cousins seemed to be getting married lately, and that once they were proposed to, they wasted no time. Amused, she had begun to wonder if it was she and Scorpius that were strange for deciding to wait a year.

And James stayed in the hospital for all of August, and it didn't seem like he was going to be let out any time soon, even when September started to fly by. Soon the day for Lily and Scorpius's engagement party came, and James was still in the hospital. Lily assured her parents that it didn't bother her. After all, he'd probably rather skip it himself.

* * *

"You know," Scorpius commented as they both walked toward the ballroom of Malfoy Manor, "I have a bad feeling that this really is going to be more than just family and close friends."

"Well there's always a chance of that," Lily agreed as she carefully ran a hand through her hair. It was in simple and loose curls, with a simple white headband to keep her bangs from her face. And it matched the white sundress she wore. Scorpius had called her an angel once he saw it.

Scorpius too looked well dressed in a white button-up shirt with black pants. His hair was combed to the side, keeping it from his eyes. "Remind me why we indulged them with this party?"

"Because they're our mothers, and we're both pretty powerless against them," Lily reminded.

Scorpius scratched his jaw with a sigh. "Oh, yeah."

The party didn't turn out as bad as Scorpius had thought it would be. While there were a few designer friends of Astoria and Brandon, a reporter or two, and old friends of Lily's parents as well, most of those in attendance were family and close friends of Lily and Scorpius. Lily was amazed at how many of their old friends there were that she hadn't seen in so long. Will and Tamara Nott, Amanda Baddock, and even Wade Macnair, and his new wife Beth, along with their new, month-old baby. Lily remembered the story Scorpius had told her of Beth and Wade's shotgun wedding, but she hadn't expected to see them there.

"I really wish you'd shave this," Astoria commented as she touched Scorpius's jaw, which he had still yet to shave. "I like being able to see your face."

Scorpius rolled his eyes, while Lily hid her giggle by taking a drink from her glass. "It's not that big a deal, Mum. A small beard, not a big deal."

"What do you think, Lily?" Astoria asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't mind it. It's different," she said vaguely as she stroked her thumb across his jaw.

Astoria rolled her eyes, but was still smiling. "Remind me, before the night ends, Lily, that I have a gift for you."

Now Scorpius was the one rolling his eyes. "We didn't need a gift, Mum."

"Well it's hardly for you. It's more for Lily," Astoria teased.

Lily laughed lightly. "Well thanks, I'll do my best to remind you." Then Lily noticed Lucy from the corner of her eye. "If you'll excuse me, I need to speak with my cousin." She gave Scorpius's hand a squeeze before leaving them and approaching Lucy. "Feeling ok?" Lily asked.

Lucy looked up from where she was sitting and gave a weak smile. "Just a little nauseous, but it'll pass."

"Want me to take you to a bathroom?" Lily offered.

"I already asked that, and she said no." Lily turned, surprised to see Zack coming toward them, a glass of water in his hand. He held it out to Lucy. "Here ya go. Anything else I can get you?"

"Mind if I talk to Lily alone?" Lucy asked a bit dryly as she took the water.

Zack gave a chuckle. "Of course. Just find me if you need something." Then he gave Lily a smile and a pat on the shoulder. "Congrats, Lily."

"Thanks," Lily said as Zack walked away. Then she looked at Lucy. "Did our mothers invite him, or did you? Not that I mind either way, but I'm curious."

"I did," Lucy replied. "He offered to come, since I've been feeling nauseous all week, so I figured why not?"

Lily sat next to her. "How is it, living with Zack?"

"Really nice, actually," Lucy admitted. "Whenever I do need something, he's there. His room's right next to mine, so he can usually hear me puking in the bathroom, so he's quick to show up."

Lily gave a small laugh. "Well that's good. It's probably better that your living with someone that can help you out through this."

"Hey, it's the other unmarried pregnant girl," Jace teased as he and Lola approached the two of them.

Lucy finally cracked a full smile. "Yeah, but I get the feeling I'm the only nauseous one."

Lola gave a small smile. "Well I'm actually just used to feeling that way that I have now mastered the ability to ignore it," she joked. She came to sit down too. Her baby bump had really grown with being six, and almost seven, months pregnant.

"How have things been, Lily?" Jace asked as the two pregnant girls began talking.

Lily shrugged. "A lot of news, but still . . . strangely quiet."

"And it's bad that all is well?" Jace teased.

Lily grinned. "Well it could be that I'm not used to all being well, but . . . it just feels like something is going to happen and ruin all being well."

Jace shrugged. "Eh, excitement of life. What a bitch." Lily laughed fully this time, while Jace grinned. "So, how's your brother? I heard about his accident. It's been in the papers for a month now, each giving a new side or story to it."

"I only went to see him once," Lily replied. "But according to my parents, he's doing ok. He's in good spirits, ready to get out of the hospital, and wants to go back and play."

"Well why's he still in the hospital? I mean, what's left to fix?" Jace questioned curiously.

"I guess it's his back and legs. Apparently he broke a lot of bones, tore muscles, some tendons and ligaments. It's a lot to fix, and the hardest to fix. But Dad said that his chest, shoulders, arms, and head, are better now. Less bandages," Lily told him.

"How did your visit with him go?" Jace inquired.

"Awkward enough that I just stood by the door," Lily said with a sigh. "I just never know what to say around him. Because once we start talking to each other, we start arguing. A vicious cycle."

"Hey, guys."

Lily, Jace, and Lola momentarily froze at the sound of that voice, but then quickly turned to see if it was true. And it was. Megan stood there with Shannon and Izzy, giving that sly grin that she was famous for.

"Megan? You're here?" Jace questioned.

She nodded. "Yeah. Hunter too. He's with the other guys by the food."

Jace gave a nod. "Well then I'm off. I'll see you ladies later." Then he was walking away.

But Lily just shook her head as she helped Lola up from her seat. "I was wondering when we'd see you again, Mrs. Baddock," she mocked.

Megan chuckled as Lola hugged her. "Well how could I miss your engagement party? Dante told me about it, so we decided to show up."

"You do know you're parents are here, right?" Lily warned.

"We already told her," Shannon replied.

"And I could care less," Megan said with a shrug. "I'm a married woman. What can they do now?"

"Wow. Megan is married before all of us. What a twist of fate," Izzy joked.

"Well, I'm going to go find Zack, and have him get me another water," Lucy said with a grin as she slowly got up. "Have fun catching up, Lil."

Megan looked at Lily in surprise. "Your cousin's pregnant?"

Lily nodded. "A long story, but yeah."

"And when are you due, Lola?" Megan inquired as Lola moved to sit down again.

"December, so it's about two and a half months away at most," Lola said with an excited smile.

"You know, I never did get to hear if you were having a boy or a girl," Lily hinted.

"Yeah, did you find out?" Shannon asked eagerly.

Lola's smile brightened. "Yeah, we did. But I wanted to wait until I could tell all of you at the same time."

"And?" Shannon urged.

"We're having a girl!" Lola squealed with uncontainable excitement.

The other girls squealed with happiness as well. "You are so lucky!" Izzy told her.

"What have you thought of for names?" Shannon asked.

"Well, we made a deal," Lola said. "Jace gets to pick the first name, and I get to pick the middle name. So we decided on Melody Elisa Pucey."

"That's better than I thought Jace would come up with," Megan muttered.

"Yeah, why Melody?" Lily asked, thinking only of James's supposed girlfriend.

"Well apparently that was going to be his name if he had been a girl, and if he had ever had a sister, his mum would have named her Melody. I guess she really liked the name, as did Jace," Lola explained.

"I think it's pretty," Shannon assured her.

"Let's just hope she has normal-sized ears," Megan teased.

Lola rolled her eyes, but still laughed with the rest of them. "I'm sure she will. Besides, even if not, Jace eventually grew into his ears."

"Yeah. It only took him sixteen years," Izzy joked.

"At which time he became mega-hot," Shannon pointed out with a grin.

"Exactly," Lola said with a smile. "And while on the subject of boyfriends, how are you and Derek? You're still with him, right?"

Shannon's smile became a little shy. "Yeah, we're still together. It's . . . going well," she said vaguely.

"Have you slept with him yet?" Megan asked bluntly.

Shannon blushed lightly. "No, not yet. Although . . . I have been thinking about it. I just don't want to rush anything."

"How long have you been dating him now?" Izzy asked.

Shannon thought about it. "Well we got together a few weeks after we graduated . . . so about three months."

"It's enough," Megan stated.

"Well what about Izzy?" Lola inquired. "How have you and Christian been?"

"Things haveve been going well, and at an appropriate pace," Izzy said, immediately glancing at Megan, who rolled her eyes.

"Meaning you haven't had sex yet," Megan retorted.

"Yes. Meaning we haven't had sex yet," Izzy said dryly. "And we're both fine with that."

"You know, it's Lily's engagement party, but we haven't talked about her yet," Shannon teased.

"She's right, we haven't," Lola joined in.

"We get to throw you a bachelorette party, right?" Megan asked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I have a better idea. How about we have a simple girls' night? Just the five of us? No gifts, no guys, just us?"

"Well it's boring, but manageable," Megan admitted. "Are you sure?"

"Totally. I'm too tired out from all the drama my family creates to deal with a full bachelorette party," Lily sighed.

"It wouldn't be for almost a year from now anyways," Shannon pointed out.

"Which gives my family time to create even more drama in the downtime. Trust me, let's keep it simple, for me?"

"No problem, just trust us," Megan assured.

"Just remember that male strippers don't belong at girl nights," Lily mumbled next to Megan.

Megan gave her normal sly grin. "Strange things happen every day."

* * *

"So, Astoria, what gift do you have for me?" Lily asked as Astoria brought her up to her normal workroom.

"Something I don't want my son to see until you have," Astoria said vaguely. "I don't think he'd be very happy at first."

Now Lily was curious. Something Scorpius wouldn't like? "What is it?"

"Just sit down," Astoria urged, sitting Lily down in one of the counter's stools. "Wait here."

Lily watched as Astoria went to a bookshelf, and pulled out some kind of book. She came back and set it on the counter. "Here, this is for you. I put this together a while ago, and was originally going to give it to you as a birthday present, until I heard you two were engaged. So, I decided to add a few more pictures to it, and called it an engagement present," Astoria explained.

Lily pulled the book closer and looked at the cover. It was a simple green color with silver writing that said "_Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy & Lily Luna Potter_" across it. "What is this, Astoria?" she questioned.

"Just open it up," Astoria urged.

So Lily flipped it open and was surprised at what she saw. It was a photo of an obviously younger Astoria. She was in a hospital bed, with a small bundle in her arms. Draco sat beside her. "Is this . . .?" Lily trailed off. Then she glanced at the one under it, and gazed at the picture of the tiny bundled baby in the picture. There were small wisps of blonde hair, and its eyes were closed. Lily looked up at Astoria. "Is this Scorpius?"

Astoria nodded. "The day he was born. I got to thinking one day that, you only knew Scorpius when he was about thirteen and from then on, but not when he was younger. So I thought I would make up a little book of pictures so that you could see a bit of Scorpius's history. Keep looking."

Lily turned the page, and giggled at one of the pictures. "I see why you said he might not like me seeing this," she admitted as she looked at the picture of Scorpius as a toddler in the bathtub.

"He was so cute," Astoria gushed.

Lily kept flipping through pictures, and every so often when Lily asked, Astoria would tell her a the story behind each picture, or if there was some faze that he'd been going through at the time.

"Is this when he went to Hogwarts?" Lily asked as she caught a picture of a very young Scorpius at King's Cross.

"That was the first day," Astoria sighed. "I snapped this picture of him when he wasn't looking. I'd taken so many that day that he was getting tired of it. I waited until he wasn't paying attention."

Lily kept looking. There was a picture of his first Christmas back and Lily stopped. "Woah! Is this Mitch?" It was a little boy sitting with Scorpius. Although his face was obviously childish, it looked like Mitch. But since it was obviously before he dyed his hair, his hair was black, and _really_ long. It hung in his face, and curled around his neck.

"Yes, that's young Mitchell. Oh, the hair on that boy! All of us mothers wanted nothing more than to sit that boy down and cut it off," Astoria said with a roll of her eyes.

Lily gave a laugh. "Wow. He just looks so . . . different."

"Take a look at this next one with Lana in it," Astoria told her, pointing at the next one.

And Lily almost gasped. "I have never seen Lana's hair that short! Why?"

"Oh, she was such a tomboy back then, she hated long hair. I was surprised myself when she started growing it out," Astoria mentioned. Then she started to laugh. "Oh, if you want to see a shock, let me show you one a few pages ahead." Astoria pulled the book close to her and began to flip past a few pages. Then her smile began to brighten. "Oh, Scorpius, that boy always kept me on my toes as a mother. This was when he was in his second year. Take a look." Astoria pushed the book back toward Lily.

When Lily saw the picture she pulled it even closer. It was indeed a picture of a twelve-year-old Scorpius, but she could only tell by the face. "No. Way," Lily muttered in shock. His hair. "He dyed his hair black!" There in the picture, sitting in Malfoy Manor, was Scorpius Malfoy with raven black hair. A bit of sour look was on his face in the form of a familiar scowl. But then Lily noticed those around him. Lars and Lana. "The twins dyed their hair black too?" It was true. Both Goyle twins had pitch black hair too.

Astoria rolled their eyes. "A rebellious faze they were going through at the time. The three of them dyed their hair black. I almost had a heart attack when I first saw it when he came home."

"What did you do?" Lily asked, unable to take her eyes off the picture.

"I let him do as he wished. I knew he'd grow out of it," Astoria said. "And he did. They finally fixed their hair that summer."

"Remind me to ask him what possessed him to do it," Lily mumbled as she finally managed to turn the page. It was only a few pages later that she ran into one that made her smile. It was of the first time she'd come to Malfoy Manor, the summer after her first year. She and Scorpius were out in the gardens. "When did you take this?" Lily asked.

"Oh please, you two were having so much fun, you never would have noticed," Astoria teased. "I have quite a few pictures of you two. Actually, that's what most of the pictures are from this point."

So Lily started to flip through pages to see what pictures Astoria had gotten. A picture of when they had danced at Teddy and Victoire's wedding, a picture from a few of the Slytherin parties they'd thrown, and about three from the summer they spent at one of the Malfoys' summer houses. As Lily kept flipping through, she found a few from the fashion party they attended, when they first started dating, and from the birthday party Astoria had thrown for her that year. There was a picture from when Scorpius graduated, but when Lily started to get through to the last two pages, Astoria stopped her.

"Ok, so there's one last picture," Astoria said as she flipped to the end of the book. On one page there was Lily and Scorpius sitting together in Malfoy Manor's sitting room. Lily remembered this picture. It was the last time they'd had dinner at the manor. But the very last page was surprisingly blank.

"Why didn't you put a picture here?" Lily asked.

"Because I wanted to leave an open space for a picture of you two on your wedding day," Astoria said with a smile.

Lily smiled too as she shut the book, and brought it to her lap. "I really love this, Astoria. Thank you so much."

"Well, I thought it would be a neat idea. Pictures that all lead up to this point for you two. Something nice to look back on," Astoria told her.

"It is. And it gives me plenty to tease him about," Lily joked lightly, thinking back on the picture of the bathtub, and the one with his hair black. "Plenty to tease him about."

* * *

"I'll admit the party wasn't bad, but I'm sorta beat," Scorpius sighed as he unbuttoned his shirt and dropped back onto their bed.

Lily nodded as she came to sit next to him. She hadn't told him about the photo album, and hadn't even let him see it yet. "It was fun," she mentioned. She crawled across the bed in order to straddle his lap. "You know, your mum gave me that present she had," she mentioned as her fingers gently massaged around his abs.

Scorpius eyes slowly closed as he gave a small groan. "Yeah? What was it?" he mumbled.

"A photo album," Lily said simply. "A bunch of pictures of me and you."

"That was sweet," he muttered as he relaxed under her touch.

"And there were a few pictures of you as well. Like when you were just born," Lily listed.

"Yeah," he mumbled quietly, obviously not paying much attention.

"And there was this one of you when you were twelve . . . with black hair."

Scorpius's shot open, and he quicky sat up. "What?" he demanded.

Lily couldn't stop herself from grinning. "Yep. Little you, angry scowl, and black hair. Please, tell me the story."

Scorpius groaned as he shut his eyes and dropped back to his back. "I can't believe she showed you that!"

Lily leaned forward to rest her weight mostly on him, resting her arms across his chest and then resting her chin on her arms. "Please?" she begged with a little pout. "I wanna hear about it."

Scorpius ran a hand over his face. "Look, it was just a little . . . rebellious thing, ok? It was around the time my problems with Lucius started. I got tired of him trying to mold me into some perfect, snobby, and prejudice heir to the Malfoy name, so I dyed my hair black to rebel against him. It seemed like the only way I could. So Lana and Lars dyed their hair too, in show of support."

Lily sat up a little, and reached up to run her fingers through his thick, honey blond hair. "Well, while it did look kind of cute, I really do prefer you as a blond."

Scorpius gave a bit of a chuckle. "Don't worry. I have no interest in dyeing it black again." Then he sighed. "What other pictures were in there?"

"Well there was this really cute one with you in the bathtub when you were like two," Lily said with a small giggle.

"Dammit, Mum," he groaned. He then grabbed the other pillow, and pulled it over his face as Lily continued to laugh.


	105. When Tables Are Turned

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - A quick update for you guys. I hope you like it. We're about to get to one of the biggest blow ups yet. Read, enjoy, and let me know what you guys think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Five: When Tables Are Turned

October brought about a cool wind, but could still not shake the hot air. But it brought about change and news, and the coming date of Rose and Lorcan's wedding. Lily found herself shopping for bridesmaid dresses with Rose, which was more fun than Lily had thought it would be.

Victoire finally gave birth to a little girl that they named Fleur Nymph Lupin. A beautiful baby with mousy brown hair and light blue eyes. Lily found herself babysitting their kids more, along with baby Cecilia sometimes.

But the big news came early in the month. It had nothing to do with Victoire giving birth, and it had nothing to do with Rose and Lorcan getting married. It was all concerned with James. And Lily knew that this was the blow up she'd been waiting for.

* * *

"Hey, we feel better now, don't we?" Lily murmured to little Cecilia after she'd burped her. Now that Mrs. Chapman was finally able to go back to work, she left Cecilia with Lily some days of the week. Not that Lily minded. She loved it. She always made sure that Brandon didn't book a photo shoot for her on the days she knew Cecilia would need a sitter.

Cecilia gave a small baby's yawn, which was nothing new. All the times Lily'd watched her, Cecilia was always tired after she ate. Lily brought her to the bedroom, and tucked Cecilia into her and Scorpius's bed, placing her in the middle. Cecilia wasn't a baby that moved much in her sleep, but Lily would rather not ever risk it.

A knock sounded at the front door, so Lily hurried down the hall to get it. She opened it, and was mildly surprised, and of course happy, to see Hugo standing behind the door. "Oh, hey, Huey. Come in," she invited.

Hugo gave a nod as he came inside, shutting the door behind him. "Hey, Lil. I, uh . . . well I just got back from my parents' house, and I thought I should be the first to tell you," he started.

Lily raised a brow. "Tell me what?"

Hugo scratched at the back of his neck. "Well . . . it's about James."

Lily leaned back against the door. This could not be good. "What about him? Was he let out finally? I mean, he's been in St. Mungo's forever now."

"No, not yet. We're not sure when he'll get out yet," Hugo told her. "But, we do know that . . . he won't be playing Quidditch anymore."

Lily looked at him with surprise, then a bit confused. "Why can't he play anymore? Because of one little injury?"

Hugo shrugged. "Look I don't know all the details. This was just what I got from my mum. But I guess there's something about some of the muscles in the backs of his legs and knees. They aren't healing right, and something about them being too weak and easy to tear. And he was told that it was something no team would risk having him play just to become permanently injured in the process," he explained.

Lily sighed. "Wow, career ended at twenty-one. That's gotta suck."

"Well he obviously took that news badly, and as my mother was told by your mother, he's been refusing visitors. Even the press. It's understandable though, he has just lost the career of a lifetime," Hugo commented as he dropped down to sit on the couch.

"Well, that's gunna put a damper on Rose and Lorcan's wedding. A depressed James, assuming he's out of the hospital by then, and an apologetic Lorcan," Lily muttered.

"Oh man, Lorcan is going to feel terrible about it," Hugo sighed. "He felt bad enough when we all thought James would be able to play again."

"Well, only four days until the wedding. Let's pray we get through it without incident," Lily mumbled.

* * *

Lily and Scorpius walked up the lane to the Burrow in a content silence. The morning air was a little cool, but refreshing. Scorpius was carrying a small suitcase with his dress clothes inside. He knew he'd be helping the other men set up last minute things for the wedding, so he didn't want to get it dirty. Lily's dress was waiting for her at the Burrow, so she was dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a nice shirt.

"So, did you ever find out if your brother got out of the hospital?" Scorpius asked curiously.

Lily shook her head. "No, but my guess is no. I feel like I would have been told if he had, or my mother would have dragged me to go visit him again."

"Then this wedding might just be a bit more enjoyable," Scorpius muttered.

"Or at least a little less tense," Lily sighed as Scorpius opened the door to the Burrow. When the two stepped inside, there were family members already moving about and setting things up. Lily looked at Scorpius. "I bet the other guys are outside if you want to go help now."

Scorpius smirked as she took his suitcase. "Ok, ok. Where are you putting this?"

"In Uncle George's old room for now," Lily told him as she placed a small kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Let me know if you need saving from the women in your family," Scorpius teased as he headed for the back door.

Lily turned and made her way upstairs. She first dropped off Scorpius's clothes before making her way to her mum's old room. Inside were Rose and Victoire. Victoire seemed to be playing with Rose's hair, as if they were deciding what to do with it.

"How's it going in here?" Lily asked as she closed the door.

"I'm trying to decide how I want to do Rose's hair for today," Victoire told her.

"So you know, your dress is in the closet," Rose mentioned.

Lily nodded as she moved to the window to look out at where the guys were setting things up outside. "How much left to set up outside?"

"I don't know, but Dad ensured that it would all be done and ready," Rose said with a sigh. "He is out there, right?"

Lily looked around out the window. "Uh . . . yeah. I can see him." Lily kept looking around, seeing who was all here. "So, have you heard anything about James?"

"Not a word," Victoire said with a sad sigh.

"I tried to visit him the other day, but he wouldn't even let me see him," Rose mumbled sadly.

"He's just being a baby," Lily assured. "He'll get over it."

"I hope so," Rose murmured. "I mean, Lorcan just feels so terrible about it."

"It's a shame they didn't beat Bulgaria," Victoire commented. "I heard they were really close though."

"It was a close game," Rose agreed. "Oh, Lily, you do know that you have to dance with the best man, right?"

Lily nodded as she sat on the windowsill. "Yeah, I know the drill. Who did Lorcan pick by the way?"

Rose's pause should have warned Lily, but it didn't. So she was surprised at Rose's answer. "Lysander."

Lily almost fell to the floor, but quickly caught herself. She looked at Rose with wide eyes. "What? Lysander? But . . . I thought Lysander moved far away, and was traveling or something!"

"He did, but he obviously came back for his twin brother's wedding . . . is that bad?" Rose asked, now a bit worried as she turned her head to look at Lily. Victoire's hands dropped from Rose's hair as well, looking at Lily curiously.

Lily bit her lip as she looked out the window, wondering if she could see him. She didn't, but she did see Scorpius helping Hugo set up chairs. "Not yet. Where is he? He can't be outside if Scorpius looks so calm."

"I don't think he's arrived yet," Rose said as she came to stand by the window as well. "I'm sorry, by the way. I didn't even think of the history between you two. Things have been so hectic with the planning," she apologized.

Lily just shrugged. "It's not your fault. Besides, I'm more worried about how Scorpius will react. He's not the calmest guy." She sighed. "I'm going to go talk to him before things get the chance to even start to blow. Excuse me."

Lily left the room, and quickly made her way down the hall, and then down to the first floor. She didn't know when Lysander was expected to arrive, but it was probably soon. And she at least wanted Scorpius to have a warning of the news. Because it really wasn't the history between her and Lysander that she was worried about. It was the history between _Scorpius_ and Lysander that worried her.

Lily stepped outside and quickly made her way to Scorpius and Hugo. "Hey, Huey, I need to steal him for a moment, ok?"

Hugo shrugged. "Fine by me, just be quick. Putting up chairs is so hard," he joked.

Scorpius let Lily pull him away from earshot, looking at her curiously. "What's up, princess?"

Lily licked her lips, which felt oddly dry. She should probably just be blunt. That was usually best with Scorpius. "Lysander is Lorcan's best man," she told him.

While he still looked relaxed, Lily could see the hardening of his eyes. "Really? I hadn't seen him around, nor had I even thought about him."

"Well I'd guess that he'd be here soon. But, since he's the best man, that does mean I have to share a dance with him," Lily warned.

Scorpius raised a brow, but Lily could see his urge to scowl. "Who's dumb idea was that?"

"Tradition's," Lily retorted. "And Rose wants to follow tradition."

"You can't tell Rose no?" Scorpius muttered.

"Not on her wedding day," Lily countered. "And you won't either, so you're going to have to deal that I'm dancing with him."

"Lily . . ."

"No, Scorpius," Lily cut him off. "This is my cousin's wedding. And I've just finally started getting along with her again."

"And I have supported that," Scorpius threw in.

"I know. But you are not starting a fight with Lysander on her wedding day," Lily stated. "I don't care what happens."

Scorpius's scowl finally broke forward. "Ok, but if he does _one_ thing that I don't like . . ."

"Then take it as far away from the house as possible," Lily finished.

* * *

Lily finished giving the ends of her hair light curls, then looked in the mirror. She, Rose, Rose's other bridesmaid, Marsha Finnigan, and Victoire were all in the same room getting ready. Victoire was helping Rose get ready, while Lily and Marsha were easily taking care of themselves.

"Well, I'm finished," Lily said with a sigh. She'd been hiding upstairs, hoping to avoid having to see Lysander for as long as she could. Victoire let Lily know when Lysander had finally arrived a few hours ago, and Lily had been dodging him ever since.

"He doesn't know that you're part of the wedding party," Rose had told her. "He doesn't even know that the two of us are talking again."

Nothing Rose said made Lily feel any better, because she was still anxious about seeing him. It had been years, so he surely couldn't still think he was in love. Years exploring the world would have surely refreshed his mind and made him see things on a broader scale, right?

There was a knock on the door, and then the girls heard Scorpius's voice. "One dance, Lily! One!" Then they heard footsteps.

"What the hell does that mean?" Marsha demanded.

Lily rolled her eyes. "It means that Scorpius ran into Lysander," she said simply. "Don't worry though. He's going to behave all day."

"You sound so sure," Victoire teased.

"That's because he'll behave unless he finds a certain desire to sleep on the concrete outside," Lily muttered. An empty threat, but she'd hoped it was enough to keep him in check until the ceremony. She sighed. "I'll be back. I really need a glass of water at the moment."

Lily stepped out into the empty hallway, and let out a sigh of relief. Maybe he was outside helping up last minute things, or maybe he was with Lorcan and Hugo getting dressed. Either way, she had less to worry about, and she quickly made her way for the stairs.

"Lily?"

Lily froze and felt like smashing her head against the railing of the stairs. She had been so close! Slowly, Lily turned to see Lysander standing by the now open bathroom door. The bathroom! Why hadn't she thought of that?

While looking very formal, Lysander had a look of mild surprise on his face. His normal unruly hair had been oddly slicked back. She wasn't sure if she'd ever seen his hair that long in all the time she'd known him.

Lily gulped. "Hey, Lysander," she greeted quietly.

He took a few steps closer, and Lily now regretted hurrying to the stairs. She had no way to back up. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "I didn't think you and Rose got along."

Lily cleared her throat, which was getting drier every second. "Well we've been fixing that. I'm her maid of honor."

"Wonder why Lorcan didn't mention it," Lysander mumbled.

"Well Rose didn't mention you until today either," Lily said with a sigh, avoiding his eyes.

There was a moment of silence between them, and Lily really felt the need to get out of this hallway. "So . . . uh, you're out of school now?" Lysander inquired, stepping a little closer.

Lily tapped her fingers along the end of the railing. "Yep, a good few months now."

"Always feels weird that first September when you don't go back," Lysander said with an awkward chuckle. He tapped his own fingers against his thigh. "So . . . are you still living with your parents?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I'm not." Another pause between them popped up, and it was really starting to add anxiety to her nerves. "Are . . . are you back for good, or just the wedding?"

Lysander shrugged. "I don't know yet. I haven't decided. I'm going to stay with my parents for a few days while I decide." He cleared his throat a little. "So, this is awkward, but I've gotta ask. How are you?"

"I'm great," Lily stated with confidence. "I'm happy. I've got a lot of things going for me. So I'm good."

"And the modeling thing seems to be going well," Lysander commented. "Every time I would stop somewhere, I'd always see you on the cover of magazines."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, it's really good. Brandon, my agent, has done wonders."

"Well you look great," he complimented.

Lily gulped. "Thanks. Look, I just needed to get a glass of water, so I should go."

"Wait!" Lysander stopped her before she could turn toward the stairs. Lily wondered when he'd gotten so close. "I . . . I ran into Scorpius earlier. I'm guessing the two of you are still together?"

"Happily," Lily said a bit firmly. "We're living together now."

"Really? Isn't that kind of soon? I mean . . . you only just graduated a few months ago. It just seems kind of fast," Lysander amended, looking nervous.

"Not when you consider the fact we'd been planning on living together for probably more than a year beforehand," Lily defended in as light a tone as she could manage.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound bad or anything," Lysander apologized. Then he sighed. "Look, about the best man and maid of honor having to dance . . . if it makes you uncomfortable, we don't have to."

Lily did her best to seem casual as she shrugged. "It doesn't bother me. I'm fine with it. It doesn't make me uncomfortable. It's just one dance."

"If you're sure. I mean, I just thought you wouldn't want to," Lysander mumbled.

"Nope, it's fine with me. Anyways, I really need that glass of water, so if you don't mind," Lily trailed off.

"Oh, no. Go ahead, I've still got to help Lorcan figure out how to look nice at his own wedding," Lysander joked weakly.

"See you later then," Lily said quickly before turning and almost running down the stairs. Oh, Merlin, please let it be nerves, and not unrequited feelings running through Lysander, Lily thought. Please, just let this one dance end without a fight.

* * *

Lily had to admit that Rose and Lorcan's ceremony was traditional, expected, but still sweet and beautiful. She'd been able to relax after her encounter with Lysander, and honestly hadn't told anyone, even the girls, about it.

When the reception started, and Lorcan and Rose started the first dance, Lily immediately made her way to Hugo. "Hey, cuz," he greeted. "Ready to for this dancing crap?"

"At least you get to dance with Marsha," Lily muttered.

"Yeah, because it's not at all awkward to dance with my girlfriend's sister," Hugo retorted dryly. "And you know what would make it even less awkward? If she hated me . . . oh wait."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't think Marsha hates you. She's just protective of her sister."

"Still makes this sucky," Hugo sighed. "But then again, I don't have to dance with my ex."

"Tell me about it," Lily groaned. "I ran into him earlier."

"Oh, was that why he was all weird while we were changing?" Hugo guessed.

"Probably," Lily replied. She looked toward Hugo. "Did he say anything about me?"

"Personally, I think he still has the hots for ya," Hugo admitted. "But it's his brother's wedding. He's not going to take a chance and do something that would start a fight."

"I hope," she mumbled.

"Oh boy," Hugo groaned as he nodded toward where his mother was standing. "There's the signal that we've got to start dancing too." He gave Lily a pat on the shoulder as Lysander approached. "Good luck." Then he started off toward where Marsha stood.

"You too," Lily retorted. When Lysander came to stand next to her, he held out his hand. She silently took it, and she let him lead her to the dance floor. She had lied to him earlier. It was awkward.

"So, it was a nice ceremony," he mumbled.

Lily gave a short nod. "Yeah, it was."

"They seem really happy. I don't think Lorcan's smiled like that since he won his first Quidditch match," Lysander joked lightly.

"They really do love each other," Lily commented lightly.

"I'm happy for them," he said softly.

Lily knew she shouldn't have asked. Shouldn't have gotten involved. But she found herself doing it anyways. "Are _you_ happy, Lysander?" she inquired gently.

"I'm as happy as someone in my position can be," he said vaguely.

"What position is that?" Lily asked. She would admit that despite their history and problems, she did still care for Lysander. He was a sweet man, and one who deserved a better girl than she was. He had been a great ear and friend. She cared about him.

"Well . . . I don't really know," he admitted. "Lately I've been questioning what I want to do with my life. Things changed drastically for me a few years ago, and I've had to rethink a lot of things."

"Ly," Lily sighed, "you know that I never meant to hurt you."

Lysander nodded. "Yeah, I know that now. I was always just being overly sensitive and jealous. It's not your fault."

"I think it is," Lily whispered. "I mean, I dragged it on when we were dating. Then I continually rubbed it in your face that I was happy without you. I was selfish, and I never thought about how much I was hurting you."

"Lily, I was pushy. There was only so much you could do, and you could only feel so much guilt," Lysander assured. "I just never learned to let up."

With the hand that was on his shoulder, Lily gave him a friendly squeeze. "I'm still sorry."

"You know, Lily, a part of me is always going to love you. Even if I have accepted that my love doesn't change anything," Lysander admitted.

"And I hope you know that you deserve someone much better than me," Lily stated. "I'm damaged in so many ways. You deserve someone who won't put herself first like I always did. You're much too sweet for me."

He gave a wry chuckle. "Well thanks, but if I've learned anything, it's that I'm not all that sweet either. But . . . thanks, Lily."

The song ended, and they immediately put space between the two of them. But they didn't walk away from each other. Instead Lily gave him a sincere smile. "Look, if I don't talk to you again before the end of the night, then take care of yourself, ok?"

He gave a small nod. "Yeah, you too."

Lily reached up and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Be good, and cut your hair," she teased.

Lysander now laughed honestly. "I know. It is getting long. I'll see you around, Lily."

Lily nodded. "Of course. Bye, Lysander." She left the dance floor, and wasn't surprised to see Scorpius watching Lysander walk away with distrust in his eyes. Lily came toward him and took his hand. "Hey, handsome," she greeted.

Scorpius looked at her, and his eyes softened as his fingers interlinked with hers. "Hey, beautiful."

"Are you going to tell me about your run-in with Lysander?" Lily inquired.

Scorpius shrugged. "It wasn't much. We just ran into each other in the hallway. I glared, and he was quiet. Then we walked away."

"And the reason for your anger?" Lily asked.

"Bad history," he said simply. "While it may be unnecessary, I can't help it."

Lily leaned her head to rest against his shoulder. "It's ok. Besides, I'm not sure if I'll even talk to Lysander for the rest of the night. We've both said enough for tonight."

Scorpius brought her hand up and placed a kiss on the back of it. "Wanna dance?"

Lily was about to nod and agree, but she stopped when she saw someone that she hadn't expected to see. "Is that Melody? James's girlfriend?"

Scorpius turned look at what she was looking at. "Uh, looks like it. Maybe James _did_ show up."

"Excuse me for a moment then," Lily said as she pulled away from him. She made her way to Melody, who soon saw her coming.

She gave Lily a small smile. "Hi, Lily," she greeted.

"Hey, Melody. I figured that since James didn't show up to the wedding that he was in the hospital still," Lily mentioned.

"Oh, no," Melody retorted. "He got out about two days ago."

"Two days ago?" Lily questioned.

Melody nodded. "Yeah. His healers just told him to take it easy, and they gave him a few potions that he'll need to take every day."

"Then why isn't he here?" Lily demanded.

Now Melody looked uncomfortable. "Well . . . he's been really upset about everything. I tried to get him to come, but he wouldn't. I thought I'd still come and let your mum know, and apologize for him."

"Why should you have to apologize just because he's being a baby?" Lily muttered.

"He's just really upset," Melody gave the excuse again. "And with the potions he's been having major mood swings. He didn't want to be a downer on the wedding ceremony."

Lily nodded, but she knew what it all was. Lies and excuses. And although she wasn't surprised to get them from James, she was surprised that he'd give them just to get out of his own cousin's wedding. What a child, she thought.

* * *

When news of James's release from the hospital spread around the wedding, it honestly made the air a little tense and awkward for some, mainly because although he was out, he never showed up. But Rose and Lorcan had still left on a happy note to their honeymoon.

As the rest of October moved along, Lily heard very little about her brother. She read a few articles that papers or magazines had written about him, but she didn't trust any of those stories. And her family, not even her parents, heard nothing from him either. It was like he was avoiding the entire family.

November came around with some excitement. Mainly because it meant that it would only be a month before Lola would give birth, and only two months before Lucy would. It also meant that Roxanne and Dave's wedding would only be weeks away.

Lily did hear from Hugo that Lysander had decided to stick around longer, and was still living in London. She was happy to hear it, and hoped that he found what he was looking for.

* * *

"Lily, how would you feel about doing a photo shoot for me in a few days?" Astoria asked as she and Scorpius sat down to dinner with her and Draco.

"I'd love to," Lily said with a smile. "I'd suggest telling Brandon the date instead of me. He's the one that keeps track of my schedule," she joked.

"Actually, son, what are you doing tomorrow?" Draco inquired.

Scorpius shrugged. "Nothing that I know of. I have the day off. Why?"

"Well one of your grandfather's old business partners is coming into London along with his son and granddaughter. They'll possibly be making a permanent move here from France, so while the men are discussing business, would you mind showing his granddaughter around? From my understanding she's never outside of France," Draco requested.

"What, like Diagon Alley?" Scorpius inquired.

Draco nodded. "Yeah, just show her a few key places. Apparently she can easily get lost, so her father would like if she had a sense of where things were before they moved."

Scorpius shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind. Lily's spending the day with Lola anyways."

"Oh, when is her baby due?" Astoria asked Lily excitedly.

Lily smiled. "Next month. At this point we're all just counting down the days."

* * *

"So where's Scorpius at today?" Lola asked curiously the next day.

"He's showing one Lucius's business partner's granddaughter around," Lily told her as she handed Lola a thing of tea.

"How is he enjoying life as an Auror?" Lola questioned before taking a drink.

"He loves it. About a month or so ago they finished their team's first case. I don't think I've ever seen him so excited," Lily said with a small smile. "So, how is Jace with his training under his uncle?"

"Well he thinks it's a little slow. His uncle sent him a bunch of books to look over and read carefully before they begin the real hands on training, and we know how Jace is with studying and reading," she mocked.

"It must be killing him," Lily laughed.

"It is, but I know he loves it. He really is excited," Lola said with a smile of her own. "There's been a lot of excitement running through us and my family lately."

"Being eight months pregnant and due in a month, I can't imagine why," Lily teased. Both girls laughed as Lola placed a hand on her stomach.

"I'm starting to think that she's ready to come out too," Lola joked. "I don't know how many times a night I wake up because of how much she moves."

"Lily Potter!" Lana exclaimed as she stormed into the flat. Lily looked at her in surprise, as did Lola. "You let him go?"

Lily looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"You let Scorpius go on a date with that girl?" Lana demanded.

Lily sighed. "It's not a date, and yes. I let him go. It's just a tour basically. He's taking her around to get acquainted with the city."

"Well Lucius Malfoy set it up as a date. And that's what the girl thinks it is. She thinks she's meeting her future husband," Lana stated firmly.

Lily quickly looked at her, and an unknown and unfamiliar rush of emotion swelled her stomach. It made her tense, almost like anger. But she didn't think she was angry, although maybe at Lucius Malfoy. "What?"

"Yeah. That girl believes that they are getting married within the year. Because that's what her father and Lucius discussed. And you just let Scorpius go on the date!" Lana pointed out.

Lily left both of them there.

* * *

Lily walked into the Leaky Cauldron, and let her eyes sweep around the room. Scorpius had mentioned that they'd probably stop in there for lunch. And she easily caught sight of Scorpius, what with his size. The sight made that feeling bubble in her veins. The girl he was with was probably about his age, wavy blonde hair, and a slender figure. She was smiling, and her eyes were bright. And in Lily's opinion, she was trying to sit way too close to Scorpius.

Lily gulped. Was this how Scorpius felt when he saw her with other boys? But this wasn't jealousy! It couldn't be. Lily had nothing to be jealous of. She knew Scorpius loved her, and was oblivious to how the girl felt or thought. She was not jealous . . . so what was it? Ignoring the feeling, Lily stormed over to their table, not caring about anything at the moment.

Scorpius noticed her first. And although he was obviously surprised, he gave her a smile. One that made her heart flutter on instinct. "Lily? What are you doing here, princess?"

Lily froze. What was she going to say? She hadn't thought about that before she stormed over. Now she was stuck, and needed some sort of excuse. She couldn't be honest, at least not in front of this girl. "I need to speak with you for a moment. Do you mind?"

Scorpius looked at her curiously. "Not at all. If you'll give me a moment, Rosaline?"

The girl gave an obnoxious giggle. "Of course not."

Lily bit back that swelling feeling. "Sorry for the intrusion. But I really need to speak with my _fiancé_. It's important," she said, emphasizing the word fiancé. Then she took Scorpius's hand, and ignoring the shocked and confused girl, she dragged him up the inn stairs, and into the first hallway.

Scorpius still gave her a curious look. "What is it, Lily?"

Again, Lily was at a loss for words. She had gotten him away from the girl, and she had instantly felt better. But now what excuse could she give? "I just . . . I just wanted to know when you would be home?" she asked lamely.

Even Scorpius knew it wasn't the truth. "What is it really? You know you can tell me."

Lily sighed. That feeling was still in her chest, ready to explode into anger. Maybe that was all it was. A new kind of anger. "Do you know why Lucius set this up?" she asked.

Scorpius raised a brow. "What do you mean _Lucius_? My father asked this of me."

"Yes, on Lucius's behalf, remember?" Lily replied. "And Lucius set it up as a date."

Scorpius scowled. "A date? Really? How can it be a date if I don't know about it? That was stupid on his part."

Lily rolled her eyes. "That is not the point, Scorpius!"

He gave her that curious look again. "Then what is the point? There's more?"

"Yeah!" Lily exclaimed. "The point is that the girl out there believes that she's going to marry you one day!"

"No she doesn't. You just called me your fiancé," he retorted.

"As if that will matter to her! She still thinks that you're going to marry her," Lily stated.

"Ok, so she thinks that. I'll tell her that she's wrong," Scorpius assured.

"How about you just end this little 'date' and come home," Lily said firmly.

Scorpius scowled in confusion for a moment as he looked at her. But soon a surprised look came over him, and then a knowing and smug expression. "Why Lily Luna are you jealous?"

Lily glared at him. "No, because I have nothing to be jealous of!"

He smirked. "Let me rephrase that. Are you being possessive of me?"

A new and embarrassed heat flared into her cheeks. "I just hate that she thinks that, ok!"

Instead of laughing as she'd expected, Scorpius pressed her against the wall and kissed her, and kissed her hard. Lily relaxed under his touch on instinct. His hands came up to frame her cheeks as he pulled his lips away from her, and rested his forehead against hers gently. A smirk came over his lips again. "You know, you're kind of cute when you get flustered like that," he teased softly.

"Still not a cute situation," Lily mumbled, a blush still on her cheeks.

Scorpius's thumb brushed across her cheek. "Well let me explain the real situation to her, finish the little tour, and come straight home where I hope a very loving woman will wait for me?"

"I like the idea of explaining the situation, but how about skipping the tour part?" Lily retorted. The idea of that . . . _girl_ being around Scorpius longer than necessary still irked Lily.

Scorpius sighed. "What do you want me to do? Just walk out on her? I don't even know if she knows how to get home from here."

"She could Floo or take the Knight Bus if she can't Apparate," Lily retorted.

"It's still rude," Scorpius pointed out.

"At the moment, I don't care. In fact, you can tell her that I'm making you leave," Lily said with a shrug.

Scorpius chuckled. "You know, if the tables were turned . . ."

"I would leave," Lily stated. "If I was with someone, and found out that they thought it was a date, I'd leave. Because I've learned from experience that explaining the situation doesn't always get the point across, and because I don't believe in dragging things like this out. I've learned that the hard way."

Scorpius sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Ok. I can empathize. It does suck being on your end. So look, I'll explain the situation, make sure that she knows how to get home, and then I'll be home. Ok?"

Lily bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't really like it, but it was something she could live with. "Fine. I'll be at home then."

When they both made their way back down the stairs, Lily repressed the urge to send a glare at the girl before heading out the back door to Apparate home. When she stepped inside their flat, she wasn't too surprised to see that Lola and Lana were both gone, and found a small note left on the counter.

"_Lil, as fun as this blow up looks to be, we thought we'd leave you to it. Have fun -Lana"_

Lily just crumpled the small note and threw it away. She honestly felt a small headache starting to form. Either Lucius Malfoy was out of his mind, or just getting desperate. Lily had seen and heard so little from him that she'd figured that he'd just ignored the fact that she and Scorpius were together. What set him off now?

With a sigh she made her way to her workroom and opened up her potion collection. She ran her fingers along the smooth wood of one of the shelves as she looked for something that would be perfect to get rid of her headache, not to mention calm the lingering anger that boiled in her veins. She found a simple calming solution and took a small swig. She felt her body start to relax, and the light throb in her head dimmed more and more with each second. She put back the potion, closed the cupboard, then leaned her head against the cool glass of one of the doors.

"Not a fun feeling, huh?"

Lily jumped and whirled around at the sound of Scorpius's voice. Lily always thought that after years of her father sneaking up on her that she'd be used to it. Apparently not. She ran a hand through her hair. "Excuse me?"

Scorpius smirked as he came to stand in front of her. "The whole . . . angry, possessive, slightly jealous feeling. No fun, is it?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Are you going to mock me for the rest of the night?"

"No. I'll just point out that now you know how I felt time and time again when Lysander was involved," he commented as he began to twirl a strand of her hair around his fingers.

Lily closed her eyes and moved forward to rest her cheek against his chest. "I don't like it," she mumbled. "It's a sucky feeling."

His other arm came to wrap around her. "I know," he said comfortingly. "It passes though, once the threat is gone."

"I do not see that girl as a threat," Lily mumbled.

"Really? I mean, she's pretty, and she was kind of quiet, you don't see that in many girls. A great quality," Scorpius teased.

Lily stomped on his foot. "Bite me," she mumbled.

He chuckled, his chest rumbling under her cheek. "Luckily, you surpass pretty, and I like a feisty woman."

* * *

Lily was never able to figure out why Lucius Malfoy had chosen now to intervene in her and Scorpius's relationship, and Scorpius didn't seem to care. "I couldn't care less about the old man, and he's out of his mind if he thinks I'm not gunna marry you," was all he'd said when she brought it up.

Draco had found out about the stint his father pulled, and he'd come over only a few days later, and apologized a dozen times. Lily had assured him it wasn't his fault, but he had just apologized again. Then he assured Lily that Lucius would never pull another stunt like that again. She wasn't sure if one of his plans failing was enough to deter Lucius Malfoy, but she nodded and said "thank you."

The rest of November passed with a bit of rising tension and worry in the Potter and Weasley family. The joyous day of Roxanne and Dave's wedding did nothing to ease it. Because none of them had yet to hear from James, and he didn't show up to the wedding either. Not even Melody. Apparently some went to flat, only for there to be no answer. Her parents sent letters which never got a reply. Except for one, which apparently promised that he'd be at the Burrow on Christmas Eve.

December finally took away the dry weather, and brought about a heavy snowfall. But it also brought about a few moments that Lily would never forget. Some good, and some bad.

* * *

"Hey, cutie," Hugo cooed to baby Cecilia. "You're such a big girl now." Hugo was spending the day with Lily, who was taking the day to babysit Cecilia. At five months, Lily was fascinated and excited at her development. "That's a lot of hair for just a little girl," he murmured as he played with her thin blonde locks.

Lily came to where they were sitting by the couch. While Cecilia had gotten better at holding herself on her own for short periods of time, it was still easier when she was leaning against something, in this case the couch. Lily handed her a bottle, and watched as Cecilia gripped it on her own, and began to drink.

"I remember when she could barely grasp someone's fingers," Lily said with a sigh. "They get so big really fast."

"You've seen this before, Lil. Remember how big Theodore got? Or how big Gabby is getting already?" Hugo pointed out.

"But I didn't see them every day," Lily countered. "I see Cecilia at least three days a week. She gets so big so fast."

"She is a doll," Hugo mentioned as he made a silly face at her, making her drop her bottle, and let out a small babble. "So you've really gotten close with Duncan's family, huh?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I have. I just kind of feel bad because of all they've gone through, and what they still go through."

There was a panicked and constant knock at the door then. Cecilia automatically brought her little head up to look for the new sound. Lily looked toward the door. "Come in!" she called.

The door opened, and Jace ran in looking scared and flustered. "Lily, Hugo, I need help!" he said quickly.

Hugo quickly stood up, and Lily hurried to pick up Cecilia and stood from the floor. "What happened?" Hugo asked.

"What do you do when your girlfriend's water breaks?" Jace asked in a frightened tone.

Lily looked at him incredulously. "You take her to the hospital, you idiot!"

"She's already there, she was at training!" Jace panicked. "I just got told about it, so what do I do?"

"Go to the hospital!" both of them told him.

Lily rolled her eyes. "We'll go with you. Hugo, grab Cecilia's bag?"

When they reached the hospital, they were all allowed to go to Lola's room. According to the healer they spoke to, she was in the beginning stages of labor, and it could be a while. So they all hurried to join Lola. They walked in to find her pacing the floor, breathing heavily, and not looking very happy.

"Hey, La, how are you?" Hugo asked carefully.

Lola glared at Jace. "What the hell took you so long?" she demanded.

Jace flinched. "I went to get Lily and Hugo," he mumbled.

"How are you?" Lily repeated Hugo's question.

"Pained," Lola stated. "And yet they're telling me that it'll take hours just to start!"

"Don't they have something for pain?" Jace inquired.

Hugo helped lead Lola over to the bed. Lola sighed, a pout still on her lips. "Yes, they're getting the potion ready now. Ow!" She took Hugo's hand and began to squeeze. Lily could see the pain on Hugo's face as he grit his teeth. Then she let go and relaxed into the bed. "Well there goes that contraction."

Hugo gave a nod. "Yep. Here, Jace, you should stand here," he urged Jace to where he'd been standing, then massaged his hand.

Carefully holding Cecilia, Lily came to stand by Lola's other side. "You want us to stay here?"

Lola looked sheepish. "Would you? At least for a little while?"

"Or course," Lily assured.

"It's no problem," Hugo agreed. He came to sit at the edge of the bed. "Wow, this is surreal. Our friend is having a baby."

"I got ya beat, it's my girlfriend that's having _my_ baby," Jace muttered.

Lola brought up a hand, and let Cecilia take a hold of her finger. "Lil?"

Lily raised a brow. "Yeah?"

"I'm scared," she admitted. "I mean, until now I've been in control of this whole thing. Now it's coming out of me, and I'm not sure that I'll know what to do!"

Lily gave her a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine. You've been taking care of younger siblings for . . . well your whole life. And you won't be alone, you'll have plenty of help," she told her.

"It's still scary," Lola said as she took in a deep breath. "Oh, here comes another one! Ow!" Lola began to swear lightly under her breath, and Lily could see Jace's face start to scrunch in pain, all the while trying to hide the pain he felt.

"Just breathe," Lily instructed soothingly.

Lola nodded as she took in a really deep breath, and slowly relaxed. "I'm ok. I'm ok, it's passed."

The door opened and Victoire walked in. "Hey, you guys. Lola, I won't bother asking how you're feeling. I've been there enough times to know. I thought I'd bring you this quick," she said as she held up a potion. She went to a counter and began to pour some in a small cup. "Now, this is going to numb a lot of your body, so if you feel that you can't feel anything in your legs, don't panic, that's normal. Also, this will last for hours, but if your labor ends up being a long one, and this wears off, you just have to let me know, ok?" she instructed as she came to hold the small cup out to Lola.

Lola nodded as she took it. "Got it," she said before quickly drinking it all down.

Victoire then noticed baby Cecilia in Lily's arms. "And who is this?" she cooed softly at the nearly sleeping baby.

Lily smiled. "This is Cecilia. She's Duncan's little sister. I'm babysitting her today," she replied.

"Poor thing looks tired," Victoire said gently.

"It probably is close to nap time," Lily commented as Cecilia's head rested in the crook of her neck.

"Well, you could go ahead and go back if you need to put her down for a nap," Lola said. "I'll understand."

"Are you sure?" Lily asked.

Lola nodded. "Yeah. Besides I'm feeling pretty good right about now."

"Ok. Have Hugo come get me if you need me, and I'll be back once Mrs. Chapman picks up Cecilia," Lily assured her.

* * *

It was hours later when Lily finally returned. Cecilia was off with her mother, and Scorpius had yet to come home. So leaving a note, Lily returned to St. Mungo's, only to find Hugo sitting in the waiting room.

"How's Lola?" Lily asked as she came to sit by him.

Hugo sighed. "She's doing ok. They're starting to . . . get the baby out, or whatever, so I came out here. I went to her family's house, but no one was home. I left a note on their door."

"Where could they be?" Lily wondered.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I had thought that maybe at least the twins would be there babysitting the little ones, until I remembered that they started Hogwarts this year."

"And Candy is still pretty young. Mrs. Pritchard probably got them a new babysitter," Lily agreed. "Did Vic say how long it could be?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Just that it varies from woman to woman, and from pregnancy to pregnancy." He looked over at her. "You know, Lil, this is all so weird. I mean, we're in the hospital, waiting for our friend to give birth to her first baby. And at some point in time we'll be here again waiting for Lucy to do the same."

Lily nodded. "It does feel strange. It feels like yesterday I'd just met Lola, and she was making fun of Jace's ears."

Hugo chuckled. "Seems like yesterday her and Lana were changing my clothes and hair just for a birthday party."

"You know, sometimes, I don't think twice about getting married next summer. I mean, we live together, we're used to each other, and the responsibilities. It's like we already are," Lily commented. "Then other times I sit and think, holy crap. I'm getting married this coming summer."

"Sometimes I sit and think, holy crap you're getting married," he joked. "Although, nothing beats watching Rose get married. I mean, I can remember fighting over a teddy bear with her when I was like three. Then I watched her walk down the aisle . . . it's weird."

"Don't answer if you don't want to, but do you think about getting married?" Lily inquired.

"Sometimes," Hugo admitted. "Not that I think it'll be within this year that I'll propose or anything. I mean, we've both still got careers to settle into, and things like that. But I do think about it. Maybe in a few years."

They dropped the conversation of growing up and changes, and instead sat in a comfortable, and thoughtful, silence. At one point they both went to the fifth floor for a snack and something to drink. They brought up gentler and easier conversations. Hugo talked about his training as a hit wizard, and Lily talked about some of her latest photo shoots. It was awhile before Victoire finally came out to the waiting room.

Lily and Hugo both stood up at the sight of their cousin. "Well?" Hugo asked.

Victoire smiled. "Everything went fine. Lola did great. She was hoping you would come see her," she said.

They both nodded as they headed for the door. "Thanks, Vic," Lily said quickly with a small wave. Then they were hurrying down the hall toward the lift. When they reached Lola's floor, and then the door to her room, Hugo wasted no time walking inside.

"Hey, La, how ya feeling?" Hugo asked as they both walked in.

Lola was sitting up, her back against about three pillows. She looked exhausted, and there was a light sheen of sweat still on her skin. Jace's hair looked like a disaster, and from where he sat next to Lola, Lily could see him massaging his hand. And in Lola's arms was a small little pink bundle.

Lily came up to Lola's side, and saw a sleeping little face that looked so peaceful. Lily smiled at her best friend. "She's beautiful, Lola," she whispered.

Lola nodded, her eyes, although tired, slightly teary. "I know," she murmured. "She's so perfect."

"And her ears are normal," Hugo teased as he came to look at little Melody Elisa Pucey.

Lola let out a small laugh, as did Jace. "Thank Merlin for that," Jace sighed as he ran a hand over his tired face.

A tear finally dropped from Lola's eye as she took in a breath. "I feel so weird," she admitted. "I mean, I'm a mother. I have a child now . . . It's really overwhelming."

"I'm a daddy," Jace murmured. "Holy shit, guys, I'm a daddy."

"And to a little girl, no less. Good luck, man," Hugo commented softly. "You'll need it."

* * *

"Is she cute?" Scorpius asked as he dropped onto the bed.

Lily nodded as she came to sit down, much more gently. "The baby's adorable. I don't think I've ever seen Lola or Jace so happy."

"How long will Lola be staying at the hospital?" Scorpius inquired as he rolled over to lie on his stomach.

"If all goes well, two days," Lily told him as she came to lay next to him.

"We'll have to go visit her tomorrow," Scorpius said before yawning.

Lily smiled. "I'd already planned on it, but you're welcome to join me," she teased.

"I'll meet ya there," he mumbled, his eyes closing.

* * *

The days of December kept moving. Lily went to visit Lola every day she was in the hospital, and was able to meet up with Lola's family, who had come to see her. Lola was eager for Hogwarts's Christmas break to come around so that the rest of her siblings could meet the new addition to their family.

As December kept moving, the time for Christmas Eve at the Burrow arrived. It put a tension in Lily's veins, mainly because it was finally going be the time where she would see James again, and would finally find out what had been up with him.

It all gave Lily an uneasy feeling.

* * *

"Aunt Lily! Aunt Lily!" Theodore exclaimed as he came running into the Burrow's kitchen. Lily was helping her grandmother, her mother, and some of her aunts with making a dinner large enough for the entire family. Theo came up to wrap his arms around Lily's legs. "When are we gunna eat?"

Lily smiled as she kneeled down to his level. "Who sent you in here to ask?" she inquired teasingly.

Theo giggled. "Uncle Ron," he laughed.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Of course, it was Ronald," she muttered.

Lily laughed too as she kissed Theodore's forehead. "Soon, I promise. Go let him know."

"Ok!" Theo said happily as he ran out of the kitchen.

"Here, Lily, take these out there to tie the boys over until dinner's ready," Grandma Weasley said with a sigh as she handed Lily a plate of cookies. "We know a few cookies won't ruin the appetite of those bottomless stomachs."

Lily gave another laugh as she took the plate. "Ok, no problem." Lily walked out the kitchen and to the living room, where it was packed with cousins and her uncles. Everyone was there . . . except for James and his girlfriend. Gabby was chasing Theodore around now, her father and uncles all seemed to be talking about something, and Scorpius and Hugo were playing chess. Roxanne was sitting with Lucy, who was obviously ready for her pregnancy to be over. Lorcan and Dave were talking about something, while Rose and Victoire gushed over baby Fleur. Molly was simply ignoring everyone, reading a book.

"Here you go, guys," Lily said as she set the plate on the table in the middle of the men. "Hope these get you through the wait." As she began to walk away, she stopped by her grandfather's chair. "Hey, Grandpa. Enjoying the night?"

Arthur Weasley smiled fondly at her. "I always do. How have you been lately?"

Lily shrugged. "Busy. Would you like to play with my phone again?" she offered with a smile.

He chuckled. "No, but maybe later. Have you gotten used to it yet?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It's still Brandon that usually does the calling between him and I, but I've gotten used to using it."

That was when the door slammed open, and James stormed in, slamming the door behind him. Besides the running and giggly children, the room went silent. James face was pulled into a terrible scowl, and the air surrounding him was tense. He still walked with a bit of a limp, but otherwise seemed healthy. He looked around but didn't say a word before storming off to sit in a chair by the fireplace. He didn't look at anyone, and he was silent.

"Hey, bro," Albus greeted warily.

"Shut it!" James snapped. "Not in the mood."

"Where's Melody?" Lucy asked.

"I threw her ass out. She was annoying!" James growled.

"Never thought we'd agree," Lily mumbled to herself as she moved to re-enter the kitchen. "James is here," she announced. "And he's in a bitchy mood, so be wary."

Ginny sighed. "He must still be upset about not being able to play anymore."

"This is sure to be a great dinner," Lily muttered sarcastically.

That dinner was by far the most tense one that Lily had been through with James. And this time it wasn't just her. The tension was centered around James and seemed to loom over everyone else. There were only small conversations at the table, while nobody said a word to James. And he said nothing to everybody else.

"So, Lily, how has Lola been?" Victoire asked curiously.

"She's been good," Lily replied. "I haven't seen her in awhile, so I have yet to find out how the rest of her siblings took to seeing the baby for the first time."

"You should go over there, see Robbie," Scorpius teased with a smirk.

Lily playfully elbowed him. "Give the guy a break. He's a sweetie."

Scorpius held up his hands in surrender, although the smirk was still there. "I never said he wasn't. Guy's like a big bowl of sugar." Now both Scorpius and Hugo laughed. Lily just rolled her eyes.

"How long is this insanity going to last?" James snapped, finally speaking since he first walked in.

"James," Harry sighed.

"I'm tired of pretending!" he hissed.

"James, step into the living room with me for a moment," Harry said sternly. James stood up, almost knocking his chair over as he marched out of the kitchen. Harry, and Ginny, followed him out.

Theodore looked at Lily. "Aunt Lily, what's wrong with Uncle James?"

Lily tried to keep from rolling her eyes at her brother's behavior. "He missed his nap time," she retorted with a sigh.

"So . . . are Grandma and Grandpa gunna put him to sleep?" Theodore guessed.

"We can only hope," Lily said with a small smile toward her nephew.

"I didn't want to be here!" they could hear the muted sound of James's yell. "And I don't have to stay, nor do I have to stand here and listen to this!"

The kitchen was silent while the obvious argument raged on in the other room. But they could only hear James's voice, and they only heard it one last time.

"You know what? I couldn't care less! I don't need you, and I don't need this family!" All that followed was a slamming door. Everyone was silent as Harry and Ginny came back in and sat down, both looking unhappy and as if they now had a headache.

"Wow," Theodore mumbled. "He must be really tired to be that crabby."


	106. The Responsibility Of A Sister

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took me a bit longer than expected. I had a bit of trouble with a few scenes. But here it is, along with a few moments that we have been waiting for. And one is a long time coming. I hope you like it. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Six: The Responsibility Of A Sister

The dinner at Christmas Eve had been a disaster. While Theodore had relieved a bit of tension after James had left, it still left an awkward and tense feeling around the room. James never came back that night, and he didn't show up on Christmas day. With how upset it made their parents, Lily felt like cracking James's skull open, but had kept her mouth shut about how big of a baby he was being. At least for now.

* * *

Lily groaned at the sound of a distant but still loud pounding. "What the hell is that?" she muttered.

"Who the hell visits people at one in the morning?" Scorpius groaned. He nudged Lily's shoulder. "Babe, get it?"

"You get it," Lily countered.

"I've got work in the morning!" Scorpius complained. "I need to sleep."

Lily groaned again as she relented and got up from bed, kicking off the blankets. January had come with a storm, and while the flat was warm, she already missed the great comfort of the bed and blankets. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, Lily made her way down the hall and into the living room. The closer she got to the door the more frantic the knocking got, and Lily could hear another sound that her tired brain couldn't make out at the moment. Lily pulled the door open, and she immediately recognized the sound as the wail of an infant.

"She won't stop!" Lola cried as she stepped in.

Lily yawned as she closed the door, blinking as the sound of Melody's cries slowly woke her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know!" Lola retorted, tears in her own eyes. "I've tried everything! But she's been crying for hours now, and I don't know what to do!"

Lily sighed. "When Jace comes back from visiting his uncle, tell him he owes me," she mumbled. "Ok, give me the baby." Lily took hold of Melody. "Hey, sweetie, why don't we let Mommy have her little breakdown, and we'll make sure there's no fever." Lily took the baby to the kitchen and flipped the light on.

Little Melody was still crying, her blue eyes teary and a little pink. Lily placed her hand on the infant's forehead. "Well you don't feel warm," she murmured. "Must just be colic, huh? Poor thing." Lily hummed softly as she rocked the baby softly. She looked over at where Lola was now sitting on the couch with her face buried in her hands. Slowly Melody's cries began to quiet, and Lily watched as her eyes began to close.

"How did you do that?" Lola whispered as Lily came to sit by her.

Very carefully, Lily passed Melody off to her mother. "You just have to be patient. It's colic. There's really nothing you can do _but_ be patient. Although it is easier with more than one person, so you don't lose your mind."

Lola brushed away one of her tears. "I remember Max being colicky. It was horrible."

"Well when does Jace get back from his trip? It's been a few days now, hasn't it?" Lily inquired. Jace had left on the first of January, and it was the third . . . or rather the fourth, now.

"Not until this evening," Lola mumbled as her head dropped onto Lily's shoulder. "Lily, how do women do this on their own? How do single mothers do it?"

Lily gave her a sympathetic smile. "It'll be ok. Why don't you stay here? You and Melody can take the guest room."

Lola lifted her head, another tear dropping. "Thanks, Lil," she sniffed. "Sorry I came here. It was the closest, and the first, place I thought of."

"It's ok. I'm not doing anything today anyways," Lily assured before yawning. "Especially not now."

Lily didn't get up to make Scorpius breakfast that morning. Instead she just laid under the covers, not bothering to even open her eyes.

"Hey, princess," Scorpius addressed, "out of curiosity, why is Lola here?"

"Melody has colic," Lily mumbled into the pillow.

"Ew," Scorpius gave a small hiss. "I remember when Tanner's little brother went through that. It was horrible for Aunt Daphne."

"Don't tell her that," Lily said with a yawn.

Scorpius chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm getting ready to head out now. I'll be home later." She felt a small kiss on her cheek before his weight left the bed, and she heard the bedroom door close.

Lily buried her face into her pillow, and brought the heavy comforter to wrap around her tighter. Another hour of sleep was all she really wanted. She'd get up after that . . . until she heard the persistent wails coming from the guest room.

Lily groaned loudly. "Fuck my life!" she grumbled into the pillow.

* * *

Lily shivered as she hurried into her building. Each day in January seemed to be colder, making Lily hardly want to leave her flat just to go out and Apparate to whatever job Brandon had for her. For the moment she was just happy to be inside as she made her way to the lift to bring her to her and Scorpius's floor.

"Wait! Miss Potter?" the doorman stopped her before she made it there.

Lily turned around as the doorman made his way toward her. She gave him a friendly smile. "Yes, can I help you?" she inquired.

"You got a message while you were out," the man told her. He held out a piece of paper to her. "He said his name was Hugo."

Lily unfolded the paper and easily recognized Hugo's quick and messy writing. "_Lil, Lucy went into labor. We'll be waiting at the hospital._"

Lily groaned. "Dammit!" But then she hurried to send the man another friendly smile. "Thank you very much. This was important. Excuse me." Then Lily was hurrying back out into the cold.

* * *

When Lily rushed into the hospital, she found a bit of a weird entourage in the waiting room. Hugo, her uncle Percy, and Zack and Tyler. Lily walked over to Hugo. "How's Lucy?" she asked.

Hugo turned to her and sighed. "Man, where the hell were you? It's been hours!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "I was at a job. Now how is Lucy?"

Hugo pulled off his at and smoothed down his hair. "She's ok. Zack and Tyler were making such a big fuss that all us men got kicked out of the room. Aunt Audrey's in there with her. Victoire got the information that she wasn't far from starting to push," he explained.

Lily looked at the two Creevey brothers. Tyler was pacing the floor, fidgeting restlessly. Zack was at least seated, but Lily thought that he looked ready to explode by the intense look on his face. She motioned toward them. "How are they doing?"

Hugo shrugged. "As good as possible for them . . . now. At first it was a big hassle."

"What happened?" Lily inquired as she sat down.

"Well, I guess when Lucy's water broke, Zack brought her here, then immediately went and told Uncle Percy and Aunt Audrey. Then at Lucy's request, he came and got me, and I went to go get you. He was _supposed_ to go and find Tyler, but he didn't. Tyler came in like an hour later, pissed off. I guess word got around the ministry once Uncle Percy left, and Tyler found out through the network. So then they fought about that. Then they fought about who would stay in the room with her once the time came for her to start pushing. Then they got into the age-old argument on whose baby it was," Hugo listed. Then he sighed again. "It was a bit exhausting. I almost had to drag Tyler out of there once the healer asked us to wait in here."

"Sorry I missed it," she mumbled sarcastically. "So, where's Stacy?"

"She'll be here later. She's working a shift at the Leaky Cauldron today," Hugo replied. He looked at her. "So, do you know how this whole . . . figuring out the father-thing, is going to work?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I guess they'll be able to test for that the day after the baby's born. So . . . tomorrow, I guess."

"I'm rooting for Zack," Hugo stated unabashedly.

"Yeah. Not only would he be a great dad, but he'd be better for Lucy," Lily admitted. "They're good for each other. Plus . . ."

"You don't like Tyler?" Hugo guessed with a chuckle. "Yeah, same here."

Lily grinned. "Pretty much. Nothing against Tyler, but . . . he just can't take responsibility for any thing he does wrong. He just attempts to justify his actions. He can't admit that he is ever wrong." She ran a hand through her hair. "That just bugs the crap out of me."

"Sounds like someone else we know. Someone we're related to," Hugo hinted. "Maybe Tyler made friends with the wrong brother."

"No, both brothers tend to do that," Lily mumbled.

"That incident with James still bothering you?" Hugo guessed.

"It wouldn't if it didn't upset both of my parents so much," she admitted. "He's being so selfish, and such a brat. I understand that he just lost his dream job, but it's not anyone's fault. There's no reason for him to take it out on the entire family."

"Have your parents talked to him since Christmas Eve?" Hugo questioned.

Lily shook her head. "No, but I guess they've been trying to. All to no avail." She sighed. "Is it just me or do the worst things happen to this family?"

"The families who seem the happiest often deal with the worst," Hugo said wisely.

* * *

It was late when Lily finally went back home. Scorpius was already in bed, and seemingly asleep. So Lily got ready for bed, then crawled under the blankets. She was tired and wanted nothing more than to just sleep. Just as she closed her eyes, an arm came to wrap around her.

"I was kind of disappointed when I came home to find that there wasn't an angel here to greet me," Scorpius whispered softly.

"I thought you were asleep," Lily murmured, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Light sleeping is an Auror thing," he retorted. "Where have you been all night?"

"Lucy went into labor," she answered. "She just had the baby like an hour ago."

"Did you get to see it?" Scorpius asked with a yawn.

"For a bit, but Lucy was exhausted, which is understandable," Lily mumbled. "But she had a little boy. She decided to name him Colin, after their uncle that died in the war."

"That's a nice name," he whispered, sleep obviously starting to take him again.

But sleep had already taken Lily as well.

* * *

"I think this test was a bad idea," Lucy stated. Lily and Hugo were sitting in her hospital room, waiting with her to find out who the father of her baby was. Lily was expecting the Creevey brothers to be there in any minute.

"Why is it a bad idea?" Hugo asked with a small chuckle.

Lucy took in a small breath, looking very unsure. "Because when I find out . . . it's not a mystery anymore. It's fact! If I know, then it's something I'll have to live with forever! I can't just sidestep the conversation, or ignore the questions. I will know, and I won't be able to hide it!"

Lily gave Lucy's hand a sympathetic squeeze. "It'll be ok, Lucy. No matter who the father is."

"Lucy," Hugo addressed suddenly, looking as hesitant as she did, "do you . . . is there someone that you _want_ the father to be?"

Lucy looked down at her lap. "I . . . I don't know. It's just been really confusing lately. I mean, what if it's Tyler's, and Zack kicks me out? What if they get into a big fight? And . . . lately they've both been asking me which one of them I love. But I don't know! I'm not sure if I love one of them, or if I maybe don't really love either of them. Things have just been so confusing lately!" she burst.

"Well, Lucy, if you have to question if you love them, doesn't that kind of mean that you don't?" Hugo retorted. "Or, are you just afraid to say that you love one of them? Because admitting that will mean that you'll have to risk not only getting hurt, but risk losing the other brother, who you still care about?"

Lily looked at Hugo in surprise. "How the hell do you know that?" she questioned.

Hugo shrugged. "Isn't that always the fear when it comes to love that includes a friend, or friends, in this case?"

Lily sighed. "Either way, Lucy, if you don't want to know . . . well now's the time to choose. But you should talk with the boys about it first."

"I won't have time," Lucy muttered. "They won't be here for another hour."

"Why not?" Hugo demanded. "Don't they know that the test is today?"

"I told them it'd be in an hour. I didn't want them to be here when the results came. I wanted to be able to process the result without their reactions," Lucy explained. "I knew you guys would be calmer and more understanding when the answer came, no matter what it was."

"Well I'll still be a little disappointed if it's Tyler's," Hugo muttered under his breath.

Lily discreetly stomped on his foot. "Of course we will be."

"Do you want us to be here when you tell the guys?" Hugo offered.

But Lucy shook her head. "No, if I decide to hear the answer, I think I should tell them alone."

"Whatever you want," Lily assured.

There was a knock at the door, and then a male healer stepped inside with some papers in his hands. "Hello, Miss Weasley. How are we feeling?"

"Nervous," Lucy stated simply.

The man chuckled. "Well that's understandable." Then he noticed Hugo and Lily. "Ah, are these people family?"

"Yes, these are my cousins, Hugo, and Lily. They're here as support," Lucy said.

He shook their hands. "Ah, well it's nice to meet you. I'm Conway Hale. I've been taking care of Lucy's procedures and tests throughout her pregnancy."

"Nice to meet you," Lily said politely.

"And no offense but can we get on with it?" Hugo commented.

"Of course," Mr. Hale assured. "Now, we did the test, and with what samples we took from the possible fathers yesterday, we have the result. Are you ready to hear it, or do you need a few minutes?"

Lucy was silent for a moment, but then seemed to gather her courage. "No, I'm ready now. There's no point in waiting."

Mr. Hale gave a nod. "Ok then. Well our tests say that the father is Tyler Creevey. Now, I'll let you have some time to discuss this. I'll have my assistant bring the baby back in."

Even after he left, the room was silent. Lily looked over at Lucy. She was staring at the wall blankly, as if she were thinking hard about something. Lily wanted to ask her what was going through her mind, or if she was at least ok. But at the same, Lily didn't want to push or rush her thoughts. It was a lot to take in. But it wasn't until Lily watched her eyes began to get watery that she herself started to worry.

"Lucy?" she said hesitantly. "Are you ok?"

Lucy nodded quickly as she wiped her eyes and gave a little laugh. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assured. "I just . . . I just didn't expect to feel . . . how I feel."

"How do you feel?" Hugo asked carefully.

Lucy brought in a slightly shaky breath. "Honestly? I'm kind of . . . disappointed. I just . . . I guess I always just assumed that it'd be Zack's. He's been so great about helping me get through this."

"You assumed, or you wanted?" Hugo asked.

A small tear finally did drop down her cheek. "I wanted. I . . . I wanted him to be Zack's baby."

"Are you going to be ok?" Lily asked softly.

Lucy nodded as she brushed that little tear away. "I'll be fine," she reassured. "I mean, I've thought about what I would do with both possible outcomes. I know what I want to do, and how to tell them."

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay?" Hugo offered.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Lucy said with a sigh. "I know that this is something I can handle, no matter how nerve-racking it is."

"Well doesn't that sum up the idea of life," Hugo joked lightly. But then he gave Lucy's shoulder an encouraging squeeze. "But you're right. You can do this, Lucy. We know you can."

* * *

Lucy never fully explained to Lily or Hugo exactly what she said to the Creevey brothers when she told them that Colin was Tyler's baby. But Lily imagined that it went well, but at the same it went worse than Lucy had hoped. She was still living with Zack, and from what Lily had heard and could see, Zack couldn't care less that Colin was his brother's baby. Whenever Lily saw Zack with Colin, he was like a wonderful and first-time father.

Tyler, despite being the father, hadn't seemed to take whatever Lucy had to say well. According to Lucy, he still came over when he could to see Colin and helped when he could. But there was apparently a lot of tension still around them. Supposedly, Lucy always just left Tyler and Colin alone when Tyler came to visit.

February showed up without any reprieve from the cold winter air. And it also brought around no end to the family drama that concerned James. If anything, it just seemed to be getting worse and worse. And with every day that passed, it just seemed to frustrate Lily even more.

* * *

"Cecilia, no," Lily said firmly from where she sat on the couch. Cecilia turned her head to look at Lily as she slowly pulled her hand away from where Salazar's tail was. Lily had brought Cecilia and Salazar with her to her parents' house, mainly because her mother had also fallen in love with the little girl.

"Is she walking yet?" Ginny asked as she set a bottle of water for Lily down on the coffee table.

"No, but she can stand if she's close enough to hold on to something. And she does love when I hold her up to help her attempt to," Lily said with a soft smile. Cecilia had looked away from Salazar, and had picked up a small teething ring, which she promptly began to chew on.

Ginny smiled at her daughter. "You've really taken to caring for this girl, haven't you?"

"Of course. She's my goddaughter," Lily said simply. She looked over at her mother. "So, have you been able to talk to James lately?"

Ginny sighed as she allowed her finger to run along the rim of her coffee mug. "No, he's not even yelling through the door anymore. I really just wish that he would talk to us about it."

"He's just being a brat. He'll get over it," Lily commented as she watched Salazar eye Cecilia suspiciously.

"I'm not so sure anymore," Ginny sighed. "It just seems like he's getting more and more closed off with each day that goes by. He just refuses to talk about anything."

"That's not your fault, though," Lily replied. "You can't blame yourself for that."

Ginny didn't look at all reassured though. "It's just hard for a mother when she can't do anything to help her child."

* * *

"Explain this to me again," Scorpius stated as Lily began to slip on her shoes. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to James's flat to . . . well either talk to him or beat the crap out of him. I don't know which yet," Lily muttered. "But don't worry. Dinner is made, both pets are fed, and I'll be back later. So eat, work out, and whatever else you wish."

"Lil, do you really think this is a good idea?" Scorpius questioned. "Shouldn't I at least go with you?"

Lily stood up. "Nope. This is something I want to do by myself. Don't worry about me."

"I will always worry about you," he retorted. "But if you're sure about this, then I won't argue."

Lily gave him a short kiss. "I'm sure. I owe it to my parents to try, and as a sister, it's my job to smack the crap out of my brother when it's deserved."

When Lily made her way out of the building, she looked at a small slip of paper she had in her hand. She had gotten James's address from Rose, all with the intention of going to see him that night. Once she'd stepped out into the cold, she quickly pulled out her wand. With a "BANG" the knight bus appeared. Lily stepped on and gave the address as she dropped a few coins into the man's hand. She took a seat near the front and waited patiently as the bus raced unseen through the streets. It stopped with a sudden jolt, and Lily's stop was announced.

Lily looked at the building as she stepped off the bus. It was nice and simple, and not as elaborate that Lily thought would have appealed to James's ego. She made her way inside and out of the cold. She quickly walked toward the lift, and was glad to go up alone. She came to James's floor, and walked down the hall as she looked for his flat's number. When she came to it, she didn't bother knocking. With a discreet flick of her wand, she unlocked the door, then stormed inside.

Lily had never really thought about what to expect when she arrived, so she didn't know how to feel about what she saw. James was sitting on his couch, his head buried in his hands, his fingers practically digging into his temples. His hair . . . it was incredibly short. Lily was sure that she hadn't seen his hair that short since he was a kid. There was a big bottle of firewhiskey sitting on the coffee table, along with a bunch of empty bottles of muggle alcohol, filthy plates, and about three different potion bottles, each filled with something different.

James didn't even lift his head. "Get. Out!"

Lily ignored him and slammed the door. Then she walked over to where he sat and picked up two of the potion bottles and read the labels. "You know if you're drinking while taking these, you'll puke it all back up," she commented dryly.

James finally looked up at her, a furious scowl on his face. "Get the fuck out! Out of all the people in the world, did you really think I'd want you around?"

Lily set the potions down. "I could really care less about what you want right now!" she snapped back. "I care more about how much of a dick you're being to our parents who did nothing wrong! It is not their fault this happened, so stop blaming them!"

James stood up in a flash. "I am not blaming them! My whole life has changed, so excuse me for being a bit upset!"

"That is no excuse for taking your anger out on the entire family!" Lily countered. "We all felt bad for what happened, but not enough to stand the abuse that you've been dishing out! So stop being a big baby, and stop being a brat!"

"What would you know?" James hissed. "Your life is just so perfect. What could you possibly know? Your life hasn't been turned around!"

"Being put in Slytherin turned my life around!" Lily yelled. "My brothers turning their backs on me turned my world around! But I got over it! I made the best of it, and it turned out great! Because of what happened to me, my life became as perfect as you think it to be."

James was still glaring. "Well there is nothing I can do to make the best out of it. My job is gone forever! I can never play Quidditch again!"

"So what?" Lily snapped. "So you can't play Quidditch! Big deal! You'll do something else! There are other jobs that involve the game without actually playing it!"

"I wasn't made for those jobs! I'm a player, dammit!" James retorted.

"Well not anymore!" Lily countered. "You got hurt. It's something all players have to accept when it happens to them. So you have to move on."

James dropped down onto the couch. "Well, oh wise one, tell me how? How do you move on from what you had dreamed of doing for your whole life? Because I dreamed only of playing Quidditch! Nothing else involved with Quidditch. Just playing it!"

Lily let her shoulders relaxed a little as a bit of pity came to her heart. "Well not by sitting here and feeling sorry for yourself. Wallowing in self-pity will get you nowhere. You have to get up and go on living. Because life won't stop just because your dream is over. You have to go on. Get another job."

"Like what!" he demanded.

"I don't know! Talk to your team's coach, I bet he'd love to help you. You have become one of the most famous players in the country! You have so many doors that will open for you if you just try! With all your expertise and intelligence concerning Quidditch, you could probably get any job in the business," Lily replied.

A scowl was still on James's face, but there was less fury in his eyes. "Why are you even here?"

"Because by doing this, you are putting Mum and Dad through hell," Lily stated. But then she sighed. "And because you're my brother. That makes it my job to knock some sense back into you, even if you don't see me as your sister."

"What makes you think that I don't see you as a sister?" he mumbled.

Lily raised a brow. "Maybe because you've said it? You've acted like it, backed up the statement?"

He scoffed. "I was a kid and I was angry. Shit gets said and then it passes. I thought you knew that."

"Well you did too much to back it up," Lily countered. "You can only get kicked so many times before you understand that hate has settled in."

"I don't hate you," he muttered.

"You act like it!" Lily retorted.

"Because I was angry!" James defended. "I thought you knew me! I'm volatile, short tempered, I say shit I don't mean when I'm pissed!"

"You had five of your little tramps attack me one year," Lily argued.

James ran a hand over his face and sighed. He picked up the bottle of firewhiskey and handed it to her. "Would you put this away, and then grab two butterbeers? I would but I'm slow when walking lately."

Lily eyed him carefully when she took the bottle. She walked over toward his kitchen area, and noticed that the bottle was unopened and still full. Not a single drink had been taken. She put it away and returned to the couch with two butterbeers, setting his on the table. James just popped it open, then patted the couch. "Sit down. I'll say my piece after I take this disgusting potion," he assured.

Lily sat at the end of the couch, still looking at him warily. His piece? Did she really want to hear it? "Are you really going to justify having me attacked?" she questioned.

James gulped down a drink of the potion, and his face twisted in disgust. He quickly began taking large drinks of his butterbeer, trying to erase the taste of the potion. Then he sighed and looked solely at the bottle. "I never told them to attack you. I never even knew that Lyla was going to recruit those other girls to help her. I just asked Lyla to . . . well to intimidate you. I was still mad, but I never thought she'd actually have the guts to attack you like that. I mean, even I knew that one-on-one, you could have taken her."

Lily looked away from him too, and stared at her lap. He never issued an attack? But . . . "But you were still hanging around her. You obviously didn't mind," she mumbled.

"No, she hung around me," James corrected. "I never sought her company after that. I just never argued when she sat around me and the guys." He sighed again, only more heavily. "Look, all the petty things I did to you while we were in school . . . it was just me being angry and immature. I never did it out of hate."

"That doesn't make up for every thing you did," Lily argued, although a bit more calmly. "I mean, what about when you slept with Albus's girlfriend?"

"I never slept with her," he countered.

"I heard you!" Lily interrupted.

"We . . . snogged, but nothing more. And that's a complicated story," James explained.

"I'm full of complicated stories, I think I can handle one more," Lily stated.

James ran a hand over his hair. "When I had heard about Albus deciding to go out with Melanie, I was skeptic. I knew her reputation, which was always fooling around and never taking a relationship seriously. And Albus said they were just having fun, that he wasn't taking it seriously either . . . but I knew he was lying. And he didn't really believe that she'd fool around. I just wanted to prove that she would . . . I didn't even mean to really kiss her. That just kind of happened."

"So in your attempts to help your brother, you snogged his girlfriend?" Lily retorted dryly.

"I never said I was smart," he muttered. "It just didn't work out like I thought it would have. I knew I screwed up."

"So you apologized?" Lily said expectantly.

"I never got the chance. Al . . . he was so weird back then. When I tried to explain and apologize he just brushed it off and said not to worry about it. That he understood. It confused the hell out of me, I don't get how he understood," James said with a sigh.

"He idolized you," Lily mentioned. "He was never going to be mad at you for anything."

"Well that's stupid," James retorted. "I wasn't the greatest guy at Hogwarts."

Lily looked at him in surprise. "You really think that?"

He shrugged. "I didn't used to. It wasn't until after I graduated that I started thinking about it. Especially lately. And I know I did a lot of stupid things."

"But why?" Lily demanded, standing up. "For what reason? Why did I go through what I went through? What is the reason for all that you've put me through?"

James still didn't look at her. "Everyone at school expected me to hate Slytherin when I started my first year. Since I was a Potter, I was supposed to loath Slytherins. So I did. And then . . . Slytherin took my baby sister from me."

Lily felt her heart stop for a brief moment as she looked at her brother. "What?"

James dropped to lean back against the couch. "For years, I had imagined that you would come to Hogwarts, be a Gryffindor, and it would be so much fun. It'd be like things always were. But then you go to Slytherin, and then you were going and doing all those things with people that I'd been fighting with for years. And Malfoy? That was what really got me!"

"What is your problem with Scorpius?" Lily questioned as she slowly sat back down. "I really don't get it."

"I hated Slytherins, and he was like King Slytherin. Even as a first year he was like a king to all of them. And we got into the fight, and then it just never got better," James muttered.

"You got into a fist fight at the last dinner at Mum and Dad's house," Lily argued.

"I don't like him," James answered. "I hate him."

"But why?" Lily replied.

"Because he touches my sister!" James exclaimed. "How could any brother like a guy who touches his sister!"

"I'm a grown woman, James!" Lily countered.

"It doesn't matter to me!" James retorted. "You are still my sister, and he is a grown man that . . . does what he does with my sister!"

Lily sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "James, Scorpius and I are getting married. We live together, and we'll have a family one day. It's the way it is, and nothing is going to change that."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," James pointed out. "I mean, I know you wouldn't be happy if I'd stayed with Melody."

"Melody was an idiot, and I know why you kept her around," Lily replied. "But I wouldn't have argued if you decided to marry her. It's your choice and your life."

"I just don't get it," James sighed. "Why do you have to get married so young? Where's the benefit?"

"I'm not getting married for benefits," Lily said with a bit of a laugh. "I'm getting married because I'm in love, and it's what we both want. It's a lifetime commitment that we're eager to make. It may be crazy and irrational, but love can be like that. I mean . . ." she sighed. "Haven't you _ever_ been in love?"

James shrugged. "I thought I was at one point . . . but I was just a kid. It wasn't real."

"I was fifteen when I fell in love," Lily admitted. "I don't think age always matters."

"I wasn't as mature at fifteen as you were. Besides, I was fourteen at the time. It wasn't real love," he stated. "It's nothing like what you and Malfoy have."

"If all love was like what Scorpius and I have, it would have lost its mystery long ago," Lily countered as she finally popped open her butterbeer. "It's different for everyone. Just because you were young doesn't mean it wasn't love. It was just a different kind. Like . . . puppy love, or something."

"Lily," James murmured quietly, "can I ask you something?"

Lily looked directly at him. "What is it?"

"Do you hate me?" he asked softly.

Lily sighed. "I don't hate you, James. I thought I did, and I sometimes wished that I did. But I don't. I can't. It doesn't matter what you do or what you did, because you're my brother. And I just can't hate you."

"I hate me," he mumbled. "I screwed up and wasted my entire life. I came to think that I was invincible, only to find out that I'm not. I never thought a time would come when I'd lose my job, and I never took the time to make a back-up plan, or prepare myself for a real job. I wasted an education."

"I thought you did good with your exams," Lily retorted.

"Exams don't mean a thing," James stated. "That just means you can take a test. But applying it to life . . . that's a whole other game. All I brought into life were my social skills, and they're not that great either." He brought his face to his hands again. "I made mistake after mistake, and I learned nothing from them. I just moved past them, placing blame on other people when I screwed up. And when I was a jerk, all I did was justify it. I lost my best friend, I lost myself, . . . and I lost my sister. All because I couldn't handle the pressure, and the changes, and I hate myself for it. I got what I deserved."

That sympathy and pity entered her heart again. Along with the urge to get her brother to stop hurting. "Is that all you've been doing in the past months? You just sit here and blame yourself, and beat yourself up, and hate yourself?"

"Yeah, because I have nothing to praise myself on," he argued in a mumble against his hands. "There's nothing redeeming about me. I was a terrible friend, a terrible boyfriend, a horrible son, and a dreadful brother. I messed up, and never let anything come from it."

"James," she whispered softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

James moved his hands, showing his face. His fingers grasped at his short hair, and Lily could see that his eyes looked a little watery. "I'm a horrible fucking person. I deserved to lose my dream. I really deserved it."


	107. People Change as Life Continues

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry if this took a little long. I've been having major computer problems, so I wasn't able to start on it for a few days. But I put a lot into it once I started, and I hope you all like it. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Seven: People Change as Life Continues

Lily wasn't sure how long she stayed with James that evening, but it was late when she got home. She had stayed until James had practically fallen asleep in his despondent and self-loathing state. And with everything she had learned in that one night, and all the things she learned about her brother . . . it hurt her to see him like that. She now understood why maybe her parents never just unlocked his door themselves. They didn't want to see him like that either.

Lily was tired when she finally stumbled into the bedroom. The light was on, and Scorpius was sitting up in the bed, looking tired but yet alert. Lily just silently changed for bed, and quietly slipped under the covers. It wasn't until she laid her head on the pillow that Scorpius look over at her.

"Are you ok?" he asked gently.

Lily closed her eyes and brought a hand to her temples. "I am, but James isn't. I don't think I've ever seen someone in such a depressing state."

"Did you give him hell for putting your parents through all this?" he questioned.

She sighed. "Yeah, I did . . . I'm going back over there tomorrow, though."

"What for?" Scorpius sounded confused.

"Because he needs help. Despite what happened tonight, I'm still worried," she admitted.

"James Potter needing help?" Scorpius almost scoffed. "He needs an ass kicking. I think he got what he deserved."

"He's still my brother," Lily argued. "So I'm going to help him out."

"What?" Scorpius exclaimed. "After everything he's done to you?"

Lily finally opened her eyes and sat up. But she didn't look at Scorpius. Only her lap. "Scorpius, he's my brother. I can't just ignore the situation he's in."

"He ignored everything he put you through!"

Lily rubbed her temples. "It's complicated. And he didn't ignore what I went through. It's just that when James gets mad . . . his priorities get a little mixed."

"And that justifies all that he's done?" Scorpius scoffed.

"I'm not saying that it justifies it. And he's not either. But thinking of all his mistakes wouldn't justify anything if I ignored him, especially now," Lily countered.

"It's called karma. He got what he deserved," he muttered.

"He thinks so too," Lily retorted dryly. "He sits in his flat all day and blames himself in the most unhealthy way. And the last thing he needs is someone else saying the same thing! He's done the best with what he had. He knows he messed up. But I think he can fix things, but he just doesn't know how or where to start."

"Because he's a selfish, idiotic, jackass," Scorpius stated.

"And he's my brother," Lily argued.

But Scorpius just kicked the blankets off of him and got off the bed. "Whatever," she heard him mutter.

"Where are you going?" Lily said with a roll of her eyes.

"A different room!" he snapped. Then he stormed out to the hallway, slamming the door behind him. Lily just turned off the light and laid back down. She was too tired to deal with anything else at the moment. A seven-year-old exhaustion was finally coming to its peak.

* * *

Although Lily woke up a little later than usual that next morning, Scorpius was still already gone. If she slept late, he usually at least woke her up to say goodbye. But not this time. But with her current anger and irritation at his reaction to her decision, she didn't really care. She ignored it and went through her morning routine of eating breakfast, setting out food for both Salazar and Regal, and then left to go and see James.

As Lily made her way out of her flat, she pulled out her muggle cellular and pulled up Brandon's number. She waited as it rang in her ear.

"Lily! I'm always happy when your name pops up on my screen. What's up?" Brandon asked.

"What time is my photo shoot this afternoon? There's something I need to do today, and I'm not sure how long it'll take," Lily asked.

"It's at one o'clock, and then we were going to have a meeting with T.J. about some big idea he's got at four," Brandon listed off.

"Can you talk to T.J. about making that meeting a business dinner?" Lily requested as she stepped into the lobby. "Say about six or seven?"

"I bet he'd love that idea," Brandon assured. "I'll let you know at your shoot what time."

"Ok. Thanks, Brandon." Lily hung up her phone just as she stepped out into the cold. She placed it in her pocket and began to hurry to her Apparation point. Now that she knew what James's building looked like, she was sure she could avoid the rocky the ride of the Knight Bus.

When Lily found herself at James's building, she again didn't bother knocking. She had a feeling that James still wouldn't answer if she did. And she found that his door was still unlocked from the night before. He hadn't even locked it after she left. Lily stepped in to find it in the same messy state as it was the night before. She quietly shut the door, and took her first real look around. She finally found James's bedroom, which was where he was, passed out along his bed. The blankets were tangled around his feet, and his pillow was over his head. Lily looked at the time. It was almost ten o'clock now.

Lily sighed as she looked around his room. It was a mess too. Clothes were thrown around, a few stray blankets, along with a broken broomstick. Lily was sure that it had been done out of anger, the broomstick at least. Knowing that James used to sleep like a rock, she began to quietly clean his room up a bit. She threw the clothes into his hamper, folded up the blankets, and Vanished the remnants of the broken broom. While doing so she found a small box of potions and a crinkled piece of paper.

"Take one mouthful every day, two sips a day, drink full with a meal . .," Lily mumbled to herself. Instructions. These must have been his potions from the hospital. Lily looked over the list of what he was taking, and what they were for. "No wonder Melody said he was getting mood swings," she whispered.

Lily took the box and headed to his kitchen. She set it on the counter, and began to look at what he had for food. He had a decent amount, which was more than she had suspected. Still, he'd have to go shopping soon. Lily cleaned up the dirty dishes, threw out all the empty bottles and old newspapers that were thrown about. Then she made him a small breakfast and made out the portions of each potion he was supposed to take. That left her with one more thing to do.

Lily walked back to James's room, and ripped the blankets off of his legs, then walked over and flicked the back of his ear. "Wake up, James Potter!" she said loudly near his ear.

James groaned as his eyes slowly blinked open, then only opened half way. "Lil? What are you doing here?" he muttered with a sleepy voice.

"I'm making sure that you stop wallowing and start moving on with your life, even if you have to take baby steps," Lily said firmly. "Now get up and eat breakfast. Then take your potions and take a shower."

James groaned as he slowly got up from his bed, blinking as he tried to open his eyes more. "I'm getting up, I'm getting up," he yawned. He rubbed his eyes, finally looking a little more awake as he followed her back to the kitchen. He looked surprised when he saw that he already had breakfast waiting for him. "Did you make this?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, you have to eat a full and proper meal with some of these potions. Not just a cracker," she mocked dryly.

James sat down with a sigh. "Shit, you are Mum's daughter," he mumbled. But he ate without a word.

Lily sat down and looked at him. "You know, you have to go shopping soon for food. And I'm coming back tomorrow, so if you don't have food then, I'll kick you in the injured spin," she threatened.

James nodded. "Yeah, yeah, ok."

"And out of curiosity, why did you cut your hair that short?" Lily questioned.

James ran a hand over his short hair. "Melody cut after I kept pulling on it out of frustration. Probably a good idea. I was probably close to ripping my hair out completely." He looked at her. "Does it look bad or something?"

"No, I was just wondering," Lily replied.

James sighed. "Thanks for this, Lil. All of it, not just the breakfast."

Lily shrugged. "No problem. Also, tomorrow I'm going to bring you a few different potions to take. That way you can avoid taking things that will just give you mood swings."

"I appreciate that. I hate what they're trying to make me take now," James admitted. He put down his fork. "You know, Lily, you don't have to do all of this. In fact, I'd understand completely if you just left."

"I know that I don't _have_ to do it," Lily stated. "But if I didn't, then I couldn't say that I tried to fix things between us. My desire to fix our relationship the past few years would have been wasted if I did nothing."

"Wish there was something I could do to help the process, except for being worthless," he mumbled.

"Well you can start by talking to Mum and Dad," Lily told him. "And maybe toning it down just a little on how much you hate my fiancé."

James rolled his eyes at her last statement. "I'll talk to them tonight or tomorrow," he assured. "So, when will you be here tomorrow then?"

"Hmm . . . around ten? And, I'll have my goddaughter with me too, I hope you don't mind," Lily mentioned.

James scowled with thought. "I thought that Louis was named little Fleur's godparent. And I know that Gabby's godparents are Aunt Fleur and Uncle Bill."

"I'm not talking about them," Lily said with a nod. "She's . . . the sister of a friend of mine. Her parents named me her godmother."

"Oh," he said quietly. "What's her name?"

"Cecilia. She's really adorable," Lily said with a fond smile.

"Well go ahead and bring her over," James replied. "I don't mind."

"So," Lily said with a bit of a sigh, "what are you going to do about a job?"

"The Cannon's will be coming back to Britain in two days, so I'll go to talk to Coach then," James said a bit quietly. "I figured I'd take your advice and see if he can do anything, or if he has any ideas at least."

"Good," Lily said with a nod.

James picked his fork back up. "So, how long are you staying here?"

"I have a photo shoot at one, so I'll have to leave about ten or twenty minutes before then," Lily told him.

"Why did you choose to be a model?" James demanded. "I mean, you had a seven year winning streak as a Seeker. Any team would have picked you up in a heartbeat. Or with how good people say you are with potions? I mean, out of all the possible careers, you pick modeling?"

Lily shrugged. "Nothing else really interested me. I mean, I like the freedom that modeling gives me. I don't have a nine-to-five job, I can basically choose my hours and what days I work. And . . . well when I first started, I was always told how many younger girls looked up to me because of what I did."

"That can be dangerous," James said instantly. "Be careful on what you do for admiration."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't mean the admiration. But other girls were starting to think that you had to be dumb to be that pretty or successful. I was smart, I took no crap from others, I was athletic, but I was a model. I can't tell you why they never believed it possible before, but it's what happened. And that's something I want other girls to believe. It's not that I want to _be_ their inspiration. I just want them to _have_ an inspiration," she explained.

James shook his head, almost in disbelief. "I don't know how you were able to get past everyone's expectations. Surely you had a million of them like me and Al did."

"Of course I did," Lily said with a scoff. "I learned long ago that you can't be a kid of Harry Potter without people expecting things of you. But I started out avoiding expectations just by being a Slytherin. Then I continued once I admitted that I didn't care about that, and by making friends with some of the best known and oldest Slytherin families. I fell in love with a Malfoy for Merlin's sake," she finished with a laugh.

James even gave a chuckle. "I wish I had been able to do that," he said. "But I just never knew how to, and I ended up falling in line with every expectation they gave me. I think the hardest ones were the ones that my older housemates gave me. Those were hard to resist, and I don't think I ever did. Not once."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

James pushed away his empty plate and picked up his first potion. "You don't want to hear it. You'll get angry." Then he threw back the potion, and his face scrunched with disgust. But he reached for the next one.

"I won't be angry with you," Lily assured as he downed the second one. She got up to get him a butterbeer. "So tell me."

James sighed. "Lil, we're starting to get along again. Are you sure you want to get into something that could ruin it?" He took his last few potions in quick succession, then took the butterbeer she offered. "Thanks."

Lily nodded as she sat down again. "No problem. And yes, I do want to get into it. So tell me," she insisted.

James took a big chug from the bottle, then put it down and looked at Lily with a hesitant but serious expression. "Ok, ok. Well, like I said before, they all expected me to hate Slytherins. To get into fights with them. So I did. They expected that I would get into a fight with Malfoy as soon as he came to Hogwarts, and I did. I was expected to give every hot girl with an interest a chance, go from girl to girl. Girls expected me to be sweet and charming. The list goes on and on."

"Do you regret going from girl to girl?" Lily questioned.

"I regret treating them like I did. But you know what I really regret?" James commented. "I regret that no one kicked my ass hard enough. No matter what I did, no one blamed me. What I did to you, when I attacked one Slytherin with a group of friends, when I ended up snogging Albus's girlfriend. No one blamed me. No one was mad at me. Well, no one that should have been mad at me was."

"You can't learn anything from that kind of treatment," Lily said in agreement. "And you know what's funny?"

"What?" he asked.

"You and Scorpius would have probably gotten along really well. You are very much alike," she admitted with a laugh.

James just rolled his eyes. "I doubt it."

Lily grinned. "It's that attitude that makes you like him," she teased. "You're both stubborn, set in your ways, overly protective, the list goes on and on."

James scratched at the stubble on his jaw. "You know, I like this," he stated, as if changing the subject.

Lily raised a brow. "Like what?"

He motioned between them. "This. Us talking. I like having my baby sister back in my life . . . in a positive way."

* * *

Lily checked her appearance in the mirror in the restaurant's waiting area as she pulled off her coat. She had taken time with her appearance that evening. She was dressed in an elegant green dress, she wore her Slytherin pendant and the emerald earrings she'd gotten a few years ago. Her hair was in loose curls, the pink in her bangs hidden. And there was minimal makeup on her as usual.

"Excuse me, Miss, may I help you?" the host asked her.

Lily gave him a friendly smile. "Yes, I'm meeting T.J. Manning," she told him.

"Oh! Of course, Mr. Manning has been waiting for his party. Let me get your coat," the host said as he gave a flick of his wand.

Lily let go of the coat as it floated toward the coat check. "Thank you. Is Brandon Avery here as well?"

"Not yet, Miss Potter. If you'll come this way," the host said as he motioned her forward. Lily followed him through the restaurant. Lily hadn't been to such a magically run restaurant. Trays floated to their correct tables, and couples and groups chatted casually as they ate. Lily was eventually brought to a more private table, where T.J. Manning was sitting, sipping what was probably wine from his glass.

T.J. noticed her approach and quickly stood up. "Ah, Lily! I'm glad to see you. You look ravishing," he complimented. He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. Then he motioned toward the table, where one of the chairs instantly pulled out. "Please, sit and join me."

Lily smiled as she took a seat, and T.J. came to sit across from her. "Thank you. This is a lovely place you chose."

"You mean you've never been here?" T.J. said in surprise. "With your close relations to the Malfoys, I'd have thought you frequented this establishment."

Lily raised a brow. "Why do you say that?"

"Well Draco Malfoy owns it," T.J. explained simply.

Lily looked around her. She hadn't known that Draco owned this place. Then again, Draco owned a lot of businesses. This one probably didn't stand out to him much. "I didn't know that," she murmured. But then she looked back to him. "So I'm surprised that Brandon's late. Usually he's not even a second late."

"Oh, he sent a message that he would be unable to attend tonight," T.J. said. "Apparently he is being forced to have dinner with his in-laws tonight. It was a bit sudden, but I spoke with him about my idea, and he's in full agreement. We just need yours to go ahead with it."

"Are you ready to order?" a young waiter asked as he came to their table.

They both placed an order, which they were assured would be at their table as soon as possible. Lily picked up her wine glass and took a sip. "I hope you're not averse to a bit of wine, but I thought it fit the occasion. After all, I see wine as a relaxing drink, and I hoped to ease any tensions when I told you of the idea," T.J. commented.

Lily put down the glass. "No, I don't mind. It's actually quite good. Anyways, what did you have in mind?" she inquired.

"Well, I've been dying to launch a whole new line with this friend of mine, who is practically a genius when it comes to advertising and business. But he had the idea that we need a face to go along with this new line. Someone that the masses will love, especially teen girls and young women. You were the first person that came to mind," T.J. explained.

Lily thought about that. It did sound promising. "So, what would that mean for me?"

"Well, you would be the model for the line. Anytime the line was advertised, you'd be there," T.J. told her.

"Sounds like a good deal," Lily admitted. "What kind of clothing line is it?"

"It's going to be aimed at girls around your age, a little older and a little younger," he said. "And it would range from shirts to pants to shorts to almost anything. So, what do you think?"

Lily ran her finger along the rim of her glass. "And Brandon agreed to this?"

"We worked out the details when it came to payment, but he loved it," T.J. assured with a small chuckle. "So, do you agree with us?"

Lily smiled. "I don't have a reason not to. It sounds like a great idea."

T.J.'s smile was as charming as Lily had known it to be. "That's perfect. I brought a few sketches if you'd like to see them." He picked a black book up from the side of the table, which had escaped Lily's notice until this point.

Lily took the book from him and began to flip through it. "These are really nice. Are these your designs?"

T.J. nodded. "Yes, although a few are Henry's, my new partner. He mostly just adds to them. He sees himself as more of the business manager of the operation."

"How did you get so good at women's fashions?" Lily asked teasingly.

He chuckled. "By having four older sisters who insisted I help them pick out what to wear for a date, and picking what would be more attractive to guys. I like to think I've picked a few things up from that experience."

"Well that I can understand," Lily said with a laugh as she handed him back the design book.

"So, Lily, how have you been lately? It's been awhile since we've actually been able to speak," T.J. inquired politely.

"I've been doing ok. Things have been a bit hectic, but not unbearable," Lily answered.

He gave a charming grin. "Doesn't that sum up most of life," he joked.

Lily laughed as well. "Last summer I became a godmother to a friend's new baby sister. I babysit her very often, so it's been a bit of trip babysitting such a young child."

"But are you excited?" he inquired.

Lily smiled. "Of course I am. She's adorable. I love kids as a whole, so it's not _just_ her," she admitted.

"I myself have a handful of nieces, each of which I love to spoil," he joked lightly. "I think my being born a boy was a rarity in my family."

"I can understand that. I'm one of the first girls born to the Potter family for generations," Lily told him.

"It's never bothered me," T.J. mentioned. "I've actually come to understand girls well enough to avoid unnecessary fights and accidents concerning other women I've come in contact with."

"You think you understand girls?" Lily teased.

He chuckled lightly. "Well I'm no expert, but I know and understand enough to get by. Perhaps that's why I'm not married," he joked.

"Well maybe you haven't just met the right woman," Lily countered teasingly.

He brought his wine glass to his lips. "Perhaps. Maybe I'm just terrible at searching for her."

"Maybe you look too hard," Lily countered. "Sometimes you have to just relax and let things happen."

"Sometimes things never happen to those who sit and do nothing," he retorted. Then he grinned. "Quick-witted and smart, you are amazing, Lily Luna."

Lily felt a bit of a blush come along her cheeks. "Well thank you." She paused, wondering if she should ask, but then decided to give it a try. "T.J., could I ask you something?"

"Ask me anything," he assured.

"Well, let's say you had a girlfriend, and she started to try and make peace with someone that you hated, and had a bad history with. Would you be angry at her?" Lily asked.

T.J seemed to think about that for a moment. "Well, I guess for a moment I might feel a bit betrayed, but ultimately I know that it would not be my place to resent her for it. It has nothing to do with me, and all to do with her. You know what I mean?"

Lily sighed. "Yeah, I do." She took a long sip of her wine. Why couldn't Scorpius act like that? He'd been accepting of when she made up with Hugo or Rose. He even admitted to having real conversations with Rose at work now. And they'd had problems with Hugo and Rose at school too. So what was it about James? She honestly felt that he'd be more ok if she were to trying and talk to Albus again. This had to be about James. But why?

"Having troubles?" T.J. guessed.

Lily focused back on him just to notice that their food had arrived. "Oh, it's nothing," she said, trying to avoid the conversation. "So, what does T.J, stand for?"

"Timothy Jackson Manning is my full name," he said as an explanation. "But as a kid I always felt it was too long, so we took up the name T.J. instead. So, will you answer my question?"

Lily sighed. "It's nothing. Just a spat really." A lie, because part of her was still a bit furious with Scorpius's reaction to this whole thing. He'd known that she wanted to make up with James, so why was he acting like this now?

"Well I can only guess what it's about from your hypothetical situation, but I will say that you're not wrong. Don't feel guilty for trying to mend broken bridges," T.J. said comfortingly.

Lily gave him a small and weak smile. "Thanks."

* * *

"So, what will the next step in this deal be?" Lily inquired as they walked inside to the lobby of her building. After a casual and delightful dinner, T.J. had insisted on at least making sure she got back just fine, even if she was simply Apparating.

"Well we're still in the process of having some of our designs being created, so in the meantime I'll probably be working with Brandon on a few details of the deal. But I'd say in a week or two, we'll have some ready for a photo shoot. Also, we're planning on having a huge launch party, so it would be very helpful if you would attend that, as you will be the face of the new line," T.J. explained.

Lily gave a nod. "Of course I'll be there."

"Then you just have to wait," T.J. said with a smile. Then it softened. "Well, I've had a very nice time with you, Lily Luna, but I believe that this is where we part."

Lily smiled as well. "I had fun too. It was nice to just be able to talk with you about something other than business for most of the night."

T.J. laughed. "I know, but I am a man of business. But I must admit it was nice as well. I hope we can do it again?"

Lily nodded. "Sure. Just talk to my agent, he knows my schedule better than I do," she joked.

T.J. laughed again, but gave a nod. "Of course." He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, just like he had at the start of their dinner. "Good night, Lily Luna."

"Good night, Timothy Jackson," she replied, much to his amusement. She turned and walked toward the lift. When she stepped in, she was able to catch one last glimpse of T.J. before he was walking out of the door.

When Lily stepped into her flat, Scorpius was sitting at the kitchen table, eating, with his back to the door. Immediately Lily felt a bit of her previous irritation rise. And with T.J.'s earlier words of encouragement, she was definitely not going to apologize when she wasn't wrong.

Lily slipped off her shoes and then put her purse on the couch as she walked by it. "What the hell are you wearing?" she heard Scorpius demand.

Lily turned, irked at his tone, and she became even more irritated at his furious scowl. But she didn't back away. "A dress. I had a business dinner tonight. I'm glad you read the note I left you," she mocked.

Now he was glaring under his scowl. "I read the dumb note," he shot back. "I just didn't know it involved you looking like . . . that!" he hissed as he stood from his chair.

Lily glared back at him. "Like what?"

"Like you're meeting a guy!" Scorpius snarled.

"Well last I knew, T.J. Manning was a guy," Lily countered dryly.

"You know what I mean!" Scorpius argued.

"Yes, and it was stupid!" Lily snapped.

"Yeah, being angry about my future wife meeting some guy dressed like that is stupid!" he exclaimed.

"For a business meeting!" Lily stated firmly. "We discussed a major deal that included me and a new fashion line!"

"Because I love when a guy thinks of all the revealing clothes he can take pictures of my girl in!" he yelled.

Lily suppressed the urge to tremble in fury. "You are absolutely ridiculous! It was a professional dinner! T.J. is a professional! Both of us are! Because these are our careers! I am a model! I take that seriously, and so does he! _You_ are the only one that doesn't!" Lily turned on her heel than and stormed down the hall. She entered the bedroom and slammed the door. Then she flipped the lock. He could sleep somewhere else with that attitude.

* * *

"Are you sure these potions will work better?" James asked warily as Lily set them down on the table.

"Yes, mainly because they won't affect your mood or personality. But they'll do the same for you physically and for your health. Just follow the instructions I gave you," Lily assured.

James sighed. "How long do I have to take them?"

"How long were you supposed to take the other ones?" Lily inquired.

"Until I felt better, which the team's healer said might never happen," James muttered.

"Then the same goes for these. And if you run out I can always make more," Lily told him.

James scratched at his hair. "Ok, ok. Thanks. And I talked to Mum and Dad last night."

"How'd that go?" Lily asked as looked over at Cecilia, who was playing with a small assortment of toys on the kitchen floor.

"I felt awkward and terrible, but they seemed really happy," James replied. "And I did feel better afterwards."

"That's good. And tomorrow you're going to talk to your old coach?" Lily reminded.

James nodded. "Yes, I am." He looked down suddenly, and Lily looked to see that Cecilia had crawled over to him, and was now trying to pull herself up by grabbing on to his pants. James reached down and picked her up, then placed her in his lap. "Hi there, pretty girl. You know, Lil, I'm glad you brought her over."

Lily raised an amused brow. "Really?"

"Really. I like kids, especially babies. They're cute, and at this stage they can't really cop an attitude," James joked.

Lily laughed. "Yeah, but I think sometimes they wish they could."

James just playfully tickled Cecilia's stomach, eliciting a small and adorable giggle from the baby. "They're still cute."

"So, when are you going to talk to Rose and Lorcan?" Lily asked.

James didn't look away from Cecilia. "I don't know. Maybe I'll go to the ministry and see Rose sometime when I get the chance."

"And Lorcan?" Lily pressed.

James sighed as he put Cecilia back down. "I'm not ready for that, Lil. I know it's not his fault, it was part of the game . . . but part of me still wants to blame him. And the last thing I want is for there to be an even bigger blow up between the two of us. So . . . not now."

* * *

"He's being such a child!" Lily commented to Hugo. The two had planned a day for them to have lunch together, since it'd been awhile since they'd done so. With Hugo working as a full-time hit wizard, and Lily either modeling or babysitting, both had been busy. Lily was now explaining her issues with Scorpius, which after days had yet to be resolved.

"Well, what's the main issue?" Hugo asked. "Is it James, or you modeling?"

"I don't even know anymore," Lily retorted. "One day it was about James, then it was me being a model."

"Well, he's always hated you being a model, and he's always hated James. And he always hoped that you'd find something better than modeling. So maybe he also thought that you'd never patch things up with James," Hugo thought out.

"Maybe I was dumb for thinking he knew me better than that," Lily mumbled.

"But at the same time, you know he hates modeling. So why do you let this get to you?" Hugo countered.

"Because I treat it like a career," Lily stated. "He treats it like it's childish or ridiculous."

"Why not try to talk it out with him? Isn't that what you two usually do?" Hugo questioned.

"We just end up arguing and screaming," Lily muttered. "So I just started taking more jobs, and he's taken to working late."

"Because that helps," Hugo scoffed.

"It stops the yelling though," Lily sighed. She decided to quickly change the subject while she could. "So, how have you and Stacy been?"

Hugo shrugged, obviously allowing the change. "We've been ok. Actually Stacy started working with this center that helps people. Like abused kids and girlfriends, and people with other troubles. She really likes working with those people, despite how horrible their problems sound."

Lily nodded. "She's brave, because I don't think I could handle that day after day. It was hard enough the few times I did it for others."

"I don't think I could handle hearing stories about what some of those kids go through," Hugo said with a small shudder.

"What about you? How do you like being a hit wizard?" Lily asked.

Hugo grinned. "I like it. It feels like I'm out doing something good every day."

"How much does Stacy worry about you though?" Lily teased.

Hugo chuckled a little. "Well she obviously worries, but she's been cool about it. She knows that this is what I want to do, and she knows that I can handle it. She supports it, which is all I ask for." He took a drink from his butterbeer. "So, have you talked to Lucy?"

Lily shook her head. "No, not lately. Why?"

"Well I guess her and Zack are going to give it another try as a couple," Hugo told her.

"Seriously?" Lily asked. While surprised, Lily was happy for both of them. Those two were a good balance for each other.

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, I ran into Zack a few days ago in Diagon Alley, and he was telling me about it."

"Well that's good. I'm happy for them," Lily said. "Did Zack say how Tyler was taking the news, or does Tyler not know?"

"I guess Lucy told him, because Zack wasn't sure. But he was guessing that he took it bad, because Tyler hasn't been over since. Not even to see Colin," Hugo answered.

"So Tyler got angry enough to refuse to see his own son? I'll admit that I'm surprised. I didn't think he'd be that much of a jerk," Lily sighed.

"Tyler's always been like this though," Hugo muttered. "He gets all angry and then drops all responsibility for things." Then he sighed. "So, I haven't asked, how has James been since you talked to him?"

Lily took a drink before answering. "He's been getting better. He was able to talk to his old coach, and now he gets to be an assistant coach for the Cannons."

Hugo looked surprised. "No shit?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I guess the coach thought that James's experience and insight to the sport would be a great help, plus he could really help train the other Chasers. So he made the job of an assistant coach, and gave it to James. I guess they haven't had an assistant coach for decades."

"Sounds like a job for James," Hugo commented. "How's he doing otherwise?"

"He still has to take all of his potions. He still has a bit of a limp, but the healers are saying that it might be permanent. He has occasional back pains, but the potions do help. And since I gave him ones that don't affect his mood, he's been in better spirits," Lily told him.

"And you're happy?" Hugo asked.

Lily nodded. "I am. I'm glad that I get to actually talk to him again, like we used to. I mean, we've obviously had a lot of catching up to do, but it's still nice. We've talked out some of the stuff that happened at Hogwarts between us, or things that we did. It's a work in progress, but still progressing."

"That's good, and a start," Hugo said with a smile. "See not all things with you are bad right now."

"Just the most important one," she mumbled softly.

* * *

Lily looked at herself in the mirror one last time. Tonight was the night of T.J.'s launch party for his new line, _Dream Life_. Lily had done the first photo shoot for the line, and she had to admit that the designs looked beautiful after coming to life. And since this would be its biggest starting night, Brandon had demanded she look her absolute best.

Lily wore a royal purple dress that had been made by T.J. himself, and Brandon had sent over a few accessories for her to wear, each to match the dress. Lily had to admit that they were beautiful. She pulled her hair up, but allowed her bangs to sweep to the right, the pink showing brightly. Deciding that she was finally ready, Lily moved away from the mirror. She checked on how much food Salazar had, and made sure the window was open for when Regal would be ready to hunt.

When Lily left the room, she could hear the sound of Scorpius's workout equipment in movement, signaling Scorpius's starting workout. She hadn't even known that he was home from work yet. Then again, lately he spent most of his time home working out, the time they didn't spend fighting that is.

Lily pushed open the door to his workout room to see him lifting what looked like a heavy amount of muggle weights. He had a fondness for muggle workouts that Lily never questioned. But it looked difficult. "Hey, Brandon and Ciara will be here soon, so I'm going to wait down in the lobby. I'll be home later tonight," she told him.

Scorpius set the weights down and sat up. He was sweaty, and she could hear light pants coming from his lips. His hair was practically spiked up, probably due to sweat and his habit of running his hands through it. There was what was becoming a permanent scowl on his face as he looked her over. "What time is it over?" he demanded.

Lily repressed the urge to roll her eyes. "I honestly don't know. Brandon didn't mention, and neither did T.J., not that I asked."

"Be home at ten," he muttered as he wiped sweat from his forehead.

Lily raised a challenging brow. "I'm sorry, are you my father? Because that didn't work when he said it either. And unlike with him, I can freely say, bite me!" she mocked. Then without allowing to say anything else, Lily turned and stormed out.

When Lily reached the lobby, she was just in time to see Brandon and his newly pregnant wife, Ciara, step into the building, both dressed fabulously. "Ah, Lily, what timing!" Brandon exclaimed with excitement.

Ciara was thankfully a little more calm. "Hi, Lily." Lily had to admit that Brandon married a classically beautiful woman. Her chestnut brown hair fell around her in waves, and her light grey eyes were soft with expression. Lily wondered how Brandon, excited and loud Brandon, could marry such a calm and quiet woman. It had to be the balance between them.

"Hey, Ciara. Can we go?" Lily inquired.

"Of course. So, Scorpius isn't coming?" Brandon questioned as they all stepped out into the cold, heading for the Apparation point.

Lily sighed, her breath showing in the air. "No. I wasn't stupid enough to invite him," she muttered to herself.

The party turned out bigger than Lily could have imagined. She recognized some other fashion designers, and there were other models, and dozens and dozens of reporters and photographers. And that was only part of to the party. She was immediately found by T.J., who brought her to another man.

"Lily Luna, this is Henry Morgan, my new business partner, and cofounder of the _Dream Life _line. Jeff, this is our lovely model, Lily Luna," T.J. introduced.

Lily looked over Henry Morgan. He was a decently handsome man himself. He had blonde hair that was swept and combed to the side, and dazzling green eyes. He was dressed in tones of grey and black, which looked good on him.

Henry took her hand, and much like T.J. always did, he placed a kiss on the back of it. "You are as beautiful as Tim raved about. Not that I think him a liar," he joked. "It's a great pleasure to meet you, Lily."

"The same to you," Lily said politely. "T.J. has talked quite a lot about you these past two weeks."

"All good I hope," Henry said with a laugh.

"Nothing but compliments," Lily assured with a laugh of her own.

Henry handed her a full wine glass. "I'm glad. You know, when Tim suggested you as the face of our line, he showed me a few of the shots you'd done for him. I must say they were splendid. And after seeing the pictures you just did for us, I'd have to say that you are perfect for this job."

"Thank you. I have to admit that when I did my first ever shoot, I never thought much about it as a career," Lily told him before taking a sip.

"Yes, Tim mentioned that you had started with _Asterix_. With how young you are now you must have been, what, fifteen? That's quite young," Henry commented.

"I was thirteen, actually," Lily mentioned. "I originally did it as a favor."

"Thirteen? Wow, that seems so young to start life as a model," he commented.

"Well I didn't do much modeling until the summer months came around, what with school," Lily replied.

"See, I told you she was a treat to be around," T.J. said with his charming smile.

"Yes, I wish that when it came to business, I wasn't always dealing with just Brandon," Henry joked.

Lily smiled. "Well I'll have to join you two sometime, although I'll warn you that I know nothing when it comes to that area. That's why I have Brandon."

"You know, Lily Luna, we have a few other people that are dying to meet you, if you would?" T.J. requested.

Lily shrugged. "Of course, why not?"

That was how Lily spent the evening. She met dozens of other people, greeted the few she knew, and even talked with a few people that claimed to be ardent fans of her work. She was surprisingly asked very few questions by reporters and interviewers, and their questions were all about the new line. And most of all, she had fun. It was a wonderful and relaxing evening for Lily. She never even noticed how late it got before she left.

"You have no idea how many job offers I got for you tonight," Brandon said happily as he walked inside the building with Lily. Ciara had left the party early, claiming to be tired, leaving it to be just the two of them.

"You have no idea how many agents offered to take your place," Lily teased playfully.

Brandon laughed. "Ha, ha. Anyways, Henry was very impressed with you."

"I was impressed with him. I don't think I've ever met someone so smart, yet so . . . personable," Lily said, thinking of her cousin Molly.

"Well he was wondering if you are interested in having lunch with him on the twenty-ninth," Brandon mentioned.

"When you talk to him next, tell him I'd love to," Lily replied as they stopped by her door.

Brandon gave a nod. "I'll tell him tomorrow. Have you two meet at the Leaky Cauldron at noon?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll talk to you later," Lily said.

"I'll probably call you tomorrow to tell you if the lunch thing is good with him. Good night, Lily," Brandon said with a smile.

"Good night, Brandon," Lily responded before opening the door and walking inside. The lights were off, so she assumed that Scorpius had already gone to bed. She flipped on one of the lights as she kicked off her shoes and pulled off her coat. She looked at the time. It was nearly midnight. She flipped the light back off, and easily made her way through the flat in the dark. But when she opened the bedroom door, the light was on and she could hear noises from the bathroom.

Lily simply walked over to the closet to find a pair of pajamas for the night. She had just finished getting dressed when she heard the small creak of the closet door being pulled open further. "I thought I said ten," she heard Scorpius growl.

"Last time I knew, I was an adult and didn't have a curfew," Lily countered as she turned to look at him. "And excuse me for having fun. This flat has been seriously lacking that lately." She moved past him into the bedroom.

But Scorpius quickly whipped around, still glaring. "Must you be this difficult?"

Lily turned to glare at him. "Must you be a total ass?"

"I asked one thing!"

"You demanded it!" Lily interrupted. "Big difference. If you'd have asked with good reason, I'd have done it."

"You are impossible!" he exclaimed.

"What is this about, Scorpius?" Lily demanded. "First I thought it was about James, then it was about my job, and now it's about me coming home past ten. What is this about?"

"This is about the fact that you're changing, and I can't stop it," Scorpius stated firmly.

Lily looked at him incredulously. "I'm changing?"

"Yes. Now you're going off and talking to James, spending all night with some . . . guy at dinners, and off doing some shoot wearing Merlin knows what!" Scorpius listed.

Lily felt her gut tighten. Hugo had been right. "I've stated before that if I could fix things with James that I would. Excuse me for thinking you believed me. And you know what I wear at photo shoots, because you always see them in the end. And I told you it was _one_ business dinner!"

"You use to tell me things," Scorpius stated with a tight jaw. "Who you were modeling for, what the clothing would probably be, what time you'd be back. You're starting to come back home later than me."

"I work, Scorpius. I have never made it seem like I would quit modeling," Lily retorted. "So I am talking and spending time with James, and I will continue to be a model."

"Yes, two things I absolutely hate! I'm so happy," Scorpius hissed sarcastically.

Lily repressed a scream, but not an irritated groan. "Merlin! Why am I marrying you?" she exclaimed in frustration.

Scorpius's glare reached a level of intensity that even Lily had not seen before. "You really have to ask that?"

"I never thought I would!" Lily cried. "But you're changing just as much as I am! You used to support me whenever I tried to patch things up with my family. You may have never liked my job, but you accepted it. You never pulled crap like this! And if you have this many problems with me, than maybe you should ask the same thing!"

"Maybe I should just get the fuck out of here, how about that?" he snarled.

"Maybe you should!" Lily snapped back.

"Fine!" Then without another word, he moved past her and stormed out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Moments later, she could hear what was probably the front door slamming as well.

Lily kicked back all the emotions that wanted to rip apart her heart and explode. She checked on Salazar, who was sleeping on his little bed. Regal was perched in his cage, tearing apart what was probably a dead mouse. She closed the window, and then flipped off the light and climbed into bed. It wasn't until she finally laid her head on the pillow that her eyes began to burn with the telltale signs of tears.


	108. The Reasons Why We Do

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - This took a little longer, but I've had computer troubles, not to mention a bit of writer's block. I know this one isn't as long, but I wanted to get it out to you guys. Sorry for any mistakes that I missed. Anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

**Additional note - Part of this chapter has a higher rating. If you don't feel comfortable reading it, I'd suggest skipping it.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Eight: The Reasons Why We Do

Scorpius didn't come home the next day, or the day after that for that matter. And it was only thanks to Lana that Lily even knew that he was staying with her and Dante for the time being. Lily took the time alone to sit and think about the question she had asked before he left. Why were they getting married? Why so soon? Were they rushing it? It was obvious that they were young and would still grow and change a little . . . but did these changes make a difference? Was it too much for both of them to handle?

Lily wouldn't quit being a model just because she was getting married. Despite how much she worried about Scorpius being an Auror, she would never ask him to quit. She should at least be able to expect the same from him. And she would also not stop talking to James. James was her big brother, and right now he was going through a rough patch. She would not abandon him now.

And Scorpius . . . it's like he was being a child about all of this! Or had he really put so little into what she said? Did he really just dismiss her claims of sticking with modeling and making up with James as just words?

Lana had told Lily that maybe they just need a little time apart. Time to figure out what they both wanted and needed. But Lily had to admit, to herself, that she missed waking up next to him. She missed him as a whole. And it just brought up a whole other question. One that hurt to think about.

What if they couldn't fix this?

Could she really live without Scorpius in her life? It seemed impossible for him to be replaced by someone else. Lily hadn't imagined herself with another guy . . . since even _before_ she started dating Scorpius. But if their problems were deal breakers . . ., could she get past it? Could she go on with life as if everything was normal?

These were the questions that plagued Lily every minute of the day, even in her nightmares.

* * *

"Honestly, the idea of you and Scorpius _not_ together . . . it seems impossible," Hugo admitted. He and Lily had gone to Lucy and Zack's flat, to see both Lucy and little Colin. After continuous prodding and coaxing, Lily had finally spilled everything that had happened days ago.

"That's what I always thought," Lily mumbled as she watched Lucy change Colin. "But . . . here I am, asking myself this question. I mean, they say marriage is hard, but it's starting to seem like getting to the wedding is the hardest part."

"Well ever since you started at Hogwarts, Scorpius was always an important part of your life, romantically or not. That's seven years of memories and love. I can understand why it'd be hard," Lucy sympathized as she pulled Colin back into her arms.

"I honestly never thought I'd be asking questions like this though," Lily murmured. "I had never before questioned if spending rest of my life with Scorpius was the right thing."

"Maybe you've just been together _too_ long," Hugo said. "Let things cool down, and then it'll be easier to talk calmly."

"It's still scary that I'm questioning it," Lily whispered.

Hugo scoffed. "Face it. You two are meant to be stuck with each other. All couples fight, remember?"

"It's not the fact that we're fighting," Lily countered. "It's the questions, and how we're changing. We're both young, we still have maturing to do. What if it's pulling us in different directions?"

Hugo sighed as he pulled his hat off of his head. "Man, what is it about women? You make these things so difficult!" He moved so that he was looking straight at Lily. "Lil, do you want to know _why_ you're marrying Scorpius? I'll tell you why. It's because you love him, and he loves you. That's why you two are getting married."

"Yeah, but . . ."

Hugo interrupted her. "Lily Luna Potter, soon to be Malfoy, can you look me in the eye and honestly say that you don't love that man with all of your heart?"

Lily bit her lip momentarily. "I know that I love him. That's not what I'm questioning. But . . . is it enough?" Or are we just growing apart and becoming too different? Or is what he wants something that I just can't accept? Or can he not accept how I'm changing?"

Hugo grabbed both of her arms. "Lily, you are just stressing yourself out on this whole thing. You just need to take some time, relax, let yourself calm down, and you will see that things are not as bad as your stressed out little mind is making them out to be. Ok?"

There was a knock at the front door, so Lucy passed Colin off to Hugo and made her way to the door. Hugo awkwardly tried to adjust the baby's position in his arms. Lily just took a deep breath and tried to do as Hugo said. Relax and calm down. But with her heart aching every moment, and her mind spinning in terrifying circles, it wasn't easy.

"Oh, Aunt Ginny, what are you doing here?" Lucy asked when she opened the door, catching the attention of both Lily and Hugo.

Ginny smiled as she walked in. "Well Hermione mentioned that both our kids were coming here today, and I needed to talk with my daughter."

"What's up, Mum?" Lily asked as Ginny took a seat next to Hugo, smiling even softer at Colin.

"Well, I wanted to tell you that we're going to have a little family dinner on the second. To celebrate James getting back on his feet, and of course the mending of your relationship with him. Can you be there by six? In case I need a little help?" Ginny asked.

Lily sighed. She honestly was not in the mood for a happy family moment. Not with the way her life was going at this precise moment. But she still nodded. "Sure, Mum. Six o'clock on the second. I'll be there."

"Good. Now, there's something I want to talk with you about privately. Is there a place we can do that, Lucy?" Ginny asked, looking toward her niece.

Lucy looked a little surprised. "Oh. Well, I was about ready to put Colin down for a nap, so Hugo can come help me, and you two can just talk here," she offered.

Ginny smiled as Hugo got up to follow Lucy down the hall. "Thank you, dear. This will only take a minute." But once she heard the closing of a door, her cheery smile fell a bit, and she gave her daughter a look of sympathy. "What happened between you and Scorpius to make Ron question on whether or not you two are getting married?"

Lily tried not to smack her head against the coffee table. Uncle Ron and his big mouth! And had Scorpius _really_ said something like that to him? It made that hurt and fear squeeze Lily's heart even harder. "We had a fight is all," she mumbled.

"From what I hear, he's been staying at his sister's house for days now," Ginny stated.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Why don't you tell me everything he told Uncle Ron, then I'll fill in the blanks?" she snapped dryly.

Ginny gave a small sigh. "I'm not trying to poke at fresh wounds, sweetheart. But something is very obviously wrong if the two of you are questioning why you're getting married."

"Mum," Lily paused and sighed. How could she try to explain what was wrong when she herself hardly knew? She still had a hundred questions that she was asking herself, each with no answer. And she knew they weren't anything that her mother could answer. "Look, Mum, . . . we just need to spend a little time apart, ok? We'll be fine, really. Just keep planning wedding, and don't worry about us."

Lily wished that she believed that herself.

* * *

While winter was coming toward its end, and spring would soon arrive, that fact did nothing change the bitter cold in the air. Even if the snow had already disappeared, the chilly wind was there to remind you of the season, and made you wish you were warm and indoors.

Lily felt this exact way as she looked out the window of the Leaky Cauldron. It was the day that she and Henry had planned to have lunch together. She had arrived a little early, wanting to be away from the silence of her flat. It seemed more empty each day.

Despite the weather, she was still not a winter clothing-type of girl. She wore a thin and silk long sleeve shirt that fell slightly off one shoulder. And she wore a black skirt with leggings underneath. Her hair was pulled up into a simple ponytail. After all these formal occasions, she was happy to just dress casually for one.

It was three days now. Three days since Scorpius had left their flat in a fury. Her entire world had seemingly started to crumble in those three days. She had tried to do what Hugo said. She tried to just relax . . . but it was impossible for her.

"Ah, Lily," Henry said with a smile as he approached the table. He was dressed more for the winter. He had only black slacks and what looked to be a very warm maroon sweater. His blonde hair was still swept and combed to the side, allowing his green eyes to really shine. "I'm glad you agreed to this. I needed the break from all the work with the new line," he mentioned as he sat down.

Lily smiled. "Well I needed the distraction as well, so I was glad to agree. I got us both a butterbeer, I hope that works for you?"

"Works perfectly. I actually haven't eaten here in years," Henry commented.

"Well how about I order for the both of us? I come here all the time, so I know what's the perfect thing to get," Lily offered.

Henry gave a nod as he pulled off the cap to his butterbeer. "Sure, I trust your judgement."

Lily ordered for the both of them when Hannah's new waitress came to their table, and then looked toward her lunch companion. "So, how do you know T.J.?"

"Tim? Oh, he's an old friend. We were neighbors as kids, and so we've just kind of grown up together," Henry told her.

"Did you go to Hogwarts then?" Lily asked curiously.

"No, actually I went to Durmstrang," he answered. "It was where my dad went to school, so that's where he always wanted his son to go."

"Did you like it there?" Lily inquired.

"Well I had always wished that it was a little more relaxed, but I guess I might not have ended up as smart without such a rigorous education," he said with a chuckle. "Did you like Hogwarts?"

A smile easily came to Lily's lips. "I loved it. I really couldn't imagine going to any other school."

"I always thought Hogwarts sounded fun. A few of Tim and I's neighborhood friends had gone there," Henry commented.

"Well it obviously had its share of drama, and then some, but it was worth the life experiences and all the memories," Lily replied.

"Memories are precious," Henry agreed. "So, because I'm just an average citizen, I have to ask, how is being the daughter of such a famous hero?"

Lily sighed, but still gave a wry smile. This wasn't a new question to her. She'd heard it plenty of times at the launch party alone. "Tiring, I guess. It can put a lot of expectations on your shoulders. And if you can't find ways to ignore them, then I'd imagine that it can be stressful."

"You've never felt that stress?" Henry asked.

"I've found ways to go around expectations," Lily replied. "I can't speak for my brothers, but I've done my best to just have fun and ignore expectations."

"You have two brothers?" he asked. "I knew of the one that plays Quidditch, but I didn't know you had another."

"Well his job doesn't place him in the media as much," Lily mentioned. "Do you have any siblings?"

"I have a brother and two sisters," he told her. "My brother is older, as is one of my sisters. But the other sister is three years younger than I am. I'm kind of the middle child."

"I'm the youngest actually, and that includes among the rest of my extended family . . . of my generation," Lily explained. "One of my cousins just had a baby, and my other cousin has three kids now. The oldest will be turning five soon."

"I have a few nephews and nieces myself," Henry admitted. "My brother has two daughters and a son, my older sister has two sons, and my younger sister has a daughter. Each of them are adorable, so I try to babysit them when I can. I'm a fan of kids."

"I am too, but I babysit a lot, so I'm used to them," Lily joked.

"I once babysat all of them in one day. That's six. How many have you watched in one day?" he challenged playfully.

Lily thought about that. "Seven. I had to babysit my friend's little siblings once, and she has quite a lot of them," she said, thinking of when she watched over the younger Pritchard kids.

Lunch with Henry turned out to be a nice time. Lily found that Henry really was a sweet man. He was very fond of not just his nieces and nephews, but of all little kids. He spent a lot of time working, but always took time off if it concerned his family. He liked to travel, and had a wonderful sense of humor.

"You know, I don't know when I've had such a nice afternoon," Henry commented as they walked out the backdoor of the Leaky Cauldron. The wall to Diagon Alley was closed, waiting for Henry to hit the correct bricks. He apparently lived along Diagon Alley, and Lily would simply Apparate home from where they were.

Lily smiled and nodded. "I agree. With how . . . hectic things have been with work and life, it was nice to simply have some time to distract myself."

Henry chuckled. "Glad I could be of help. I'll have to send you a message next time I get overloaded with work. Perhaps we could do this again?"

Lily shrugged with a friendly smile. "Maybe. We'll see how schedules go."

Henry's smile was charming and a bit gentle in appearance, but also friendly. So Lily was honestly surprised when Henry began to lean closer, and she wasn't completely sure what to do when Henry placed his lips against hers. It was a nice kiss. It was soft and held no pressure or expectation. His lips were warm, and while the kiss was gentle, his lips were still sure and certain. As if he held no hesitance about it.

When Henry pulled away, Lily simply blinked a few times, her mind still processing what happened. She hadn't been kissed by a man other than Scorpius since before they had started dating years ago. And it was a nice kiss, and from a very nice and handsome man. And . . .

Henry gave Lily a bashful smile. "Was that the wrong thing to do?"

This time Lily couldn't have repressed the smile that came to her lips if she tried.

* * *

Lily didn't bother knocking on her parents' door, but instead just walked into the house. She could smell food cooking down the hall from the kitchen. "Mum? Dad? I'm here!" Lily called as she slipped off her shoes.

Ginny came out from the kitchen, and smiled at her daughter. "Hello, sweetheart. I'm glad you came early."

Lily hung up her coat. "Well you asked me to. Do you need help?"

"Well why don't you go into the living room and say hi to your father. I think he's in there," Ginny said as she returned to the kitchen.

Lily raised a brow, but didn't question her mother's weird behavior. Instead she just headed for the living room. She stopped when she saw who was really sitting on the couch. Scorpius. His hair was in its usual styled mess, and it looked like he hadn't shaven in a few days. He was dressed in a black long sleeve shirt with grey pants. A scowl was on his face as his eyes locked onto her. It all made her heart beat faster.

"Scorpius, hi," she greeted a bit quietly. She'd been wanting to talk to him since her lunch with Henry the day before, but hadn't had the chance. And she hadn't thought he'd be here. She immediately sensed a setup by her mother, but didn't mind. This actually worked out to her benefit.

Scorpius looked away from her. "Hey," he mumbled.

"Can we talk upstairs?" Lily requested.

Scorpius ran a hand over his face. "Lil, now is not the time to start this. I just want to get through this dinner."

"Tonight is the perfect time," Lily argued. "We have to talk. This is really important."

Scorpius groaned as he got up. "Fine, fine. Let's just get this over with then," she heard him mutter.

Lily ignored his tone and led him upstairs. She pulled him into her old bedroom and immediately locked the door. And on the very possible chance that yelling resulted from what she had to say, she pulled out her wand and silenced the room. When she turned back to Scorpius, he was sitting on the bed, looking like he really didn't want to be there.

"Ok, what do you want to say?" he asked with a heavy sigh.

"Something happened to me yesterday. Something wonderful, something that helped me figure out everything that's been bothering me since our big blow up."

Scorpius tapped his fingers on his knee as he looked at his lap. "What?"

"I had lunch with Henry Morgan . . . and he kissed me," Lily stated.

Scorpius's head immediately shot up to look at her, and he was on his feet in a second. His expression was one of complete fury. "What?" he demanded.

Lily stepped forward and placed her hands on his arms. "Just wait!" she insisted. "Him kissing me was the perfect thing to happen."

"And I'm supposed to be happy about that?" Scorpius exclaimed. "My fiancee gets kissed by another man, and I'm not supposed to be angry?"

"I realized the answer to the question that I stupidly asked that night!" Lily said quickly. Scorpius didn't say anything, but she could feel his arms tense. "I know why I'm marrying you."

Scorpius's scowl deepened. "What do you mean?"

Lily brought in a deep breath. "It's the way you kiss me."

He now looked confused, although he was still scowling. "You're marrying me because of how I kiss you?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. Because . . . no one has ever made me feel the way you do when we kiss. Lysander didn't when I was a teenager, and Henry didn't last night. As a woman, I can admit that it was a nice kiss, and I can tell that he was a good kisser. But I felt absolutely nothing when he kissed me. But with you, I get shivers when you just hold my hand. I love you, and it's not a love that can be replaced. _You_ are irreplaceable. Anyone can make me laugh, anyone could support me financially, and anyone could make me smile. But no one can make me feel the way you do. No one makes my heart beat harder just by looking at me, but you."

Scorpius's arms relaxed a little bit under her fingers, and his scowl softened just a tad. "I can't live without you in my life. I can't live without you being mine," he whispered.

Lily moved her hands down to intertwine her fingers with his. "And I'm sorry for every thing that's happened this month. But you hate my job, and you hate my brother . . . and those are things that I can live with. But . . . do you think you can live with my being a model, and my getting along with James?"

"Can you live with me tagging along to those fashion parties and glaring at every man that approaches you? And that I'll probably be unbearable whenever you mention working for that Manning guy?" he asked in return.

"If you can live with my being a bit flighty and forgetful. And with the fact that I sometimes don't notice other men's intentions when I think it's just a simple lunch?" Lily added.

"If you can live with my demanding that you no longer go on lunches like that without Brandon or me," Scorpius finished.

Lily nodded. "After the last few days, I think I could live with anything, as long as it includes you," she murmured.

Scorpius looked down at her hands, then a bit of a scowl came back to his face when he looked at her. "Another man kissed you?"

Lily bit back a laugh, and gave him a sheepish smile. "Yeah. Nothing we can do about it now."

"I beg to differ," he growled lowly. Then his hands left hers in a flash and came to her cheeks. Then he pulled her closer and placed his lips on hers in a searing and passionate kiss. Lily's heart sped up erratically, and a warmth spread through her body. His tongue swept across her bottom lip with a pleasant pressure. Lily parted her lips for him. She didn't know how long the kiss lasted, but every second burned through her body, and when their lips parted her breath was short with harsh pants. Longing coursed through her veins, along with a familiar desire. And with a look at the intensity of his eyes, a known heat pooled in her stomach.

"I missed you," she whispered. "And I'm so sorry."

Scorpius shook his head, and brought his hands to her hips in order to pull her closer. He then rested his forehead on hers. "I'm sorry too. I was just thinking of me, and I promise that it won't happen again," he murmured.

"Same here," Lily panted lightly. "And whenever you want to be involved in my job, just say so. I'll do my best, I promise."

Scorpius's hands tightened on her hips as he pulled her even closer to him. He tilted his head and pressed another kiss on her lips. This one was much rougher, with a thick undertone of desire. Lily parted her lips for him immediately, and his tongue swept along her lips, then into her mouth and brushed along her own tongue. One of his hands came around to rest his palm on the small of her back, his skin burning through her shirt and into her own skin.

Lily wove her fingers into his hair, massaging his scalp, while the other hands came to his shoulder, where her hand fisted in his shirt. Repeated waves of heat were lapping over her body, urging her to press even closer to him.

Scorpius pulled his lips from hers, and trailed his down to her neck. "How much time do we have?"

"I don't know when James will be here, but probably thirty minutes at the most," she gasped as his teeth nipped a bit of skin near her pulse.

"Perfect," he mumbled as he brought his hands lower, and lifted her off of her feet. Lily wrapped her legs around him and let out a moan as his lips finally came to suck at her pulse point. Lily began to tug at his sweater, dying for it to disappear, and to feel the warm heat that his skin radiated.

Scorpius stumbled a little, and they both fell to the bed behind them. Normally, Lily might have laughed, but she was too caught up in the quick pace and passion of the moment. Scorpius pulled away for only a second to pull the sweater over his head. He threw it over his shoulder as he came back to kiss her again. Lily ran her hands across the expanse of his back, shivering at the warm muscle she felt. Scorpius's own hands pulled her shirt up along her skin, the hem coming to stop just above her chest. Pulling it up anymore would mean that their lips would have to part, and he didn't seem about to do so.

Lily shivered again when his hands roamed from her sides, to her stomach, her breasts, and back to her sides again. She pulled her lips from his in order to catch her breath, but then brought her lips to his ear, where she nipped at his earlobe. Scorpius groaned, and in return brought his lips to her pulse point again, only to trail further down. She felt his hands tugging at her jeans, and she soon heard the familiar sound of the button unsnapping, and the zipper being undone. He ripped her jeans down her legs, dropping the pants to the floor.

Lily's short-lived gasp turned into a small cry of pleasure when his hand roughly brushed against her. In her mind's hazy and rushed state, Lily could hear the sound of clinking metal, and then the sound of a zipper. She brought hand down to the taunt muscles of his stomach, but then his hand caught hers, and a comfortable warmth spread all the way up her arm, and down to her heart.

Scorpius's lips moved to be place on the swell of her breast, and Lily was sure that he could probably feel the rapid beat of her heart under his lips. "You love me?" he mumbled against her skin. Lily nodded, not trusting her voice. But then he nipped a bit roughly at her skin, pulling a small and needy whimper from her throat. "Say it." His voice was a hoarse whisper that was low with desire and obvious arousal.

Lily took in the best breath that her erratic body could handle. "I love you," she murmured softly, her fingers digging into his shoulders at the feel of his fingers tugging her underwear aside.

He thrust into her immediately and quickly. Lily let out a moan, and Scorpius groaned into her skin. He wasted not time in starting a fast and uneven pace, one that Lily was luckily able to keep up with. With every thrust she could feel a slight scratch from what she assumed was his belt, but it didn't stop her from pulling him even closer as they moved. Scorpius's hands had a tight grip on her hips, and his lips seemed to be every where. After one particularly hard thrust, Lily moaned and dragged her fingers up his back.

Her head was spinning at the urgency of their pace, and a familiar and sorely missed pressure was tightening in her body, ready to snap at a moment's notice. Her body felt as if it were on fire, and her nerves were snapping under her skin.

Scorpius's lips came back up to connect harshly with her own. Suddenly his pace increased, not only making it impossible for Lily to keep up, her mind already in a whirlwind, but it also snapped that pressure in her body into a million pieces. Bursts of ecstasy popped in her veins. "Scorpius!" she moaned quietly against his lips.

Lily felt her body finally fall to exhaustion, and her breath came in quick and needy pants. She hadn't noticed that Scorpius had come as well, but he now rested his forehead on her shoulder, his chest and shoulders heaving as he tried to catch his own breath. They both laid there, trying to settle their breaths and bodies.

"Lily?"

Both of them froze at the sound of James's voice in the hallway. Then they both snapped into action. Scorpius pulled away from her completely and began to pull his boxers and pants back up, and Lily quickly reached for her jeans on the floor.

"Lily?" There was a knock on the door. "You in there?"

Lily hurried to have her jeans in place, and then began to fix her shirt. Scorpius quickly moved to the door, where his sweater had been thrown, and started to pull it over his head.

"James?" That was her mother. They both froze again, Lily with her shirt wrinkled and a little lopsided, and Scorpius with his sweater only over his head.

"Is Lily in there, Mum?" they heard James asked.

"Yes, she and Scorpius are talking a few things out. Leave them be, they need to talk," Ginny replied.

"Well if he makes her cry than I reserve the right to kick the crap out of him," they heard James's voice fade as he stepped away from the door.

Lily and Scorpius both refrained from moving for a minute or so. Then with a heavy sigh, he finally slipped his arms into the sweater, while Lily fixed her shirt completely. Then she walked over to her old and small vanity mirror. Her hair was a mess, and there was a slight sheen of sweat on her skin. She was flushed, and she still felt as if her body was on fire.

Scorpius came up behind her, hid hand holding out her wand. "Here," he mumbled, his breath still a little heavy.

Lily took it from him. "Thanks," she whispered. With a few short spells, she got rid of the sweat on her skin, but she knew that her hair would be a problem. Taming Potter hair without a brush was practically impossible, and she had obviously taken her brush with her when she moved. She quickly started to open the drawers, hoping that maybe she could find a spare hair tie that she'd left.

Scorpius simply ran his hand over his hair, trying to make it look more like the styled mess from before, instead of the real mess she had made it. "You might have to search the bathroom for a brush to fix that," he commented, his fingers coming up to run through her hair. But then his hands fell to wrap around her, and pulled her back into him, his cheek resting against her hair.

Lily relaxed into his hold, having dearly missed this in the last month. She waited for a moment for her heart to slow a little, but then she smiled when she remembered: her heart never beat normally around Scorpius. She turned in his embrace, and leaned up to place a kiss on his jaw. "Go and distract my parents while I run to the bathroom?"

Scorpius nodded. "No problem," he whispered. He pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry for my attitude this last month."

"Me too," she murmured. "But we'll talk more about it at home, ok?"

After Lily undid the silencing charm around her room, they left to the hallway, thankful to find that her brother was no longer lurking around. While Scorpius went downstairs, Lily hurried to the hall's bathroom. She was so thankful to find one of the boys' old combs. She looked herself over in the mirror as she ran the comb through her hair. And she groaned. Slowly, she could see little hickeys appearing on her neck. She finished combing her hair quickly, then did a few simple concealment charms to hide the marks on her neck.

Her face was still a little flush, and her body still felt a little hot, but Lily knew that her appearance probably wouldn't get any better for a little bit. She put down the comb and left the bathroom, pleased that her hair no longer looked like an absolute mess. She went down the stairs just in time for her mother to catch her in the hallway with an expectant look that made Lily nervous.

"Well?" Ginny demanded.

Lily gulped quietly. "Well what?" she asked innocently, praying that her mother wouldn't figure out what she and Scorpius had just done.

"Do Astoria and I need to worry about the wedding?" Ginny explained.

Relief rushed through Lily. "Oh, no. We're ok . . . or on the road to ok. We're fine," she rambled. "I promise."

Ginny smiled. "Good, because I'd hate to see you two unhappy, which I'm sure you would be without each other."

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Me too."

"Help me set the table? Dinner's almost done," Ginny said as she walked into the kitchen.

Lily followed her. "Yeah sure," she said vaguely. Because she just had this really bad feeling . . . that her mum just _knew_.

When they all sat down to dinner, Albus was surprisingly missing. "He's on a short scouting mission," Harry had told them when James asked.

The dinner itself was a little different. James sat in front of Lily, while Scorpius obvious sat by her side. The two didn't look at each other, and didn't acknowledge each other either. Lily felt like a wall in-between the two, making her want to roll her eyes.

"So, James, how's being the assistant coach treating you?" Lily asked curiously.

An obvious smile tugged at James's lips. "It's a pretty cool job. I mean, it still sucks that I can't play, but it's not bad."

"Have they figured out who's taking the new Chaser spot?" Ginny inquired.

"Yeah, a girl named Elizabeth Peakes," James answered, with what Lily detected to be a bit of a blush on his cheeks. "I guess we went to Hogwarts together, but I don't really remember her honestly. She's a year younger than me, according to her."

"I remember her," Lily commented. "She commentated on the Quidditch matches for a few years."

"Yeah, that's what she said, but I still can't really remember," James mentioned. "I felt like a jerk since she remembered me."

"So, Scorpius, how's your team doing on the case?" Harry questioned.

"We're waiting for the interrogation team to come back with results from the last guy we picked up. If we can get something, then we might be able to wrap it up," Scorpius said. It was vague, but Lily was sure that her father understood exactly what that meant for the department.

"So, Lily," Ginny addressed now that the two were talking about work, "have you decided on a dress yet?"

Lily gave her mother a sheepish look. "Well . . . not exactly."

"Well it's not like the wedding's next month or something . . . right?" James asked quickly.

"But it is only _three_ months away," Ginny pointed out. "Have you been looking?"

"Twice a week at least," Lily assured with a sigh. "I just haven't committed to picking one yet. Because like you said, it's still three months away."

"Time can move faster than you think sometimes," Ginny teased.

"Oh, Scorpius, James, Lily, I almost forgot," Harry said suddenly. "Ron had an idea that he spread around parts of the family. He was thinking this April that when we all meet at the Burrow that we'd have a family Quidditch match. And it's not going to be anything intense or dangerous, so you should be fine, James. Are you in?"

Lily shrugged. "Sure."

"Totally!" James said quickly.

"Seems like a fun plan," Scorpius said with a polite smile.

* * *

Lily and Scorpius had been quiet all the way home that night. It wasn't uncomfortable, but Lily knew that there were still things that needed to be said. Their passionate apologies weren't going to be enough, and their situation wasn't something they could ignore. Not with _three_ months until their wedding.

When they both sat on the couch, Lily decided to be the first to speak. "So, you've seen James in a relaxed situation," she mentioned.

"I still hate him," Scorpius stated. "For years and years he made other Houses hate Slytherin. Slytherins got tortured, and picked on, and harassed all because of him. I can't forgive that. And I can't forgive all that he's done to you."

"But can you tolerate him?" Lily questioned.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe. For you."

Lily reached up and fixed his hair. "Scorpius, can I ask something, and you not assume the worse? But really think about it?"

Scorpius took her hand and intertwined their fingers. "I'll try."

Lily kept a comforting grip on his hand. "Do you think we should get married?"

Scorpius looked at her with a raised brow. "What do you mean?" His hand tightened on hers.

"We're young, and we're still having fights like this? You're trying to accept things about my job, and I'm still trying to get into the habit of telling you everything I do instead of going off and just doing it. Do you really think we're ready for marriage?" Lily questioned. "I don't think we can just look at this simply because we're in love."

Scorpius stared at their hands. "You're right. When it comes to marriage, love isn't always enough of a reason," he admitted lowly. He moved his eyes up to lock with her. "Do you think we should?"

Lily took in a comforting breath. "I don't know. I want to, I really, _really_ want to. I want to marry you, have your last name, and be your wife for the rest of my life. But I honestly don't know if the time is right. I don't know how you tell."

He shrugged. "I don't either. I just know what I want, and I want to marry you. And maybe it's just my desire clouding my judgement, but I don't really care if it's right or not."

"But how do we tell?" Lily mumbled.

"This is how we tell," Scorpius said quickly as he got up from his seat. Then he was kneeling in front of her, their eyes locking. "You love me?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course I do."

"Do you really care that we're young?" Scorpius asked.

"Well not personally, but . . ."

"Do you care that we fight?" Scorpius fired off.

"Well all couples fight."

"And do you want to marry me?" Scorpius demanded.

"Well yes!" Lily exclaimed with a bit of exasperation.

"Then do it, woman!" Scorpius countered. "Don't over think it, don't stress about it, just do it! Meet me down the aisle this summer, let your dad give me your hand, and promise with me that we'll be together for the rest of our lives." His voice ended in a soft tone, and it brought an immediate comfort to Lily's heart.

After a moment, Lily finally nodded. "Ok," she murmured.

Scorpius smiled wholeheartedly, making Lily smile as well. "Good. Now tell me you love me," he teased.

Lily laughed. "I love you," she stated.

He shook his head. "Nah, you can do better than that! Say it again."

Lily pushed him onto his heels. "Nope, only once."

Scorpius reached forward and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her onto the floor with him. "Well then I'm not letting you go until you do!" he mocked with a familiar smirk.

"If that's my punishment, then maybe I'll never say it again," Lily teased softly.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "Good answer." Then his lips were on hers.

* * *

"Lil, can I ask you a question?" James inquired as he sat at her kitchen table. He'd come over to have lunch with her, and of course to see baby Cecilia, who she was babysitting for the afternoon.

Lily nodded as she fed Cecilia a bit of food. "Sure, what is it?"

"What's the most romantic way that a guy could ask a girl out?" James asked.

"Depends on the girl," Lily replied.

"Say a girl who's really into romance," James said vaguely.

"Just explain your situation, James. I'll do much better at helping if I know details," Lily told him.

"I'm trying to get Elizabeth Peakes to go out with me," he admitted.

Lily looked at her brother with a raised brow. "The girl who just joined your team? The one you couldn't remember? You want to ask her out?"

"She's really cool!" James said defensively. "She's pretty, she's a great player, she's funny, and she's pretty smart!"

Lily held up a hand in surrender. "Ok, ok. So, you're having trouble asking her out?"

"Yes, I can't think of a romantic way to do it, which is what she wants," James muttered.

"What?" Lily questioned.

James sighed, looking a little embarrassed. "I asked her out a couple of days ago, and she said no."

"Ouch, rejection," Lily mocked lightly.

"Ha, ha, but it wasn't a total rejection. She said that she wants me to ask her in a more romantic way," James clarified.

"How did you ask her before?" Lily inquired.

"I just asked," James said.

Lily gave a short nod. "Ok. Well first off, she'd probably like it if you didn't get your romantic idea from someone else, but if it came from your own heart and mind."

"But I only know what I've done before, and I don't want to use some used up line on her," James retorted. "I need something new."

Lily sighed. "Well, I only know what I know, and I never personally asked someone out, let alone romantically."

"Well you've been asked out, was one of those romantic? And be vague on details!" James said quickly.

Lily repressed the urge to roll her eyes. "Well . . . Xavier just asked me . . . Lysander just asked me . . . and Scorpius . . . he kind of just stated it. So, no. None of them were romantic."

"And you're marrying that guy?" James muttered.

"Absolutely," Lily stated. After their make up a few weeks ago, Lily and Scorpius had started working on mending things immediately. Lily always let him know which job was which day, and she never accepted a lunch or dinner meeting unless Brandon would absolutely be there. Scorpius had taken to laying off her choice of career, and even took time to listen about the details of certain photo shoots, trying to understand what she did most days. And with their firm decision that getting married was right for them, they both never doubted or questioned it, not even to themselves.

James just shook his head. "Anyways, you don't even have an idea?"

"Well what does she like?" Lily asked. When James didn't answer, Lily sighed. "You have no idea, do you?"

"Well that's the point of the first date! To get to know her!" James defended.

"Ok, point taken," Lily agreed. "But there has to be something about her that you know besides vague things like pretty, smart, and athletic."

James tapped his fingers on the table as he thought. "Um . . . well she likes fashion magazines!" he said proudly, as if he'd accomplished something great.

Lily again raised a brow. "What?"

"Well she's always telling me that she saw you in the latest issue of all these different magazines," James said. "I noticed."

Lily just shook her head, trying to ignore how dense her brother could be. "Ok, forget that I asked. Just . . . do something that'll sweep her off her feet. Something that'll surprise her."

"Well help me, what would surprise you?" James inquired idly.

"At this rate, you coming up with your own brilliant plan," Lily mumbled.

* * *

"I still don't get why your parents are suddenly throwing this big dinner," Lily mentioned as they approached the manor. "I mean, wasn't that always the point of the Slytherin dinner in the summer?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I don't either. I'm just glad it's casual, and I don't have to dress up for it after a long work day," he mentioned.

"It still doesn't seem like them," Lily said as they stepped inside.

Pitch the house elf was waiting for them at the door. "Welcome home, Master Scorpius, Mistress Lily. I'm supposed to urge you to the sitting room."

"Thank you, Pitch," Scorpius said vaguely as they walked down the hall. They walked into the sitting room just to see a good portion of their friends sitting around and talking.

"Ah, our favorite people, who might be able to tell us why we were gathered here today," Dante mocked.

Lily looked around as Scorpius spoke. Dante and Lana were here, along with Shannon and Adrian, Aaron and Tanner were talking with Will, Derek, and Raven, and Stacy sat near Miley Flint and Tamara Nott, all of them cooing over Roland. Jace sat with Christian and Xavier, and most shocking of all, Megan and Hunter were talking with Beth and Wade Macnair.

"Hey, Jace, where's Lola?" Lily asked curiously.

"Oh, she's in a room upstairs feeding Mel," Jace said vaguely.

"We haven't all been friends long enough for her to do it in front of us," Xavier joked.

Jace playfully punched his shoulder. "Hey, that's my wife you're talking about!" It was true. Jace and Lola had gotten married earlier in the month in a very simple and quick ceremony. While Lily had been ecstatic for them, she had still teased Lola, saying that she'd expected some big and romantic ceremony for the two of them. Lola had just smiled and shrugged, saying that she had too, but a baby changed everything for her.

"So, no clue as to why we're here?" Dante groaned. "Man, I could be doing something so much better."

"I can't believe Lars got out of it," Lana muttered.

"How'd he do it?" Scorpius questioned.

"Took a late shift at work," Lana said with a roll of her eyes. "Which for him is basically no work at all."

Scorpius chuckled as he pulled Lily to sit next to him. "Wish I'd have thought of that."

"Ah, how nice it is to see you all again!" Lucius Malfoy's voice made everyone go quiet, and turn toward the door. Lily froze, and had a good feeling why this dinner had been called. The girl that Lucius had been trying to set Scorpius up with stood next to him. "This is Rosaline Bellefleur. I hope you can make her feel welcome."

Lily looked at Scorpius. "I hate your grandfather," she muttered under her breath.

Scorpius placed a kiss on the ring on her finger. "So do I," he assured.

The girl, Rosaline, walked over to where they sat with Lana and Dante as Lucius left the room. She sent an annoying smile Scorpius's way. "Hello again, Scorpius," she greeted coyly.

Scorpius gave a weak smile. "Hello, Rosaline," he said politely.

Rosaline's eyes came to look distastefully at Lily's own narrowed eyes. "Oh, hello, . . . Lily, was it?"

Lily resisted the urge to answer with something spiteful, so she didn't answer at all. And she was luckily saved by a familiarly loud voice. "Ah, Lily! Pitch told us that you and Scorpius had arrived!" Brandon said happily as he walked into the room. He came to stand by Rosaline, not at all noticing the tension in the room. He looked down at her. "Oh, hello, I'm Brandon Avery," he greeted, holding out his hand.

Rosaline shook his hand delicately. "I'm Rosaline Bellefleur," she introduced.

Brandon gave a nod. "Ah, Mr. Bellefleur's granddaughter! Well, nice to meet you." Then he moved in front of her to sit on the arm of the couch, practically blocking her view of the four of them. "Anyways, Lily, I have been given the command by Astoria to try and convince you to pick which wedding dress you want to wear soon."

Lily rolled her eyes, her own tension a little eased at Brandon's carefree attitude. "There's still time!" she complained.

"I have to admit, I'm a little eager to see what you pick too," Scorpius teased.

Lily pinched his arm. "And who says you'll even get to see it before the day of?"

Scorpius fake a look of disappointment. "You mean I don't get to go with you to pick? How unfair."

Brandon chuckled. "Well, I've set up one last day to look at a different designer's dresses. Then Astoria and I are giving you two weeks max to decide which designer you want to go with," he stated

"Go with what?" Lola asked as she finally entered the room. She looked at Rosaline a bit curiously, but then moved past her as well, making Rosaline look even more annoyed.

"What dress I wear at the wedding," Lily stated, trying to not take too much pleasure in Rosaline's anger. "And where's Melody?"

"Sleeping. One of the house elves is going to let me know when she wakes up," Lola said as she sat in one of the armchairs.

"Lily?" Draco addressed from the doorway, catching everyone's attention once again. "Could I speak with you for a moment?"

Lily, curious herself, shrugged as she stood up. "Of course," she assured. She followed Draco out into the hall, and they walked a bit down the hallway, obviously out of earshot. Then Draco turned to look at her with an apologetic look.

"I'm very sorry for the appearance of the Bellefleur family," he apologized. "I had no idea that my father intended to invite them. I assumed that this dinner was all my mother's doing, but it seems he had other ideas."

Lily sighed, happy they were being open and honest about it. "It's not your fault. But does your father really hate me that much?"

Draco looked uncertain of how to put his answer into words. "Well . . . he doesn't like the thought of you and Scorpius getting married."

"So he doesn't like me?" Lily said bluntly.

Draco nodded. "No, he doesn't. But don't be offended, he doesn't like many others as well."

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "I'm more annoyed than offended," she muttered.

"But I will promise you that it will be the last time you'll have to deal with something like this," Draco promised suddenly.

Lily looked at Draco curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that my parents will no longer be living here, so my father will no longer be able to eavesdrop and plan against the wedding," Draco assured.

Shock ran through Lily and settled in her eyes. "I never intended or meant for you to kick your parents out for me! You really don't have to do that!"

Draco chuckled. "I know that you didn't intend for it. But it's necessary for me to protect my son and my daughter-in-law against his old-fashioned views and ideals."

"But we're hardly ever here anyways!" Lily insisted.

Draco gave her a kind smile. "Lily, it has to be done. He can't treat me like a child, and I will not let him try to push his ideals on my son. Not anymore. Besides, my mother has been fantasizing about going and spending the rest of their years together in a quaint house with just the two of them. This will give her the chance."

"But, Draco,"

"Lily," he interrupted, "you are a part of this family. And if he can't accept that, then I no longer welcome him into my home. It's time my father understood that times have changed, that my son is a grown man, and that you are a permanent fixture in our lives and family. So don't argue," he teased.

Before Lily could speak, voices got louder, they turned to see all the guys coming from the sitting room. "What are you guys doing?" Lily questioned.

Scorpius smirked as he came to stand next to her. "We're going to go and be guys in a different room, if you don't mind?"

Lily knew that statement meant possible trouble, but she still smiled. "Just don't hurt yourselves," she mocked.

Scorpius brought her hand to his lips. "Well I don't know about them, but I've got an angel that takes very good care of me when I'm hurt," he murmured.

"Come on, Scor, attempt to get laid later. Let's go!" Aaron mocked as the guys walked past them.

Scorpius raised a brow as he looked at Aaron. "Unlike you, Aaron, I don't have to attempt."

Lily rolled her eyes as the other guys all laughed or whistled. "Ok, I'm going back with the girls. Behave."

"I will if you will," Scorpius said as she made her way back down the hall. She stepped into the sitting room, and immediately felt the tension in the room, especially as Lana glared at Rosaline, who no longer tried to seem sweet, but had a look annoyance bluntly on her face.

Lily sighed as she came to sit next to Lana. "Have I missed anything?"

Lana glanced at Rosaline again before looking at Lily. "Nothing important," she assured. "So, do you have any idea of what designer you want for your dress?"

While Lily knew that Lana was simply trying to annoy Rosaline, the topic was still something Lily would rather avoid. "Not really, no. I guess I just don't find the dress all that important. Not that I'm a fan of weddings anyways."

"But it's your wedding, Lily," Shannon pointed out.

Lily shrugged. "At this point, the wedding is just to please our mothers, who practically demand one from us. I wouldn't mind doing what Dom and Mitch did."

"I found it was much easier doing so," Lana agreed. "I just pointed out to my mother that she had two other kids who she could plan a wedding for later in life."

"Yeah, but Scorpius couldn't tell Astoria that," Lily replied. "Otherwise that's not a bad idea."

"Well I was glad that I at least had a short ceremony. I think it's nice to be able to celebrate something like that with family," Lola mentioned.

"Not to mention your child," Megan joked with a grin.

"So, Lily," when Rosaline spoke, not only did she gather all of their attention, but the tension rose at who she addressed, "I hear that you're a model."

Lily looked at her with distrust. "Yes. What do you do?"

"I sometimes help my father when he needs it," she said vaguely.

"How sweet," Lana muttered sarcastically.

"So you do nothing with your life, and plan to just marry and live a worthless life in the end?" Megan commented dryly.

An offended look came over Rosaline's face. "Excuse me?"

Megan shrugged. "That's what it sounded like to me."

"There's nothing wrong with settling down in life," Rosaline retorted crossly.

"Well when you target a rich man in doing so, it's called being a gold digger," Megan countered. "And really, it sets women back by centuries. How about joining us in times?"

"I'd like it better if you realized that my brother is _not_ marrying you, not matter what your daddy tells you," Lana snapped dryly.

"What would you know about that?" Rosaline hissed.

"I know that my brother's marrying a better woman," Lana stated simply.

Rosaline looked over at Lily with glaring eyes, and Lily did her best to stay and calm and not glare back. "Really? She looks like a child to me," she said snidely.

Lily bit her tongue. She was _not_ going to fight in her future in-laws' house. She was an adult. She would not attack her. She was calm.

"Coming from a girl who looks as developed as a twelve-year-old boy?" Megan mocked immediately. "Not to mention brainless."

"Megan, chill," Lily urged. She was still calm. She herself was relaxed. She felt no urge at all to jump the girl not far from her. She just needed to repeat these things in her head, until she believed them.

"No, this little bitch annoys me," Megan stated bluntly.

Rosaline. "Me? Personally, coming from your filthy mouth, that means very little," she sneered. Lily felt a bubble form in her chest, and it was pressing close, ready to pop. But she was calm. Tense, but calm. She wanted to jump the girl, but she wouldn't. She had control of herself.

"I have a filthy mouth? I'd bet if you'd have been able to drop to your knees in front of Scorpius, you would have, you whore," Megan retorted with disdain.

"Not until him and I are married," Rosaline said firmly.

The bubble was reaching her throat. It was coming closer and closer to bursting. But it wouldn't. She was calm. She would not attack the girl, verbally or physically.

"He's not marrying you!" Lola snapped. "He doesn't even like you!"

"Really? Because at our lunch together, it just seemed like he was _stuck_ with something he didn't want anymore," Rosaline said, each word distinct, so that Lily couldn't mistake it. But she was still calm, even if that bubble was so close to popping with an explosion in its wake.

"Personally, coming from your idiotic mouth, that means little to us," Lana mocked.

"Well you tell me which a Malfoy is more likely to pick. A beautiful pureblood, or a little girl with filthy blood and a filthy family?" Rosaline stated smugly.

The bubble popped.

With the rush and adrenaline running through her, Lily didn't know how she tackled Rosaline Bellefleur out of her chair so quickly. All Lily could really focus on was the rapid pounding of her heart, the adrenaline coursing through her blood, and the tension in her nerves. Her head felt almost hazy and dizzy, and she couldn't catch anything around her. Like a buzzing silence, and a blurry whirlwind. But soon she felt the adrenaline start to evaporate, her heart slowed, and her body started to feel heavy. The hazy began to lift, and the blur started to become clear.

Rosaline was laying beneath her, her nose bleeding, and her lip and cheek starting to swell. There were a few scratches along her brow and tops of her cheekbones. Tears were at the corners of her eyes, and she was holding her head, small whimpers coming from her swollen lips.

Lily froze, her eyes widening at the sight. She'd lost her cool. She wasn't calm. She'd just jumped the girl. "Shit," she mumbled.

Lana came and pulled her up and away from Rosaline. "I have to admit, that was awesome," she whispered to Lily's ear.

"I just attacked her," Lily muttered. "I'm an adult, and I just jumped her."

"Well deserved though," Megan said. She looked at Lana. "Stacy should be back with one of the house elves any minute."

Lily still felt her insides shake. "Um . . . I'm going to go to the bathroom," she said quickly before hurrying to leave the room. Wanting to be as far from the scene as possible, she walked all the way to the second floor bathroom. She locked the door and turned on the faucet. She splashed a little water from her face, letting it drip light down her neck, cooling her skin a little. She turned off the flow of water, then just stood there, panting a little.

Lily didn't know how long she stood there, but there was soon the sound of a lock, and then the door was opening. She glanced at the mirror to see Scorpius behind her, shutting the door. Then Lily took in her own disheveled state. Her hair was a little wild now, and her cheeks were a little flushed.

Scorpius came to rest his hands on the sink, trapping her. "I heard you laid out Rosaline Bellefleur," he murmured near her ear.

Lily closed her eyes. "Who told you?"

"Lola came and told me, although the guys overheard," Scorpius admitted. "Are you upset? Angry?"

"At myself, yes," she sighed. "I tried. I tried so hard to stay calm and not do anything."

"Trust me, sometimes people just pick and pick until you do something. Then they can play the victim," Scorpius mentioned. "Don't let it bother you."

Lily leaned back into his chest. "I still can't believe I did it."

"Do you want to leave? We can go home," Scorpius offered.

"Sort of, but I also don't want to be rude to your grandmother or parents," Lily said.

"I'll blame it on myself and say that I wanted to leave," Scorpius replied. "I don't want to stay if you're uncomfortable anyways."

"It's up to you," Lily mumbled indecisively, unsure of what she should and wanted to do.

Scorpius's hands came to grip her around the waist, and he spun her around to face her. His expression was gentle and soft, his eyes full of understanding. He brought a thumb up to stroke her jaw and cheek. "Personally, if someone pushes you in a corner like that, I'd rather you fight instead of just laying back. I don't care if it's not _proper_ or _mature_. You sometimes do what you have to," he said comfortingly.

"I still shouldn't have done it," Lily sighed.

"Lil, you've always been feisty," Scorpius said with a fond chuckle. "You've been brave, loyal, and willing to fight and stand up for yourself and those you care about. I've always loved that about you, and it's something that I _never_ want to change."


	109. Counting Down Time

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well here's another update for you. It's not as long as usual, but the next event is big, and I didn't want to make the chapter overly long. You'll see why at the end of this one. So it's a lot of tying up loose ends, also with some new drama involved. I hope you like it. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Nine: Counting Down Time

The Burrow was loud and excited on this particular family gathering, was the first thing Lily noticed when she and Scorpius joined them all in the backyard. There was a large table that was practically filled to the brim with food. Chairs were all around, some filled with family members. But Lily could also see old family friends. She could see Aunt Luna and Uncle Rolf, Aunt Hannah, and the Finnigans, just to name a few.

Lily held Cecilia in her arms, offering to bring her with, giving the Chapmans a day without work, and without the hassle and hectic routine of a baby.

"Wow, little Lily holding a small blonde baby. How has the media not jumped on that!" George joked as he came to take a look at Cecilia.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha. Uncle George, this is Cecilia."

George bent down a little to look at her eye to eye. "Well, you're cute enough to be a little heartbreaker," he continued to joke. He straightened up. "Vic brought her kids' playpen, so you can set her down there if you want. That's where the younger little ones are."

"Thanks," Lily mentioned, honestly thinking about it. The little girl was getting a bit heavy as she got bigger.

"Hey, Lil! Come here!" James called from where he sat.

Scorpius sighed. "Well, I'm going to go talk to Ron."

Lily nodded. "Ok." She walked over to where James was sitting, ignoring her exasperation at Scorpius's obvious attempts to avoid James. "Hey, James. Hurting?" Lily had picked up James's new habit of sitting whenever his back and legs were a little sore, which was often. But he never spoke about it.

Now, he just shrugged. "Eh, a little. Hand me," he said, motioning for Cecilia.

Lily set him down on his lap. James had really taken to the little girl, and Cecilia had taken to him as well. "So, you playing in the Quidditch game today?" Lily asked as she pulled another chair over.

James shook his head. "No, I'm not really up for it today. But Dad and uncle Ron found a way around that. Since Uncle Charlie didn't want to play either, we'll be coaches," he said with a small laugh.

"And Elizabeth?" Lily questioned.

James's grin became a bit proud. "We are now officially dating as of two days ago, when I asked her to be my girlfriend," he stated.

"Good for you," Lily said happily. "Did you bring her over today?"

He shook his head. "No, the team has practice today. I was able to not be there, but since she's an actual player, they needed her for sure today."

"Anyone missing today?" Lily asked as she looked around at the large gathering.

"Not that I've noticed," James told her. "Now that you and Malfoy have finally arrived, I'm surprised that Dad and Uncle Ron haven't started up the match."

"Well Scorpius went to talk to Uncle Ron, so I'm sure it won't be long," Lily assured. And it wasn't. Not long after, everyone had gathered around where James sat, mostly to allow him to keep sitting.

"Ok, Charlie and James are coaching, so they get to pick teams," Ron said with an excited face.

"What position first?" Charlie asked James.

James shrugged. "How about Keeper?"

Charlie nodded. "Ok. You pick first."

"All right, I've got Hugo," James picked.

"Then I'll take Ron," Charlie said. "Beater next."

"I want Marsha," James said, picking Stacy's sister.

"I've got George."

Lily watched as James very obviously avoided looking at Lorcan. "I'll take Roxanne."

"Then I've got Lorcan," Charlie said with a happy grin.

"Isn't Freddy playing?" Lily asked Hugo from where he stood behind her, leaning on the back of her chair.

Hugo shook his head. "No. We tried to convince him, but he just wouldn't."

"Ok, Chasers next," Charlie said. "I want Ginny."

"Then I've got Lucy," James picked.

"I want . . . Ted."

"I'll take . . . Mal . . . Scorpius," James said with a sigh, surprising most, especially Lily.

"Then I've got Dean," Charlie said.

"So I've got Rose," James said, now grinning.

"Ok, Seekers," Charlie commented.

"I've got Lily!" James claimed quickly.

"So I got Harry," Charlie said with an obvious laugh.

But Lily sighed. "Actually, James, I'm gunna sit this one out, ok?"

"Ah, but, Lily, you could totally beat Dad!" James assured.

"You're awfully confident," Harry said with a chuckle.

"I've already beaten the old man's Hogwarts streak, I don't wanna make him feel even older," Lily joked. "Really, I think I'll sit it out."

James sighed. "Ok, ok. But if we lose you owe me. Al, you're on my team."

"Then let's get this started!" Ron said with excitement.

Lily just took Cecilia, and stood up. "Who's going to be a ref?"

"Lysander, once he comes back from the bathroom," James answered.

"Well have fun. I'll be watching," Lily said as she began to walk away. She walked over to the oversized playpen, and set Cecilia down with Gabby and baby Fleur.

"Aunt Lily!" Theo said excitedly as he came to walk beside her. He hugged her around the waist. His hair was green, and the front was spiked. And despite not even being five, he was as tall as probably an eight-year-old. He was obviously getting very good at controlling how he changed his appearance.

"Hey, Theo. How have you been, buddy?" Lily asked.

"Tired. It's hard having a new baby in the house," Theo sighed. "Fleur's always crying it seems."

"Well it takes time for a baby to get used to things," Lily said vaguely, not really sure how to put it to a four-year-old. "So, are you excited for your birthday?" It was coming up in a few weeks.

Theodore nodded happily. "Yeah! Dad's going to take me to a Quidditch game, just the two of us!"

Lily smiled. That would probably make Theo's day, as Teddy and Victoire were really busy with the new baby as of late. "Well that should be fun. Which match?"

"The Arrows's next game!" Theo said with excitement.

"Lily! There you are!" Grandma Weasley greeted with the usual bone-crushing hug. "Have you eaten yet?"

Lily took in a much needed breath. "No, not yet."

"Well then come fix you a plate. You are much too skinny, girl," Grandma Weasley rambled as she herself began to make Lily an overfilled plate of food.

Lily eventually found herself sitting with Victoire and Zack, watching the family match play out in the air. She had to admit that for being "for fun," it was a pretty intense match, along with it being evenly matched.

"So, Lily, are you excited?" Victoire asked suddenly.

Lily and Zack both looked at her. "Excited about what?" Lily inquired.

"Your wedding. It won't be much longer," Victoire pointed out.

Lily sighed. "I guess."

Zack laughed. "You guess? Scorpius would probably love to hear that," he joked as he bounced Colin on his knee.

Lily rolled her eyes. "It's not that I'm not excited about getting married. It's the whole wedding thing. I'm not that into them personally."

"Then why have one?" Zack asked.

Lily raised a brow. "Have you met my mother?"

"It can't be stressful. After all, aren't your mothers having fun with planning the whole thing?" Victoire commented.

"They are, and Scorpius and I really only have input on the guests, and my dress at this point," Lily said.

"Who are you inviting?" Zack asked. "Besides family, obviously."

"Most of our friends from school, their families included. That alone will add up to a lot. Then our mothers each have a few others they wanted to invite, which I believe includes friends to the families, like the Thomas family and the Finnigans. Then Brandon has a few people he wanted to be invited, and then I also wanted Professor Brown to be there," Lily listed.

"I know Malfoy Manor is supposed to be huge and all, but will their backyard hold all those people?" Zack joked lightly.

Lily laughed. "Their backyard is huge, trust me. Besides, I'd bet that Astoria would make it work."

"How about the media? They were dying to get into mine and Teddy's wedding," Victoire mentioned.

"I doubt that'll be impossible to keep them all away," Lily relented. "But Draco promises to keep it to a minimum."

"Good luck," Zack chuckled.

* * *

"Come on, move those feet!" Scorpius urged playfully. He was holding Cecilia's hands supporting her as she made her attempts at walking around. Scorpius had the day off, and Lily hadn't planned a photo shoot either. So they spent the day together with Cecilia.

Lily held out her arms as they came closer to her. "You are getting to be such a big girl!" she said with a smile.

Scorpius let her arms fall into Lily's, allowing Lily's shoulders to keep her stable. "Soon she'll be walking on her own. You know with how much time she spends here, we might have to baby proof some of the higher up places too."

"We can start once she goes home," Lily suggested as she set Cecilia down by a pile of her toys.

A tap on the window caught their attentions. "Hey, that's an owl from the department," Scorpius mentioned as he opened the window. He took the letter, letting the owl fly off. Scorpius pulled open a letter and silently read it over. "Hey, your parents want us to come to dinner tomorrow. I guess your brother has something important to tell everyone."

"James?" Lily inquired as she began to pull out a few things to make lunch.

"No, Albus," Scorpius said as he shut the window. "Can't imagine what he wants to say."

"I don't think it can be good," Lily sighed. "We'll have to bring Cecilia. I promised Nicole and Declan that I'd watch her until nine tomorrow."

"Well they want us there at seven, so that shouldn't be a problem," Scorpius mentioned as he came up behind her, placing his hands on the counter, trapping her. He rested his chin on her shoulder, his breath warm against her skin.

"I wonder what Albus wants," Lily mumbled.

"Well he hasn't been in to work the last few days, so this might explain why," he commented.

* * *

"Oh, you brought Cecilia!" Ginny said happily as Lily and Scorpius walked inside the Potter house the next evening.

"We're watching her until nine tonight," Lily mentioned as she slipped off her shoes.

Scorpius took the little girl from Lily. "So, by the silence, I feel we're early."

"They boys aren't here yet," Ginny said. "But Harry's in the kitchen, if you'd like to talk to him."

"Sounds good," Scorpius said as he headed for the kitchen.

Ginny watched after them. "He seems to do very well with Cecilia," she commented.

Lily shrugged as she set the diaper bag down. "Yeah, he usually does. Why?"

Now Ginny shrugged. "Just commenting," she said lightly. Then she smiled at her daughter. "Mind helping me with the finishing touches of dinner?"

"Of course," Lily assured. "So, what's this whole thing for?"

"All Albus told your father was that he had something important to tell us," Ginny replied as they also headed for the kitchen.

"So is it just us and James?" Lily inquired.

"Teddy and Victoire are coming too, and I think James might be bringing his new girlfriend," Ginny said with subtle excitement.

Lily looked at the obviously enlarged table and the added chairs. "So a very full table."

"Well, the four of us, Teddy and Victoire, plus their three kids, James and his girlfriend, and Albus . . . so twelve," Ginny counted out.

"Uh . . . Lil?" Scorpius addressed. Lily turned and saw that he was now standing, and holding out Cecilia. "You wanna hold her? She's getting a little heavy," he said innocently.

Lily gave him a look of small confusion, but then it dawned on her. "Really? A big man like you can't hold her? Don't try that with me, Scorpius Malfoy, it's your turn to change her."

Scorpius groaned. "Damn. Fine, where's the bag."

Lily grinned as she turned back to the counters. "In the hall."

Scorpius walked out of the room grumbling. Harry chuckled. "Not a fan of changing diapers?"

"Well we do it two different ways. Some days we alternate, and other days it's whoever held her last," Lily said with a smile.

"I know the feeling, Scor," they heard from the hall. "Changing is never fun." Then Teddy stepped into the kitchen with baby Fleur in his hands. "Hello, family."

"Hey, Ted," Harry greeted. "Where's Vic?"

"Helping Gabby out of her shoes," Teddy said as he set Fleur into the hands of her grandfather. "Theodore's trying to untie his himself."

"Daddy, I can't get these off!" Theodore complained as he walked in with obvious knots in his shoelaces.

Teddy sighed. "Ok, come over here." He pulled Theodore into his lap, and began to attempt to undo the knots.

"Need any help, Lily, Aunt Ginny?" Victoire asked as she walked in with Gabby in her arms.

As the night continued, James soon appeared, and with Elizabeth Peakes. But as dinner was almost ready, they were still waiting for Albus to show. Lily personally thought that Albus was cutting it close when there was finally a knock on the door.

"I got it!" James called from the living room. The men and the kids had all moved to the other room, while the girls moved around the kitchen. Elizabeth had insisted on helping out, admitting that cooking was something she had loved to do since she was young. Lily liked her, personally.

The door opened, and they could all hear the murmur of voices through the hall. But then James came jogging into the room. "Um, surprise guest. Albus brought a girl," he said with obvious surprise himself.

"Really?" Ginny mentioned. "Well, tell your father to have Kreacher grab another chair, then."

James looked at Lily. "You won't believe who it is."

Lily raised a brow. "Who?"

"Ashley Anderson."

Lily almost dropped the bowl in her hands. "Ashley Anderson?"

"Ashley? She's a really good friend of mine," Elizabeth commented.

"Ashley Anderson who totally badmouthed Albus in their seventh year?" Lily questioned.

James nodded. "Yeah. Same one. This might be worse than I thought it would be a minute ago," he said before walking out.

It was only a few moments later that they were all sitting down to dinner. It was awkward, but it was obviously Albus and Ashley's demeanor and attitudes that were making it awkward. They looked hesitant and almost scared.

Albus had a bit of a scowl, and obvious fear. "So, I didn't know that today was a family dinner night," he mentioned, his voice sounding ready to crack.

"Well you said you had something important to say, so we invited the family," Ginny replied.

"I have to admit that big families are new to me," Ashley commented, her voice just as hesitant.

"So, how have you been, Ashley?" Lily asked. She had liked Ashley back when she was dating Lars, because she had been a pretty cool girl. But she hadn't seen her since, and seeing her with Albus was a large surprise.

But apparently, the question wasn't as harmless as Lily had intended. "Oh . . . I've been ok," Ashley mumbled.

"So, Lily, Scorpius," Harry addressed, "do you think you two will be moving once you're married, or not?" Lily could tell that her father felt the awkward feelings and the tension, and was trying to bring about a more casual topic.

Scorpius shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it. I'd say we'll stick with our flat for a while at least. I mean, it's not like we'll need a bigger place right away."

"When do you think you _will_ need a bigger place?" Ginny teased, and they all knew what she very obviously hinting at.

"Mum," James complained, "must we bring this up at dinner?"

"I agree with James," Lily said with a bit of a blush on her cheeks.

"Yes, my daughter isn't even twenty, so let's hold off on this question," Harry agreed.

"It's a bit of teasing, you three are no fun," Ginny said with a laugh.

"So, Al," James said, obviously trying to change the topic, "what was it you wanted to tell us all?"

A bit of red came to Albus's cheeks now, and Lily noticed a small and panicked look in Ashley's eyes. "Um . . . now's not the time, James."

"I thought you said it was important. It's why we're here," James insisted.

"Does this have to do with you missing work?" Harry asked, with a bit of a stern look in his eyes.

"If you're dating Ash, then just say it," James replied. He raised a brow. "That is why you brought her . . . right?"

Ashley looked ready to start sweating from nerves. "Well . . . partly."

Albus looked at her in surprise, but James just patted his brother on the back. "Well it's about time, Al!"

"Was there something else?" Harry asked curiously.

Albus avoided everyone's eyes. "It should really wait until after dinner."

"Whatever you tell us will be the same, no matter when you say it," Harry pointed out.

Albus sighed. "Well . . . Ashley and I are . . ." He trailed off, sounding unsure of what or how to say what he wanted.

"Moving in together?" Teddy guessed.

"Not exactly," Albus retorted.

"Then what is it, son?" Harry asked.

To say Albus shocked the room was an understatement. He threw everyone for a loop. "We're having a baby," was what came from his mouth. James almost fell from his chair, Lily choked on the drink she was taking, and Harry dropped his fork which clattered on the floor. Teddy froze, a forkful of food halfway to his mouth, and Victoire stared with wide eyes.

Ginny was the first of them all that was able to speak. "A baby?"

Ashley hesitantly nodded. "I'm . . . pregnant, Mrs. Potter."

"What?" James exclaimed. "Merlin, Al! You can't have been dating her for long, and you've already knocked her up?"

"It's not like it was on purpose!" Albus defended.

"It's called being safe!" James retorted. "You don't stick your-"

"James!" Lily and Victoire both stopped him.

"So . . ." Harry said, but then trailed off. It was obvious that no one really knew what to say or what questions to ask.

But like Lily remembered, Ashley was looking calmer, and seemed to know what to say. "Look, we just thought we should tell you. We haven't . . . well we haven't been _together_ long, but we've talked about what we're going to do."

"Yeah, no matter what happens, I'm going to be a part of the baby's life!" Albus assured quickly.

Ashley nodded. "And I already have appointments set up at the hospital. We're just taking this one step at a time."

Harry sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He looked at his youngest son. "Will you be going to the appointments with her? If so, I can let you out of work for those times."

Albus now looked uncomfortable. "Um . . . depends what they're going to do at those appointments," he said awkwardly.

"I'll probably go to the majority alone, and come by and tell him what happened," Ashley told Harry.

"Mum, Dad," Albus addressed them meekly, "are you angry?"

Ginny sighed as she put down her own fork. "More like surprised. After all, we hadn't even known you were seeing someone."

"Yeah. I mean I thought the next family pregnancy would have come from Lil," Teddy admitted.

Lily looked at her god brother. "Why me?"

Teddy shrugged. "Well you're the one getting married."

"So that qualifies me for pregnancy?" Lily retorted.

"In a way, I can see his point," Scorpius mentioned offhandedly. Lily looked at him with a raised brow. Scorpius shrugged. "I'm just saying I see his point."

"Moving the topic back to Al and away from my sister," James said quickly, "are you and Ash gunna live together?"

"One step at a time, James," Albus said with a shaky breath.

"How far along are you, Ashley?" Ginny asked.

"A little over three months," Ashley told her.

"Are you going to find out the gender when the time comes?" Victoire asked, knowing all the possible pregnancy questions you could ask, being a Healer and mother of three young ones.

"I haven't really thought about that, to be honest," Ashley replied.

"What do you want, Al, a boy or a girl?" James asked.

"I haven't thought about it much either," Albus said with a heavy sigh.

* * *

"So Albus is going to be a father," Scorpius commented as they walked into their flat that night. They'd just dropped Cecilia off, and Lily was personally a little tired from what felt like such a long night. "What a scary thought."

"What's scary is how you agreed with Teddy that I'd be the next to be pregnant," Lily said with a scoff.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I didn't say I thought that. I just said I could see how he'd think that."

Lily just shook her head as she kicked off her shoes and headed for their bedroom. "I don't even want to know what that implies about the two of us."

"It implies that we live together and are getting married in about two months," Scorpius retorted as Lily walked toward their closet.

"I still don't see the point. Not everyone has a baby as soon as they're married," Lily pointed out.

"But, when they end up pregnant, it's never a surprise," Scorpius countered as he stepped into the closet with her, pulling his shirt off.

Lily rolled her eyes as she grabbed a pair of shorts and a tanktop for bed. "Whatever," she mumbled.

Scorpius threw his clothes into the hamper, and came next to her as she began to change. "I'm not trying to insinuate anything. After all, we've still got like a year before we agreed to talk about it seriously. You are the one that's taking those comments a little too seriously."

Lily sighed as she finished changing. "It's just been a long day, ok? Brandon is harping on me about picking a wedding dress. According to him, I've been pushing back his given deadline, and he's demanding I pick one soon."

"It is _two_ months away," Scorpius commented as he walked out of the closet.

Lily followed him. "I know that. But it's hard to pick because it's not that important to me. The closer we get to this wedding, the more I just want to get it over with."

"Have you picked your bridesmaids and all that?" Scorpius asked as he sat on the bed.

"Have you picked the groomsmen?" Lily countered as she climbed under the covers.

Scorpius sighed. "I have as a matter of fact. Lars is going to be my best man, and I want Dante and Hugo to be my groomsmen." He looked over at her. "Unless you've heard from Mitch and Dominique?"

Lily shook her head. "Not a word. Brandon hasn't heard back from them."

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair, but then wrapped an arm around her. "So, do you know who you're going to pick then?"

Lily cuddled into him. "Lola, Rose, and Lucy," she listed. "But I'm going to tell Brandon to contact Mitch again."

* * *

After Albus's confession of knocking up Ashley, April passed by with updating the family of the news. And it also came to Lily's amusement, because the day the two of them went to tell Ashley's parents, they came back engaged. Lily had wished that she could have seen a furious Mr. Anderson.

But the rest of April passed and faded into May. While Brandon assured that he talked to both Mitch and Dominique in person, they hadn't even sent a message to either Lily or Scorpius. And Brandon kept pushing Lily to pick a dress.

* * *

"Come on, Lil, there has to be one that you like!" Brandon insisted. They were sitting in Brandon's kitchen, looking over dozens of pictures of what was probably a million wedding dresses. Ciara was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine, but giving an opinion when asked.

"Why don't you suggest one!" Lily retorted with exasperation. "I am losing all care for this situation!"

"It's a dress! If you don't care then just pick one!" Brandon countered.

"Fine! This one!" Lily stated, picking a random picture.

Brandon looked at it, but then threw it over his shoulder. "Ok, not that one though. Just tell me what you like in a dress, and we'll narrow this down."

Lily sighed, feeling the urge to bang her head on the table. "I hate sleeves," she muttered.

Brandon nodded. "Ok, no sleeves. Thin straps or none at all," he rambled as he began to pick out pictures. "So, I've cut down the amount for you to look over. "

Lily looked at the stack in front of her. "Still looks like way too many," she mumbled as she started to shift through them again. She pushed the pile back towards him. "I hate trains, so get rid of any pictures that include one."

Brandon rolled his eyes as he did as she said. "What's wrong with the train of a dress?"

"I feel like it'd be too easy to step on and trip over," Lily replied. "Also, I find it to be a stupid concept."

Brandon handed her a shorter stack. "Ok, what about these?" Lily took the pictures and began to look through them. "What about when you have to go out and pick bridesmaid dresses?"

"I told Astoria that she could handle that," Lily retorted. "I'm done with dresses after this. I'm just about done with weddings after this."

"What's with you and weddings?" Brandon asked. "Most girls love these things."

"I feel like it's unnecessary. Why must there be some big fuss about getting married?" Lily replied.

"It's a big deal though, Lily," he said with a chuckle.

"I get that marriage is a big deal, but why make some big ceremony for it? I just feel like I don't need all of this," Lily admitted.

"But you're going through it all?" Brandon commented.

"For our mothers," Lily stated. "That and because Scorpius would love nothing more than a bunch of boys with interest in me to see that I was taken for life."

"Sounds like him," Brandon agreed. "But don't fret. Only a month away now."

Lily thought about that. A month . . . only a month. It really had snuck up on her. In just a month she'd be Lily Malfoy. The idea made her smile and had her heart skip a beat. But it also sent a thrill through her nerves. A month? Just a month? Had time really moved that fast?

* * *

When June came, Lily and Scorpius playfully counted down days. In the morning, before Scorpius would leave for work, he'd turn and point out how many days. Sometimes, Lily would turn and beat him to saying it. But there was still the fact that their wedding was just weeks away hanging over them. It brought about excitement and nervousness in both of them.

Astoria and Ginny were constantly contacting the two during their planning days to clear ideas and tie up loose ends. Their guest list was huge, as expected. But both mothers assured them that everything would run smoothly. At this point, they just had to show up that morning and be there.

All that was left was the night before.

* * *

"I don't see why the girls have to drag you out tonight," Scorpius commented as he laid on his stomach across the bed. He was obviously in the mood for a simple night at home. In the heat he had ditched his shirt, and now laid in a pair of jeans. As delicious as he looked, Lily didn't let it distract her.

Lily sighed as she came out of the closet, and made her way to her vanity. "Because it's my last night as an unmarried woman, and they insist on celebrating it," she retorted.

"Which means it's technically the last night we can have sex as an unmarried couple," he countered with a gleam in his eye.

Lily did her best to ignore him as she ran a brush through her hair. "We did that this morning," she pointed out. "Remember, it was your insistence."

"But that was this morning," Scorpius said with a sigh as he rolled onto his back. "So come on. Just stay home. I'll be bored otherwise."

"I guess you shouldn't have told the guys no on the bachelor party idea," Lily commented.

"Do you have any idea what their idea of a bachelor party is?" Scorpius retorted. "And after your incident at my grandmother's dinner, would you really feel comfortable with them forcing me to be around other girls?"

Lily rolled her eyes as she put on a bit of lip gloss. "Nice try, Scorpius Malfoy. But I'm going to hang out with the girls. In fact, I'm leaving in the next ten minutes," she said as she left the bedroom.

But she heard a few muffled sounds, and then Scorpius was catching her in the hallway, pushing her back against the wall. "So I still have ten minutes to try and convince you otherwise," he murmured near her ear.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she relaxed under his hands as his lips descended onto hers. She mentally sighed. Well she did have ten minutes before she needed to leave. But then there was a ferocious pounding on the front door.

Scorpius groaned as he pulled away from her. "This better be quick, whatever it is," he grumbled as he made his way to the front door. Lily followed fixing her hair a little as she did.

Scorpius opened the door, and Lily was surprised and very relieved when Lars, Tanner, Dante, and some of the other boys walked in. "Thank you, Merlin," Lily whispered.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" Scorpius demanded, obviously a little less than pleased.

"Well you said no to a bachelor party, but we'll be dammed if we didn't come over to celebrate your last night unmarried!" Tanner said, clapping his cousin on the back.

"On that note, I should get going," Lily stated. She pressed a small and short kiss on Scorpius's lips. "I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

Scorpius nodded, obvious annoyance in his eyes. "Ok. I'll be waiting," he whispered.

Lily ignored the bits of teasing from the guys as she left the flat, and made her way toward the lift. She had promised that she'd meet the girls at the Leaky Cauldron. And as Lola had put it, "they'd take it from there." The thought did nothing for Lily's suspicions of what they had planned. She had told them nothing big or cliche. She just wanted a girls' night, and nothing more.

"Well here comes the bride," Megan mocked as Lily walked into the Leaky Cauldron.

"All dressed in black and green," Izzy chuckled.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ha, ha. So what are the plans for the night?"

"You said you just wanted a girls' night, so we're going to me and Izzy's place," Shannon told her.

"And from there?" Lily inquired.

"Lily, don't worry!" Lola assured. "It'll be fun, we promise."

Lily sighed. "Well, then lead the way, I guess."

The five girls Apparated to the flat that Shannon and Izzy shared. And Megan was on the two as soon as they walked in. "So, when are you two going to separate and live with your boyfriends?"

Shannon openly rolled her eyes. "Whenever we feel like it."

"Well you've both been in relationships for a year, right?" Megan asked.

"Times doesn't always matter," Izzy replied. "Chris and I have decided that we'd rather wait."

"Yeah, not everyone runs off to get married as quick as you and Hunter," Shannon teased.

Megan just shrugged as she moved to sit down. "Whatever you say."

"Speaking of married," Lola hinted, turning to look at Lily, "it's someone's last night unmarried."

Now Lily rolled her eyes as she sat down next to Megan. "Your point would be?"

"You really think you won't miss not being married?" Shannon questioned.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. After what we went through a few months ago, we've both decided that this is what we want without a doubt."

"How'd he take to you going off tonight?" Lola teased.

Lily grinned. "Not well, but then the boys showed up, so I was able to escape."

"What are you two doing for a honeymoon?" Izzy asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Scorpius wanted to take care of all that, and he has refused to tell me what it is."

"So something completely out there and romantic?" Shannon guessed. "Isn't that his usual style?"

"What happened to honeymoons being completely about sex?" Megan mentioned with a sigh. "The good old days."

"The good old days on my end died when my water broke," Lola commented.

"And for Lily it died on Valentine's Day, when they learned they could have sex whenever they wanted, even without being married," Izzy teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Hey, there was a two year period where it was pretty limited due to distance."

"How quickly did that end once we graduated?" Shannon joked.

"I don't see how that matters," Lily laughed. "Love has always been involved."

"Wasn't love what led you to a baby, Lola?" Megan pointed out with a smirk.

Both Lily and Lola rolled her eyes. "Ok, I understand that we tease Lily before her wedding night, but why me?"

"Because we never got to do this with you," Izzy replied.

"We didn't with Megan, but she's not getting half the crap we are," Lola pointed out.

"Megan's got Hunter for a husband," Shannon stated with a grin. "That's punishment enough."

"I couldn't agree more," Megan muttered.


	110. Beginning of Something New and Familiar

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took so long. I was without my computer for awhile, not to mention Internet altogether, so my ability to work on this got a little delayed. But after so long, here it is. Sorry for any mistakes I miss. Read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Ten: Beginning of Something New and Familiar

Lily groaned lightly as sunlight shined into her eyes. She rolled over onto her stomach, but then let out a surprised yelp when she landed on the floor. Now a little more awake, Lily shot up to look around, but groaned again when her head throbbed. Blinking and wincing, she carefully looked around.

Shannon and Izzy's. That's where she was, and apparently she'd been on the couch. She could see Megan on the armchair, her legs hanging off one end, while her face was buried into the arm. She could see Shannon on the floor by the table, but Izzy and Lola weren't in her line of sight. She groaned again when her head throbbed. Not that she could remember who it was, but she wanted to kick whoever it was that brought out the drinks. Probably Megan.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Lola said loudly as she walked in from the hall.

Lily groaned at her loud voice. "How are you this chipper?"

Lola held out a bottle, which Lily recognized from her uncle George's shop. "Because your uncle is amazing on curing hangovers. Seems Megan thought this out. Here's yours."

Lily sighed before gulping it down. "Thanks," she said, her headache already starting to dull.

"Izzy's taking a shower, so wanna help me wake these two up, or should we start on breakfast first?" Lola asked.

"Food might get them to wake up easier," Lily sighed as she got off the floor.

"When do you and I have to be at the manor?" Lola asked.

"Astoria said by ten," Lily replied.

"Are you showering here, or there?" Lola inquired as they began on a simple breakfast.

"There, but we should still make this quick," Lily mentioned.

Lola looked over at Shannon and Megan. "I get the feeling like they are not going to be easy to get up."

"If anything, we'll leave it to Izzy," Lily replied.

But Izzy woke them as soon as she finished showering, not giving time for Lily and Lola to even attempt. They weren't surprised at Megan's sour mood before getting rid of the hangover, nor where they surprised by her usual attitude once it was gone.

But soon Lily and Lola were heading over to Malfoy Manor, and Lily tried not to groan once she walked inside. The main hall was entirely decorated, and Lily was sure that the decorations probably covered the house.

"Astoria did remember that the wedding was _outside_ right?" Lola questioned as they looked around.

"She did. This was probably just her being her unintentionally excessive, like usual," Lily sighed as she continued down the hall.

"Lily! You're finally here!" Astoria said happily as she came down the large staircase.

Lily pointed to a large arrangement of flowers on a nearby table. "Isn't this a bit much?" she asked.

Astoria dismissed it. "Nonsense! It's a celebration! Now, come on, and let's get started getting you ready. The house elves are getting the rest of the decorating done, and Draco is watching over them."

"Are the boys here yet?" Lily inquired curiously.

"Not yet, but Pitch is to let me know when they arrive. And you, Lily Luna, are not allowed to see Scorpius until the moment of," Astoria stated firmly. "Same as he is not to see you."

Lily sighed as they reached the second floor. "Yes, Ma'am," she muttered.

They were brought to Astoria's workroom, which was obviously prepared for the day, and ready to beautify four girls for a wedding. One on of the screens hung four dresses, each individually zipped in their own bag. Lily had honestly yet to see the bridesmaid dresses, as she had let Astoria pick them out.

"Ok, so your cousins will be here soon, yes?" Astoria asked Lily.

Lily nodded as she slipped off her shoes. "Yes. Lucy could possibly be a little bit late, having a baby in the house. But she promised to be here as soon as possible."

"And Lana will be here soon as well, and she'll be the one taking care of you," Astoria told Lily with a bright smile. Then she almost looked to be in tears. She brushed a bit of Lily's hair from her cheeks. "I can't believe this day is finally here," she whispered.

Lily blushed a little as her own heart raced. "Yeah. Me too."

Astoria leaned forward to press a kiss on her Lily's cheek. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

Lily nodded. "Thanks, Astoria."

She and Lola watched her leave, but then Lola turned to Lily. "So, can I see the dress?"

"Yeah, sure," Lily replied as they walked over to the dresses. She unzipped the bag, and moved it aside so Lola could get a proper look.

"Lily, it's beautiful!" Lola gushed.

Lily looked at the dress she had picked, mostly due to Brandon's help. It _was_ pretty. It was made of a soft and comfortable material that Lily didn't even know the name of. She was sure that Brandon had mentioned it, but she had probably ignored him. It had thin straps, to Lily's desire, and the skirt ended roughly around her ankles, eliminating any idea of a train. There were a few layers to the skirt that Lily had found annoying, but Brandon had insisted that it look like an actual wedding dress in some way.

Lily had chosen the line Magical Twilight, which specialized in dresses for many different occasions. And she'd spent what had felt like twelve hours with the designer, wearing the dress as they fitted it, and tailored it to her liking.

"It took you practically a year to pick, but you chose well," Lola teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well thank you."

"Knock, knock, where's the bride?" Lana joked as she walked in, closing the door behind her.

Lily grinned. "Hey, Lana. Thanks for doing this."

Lana shrugged. "I requested it. I'd love to make you a pretty victim, instead of just a victim of my brother," she laughed.

Lily and Lola laughed with her. "Speaking of, do you know if Scorpius is here yet?"

Lana nodded as she started setting things on one of the larger vanities. "Yeah, I heard the boys' voices as I was coming up the stairs." She looked at Lily. "Are you ready?"

Lily sighed. This was it. The start of a whole new beginning. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Lana smiled. "Then get dressed, and we'll start."

* * *

Lily wasn't sure how long she spent in that room, but it felt like forever. She stepped into her dress, and tried to repress all the bad memories of when she had the dress tailored, and then sat down and let Lana do her own magic. Rose and Lucy had shown up, and along with Lola, they began to get ready themselves. Lana didn't do much makeup with Lily, as they both agreed that keeping at a minimum looked better on Lily. But Lily was surprised at what else Lana did, mainly concerning her hair.

After Lana ran a brush through Lily's hair a million times, and had cast a few spells to finally straighten it out from the normal Potter mess, she began to curl the ends lightly. "Are you going to hide the pink in my bangs?" Lily asked.

"Nope. I'm on specific orders from my brother not to. Along with making your hair like this, otherwise I would have put it up," Lana admitted as she worked. "He's also hoping that you plan on wearing our favorite Slytherin accessories."

Lily laughed. "Of course I planned to. They're in my bag."

After finishing with her hair, Lana retrieved Lily's bag, and Lily pulled out her accessories, each bringing a memory of how she'd got them, all of them including Scorpius in some way. Emerald earrings with small snakes wrapped around them, her Slytherin pendant, and Scorpius's Slytherin ring was still on her right hand. Lily smiled as she put each one of them on.

"You look beautiful, Lily," Rose complimented. Lily thought her cousin looked quite beautiful herself. The bridesmaid dresses really were fantastic. They were almost a blend of white and silver, giving a glow to each of the girls.

"Thanks, Rosie," Lily said with a sigh. Her eyes kept looking up to the clock. The time was moving faster and faster, and it would soon be time for her to go down stairs, and then outside.

"Hey, girls! I . . . Merlin, you look beautiful, Lil," Hugo complimented softly as he walked in, the door shutting behind him.

Lily gave him a small smile as he came closer. "Well you look quite handsome yourself," she replied. His dark red hair was surprisingly smooth, with not a single curl. And he was dressed . . .

"Why are you wearing muggle clothes instead of dress robes?" Rose asked her brother.

Hugo grinned, but it was true. He was dressed in what Lily knew to be a muggle tux, the jacket a dark green, the rest of it black. Lily would admit that it did look really good on him. "On orders of the groom, who prefers it," Hugo stated.

Lily rolled her eyes. Of course Scorpius would. And Lily knew it was for two reasons. For one, he claimed that he found muggle formal wear much more comfortable. And two . . . Lucius Malfoy. But . . . was he really here? She had thought Draco mentioned about not even bothering to invite him, and Lily didn't think he'd want to come anyways.

"What are you doing here, Hugo?" Lola demanded playfully.

Hugo looked at Lily. "Well, I wanted to wish my best friend all the happiness in the world," he commented. "And to warn her that her parents are on their way up here. So be ready for tears."

Lily sighed as a small blush came to her cheeks. "Well thanks, Huey. For everything."

Hugo stepped forward to place a kiss on her forehead. "It's my pleasure, Lil. I'll see you soon." He made his way back to the door. "You all look lovely, ladies!"

Lily took in a deep breath as she turned back to the vanity mirror. She looked ready for a wedding, albeit one that was a little less than traditional. Lily bit back a smile. What about the two of them was ever traditional, though?

There was a gentle knock on the door, and it opened to show Lily parents coming it. Her mother had obvious tears in her eyes. "Sweetheart, you look so wonderful!" she said gently as she carefully hugged her daughter.

Lily felt relaxed as she hugged her mother. "Thanks, Mum."

Ginny pulled away, and picked up a box from her father's hands. She set it down and opened it, only to reveal the small tiara that just about all the Weasley girls had worn at their weddings. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind having one Weasley thing in your Slytherin wedding," Ginny teased lightly.

Lily smiled. "I'd love it," she said as her mother put it on her head, mindful of her hair. Then Lily looked at her father. "Hi, Daddy."

Harry came to stand in front of her. He brushed his thumb across her cheek. "My little girl's getting married," he whispered. Then he sighed, and Lily could see him repressing a bit of emotion in his eyes. And she was glad that he did, because if her father cried . . . Lily was sure she would too. "Well, I thought I'd let you know that I'll be waiting for you downstairs by the door," he said casually, doing his best to seem relaxed.

Lily nodded. "Ok. It won't be long until I'm down there."

"Mistress Lily?" Pitch called from the now open door. "Someone wants a word with you."

Lily raised a brow. "It's not Scorpius, is it?" Astoria might kill her if they broke her rule about seeing each other beforehand.

"No," Pitch assured. "He's already outside, I promise."

Lily took in a breath as she slipped on her shoes. They were a silvery white, and added just a tad bit of height to her small stature. "Ok, I'm coming." She looked at her parents. "I'll see you guys out there, then."

Ginny kissed her daughter's forehead. "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, Mum," Lily whispered. Then with a glance at the others, she walked out the door and into the hall. But there was only Pitch. "Um . . . who wanted to speak with me?"

"This way," Pitch said, walking down the hall.

Lily followed curiously, starting to fear that this really was all a ploy by Scorpius. But she soon began to realize where they were going, and she was positive when they stopped at a familiar door. A room she'd passed by, but never went into. Lucius Malfoy's old study.

"Master Lucius wishes to speak with you," Pitch said almost nervously. "He was very insistent."

Lily bit her lip. Lucius was here. On their wedding day. This could possibly end in disaster. But . . . she wouldn't run away. She _couldn't_ run away from this. This . . . well this was probably a long time coming. "Ok. Thank you, Pitch." Then she opened the door, and walked inside.

It looked like a normal study. But it was Lucius Malfoy sitting in one of the chairs that made the room imposing as Lily closed the door. "Potter," Lucius stated.

Lily gulped lightly. "Lucius." She gathered her courage. "I didn't expect to see you here. After all, you've never approved of the relationship."

"You're right, I don't," Lucius said. "I don't approve of my grandson, the heir to the Malfoy name and estate, marrying a Potter girl, who also happens to be a Weasley. It puts a sour taste in my mouth."

Lily relaxed her nerves and body. "I know you don't. And I'd bet there's nothing I could say that would change that. No matter how much I love him, no matter how much he loves me . . . you'll always hate me."

Lucius gave a short nod. "Yes."

Lily ignored the urge to fidget with her hair or dress. "Well, then you obviously wanted to say something to me. So say it."

Lucius tapped his own fingers on the arm of his chair. "My son kicked me out of what used to be my house . . . because of you. But my grandson . . . well I can't blame his little rebellions on you. He's been doing that for years."

"Is my being a Potter and a Weasley the only reason you have to hate me?" Lily asked suddenly.

Lucius gave a stiff shrug. "In my view, that's all the reason I need."

"Lucius, have you ever talked to Scorpius lately?" Lily questioned. "I mean . . . I was told that you two used to be close."

"Well sadly, my son sent Scorpius to Hogwarts instead of Durmstrang. I feel that hollow husk of a school only tainted him," Lucius retorted. "He could have been quite the heir to the Malfoy name."

"And what does that mean? Arrogant? Prejudice? All the things that your side of war lost because of? The things that my father's friends died due to?" Lily questioned calmly. "I mean, did you ever talk to him, and listen about what he's gone through at Hogwarts? Maybe you'd understand him better. You may hate me, but I don't want to be a reason you don't talk to your grandson."

Lucius sighed. "Look, Potter, I didn't have you come in here to talk about my history with my grandson."

"Then what did you want to say?" Lily replied, slightly exasperated.

Lucius stood and took a step toward her. But Lily didn't find it intimidating. Instead she took a long look at Lucius Malfoy. And really . . . all she saw was an old man who was grasping his dignity with an iron fist, unable to let go. It was almost sad, and Lily felt a small portion of pity for the man. How hard it must be to let go of something you held on to and believed for your entire life.

"It is simply that my grandson is the heir to the Malfoy name. If you both insist on you being his wife, then I simply suggest you make sure the Malfoy name and reputation keep its high standards and dignity. I'd hate to see it ruined," Lucius said in a snide voice.

Lily didn't back down. "I honestly don't think it could fall anymore than it did after the war," she countered. She easily saw the flinch in his eyes, but she didn't acknowledge it. "So if that's all, then I'd better be going."

"Yes. Farewell, Potter," Lucius muttered.

Lily couldn't stop the small smile that came to her lips. "You know, you'll probably be the last person to call me that. It'll be Malfoy in less than an hour."

* * *

Lily felt confident after her talk with Lucius, and she held no nerves when she walked down the stairs of the now empty insides of the manor. But when she reached the door to the gardens, where her father and the wedding party stood, and she could hear the muffled sounds of voices outside, those nerves kept shooting back, along with a thrill of unflinching excitement, and heart racing happiness.

Harry was the one that came to stand next to Lily, who had practically frozen. "How are you feeling, princess?" he asked softly.

Lily did her best to bring in a calming breath, but it did nothing to stop her fluttering heart. "Happy," she said simply, having no other way to describe what she felt.

Harry gave her a small smile of his own. "Are you ready?"

Lily looked at her father, and saw his own love and confidence in her. And his pride in her. Her heart finally calmed a little, and she smiled. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Harry's smile grew a little as he looked toward the doors. "Good, because it's starting," he pointed out as he led her toward the door.

Lily gulped softly. "Dad, how many people are out there?"

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "A lot," he said honestly. "But don't be afraid or modest. This is your day, sweetheart."

"Is it ok if I am a little scared, though?" Lily whispered.

"Of marriage? Of course. But fear is no reason to not take a chance," Harry replied. He looked toward the door, as did Lily. They were up. "Ready?"

Lily took in one last deep breath. "Absolutely."

The first thing Lily noticed was that the weather was perfect for a wedding outside. It was warm, and the air wasn't stifling or humid. Just perfect. The next thing she noticed was the large amount of people, although she had expected it. She noticed a few familiar faces from the first glance she got. But then her eyes locked on what was ahead of her, and it was all she wanted to see. Scorpius stood, waiting with a familiar smirk. As Hugo had said, he wore a muggle tux, with a dark green jacket. Unusual, especially at a magical wedding, but Lily knew that it was perfect for their union. His hair was smoothed and combed to the side, and his cheeks were smooth with only a small goatee on his chin. It fit him well. But the love in his eyes really took her breath away.

Lily was glad that her father kept walking, because Lily was sure she would have frozen without him. Her mind was racing alongside her heart. Each step they took seemed to kick the speed of her heart beats up a notch, and they echoed in her ears. But she could hear the whispers as well.

"He's a lucky man."

"A Potter and a Malfoy. Who would have guessed?"

"Fate playing a joke?"

"Only those two would have such an untraditional wedding."

With each comment she heard, Lily found that she wasn't all that concerned. She kept in mind what her father had said before. Don't be afraid or modest. It was her day. She would keep that in mind and heart, and do her best to follow it.

When they stopped, Lily felt like her heart did too. Or at least skipped a few beats. Her father gave her hand a firm squeeze before placing it into Scorpius's hand. Lily looked at her father, knowing he wasn't one for showing affection in front of such a huge public. But the emotion in his eyes, along with the almost watery look, said enough for her. She looked back to Scorpius, whose smirk melted into an honest smile as he took both of her hands. And as the man began to speak, their eyes never strayed.

"Hi," she watched Scorpius mouth the words to her.

Lily's own smile brightened. "Hi," she mouthed back.

The vows and words of the official were traditional, probably the most traditional part of their wedding. But that didn't matter to Lily, and she was sure it didn't matter to Scorpius either. Their eyes hardly left each other, and only deviated their attentions from each other when told to repeat the words of the official.

When the "I do"s came, they both held no hesitance, and confidence radiated through their words as they both said the same thing. "I do." But they both knew the truth. They already had years ago. This commitment was nothing new to them, and they knew that although it would be hard, that it wouldn't change a thing between them.

"Scorpius?" the official broke their attentions away from each other subtly, and gave them both a smile. "You may kiss the bride now."

Scorpius once again smirked as he looked back at Lily. "Gladly," he murmured.

Then he kissed her.

* * *

The reception was lively and an obvious party to most of Lily and Scorpius's friends from Slytherin. And the first thing that they, mostly Scorpius's buddies, demanded was the couple's first dance. And they happily obliged.

Scorpius pulled her close as the soft song started, and his hold on her was equally gentle. "Well, Mrs. Malfoy, I must say that this has been the most perfect day, and that you are probably the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he commented.

Lily smiled. It sounded so perfect to her. "You look quite dashing yourself, Mr. Malfoy. Especially in muggle clothing."

Scorpius chuckled as he slowly twirled her before bringing her back to his arms, the flashes of cameras and murmurs of people around them. "I thought it was a nice touch. After all, what about us is traditional?"

Lily sighed softly, her heart finally content, although excitement and happiness were settled along her veins and nerves. "Are you ever going to tell me where we're going tonight?"

Scorpius smirked again. "Of course. Once we're there."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You are such a tease."

"Oh, I promise there will be very little teasing once we're there," he assured in a low tone.

"Come on, Scor, we better see a dip!" they heard Tanner yell out to them, much to the amusement and delight of the crowd around them.

Lily let out a small smile as Scorpius shook his head. "I'm going to kill that boy one day," he said. But then he locked eyes with her again, and gave her another slow twirl, before doing just as Tanner had said. Cameras flashed again as applause started, but as Scorpius slowly brought her up, she leaned up to press her lips against his softly.

"Ok, we've been given the request to do a song for the dance with their parents next, so if the father of the bride and mother of the groom would come up?" the singer of the hired band said. Lily wished with all her heart that it had been the band she'd preferred.

Lily watched her father come to the set up dance floor, looking a little modest and awkward. Lily smiled, knowing that her father was a bit of an awkward dancer. She held out her hands, which Harry took with a small smile.

"How's my little girl today?" Harry asked quietly as they danced.

Lily smiled softly at her father. "A little scared, actually. In an oddly good way, though."

"Anything I can do to stop those fears? This may be my last chance to do so," Harry commented.

Lily looked at her father, and saw the love in his eyes. "Daddy, do you think we're too young for this?"

Harry sighed. "Lily, you _are_ young. So you know what that means?"

Lily shook her head. "No. What?"

"It means that . . . if this ends up being a mistake . . . then it's ok, because you're young. No matter how mature you are, you're allowed mistakes as a young woman. So it doesn't matter what I think, or what anyone else thinks. Just what you and Scorpius think," Harry said honestly. He brushed a bit of hair from her shoulder. "So let me ask a question. Are you happy?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. I really am."

Harry gave a bit of a shrug. "Then that's all that matters. To you, and to me."

After their dance, Lily found herself dancing with Draco next, while Scorpius had smirked and promised to twirl her mother around the dance floor. Draco had shook his head and sent a familiar smirk of his own at his son.

But then Draco focused on her, and sent a smile toward her. "You look lovely, Lily," he complimented.

"Thanks," Lily replied with a smile of her own. But then she decided to approach what could possibly be an awkward topic. "Your father insisted on talking to me before the ceremony."

Draco looked at her in surprise. "My father was here?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. He sent Pitch to have me come talk to him."

Draco sighed and shook his head. "I apologize, Lily. Especially for whatever he said."

But Lily shook her head. "Don't worry about it. The confrontation was a long time coming."

Draco still looked wary. "What did my father want?"

Lily shrugged. "I'm not completely sure. But I did learn something about him. He really clings to his old ways, doesn't he?"

Draco sighed. "It's all he knows. There are some things and some people that cannot change. It's even more difficult when the person resists change."

"Is it his ways that started the rift between him and Scorpius?" Lily asked.

Draco nodded. "Basically, yes. I don't know exactly what it was my father said to him, but it sent Scorpius off. Once he went to Hogwarts, Scorpius's beliefs in how he should behave as a Malfoy began to change. He knew that people would treat him different, I warned him. But Hogwarts made him realize that it was worse than what he'd imagined. He knew that the way my father expected him to behave would be impossible."

Lily sighed. "Yeah. Back then it would have been impossible."

"You know, something happened to him the day he started Hogwarts," Draco said. "It was obvious by the time he'd sent his first letter home. But he never talked about it, and I sometimes still wonder what it was."

Lily thought about that. His first day? Scorpius himself had never mentioned anything like that. If it was true, perhaps he'd forgotten about it? "I don't know. Honestly, Scorpius tends to leave out the details that he finds embarrassing when it comes to his first two years at Hogwarts. Such as when he dyed his hair black."

Draco smirked. "Ah, yes. The black year, as I had liked to call it. I'm not surprised he left that out."

"Well he wasn't the most excited person to learn that I found out about it," Lily said with a bit of a laugh.

"My wife?" Draco guessed.

Lily nodded. "She included a picture of it in the album she gave me."

The song ended, and Lily honestly wanted to take a break from dancing for the moment. But she knew that she had a lot of people who she had yet to see.

* * *

"Congrats, Lil," Robbie said with an honest smile. He and Marsha had come up to her, both giving their congratulations and well wishes. Lily was still a little amazed at how big the two had gotten in just a year.

"Thanks, guys," Lily said with a sigh, a little tired of what was feeling like such a long reception. She looked at Marsha. "So, where's John? Or are you two not dating anymore."

Marsha's previous smile faltered a little, but eventually stayed strong. "No, we're still together. He's talking with Scott and Riley at the moment," she said.

Robbie rolled his eyes. "She and Alec aren't talking anymore," he explained.

Marsha glared at her older brother. "And what do you care?"

Robbie shrugged. "Hey, I got no issue with it. It means there's no chance of him touching my sister. Means I only have to focus on John."

Marsha rolled her eyes as she looked at Lily. "I hate brothers. Robbie's been a maniac, and the twins are . . . well the twins. Hogwarts didn't change them at all."

Lily bit back a laugh. "Wouldn't it be scarier if the twins acted different than you've always known them to be though," she pointed out.

"They're still too much trouble," Robbie retorted. Then he sighed. "Well, I'm going to head over to my friends' table. I've got to try and get along with Elisa Sanders."

Lily raised a curious brow, while Marsha looked confused and hesitant. "Why Elisa Sanders?" Lily asked. She vaguely knew Elisa. She was two years below her, in the same year as Will, Monty, and Megan's little sisters, and obviously Robbie.

Robbie rolled his eyes. "Because somehow she roped Alec into bringing her as a date."

Lily looked a little surprised, but Marsha looked ready to explode. "What?"

Robbie nodded. "Yeah, I don't know how it happened. I'd bet all the galleons I have that he's doing it to get laid." But then he shrugged. "Well, anyways, I'll see you around, Lil. Congratulations again."

Lily looked over at Marsha, who's face red with obvious anger. "Are you ok, Marsha?"

But Marsha's expression became a casual one. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm mad at him anyways."

Lily in no way believed her, but didn't want to pry. So she let Marsha excuse herself. She thought about going and talking with Ciara, who was now due to have the baby in about a week or less. But she found herself being stopped by a guest she hadn't expected to see.

"Hey, Lily. Long time no see," Johnny greeted with a smile as he caught up with her.

"Johnny!" Lily greeted happily as she hugged him. "I didn't think you'd come."

"Well how could I miss your wedding? Not to mention confuse the hell out of the families that have yet to learn of the _other_ Pritchard child," Johnny joked with an amused glint in his eyes.

"I'm glad you did," Lily assured. "How have you been?"

Johnny shrugged. "Good, I guess you could say. I've come to the crossroads of having to decide what I really want to do with my life career-wise."

"Any thoughts?" Lily asked curiously.

Johnny sighed. "It changes. Sometimes I'm noble and would love nothing more than to do something to help other Squibs learn to adapt and grow up muggle in a magical family. Then at other times . . . I just want a calm and normal, _muggle_ life. No magic, not even talk of it."

Lily looked at him. "Not even talk of it? Won't that be hard around your siblings?"

He shrugged again. "I could handle a bit of talk from them. But sometimes I think that I might just want to settle down and truly live like a muggle. Like I'm supposed to, by nature."

Lily rested hers hand on his shoulder, doing her best to ignore how much taller he was than her. "You'll figure out what's best for you, Johnny. Not that it won't be hard, and you will make mistakes on the way, trust me. But you'll figure it out," she assured.

Johnny grinned as he looked down at her. "Is that what this wedding is? You figuring out what you wanted after hardships and many mistakes?"

Lily looked around her at the large amount of guests at the reception for her wedding. "Yes," she admitted. "It is what I want, even if I can't say for sure that it's not a mistake. It's what I want from life."

Johnny looked around too. "You know, Lily, I kind of wish I could be like you sometimes."

Lily let out a small laugh. "Like me?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You have this strange ability to bring people, who are completely different, together. Maybe that's just your fate as the Chosen One's child, but you do it."

Lily looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Johnny motioned at the crowd around them. "Look around you, Lily. Weasleys talking to Notts, Longbottoms talking with Averys. Current and past Gryffindors talking and getting along with current and past Slytherins. For Merlin's sake, you've joined the Potter and Malfoy families, Weasleys included!" He paused and looked around them once again. "Thanks to you, Lily, these people . . . they're all connected in some way. You did that. With Scorpius . . . you two have built a bridge today, one that will last. And it's something I wish that I could do."

Lily looked around again, this time really looking. She could see her own mother and Mrs. Avery talking, while Mrs. Finnigan and Aunt Hannah were talking with Astoria and Mrs. Goyle. Her uncles Charlie and Bill were talking with Mr. Pritchard and Draco. And she could see Rose and Roxanne cooing over baby Roland who was hiding in Stacy Bole's arms.

"It wasn't just me," Lily replied softly. "You can't make someone change. They have to want it. Maybe Scorpius and I did build a bridge for them to connect, but they all have chosen to walk across and meet at the middle, so to speak."

Johnny looked down at her. "They say that it only takes one person to ignite the spark of change in others." He looked at the crowd again. "I know you're modest and humble by nature when it comes to big things like this, but you should take pride. As I said, it's something I wish I could myself."

"You mean to bring Squibs and others together?" Lily guessed.

"It's not an easy life," Johnny admitted. "I may have learned to adapt from a young age, but it's still difficult. And only because you know in your heart that you're different. In this world, _I_ am the odd one, while to muggles I'm a normal guy. But we walk on ice, trying to keep the delicate balance of our magical families and muggle friends and life apart. One tilt of the scale could lead to disaster or personal tragedy."

"Is there something wrong, Johnny?" Lily asked, deeply concerned. While Johnny had always had a way of talking wise and thinking openly and widely about deep matters, he never sounded this . . . dejected.

Johnny looked down at his feet. "I hate the lying my life brings," he murmured. "It's difficult to just have my girlfriend over for dinner. It puts a strain and tension on my family not to give away the secret of magic to a simple girl I bring home. And at the same time, I can't truly be honest with this girl while I have possibly the largest secret ever floating behind me."

"You love her," Lily stated, seeing that it was obvious.

"But I can't be honest with her, and I hate that," Johnny sighed. "And not because of the need for secrecy. But because of fear. I don't know how she would take something like this. Could she handle it, and would she stay? Or would I be forced to watch her memories be erased? On the other hand, could I live a life that contained lie after lie, just to keep the girl I love in the dark about my reality?"

Lily took his hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. "A hard life tends to happen to those who don't deserve it. But they always end up the strongest and best suited to handle it."

* * *

As the time for the couple to leave to . . . well to wherever Scorpius had planned, Lily found herself being caught by more and more people to talk and catch up with before their departure. But it seemed like Brandon made sure that he was one of the last few.

"Congratulations, Lily Luna," Brandon said as he hugged her.

Lily smiled. "Thanks, Brandon."

She then felt his breath near her ear. "Where you're going, there's going to be a present for you, waiting. You might wait to open it until tomorrow," he whispered.

Lily pulled away from him, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Brandon just gave her a small grin. "Trust me, ok. And don't ask questions."

Lily looked over at a table which seemed to hold hundreds of gifts for the new married couple. So why was this mystery one not just put with the rest? But she couldn't even think to question it, because Brandon was already walking away.

When the couple began to say goodbyes to people, Lily felt like it was hard to swallow when she was face-to-face with her father once again. The emotion in his eyes was very obvious, and Lily felt her own tears want to appear at the sight of his slightly watery eyes.

Harry leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. "Take care, princess," he whispered.

Lily nodded. "I will, Daddy. Besides, it's not like we're never coming back," she teased. "It's just a week."

"I know," he sighed. He cupped her cheek with one hand. "I also really don't know what else to say right now."

Lily gave a little laugh. "Really? You don't know what to say?"

Harry grinned. "No. As a father, there's so much that I _want_ to say . . . but there's so much that I wouldn't know where to start."

"How abut if you just summed it all up?" Lily suggested softly.

Harry sighed. "I love you, Lily. Don't take any guff from that man, but at the same time don't kill one of my best Aurors," he said with a chuckle.

Lily hugged her father. "I know, Daddy. I'll take care of him," she joked lightly.

When all other goodbyes had been said, Scorpius held his hand out to her. "Ready?" he asked.

Lily sent him a smile and nodded. "Yeah. I am." With that, she took his hand, and the two of them Apparated away.

* * *

When Lily's feet hit the ground again, she was confused for a moment. It was dark in the evening, but there were floating lights all around them in a wide circle, some seeming to be hanging from trees around them. There were flowers and soft grass . . .

Lily turned to look at Scorpius. "Is this the tree circle you showed me years ago?"

Scorpius smirked as he nodded. "Yeah. We're staying up at the house, but I thought this would be a nice place to stop first. And don't worry, the entire way to the house has been lighted for us," he teased softly.

Lily wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her cheek on his chest. His heart thumped against her ear. "It's perfect," she whispered.

Scorpius placed a kiss on her hair while his hand gently massaged her side. "I'm glad," he murmured, his voice containing a tone that made Lily shiver with mild delight, and made her body warm.

"You know, this place will be just as beautiful tomorrow," Lily mentioned as she pulled away slightly in order to look at him.

His eyes were glinting in the dim lighting around him, sending sparks through her veins. "You want to go back?"

Lily licked her lips, easily reading his intentions. "I don't want to ruin this dress."

Scorpius sighed, a sound akin to a growl in his throat as he looked over her dress. "I guess I can make it back there. For the sake of the dress, that is," he mumbled. But then he lifted her into his arms with ease, smirking at the small squeal of surprise that came past her lips. "But for the sake of the dress, I guess I'll have to carry you the entire way back," he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes as she blushed. She rested her head on his shoulder, a warmth spreading through her body, and then settling in her stomach. She played with his collar as Scorpius began to walk. Her fingers trailed down it, brushing it along the bit of bare skin at his collar and neck. His pace got a bit faster.

When they reached the house, Lily could see the dim lighting from the large windows that held no secrets on the inside. Scorpius easily carried her up to the open and awaiting door, and carried inside.

"Are you going to put me down now?" Lily teased lightly.

Scorpius smirked as he set her on her feet, but then lowered his lips onto hers without a single word. Lily's entire body seemed to melt as she kissed him back, a warmth running straight to her heart. His hand tangled in her hair, the other trailing down her side, then up to the top of the dress. One of his fingers slipped delicately beneath the fabric, his touch light and teasing on her skin.

He pulled his lips from hers, leaning his forehead onto hers. His breath was warm as it fanned against her skin. "As beautiful as you are in that dress, it's in the way," he commented in a low tone.

Lily pulled away from him, then she turned and began to make her way for the stairs. It wasn't until she was on the second step that she looked back at him. "I guess I could fix that for you," she whispered into their silence. She watched his stormy eyes darken even more before turning and continuing up the stairs. But now she could hear determined footsteps following.

* * *

Glaring sunshine woke Lily up the next morning, making her bury her face into the pillow. But after a moment she opened her eyes. She let her eyes wander to the clock. Seven-thirty? What on Earth was she up so early for? Especially when it wasn't necessary.

Lily sighed as she carefully turned to see that Scorpius was still fast asleep. His hair was a wild mess, but face was calm in his dreams. His arm, although lazily thrown around her, still held her tightly.

She debated on whether or not she really wanted to get out of bed or not, but then her stomach growled lightly, making the decision for her. So she attempted to softly slip out from under his arm, not wanting his Auror reflexes to kick in and wake him up. She gently set his arm on the bed, letting out a small sigh of relief. But then she jumped at the sound of a soft knock on the door. She quickly looked over at Scorpius, but he was still fast asleep.

Quickly, Lily slipped out of the bed, and grabbed Scorpius's shirt off the floor. She hurriedly slipped it on, and it fell to her knees. She buttoned up the few that had been undone the night before, and then silently padded over to the door. She opened it a little to see a house elf waiting patiently

Lily gulped. "Um, hi?" she greeted hesitantly, unsure of what the elf wanted.

"Excuse me, Mistress Malfoy, but I'm supposed to ask when you'll be ready for breakfast," the young house elf asked politely.

Lily flushed a little at how the elf addressed her. For the past twenty-four hours, it'd been a delight to hear that change in her name. "Oh. Um . . . at nine?" she said with a bit of uncertainty. She didn't want to have to wake Scorpius up early. She'd rather let him sleep as much as he wanted.

But the house elf smiled happily and nodded. "Of course, Mistress. Whatever you wish."

Lily stopped the house elf before it could leave. "Um, what is your name?" she asked, having never seen this little elf before.

She received a bit of a surprised look, but then an even brighter smile. "My name is Tiff, Mistress Malfoy. And I'm happy to be of service to you."

Lily gave a small nod. "Ok. And, Tiff, just call me Lily, please? I'm not a fan of formal titles."

Now Tiff looked shocked and uncertain. "Oh, I'm not sure about that . . . I was raised to always give a master their title."

But Lily gave a dismissive wave. "Take your time getting used to the idea. It took my own family's house elf time to get used to saying my name. See you in a bit, Tiff." Then Lily quietly closed the door, and looked back to where Scorpius was still sleeping like a light.

Lily went over to the closet and opened it. Sitting inside she could see the small trunk that she and Scorpius had packed with clothes days ago. It had been unpacked, and all their clothes were hanging in the closet, as well as probably sitting in the dresser. Lily grabbed some clothes for the day, and then went into the bathroom to shower. The warmth of the water was soothing, relaxing. It had been a long day yesterday, with an even longer night.

When Lily stepped out of the shower, she dried herself off, using her wand to immediately dry her hair. Then she dressed, her outfit containing a simple pair of denim shorts and a black tanktop. She pulled her hair up, glossed her lips lightly, and considered herself ready for the day. She stepped into the bedroom and looked at the time again. Although she'd been slow and had taken her time, it wasn't even eight-thirty yet.

Lily quietly stepped out of the room, and made her way down the hall. What could she do for practically another hour? Perhaps go and see if little Tiff needed help? But Lily shook that thought away. Tiff seemed like an old school house elf, who would just be shocked and refuse the help. So instead, she made herself to the sitting room. There she found a surprise.

Sitting on the table was a nicely wrapped gift. It wasn't overly large, nor was it small. It was wrapped in green with a silver bow on the top. Lily stared at it curiously before remembering what Brandon had said before they had left. A present was waiting for them here.

Lily sat down and pulled the box onto her lap. It wasn't heavy at all, and it almost made Lily wonder if there was really something inside. She undid the wrappings and the bow, pushing them to the side. Underneath was a simple white box with a lid, which Lily pulled off next. She looked inside and was a bit confused by what she saw. It looked like a poster and an envelope. Lily pulled out the poster first, and unrolled it. She almost dropped it.

Dominique, Mitch, Rex, and Justin all stared back at her. It was a poster for their band. And in each corner, she could see that they'd scribbled down their names. Lily set the poster down and quickly went for the envelope. The front simply held Lily and Scorpius's names, but under it, in a different handwriting, said _Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy_. It was thick in her hands, so Lily carefully opened it. Four folded papers slid out, along with a photo. It was of five people.

Dominique and Mitch were sitting on a couch, Mitch's arm around her. His hair was stilly wildly spiked up, but it was no longer just blue. The tips were now bright red. And now he had bangs hanging down to his eyes, which had been dyed red as well. Dominique looked as she always did. Dark red hair that swirled down around her shoulder blades, with a slightly bored look.

Justin sat across an armchair, his guitar in his hands. He was strumming it lightly. He hadn't changed a bit. Lean, long legs, and dark hair that was obviously a bit longer, and hung a bit further into his face.

Rex was sitting backwards in a desk chair, a laugh on his lips, the bottom one now pierced twice. And the most shocking thing about him was his hair. It had been cut incredibly short, just a little longer than a buzz cut.

And strangely enough, there was a girl standing by another doorway, a small smile on her lips. She had thick brown hair which a few blue streaks in it, and sparkling green eyes. She was pretty, but that wasn't what was surprising to Lily. It was her obviously pregnant belly, which was obvious even more by the maternity clothes she wore. Who was she?

Lily quickly went for the folded papers, and saw one that read _Dominique_ across it, obviously in her handwriting. Lily unfolded it to reveal a letter, which she quickly but carefully read.

"_Lil,_

_Really? Getting married to Malfoy already? Why am I not surprised? But, hell if it's want you want, then whatever. Just don't take any crap from him. Brandon's been harping on us lately to set up a gift since we won't be at the actual wedding. Mitch thought it'd be nice if we all just wrote a letter. Then Brandon took the dumb picture. By the way, the girl's name is Laurel Maslow, Rex's girlfriend. He knocked her up, so he's going to be a daddy. We all pity the child already for its parents. I mean Laurel's a nice girl, but not the brightest. And you know Rex._

_We've been doing just fine. Great actually. We've done a few tours, a lot of concerts, etc. Brandon's kept me updated on you, just letting me know that you've been ok. I can't believe he'd about to be a daddy. Another terrifying thought. That and he told us that their sister Kim had a baby, which was obviously news to us._

_Look, I don't know what else to really say in this stupid letter. You know me, and I'm not good at this. And I know you, so you probably don't expect much from me. So just . . . take care, smack Malfoy if he's stupid, and then once again for me. Take care._

_Dominique"_

Lily didn't read the others, but stared at Dominique's letter. It screamed of Dominique, from how she gave updates, to how she threw in an insult. A small ache ran through Lily at the reminder of how much she missed her cousin. How much she missed all of them.

Warm hands settled on her shoulders, and kneaded her bare skin tenderly. "What are you doing down here so early?" Scorpius mumbled. Lily just handed him the picture, her eyes still stuck to the letter. "Oh," she heard him mutter.

Lily sighed as she set the box back on the table, and finally set Dom's letter down. "They all wrote a letter, although I don't think Dom really wrote one to you, just me."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Surprise, surprise," he joked as he sat down. But then he looked at her carefully. "Hey, are you ok?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just miss them."

Scorpius kissed her temple. "I know," he murmured. He took her hand, and then placed a kiss on the back of it. "Anything I can do to make you forget and feel better?"

Lily looked at him and couldn't help but smile. "Kiss me?" she asked, softly teasing.

Scorpius smirked as he lowered his lips to hers. "Gladly."

And the poster, picture, and four letters laid momentarily forgotten on the table.


	111. The Different Forms of Bravery

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took longer than expected, and I'm sorry that it's shorter than usual. Some chapters may be like that, as we start to go further into the years. But I hope you like this one. A lot of news, some drama is revealed. You know, the usual. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Eleven: The Different Forms of Bravery

"_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy,_

_You have no idea how long I've been waiting to call you that, Lily Lu! Probably since the first time I ever heard Scor moan your name in his sleep! But I'm happy for both of you guys, it's really about time. I would have thought you'd have gotten married the moment Lily got off the train after graduating. You two sure took your sweet time._

_Just remember these few things. If you have a kid, remember me when you choose a name. Also, a honeymoon is for one thing only. Sex. Sightsee some other time. And you'd better have hardly any time in-between to even read this letter. And finally, no matter what position, pregnancy is possible without caution. That's according to Rex._

_Well I hope that made you smile. I got a good laugh while writing it. But seriously, I know you're both happy, and I hope you stay happy for the rest of your lives. Because you both deserve it, just like you deserve each other. Scor, hold on to her, because Lily's a rare kind of girl. Not many would put up with what you do. And, Lil, he may be temperamental, but I know he'll keep you safe, and that he loves you more than life. Take care._

_Mitch"_

Lily had smiled when they read over Mitch's letter. It was obvious that he hadn't changed a bit, and that while always the joker, he could still turn serious in flash. They had pulled out Rex's next, which was different from what would be expected from Rex. Then again, with his current situation . . . maybe not.

"_Scor, and Lily Lu,_

_I'm going to be a dad. I know, holy shit, right? I was surprised a lot more than you probably were. So take my advice, no position is safe from pregnancy. Then again, you two are married now, so I guess it wouldn't matter too much if you had a kid now._

_My girlfriend's name is Laurel Maslow, a witch we met while on tour. I met her at this little pub where she was a waitress. Amazing what a one night stand can become. Anyways, she's a great girl. She's funny, and sweet, and unbelievably sexy. They don't make witches like this in London. America has done her well._

_I hope you two are happy. Well, it's you two, so you probably are. Every time you two were together you had goofy smiles on your faces. But that's a good thing. I'd hate for that to change. Just don't let marriage ruin the bedroom, if you get my meaning._

_Rex"_

"Yeah, that's Rex all right," Scorpius said with a sigh as he read the last part. Lily had just bit back her laugh as she pulled out Justin's letter.

"_Scorpius and Lily Malfoy,_

_I'm glad to hear the two of you got married, and I really wished that we could have been there. I know the poster can't make up for that, but I hope you like it. We all hope that one day we'll do maybe a worldwide tour, and then maybe finally get the chance to come by and see you. It might be difficult, because I know that Dom's a bit hesitant of running into any of your other relatives._

_We're all doing ok here. Dominique constantly asks Brandon about you when he comes by. She just won't admit it. She's knows that you're ok, but like any caring family, she worries. America is a pretty cool place. Maybe once we've settled down in one particular place, you can come here and visit us. I think you'd like it. I'm not a fan of the northern states though. It's much too cold for my taste in the winter months._

_Take care of each other. Relationships can be hard, but no matter the fight, don't let it ruin the perfection you two have within each other. Love can be a burden, but at the same time, it can be the greatest creation of life. Appreciate these words, because it took me ten minutes to come up with them._

_Justin"_

"I'm glad to hear they're doing ok," Scorpius mentioned as Lily looked at where the letters now sat in a small folded pile on the table. It was now evening, and they'd finally gotten around to reading the other letters.

"Yeah. You can tell that Rex is excited about becoming a dad," Lily said with a bit of a smile. "That poor child."

Scorpius chuckled. "You know, we'll have to take Mitch's words to heart. He'll be very upset if we don't remember him when we name our child in the future."

Lily laughed. "Are you suggesting we name our child Mitchell?"

Scorpius shrugged and smirked. "Is that a problem?"

"Depends, is it a boy or a girl?" Lily teased.

Now he laughed. "Touche." He leaned back into the couch and sighed. "Well, we have time before we have to decide that. About a year."

"Thank Merlin for that," Lily murmured as she leaned into his embrace around her.

"Are you going to tell Brandon to get a picture of Rex's baby when it's born?" Scorpius teased.

Lily smiled coyly. "I don't see why I shouldn't. While it may be Rex's child, that does not mean it won't be cute."

Scorpius just rolled his eyes as he began to twirl a strand of her hair around his finger. "Of course, princess."

"Master Malfoy?" Tiff the house elf spoke from the doorway. "Dinner is ready, sir."

Scorpius gave a nod. "Ok, thank you, Tiff." He shook his head as the house elf disappeared. "That _must_ be a gift from my grandmother," he mumbled.

Lily looked at him curiously. "What is?"

He motioned toward the doorway. "Tiff and the other house elves here. I only say so because Tiff works for my grandparents, namely Lucius."

Understanding shot through Lily. No wonder Tiff was so used to formal titles, and was so old fashioned. "Oh. Perhaps it is then."

* * *

Lily sat on the beach the next day, her legs every so often were covered by water, but the rest of her stayed dry as she sat on the sand. Scorpius was out in the water, apparently swimming laps, or something. Lily had personally just been admiring how strong he looked as his muscles flexed and pushed him further along.

Scorpius disappeared for a short moment, but then popped back up from under the water, his hair wet and glistening in the sun. "Are you ever actually coming into the water?" he teased.

Lily smiled. "I haven't decided yet," she called back to him.

With a smirk, Scorpius came back over to her, water droplets sliding down his skin and dripping from his hair. "Come on, princess. Join me." He held out his hand, invitingly.

Hesitantly, Lily took it, allowing him to pull her up, and then lead her into the water. "Nothing has changed. I'm still not a great swimmer," she reminded.

"You're right. Nothing has changed. I'm still here to keep you above water," Scorpius murmured softly, placing a kiss on her wrist. "So don't worry."

* * *

Going back home and back to their normal routines was not something that Lily had been looking forward to as the week passed by. She enjoyed their time alone and together far too much to want it to end. But she found out something far too surprising as she packed her things.

* * *

"Oh, Mistress Malfoy, let me do that!" Tiff insisted as the little house elf came into the bedroom. She immediately hurried to help Lily with her things.

Lily gave Tiff a fond smile. Despite the old-fashioned way, Lily had grown to really like Tiff. She was constantly trying her best to be a little less formal with Lily, although she always tended to forget. "If you're sure, Tiff. I have to admit, I'm going to miss this place," Lily sighed.

"I'm sure Master Malfoy would always bring you back here," Tiff assured. "I could try and convince him once we are home if you'd like."

Lily looked at Tiff with surprise. "Home? You're coming back with us?"

Tiff nodded, as if it were so simple. "Yes. Master Lucius Malfoy said that I was now to serve and work for you and Master Malfoy," she stated.

Lily raised a brow, disbelief on her face. "Lucius Malfoy . . . is having you work for us?"

Tiff nodded again. "Yes. From my understanding, it is sort of a wedding present for the both of you. So now, I work for you."

Lily stared at Tiff as the house elf continued to pack up Lily's things. Lucius? He had given them a wedding present? And a house elf at that? Lily shook her head and rubbed her temples. While house elves were no longer creatures to be passed off as if they were objects, she understood Lucius's intentions, which were surprisingly . . . well, nice.

"Um, Tiff?" Lily addressed.

Tiff looked up at her. "Yes, Mistress?"

"Let's not tell Scorpius about Lucius, ok? If he ever asks, just say his grandparents are having you work for us. I don't think he'd believe that it was Lucius," Lily muttered.

"Whatever you wish," Tiff assured.

* * *

They arrived home that evening, night having just fallen. Thanks to Astoria, all of their wedding gifts had been brought to the flat, and now practically covered the living room.

"The amount of presents proves that there were way too many people at the ceremony," Scorpius muttered with a sigh. Then he looked at Lily. "Shall we start opening them?"

Lily nodded. "Might as well."

Halfway into opening and organizing all the gifts, there was a knock at their door. Tiff, who had obviously been itching to be of help with something, practically bounced with excitement. "I've got it!" she assured.

Scorpius shook his head. "Energetic little thing, isn't she?"

"Master Malfoy, a Mr. Hugo Weasley is here," Tiff announced as Hugo walked in

Lily smiled as she stood to hug her cousin. "Huey! What are you doing here?"

Hugo chuckled. "Like I'd forget the day you were coming back home. I thought I'd come see you." He pulled back and looked at her. "Damn, cuz, you got tan."

Lily shrugged. "A lot of sun." Then she ran her thumb over his cheek. "You've gotten quite scruffy."

Hugo grinned. "A lot of work and no time for anything else," he retorted.

"Can I get you anything, Masters?" Tiff asked curiously.

Lily shook her head as she brought Hugo to sit down. "Not now. Thank you though, Tiff."

Hugo looked at the house elf. "Hey, I'm Hugo, Lily's cousin," he greeted, holding his hand out.

Tiff looked at his hand in obvious surprise, and almost hesitantly took it. "My name's Tiff," she said.

Hugo raised a brow at her timid actions. "She's a bit old fashioned," Lily explained. Hugo gave a nod of understanding, so Lily looked at Tiff. "He's Hermione Weasley's son."

Tiff herself lit up with understanding, with no surprise. Lily would be shocked if there was a single house elf that didn't know of Hermione Weasley and the work she's done for their rights. "Oh! Well I'll get you all something to drink then." Then she hurried toward the kitchen area.

"So, Hugo, what have we missed?" Scorpius asked as he vanished all the extra wrappings with a flick of his wand.

"Oh, you won't believe what happened!" Hugo answered. "Louis and Paul went off and got married."

Lily looked at her cousin in surprise. "What?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, the day after you guys did. I don't know the full story, but I guess they both just decided that they wanted to get married, and didn't want to wait. So they got their families together and went and had a simple ceremony," he explained.

"Wow. Of the people, I didn't expect it from them," Lily replied.

"How long have they been together?" Scorpius inquired as Tiff handed him a drink.

Lily thought about it. "A couple years now, right? Since their seventh year."

"So about three to four years," Hugo stated. "Still, I didn't expect it either. It was quite a surprise for everyone."

"Anything else big?" Lily inquired as Tiff set down the rest of the drinks on the table.

Hugo's face turned a bit somber. "Yeah. Aunt Andromeda's gotten kind of sick. And with her age, it could be potentially bad."

Lily's shoulders fell under the weight of the news. "How's Teddy taking it?"

"Pretty good," Hugo admitted. "I guess he goes to see her every day, and Victoire checks on her all the time at work."

"I'll have to talk to my grandmother. She's probably in tears at that news," Scorpius sighed. "She's gotten very close to her sister."

"But, enough sad news," Hugo said brightly. "How was your week?"

So Lily showed Hugo the gifts they'd gotten from Dominique and the others, some which made Hugo laugh, mainly Mitch and Rex's letters.

"You know, Albus's wedding could prove to be quite a laugh," Hugo mentioned during part of the evening.

"Why's that?" Lily inquired.

"Because from what I've heard, your brother doesn't know how to handle a pregnant woman and her hormones. I guess they're always fighting," Hugo said with a small laugh.

"I don't think Albus Potter was ever that smooth with girls though," Scorpius said with a laugh of his own.

"Well he was smooth enough to knock her up," Hugo joked. "Now he's stuck with the consequences."

* * *

Weddings turned out to be the big topic in the family as July started in full swing, what with one finally happening, a surprise wedding, and one currently being put together. While Lily and Scorpius settled into being actually married, Lily found her routine hardly changed. The only differences were that now she was dealing with Tiff, who insisted on helping with everything, and with all of her mail now being addressed to _Mrs. Lily Malfoy_. Lily didn't mind either change.

* * *

"Do you need help with anything, Mistress?" Tiff asked Lily, as Lily picked out an outfit from their walk-in closet.

"Do you mind making lunch? Brandon should be here soon, along with Xavier. They'll be joining us," Lily requested.

"Of course. Also, Master Malfoy wanted me to remind you that you both are having dinner with your parents tonight, and will be leaving at six," Tiff reminded.

"Yes, thank you, Tiff," Lily said with a sigh. Dinner with her family, which now included Ashley and Albus. It was only that last part that made Lily a little uneasy.

Xavier was the first to show up, and happy smile on his face. "Hey, Lil," he greeted as he hugged her. "How was the honeymoon?"

Lily smiled at her friend. "Good. And your summer?" Lily was very curious, because now Liz had graduated as well, and would no longer be at Hogwarts.

Xavier grinned. "Good. And on that note, here." He pulled two mirrors from jacket pocket. "You can have these back. And I'm really grateful that you gave them to me for the year."

Lily took the mirrors, and placed them on the counter. "It wasn't a problem. How is Liz?"

"She's well. She said her last year was a blast, and really hopes that she'll get to see her mentor soon," Xavier said a bit teasingly.

"Did she ever mention JB?" Lily inquired.

Xavier nodded. "Quite a bit. They followed their mentors' teachings to the letter, and followed by example as well. She said that she had full faith in the new leaders for next year. And guess who Slytherin picked to lead them next year."

Lily raised a brow as they sat down. "Who?"

"Young Robbie," Xavier answered.

"Good for him," Lily replied with a smile. "He'll do great."

The door opened, and Brandon walked in, looking a bit tired, but still eager. "Hello, Lily, Xavier. How have you been?"

"Good," Lily said with a smile toward him.

"You look exhausted, big brother," Xavier said with a chuckle.

"Well with a newborn in the house, it can create long days and even longer nights," Brandon said with a sigh.

Lily laughed a little. Ciara had given birth to her and Brandon's son just as July started. They had named him Jay Nathan Avery, and it seemed as if he were going to be a nice mix of both his parents, which was probably for the best. "How is little Jay?"

Brandon's smile was the softest that Lily had ever seen from the normally eager man. "He's loud, cries a lot, and hardly sleeps. At the same time, it's fantastic."

Lunch with Brandon and Xavier was so relaxing that it eased some of Lily's anxiety about having to be around Albus at dinner later. After they'd both left, Lily had taken time to have a long shower to prepare for the evening. She dried her hair and curled it lightly at the ends. She stepped out from the bathroom in a short, thin robe, and almost had a heart attack when she found Scorpius right behind the door.

"Dammit! Scorpius Malfoy, don't do that!" Lily exclaimed, her hand over her heart.

Scorpius looked just as surprised. "Sorry. I was just about to knock to see if you were in there." Then his eyes looked her over, and Lily could see his eyes turn stormy with an obvious desire. "What are you doing?"

Lily brushed by him. "Getting dressed for dinner, so don't even give me that look, Scorpius. Just go shower and change as well."

Scorpius smirked as he came over to sit on the bed, next to where Lily had laid out her outfit for the night. "Why rush? We have time."

"Not enough for what you're alluding to," Lily retorted as she looked at him with a raised brow. "So, are you going to shower?"

But Scorpius's eyes were still roaming, paying particular attention to how much of her legs the robe bared to his sight. "Hmm . . . in a minute," he mumbled.

Lily rolled her eyes and shoved his shoulder. "Go. Now. If I change in front of you, we'll never get to dinner."

Scorpius smirked as he just dropped onto his back, laying across the bed. "It's not like dinner is going to be ready straight at six. Your mother just wants us all there early like usual." He placed his hands to rest under his head. "Besides, I just got off of work. Why not let me relax and . . . enjoy?"

* * *

"Tell me, flower, is there a reason your husband looks so annoyed?" Harry asked Lily as he walked into the kitchen of the Potter household.

Lily thought about that. It could be because she'd insisted on not being late. It could also be because when he persisted with his own goal, she took her wand and shot him with a jet of water, effectively rolling him off the bed. But that wasn't something her father needed to know. "I think he was just wanting to . . . _relax_ once he got home. But I made him shower since we were coming over."

Harry chuckled. "Sounding like a married woman already," he mumbled.

"Hey, I'd have done it even before we were married," Lily retorted, allowing a smile to tug at her lips.

They both heard the front door open, and then heard the sound of their mother and James greeting Albus and Ashley. Harry sighed. "Well, better go greet my incoming daughter-in-law. You know, I like that girl, but something about their whole relationship seems a little . . . different to me," he mentioned as he walked toward the door. He looked back at Lily. "Are you coming?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, in a moment," she mumbled, not all that eager. Instead she lifted herself up to sit on the counter, leaning her head against the cabinets, and sipped at her glass of pumpkin juice. But as luck would have it, she was soon joined by Albus, who ignored her as he got himself a glass of water. He moved like Professor Binns really. Dull. Lily scoffed. "What's your problem?"

Albus set his glass down on the counter near the sink. "Everything. Everything is my problem," he muttered.

Lily looked at him with confusion, not actually having expected an answer. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean that everything in my life is a problem," Albus said weakly. "I can't seem to do anything right, and now I'm about to fuck up my life even more by marrying a girl that I just had a one night stand with!"

Lily confusion turned to surprise. "So it _was_ a one night stand?"

Albus sat down at the table, burying his face into his hands. "I fucked up! It was a mission to protect her family . . . she wasn't even supposed to be there! It spiraled out of control . . . but I never thought I'd see her again! I never thought that she'd show up pregnant at my door! I never thought that I'd be a father this early! I never thought I'd marry a girl that I hardly knew!"

Lily stared at her brother as she slid off the counter. He looked like a wreck. His hair was even more wild than usual, and he looked ready to bang his head against the wooden table. She sighed. What was it about her brothers getting into the worst situations thanks to their jobs? And why did she always feel like she had to help them?

Lily sat down at the table too, and looked at her brother with a bit of sympathy. "Maybe you should spend time with her," she suggested.

Albus slowly pulled his hands away from his face. "What?"

Lily shrugged, looking at her now almost empty cup. "Spend time with her. This is a big change for her too, and I'd bet she's like you when it came to expecting it. She's in the same position, only she's going through hormone and physical changes alongside it all. So . . . if you two are sure that you're going to go on with this charade of a relationship and marriage, then maybe you should at least get to know a bit about the mother of your child, and spend time with her."

Albus looked at her for a moment, then took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. He looked so much like their father, and Lily finally wondered how much of a burden that must have placed on him over the years. "Why are you being nice to me? You and I have never had a great history, Hogwarts aside."

Lily sighed. "I guess because I have a heart. And you're my brother, and I love you . . . even if I don't always like you, and you don't always like me." She gave him a weak grin. "So . . . how about a truce? Then we don't have to awkwardly sit here and apologize, because I'd imagine that we'd really suck that up."

Albus nodded with his own weak grin. "That sound's like a really good idea." He was quiet for a moment, but then sighed heavily. "Lily, . . . I can't be a good brother. How can I be a good father?"

"Albus, I only really babysit and care for kids that aren't mine. I'm not a parent yet," Lily said. "So . . . I can't really give you a for sure answer. Well . . . I'm not sure anyone has a for sure answer about that. But anyways, what I can say is that if you really try, and if you do what is right and not easy . . . then you'll probably do a good job. And if not . . . well then while Ashley takes over, you can say you tried."

Albus raised a brow. "I can say that I tried? That's it?"

Lily nodded. "Yup. That's it. Because the least a person can do is try. And no one can blame you for trying if you give it your all. Besides, you won't be alone. One, you'll have Ashley. And two, you'll have Mum and Dad, and everyone in the family. So don't worry so much. It's stressing you and making you look like hell."

Albus ran a hand over his hair, which did nothing to help it. "Ok. . . . Thanks, Lily."

"No problem. And you and Ash should be careful around Dad. He knows that something is different about the two of you," Lily warned.

"I'm not surprised. He is the best Auror there's ever been," Albus muttered. He looked at her. "You won't tell him, will you?"

"It's not my story to tell."

* * *

"You know, I like Elizabeth and Ashley. I don't know how your brothers ended up with girls like that," Scorpius joked as they walked into their bedroom.

Lily nodded, sometimes wondering that too. She looked at Scorpius, who was currently pulling his shirt off. She sometimes wondered how she ended up with him without too much of a hitch. Sure, the deal with Lysander hadn't exactly made it all ok, but it wasn't as bad as what either of her brothers had gone through for a sort of . . . redemption.

Scorpius turned to look at her, his shirt now in his hands, his hair now a bit ruffled. He smirked and dropped his shirt, then held his hand out to her. Lily walked forward and took it, and allowed him to pull her again him. As usual, he was warm against her, and his hand made a warmth run through her own fingertips and straight to her heart. "What are you thinking about, beautiful?"

Lily rested her cheek on his chest, loving the sound of his heart beating just by her ear. "About how lucky I am that I didn't have to go through some traumatic experience to end up with you," she admitted.

Scorpius chuckled. "No, we just went through them _after_ we got together," he teased, his fingers slipping under her shirt to run soothingly along her skin.

Lily closed her eyes and smiled. "Sounds better than going at it alone."

He rested his cheek on her hair. "Much better." Then he sighed. "And just think about it. No matter the traumatic event, you'll always have me to go through it with."

"Good, because I'd just drag you with anyways," she joked.

Scorpius wrapped his arms tighter around her. "You can't drag those who willingly follow, princess."

* * *

"What do you think this is about?" Hugo questioned as he and Lily sat in the Leaky Cauldron, both waiting for Lola and Jace to arrive. Both of them had received letters from the two, asking to meet up. They apparently had important news that they wanted to say in person to the two of them before anyone else.

Lily shrugged as Cecilia sat on her lap, looking around in wonder at the loud sounds and new and vibrant people. "I don't know. What could be so serious to need a meeting in person?"

"Let's pray she's not pregnant again," Hugo chuckled. "One Pucey kid is enough for now."

"Well here they come now, so let's brace ourselves," Lily sighed as she eyed Lola and Jace coming in from the heat outside. Lily smiled at her two friends. "Hey, guys. Where's Melody?"

"With my mum and dad. They insisted on babysitting her while we met up with you," Lola replied as they sat down.

"So what's up?" Hugo asked, cutting straight to the point.

Lola now looked really hesitant, so Jace sighed as he ruffled his hair a little. "Well, we've got a bit of news. You see . . . you know how I'm training to become a metal charmer under my uncle right?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"

Jace's fingers tapped on the top of his other hand, a nervous habit. "I've been doing really well, and my uncle says that it's time I started to do more hands on practices. That would involve me going to Greece a lot more. I'd . . . I'd basically be there for a month at a time, with only about a week of a break," he explained.

Hugo scowled. "Ok . . . so what about La and Melody?"

"I can't raise and take care of Melody on my own for a whole month with only a week of help at a time," Lola stated with certainty. "It'd be too hard, and I don't want Melody's time with Jace to lessen because of his career."

"And I don't want that either," Jace murmured.

A part of Lily feared where this was going. "So what are you going to do then?"

Lola just looked at the table sadly, so Jace took her hand and looked at the two of them with his own certainty. "We're moving to Greece in September, and we're going to live there."

Lily felt the air leave her lungs, and her throat constricted a little. Hugo had a bit more control of himself. "Wait, for how long? Until your training is done?"

"We don't know," Lola admitted. "This training can vary for each person. There have been people that train for ten years in this occupation. And . . . well we don't want to make a home just to uproot again once he's finished."

"So you might stay there . . . forever, basically?" Lily guessed.

Jace nodded. "Yeah. I mean, who knows what will happen in the future. Things might change. But for now . . . this is our plan."

"But, La, what about your training to be a Healer?" Hugo demanded.

"We've worked that out. There's a hospital similar to St. Mungo's in Greece. My superior trainer is going to talk to the head of their hospital to set up having them continue my training there," Lola told them. She set her shoulders, trying to look firm. "This isn't a snap decision on our part. We've been thinking about this for weeks now, and trying to figure out what was best, not just for us, but for Melody. And . . . we think this is best."

"And it's not like we'll never come back and visit, or write letters," Jace said with a weak laugh. "We'll keep in touch and send pictures."

Hugo scratched at his head, effectively messing up his hair. "I don't know. It just seems like a lot to take in."

"Yeah, but . . . well you do what you have to," Jace sighed.

Lily nodded. "You're right about that. It's just always a bit . . . well not fun."

* * *

News of Lola and Jace moving spread around through their friends quickly, and it wasn't something any of them were particularly happy with. But they all accepted their decision. Well, their friends did. Lola's siblings all seem to have different opinions about it.

* * *

"I can't believe that they're really going to just up and move away like that!" Marsha complained. Due to Marsha's begging for help on watching Candice and Max, Lily had let the three come over while she babysat Cecilia. And so far, Marsha had simply been complaining about her older sister.

"But it's for Jace's job," Candice said from the table as she and Max continued to eat their lunch.

"But they just spring it on us and expect us to be happy about it!" Marsha retorted. "It's not fair!"

"I thought you liked not having Lola at home and around school," Lily pointed out as she fed Cecilia. "So, what's wrong with her moving away?"

Marsha dropped back into her seat at the table, not saying anything.

"I'm going to miss her," Candice stated. "And I liked when Lola used to babysit us. It's much better than when Robbie does."

"Remind me to kill him for leaving it all to me on short notice," Marsha mumbled.

Lily looked over at Marsha. "You have been in a grouchy mood all day. Is something wrong?"

Marsha was obviously not going to tell the truth, but Candice had no trouble with it. "Robbie brought Alec over yesterday, and Alec is still dating Elisa Sanders."

Marsha glared at her little sister. "Shut up, Candy!"

"Relax, Marsha," Lily soothed.

"Yeah, you can't be mad when you're that obvious about it," Candice defended.

Marsha just avoided looking at any of them. "I'm not that obvious."

"You might as well shout it out," Candice countered.

Lily intervened before Marsha exploded. "So, Marsha, how is John?"

Marsha shrugged, not longer looking angry, but . . . well almost guilty. "I wouldn't know. We haven't spoken since we broke up a few weeks ago."

Lily raised a brow. Did this explain Marsha's attitude? "Really? What happened?"

Marsha shrugged. "I don't know. It just felt like we weren't going anywhere. Why draw it out?"

"Well I can understand that," Lily replied. And she could now really understand how Marsha felt. She was finally single again, and Alec was dating another girl. That had to be eating away at her, along with the rest of the anger she had apparently been feeling toward Alec as of late.

"Hey, Lily, can I ask you something?" Candice questioned in her normal innocent voice.

Lily nodded as she fed Cecilia her last bite. "Of course. What is it?"

"When are you and Scorpius going to have a baby?" Candice asked bluntly, her tone still soft and sweet.

Lily bit the inside of her cheek, wondering how kids always asked the most unwanted questions. "Why do you ask that?"

"Well, Lola has a baby, two of your cousins have children, you said your older brother was having one, and Brandon has one. So, when will you and Scorpius?" Candice inquired.

Lily sighed as she got up, and brought Cecilia to the living room. She set the baby down, and let her play with the toys she had. "Well, I'm not sure yet, Candy. It's not something that Scorpius and I have really talked about yet."

"Really?" Marsha asked, now curious herself.

"We thought we'd be married at least a year before discussing it," Lily replied.

"So people _do_ plan when having kids!" Candice said, sounding as if she'd just proved some point. "It always seems like babies are really just accidents that happen."

Lily now bit back a laugh. "Well that can be true. Sometimes you end up pregnant without expecting it. But other times, people plan out when they'll have a baby."

Candice looked to be thinking that over, and Marsha came to sit by Lily on the couch. "You know, I really wish that my mum would just give Candice the talk already. Her questions are getting more and more awkward and spot on."

"You mean she's never talked to Candice about sex or anything like that?" Lily inquired.

Marsha nodded. "Yeah. Mum has this habit of waiting until we're about to turn eleven. And that was fine with Ginger, Lola, and me, but with Candy being so much younger, and all of us being much older, she hears way too much, and then asks about it."

"Wow. My mum talked to me about it when I was nine," Lily mentioned.

"I wish my mum followed that example," Marsha muttered. "The other day she started asking me _why_ people have sex."

Lily couldn't hold back a bit of grin. "Oh wow."

"Yeah, that's always a great question to hear from your nine-year-old sister," Marsha sighed. "And she's difficult to avoid! She's persistent on getting answers sometimes."

"So she knows what sex is?" Lily mentioned.

"And that's it. She knows the mechanics of it, and that somehow babies are involved. But she apparently feels like she needs to know more about it," Marsha said with a shake of her head. "She has no concept of hormones or . . . anything."

"That's probably good. Let her be young and naive a little bit longer," Lily said with a laugh.

Marsha grinned. "You know, she once told Martin that she just did not understand sex at all. I don't think I've ever seen Martin so happy in my life."

* * *

As August came, it didn't come with any good news whatsoever. Lily and Hugo both sometimes went over to help Lola and Jace pack up their things, which just reminded them of their coming departure. And as August continued on, it just got worse. Lily had gone to see her aunt Andromeda quite a few times as she stayed in the hospital, and with the others, Lily watched as she got no better.

So when the news came, it wasn't a surprise . . . but it was still heartbreaking.

* * *

Lily rested her cheek against Scorpius's arms as the funeral continued on, and the casket lowered. She leaned into him, and Scorpius held her hand tighter. People stood all around, each sad and heartbroken as they watched Andromeda Tonks's casket be lowered into the ground. Some were crying subtly, some crying openly, and some people were able to hold their tears at bay. Narcissa Malfoy held nothing back as she cried into her son's shoulder.

Lily looked over at her brother. Teddy. Although Lily could see the sadness in his expression, and the heartbreak in his eyes, she saw not a single tear. His shoulders were tensed, and he held his crying son in his arms, one hand rubbing Theodore's back soothingly. Victoire held a sleeping baby Fleur, a few tears falling down her cheeks. Bill held an oblivious young Gabby, and also comforted his crying wife.

Lily felt her heart squeeze as she looked to where Andromeda was now resting. Although she hadn't spent much time with the woman as she'd gotten older, Lily had plenty of good memories with the woman. And as she did get older, Lily sometimes wondered how a woman who had been through so much family heartbreak could be so happy. But she was. Lily never saw Andromeda cry or look upset. There was never an appearance of underlying sadness. And Lily had admired and respected her for the composure she had over herself.

When the funeral ended, there was still a large group left standing around. The Potters, the Weasleys, and the Malfoys. Many were still crying, such as Theodore and Narcissa. Grandma Weasley was still crying into a handkerchief.

Harry placed a hand on Teddy's shoulder. "How do you feel, son?"

Lily could see Teddy swallow slowly as he continued to comfort his son. "I'm ok," he mumbled. "I'm . . . I'm happy that she's not hurting anymore."

"We all are," Victoire whispered in agreement.

"She was an amazing woman," Grandpa Weasley commented softly. "Not easily forgotten."

Teddy rubbed at the corners of his eyes, obviously trying to wipe away unshed tears. "Yeah. You're right about that." Then he looked at his still lightly crying son, and his curious middle daughter, and sleeping baby. "I think it's time we get these three home and to bed and rest. I think it's time Theo heard a fantastic bedtime story about my grandparents, and his."

* * *

"How old were you, Scorpius? When your father told you about the war?" Lily asked curiously that night. They were both getting ready for bed, and Teddy's decision to finally tell his son a little about the parents he never got to meet had made Lily think.

"I was seven," Scorpius said with a sigh as he dropped down onto the bed. "I mean, they'd said a few hints of things in earlier years, but I got the full story then. Why do you ask?"

Lily thought about that as she stepped out of the closet, dressed for bed as well. She came to sit on the bed. "I was almost nine when I was finally told. Before, I'd always heard these fantastic stories of what my father had done, all making him seem like some big hero. But . . . none of it told the story or the horrors of the war he dealt with. I always thought that he waited so long to tell me, because he wanted to protect me from it. Which seemed ridiculous to me," she murmured.

She felt Scorpius's hand come to rest on her leg, and rub soothing circles into her skin. "Why is that?"

Lily shrugged. "Because it was all in the past. Plus he'd told the boys much earlier in there lives, and I always thought that if Albus could handle it, then so could I."

Scorpius chuckled. "Well how did you feel after he told you? I personally felt a little uneasy, but still proud of my father."

"I felt bad," Lily admitted. "And not just for my father, but for everyone that had been a part of it. You can't come out of that unscathed. I felt bad for my grandmother, who had been utterly devastated after the loss of the son, and for Uncle George who lost his brother and best friend. I felt bad for Teddy who lost both parents, who he never really got to meet and know. I felt bad for my father, who shouldered so much pain and guilt for those who had lost somebody. But . . . I wasn't scared, and I didn't regret him telling me. As sad as it is to say . . . learning about the war just seems like a rite of passage for our generation."

"It is," Scorpius agreed. "I think my father told me so young just so that I would understand why things were the way they were. So that I could finally understand why people stared at us, or why I wasn't going to be liked at Hogwarts, and things like that. I think he wanted to be the one to tell me, because then maybe I'd still be proud of him and my family."

Lily looked down to where his head lay on the pillow, his eyes closed but his hand still rubbing soothing circles into her skin. "Were you still proud?" she asked.

"How could I not be? Not only did he have the guts to tell me all the horrible things that he himself had done, but he had the guts to do it, knowing that his son might not have been proud of him afterwards. I respected that, and admired his strength. Because to tell someone unimportant that story is one thing. But to tell your own child of all your mistakes . . . that is a form of bravery in my eyes."


	112. The Potter Siblings' Secrets

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's our next update. Some moments we've all been waiting for have finally come, especially at the end. And more moments are coming. Anyway, as usual, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Twelve: The Potter Siblings' Secrets

"So, correct me if I'm wrong, but Ashley's about eight months along now, right?" Scorpius asked as he and Lily sat, waiting for the wedding ceremony of Albus and Ashley to begin, which would be any moment.

Lily nodded, holding one-year-old Cecilia in her lap. "Yeah, she is."

"So, why did they decide to have the wedding a month before the baby was born? Why not earlier?" Scorpius inquired with a bit of a confused scowl.

Not wanting to tell Albus's true story, and how it was the reason that both he and Ashley had pushed the wedding back out of hesitation, Lily just shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because her hormones were so rampant a few months ago," she said vaguely.

Scorpius straightened out the hem of Cecilia's dress a little. "Oh but the hormones just seem like the best part of pregnancies," he muttered sarcastically.

Despite the overly pregnant bride, the simple ceremony was beautiful to Lily. It was short and sweet, which fit their secret situation. The attendance was small to their request, so it was mainly family and very close friends. But of course, there was a bit of media there that also stayed into the reception.

"You know, I sometimes wish Albus would actually tell me how worried he is about being a father so young," Rose commented at the reception. The two of them sat together at a table, enjoying a simple drink together.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"Well with our jobs . . . kids can be difficult, especially right when you start. A lot of the men on my team worry about their kids, or wish they could see them more. And more women in our department don't have kids than ones that do. It can be difficult," Rose mentioned.

"Does that mean you don't plan on having kids?" Lily questioned.

"Well no, but I wouldn't right away. It wouldn't be practical for Lorcan and me. He always travels for the team, and who knows when I'll have to go out on missions. But Al . . . well I imagine it's hard for him, but he won't talk to me about it. I'm not used to that," she said with a bit of a dry chuckle.

"Use to being the comforting shoulder?" Lily teased lightly.

Rose nodded. "For him and Tyler. I mean, when Lucy told Tyler about her and Zack, he still talked to me and Al about it. But Al won't open up about this."

Lily looked over at her cousin, her curiosity too strong. "What _did_ Tyler say about Lucy and Zack dating again?"

"Well, he didn't tell me what Lucy had said to him, but he told me how he felt. And while he said it hurt, he came to the decision that if this was going to make her happy, then he couldn't interfere. And to make things up to her, he was going to stay away. Take away any confusion out of the picture, and let Zack raise Colin as if he really were his son. Tyler plans to just act as an uncle, but secretly support him through Lucy," Rose explained. "I guess he's been giving her a piece of his salary to help pay and financially support Colin."

"That sounds . . . so unlike Tyler," Lily mumbled. It was way too . . . mature of him. Tyler had been fighting for Lucy all through the pregnancy, and apparently before that. So now he was actually conceding to Zack . . . for Lucy?

Even Rose nodded. "I know. Albus mentioned that too, and all Tyler said was that he had to stop making decisions for others, so he wasn't going to fight Lucy's decision. He was going to accept it, and make one that concerned only him, but helped her and his son."

"I wonder what they're going to do if Colin ever finds out," Lily said with a small sigh.

"I know. Unintentional big mouths run through some of the people in our family. Namely my father," Rose agreed. "I just hope for Colin's sake that he never hears about the truth of it all."

"What are we talking about, ladies?" Hugo inquired as he came to sit with them. He looked very nice for the occasion. While he'd refrained from shaving, dedicated to "growing it out a little," he'd also cut his curly hair a bit short again. The length practically hid his curls, but still looked good on him.

"About how big of a mouth Dad has," Rose joked teasingly.

Hugo chuckled openly. "At least he's not like Mum, who not long ago loudly asked me when I would be getting married," he laughed.

Lily smiled at the two siblings. As rare as it was, it was nice to see the two of them getting along, especially now that the two of them seemed to put the past behind them. Of course they still argued. After all, they were their parents' children. But they had more moments when they got along, and their anger wasn't as long lasting.

"How the hell do you save your girlfriend from your own mother?" James questioned as he joined them at the table. "Because Mum practically trapped Elizabeth while I was in the bathroom, and I don't know how to help her now."

Hugo scoffed. "Man, there is no saving her now. She's doomed until Aunt Ginny lets her go."

"Now you know how Lily and I felt when it came to bringing boyfriends home," Rose pointed out. "And Dad having known Lorcan all his life did nothing to help."

"Yeah but Dads never fill thoughts of marriage and kids into the heads of boyfriends," James argued. "In fact they do their best to scare the idea of sex right off their world of thoughts. Mothers do nothing _but_ fill their thoughts."

"Yeah but mothers don't scare the girl away," Lily retorted. "Fathers aim to scare boyfriends off. If Dad would have had his way years ago, I wouldn't be married right now."

"Yeah, but you were with Scorpius for how long . . . practically a year, before you finally brought him around for dinner with the family?" James countered. "I haven't been dating Elizabeth that long."

"Scorpius had been over before that though, and as my boyfriend," Lily disagreed.

"But you knew you were in love with Scorpius," Hugo defended. "James's relationship is new."

"Thank you!" James said.

"I had hardly been dating Lorcan when Dad sat him down and talked to him about me and sex," Rose now argued. "And I was only fifteen."

"But you both got married to the loves of your lives," Hugo said with a roll of his eyes. "So it obviously had no effect."

"And you love Stacy, and she loves you, so why should you be worried about anything your mum says affecting your relationship?" Lily mocked. "Or are you just afraid of getting married?"

"Hey! I'm only nineteen! I'm not even twenty! Not everyone has to get married as young as you two did," Hugo defended.

"Well Scorpius and Lorcan had no problem with it," Lily quipped.

"It must be a little boy thing," Rose teased with a slightly smug grin.

James rolled his eyes, bringing his glass to his lips. "I am all man, cousin," he mumbled before taking a drink.

* * *

September continued on after Albus's wedding. But Lily personally found nothing good about the continuation of September. And it had nothing to do with the weather getting a little cooler and damp. It didn't have to do with the new quiet that went around areas like Diagon Alley now that kids were back at Hogwarts. It had more to do with two other friends that were leaving. But unlike kids going to Hogwarts, they wouldn't eventually be back for an entire summer.

* * *

The last few days leading up to Lola and Jace moving away had been spent with all of their friends spending time together, or having girl nights and guy nights. But this early afternoon was spent at the Leaky Cauldron with the two of them, and Lily and Hugo. Once they had all finished eating, they lingered at the table, knowing that once they got up, it would be time to separate.

"Man, you guys should have seen how empty the flat looked after we'd packed up the last of our stuff," Jace commented lightly. "It was weird."

"I thought the same of my room when I moved in with Scorpius," Lily agreed just as lightly.

Lola stared at Melody, who sat in a small highchair, oblivious to the bit of tension in the air. "I just think it's going to be really crowded at your uncle's house, what with us and a baby now, and all our things."

"Won't be for long. I mean, you're going to start looking for a place once you get the chance, wasn't that your plan?" Hugo pointed out almost a bit awkwardly.

"Besides, Uncle said he was a bit excited to have more than just himself in the house," Jace joked weakly. "According to him it gets awfully lonely."

"But your uncle has also never dealt with a baby in the house," Lola said with a bit of a laugh.

Jace leaned over to pull Melody from the chair, and into his lap. "Well we all experience new things all the time. It's his turn to experience something new, huh, cutie," he murmured the end to a lightly babbling Melody.

"What are your plans for Christmas?" Hugo asked curiously. "You guys coming back here?"

Lola nodded. "Yeah of course."

"We thought it'd be nice to come back, let the family fuss over how big Melody will have gotten by then," Jace chuckled. "We'll probably be staying with Lola's family, so we'll definitely make time to spend with you guys too."

"So . . . this it?" Hugo mumbled. They all knew what he meant, even if they were all still hesitating.

Lola sighed, obviously still hesitant herself. "Yeah. I guess so."

Slowly they all stood up, and with Jace still holding on to Melody, they all made their way out to the cool but comfortable air outside. Hugo gave a shrug of his shoulders as he sighed now. "Well take care, guys." He pulled Lola into a hug.

Lily looked at Jace and gave a small smile as she carefully gave him a hug, careful with him still holding the baby. "Take care of my best friend, or else I'll kill you," she teasingly warned.

Jace chuckled as he tightened their hug before taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. "I will, promise. You be sure to take care of Scorpius and yourself. And just stay happy. After all you've done for us and for others, you deserve it. Thank you, Lil."

Lily next found herself hugging a very teary-eyed Lola. "You're going to write, aren't you?"

Lily nodded with reassurance. "Of course. You asked me that before very break while we were at school, do you really think my answer has changed?"

Lola gave a small laugh as they pulled away from their hug. "Good point." Then she took in a deep breath. "If you're ever in town, be sure to stop by. I know we will."

Hugo sighed loudly. "Ok, you guys should get going. Especially before I start to cry," he said with a humorous chuckle. But Lily could see that bit of sadness in his eyes.

Jace nodded as Lola took Melody into her arms. "Yeah, you're right." He looked over at Lily and Hugo. "Well . . . we'll see you guys around."

"Bye, guys," Lola whispered, obviously doing the best to repress the tears in her eyes.

"Later, you two," Hugo said with a nod.

"Bye," Lily said softly with a wave. Lily and Hugo stood on the sidewalk, watching as their two friends walked away toward their Apparation point. A sadness sat in Lily's stomach as she stood there. Two friends, who had stuck with her all the way through their time at Hogwarts, were now finally leaving her to walk on her own. They had their own paths to walk down. As they turned the corner, she almost laughed at the thought that came through her. When she'd first really met them, they'd been fussing and light-heartedly bickering at each other. Now at the end of their journey together, the two of them were married with a child.

"I'm going to miss those two," Hugo admitted openly.

"Tell me about it. After practically a decade of close friendship . . . it's not easy to just part ways," Lily sighed.

Hugo threw an arm around her shoulders. "Well, you've still got me. I may not be much, but I'm here," he said with a grin.

Lily smiled as she placed her hand on his. "Well you may not be much, but you do perfectly for me."

Hugo chuckled. "You're not bad yourself, cuz."

* * *

The feeling of sadness that Lily felt with the departure of her friends was still there, but after a few days, it was something that she was easily able to put aside. Especially after she'd received a letter from Lola after just two days of being in Greece.

October came with a cool air to it, and with anticipation throughout the family. Ashley would be due to give birth in just a few weeks, so they were all excited for the new addition to the family. And as scared as Albus was, it was obvious that he was excited too. According to her father, it had been difficult to get Albus to go on a simple mission, even though there was still about a week before the baby was due.

It was either a joke by fate, or instincts that should have been followed.

* * *

Lily sat in her study, flipping through a book of potion ingredients. It was her recent area of study, and figuring out what would be best to use to tweak potions for immune systems. She had chosen to look over commonly used ingredients in healing potions, with the plan to move on to strengthening ingredients.

There was then a sudden and frantic knock on the door, which confused her. Who the hell was that? Scorpius still had to be at work, and it wasn't like Hugo ever knocked either. She had never made her study seem like a private room.

Lily got up from her seat and went over to open the door, and was surprised to see James there. "Oh, hey. What's up?" she asked.

James looked oddly confused and panicked. "Um, I brought Ashley here. She . . . she showed up at my place . . . and her water broke, I guess."

Lily raised a brow. "What?"

James was bouncing on the toes of his feet, obviously uncertain on what to do. "She came to me and said her water broke. I know _what _that means, . . . but I'm not a woman, I don't know _how_ to handle this."

Lily pushed past her brother and hurried down the hallway. She found Ashley sitting on the couch, obviously a bit uncomfortable. But she gave a weak smile to Lily. "Hey, Lily. I didn't know where you lived, so I went to James."

Lily nodded. "Ok. And Albus is . . ."

"Still on that mission," James answered.

Lily gave another nod. "Perfect. Ok, well let's get you to the hospital and go from there, ok?"

Ashley nodded, a bit of a pained look on her face. "Ok. That sounds fine."

So the two siblings quickly ushered their sister-in-law to St. Mungo's, where, thanks to Victoire, she was quickly taken to a room to relax as contractions started. James took the responsibility of holding her hand, letting her practically break it with every contraction. Lily gave James credit for showing no pain on his face.

"Ok, so by the timing between contractions, there's still some time, but it won't be all that much longer either," Victoire told them. "A couple hours, maybe. Then we can start pushing, ok?"

Ashley nodded, squeezing James's hand as a contraction came. Lily looked at her. "Do you need anything? Do you want us to get your parents?"

Ashley shook her head. "They're away visiting my brother," she spat out as she squeezed James's hand even harder.

Lily sighed, now a little unsure herself. She'd never helped someone through a birth either, so she and James were really in the same area. "Is there a way to get in contact with Albus? Because he'd want to be here."

James eyed his reddened hand. "He deserves to be here," he muttered. He looked at Ashley. "Would you like me to see if I can get him?"

"I don't see how you could. He's on a surveillance mission," Ashley said through short and breathy pants.

James slipped his hand away from hers. "Just leave it to me." He walked around the bed, patting Lily on the shoulder. "Take care of this, sis. I'll be back."

Lily felt like glaring at her brother, who was basically leaving her here, but nodded. "You'd better hurry," she muttered back as he left the room. Lily turned back and offered her hand to Ashley. "Here, squeeze when it hurts."

Ashley nodded, holding lightly onto Lily's hand. "Lily, . . . have you ever been around a woman giving birth before? Because I'm . . . I'm kind of clueless about this."

"No, I've always left before the final showdown," Lily joked with a mumble. But then she took in a breath and gathered her courage. "But we can do this, no matter if Albus shows or not. I'll be here . . . and we'll get through this."

"I don't know what I'm going to do when this baby comes out," Ashley admitted suddenly. "I never imagined that I would have a baby at this age, especially Albus's baby. That is that last thing I'd imagined!"

Lily was the one to give the reassuring squeeze to her hand this time. "I know, but it'll be ok. Despite the initial problems between you two, you both have been really excited about this child. You have that in common, and neither of you want to screw it up. You'll be ok."

Ashley groaned as another contraction started and she squeezed Lily's hand. "Oh damn!"

Lily bit back a moan of pain at the pressure Ashley placed on the bones in her hand. "Just breathe. Relax."

"I do not find breathing relaxing!" Ashley cried as she dropped her head onto the pillow.

"Then talk!" Lily retorted. "Tell me about how you and Albus have been? What else you have in common."

Ashley panted as she slowly loosened her grip on Lily's hand. "We're both a bit impatient. We've had rocky relationships with siblings before."

Lily nodded, thankful the contraction had seemed to end. "What else? Just keep talking and distract yourself."

"Well, your brother has this habit of taking off his glasses and then always dropping them, so they always break," Ashley said, almost like she would laugh. "It's so weird, but it makes me laugh every time, because he always seems so surprised when he drops them."

Lily smiled and did give a small laugh. She knew about that habit of Albus's. Dropping his glasses was nothing new. He did that as kids. "What else?"

"He taps his pointer finger whenever he's just sitting and thinking, or when we're eating dinner. It makes me want to smack his hand each time," Ashley said, finally giving a little laugh. "And his hair! There are so many times that I just want to sit him down and straighten every strand of hair on his head, just to fix that mess."

"You'll get used to dealing with Potter hair," Lily assured, thinking of how her own hair could easily become a mess. "My mother said after having kids, she quickly got used to dealing with taming Potter hair."

"He sometimes can be really indecisive and have no confidence, and you just want to smack him upside the back of his head," Ashley mentioned. Lily noticed that she had started to squeeze Lily's hand again due to a contraction, but she seemed a bit more relaxed as she continued to speak. "And he seems so hesitant sometimes, like he doesn't want to screw anything up _ever_. I can't get him to understand that mistakes can be ok."

"Albus has always been like that. I think it might be a middle child thing," Lily commented, biting her tongue on how much her hand was beginning to hurt.

"But he is a quick learner," Ashley admitted. "He learned quickly that if I was just being hormonal that I needed space. He knew that we'd always argue during those times, because we did a few times, so he quickly understood that he just needed to back off. And he can be dense about girls and the whole pregnancy thing, but I will agree that he does his best."

Lily was able to keep Ashley relaxed through the contractions, and just kept her talking, which really did seem to do better for her than just breathing. But as time passed, Lily felt her own nerves start to jump and get hectic. Where was James? Where was Albus? Where was someone that actually knew how to deal with this situation? But the moment of truth came when Victoire and a small crew of her own came into the room.

"Ok, we're going to check to make sure, but I think we're probably ready by now," Victoire stated as the three Healers, her included, seemed to get ready for the delivery.

Lily felt her own heart ready to explode. "You mean now?"

Victoire nodded. "Most likely. Like I said, we'll check to be sure."

Why couldn't Victoire have been wrong for once? And in the hustle of all the preparation and getting ready, Lily stood there by the bed, completely confused. "Um, what should I do?"

Victoire did her best to give her young cousin a comforting smile. "Just relax, hold her hand, and reassure her."

Lily would like to say she did her best. She didn't make a sound when she was sure a bone in a few of her fingers broke due to Ashley's crushing grip. She just went with the flow, giving what she hoped were comforting words to Ashley as she went through the delivery of her baby. And on the side, she wanted to curse and hex both of her brothers. James for leaving her here, and Albus for not following his instincts and refusing the mission.

But after what must have been hours upon hours, at least it felt as such, a small and soft wail sounded in the room. Lily flexed her fingers as Ashley finally, panting, relaxed into the bed again. And Lily watched as the other Healers in the room cleaned up a still whimpering infant that was hidden from sight. One came and whispered to Victoire, who immediately walked over to where the child was, and then all three Healers were whispering in quiet tones.

A bit of fear entered Ashley's eyes. "Is something wrong?" she asked, still panting in her exhaustion.

Lily wiped a bit of sweat from Ashley's forehead. "I'm sure it's all fine."

Victoire came over, peeling off her gloves with a bit of a smile. "You did great, Ashley."

"Is the baby ok?" Ashley asked immediately.

But thankfully, Victoire's smile stayed, and was reassuring. "The baby is a little smaller than expected, but that may just be due to a slightly early birth. We think that by the next week or so, he'll be the expected size and weight."

"He?" Ashley whispered.

Victoire nodded. "You have a baby boy."

"One that needs a name," a male Healer said with a chuckle as he walked over with a small blue bundle. He set the baby into Ashley's waiting arms. "Maybe seeing him will give an idea."

Like Ashley, Lily immediately looked down at the small infant. He was tiny, but there was a bit of color to his cheeks. His eyes were closed, and a few small whimpers still left his mouth.

"He's so . . . beautiful," Ashley whispered, tears in her eyes.

Lily smiled as she looked down at her little, tiny, nephew. "He absolutely is." She looked at her sister-in-law. "What's his name?"

Ashley seemed to think about it as a small tear finally fell from her eye. Then she smiled even brighter. "Well, even though he wasn't here, how about Severus Al Potter?"

Lily gave a small laugh. "I think that name will make Albus have the same face he gets whenever he drops his glasses," she joked, making Ashley laugh, though obviously tired.

Ashley then held out the small infant to Lily. "Here. My arms are shaking, and dropping my son would not be a good start," she said with a chuckle and joke.

Lily nodded and took hold of the baby, seeing the obvious exhaustion taking over Ashley's face and entire body. "Ok. I can do that."

Lily wasn't sure how long she sat alone with Ashley in the room, and she wasn't sure how long it took for Ashley to fall asleep, but soon the door opened in a silent flash, and she saw both of her brothers hurrying in, James barely having time to close the door. Both men were panting, and their hair wild. It was obvious that they had ran. But Albus was stunned into a quiet calm as he eyed the bundle in Lily's arms.

She watched Albus gulp. "Is that . . .?"

Lily nodded as she got up from her seat, walking toward her brothers. She held the baby out to Albus, guiding him on how to hold him. "This is your son, Al. He's a little small, but he's healthy."

Albus looked stunned at the infant that was now in his own arms. He quickly moved to sit on the end of the bed where Ashley slept. Her brother just looked . . . so amazed.

James moved so that he could look at the little face too. "What's his name?" he whispered.

Lily smiled at them. "Ashley named him Severus Al Potter," she told them. She watched Albus suck in a breath of shock.

Albus, hardly able to look away from his new child, was finally able to look at Lily. "You were with her the whole time?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I stayed through the entire mess. She needed someone while we waited for you."

Albus's shoulder sagged as he looked down at his son. "Thank you so much. Both of you."

Lily just gave a small smile as she playfully made the feeble attempt to smooth down a bit of his hair. "You're my brother. She's your wife. And that's my nephew. Of course I'd do it."

James put an arm around his brother, giving Albus's shoulder a squeeze. "She's right. And I'm proud of you, little brother. A beautiful wife, and an adorable son. What else could you need?"

Now a small smile surfaced over Albus's lips, and he looked at both his siblings. "Well, great siblings, but I've got that too."

* * *

The entire family all took time to come and see the new baby, who Victoire had stay for an extra week and a half, just to make sure that he reached a proper size and weight. And he did. Lily was sure that Albus had never been happier than every time he looked at his son. Lily had brought Scorpius to see the new baby as well, and was surprised when he and Albus even shared a few cordial words with each other.

* * *

"So, I was thinking that maybe one day soon we could have dinner with my brothers, and with Ashley and Elizabeth?" Lily suggested as she watched Scorpius prepare to leave for work.

A normal and thoughtful scowl came over Scorpius's face as he thought about it. "I don't know. I'd have to force myself to be nice."

Lily rolled her eyes as she came to sit next to him on the couch, where he was slipping on his shoes. "Oh come on! You like Albus now."

Scorpius shrugged. "I don't mind Albus. Doesn't make us friends."

"But this could be a great time to try and . . . I don't know, maybe be friends. Get to know each other, tolerate each other," Lily stated.

"Princess, no offense, but I'm sure that I will _never_ like James," Scorpius said with certainty.

"Well I used to think that!" Lily retorted. "But . . . he's different. He's grown up, and he knows what he's done wrong. Just give him a chance."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Ok, fine. Just let me know what day."

Lily smiled. "Perfect. I'll talk to them about it."

Scorpius looked at her, and a smirk came over his lips. "Well good luck. Maybe they'll put up a bigger fight than I could." Then he leaned forward to kiss her. "I'll be a bit late tonight, but not much, ok?"

Lily nodded. "Ok. I'll start a bit late on dinner than."

Later that day Lily found herself studying potion ingredients again. But as she instinctively looked over her supplies again, she found herself lacking a few things she normally had. Seeing it as the perfect time to also pick up a few new things as well, Lily took the chance to go to Diagon Alley and take as much time as she wanted to browse around the apothecary. But she found a surprise when she entered the shop.

"Christian?" she called out, surprised to see her friend.

Christian turned at the sound of his name, and a smile came over his lips when he saw her. "Hey, Lil! What are you doing here?" he asked, giving her a short hug.

"Just a bit of shopping," Lily replied with a smile of her own. "What about you? Of all the places to find you, this surprises me."

Christian chuckled. "Well I have the day off today, and Izzy mentioned that she was needing to pick up a few things to make a solution for headaches, so I thought I'd pick them up so I could go to her place and surprise her."

"How are you two doing?" Lily asked curiously as they both moved around to pick up a few things.

"Good," Christian said with a small smile. "Happy. Actually, I haven't been able to see her for a few days due to hectic schedules, hence the surprise."

"Been busy?" Lily teased.

"Well since my brother went back to school, I've been going back to my parents house a few times each day to check on the puppies," Christian mentioned offhandedly.

Lily raised a brow, confused and curious. "Puppies?"

"Our family dog had puppies. But for some strange reason, she just stopped feeding the puppies, which was bad because at that time they were so young. So while my parents were at work, I was taking time to go over and feed each individual puppy. Now that they're able to survive without their mother, I just go to give them water, food, bathe them when they need to be," he explained.

"How many puppies did she have?" Lily asked.

"Six, which means we have to get rid of four," Christian said with a bit of a sad sigh.

"You mean your family is only keeping two?" Lily questioned.

"Actually, my parents didn't want for the dogs to have puppies. So they aren't keeping any. I'm going to take one, and they're keeping one for Riley. But the other four . . . they're getting rid of," Christian sighed. He looked at her. "I'm heading over after I'm done here. Want to come along?"

Lily nodded. "Definitely."

* * *

"They're so cute!" Lily gushed as she looked at the tiny puppies now stumbling around the room. It was the first time she'd been at Christian's childhood home, and she had to admit that it was modest but very tasteful and clean. It was obvious that his parents were probably too . . . "clean" for so many puppies to stay in the house for long. Not to mention that the puppies were obviously Great Danes, which were notorious for ending up as big dogs.

"Aren't they?" Christian said with a small laugh as he held one of the puppies. "Four boys and two girls."

They were absolutely adorable to Lily. They were small, some grey and some black. A few even had a little bit of both. While she understood that eight dogs would be way too many, Lily wondered how his parents could bear to part with them.

Lily picked up one that for her was the cutest dog she'd ever seen. It as a male, and he was obviously the runt. He was almost completely black, except for a bit of grey on his chest, chin, and the tips of his ears. His paws were a bit too big for his body, and his ears looked ready to stand up straight, but then flopped over at the ends. He had looked so clumsy, but still so cute.

"This little guy is so cute," Lily murmured as she stroked the puppy's side. In return, he turned his head and licked the back of her hand.

"Really? The runt?" Christian joked.

"I think you or Riley should keep this one. He's a sweetie," Lily said softly as she continued to pet the small Great Dane.

"Do you want him? Because my brother and I have ours picked already," Christian teased. But although it was a joke, Lily honestly did consider it. She always loved pets, and she'd always wanted a dog. But Christian seemed to notice. " . . . _Do_ you want him? Because you can have him. My parents told me that if I could get one of them a home, then to do it."

Lily bit her lip momentarily. "It's tempting. He's so cute, and I love dogs. But I don't know if Scorpius would go for it."

"Well if you can figure it out in the next two or three days, then let me know," Christian told her. "The ones that they don't get homes for before then are going to a muggle farm in the next few days."

Lily looked down at the puppy in her arms, her heart going out to the big blue eyes that sweetly looked back at her. "I don't think he'd mind," she whispered, already certain and entrapped.

* * *

Lily made a really nice and big dinner that night, adding in a dessert she knew Scorpius loved. She wanted him happy . . . before she told him that she'd gotten them a dog to keep. Said puppy, whom she'd named Padfoot after her father's godfather, was in their room, playing with a few toys she'd picked up before coming home. With Christian's help, she'd gotten him a good sized bed of his own, knowing how big Great Danes got, food, two bowls, and a few toys. Not to mention his own collar for when he got just a tad bit bigger.

Salazar hadn't been a fan of the puppy when she'd brought Padfoot home, so the little dragon was now resting on the couch. Lily herself was buzzing around the kitchen, making sure everything was perfect.

When Scorpius walked in, she did her best to seem completely relaxed. She knew Scorpius would pick up on it if she didn't do her best to hide her unease. She smiled as she kissed him. "Hi," she greeted sweetly.

Scorpius smirked, but then raised a brow when he noticed all the food on the table. "We're not having dinner with your brothers tonight, are we?"

Lily laughed and shook her head. "No, just us. But I thought you deserved a good meal to come home and relax to."

Scorpius kissed her forehead as he slipped off his shoes. "I like the sound of that."

Lily took his hand and brought him to the table. "Good, because I want you to relax and enjoy yourself tonight."

Scorpius raised a brow as his smirk became a bit smug. "Do I have to enjoy _just_ myself, or can I throw you in that mix too?"

Lily blushed lightly and bit her lip. "Anything you want." After all, she did get a dog without talking to him first.

Lily thought she did really well being relaxed and not hinting at the impending secret that she had to reveal. And as the night continued and Scorpius relaxed, Lily was sure that she could pull it off.

"So what did you do all day?" Scorpius asked casually, not knowing that his question made Lily hesitant and uncomfortable.

"Oh, I went and did some shopping. I picked up a few potion ingredients. I also ran into Christian," Lily said as casually as she could.

"Really? How's he?" Scorpius inquired.

"He seemed to be doing pretty well. He said his schedule had been a bit hectic, but he was happy," Lily replied. Lily hoped her unease was hidden well.

But it didn't matter. Because just as she was about to say that she had made dessert as well, there was the sound of padded feet on tile, and they both watched as the Great Dane puppy ran, and then slid around the kitchen, before only stopping due to running into the counter.

While Scorpius stared in complete shock at the dog, Lily picked up her glass. "By the way, I got a dog." Then she took a long drink.

Scorpius blinked a few times as he watched the puppy play with a small toy and stumble around on the tiles. Then he looked at Lily. "You . . . you got a dog?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. Christian's dog had puppies. And he said I could have one."

It almost seemed as if Scorpius was too shocked to be mad, which was something Lily could work with. "So you just got a dog without talking to me?"

"Well his parents are giving the ones they don't get homes for to some muggle, and I didn't want to risk not being able to keep him," Lily replied.

Scorpius ran a hand through his hair. "Lily, it's a dog! And a Great Dane! They're huge dogs! Have you thought about this? We both work!"

"I don't work every day. And I could take him with me when I do. He's a puppy," Lily said weakly.

"What about when he's tall enough that his head is almost to your shoulders? You can't take him then!" Scorpius argued.

"A photo shoot doesn't take all day!" Lily countered. "And I'm sure Brandon could always watch over him for me if needed. He's really cute!"

"It's a huge decision and responsibility! And it's a breed of huge dogs!" Scorpius insisted.

Lily leaned down to pick up the puppy, then moved to stand next to Scorpius. "He's adorable though! How could you not want to keep him after seeing him?"

"You see, this is obviously something we should discussed before you confirmed it!" Scorpius pointed out.

Lily pouted. "How can you say no to such an innocent puppy though?" She held Padfoot out to Scorpius.

Scorpius obviously hesitated as he looked at the puppy. But regardless, he took the puppy into his hands. "I'm not sure about this, Lil."

"Great Danes are sweet dogs, no matter how big. They're gentle dogs, and great with people. They're not mean or aggressive dogs. We can handle this," Lily assured.

Scorpius just stared at the dog he held in front of him. Said dog leaned forward and swiped his tongue across Scorpius's nose, making him blink, and making Lily laugh. Scorpius handed Padfoot back to Lily, and then wiped his nose. "He's not sleeping on the bed," he stated firmly.

Lily smiled as she placed a kiss on Scorpius's temple. "I bought him a dog bed of his own. So, can we keep Padfoot?"

Scorpius raised a brow. "Padfoot?"

Lily nodded. "After Sirius Black's nickname."

Scorpius shook his head and sighed. "Yes. We'll keep the dog."

Lily giggled as she ran her fingers through his hair, then leaned down to nip as the top of his ear. "Good. Because that means you _can_ still enjoy dessert _and_ me."

* * *

Lily found that bringing a puppy into the house didn't add that much stress, no matter what Scorpius's attitude was. Sure he was a bit rowdy as a puppy, and of course there was the task of house training him, but she still loved it. She took him out a few times each day, and he generally went with her wherever she went. She generally just demanded that Brandon hold him while she did her photo shoots.

As time moved along Padfoot got obviously bigger in size, even if he was just a puppy. But Lily still took him places with her. She started walking him at least twice a day. And she had been right. He was such a gentle dog, who loved anyone he came in contact with. Cecilia, who she still babysat often, loved having a puppy to play with. And no matter what he said, Lily was sure that Scorpius loved having a dog too.

* * *

"Are you seriously bringing Padfoot to your grandparents' house?" Scorpius questioned as he stepped back into the bathroom. He'd just showered, and had at least slipped on a pair of jeans. His beard was growing out, and his hair was smoothed down, although still a bit damp.

December had come, and Christmas would be tomorrow. That meant the entire family would be gathering at the Burrow tonight. And Lily herself had been ok with the idea of leaving Padfoot home. After all, he was getting big and the Burrow was crowded enough just with the family. "Grandma insisted. She thought the little ones would love having a puppy to play with, and Pad is great with kids," she replied as she brushed through her hair.

Padfoot, easily noticing his name now, was laying on the end of the bed, his ears perked and his eyes alert. He jumped off the bed, and trotted after Scorpius. While Scorpius washed his face, Padfoot sat at his feet, making Lily smiled as Scorpius instinctively reached down to pat his head. Even if she was the one to bring Padfoot home, and Scorpius had been hesitant about it, they were already buddies. Padfoot followed Scorpius around whenever he was home, sitting by his feet, or sometimes even resting his head on Scorpius's knee.

Scorpius just sighed as he stepped out from the bathroom, and grabbed his shirt off the bed. "Well I'll walk him later then too." He slipped the shirt on, then looked down at the big puppy. "Besides, you know Pad will love being around so many people." Again he patted the dog's head as he now sat on the edge of the bed, and began to slip on a pair of socks.

Theodore and Gabby were quick to head to the door when Lily and Scorpius stepped inside the Burrow with Padfoot trotting behind them. They had both been in love with the dog since they'd first come over to their flat after Lily had gotten him. According to Teddy, they were now both begging for a "doggy" of their own.

"You couldn't have gotten a bigger breed of dog, Lil?" Hugo mocked as he scratched Padfoot's head affectionately. Padfoot tilted his head a little, but then moved follow Scorpius, who went to sit with her father and uncle Ron. Her dad immediately gave the dog a pat. Lily suspected he had become a fan when she'd mentioned what she'd named their new puppy.

"He's adorable," Lily defended with a soft smile.

Hugo nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked at the dog. "Scorpius made friends with him quick despite being hesitant about having a dog," he joked quietly.

"I don't care what he says, he got sucked in fast," Lily said with a bit of a laugh.

"I should have brought Harlen over," Hugo chuckled. "See how cats and dogs really _do_ get along."

"Pad is such a gentle giant. I think Harlen would terrorize him," Lily joked.

"Most likely. That cat is such a dick," Hugo agreed with a grin.

"He's your cat," Lily pointed out.

"Doesn't mean he isn't a jerk," Hugo retorted.

Lily had to admit that out of all the Christmas Eves she'd spent at the Burrow since she'd started Hogwarts, this one was obviously the most relaxed. While there were still a few small tensions, cousins (Fred and James) who weren't talking, or siblings (Fred and Roxanne, and Molly and Lucy), or in-laws (mainly James and Lorcan), the majority was calm and relaxed. Those who had not yet made up or fixed internal problems simply avoided and ignored each other in polite ways.

Theodore and Gabby had fought for who got to sit near Scorpius and Lily, mainly because Padfoot was obviously laying patiently and obediently behind their chairs. Most of the aunts fussed and cooed over the new babies in the family. Ashley sat between Albus and Ginny, allowing the two women to smile over baby Severus, who was technically Ginny and Harry's first _blood_ grandchild. Colin sat on Percy's lap, because although he was born out of wedlock, Percy was wrapped around his grandson's finger, generally amusing Audrey. Baby Fleur sat on Grandpa Weasley's lap, because apparently she was becoming a big fan of her great-grandfather.

"So, there are still some of my grandkids that have not given me great-grandchildren yet," Grandma Molly teased with a mocking look of seriousness.

Quickly, all the grandchildren that had no children of their own looked away from their grandmother. Then each began to come up with an excuse.

"I'm not married."

"I have yet to settle into my job."

"I'm only nineteen!"

"I haven't been dating that long!"

"I'm still young!"

"I don't want children."

"I have work."

Louis just shrugged. "I'm gay."

"You know, Louis is the only one with a valid excuse," Teddy mocked.

"Oh, so I should knock up Stacy, regardless of the fact we aren't married?" Hugo countered, catching Teddy's teasing tone.

"Hey, I'm a father already, so I'm the good kid," Teddy joked.

"Yeah, a father of three kids, and one on the way," Hugo said, motioning toward a once again pregnant Victoire, something that was becoming less of a surprise and mild news in the family. "And this is all because you don't know the meaning of being safe like the rest of us."

"Hey, they are wonderful surprises," Teddy laughed. "Besides, I'm not a Weasley by blood, so it's not ingrained into my head as much."

"Unlike you I could make the hit with one shot," Hugo countered.

"Boys, we are eating dinner!" Grandma Molly scolded lightly, making both boys look away but still grin. But then she looked at the others. "Besides, I'm still just waiting for a bit of news from my married grandchildren. Lily, Rose, Roxanne, and Freddy."

Lily avoided her grandmother's gaze. "I have a dog. That's good enough for now."

"Do you think so, Scorpius?" Ginny said, throwing him into the conversation now.

Scorpius looked hesitant between the three women. "Um, there is no safe way for me to answer that, so I pass."

"Smart move," Albus complimented casually. "When trapped between these three, no word from a man is safe."

"And what does that mean?" Lily demanded.

"That you are just as terrifying as Mum," James stated in agreement. "And Mum gets it from Grandma. All down the line, you three are terrifying women. Honestly, I'll be even more scared if you ever have a daughter, sis. Because then there'll be four."

"Yeah, you strike fear into the hearts of the men in this family, you three," Albus said with a nod.

"I have noticed the similarities of mean and scary anger between you and your mother," Scorpius mumbled before taking a drink.

"You know, Malfoy, you can't complain. After all, you did marry into the family. We were born having to deal with them," Albus mentioned, and although he still didn't say Scorpius's name, his tone was casual and not at all hostile.

"Point taken. I had seen a _lot_ of that anger before we ever got married," Scorpius agreed with a smirk.

"Wait until she throws something at you," James warned. "She threw a simple box of candy at me when we were kids. It left a bruise that stayed for a month and hurt like hell! She's got the aim and strength of a Beater!"

"Trust me. I'm amazed that I've avoided being hit after all these years. I'm hoping that I can be favored long enough to keep it that way," Scorpius commented.

"After this you'd better dream harder," Lily retorted with an eye roll.

* * *

"James, what the hell are we doing?" Lily demanded as the three Potter siblings trudged through the snow in Godric's Hollow. It was late, and in the middle of the night, James had dragged both his siblings outside, and Apparated them to their childhood home. The neighborhood was silent and dark, the snow hardly glistening in the night.

Each Potter sibling huddled in their coats as they each hopped over the fence to their old backyard. James led the way to the old treehouse. "Come on. Let's see if Dad's old heating charms are still in place up here."

"James, those spells are probably as old, or older, than Lily. I doubt they're still in effect," Albus replied as James began to climb up to the treehouse.

Lily shook her head and followed. "This better be for a good reason, James Sirius!" she complained as she followed him, Albus coming up behind her. As soon as James disappeared inside, she saw a light flicker on inside. Lily climbed in to see the Deluminator in James's hand, something that had been a gift to Hugo from his own father.

James caught her curious look. "I borrowed it from Hugo for this very occasion," he said as he sat cross-legged on the floor. He patted the spot next to him. "Now sit."

Lily sighed as she climbed fully in, Albus behind her, and both came to sit with James, forming an awkward triangle. "Ok, so what is this about, Jay?" Albus asked, a little tired himself now.

James grinned at his two younger siblings. "Ok, ok. I was thinking about the time Sev was born, that I really missed the three of us spending time up here. It was fun, and we had a lot of great, fun, and sometimes serious moments up here as kids. So I thought we could take a private moment to do it again."

Lily couldn't help but smile at her brother, just as Albus did. Despite the fact that James had picked too late of an hour in the night, the intentions and plan were sweet. Lily looked around them, thinking of a few of those moments they shared. While they hadn't really been much, they had been important as children.

"Remember when Mum and Dad fought that one night, and we came out here?" James asked suddenly.

* * *

**Flashback**

Five-year-old Lily sat in the dark of her room with tears in her eyes. She could still hear the arguing of her parents, their voices getting louder, while their words were hardly understandable to her at this point. It scared her. She'd seen her parents disagree, but she'd never heard them fight like this.

Slowly her door opened, and the voices got a bit louder as the light poured in through a sliver. Lily looked up from her lap to see James poke his head into her room. He held his finger up to his lips, giving the common signal to be quiet. Then he and Albus silently slipped into her room, closing the door, then flipping the lights on. Lily, although still upset, was confused. They both had jackets on, and their shoes in their hands. And James had Lily's jacket and shoes too.

"What are you doing?" Lily whispered, her voice cracking a little.

James handed her the jacket. "We're going out to the clubhouse. Put on your jacket. It's cool out. We're putting our shoes on in the kitchen," he explained. "This way Mum and Dad won't hear us."

Lily sniffed as she got off the bed and slipped the jacket on over her nightshirt. "But don't they know we're going outside?" she asked.

Albus shook his head. "No, and you can't tell them. They're too busy anyways."

Lily felt a small tear slip over her cheek at his words, but she nodded in a silent promise to be quiet as she took her shoes into her own hands. Then she followed her brothers, letting James turn off the light and shut her door behind them. Then he quietly led the way down the hallway, and their parents' voices got just a tad bit quieter as they made their way down the stairs.

After they made it to the kitchen and put their shoes on, James held Lily's hand as they stayed in the shadows of the yard, making their way toward the treehouse. When they made it up into the clubhouse, it was pitch black, with only a little moonlight coming in. But it was quiet, and Lily really appreciated that.

"Why are they fighting?" Lily asked tearfully. "I don't like it!"

She heard James sigh. "Grownups fight sometimes. Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron do it a lot."

"But ours don't!" Lily argued as a few tears fell. "They never do!"

"We just don't hear them," Albus mumbled from the dark corner he sat in. "It's been a long time since I've heard them like this too."

"It's been awhile," James agreed.

"But why?" Lily demanded.

"I don't know," James admitted. As the oldest, he usually knew everything there was to know. "I guess for the same reason that we all sometimes fight."

"We're never that loud," Lily whispered.

"They're older. Their voices are louder," Albus said. "But it _is_ scary. I don't like it neither."

"Well whenever they do this, we can just come out here," James said firmly. "Then we won't have to hear it."

"But they shouldn't do it!" Lily said firmly. "It's too scary!"

"We're just kids," James commented. "Once we're grownups, we might understand, and it might not be so scary."

"That doesn't matter. It's scary now," Lily insisted. "If what you said is true, then I feel bad for Rose and Hugo!"

"They're probably used to it by now," James muttered. "We're not." She heard him sigh. "But that does settle things."

"What do you mean?" Albus asked.

"I mean that whenever things get a little rough or hard, we'll come up here," James stated. "This place will be a sacred area of truce." Then he laughed, and the other two joined him.

**End of Flashback**

* * *

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I do remember that night."

"It seems like a really long time ago," Albus said as he scratched his head a little.

"If there's one thing I wish I had done, it's that I wish I'd made us all keep that promise, and brought us up here when things got rough between us years ago," James stated. "But by that time I saw it as just a childish statement, and it was just a distant memory. But lately, I really think we should have done it."

"Who knows? If we'd done that as soon as Christmas came instead of avoiding each other, things might have been different," Lily admitted honestly.

"Very possible," Albus sighed. "The dumbest thing we did was let it sit and fester, then continue to fight."

"So . . . I want to do that now," James said firmly. "I want to clear the air. I want us to do what we should have done years ago."

Lily almost laughed. "And how are we going to do that?"

"I'll start," James assured. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Then he turned and looked at Lily. "When you first got Sorted, I felt like I'd been cheated. Like you had been cheated too. And then I was afraid that I'd lose my sister, but I never realized that _I_ was the reason that we were growing apart."

"I never cared about old rivalries," Lily said. "I know I had always said that I wanted to be a Gryffindor, but I was a kid. When the time came, I just wanted to be where I really belonged. It didn't matter to me that I was in Slytherin. What scared me was how the two of you were going to react."

"While I was surprised," Albus suddenly spoke, "I was honestly kind of happy that you weren't in Gryffindor. I felt like I wouldn't have to compete with you in order to hang out with James."

"Why would you have to compete to hang with me?" James asked. "You're my brother."

Albus shrugged. "You always chose to hang out with Lily. At your first pick, you chose her. For once, I wanted to be the one you picked."

"I was never trying to compete with you," Lily said quickly.

"I know," Albus said with a small nod. "I know that now. Maybe I knew it then. But _I_ felt like I had to compete. I was stupid and a child. But it made me do a lot of stupid things."

"I'm sorry," James apologized. "I do know that I hung out with Lily more. But . . . it was never because I liked her better. But I wanted her to be around so I could protect and take care of her. I always thought that guys should know how to take care of themselves, so I just assumed that you could. I was never choosing her over you, but I'm sorry you felt like I did."

"And I'm sorry for taking all my anger out on you, Lil," Albus apologized. "For all our lives, not just at Hogwarts. The more stupid things I did . . . the more I hated myself and the dumber I felt."

"I know I stupidly pushed you to do some of those things," James admitted. "I never meant for the bad things to happen, but I should have taken more consideration when it came to protecting you. And I know I did a lot of stupid things that affected you."

"I felt abandoned at first," Lily said. "Like you were ditching me, and I was really seeing the two of you the first time. But I realize I was only seeing a piece of you guys, and I judged quickly. I got defensive, and I pushed practically the entire family away. I pushed everyone away so much that soon I felt myself becoming awkward at home, and became a piece of another family. I hurt Mum and Dad immensely. I became the reason that they fought like they did all those years ago."

"I was arrogant and weak."

"I was stubborn and defensive."

"I was angry and a coward."

The three Potter siblings sat in silence for a moment. Andawkward air hung about them, along with their recent confessions to each other. But Lily didn't feel tense as she sat with them. Her body was relaxed, even though her nerves were a little jumpy from all that had been said. Her heart had picked up a little, and her mind weighed heavy with all the new information she had. She herself didn't know what to say now, after all had been said.

But James, the common and natural leader among the three of them, shifted where he sat, and rubbed his shoulder. "I think we were kids. And as kids, we screwed up. Maybe as adults . . . maybe we can do better."

"If there's one thing I can do, I hope it's that I can never scare my son like how scared we were when our parents argued," Albus said quietly.

"When I have kids I hope I can get them to understand that I just expect them to be themselves. To respect themselves and others," Lily mumbled. "I think loads of expectations . . . they can be damaging."

"I hate expectations being placed on kids like they were with us," James replied. "Stereotypes, cliches, they're not right, even if they're seen as good values. For the kids involved . . . they're awful. They create . . . well kids like we were. And yeah, we turned out ok at this point . . . but we hurt a lot of people, ourselves included, to get here."

"How do we do that though?" Albus wondered. "I mean, Mum and Dad were great parents . . . but somehow we all completely screwed up."

"And we all spent so much time together growing up. But once we got older and had one simple disagreement . . . it was over," Lily agreed. "How do you stop that from happening?"

"Bad things happen to good things, just like good things happen to bad things," James stated. "But I think I know what we need in order to prevent a repeat of what we did."

"What's that?" Lily asked.

"A place like this," James answered. "Somewhere where we stick them when things get bad, and let them solve their problems. A sanctuary for when things are hard and when times for them get rough. Only we'll make it real for them, instead of just a childish notion like it was to us."

"So, we all build a treehouse?" Albus questioned.

James shrugged. "Yeah. Something like that. As long as they have a sanctuary of their own, it could be anything. As long as it's a place for them to go and get away from things so they can figure things out."

Lily smiled a little. "And if anything, we can just send them here too."

Even Albus chuckled a bit. "Ok. As long as they have somewhere, because you are right. They might need somewhere to go. Everyone needs a moment and place to escape."

James's own grin was a little wry. "You know, I think sometimes adults don't really think that kids' problems are as big as their own. But . . . I think that, when a kid has a problem, it may be short or small, but it can leave a long-lasting effect or scar. That's when you get kids like us. Crippled, awkward, and outcasted."


	113. Reasons to Worry

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Here's the next chapter. Sorry for the wait, but I had to spend a few days moving and getting settled. With classes starting soon, I'll do my best to find time to write the next chapter. So sorry for any mistakes, again I've had almost no time. But anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Thirteen: Reasons to Worry

Lily sighed as she walked through a large hallway with Brandon by her side. They were meeting with T.J. and Henry to look over Lily's latest photos, which had been done specifically for Valentine's Day, and also to discuss their next idea and new designs.

"How does your wife feel about you spending Valentine's Day working?" Lily teased with a small yawn as they walked.

Brandon chuckled. "Considering we have a baby, she doesn't really care about sex and romance at the moment," he joked. "What about your husband?"

"He's working as well," Lily retorted with a smile. "So we're ok."

Brandon opened a door, and waved Lily in. "Well then, ladies first."

Lily walked into the moderately-sized office, used to the look. The large windows showing the city below. A desk with a comfortable-looking chair behind it. There were quite a few comfy armchairs around the room and two in front of the desk. Two bookshelves stood to the side, and magazines were everywhere, along with pictures from photo shoots.

T.J. sat behind the desk, with Henry standing behind him and looking at something with him. But at their entrance both men looked up and smiled. "Ah! Lily, Brandon! Come in, let's get started."

"You're awfully excited," Lily commented as she and Brandon sat down.

Henry turned what they were looking at, and pushed it toward them. "Well we thought that the spread turned out well."

On the desk was a magazine spread of two pages, decorated of a few different pictures of Lily, along with details of the new designs that she was wearing. There was one where she wore a pretty, business casual dress. She wore many shades of reds, whites, and pinks. Most of the outfits she'd done for the shoot were a tad more formal and elegant than some of their more casual designs.

"These look excellent," Brandon said in agreement.

Lily didn't say anything. She'd seen all the pictures before they'd been picked, as usual, and she really thought all of them turned out well. But apparently there was something that she always missed or didn't understand, because these three were always able to pick out the "best" ones from every shoot she did with them.

"Also, I am very excited about these," T.J. said as he handed over what Lily recognized as his portfolio, which was opened already.

Lily brought it forward for her and Brandon to look at. Together they flipped through the new designs, which Lily thought were great, casual, and perfect for the upcoming spring. There were light colors, whites, yellows, and even some blues. Clothes that were ready for the warming air and light rain.

"What do you think, Lily?" Henry asked. When it came to the designs, it was always Lily's opinion they asked for first.

"They're great," Lily complimented. "If you get these made and out by Easter, they'll be a hit."

"That's what we were thinking," Henry agreed. "We've estimated that it'll only take a few weeks to get the designs made and ready to be put out for the public, so we're thinking about a week and a half before we do the photo shoot for the magazines. Does that work for you?"

Lily nodded. "As far as I know. Brandon?"

Brandon nodded as well. "Yes, that works. We've got a few things books, but when the time comes, talk to me, and I'll give you the days we have open."

"Sounds great. We'll get on finding the perfect day," T.J. mentioned. "Also, there's something I want to discuss with you two, mainly Lily."

Henry cleared his throat, looking at T.J., "Tim?" he said obviously hesitant. "I'm still not sure about this."

But T.J. dismissed it. "I want to run it by Lily. If we're considering it, she should know. She's the face of the line."

Lily raised a brow, now curious. "What are you talking about?"

T.J. a bit of a hesitant look in his eyes too, looked back toward her and Brandon. "Well, an . . . a suggestion, you could say, was brought to us, by one of my sisters. And it's . . . it's a reasonable idea she had, but it does need to be discussed with you."

Now Brandon looked a bit skeptical. "What's the idea? Don't beat around. Say it." Lily sometimes wanted to laugh when Brandon got into total business-mode. It was so unlike the Brandon she was used to.

"Lily, what would you think about . . . modeling underwear?" T.J. inquired, his eyes still hesitant.

Due to shock, Lily just stared at him for a moment. T.J.'s hesitance was only in his eyes, and Henry was sighing and turning to look out the window. Finally she shook out of it. "Um, underwear?"

T.J. nodded. "Yeah. Henry and I have discussed it, and it wouldn't be a bad thing to add to the line. I mean we do everything else, why not add what we can to it. But when the talks about advertising came about, we knew we'd have to involve you in this decision. I know that some models are against doing so, but some don't mind. Where do you stand on this idea?"

Henry sighed. "At least show her what you have in mind if you're going to ask," he urged.

T.J. leaned forward, and flipped to a different page in his portfolio, which still sat in front of Lily and Brandon. He pointed at a page. "From here to the next four pages are some ideas and rough sketches if you'd like to flip through and get a good look at what we're thinking."

Moving a bit sluggishly, Lily looked over at what T.J. had drawn out. The designs were good as usual when it came to T.J.'s works. Some were very simple, while others were exotic or alluring. They were all things that Lily would have nothing against wearing . . . but modeling in them? And _just_ them, with nothing over them?

Henry now pulled a few magazines out of a pile from the desk. "Look, if we went through with this, pictures like that would only be in these kinds of magazines." There were obvious fashion magazines. As Lily flipped through one, that's all it was. Just clothes. Nothing about news or celebrity gossip, not even normal advertisements you'd see in a magazine. Just fashion.

"They're generally bought by fashion-conscious witches and teen witches," Henry told her, showing off his business knowledge. "Not the usual gossipy old witches that swarm around _Witch Weekly_ and other magazines."

Lily bit her lip. "I'm . . . I'm not sure."

"I'm not pressuring you into saying yes to this," T.J. assured. "If you're not comfortable with it, then don't worry yourself. We just want you to know about it, all the things concerning it, and etc."

Lily sighed as she looked at Brandon. "What do you think?"

Brandon shrugged. "On a business standpoint, it's great. It could be a great addition, more revenue for both parties, added attraction to the line. But it is still up to you if you want to do it, or if you aren't comfortable doing it."

Lily just sighed again. "Could I have a bit of time to think about it?"

"Of course," T.J. assured. "This isn't something that we're in a rush to do. Take your time, find your answer, and then let us know. No matter what it is, we're not going to worry or be upset."

Lily gave a nod. "Ok. Thanks." While she herself was a little unsure on how she felt about it, her main concern would be what Scorpius would think about her even considering it.

* * *

It was early evening when Lily finally found herself finally stepping into the building of her flat with Brandon. They stood in the lobby, Brandon with his hands in his pockets. A bit of snow was in his hair. "So, Lil, what's your plan with Tim and Henry's new idea?"

Lily sighed. After working for the rest of the day, Lily had been able to distract herself from the earlier proposal. "I'm not sure yet."

"Are you seriously thinking about discussing it with Scorpius?" Brandon inquired.

Lily shrugged. "I think I should. I mean, if I'm going to actually think about it, then he deserves to know."

Brandon nodded. "Point taken. Well, should I tell them it's not going to happen then?"

Lily sighed again as they walked toward the lift. "You seem so sure of how this will go."

"I may be older, and thus spent less time with him as a kid, but I still know Scorpius enough to know that he won't take well to this idea," Brandon replied as he pressed the button for the lift.

Lily knew he was right, but also knew that she still had to do it. "Either way, let me talk with him before you tell the boys anything."

The doors to the lift opened. "Ok," Brandon assured. "I'll give you a call tomorrow, and let me know if you've decided anything."

"I will," Lily promised as she stepped onto the lift. "Talk to you later, Brandon."

Brandon gave a wave. "Later, Lily."

The doors shut, and Lily rested against the wall and shut her eyes as it moved up. She was nervous about even bringing the topic up to Scorpius. She knew it would be a bit difficult to even be able to get the entire proposal and the facts out before he went into a rage and rant about it.

When Lily opened the door to the flat, she smiled when she saw Pad already waiting for her, having heard the sound of the doorknob. But she was really surprised when she saw Scorpius sitting on the couch. Why was he home so early?

She smiled regardless of her surprise as she shut the door. "You're home already?"

Scorpius smirked as he got up, and picked up a previously unseen bouquet of flowers from the table. He walked toward her, and held them out. "Well it is Valentine's Day," he stated with a shrug.

Lily took the flowers, her heart skipping a small beat. "You didn't have to skip part of work just for me."

Scorpius held out his hand, and when Lily took it, he pulled her closer to him, his chin resting on her hair. "Maybe. But I wanted to. After all, it was on this day that I proposed to you just a few short years ago."

"That's not all we've done on Valentine's Day," Lily mumbled into his shirt.

Scorpius chuckled. "So I'm not the only one that was thinking of that. Good. There'll be little need for tiptoeing around the subject then."

Lily felt a little blush on her cheeks, but she still smiled. "I haven't walked Padfoot yet."

"I already did," Scorpius quipped. "We only got back about fifteen minutes ago. And I pulled his bed out for him to sleep in here."

With her thoughts completely pulled away from any thoughts about her afternoon, Lily looked up at him, her heart beating a little faster. "Seems you thought of everything," she whispered.

Scorpius lowered his lips to hers, brushing softly as he murmured softly. "Just doing what I do best."

* * *

Lily laid next to Scorpius that night, her fingers tracing light patterns on his shoulder. "Scorpius," she whispered softly, her nerves a bit hesitant. "Can we talk about something?"

Scorpius rested his head on his arm, his eyes closed. A smirk came to his lips. "Is now the best time? Because I am personally quite relaxed."

"That's why it might be the best time," Lily admitted quietly.

Scorpius sighed, his eyes not opening. "That tells me that whatever it is, I won't like it."

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I know you won't . . . but I still need to tell you."

Scorpius finally opened his eyes, then rolled on his side, looking at her fully. "Ok. What is it?"

"Remember I told you that I was having a short meeting with T.J. and Henry today?" Lily reminded.

He nodded. "Yes. What about it?"

"Well, after they showed Brandon and I few new Spring sketches, they told me about an idea that had been brought to them that they were considering," Lily explained, taking her time and not rushing toward the result.

Scorpius closed his eyes momentarily, but then opened them again, now looking a bit wary. "What was the idea?"

Lily decided to tell him basically the same way they'd told her earlier. "How would you feel about me modeling underwear?"

Scorpius closed his eyes and buried his face into the pillow, and let out a groan. "Oh, what?" he demanded. Lily could practically see his scowl, despite his face being hidden.

"Well . . . adding underwear to the line was suggested, so they brought the idea to me and Brandon." When Scorpius didn't respond, Lily continued to trace patterns on his arm, not sure of what to say. "I saw the rough sketches he'd made out already. They're really cute."

Scorpius turned a little to show one glaring eye. "That in no way helped you get me to agree."

Lily sighed as she rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to get you to agree. I'm just trying to let you know about it all. I . . . I don't even know what I think about it yet."

Scorpius flipped over and sat up. He rubbed his face with his hands, then ran them through his hair. "Why bring it up then?"

"Because I thought you should know!" Lily retorted, lying flat on her back. "I didn't want to come to a decision without talking to you first."

Scorpius looked at her. Then surprisingly, his eyes softened from their previous grey storm. He came down to lean his weight on his arm, then brought his free hand to her cheek. "What do you think about it?"

Lily closed her eyes now, her body still relaxed, and her mind a little eased at his new, calm attitude. "I've never done it before, and I hadn't considered it. I mean, I'd joked about it with you, and like with Hugo . . . but I never thought it'd be something that would be offered to me. The idea of posing in nothing but underwear . . . it's weird. But knowing what kind of magazines they're going to be in, I sometimes feel that it wouldn't be a big deal. The magazines are dignified and professional, and purely for fashion."

His hand trailed down to rest on her hip. "Do you want to do it?"

Lily shrugged as she opened her eyes. "I just don't know if I should or not."

"I didn't ask if you should. I asked if you _wanted_ to," Scorpius pointed out.

"I still don't know. All day I've just debated it in my head." She turned to look at him. "Honestly, I've kind of been worried about what you would think."

"Personally, I hate the idea," Scorpius stated. "I don't like a single thing about the idea . . . But, if you're not sure what you want to do yet, then I am willing to meet with this T.J. and let him explain _every single thing_ about the idea to me."

Lily leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Thank you. Your next day off?"

Scorpius nodded. "Sounds good to me."

* * *

It was only a few days later when Scorpius had a day where Lily could take him to meet T.J. to look over the designs and hear about the idea. And she hoped that Henry was busy, because personally, the last thing she wanted to for Scorpius to meet the man that had kissed her.

Brandon of course accompanied them, just incase a decision actually _was_ made. T.J. had been more than happy and willing to have Scorpius come to hear about the deal, and listen to their plans. And when they walked into T.J.'s office, T.J.'s smile was as bright as normal as he came around the desk and held his hand out to Scorpius.

"Hello, you must be Scorpius. It's great to meet you. My name's Tim," T.J. greeted, completely professional. "Please, sit."

Scorpius was a bit tense as he took a seat next to Lily. Brandon stood behind them, looking through a magazine. "Ok, I'll say off the bat, I'm not happy about this idea. But I'm willing to hear you out."

T.J. gave a nod, not bothering to try and be charming. "I understand. Ok, first of all, we're not at all harping Lily about making a decision. I, too, want her to take her time in making a choice, and if she says no, then we'll understand. Second, here are a few of the sketches we have done already." He held the book out to Scorpius.

Scorpius took the book, and eyed the designs critically. Every now and then he'd look at Lily, a scowl on his face, or maybe glance at T.J. even. But he didn't talk until he'd looked at each one. "So if she did this, she'd wear things like this?"

T.J. nodded honestly. "Yes. And this is the type of magazine that such photos would be in." He handed Scorpius the magazine she'd seen herself. "The demographic of buyers of these magazines are teen girls, young adults, and more . . . well wealthier women. The occasional man who is very aware of how well-dressed he is flips through these, but even that's rare."

Scorpius just looked at the cover. "I know this magazine. My mother gets an issue every so often," he admitted.

"Look, I take a lot of pride in this specific fashion line," T.J. stated honestly. "I don't take it lightly. Also, I respect your wife. She's a great person, and I'm not going to take the idea of her doing this lightly."

"Good, because neither do I," Scorpius said, his voice a bit like steel. "And despite what I've learned, I'm still hesitant about letting it happen."

Brandon placed a hand on Lily's shoulder. "Have you decided yet, Lil?"

Lily bit her lip, the attention now all on her. "I just . . ." she still wasn't sure of what to say.

"Lily, I'll understand if you're not comfortable doing it. I mean, if you're taking this long to decide if you're ok with it . . ." T.J. said reassuringly.

Lily tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair. "What would happen . . . if I said no?"

Now T.J. sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "Well we have a few options. We could do picture-less ads for it. We could just not advertise it. Or . . . we could get another model, but I hesitate on that."

"Why so?" Lily inquired.

"Well from the start, we've made no secret that you are the face of this line. You are the _it_ girl for the line. To bring in another model . . . well it would bring questions and hesitation. Plus . . . well again, no pressure, but there are young girls that buy certain clothes because a specific model wears it," T.J. admitted.

"That make sense," Brandon said with a sigh.

"Then explain it to me," Lily demanded calmly.

Brandon came around, pulling a chair up to sit at the side of the desk. "Ok, remember when you were telling me about the first time you signed an autograph?" Lily nodded. "How you were so shocked that you had _fans_ so to speak? Well it's like that. There are girls who find a certain model to be like a hero or role model. And when they see that girl wearing a certain outfit, then they wear it because she does. It has nothing to do with the line with some people," he explained.

Lily thought about it, and it did make sense. But it hardly helped her decide if she wanted to do it. Looking at it purely from a business point of view, Lily could see the benefit from having it be her that modeled it. It would show off the addition the line, and it could keep . . . her_ fans_ buying from the line. But on a personal standpoint . . . it was just a surreal concept.

"Lil," Scorpius spoke suddenly, "do it."

Lily and Brandon both looked at Scorpius in surprise. "What?" Lily demanded.

Scorpius shifted in his seat. "I said to do it. Or at least give a try, see for sure if you're comfortable with it."

Lily raised a brow. "You really want me to do it?"

He sighed. "No, I don't. But . . . if you end up wanting to do it, then . . . I'll support it," he mumbled through a tight jaw. "So, you should see if you are comfortable doing it."

"We can do that," T.J. assured. "We can set up a shoot, and give it a try. Then you can see the photos, and you can be there for every step of the process, just in case you decide not to."

"If anything I will be," Brandon promised. "In fact, I want to know who would be taking the pictures."

"As do I," Scorpius now said firmly.

T.J. seemed to think about it. "Well . . . I could have Sandra do it. Does that sit well with you, Brandon?"

Brandon nodded immediately. "That works just fine actually."

T.J. now looked at Scorpius. "Do you want to be there when we do the shoot?"

"I want to see the photos when they're done," Scorpius stated. He ran a hand over his hair. "When will this _photo shoot_ be?"

T.J. looked at Brandon. "What day fits into her schedule?"

Brandon immediately pulled a small book from his coat pocket, and flipped it open. He had obviously prepared for something similar to this moment. "Uh . . . how about in two weeks? It'll give you time to get the clothes made. And she likes to keep certain days open to look over her goddaughter," he suggested, knowing Lily's preferences and schedule well.

"Sure, that sounds perfect actually. We will need time to get them ready," T.J. agreed.

And before anyone could say something else, Lily's previous reason for hesitance walked in. Henry.

"Hey, Tim, I've got those estimates, along with a few messages from Kim," Henry said quickly, but then stopped when he saw everyone in the room. "Oh. I'm sorry for interrupting. Hi, Lily," he greeted. Then he noticed Scorpius, someone he didn't know. Henry held out hand. "You must be Lily's husband?"

Scorpius nodded as he stood up and shook Henry's hand. "Yes. Scorpius Malfoy. And you are?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Henry Morgan," Henry introduced himself.

It only took a moment before a bit of recognition appeared in Scorpius's eyes. Lily was glad that Henry had already let go of Scorpius's hand, and was moving around the desk to place a few things in front of T.J. for him to see. As Scorpius turned around to sit down again, there was now a look of repressed anger in his eyes as he looked over Henry.

Brandon seemed to recognize the possibility of a disastrous situation, and stood up. "Well, thanks for taking the time to explain it all again for us. We'll see you in two weeks?"

T.J. nodded as they all stood up. "Of course." He held his hand out to Scorpius again. "It was great meeting you, Scorpius. When the pictures are ready, I'll send word to Brandon, and first chance, you guys can come in and look them over before anything else happens."

Scorpius shook his hand, a little more cordial toward T.J. than he seemed to be to Henry. "Yeah, I'll be here. Thanks for taking the time to let me know about it." His voice was almost a bit begrudging.

Later that afternoon, Scorpius sat on the couch with Padfoot sitting on the floor next to him, his head resting on Scorpius's knee. Lily was making lunch, while Cecilia, who they'd picked up to babysit, was playing with a few of her toys on the floor.

"Lil," Scorpius addressed, his voice a bit tense.

Lily glanced back at him. "What's up?"

Scorpius focused on scratching behind Pad's ear. "That Henry Morgan . . . he's the one that kissed you?"

Lily bit her lip before sighing. "Yeah, that was him." She looked at him again. "Is there something wrong?"

"That Tim was a nice enough guy," Scorpius mentioned, avoiding her question.

Lily rolled her eyes, but grinned. "Yeah. But that doesn't answer my question."

Scorpius got up, and with Pad following behind him, he came to stand behind Lily. He wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on her shoulder. "There's nothing wrong," he mumbled.

"You know, it's not like Henry stares leeringly at me. He's a perfect gentleman, especially since I talked with him after he kissed me. He's professional," Lily assured.

Scorpius pressed his lips against her neck in a chaste kiss. "He seemed that way. Like I said, nothing's wrong."

"It doesn't sound like it," Lily replied.

He sighed. "I just don't really know how I feel about all I've done today. I just agreed to let someone take pictures of you as an underwear model."

"Nothing's permanent yet," Lily pointed out. "_I_ might be the one that says no to the whole thing."

"How hard do I have to pray for that to happen?" he muttered under his breath, making Lily have to strain just to hear it. "Can I demand one thing about all of this though?"

Lily nodded. "Of course. What is it?"

"Would you mind taking Hugo with you, if he has the time, when you go for the shoot?" Scorpius requested. "I know Brandon will be there, but I know for sure that Hugo won't bullshit me or downplay anything that happens if I ask him."

Lily nodded. "Of course. I'll talk to him about it." She turned in his arms, and brought his face back to look at her. "Are you sure you're ok with this?"

He smirked. "No, I'm not. But I don't want to be the reason you don't do something that you might end up wishing you had. If I deserved to know about it, you deserve to know if you want this or not."

Lily kissed him softly. "When did you become such a compromising man?"

"Well, I promised I'd do my best to be relaxed about your job. This is the best I can do," he admitted.

"Well it's better than I expected," Lily said gently before kissing him again.

* * *

"Thanks so much for agreeing to this, Huey," Lily told Hugo as she led him and Brandon through the building. The day of the photo shoot had come, and Hugo had easily agreed to do a favor for Scorpius.

Hugo shrugged. "I don't mind. In fact, I think this guy is really trying to get Scorpius on his side if he's sending the final sketches for him to see."

That was true. A few days ago, T.J. had sent over the final sketches of what Lily would be wearing today, all for Scorpius to see and approve of. Scorpius had looked over them, then pushed them toward Lily.

"If I look anymore than nothing good will happen," he had muttered.

"T.J. is trying," Lily agreed with Hugo as they walked into where T.J.'s crew was waiting for her. "And I think Scorpius appreciates it more than he says."

A woman quickly walked up to Lily then, with a friendly smile on her face. This woman had to be related to T.J., if not one of his sisters. They looked so much alike! She was a little taller than Lily, with straight brown hair. Her face even was similar to T.J.'s!

The woman held out her hand. "Hi, you must be Lily! I'm Sandra. I'm Timothy's sister, and I'll be running things today in place of him." Then she smiled at Brandon. "Hello, Brandon."

Brandon smiled. "Hello, Sandra. You're as lovely as always."

"Also, this is my cousin Hugo," Lily introduced.

"He's also watching over her today," Brandon joked lightly.

Sandra still smiled as she shook his hand. "Of course. I understand. Tim was very persistent that I make sure you were comfortable. So I brought my team to prep you today, and kicked him and Henry out of the building. No need for those two to fret like a bunch of old ladies around here."

Lily followed Sandra to where her team was, and as Lily sat down, Sandra continued to talk. "Now, I was told that you've seen the sketches of what you'll be wearing today, correct?"

Lily would have nodded, but she already had someone working on her hair. "Yes. I've seen them."

"Are there any problems or concerns?" Sandra inquired.

"No, they looked great," Lily said with a bit of a sigh. An uncertainty came to her lungs again.

"Ok. Now at any point, if you change your mind, let us know. And if you simply just don't feel comfortable in just one of the specific outfits, then that's fine. We'll skip over that," Sandra assured.

Lily spent the rest of the time silent as she was prepped. A bit of uncertainty was continuing to run through her. Was this a good idea? She knew Scorpius hated it. He'd been a bit quiet and gloomy all morning before he'd gone to work. But he was stepping back and allowing her to make the choice herself. But that still didn't help her.

When Lily found herself in a changing room, she stared at what was in front of her. An array of different outfits, each obviously consisting of nothing but underwear, laid before her. Hugo was waiting out the door, which on her side had a small black robe for her to wear as well.

"You dead in there?" Hugo called mockingly.

"Shut up, Huey!" Lily snapped back, her stomach shaking.

"Just get dressed and come out. What, are you embarrassed?" Hugo asked. It was almost as if he were trying to see if he could pick out what was making her hesitate, which could easily be his, or Scorpius's, plan.

So Lily thought about it. Was she embarrassed? She knew that, body-wise, she had no reason to be embarrassed. While not being arrogant, she knew and could say that she was pretty and had a fit body. So it wasn't that. Was it just a personal thing? After all, she'd be in a magazine in nothing but underwear, which was new for her. But at the same time, she knew that it was a professional thing. They wouldn't be going out to magazines that were . . . well common. And either way, it was a business thing. It was her job. And she could look at it as just what she did for her career.

"No, it's not that I'm embarrassed," Lily called back as she began to finally change. "It's just . . . Scorpius hates this." Maybe that was the only reason.

"But he wants you to make this choice," Hugo retorted. "He doesn't want to be the reason you do or don't do it."

"What about my parents? My dad?" Lily added as she slipped into the first outfit.

"Well they'll only know if you tell them. And either way, you think they won't support you?" Hugo asked.

"My dad would flip if he knew there were pictures of me in only my knickers."

"Which will be only in highly wealthy and dignified magazines. Boys going through puberty won't be seeing them, so why would it matter? Besides, you've never let your dad's opinion of your career change what you did," Hugo explained. "No one in the family is going to hate you for this. Hell I'd bet our friends would think it was awesome and be proud."

"What if they think differently of me," Lily mumbled as she loosely tied the sash of the robe she'd slipped on.

"What?" Hugo asked.

Lily slowly opened the door and stepped out. Hugo didn't even seem fazed by her clothing, or lack of. He was just curious as he looked at her. "I said what if they think differently of me?"

Hugo shrugged. "What would they think? Yeah, Uncle Percy or Uncle Bill, or even my dad, might gawk and be in disbelief that you did it, but so what? This is your career and life."

"But . . ."

"Lil," Hugo stood in front of her, looking straight into her eyes. "Look, I'd understand if you were just uncomfortable doing this, and that being why you don't do it. But if there's one thing I've always loved about you, especially as we've grown and matured, it's that you've never let someone else's opinion change you or what you wanted to do. You never let it affect you. So, has that changed?"

Lily sighed and let her shoulders sag. "No, it hasn't."

Hugo gave a nod. "Good. And are you embarrassed or uncomfortable about doing this?"

Lily took in a breath. "Well, no."

He patted her on the shoulder. "Good. Then get over there, drop the robe and do whatever it is you're supposed to do."

* * *

Although it had taken months, Lily, along with the help of Ashley and Elizabeth, had finally gotten Scorpius, Albus, and James to agree on a night for them all to have dinner. They all agreed for a dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, to keep things on neutral territory. Also, it lessened the chance of a fight if they were in public.

"I can't believe you're making me do this," Scorpius sighed as they walked into the Leaky Cauldron. He absentmindedly brought his hand up to shake snow from his hair. Now that March had come, the last bits of cold air and snow were falling now, and would hopefully soon be over and done with.

"It will be fine!" Lily insisted, pulling him over to the table where she could see Ashley and Albus already sitting, baby Severus in a highchair of his own.

Ashley smiled easily when she saw the two. "Hey, Lily, Scorpius."

Lily smiled as well. "Hey." Then she glanced at Scorpius.

Scorpius sighed, looking like he wanted to roll his eyes. "Hey," he greeted as they sat down.

Lily could hear the telltale "thud" of Ashley kicking Albus under the table, and she could see the hidden pain in how he sucked in a hiss of breath. "Hi," he mumbled.

"What do you two do when you both go and work together?" Ashley demanded with a roll of her eyes.

"We're not on the same team," Albus retorted.

"Yeah, so we're not really ever working together," Scorpius agreed.

"Hey, guys," James greeted suddenly as he and Elizabeth appeared, walking toward the table. James quickly pulled out a chair for Elizabeth before sitting in his own. "Did we miss anything?"

"No, we just got here ourselves," Lily mentioned.

When a new young waitress came to their table, they each made an order. And then all the girls looked at their respective man, and waited expectantly.

James was the first one to give in. "So, Al, . . . Scorpius, how's working for Dad treating you?"

"I used to think Dad had eyes all over the house as a kid, but it's worse in the department. He knows about every thing that happens in there," Albus mentioned.

"I'd bet he knows what kind of sandwich I had for lunch this afternoon," Scorpius agreed with a bit of a mutter.

But the three men were silent after that. Lily didn't know if they were avoiding talking to each other, or if they just didn't know how to keep a conversation with each other. Lily gave up on it. "So, Elizabeth, how does it feel being first-string for the Cannons?"

Elizabeth smiled with her usual enthusiasm. "I love it! But I just really love the atmosphere. I mean, once . . . things settle and all the travel starts to get a bit too much, you could say, I think I'll at least move to commentating, like I did at school."

"And when you say _things_?" Ashley said a bit teasingly.

A small blush came to Elizabeth's cheeks, but she didn't shy away. "I mean my life. All aspects of it."

Lily looked at her brother. "What do you think, James?"

James shrugged just as the waitress brought their food. But he didn't take the chance to hide either. "If that's what she wants, then so be it." He took his plate with a small smile and thanks, but then continued to speak. "Besides, I agree. The atmosphere of professional games is amazing. To be a part of it gives a fantastic feeling." He looked at his sister. "I still think that you should have joined the pros. You kicked ass for seven years at school, mine included. Any team would have made you first-string in a heartbeat."

Now Lily shrugged. "I couldn't handle the travel. I'm too lazy," she said with a grin.

"Oh, please, you loved playing," Scorpius now spoke. "You should have at least considered it."

Lily raised a brow. "You really would have wanted me to travel all the time? You do know that if I had, we wouldn't be married by now," she pointed out.

"I would have liked it better than I like your current job," Scorpius admitted easily. Despite the fact that they were both waiting for word that her recent shoot was done, he had been oddly relaxed when talk about her work came up.

And while her brothers had no knowledge of what Lily was currently working with, and didn't catch the undertone of Scorpius's meaning, they both still agreed. "Anything would be better than my sister posing in pictures that are free to the eyes of a bunch of sick weirdos," James agreed.

"I always thought that if I considered doing pro Quidditch that I'd try for the Kestrels," Albus commented almost thoughtfully.

"The Kestrels?" Scorpius retorted with a raised brow.

"Yeah, seriously, Al? Not that they're bad, but there so many better teams to try for!" James agreed, probably not even noticing that he'd just agreed with the man he'd considered a lifetime rival.

"I like the Kestrels!" Albus defended, and then soon it was an all out discussion about Quidditch teams, and which ones were obviously superior.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "For all the ways it took to get them to get along, it had to be Quidditch. Boys." She said with obvious sarcasm.

Lily just shook her head. "They're such children," she mentioned. It was even more amusing how the girls talked, and went unnoticed to the men next to them, completely wrapped in their own conversations.

"Honestly, I think it's just another way for them to be competitive with each other, but without any violence," Elizabeth stated. "I mean, all they're doing is basically arguing with each other about teams, games, and strategies."

"But yet they reach a level of friendship through the argument," Lily said with a sigh. "Again, they are so still boys at heart."

"What was that?" Scorpius asked with a smirk, as if having listened to the girls' conversation the whole time. Which was possible. Scorpius did seem to have a knack for never missing a thing, especially after become an Auror.

But Lily wasn't afraid of his subtle challenge. In fact Lily had been raised to always look a challenge in the face with total confidence. Whether it was a brother, a friend, an enemy, or even her husband. "You said you guys are such children," she stated.

Scorpius now scoffed. "We're children? I go out and save the world from evil people every day, princess. That's the job of a man. Not a child."

"And so what if we are?" James retorted. "That just means that you girls are into that."

Lily looked at her brother. "Meaning?"

James shrugged, faking a look of nonchalance. "Well, Lizzie and I've had sex, and Al and Ashley obviously have," he said, motioning toward Severus. "And . . . you're married," there he sounded a little uncomfortable, "so you girls must enjoy the little boy thing."

Elizabeth simply blushed, but now Ashley scoffed. "Oh please. It's because of the little boy thing that you three don't get laid more often," she quipped, easily fitting in with the Potter siblings with that attitude.

Scorpius smirked again as he looked at Lily. "I didn't know there was a possibility of more," he murmured lowly for only Lily and her resurfacing blush to hear.

And the rest, oblivious, resumed their quips, having never heard him.

* * *

Lily waiting quietly as Scorpius and Brandon looked over the pictures, each with her in nothing but the underwear that T.J. had designed himself. Lily herself had yet to see them. She was still hesitant and wondering if she was positive about doing this. So she let Scorpius and Brandon look them over first. Because it may be selfish of her, but if Scorpius didn't approve . . . then Lily would never really have to decide, even if she did or didn't see them.

Scorpius had a deep scowl on his face. Lily easily recognized it, along with all the emotions in his grey eyes, which had already become a storm. There was some discomfort, a bit of anger and frustration, a bit of a desire that Lily ignored, along with a bit of deep thoughtfulness. It was as if he were really looking at the pictures with a deep interest, and not just at her wearing very little clothing.

Brandon was a bit more verbal in his examination of the pictures. He would give comments about some. "This one is really good." "I think this could almost be cover material." "Do I want to know how you became so good at designing underwear, Tim?"

Lily did her best to ignore those comments, simply because she didn't want them to affect what her decision might be once she saw them, assuming Scorpius didn't just say no. T.J. was waiting in silence as well, just sketching something on a piece of paper. Probably another design.

Finally, Scorpius put the pictures back into their tiny pile, and handed them to Lily. "Here, you look them over," he muttered, the scowl and emotions still present on his face.

Lily took them, but her nerves shook. He wasn't going to say anything, and she should have expected it. After all, he too was a Slytherin, and was just as clever as she was. And instead of letting her skip her decision by letting him make one first, he backed her into a corner, forcing her to give one. Well played, she thought. Well played. A true Slytherin to the end.

But Lily would now admit to there still being some Gryffindor bravery that she'd gotten from her family of lions. And she gathered it now, and looked over the pictures.

It was a bit weird. Really, she'd thought it was a bit weird and surreal at first when she first started seeing herself in pictures and magazines. But this was another first for her, and it brought about that same feeling.

They were good of course. The pictures that had been chosen were well picked, and each were wonderful. The outfits were flawless really. Lily had thought so when she wore each one, and the pictures portrayed that flawlessness. And then there was her. Her hair had been tousled carefully for the pictures, which looked like a tamer version of a normal Potter hair mess. Little makeup had been done, except at her lips and eyes. And although she felt a bit of heat in her cheeks wanting to show, she repressed it. They were good pictures, and she'd like to say that she looked good. And she honestly felt . . . well a little pride in herself. She had done it. She'd gone through the shoot, and something good had come from it. After all, Hugo had been right. Her family would always support her, even if they didn't necessarily like what she did. Besides, as Hugo said, they might never know. But . . .

Scorpius.

Lily looked at Scorpius, curious, yet knowing in her heart what he would say if he were honest. "What do you think?" she asked.

But Scorpius just gave a small shrug with his tense shoulders. "It's not my decision, so it doesn't matter."

Lily sighed. "Don't do that. Just tell me what you think."

Scorpius just smoothed an invisible wrinkle on his pants. "You know what I think."

"Scorpius Malfoy," Lily groaned. "Just say it!"

"I don't like the idea," Scorpius stated, looking over at her again. "But, I don't think I would ever like it. So . . . it doesn't matter. What do you think?"

Lily looked at the picture on top of the rest. "I like them," she admitted. "But if it makes you unhappy, then . . ."

"A lot of things make me unhappy," Scorpius said dismissively. "So don't worry about that. Do it."

Lily looked at the pictures, her mind swirling a little. Then she looked at T.J., who was still waiting patiently in silence. "If I do this, could we do just one of the photos? No more than that?"

T.J. nodded. "Sure. We'll send out one photo to the magazine," he assured.

"Can we burn the others?" Scorpius muttered, scratching his jaw with his thumb.

T.J. chuckled. "We'll dispose of them, yes. You have my word. So, are we moving forward with this?"

Lily looked at Scorpius, who just sighed. So she nodded. "Yes, we are."

* * *

As more of the month of March passed, Scorpius came home a little later each day, claiming that his team's current case was coming close to a possible end. So when he was home, he was constantly in his workout room. During these times, she took time to study over her potion books, while Padfoot would choose to lay by her instead.

When they were sent a copy of the magazine, Lily wondered how Scorpius would react. So when he got home that night, it was the first thing she showed him. He was quiet while he looked at the advertisement, but then sighed. He said it was good, then immediately went to workout again. And when Lily peaked in, she was sure that he was lifting more of those muggle weights than usual, which was a normal sign of either determination, or frustration for him.

But if Lily had known what would soon be throwing her life off balance, then she would have never bothered worrying about something as simple as his reaction to that photo.

* * *

It was a normal morning for the both of them. Scorpius had a habit of either getting up super early, or sleeping in just a little bit longer. Today was a day where he slept a bit longer. Not that it bothered Lily at all. It gave her a chance to get a head start on her morning, breakfast included.

After feeding each pet in the house, Lily started up a simple breakfast, all the while going over her plan for the day. She was meeting Brandon for lunch, and Cecilia wouldn't be coming over today. She would also need to walk Padfoot. She glanced at the calendar on the wall. And when she noticed the date, another monthly reminder came to her.

"My potion," she mumbled. Leaving kitchen quickly for a moment, Lily made her way to her study to take it before she forgot. She sometimes wished that there was a contraceptive potion that she could take only once a year. Maybe she would look in to digging around and seeing she could come up with. It was an amusing thought that made her smile.

Lily walked over to her large cabinet of potions, and opened the doors. She ran her eyes over her collection until she found the box where kept them all, each labeled with a month, just as another reminder. She pulled it out, and ran her finger along it to find March. But she stopped short, her eyes widening and her breathing halted.

February's potion. It was still there!

Lily almost dropped the box. How could this happen? How could she have missed taking February's potion? Her mind began to rationalize. A lot had happened that month. She'd gotten involved in this underwear thing, and trying to get her brothers and husband to like each other! But . . . how? At this point in her life, Lily found herself taking it on the fourteenth . . . which was Valentine's Day in February. And . . .

Lily quickly put down the box before she dropped it in shock. "Shit!" she mumbled. Obviously, they had definitely had sex that night. It was Valentine's Day! And even so . . . they had multiple times since Valentine's day. She immediately thought of the chances. They were high. After all, she _was_ a Weasley.

Lily slowly closed the door to the cabinet, and moved to sit in the desk chair. Ok . . . so she might be pregnant. _Might_ being the important word here! Nothing was positive yet. So the only option was to go to St. Mungo's and find out for sure. Lily was sure that Victoire could get her in today. But Scorpius . . . how would he take it? She should probably just tell him, and ask if he'd come to the appointment with her. Yes. That was what she would do.

Slowly, and almost mindlessly, Lily returned to the kitchen. She finished breakfast in a bit of an eery calm. But her mind was spinning, and questions and thoughts kept bouncing around. A baby? She might . . . being having a baby! She was only nineteen! Not even twenty, and they had yet to be married for a year! But . . . she and Scorpius might be having a baby . . . She could be carrying Scorpius's baby at that very moment. And despite being young and newly married, a smile still came to her lips. Because just the thought of her having Scorpius's child made her heart flutter, and made a previously unexperienced happiness well in her soul.

Suddenly she heard pounding footsteps, and then Scorpius was rushing in, and immediately moving to put on his shoes. He was dressed already, and looked to be in an awful hurry. "Damn, damn," she heard him mutter.

"Scorpius," Lily spoke quickly, "I made breakfast."

"Sorry, babe, I have no time. I was wanting to get to work early. Captain said he would have important news for us today. So I've got to get going."

Lily felt her shoulders slump just a tad bit. "Oh. Ok. Well, I'm going to set up an appointment at St. Mungo's today. Could you come with me?"

Scorpius shrugged as he slipped on his jacket. "Sure, if you can schedule it during lunch. I'll meet you there."

And then with a quick "I love you" he was out the door, leaving Lily unable to say a thing. But she just sighed. She shouldn't be so upset. He would be there for the appointment of course. And besides, she didn't even know if she _was_ pregnant yet. No need to go and get upset over nothing. But . . . her heart wouldn't stop telling her that it _wasn't_ nothing.

* * *

Lily waited in St. Mungo's waiting room, her entire being anxious. She'd seen Victoire, who had smiled and assured her that she'd have time to see Lily at lunch. But the time was drawing near, and Lily had yet to see Scorpius. She knew his lunch break had already started, so what was keeping him?

As the morning had continued, Lily's mind and body soon brought themselves to a balance of nerves and excitement. For a while, all she would think about was that they were young, barely married, and that they really had no idea about how to be parents or raise a child. They hadn't even fully discussed it yet. But then sometimes all she would think of were different ideas of what the baby would look like, if it would be a boy or a girl, and of how happy Scorpius would be when he found out.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Malfoy?" a timid voice shook Lily from her debating thoughts. She turned to see a man standing by her. He was maybe a few years older than Scorpius, if even. Despite his quiet voice, it didn't seem that he was shy, but just that quiet suited him. He had dark blonde hair that curled around his brow, and dark blue eyes. He was a bit thin, but Lily could see a bit of muscle on his arms. But . . . who was he?

"Yes?" Lily asked curiously, not even slightly recognizing this man.

He cleared his throat. "Um, I'm Jordan William, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm on the same team as your husband in the department," he explained bluntly.

A small bit of worry set in her stomach. Why was he here? Had . . . had something happened? "Oh, it' nice to meet you," she mumbled politely. "Did you need to tell me something?"

He nodded. "Yes. Scorpius asked me to come and tell you that he won't be able to come here today," he stated.

He wasn't coming? But . . . why? "Why? What happened?" Lily demanded, still a bit worried.

Now Jordan looked uncomfortable, for reasons Lily couldn't tell, and wished she could. "Well, . . . he's gone out on a mission for the team."

That bit of worried . . . it turned into mild irritation that would easily grow. "What?"

"Yeah. This morning our captain had some news for us on a lead. So he wanted to send out four men on a capture mission, one that could take from two to four weeks. Scorpius volunteered to go, and since he's one of the best on the team, the captain of course said yes," Jordan explained.

Lily did her best to swallow her anger, not wanting to freak out on this innocent man. "He asked to go?"

"Yes. And from an Auror standpoint, I understand. This is a big case we're working on, one we all want solved. And also, speaking honestly, I'm sure that completing this mission could take Scorpius to bigger heights in the department," Jordan said.

"Lily Malfoy?" a healer called from the door.

Lily took in a deep breath as she stood, anger rolling around in her stomach. "Ok. Well thank you, Jordan, for taking the time to tell me."

Jordan gave a simple nod. "Of course, it wasn't a problem."

Without a word, Lily walked toward the healer, who immediately led her all the way to Victoire's office in silence. That was where Lily patiently waited, looking around her cousin's office. There were pictures on her walls, some of her kids, one of her and Teddy at their wedding, and a few of her parents, siblings, and cousins. She had a medium-sized bookcase that was full of books, and as Lily looked over she recognized a few as potion books, although all of them were completely about healing.

She heard the door open and turned around. Victoire walked in, closing the door behind her. And she smiled at Lily as she moved to sit down. "Good afternoon, Lily. How are you?"

Normally, Lily would have suspected a double meaning behind her question, but that wasn't Victoire. When Victoire asked something like that, it was all she really meant. So she sat down across from her. "Well . . . I've been ok. Right now . . . well I'm not so sure."

Victoire gave a serious nod, her expression one of concern and calm. "Ok. Well, you said that you really needed to see me, so can you tell me what you think is wrong?"

Lily gulped. Despite thinking about it all day . . . she hadn't said it out loud. And now she had to say it, and she had to say it _to_ somebody. But it was Victoire, and Lily didn't need to ask if she would keep it a secret. Victoire knew when things needed to stay quiet, and she'd been there herself. "Well . . . I think that I'm . . ." Lily took in a deep breath. Just say it, she chanted in her head. Just say it and be done. "I think I'm pregnant," she blurted out. A weight felt like it'd left her shoulders.

Victoire was in complete healer mode, and kept looking calm, although Lily could see the happiness shining in her eyes. "Ok, have you been showing any symptoms that could signal that you're pregnant?"

"No, but I forgot to take my potion last month," Lily mumbled, a bit embarrassed. After all, it was Victoire who had been the one to tell her to remember each month.

But Victoire just nodded as she pulled out a few papers from her desk and then stood up. "Ok, we'll do a test then that will let us know if you are and for sure how far along you are. Just come with me."

Doing the test was easy, but it was the waiting that was nerve-racking. Victoire brought Lily back to her office so that she could wait privately, without someone trying to peek in and find out why the daughter of Harry Potter was in the hospital. Lily remembered waiting with Lola through her test, and she didn't remember it being this long. But then again, she'd had someone to talk to. Her previous anger at Scorpius welled up in her stomach again, making her heart beat a little harder. So instead, Lily found herself flipping through one of Victoire's books. It held nothing she didn't already know, but it gave her something to focus on.

When the door finally opened again, Lily closed the book and quickly sat up. Victoire walked in alone, and shut the door. She had papers in her hand again, and was looking over them carefully, not even looking away as she sat down. And she didn't say anything to Lily, but continued to look over the paper in her hand.

Lily had never been very patient. "So?" she demanded. "Am I, or not? Or do you even know?"

Victoire looked to her cousin, as if she'd been through from her thoughts this time. But then she looked back to the papers, then gave a nod. "Yes, I know," she said simply.

Lily felt like banging her head on the edge of the desk. "And?"

Victoire still didn't answer her right away, but then after a moment she put the papers down, and looked straight at Lily.


	114. Shadows Looming Over

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Hey, a quick update for you guys, to make up for the cliffhanger. Also not as long though, but long enough to fit my standards. I hope you guys like it. I just got done with class, so I'm a little tired, so sorry for any mistakes I missed. Anyways, as usual, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Fourteen: Shadows Looming Over

Lily hadn't been sure exactly where to go first when Victoire told her the news. So many emotions and thoughts were clashing around in her head, and it almost gave her a headache. Scorpius was gone, had left without telling her himself, so he wasn't an option. Right now she didn't even have a moment to be angry again.

But when Lily found herself walking into the very familiar Auror Department, she knew exactly what she needed to do. She got a few greetings from people she knew, or that had known her since she was a baby. And from some, probably Scorpius's teammates, she saw a bit of hesitation, like even they knew he was probably in trouble and she was angry. But she ignored them all and continued to the door she wanted. The door that had a name engraved on it.

"_Head Auror Potter"_

Lily knocked, wondering if her father was even in right now. Maybe he would be eating lunch with someone, or at home eating. He often did at times. But she heard him call from inside, so she opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind her. There her father sat, a sandwich in his hands, sitting in his chair with his feet on the desk. When he saw it was her, he smiled happily.

"Lily flower! I'm surprised to see you here," Harry commented as he sat his feet on the floor. "Come in and sit. Are you hungry?"

Lily shook her head as she silently sat down. "No thanks, Daddy. I just . . . I wanted to talk to you."

Harry put down his sandwich, as if sensing the seriousness in her tone and words. "Ok. What about?"

Lily took in a deep breath. "Well . . . I actually need to _tell_ you something. Because if I don't tell somebody, I think I might explode. But Scorpius left on a stupid mission . . . so I thought I'd come tell you," she ranted.

Harry just gave a nod, practically in complete Auror mode now. "What is it, princess?"

Lily bit her lip. Again, she felt like a small child while sitting in front of her father. Like she'd done something bad and had to confess. "Can you promise to not be angry?" Just in case. Lily wasn't in the mood to risk it, and then deal with it.

"I promise," Harry assured. "Just tell me."

Lily sighed. Just like always, his tone was soft and concerned, but still calm. She felt like she was five, but nothing about her news was that of a five-year-old. "Daddy, . . . I'm pregnant."

For a quick moment, Harry was silent. But then he sighed and rubbed his temple with his thumb, obviously refraining from running a hand through his hair. "Oh. Wow."

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I . . . I missed a potion," she admitted. "Victoire says that I'm a month in. It's due in November."

Harry looked at his daughter, and Lily found that it was oddly hard to tell his emotions this time. "How are you?"

Lily gulped. "I'm . . . I don't know, really. I mean, I'm happy, and excited. At the same time I'm a little scared. But overall . . . I don't know how to word it."

Harry gave a nod. "Yeah. That sounds about right," he agreed.

"What do you think, Daddy?" Lily asked quietly, almost afraid of his answer.

Finally, Harry ran his hand through his hair. "Well, honestly, I wish this could have waited until you were a bit older. More settled."

Lily nodded. "Yeah, so did I. But . . . I'm still happy. It wasn't what we'd planned, but . . . it's still a baby. One that we made. I mean . . . how can I not be happy about that?"

Harry gave a small grin. "I understand that too. I also understand how things don't go as planned too."

"Are you disappointed?" Lily questioned, finally asking about her real fear. The disappointment. Something that Lily had always hated.

"Hmm. I wouldn't say disappointed," Harry replied. "Surprised, but not disappointed. After all, it happened. There's nothing we can do to change it."

"You are oddly calm about this," Lily stated suddenly. This was all too good to be true. Her father just heard that she was pregnant before she was twenty, and he was so calm. How was this happening?

"Look, I've learned something over the past twenty some years that I've had kids," Harry said. "It's that, no matter what I want or plan, once they get older they change all of that. Once you kids grow up, you have lives of your own to live. Things to plan and do, things that happen by mistake. And I have to let you kids handle them, and flying off the handle each time won't help a thing. It's just best to be calm."

Lily felt as if there was more he could say, but she didn't push it. She didn't want him to end up changing his mind and showing that he really was angry or disappointed. Instead they sat in a silence, both in their own individual thoughts.

"When is Scorpius coming home, Daddy?" Lily asked, knowing that he'd do better than just a general time if he knew.

"It could vary, princess," Harry answered. "The mission he's on, from my understanding, requires a lot of work. The team they sent has more investigation work while away, more surveillance, and such, not to mention the actual capturing of the criminal. I would say a month at the latest, maybe."

Lily stared at the wood of his desk. A month? He'd be gone for a whole month? But . . . so much could happen in a month. And that was so much time! Why? If he knew all of that . . . why would he go without talking to her? She went through all of the trouble to involve him in her work, and to get him comfortable with doing _one_ photo shoot for a design of underwear, and he goes and does something like this?

She just didn't understand it . . . and only knew that it hurt.

* * *

Telling parts of her family had been a bit easy for her. Her mother had been ecstatic, and Lily had allowed her to tell any relative she wished, except for Hugo, Lucy, and her brothers, Teddy included. She told Hugo first, and while surprised, he had just shot out a joke, which Lily had appreciated at the time. Lucy had been concerned, afraid that Lily was terrified like she had been. For Lily, that was a comforting moment. Teddy had just smiled, and pointed out that in a way, he'd been right for thinking she was next. She'd thrown a pillow at him.

But then came the next part. Her brothers.

* * *

"So where's Cece?" James asked, saying his nickname for Cecilia with affection. Lily had asked him and Albus to come over when Albus had a day off, seeing as how James could easily take a day to be away from the team.

Lily sighed, her nerves and heart fluttering together. "Her father has the day off, so she's going to be at home today."

"So, what's this lunch all about, Lil?" Albus asked, and she could tell that it was out of pure curiosity. But it made Lily's insides tightened a little. They had come over to her place, and they'd all just eaten, but she still wasn't sure if she was ready to tell the two of them.

Lily ran a hand through her hair. "Well, I wanted to tell you guys something before you found out from someone else."

James raised a brow. "I'm getting a feeling that this isn't good. Is it?"

Lily shrugged, looking at her hands, which were wrapped around a mug of tea. "Half and half," she replied.

"Ok, ok," James sighed, "then just lay it on us. What's up or what happened?"

Lily looked back up at both of her brothers. "I'm pregnant," she told them. And it seemed that the more she said it, the easier it got to just tell people straight out.

Albus choked on his tea, while James's eyes got comically wider. "You're what?" James demanded.

"I'm pregnant," Lily said simply.

Albus wiped the tea that had dripped down his chin. "But you're only nineteen!"

"I'll be twenty before the baby's born," Lily muttered, running her finger around the rim of her mug.

"But . . . now?" James questioned. "Of all times, you get pregnant now?"

Now she rolled her eyes. "It wasn't exactly planned, James!" Then she calmed. "It just happened. That's why I said it was half and half when it came to being good and bad."

"You think it's bad?" Albus asked, probably the one brother who could understand her the most. After all, Severus had just _happened_ too.

Lily nodded. "A little. I mean . . . I guess not so much bad as it is, scary. I mean, we'd planned to talk about kids after being married for a year, but even knowing that, I hadn't planned for something like this to happen for at least a few more years."

"What is it about my siblings and a lack of safety when it comes to sex?" James said with a shake of his head and a sigh.

Both Lily and Albus glared at their brother. "Hey, shit happens!" Albus defended.

"And let's see you try to remember to take a damn potion every month on a certain day!" Lily agreed. "Sometimes it slips your mind!"

James just dismissed their comments. "Anyways, what did Scorpius think?" he questioned.

Lily sat back in her seat, a bundle of mixed emotions coming at her with just the sound of his name. "I never got to tell him," she whispered.

"Wait, so he went on that mission, and you didn't tell him beforehand?" Albus demanded.

"I didn't know before then!" Lily retorted. "I had asked him to come to the appointment with me, but he went on that stupid mission instead. He might not be back for a month."

"Can I kick his ass for this?" James inquired, almost a bit too eager. "If there's one thing I've been waiting for, it's this chance."

"No, I'd rather do it myself," Lily muttered.

* * *

"I don't think there's anything wrong with how young you are," Grandma Molly commented as she brought a small lunch over to where Lily sat. Lily had chosen to come to her grandmother, knowing that if anyone knew something about being a mother, it was this woman.

Lily sighed. "I'm only nineteen, Grandma."

Grandma Molly dismissed that as she sat with her own plate. "That doesn't matter. Being a good parent requires bigger things than age. Besides, I was young when I had William."

Lily ignored how distant of a time that was compared to now. "But . . . I don't know how to be a mother. Babysitting is on a completely different level than this."

"You just have to love them, dear," Molly said gently.

"I've learned that sometimes love isn't enough. You can still screw up," Lily mumbled.

Molly sighed. "Look, sweetheart, you have to have faith. Faith that you are a good parent. Because worrying and fretting over it will do more damage than good. So do your best, and have faith."

Lily rested her cheek on her palm. "I'm still scared," she whispered.

Molly gave her granddaughter a soft and concerned look. "I know, dear. It is scary. And at the moment, with Scorpius gone, I imagine it feels like going through it alone."

The fact that she was right struck a cord in Lily.

* * *

"You're pregnant?" Draco repeated what Lily had just told him and Astoria, and it was probably the first time Lily had ever seen him look so shocked.

Lily nodded, looking at both of her in-laws. "Yes. I'm about a month through."

The smile that then came across Astoria's face was something Lily had expected. "Really? Oh that's wonderful! Isn't it, Draco?"

Draco still looked a bit shocked. "I get the feeling that this wasn't planned," he mentioned.

Lily gave a humorless chuckle. "And you would be right," she agreed.

"I imagine Scorpius took it well?" Draco asked.

"He doesn't know yet. He's on a month-long mission," Lily replied. With each time his name was brought up, her previous irritation came back. And with each day that passed, the more irritated and angry she got.

"Oh, you poor dear," Astoria said quickly and in an understanding way. She immediately went to sit next to Lily, and brushed her hair from her shoulders. "How are you feeling?"

"Angry," Lily stated. "He was supposed to go to the appointment with me, but he skipped it to go on the mission. And he didn't even tell me himself! I had to find out from someone on his team."

"Oh, Draco, he is so your son," Astoria commented to her husband.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well before I'm lynched for being a man, I'll have Pitch bring us something to drink. Just a moment." Then he got up and left the room, leaving the two women to talk.

But Lily didn't want to talk. Because as embarrassing as it was, her eyes started to burn with the signs of tears. While her anger had been increasing over each day, so had the hurt feelings that had bubbled inside.

She didn't know how long she'd sat in Malfoy Manor in cried, but it was dark when she left. When she arrived home, Tiff was waiting at the door, almost proud. "I've walked Padfoot. I saw you were late, so I took the liberty of doing it," she stated.

Lily tried her best to hide how her eyes were pink with tears, and her breaths were still shuddering out of her lungs. "Thank you, Tiff," she whispered as she slipped off her shoes. Then wiping her eyes as she moved, she walked down the hallway to the bedroom. She silently got dressed for bed, and as soon as her head hit the pillow, a few more tears fell.

The weight of the bed then surprisingly sagged, and Lily turned to see that Padfoot had jumped up, and curled on the bed where Scorpius usually laid. His big eyes looked at her, almost as if he was concerned. Then he reached forward and his nose nudged her tear stained cheek. For the first time that day, Lily let out a small and honest laugh, despite her throat feeling tight. She reached forward to scratch his ear.

"At least you're here," Lily whispered.

Padfoot exhaled loudly, his breath strong enough to blow her hair a bit, making Lily smiled again. But . . . it still wasn't the same.

* * *

Lily laid in her bed, like she did most days now it seemed. The only time she ever really got up all day was when Cecilia was coming over. And even then, she never left the flat. And Tiff had taken to walking Padfoot around Diagon Alley apparently, so Lily didn't have to bother. She never thought having a house elf would be so useful at a time like this.

Today was a day where she'd be allowed to just lay here and attempt to sleep the entire twenty-four hours of the day. She laid her head on the pillow, the blanket curled around her for warmth. Tiff was out walking Padfoot now, so Salazar had taken the opportunity to sleep on Scorpius's pillow, where Padfoot had been sleeping the past few nights, almost as a support for her.

But the door slammed opened, and Hugo walked in. "Good morning, cousin!" he bellowed loudly. He came by the edge of the bed, ignoring how Lily groaned and turned to bury her face into the pillow. He reached over and patted her stomach. "Good morning, baby nephew!"

"It'll technically be your cousin too," Lily grumbled.

Hugo didn't seem to care. "I'm so much like a brother that he'll be like a nephew. Anyways, it's time to get up! I've brought Stacy, and she's making breakfast in your kitchen."

"Go away!" Lily groaned, appreciating his good intentions, but really not in the mood.

"Lily Luna Malfoy, you have been moping around here for days!" Hugo stated as he ripped the blankets off of her body. "I know it sucks. I can only imagine. But you have to get up and continue life. That baby needs to eat."

Lily rolled her eyes as she sat up on the bed. "I'm pregnant, so aren't I allowed to wallow and be upset?"

Hugo sat next to her on the bed. "Look, I get that you're angry at Scorpius. I get that you're scared about being a parent. I really do, even if I can't fully understand it myself being a man and not pregnant. But you can't just lay around here waiting for him to come back so you can yell at him. That's not living, Lily. You need to go out and do something."

Lily brought her knees up, wrapped her arms around them, and then rested her chin on her knee. "I told Brandon I was done modeling. At least for now," she mumbled.

Hugo looked at her in shock. "You quit your job?"

"Temporarily, I guess. I told him once the baby was born and things . . . settled, then I'd start again. But the idea of doing it pregnant was just too weird," Lily replied softly.

Hugo sighed. "Ok. If that's how you feel, then ok. But still, you need to _do_ something. Walk Pad more often, go and see Cecilia when she doesn't come to see you. Go and eat lunch with one of your parents, hell go and have a chat with Aunt Audrey. I do it sometimes, because that woman is hilarious."

"What if he's not excited, Hugo?" Lily whispered, finally admitting a small fear that had been sitting in her stomach.

It made Hugo look at her curiously. "What?"

"What if Scorpius isn't excited about having a baby?" Lily repeated.

Hugo scoffed. "Really? That man loves kids, he loves you. Why wouldn't he be excited? Hell you just quit your job for it, he'll love that too."

But Lily sighed. "He's been acting weird, Hugo. He's working later, working out more often, acting funny about my job, and now he takes this mission without even telling me himself that he could be gone for a month. It doesn't make sense," she murmured.

"Maybe it's stress," Hugo said vaguely, obviously not knowing what to say

Lily just shook her head. "There's something more. And I didn't really notice it all that much over the past few months . . . but now that I've been sitting in here and thinking of nothing else, it seems so obvious," she whispered.

"Man, are you starting to get the hormones early or something?" Hugo retorted with a chuckle. "Look, again, you're stressing yourself out over it."

"It's something I should be worried about!" Lily snapped. But she calmed, still not in the mood for even anger. "He's my husband. We're married. I love him . . . but something is happening to him, and he's not talking to me about it. I feel almost shut out now, and all the while I'm dying to tell him that I'm having his baby. What does that say about us, when we haven't even been married for a full year?"

"Well then it just means that you haven't been married that long yet," Hugo threw out, falling to his back on the bed. "You're new at this. You both need to give yourselves time to get the hang of it."

Lily fell to her back as well, but kept her knees tucked so as not to hit Hugo. "I'm so angry at him," she muttered.

"That's good," Hugo said as he rolled onto his stomach. "Anger is passion. And passion is required in a relationship. Especially with one like the two of you have. And if you weren't angry at each other every so often, your lives would get really boring, really quickly."

* * *

"Oh, husbands will drive you crazy," Audrey warned Lily as the two of them watched Colin play with his toys. Audrey was babysitting her grandson, while Lucy went to a meeting with her old coach from the Harpies, who apparently had a job for her. "My husband has been doing it from the day I met him."

Lily sighed. "I know that. But what do you do when something is wrong, and they won't tell you?"

"You force it out of them," Audrey said simply. "Through violence or sex, it doesn't matter. Either way will work."

Lily laughed a little at her aunt. "That seems so simple."

"Which is why it works, and why no one thinks to do it," Audrey pointed out. She looked away from her grandson, and to her niece. "So, you'll be two months in soon. How do you feel?" she asked.

"Well I haven't really had too many of the big signs of pregnancy. I'm not throwing up or having drastic mood swings. I'm just waiting for that to change, along with the weight," Lily replied.

"I gained so much weight when I had Molly," Audrey commented. "But with Lucy, that girl was hardly there it seemed." Then she seemed to think. "Although I was much more moody, which might explain a lot about that girl sometimes."

Lily smiled. "I don't know how those two are sisters. They're so different."

"I sometimes wish that Molly would just relax," Audrey sighed. "She's getting to be worse than her father. And unlike her father, her other half is just as . . . well just as much of a brat, to where I relaxed their father and got him to tone it down a little and have fun."

"It took Lucy awhile too, though," Lily mentioned.

"But Lucy was never so uptight," Audrey replied. "She was always just so shy, which I don't know where that came from. And she always seemed to be afraid of something."

Lily rested her head against the couch. "And soon I'll have to deal with things like this," she mumbled.

Audrey smiled. "Yeah. And you know, it may be scary at first. But once you either really grasp what you're about to go through, or once you hold them, it'll be the greatest thing in the world. Even if you do wish you could go back for one childless day. So tell me, boy or a girl?"

"It's probably a boy," Lily replied.

"But which would you want is what I asked," Audrey retorted.

Lily refrained from rolling her eyes. "Well . . . I don't know. I guess I don't have a preference. Do you ever wish that you'd had a boy?"

"Honestly, I never really think about it. I was like you. I didn't care if I had a boy or a girl," Audrey answered with a simple shrug. "It was obvious that Percy kind of wanted a boy, but I was not going through all of that a third time."

* * *

Days later, and Lily still found herself sometimes unwilling to leave the house. Hugo claimed that the pregnancy must have "been kicking in early." Lily just punched him each time he said it. And it was one of the days that she was simply laying across the couch, not up for doing anything. She simply laid there, with Padfoot laying on the floor by her. Tiff was cleaning things that didn't really need to be cleaned, but Lily let her be. Since she found out she was pregnant, Tiff never let Lily clean a thing, or even after herself.

There was a knock at the door, and just as Lily thought about just yelling for them to come in, Tiff snapped her fingers, and the door opened. And just as it opened, Gabby came running in.

"Aunt Lily!" Gabby said as she hugged her.

Lily hugged her niece, looking at Teddy in surprise when he walked in holding he and Victoire's newborn son, William Ted Lupin, with Theo coming in and holding Fleur in his own arms. "Hey. What are you guys doing here?" Lily asked curiously as she finally got up from the couch.

Teddy grinned. "I heard you've been going back between different moods, so we thought we'd stop by and cheer you up."

"Are we really getting a new cousin?" Gabby asked curiously, her arms still around Lily's waist.

Lily couldn't help but smile at her almost four-year-old niece. "Yes, you are."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Theodore asked. "Because we need another boy to beat the amount of sisters." He looked at his sisters as if he wanted to roll his eyes. Lily could hardly believe that he was going to be six soon.

"We won't know for a while yet," Lily told him. "But I think it's going to be a boy."

"I hope so," Theo said with a sigh as he put Fleur down. She immediately began to crawl around to the table, and tried to stand and walk on her own.

Teddy, still holding Will, sat down, and looked at his sister. "So how are you today, Lil?"

Lily sat next to him, allowing Gabby to climb onto her lap. "I'm ok," she replied with a small sigh. "Where's Victoire?"

"Sleeping at home. She's been trying to go back to work early," Teddy answered.

Lily shook her head in disbelief. "That woman just had a baby, how does she spring back so easily."

Teddy shrugged. "Maybe she's just used to it," he joked lightly.

* * *

Lily didn't know how she found herself in a muggle club days later. She blamed Megan and Shannon mostly. They had heard of her pregnancy, and now apparently Christian had proposed to Izzy, prompting a celebration.

"Just relax, cuz," Hugo told her from his seat next to her at the table. "Have a bit of fun. Look at Chris and Izzy."

Lily looked toward the dance floor, where Christian had Izzy dancing. Both looked extremely happy. "I'm tired," she muttered, giving an excuse.

"You need to have fun more often, then you wouldn't be this tired already," Hugo mocked lightly.

"Huey, I'm pregnant. I can be as tired as I want to," Lily countered.

Hugo rolled his eyes. "How many times will your pregnancy be an excuse?" he retorted.

"Lily, why are you just sitting here?" Shannon asked as she came to sit down, dragging Derek with her.

"She's being pregnant and whiney," Hugo told her.

Lily just shrugged in response.

"Are you excited?" Derek asked, which as probably the most he'd ever said to Lily in all the time she'd known him.

"Yeah," Lily said with a sigh. "I mean . . . it just seems like it would be impossible to not be excited about having this baby."

"Yet she's still moping," Hugo commented.

"That's ok," Derek said, surprising all but Shannon it seemed. "If a woman is willing to go through a pregnancy, she should be allowed to feel however she wants to feel."

Lily elbowed her cousin. "See! Derek understands."

"I just want you to have fun!" Hugo retorted. "You need to do more than mope around your flat."

"Maybe I'm just storing up my anger so that it'll be greatly effective for when Scorpius gets home," Lily said dryly.

"When does he come home?" Shannon asked.

Lily sighed as she thought it out. "Well, it's been about two weeks, almost three, so maybe in a week and a half," she estimated.

"It seems like such a long time," Shannon commented. "Being gone for a whole month."

"You have no idea," Lily mumbled quietly to herself.

* * *

April went much too slow for Lily's tastes. It seemed like the closer it came for Scorpius to come home, the longer the hours and minutes lasted. Lily had at least taken more time to visit her family instead of "mope around" as Hugo put it. She had mainly taken to joining her dad for lunch, hoping each time that he would have some kind of news about Scorpius, and if he'd be home early, or . . . later. She got her answer, but it wasn't good, or what she wanted.

* * *

Lily sat on the couch, with Padfoot curled next to her, his head on her knee. She was petting his head, every so often scratching behind his ear. Having gone past the two-month point, and knowing that she was pregnant, Lily could see subtle signs of weight gain, mainly around her stomach, along with her hips seeming a bit wider almost. It was small, but noticeable when she looked.

Tiff was cleaning up from lunch, and humming some tune that Lily didn't know, but felt just a bit calmer listening to. With each day that passed, she got more and more tensed and stressed it felt. But when someone knocked on the door, Tiff immediately stopped what she was doing. "I've got it, Lily!" she assured. Thankfully, Tiff had gotten much better at calling her simply by her name.

Tiff hurried over to the door, and opened it. Lily was a bit surprised, but smiled when her father stepped in. "Hi, Daddy. Shouldn't you be at work?" she teased.

When she saw the somber look on her father's face though, she knew instinctively what to expect. "You need to come to the hospital. Scorpius just got in."

Lily moved, so Padfoot got up as well, looking curious from his spot on the couch. "What happened?"

"It's nothing that can't be fixed by tonight," Harry assured. "The healer told us it'll just be a few hours at the most."

But when Lily walked into St. Mungo's she was feeling incredibly tense with worry. How hurt was he? Was it like when he got hurt with training? Well, her father had said it wasn't terrible, but could he have been sparing her the worry until she actually saw? No. No, her father wasn't like that with her . . . usually.

When Lily and her father came to Scorpius's room, his parents were there, as was his partner, and his usual team. Scorpius was sitting up on the bed, looking ready to chuckle at something that was said. But when he saw her a smirk came to his lips, along with a familiar and loving look in his eyes.

"Hey, princess," he greeted. "Miss me?"

Lily didn't know what exploded, but something did. It could have been the stress of her worry, or her long-lasting anger at his skipping out on her appointment weeks ago. "Miss you? That's all you're going to say? I ask you to come to an appointment with me, an _important_ one, and you skip out on me! You don't even tell me directly that you're leaving for a mission that takes you away for weeks!"

Scorpius opened his mouth, looking sheepish, but Lily ran right past him.

"Well you know what, I've been more angry at you than I've missed you! And you know what was so unimportant compared to your necessity to go on this specific mission? Finding out that I was pregnant with _your_ child! So congratulations, you ass, you're going to be a daddy in about seven months!" And without waiting for it all to register on his face alone, Lily turned and stormed out of the shocked and surprised room.

* * *

When Lily had gotten home, she had immediately laid on the couch and stared at the ceiling. That was not how she'd planned to tell him, nor how she thought she'd tell him. And that wasn't what she expected her trip to see him would be like. Once she relaxed and calmed, she knew that she probably blew up a little quick, although she still believed it was well deserved. She sighed and got up, deciding that a warm bath might help her become comfortable and relaxed again. She patted Padfoot on the head as she walked to the bathroom.

When she finished her bath, she threw on a thin robe, tying the belt as she stepped out of the bathroom. And she was shocked when she saw Scorpius pacing the floor of their bedroom. They both stared at each other for a moment. They locked eyes, and Lily could see the whirlwind of emotions in his eyes. Surprise, worry, excitement, longing, and love.

"You're pregnant." It wasn't a question, but a statement, and Lily was sure that their parents had filled him in once she'd left.

Lily nodded. "Two months now."

"Why didn't you tell me that the appointment was a pregnancy test?" Scorpius asked. "I would have been there immediately! I wouldn't have even gone into work!"

"Because you were in such a rush that I didn't have the chance!" Lily replied with a heavy sigh. "And that doesn't change the fact that you still skipped out on me!"

"I didn't think it was something serious," Scorpius admitted. "And I also didn't think the mission would take as long as it did. I'm sorry."

Lily moved toward him, and then wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head on his chest. "It's ok now. I'm ok now. And I'm sorry I snapped like that. It's been a little stressful."

Scorpius wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I'm sorry I left you alone this month. Are you ok?"

Lily nodded, her cheek rubbing softly against the material of his shirt. "Yeah. Are you ok with this?"

He chuckled. "Honestly, I'm ecstatic. You?"

"I'm a little scared, but I'm still really excited," Lily murmured.

He placed a kiss on her temple. "Well we can be scared together," he joked.

Lily just pulled away from him and went to lay across the bed. She closed her eyes, her body starting to tense again. She could still feel that something was wrong. She felt the bed dip a little, and she was sure that he had come to lay next to her. "Are you ok? Do you need something?" she heard him ask.

Lily shook her head. "No." She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Then why do I feel like something is wrong?" Scorpius questioned.

"Maybe because I feel like something is wrong," she whispered.

Scorpius scowled with light confusion. "What?"

Lily brought a hand to his cheek, her finger tracing the skin just near his sideburn. "For months, something has been different about you. You're working later, working out all the time, you've been acting weird about my job, and then you just run off without even letting me know about the mission yourself. I feel shut out, and it scares me right along with the pregnancy."

Scorpius sighed, pulling away from her hand. He ran a hand over his face. "I'm sorry about all of that. I knew I should have told you about the mission."

"That doesn't explain all the other things," Lily retorted. She rolled onto her side, and took his hand. "Why won't you talk to me?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about," Scorpius assured, pulling his hand away too.

"That means nothing," she replied quietly as she shifted her position to lay her head on the pillow. "I worry anyways."

She felt the bed shift again, and soon a warm and familiar arm came to wrap around her, his hand resting on her stomach. "I don't want you to worry about me," he whispered by her ear.

"I still do," she whispered back, unconsciously relaxing into his hold.

He kissed the skin just below her ear. "I'm just . . . I'm just trying to prove that I belong in the department because it's what I do best," he admitted lowly, his breath dancing across her cheek.

Lily turned around to look at him, not completely understanding him. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

Scorpius's face was a bit somber, and almost reluctant. "I was told a few months back that . . . some of the guys in the department don't think I can do things on my own. That I can't succeed on my own."

"Why would they think that?" she inquired softly, and still confused. Why would people in her father's department think that about him? After all, getting through the training alone was merit enough to prove that any new Auror had the talent and ability to do things on their own.

Scorpius didn't reply for a moment. Instead he just stared at his hand, which was still resting on her stomach. Hoping to prompt and answer from him, Lily took his hand, momentarily loving the warmth of his skin, and brought it to her cheek. And while his eyes did look a bit guilty, he did finally answer. "Because I married the boss's daughter, and the trainer's niece."

And now Lily understood completely. Many times she'd heard the whispers as a kid. Whispers that said she only did so good because she was a Potter. She could play Quidditch because of her parents, and she was so popular because she was a Potter. It wasn't until after becoming a Slytherin that she'd gotten the chance to silence those whispers and make a name for herself, without the shadow of her father looming over her. And while Lily knew that Draco's shadow had once loomed over Scorpius, she had never realized that her father's did now too.

But Scorpius just sighed and shook his head. "I'm just doing my best to prove that I don't need help. And the thing about your job . . . I don't know how to handle it anymore. If I'm not totally supportive, then I'm completely against something, but last time I acted like that we separated, and I really didn't want that again," he admitted.

Lily leaned forward and placed a small kiss on his lips. "Neither do I."

But then a bit of scowl came onto his brow. "Can I demand one thing? As the father of the baby?"

Lily bit back a full out laugh, but not a smile. "Sure. What is it?"

"Can the underwear thing never happen again? And I mean never. Not even after the baby's born," Scorpius requested, the scowl still on his face.

Lily did let out a smile giggle this time. "Well I've got good news for you then, because I can do that. In fact, I'm not modeling anything at all until a while after the baby's born," she told him.

Scorpius leaned down to kiss her this time, and his hand moved down to playfully tug at the loose sash of her robe. "Well that is the second-best news I've heard all day," he mumbled against her lips. But before he could kiss her again, they heard the telltale signs of paws running down the hall, and then Padfoot ran into the room. He jumped on the bed, and licked Scorpius across the face, just before laying right in-between the two of them, looking happily at them both.

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "With this one, it's like already having a small child in the house," he muttered, but then smirked as he began to scratch behind Padfoot's ear.

* * *

Lily groaned as she felt someone shaking her shoulder gently, awaking her. She slowly opened her eyes, and was confused to see that it was still late at night. She turned to see Scorpius up and leaning over her a little, his concern obvious in the dim moonlight.

"Lily?" he whispered softly.

Lily closed her eyes and moved to lay on her back. "Yeah?" she mumbled.

"Are you sleeping ok?" he questioned.

Lily opened her eyes to look at him. "Well I'm not sleeping at all now."

"Oh," Scorpius muttered. "Well, before?"

Lily sighed. Scorpius had only been back for two days, and so far he was really putting too much effort into this pregnancy. She was only two months. "Yes, I was fine. And you really don't need to wake me up to ask me how I slept, because that really defeats the purpose."

As was normal now, Scorpius's hand dropped to her stomach. "Sorry. I'm just concerned."

Lily closed her eyes and moved closer to him, his body heat like a warm blanket around her. "You don't need to be. The baby's so small right now that it's not even showing. He's not even completely developed probably. So relax," she whispered.

"How about this," Scorpius murmured as he pulled her closer, her resting in the crook of his neck. "If I do something stupid, then you let me know. But I'm allowed to those stupid things at least once, since this is my first time dealing with this. Deal?"

Lily smiled. "Ok. Deal."

* * *

Lily's pregnancy not only swept through the family, but also through the media. Somehow, word had gotten out about her being pregnant, and articles in newspapers and magazines ran wild with the news. All different kinds of stories came out. Lily didn't care about any of them, except the one that talked about how a Potter birthing a Malfoy heir could be the Malfoy ticket back into the limelight. With all Scorpius had gone through lately at work, she didn't think it would help him to see it. But surprisingly, he didn't even care. But apparently, all he was focused on was her and the baby, he couldn't care less what others said. He was too happy and excited to care.

It was a little more than another month before more signs of pregnancy started to show up for Lily. Finally, she could easily see a small baby bump forming, which was still the first place Scorpius's hand went. But that wasn't the only sign that showed up.

* * *

Lily woke up with a small moan as sunlight shined behind her closed eyes. She blinked a few times, and immediately noticed the lack of warmth in the bed. She turned her head to see that Scorpius was already up. When he first got back from the mission, his captain and her father told him to take at least a week off to fully recover and heal. But since he heard about the baby, he'd chosen to take more days off, and when he did have work, he was allowed to go in an hour later, giving him all the time to spend with her, along with fuss and worry over her.

Lily got up from bed with a yawn. She was starting to get much more tired with each day that passed. According to her aunt Angelina, that was normal. Apparently, when she was pregnant with Freddy, she was always tired, especially once they could feel him moving around.

She walked out of the room and down the hall, just to Scorpius making something for breakfast. Lily smiled. Scorpius wasn't the greatest cook, not that he was horrible either. But his limits went so far, and he was usually left to make simple things. "Good morning," she greeted.

Scorpius turned to look at her, and then smiled too. "Morning. You know, I think I'm starting to get this whole breakfast-thing down. After you screw up a few times, it starts to get easier," he commented.

Lily laughed and walked toward the kitchen area . . . when it hit her. She could smell something, and it wasn't that it was burnt or bad. Her mind couldn't identify it. All her mind could tell her was to . . .

Lily turned and took off for the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before she puked. Her breaths were infrequent between ever heave her stomach gave, emptying the contents of her stomach. And once she was empty, her stomach kept heaving, making her cough and gag. Somewhere in the middle of it all, she felt a warm hand pulling her hair away from her face, and another one rubbing her back in an attempt to be soothing.

When her stomach calmed but her body kept weakly shuddering, she heard Scorpius whisper by her ear. "Are you ok? Do you need something?"

Lily gulped, her body so completely tired now. "A glass of water and my toothbrush," she whispered, still able to taste the bile in her mouth, which made her cringe.

"Stay here," Scorpius murmured as he left.

Lily reached up to flush the contents of her body away, then moved to lean against the wall. But her body left her no strength, so she let her head fall to rest against the toilet. But Scorpius as back in a flash. Slowly, she got up and took the water from him. She lazily got the taste out of her mouth . . . but she was out of energy to even move it seemed. Scorpius's hand held her sides, and she didn't want to admit that he was practically holding her up at this point.

But Scorpius didn't need her to tell him. He easily picked her up, and Lily didn't bother protesting. "So, was it really that bad an effort I put into breakfast?" he questioned as he made his way down the hallway, careful not to jostle her, and make her sick again.

Lily shook her head before letting it slump on his shoulder. "No. The smell was just . . . way too much."

Scorpius set her down on the bed, then moved to kneel on the floor, making himself eye level with her. "Is there anything I can get you? You should still probably eat something."

"Can you make toast?" she teased lightly, her eyes wanting to close more desperately than they had fifteen minutes ago.

Scorpius nodded with a smirk. "Ok. I'll bring it to you in just a minute."

But Lily took his hand. "Just have Tiff do it," she replied. "I'd much rather have you with me."

Scorpius moved to place a kiss on her forehead. "Then I'll just be a second," he promised.

* * *

Later that day, Lily's body still felt too exhausted to do anything. Every now and then she had to run to the bathroom, but it was becoming less frequent. Scorpius stayed by her all morning and afternoon. He held her hair back when she puked, got Tiff to make certain foods that Lily could stomach for the day, and just sat on the bed beside her, never leaving. He was reading a book at the moment, which Lily had smiled at when she saw it. It was a book about pregnancies, one that apparently followed the development of the baby through each month, and all the pregnancy "milestones" you reach in the nine months.

"Lily," Scorpius addressed, his eyes never leaving his current page, "I know it's early, but . . . have you really thought about names?"

Lily shook her head from where she was laying on her back. "Not really no. Why, have you?"

Scorpius shrugged, looking casual. "Kind of. But it's hard, since we don't know if it's a boy or a girl."

Lily moved to place a hand on his arm, his skin warm under her fingers. And with one finger, she began to draw little patterns on his skin. "Well what were you thinking for boy names, because that's probably what it is."

Scorpius finally looked away from his book. "Really? Why do you think that?"

"Because boys are common in Weasleys, and how many girls have been born into the Malfoy line?" Lily pointed out.

Scorpius closed the book, seeming to think about it. "That's a good point, I guess. But it could still be a girl," he replied.

"Anyways, what names did you have in mind?" Lily inquired.

"Well, our family has always had this thing about naming kids after constellations. That led to the . . . well way out there name of Scorpius, so I'd really like for that to stop," he mentioned with a smirk.

Lily giggled. "I like your name though."

"Yeah, but when I was three, I could hardly pronounce it. The other kids had a hell of a time with it too," Scorpius mentioned. "And . . . I know it was a joke when he said it, and when we agreed to it . . . but I do like the name Mitch."

Lily raised a brow. "So . . . if we have a son, you want to name him Mitch?"

"Well I was thinking Mitchell as the full name," Scorpius replied. "But yeah. The guy's been my best friend all my life. He's practically a brother."

Lily dropped her hand to rest in his as she thought about it. "Mitchell . . . hm. What would the middle name be?"

"I was thinking that if we go with that, then you can pick the middle name, since I kind of picked the first," Scorpius offered.

Lily moved her stare to the ceiling as she tried to think of a name that would go well with Mitchell. Many came to mind, although they weren't any that she liked particularly. Until one name popped into her head, one that she wasn't sure if Scorpius would like himself. "I have an idea," she told him.

"What is it?" Scorpius asked.

"How about, if it's a boy, we name him Mitchell James Malfoy?" Lily suggested.

Lily was surprised when Scorpius didn't scowl, but actually looked to be thinking about it. "Hmm," he hummed lowly. "Well . . . it doesn't sound bad together."

Lily smiled. "So do you agree?"

Scorpius looked down at her and smiled. "Yeah, ok. It's a nice mix of Slytherin and Gryffindor together, if you think about it."

"But what about if it's a girl?" Lily asked.

"See that's my problem. I'm not good with girl names apparently, because I can't think of any that I really like," Scorpius replied as he shifted so that he was laying next to her, his head resting on his pillow. "I mean, it seems to me like sometimes, people name their daughters some weird names."

Lily flipped through a few names in her mind. "What about . . . Sam?"

"I see that as a guy's name though," Scorpius retorted. "Probably because I've never personally met a girl with that name."

Lily sighed. "Ok, how about Angela?"

"Seems so dry," Scorpius commented.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You are just picky," she teased. "What about Megan?"

Scorpius laughed fully now. "We are not naming any daughter of ours after the devil in disguise."

"Ok, ok. So what if we use my family's tradition with your family?" Lily suggested.

Scorpius raised a brow. "Which is?"

"What we did for the boy name. We pick two names from our family," Lily said.

"Hmm, it wouldn't be bad," Scorpius agreed.

"And actually, Aunt Andromeda always used to call your grandma 'Cissy' and I always liked that. So if we have a girl, what about naming her Cissy?" Lily thought.

Scorpius seemed to think about it. "Cissy . . . Cissy Malfoy . . . Cissy Astoria Malfoy?" he threw out.

Lily smiled. "I like it."

Scorpius smirked. "So do I."

"Ok, so it will be either Mitchell James Malfoy, or Cissy Astoria Malfoy," Lily stated.

"And I suggest we keep the names a surprise," Scorpius said. "Although Brandon can tell Mitch if he wants to."

"Sounds good to me," Lily agreed. "I'll let Brandon know."


	115. Dealings With Pregnancies

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Well here's another update. It's not as long as we're used to with my updates, but I felt it was best to stop it here. As short as it is, a lot of time passes in this chapter. There might be some mistakes, as I haven't had a whole lot of time to look over it. So just read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Fifteen: Dealings With Pregnancies

"I am so tired of being pregnant!" Lily complained. And it was only a little past the fourth month. What had previously just been a small baby bump had grown considerably. And along with still puking most mornings, Lily now craved food just as much, if not more than normal. Plus . . . well she'd never say it out loud, but she was always pretty moody.

Her current reason for the bad mood was _The Daily Prophet_'s headline for the day. _"Malfoy Heir Residing in Womb of Potter Princess: What Do You Think?"_ It was an article of Rita Skeeter's. And while she'd been extremely helpful to Lily before, Lily had known then not to trust her, and she was right. This particular article was basically just "anonymous" interviews from fans of Skeeter, and were all thrown together to draw readers into the so called "mystery" of her pregnancy.

Brandon just sighed as he looked at the article himself. When Scorpius did go to work, Brandon had a habit of coming in to check on Lily. And she was sure that Scorpius had put him up to it. "Don't let it get to you, Lil. Just be calm," he replied.

"It's so hard to stay calm though!" Lily snapped. Honestly, she'd been in a foul mood all day. It had just been one of those mornings. She'd woken up, and just knew that today was not going to be good.

The door opened, and Scorpius walked in, home a little early. "Oh, hey, Brandon," he greeted with a heavy sigh as he kicked off his shoes.

Brandon sighed too as he put the paper down and got up. "Hey, Scor. I'll see you around, but I should probably get back home and check to see if I got any messages." Then he whispered something to Scorpius, who nodded. "Later," he said before closing the door.

Lily glared at where her husband stood, unbuttoning the shirt he wore. "What did Brandon just say?" she demanded.

Scorpius faked an innocent look. "Oh, just saying he'd be here tomorrow. Anyways, how was your day?"

Lily held out the paper to him. "Take a guess!"

Scorpius sighed as he slipped the shirt off, leaving him in a white muscle shirt, baring his arms. He took the paper and began to read the article. Then he looked at her. "What's the problem?" he asked.

Lily stood and looked at him in disbelief. "What's the problem? Did you really read that article and just ask me that?"

Scorpius shrugged. "I didn't think these things bothered you. I mean, you were usually always worried that they bothered me."

"Of course they bother me!" Lily snapped. "How could it not?"

Scorpius shook his head and sighed. "Just relax, babe. It's probably just the hormones," he said as he walked away from the table.

An anger of new heights rushed into her. "What did you just say to me, Scorpius Malfoy?" she hissed with a glare.

Her anger rose even more when he rolled his eyes. "I said that you're being a little hormonal. Just relax, ok?"

"Don't you dare call me _hormonal_!" Lily yelled at him, storming after him.

Scorpius was still too calm as he stepped into the bedroom, throwing the shirt into the hamper. "You need to just relax!" he groaned.

"I am pregnant with _your_ child, Scorpius Malfoy. Which means my _hormones_ are your fault! So don't tell me to relax!" Lily snapped, her anger still uncontrollable.

Scorpius shook his head. "Look, I'm tired. I'm not dealing with this right now." Then he turned as if to walk to the bathroom.

But his attitude had brought a whole kind of new anger to Lily. She felt her body heaving with angry breaths, and her muscles seemed to tense. Maybe that was why she wanted to throw something at him. And maybe because the book was the closest thing to her was why she tossed it at him from where she stood. In all her life, Lily had never had to worry about aim. She was a Seeker. Not a Chaser or a Beater. So she was a bit surprised when the book connected with the back of his head.

Scorpius stumbled, but then easily gained his footing as he turned to look at her, one hand moving to nurse his head. His eyes were full of shock, and now a bit of his own irritation. "Did you just throw a fucking book at me?" he demanded.

"You should know better than to walk away during an argument, Scorpius!" Lily snarled.

Scorpius glared, stomping over toward her until they were just a breath apart. "So you throw a fucking book at the back of my skull?"

"You called me hormonal!"

"You are being hormonal! You've been this way for days now! I'm kind of tired of dealing with it!"

"Then why do you keep coming home so early?"

"Because that's my child you're pregnant with!"

"Well I didn't ask to be!"

"My god, woman, you are so insane sometimes!"

"And you are an arrogant and inconsiderate ass with a terrible attitude!"

It was then he kissed her, his lips warm and roughly harsh against her own. Lily wasn't exactly sure why he did it. Maybe it was just to shut her up, or perhaps it was just the heat of the moment they found themselves in. But Lily felt exhilarated as their lips meshed together in a mess of teeth and tongues, both battling each other. Lily pulled at the collar of his shirt, but Scorpius was more concerned with sliding his hand up her thigh and under her skirt. Since she'd gotten bigger, Lily didn't try to bother with jeans or shorts. It was summer, and which gave her another reason to just shop for skirts as her pregnancy continued.

Scorpius pulled his lips away from hers, but immediately trailed them down her cheek and to her throat. "Does sex hurt the baby?" he mumbled into her skin.

Lily shook her head. "No," she gasped when bite lightly into her skin.

"Good," he growled, before lifting her off her feet.

* * *

They both laid in their bed, the sheet pulled up messily around them. Their thick comforter had been practically kicked to the floor earlier. Scorpius laid on his stomach, his jeans having finally been kicked off, but his boxers were still on a bit crookedly. Lily was clad only in her skirt and bra, her hair a wild mess after being pulled from its ponytail.

Lily ran her fingers through the back of his hair, her body and mood a little . . . well tired now. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

Scorpius didn't open his eyes. "For what?" he asked, his voice a bit muffled by the pillow.

"For hitting you in the back of the head with a book," Lily whispered.

Scorpius moaned as her fingers lightly massaged into his skin. "It's ok," he assured. "I shouldn't have dismissed you like that. You're pregnant. You're going to be . . . unpredictable with your moods."

"Scorpius," Lily said with a sigh.

"Hm?"

"I really don't like being pregnant," she admitted.

Scorpius smirked. "You just don't like _not_ being in control of your mood," he countered.

"No, I don't," she agreed. "Because who knows, what if I throw a book again?"

"Do it to Brandon next. I'd bet his face would be priceless," Scorpius joked.

"I hate going from one mood to the next, or just being upset all day," Lily murmured. "It's too exhausting."

Scorpius finally opened his eyes, which held nothing but concern, love, and bit of his own exhaustion. "I know. I wish I could help. But I promise I'll do better at taking care of how you feel instead of just blowing it off as hormones."

Lily moved her fingers to where his shoulder and neck met, and gently began to knead the skin and muscle there. "Did something happen today? You seemed tired when you got home too."

Scorpius closed his eyes again, obviously a bit comfortable with the actions on her fingers. "Some of my coworkers are annoying is all," he replied vaguely. But Lily knew what that meant now. Generally, it meant someone had made a comment about Scorpius being favored because of their being married.

"I'm sorry," she whispered sincerely. Lily hated when he felt like that, and honestly felt like a part of it was her fault. She knew logically that it wasn't . . . but logic never mattered when it came to a person's feelings.

Scorpius shifted so that he was on his side, and he placed his hand on her stomach. With its growing size, he was now able to splay his fingers over the bump, his palm resting in the middle. "Don't trouble yourself with it. You've got more important things to do. For now, you just focus on helping develop our child," he said with his usual smirk. Then he let his hand trail off to unhook her bra, and throw it on the floor. He moved to place kiss after kiss along her neck. "I've missed being with you these past months," he admitted.

Lily closed her eyes momentarily as she moaned softly. "So have I. Did you really keep from doing anything because you thought it'd hurt the baby?"

Scorpius pulled away to look at her, his face a bit sheepish. "Stupid of me to think that?"

Lily smiled. "It was sweet. But don't do it anymore until we for sure can't. Because I'm not patient, and I wasn't a fan of waiting so long either."

* * *

Lily would admit that she wasn't good with pregnancy. Already into month five, and she didn't like being pregnant. While her mood swings had lessened a little, they were still there. And while before, Lily had never really worried about her body, the amount of weight she was gaining with this pregnancy had her looking in the mirror a lot, and never liking what she saw.

"You're beautiful, princess. You shouldn't worry," Scorpius would always tell her when he saw her doing it. But Lily still worried, and it still bugged her.

* * *

"Why do we have to go?" Lily mumbled as she and Scorpius walked down the lane to the Burrow.

Scorpius smirked. "Because your grandmother would hunt us down if we didn't. Besides, you're the newly pregnant one, and they are dying to fuss over you."

"They will be sorely disappointed," she mumbled. "And if your mother thinks I'm doing something like this for her, sorry but no."

Scorpius laughed. "Don't worry. With Lana being pregnant as well, the other Slytherin families can be diverted to her, although she'd probably say the same thing."

Lana had found out she was pregnant two months ago, and was three months along then. So Lily like, she was now five months along, and apparently handling it better than Lily was. "I hate this," she stated simply.

Scorpius took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I know. But just try to endure it, ok? It won't be much longer."

"You know, these months may seem to fly by for you," Lily said, "but to the actually pregnant woman, they drag! And they drag, and they drag! It feels like it's been a year already, time has been so slow."

Scorpius looked like he wanted to laugh, but he didn't. For the last month he was doing a lot better at reading what mood she was in, and then tiptoeing around her carefully if it was a foul mood. "I wish I could make it move faster for you," he said sincerely as they stepped into the Burrow's backyard, where noise assaulted their ears at the amount of people.

Lily groaned. "I'm already starting to get a headache."

"Well at any time we can go home. Or I can take you upstairs and let you get some rest if you need it," Scorpius promised softly.

"I might take you up on that soon," Lily mumbled.

Unlike most of the gatherings at the Burrow, Scorpius didn't stray off to talk with her father or uncle, or to chat with Hugo. Instead he stayed by her side, following her as she was practically dragged over to where her mother and some of her aunts were. And he'd been right, because each woman fussed over her, and continually asked questions, or talked about their own pregnancies. Lily knew that if it'd been a normal day, she wouldn't have minded and would have enjoyed it. But you never had a normal day while pregnant it seemed.

"Hey, Scorpius," Hugo addressed as he and some of the other boys came toward the group. Lily noticed a Quaffle in James's hands, "you up for a game? I need another man on my team."

Scorpius shook his head. "Nah, sorry. I'm going stay here."

Teddy sighed and looked at Lily. "Do you really need him right now, sis?"

Lily shook her head as she looked at Scorpius. "No. You can go ahead," she insisted.

But Scorpius just shook his head again. "I'm gonna stay here." Then he smirked. "It really doesn't matter to me if you say I can go."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Seriously. You can if you want to."

"Well maybe I don't want to," he murmured, still not getting up from his chair. "I'd rather stay here."

"How whipped are you, Scorpius?" James demanded with a laugh.

"Oh, son, you have no idea how badly he is putting all of you to shame," Ginny said with a shake of her head.

James looked confused. "Huh?"

"You know if Albus had been like that with me during my pregnancy, we probably wouldn't have fought so much," Ashley commented.

Albus looked surprised. "What?"

"Oh, there will be days where I don't even know what James does. He just goes off to hang with his friends without even letting me know," Elizabeth stated.

James looked too sheepish to defend himself.

"Oh, Ronald had no tact when it came to dealing with any pregnant woman, myself included," Hermione mentioned. "He'd say something completely stupid and then look stunned when the woman got angry. Honestly, I expect Hugo might end up the same."

"He is a lot like Dad, so I'd be ready, Stacy," Rose agreed.

Hugo groaned. "Dude, just come with us, and look bad so we can stop getting ragged on. Please?"

Scorpius just laughed. "Sorry, but still no. Go find Zack," he suggested. "I bet he'd play."

"It's not about the game now. It's about you making all other husbands and boyfriends look bad," Albus muttered.

"Yeah, I'm going before I get lynched," James retorted as he began to walk over to where Zack was.

The women laughed as each boy grumbled about something as they left, but Scorpius looked at Lily. "Do you need anything, now that I think about it? Are you hungry?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, I am. Would you get me something?"

"Of course. Anything specific?" he asked as he stood up.

Lily shook her head. "No."

"Ok. I'll be back in a minute," Scorpius assured.

"Thanks," Lily murmured. She turned back to rejoin the conversation with the others, but was a bit confused by how they all looked at her. "What?"

"Well I have to ask now. How whipped is that man of yours?" Audrey inquired. "Because getting Percy to do something like that was an argument sometimes."

Lily felt a tiny blush come to her cheeks. "I wouldn't say he's whipped . . . He's just that . . . nice?"

"How long did it take to train him?" Rose asked with a grin.

Lily smiled a little. "It's not like that. He just always worries and wants to help. Honestly, at first it was kind of a wreck, but he's getting better at it. Now it comes down to getting him to relax, stopping repeating questions, and to not be overbearing at times."

"Well he set a standard, because if I ever end up deciding to have a kid, Dave better to the same that he's doing," Roxanne said with a cheeky smile.

"Don't wish that," Lily said with a laugh. "Otherwise he'll be waking you up sometimes just to ask how you're sleeping."

The women, especially those that were already mothers, laughed at her commented. "Scorpius does that too?" Fleur asked.

Lily nodded. "He doesn't do it a lot anymore, but he always worries. Apparently I moved in my sleep, and he almost had a heart attack when I started to roll onto my stomach. And that was when I was just two months pregnant."

"Oh, Harry would lose his mind every time I bent over to pick something up," Ginny said with a roll of her eyes. "He acted as if I'd just turned into the clumsiest person every time I was pregnant."

"Zack was terrified of morning sickness," Lucy commented. "Whenever I'd start to throw up, he'd ask me if I needed to go to the hospital. I don't know how many times I had to explain to him that it was normal."

"George tried to be understanding by eating the same foods I did throughout my pregnancies," Angelina said. "So when it got to the point when I just couldn't handle certain foods, he wouldn't eat them either. And even when I started to get the odd cravings, he'd eat that too, no matter how many times I said he didn't have to."

"I think men just have a habit of not listening, and letting themselves panic," Rose stated. "Honestly, I've seen the men panic more during pregnancies in this family then the women have."

"Well we're naturals," Ginny joked, prompting them all to laugh again.

"Hey, Lil," Roxanne said, "what are you going to do if he brings over something that makes you sick?"

Lily shook her head. "It won't happen. He knows exactly what I can't handle anymore. With his sometimes irritating attention to every detail, he's apparently made a million mental notes on what I can't eat or what I can't even handle the smell of, and makes sure that I'm kept away from anything that could possibly make me sick."

"What do you think he'll bring you?" Victoire asked with a smile.

Lily thought about it for a quick moment. "Some kind of baked good, because I usually eat something like a muffin or something dry at breakfast. Then probably some kind of sandwich, and nothing that might have even the slightest sour taste to it. Oh, and a glass of water."

"Well here he comes," Hermione commented. The other women all looked to see where Scorpius was walking back toward them.

"I see two cookies," Roxanne joked.

"Also a sandwich, with an obvious glass of water!" Rose said with a laugh.

When Scorpius came closer, he raised a curious brow as to why they were all looking at him, but then set a plate down in front of Lily, along with the water. "Here, babe. Also, I stayed away from anything with barbecue on it," he told her as he sat back down.

Now, Lily was the one to scowl. "Why?"

"Because last time you had the tiniest bit, you puked for five minutes," he stated. "And I know it couldn't have been anything else on the plate, because that was the only new thing."

Lily sighed. She did remember that. The barbecue had smelled fantastic . . . but then once it hit her tongue that all changed. "Ok, fine. We'll add that to the crap I can't have anymore."

"I don't know which one of you is cuter," Ginny teased lightly, making the others at the table laugh a bit too.

"Guys like you are so rare, that I think you should be wrapped and sold around the world," Audrey commented, looking at Scorpius.

Scorpius smirked. "Well I guess I am different enough to be rare. But do I want to know why?"

"Because you pose no argument to whatever she asks when it comes to her being pregnant," Audrey said simply.

Scorpius glanced at Lily. "Oh, that's because I learned the hard way that even with a book, she's got great aim."

* * *

Lily groaned as she woke up to a nudging feeling against her stomach. "Scorpius," she moaned. "Your elbow keeps hitting me."

Scorpius had a sleepy scowl as he shifted onto his side. "I'm sorry, babe," he mumbled sleepily. "Sorry, little guy." Scorpius put his hand down on her stomach, but then they both froze. Because as soon has his hand touched her, they both felt a small nudge.

Both Lily and Scorpius almost became wide awake as they looked down at her stomach, where Scorpius's hand still rested. "Did you feel that too?" Lily mumbled, still a bit surprised.

Scorpius just nodded, almost like he couldn't speak. He just stared at her stomach and his hand in wonder. He moved his hand just a little, and almost like the baby was trying to follow him, they felt that nudge under his hand again. A soft and amazed smile came to Scorpius's lips as his thumb gently stroked through her thin night shirt, which was actually one of his own shirts. "We can really feel him now?" he whispered.

"I guess it had been five months now," Lily replied gently. "That is about the time when you start to feel them move."

Scorpius moved to his knees, and shifted so that he was closer to her stomach. He slid his hand under the shirt, allowing his hand to make contact with her skin. His hand felt incredibly warm against her, and again, there was that nudge.

Lily couldn't repress her own smile. "I think he likes you," she whispered, her heart skipping the occasional beat with happiness and excitement.

Scorpius stroked his thumb across where he'd felt the nudge. "Hey, little man. Getting comfortable in there?"

Lily laughed softly as she brought a hand to run gently through Scorpius's hair. "I hope he's getting ready to sleep too, because I'm really getting tired."

Scorpius smirked at her as he brought her hand away from her stomach, he moved so that his weight rested on his elbow. He placed a kiss on her forehead. "I love you, Lily," he whispered.

Lily placed a small kiss on his lips in return. "I love you too," she murmured.

His hand came back to rest on her stomach for the rest of the night, with her fingers interlocked with his.

* * *

Lily yawned as she rubbed her eye a little. She was so tired. Because Scorpius and Dante's days off of work ended up to coincide, Lana and Dante had come over, along with Lars and Will Nott. Lily and Lana were now both six months pregnant, and Lily was amazed that Lana seemed so easily full of energy. Personally, she just always felt tired.

Hungry, Lily opened the fridge, and stopped when she saw a wrapped plate of fruit in the fridge, made to stay fresh through the night. Lily took it out, looking at it curiously. Lately, she'd had this obsession with eating fruit, so it was always in the house. But this plate had fruit already cut into bite-sized pieces. Then suddenly, it all popped into her head.

* * *

**Flashback**

Lily awoke in the middle of the night. According to the clock, it was two in the morning. But her stomach was craving something to eat. Most specifically, fruit. She sighed. She was hungry, but she still felt too tired to actually get up.

She looked at Scorpius, who was laying on his front, sleeping soundly. Gently, she reached over to give his shoulder a small nudge. "Scorpius?" she whispered.

Scorpius blinked a few times, but let his eyes close again. "What is it?" he mumbled.

"I'm hungry," she told him, feeling a bit sheepish for waking him up.

But Scorpius didn't even comment. Instead he got up and pushed the blankets off of him. "Fruit?" he guessed. Lily nodded. "Ok. I'll get it," he promised.

"Thank you," Lily said as he left the room. She continued to lay there though, her body and mind still tired.

* * *

**End of Flashback**

That was the last thing she remembered, but she was now also pretty sure that she'd fallen back asleep while Scorpius had gotten up to make her something in the middle of the night.

Lily whirled around, the best she could in her pregnant state, and looked at where Scorpius sat on the couch. "Scorpius, I'm so sorry!" she apologized instantly.

The others looked curious, and Scorpius did too. "What for?" he questioned.

Lily put the plate of fruit on the table as proof. "For making you get up last night just for me to fall back asleep."

Scorpius just shrugged. "It's ok. Anyways, it's not like I had to work this morning or anything. Even then, I'd have done it."

"Man, she's got you getting up late at night just to make her something?" Dante laughed. "You got suckered in my friend."

"Well I figure if she's willing to give birth to my child, then I should be willing to get up when she needs something, no matter what the time," Scorpius countered simply, as if it were a well-known fact.

Lana flicked Dante on the side of the face. "See, you jackass, not everyone just grumbles then rolls over when asked to do something."

"You wake me up for the stupidest thing!" Dante complained. Then he threw a magazine at Scorpius. "And, man, you suck! You have got to quit saying crap like that! It makes the rest of us look bad!"

"Maybe you're just an ass," Will mocked with a laugh.

"You aren't married, so you can't talk," Dante countered.

"Yeah, but I consider myself lucky to not be married," Will said with a grin. "I like being single."

"Yeah, but that's also why you live off of cereal and toast," Scorpius pointed out.

"Hey, you aren't any better at cooking than I am," Will retorted, still grinning. "You make do with what you have."

* * *

"This baby is never coming out," Lily mumbled dejectedly. She was sitting on her couch with Brandon, who had brought over his son, Jay, who was a year-old now. Cecilia was playing with him, both of them communicating the best they could.

Brandon chuckled. "You're almost to the finish line, Lily. Just take it easy."

Lily just shook her head. "I can't take this anymore. I'm getting more and more tired, I find myself eating the weirdest things, that oddly taste good, and I jump from mood to mood. I hate being pregnant."

"It's worth it in the end," Brandon promised as he watched his son.

"Lily!" Cecilia squealed as she came up to her, holding a piece of paper. "Look!" For being only two, Cecilia was getting to be quite the talker, even if sometimes you couldn't fully understand her.

Lily took the picture from the little girl. "It's really pretty, Cece," she encouraged. "How about you draw Brandon one?" Cecilia hurried up to go and draw another picture, prompting Lily to smile.

"See," Brandon mentioned. "Kids make you smile, especially when they're important to you. And when you have a kid of you own, you watch them grow and change every day. Every cute thing they do, you see it. It can be hard and hectic at first, but it will always be worth it."

Lily sighed. "I guess," she admitted.

"Do you know when exactly you're supposed to be due?" Brandon asked.

"Victoire estimated about the fifteenth of November. Maybe the day before or after," Lily replied. "Lana is due a week or so before that."

"See, so you won't go through it alone," Brandon said with a smile. "And if you think about it, that's not really all that far away. Just a couple of months."

"You have no idea how long a _couple of months_ seems to a pregnant woman, though," Lily said with a tired sigh.

Brandon chuckled. "Boy or girl? Do you know?"

Lily shook her head. "Nope. We decided to let it be a surprise."

"How does that work when picking out things for the baby? I mean, don't women usually buy things by color, which apparently are always gender neutral?" Brandon inquired.

"Green," Lily said simply. "I've picked out a few things in white too."

"Have you picked out any of the big things?" Brandon asked. "Like a crib or anything?"

"Not yet. We're going to get it on Scorpius's next day off, though," Lily told him. "But we've got most of the things we'll need."

"The baby sleeping in your room, or are you giving the kid its own room?" Brandon asked. "I know Jay slept in our room for the first few months."

"That's what we thought to do too," Lily agreed. "Once the baby's a bit older and bigger, than we're going empty one of those extra rooms, and that will be the baby's room. We just don't know which room yet." Lily looked over at him. "So, have you seen Mitch since I told you what we decided to name it if it's a boy?"

Brandon nodded. "Yeah, I have. But I haven't told him yet," he said with a chuckle. "I'm going to wait until I know for sure it's a boy. Because if it's not, I would get so much crap for getting his hopes up. Plus, I'll also be able to take a picture too."

"Did you even tell them I was pregnant?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, I told them. They were all pretty happy and excited at the news," Brandon answered.

"What did Dom think?" After all, Dominique was not a fan of kids.

"Well the first thing she said was a sarcastic comment about bringing another possible Scorpius Malfoy into the world," Brandon joked. Lily smiled. That sounded just like Dominique. "But then she smiled in that way only she can. And she said that she was happy, because she knew that you were probably happy."

* * *

"I still don't like that shade of green," Lily commented as Scorpius took the pieces of the crib out of the box.

"I'll change the color of it once I've put it together," Scorpius assured for the third time, his tone patient as he looked at each piece. "Just give me time."

Lily raised a brow as she sat on their bed. "You're really going to put that together the muggle way? You're just making it difficult."

"It'll be easy," Scorpius replied he pulled out a small instruction guide. "Not a problem."

Lily laid on her back, trying not to roll her eyes at his easygoing attitude. He had been so insistent on doing everything with his own hands lately. And no matter how many times she said it wasn't necessary, he just dismissed it. "Tiff," she called.

Tiff was there with a "CRACK" and a smile. "Yes, Lily? Can I get you something?"

"Bring one of my potions that heals bruises. Then start on dinner please? I'm starving," Lily mumbled.

"Of course!" Tiff said quickly before disappearing.

"I am not going to bruise myself," Scorpius retorted with a smirk. "Have faith."

Padfoot entered the room, and hopped onto the bed to lay by Lily. Lily stroked his fur softly. "Just being safe," she said with a sigh. So close to reaching a year-old, Padfoot was now a huge dog, and still had a bit more growing to do.

By the time dinner was ready, Lily was glad that she'd had Tiff bring her the potions. Scorpius had not only bruised himself a couple of times, but he'd also gotten a few cuts. But he just kept working, claiming to be fine. But he took a swig of each potion she handed him without complaint, then continued to work.

"Oh, by the way," Scorpius mentioned as he worked, "I wanted to talk to you since you're eight months now."

Lily struggled to sit up, but finally did so after a moment. "About what?" she asked.

"Well, I'm going to talk to your dad about taking off the day you're due, and maybe the day before and after, just incase. But if I am needed at work, Brandon will be over for sure," Scorpius told her. "Let him take you to the hospital, then have him come and get me."

"Obviously," Lily replied.

"Also, to avoid what Albus went through, I'm not going to go on any mission until after the baby's born," he promised. "I don't care if they ask tomorrow, and it'll only be a day. I'm not taking any risks with this."

Lily smiled softly. "Good. If anything, I'm glad to hear that."

Scorpius smiled. "Well I want to be there when my kid comes into the world."

* * *

Lily felt a bit awkward. And even though she was now in her ninth month of pregnancy, it had nothing to do with her weight, or even how her stomach felt. It _did_ have to do with being nine months though, and due any day. Because with the baby being due any time soon, Scorpius not only never left her side, but he stared at her.

Now she was sitting and reading over one of her potion books over ingredients, and he was staring at her. He'd been staring for about an hour now, and all Lily was doing was reading. She hadn't gotten up, hadn't spoken a word to him, or even really looked away from her book. If she did, it was only to stare at him for a moment before shaking her head and continuing to read.

But finally Lily couldn't take it anymore. "Scorpius Malfoy!"

Scorpius jumped, literally, from his seat. "What? Is something wrong? Is it time?"

"Stop staring at me!" Lily said with an exasperated sigh. "I'm not going to explode! And staring at me will not make the baby come any faster!"

Scorpius sat back down, still looking at her. "Victoire said it could be any day now."

"I know that, but there's no need to stare like that," Lily replied. "The baby will come when it's ready. It might not even be until tomorrow, or the day after that. You've got to relax."

"For all we know, we could be parents by the end of the night. How you can you stay relaxed with that knowledge?" Scorpius retorted.

"Well when you weight like five hundred pounds and can barely move, it makes it hard to fidget and pace," Lily muttered. Then she sighed. "Why don't we go and do something? Take your mind off of it."

"Should you be moving around?" Scorpius asked worriedly.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, I can. So how does that sound?"

But Scorpius looked hesitant. "Well . . . maybe."

Lily closed her book, but then winced and placed a hand on her stomach after a particularly hard kick. "Oh," she mumbled.

Scorpius was by her in a flash. "What's wrong?"

Lily shook her head. "Nothing, just a kick that was a bit hard."

He relaxed a little. "Ok." He placed his hand on her stomach, and as usual, there was a little kick under his palm. "You're eager too, huh, little man?"

Lily winced again as a strange sensation ran down her lower body. According to Victoire the feeling was normal. With the baby moving into position, she'd breath better, but the baby could brush against her nerves, sending that weird feeling through her legs. Since she'd gotten close and closer to the due date, she'd also been dealing with her body getting ready for the birth, which brought around contractions in preparation. When she'd mentioned it to Scorpius, she thought he was going to have a panic attack, and it'd taken at least five minutes to explain what they were to him.

"Do you want another pillow?" Scorpius asked, seeing her discomfort.

Lily gave a sheepish smile. "Yes, thank you."

Scorpius got up and hurried from the room to retrieve another pillow for her. Lily began to reach for her book when one of those fake contractions started again, making her hold her stomach and flinch. But then she froze when a rush of water ran down her legs.

"Scorpius!"


	116. The Unpredictability of Life

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Sorry this took so long. With classes and a small writer's block, it was a bit more difficult. Anyways, a lot of emotions and feelings in this one, so I hope I captured them all to your liking. Also, some big news and drama, of course. But read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Sixteen: The Unpredictability of Life

"Merlin! Dammit!" Lily cried out as another contraction tore apart her lower body. She felt the sting of tears in her eyes at the pain of it.

"Just breathe, Lily, it'll pass," Ginny reassured, smoothing back her daughter's hair.

Lily squeezed Scorpius's hand as it got worse. "Where the hell is Vic with that potion?" she screamed.

"She's on her way," Hermione assured.

In the hospital room with her was Scorpius, her brother, parents, his parents, Hermione, and Rose and Hugo. But the men in the room were quiet, obviously either scared or unsure of what to say. Scorpius just held her hand, and the women did their best to soothe her.

Lily did not want to hear pretty words. She wanted that freaking potion to end the suffering of her lower body! This was taking too long to start, and she felt like she was on fire with every contraction.

"Never again, Scorpius Malfoy!" Lily yelled to her husband. "I am not doing this again!"

"You didn't mean to the first time," she heard Hugo mutter, prompting half the women in the room to glare at him, his mother and sister included.

Lily loosened her grip on Scorpius's hand as the contraction subsided. Ginny looked to Hugo. "Did you time it?"

Hugo nodded. "Yeah." He showed his aunt his watch.

Lily looked at Scorpius, how looked a bit confused and uncertain. She took in a gulp of air, her breaths still light pants. "Is something wrong?" she whispered.

Scorpius brought his eyes to hers. "I'm just a bit nervous," he admitted lowly to her. "I'll be a dad by the end of tonight."

Lily gave him a small smile. "Yeah. It is a bit scary."

Scorpius brought his free hand to brush a bit of hair away from her cheek. "I feel really helpless right now."

Victoire walked into the room, a potion in her hand. "Here we are, Lily. Ready?"

"You've done this before, so what do you think?" Lily demanded dryly, making Victoire laugh. Once Lily had taken the potion, she felt relieved when her lower body became almost numb it was so relaxed and painless. She let her eyelids drop a little. "Oh thank Merlin," she mumbled.

"How much longer?" Scorpius asked, watching Victoire write something on a chart.

"A few hours still. I'll be in to check every hour," Victoire assured.

Lily groaned. "Hours? Just get this child out of me!"

Ginny laughed lightly. "Just be patient, sweetheart. It'll pass quicker than you think."

Lily sighed, already a little tense in waiting for the next contraction. "This sucks," she muttered.

Scorpius gave a strong squeeze to her hand this time. "It'll be ok, princess. I'm here," he whispered.

Lily looked at him, and she smiled softly. "Thank you," she murmured gratefully.

The hours still passed too slowly for Lily. The pain made it way too slow for her, and dragged it out. While each contraction began to get closer and closer together, time seemed to go no faster for her. Until the moment came when Victoire cleared the room of all but Scorpius, and the real challenge began.

Lily had been through a lot of difficult things in her life. She'd had multiple Quidditch injuries that had been brutally painful. But nothing turned out to be as difficult and as painful as giving birth. Nothing had ever made her scream, cry, and curse at Scorpius so much.

But the relief of that final moment, the moment when the small cry pierced the air. It made two more, small and painless tears, fall from her eyes. Her entire body sagged in exhaustion, her eyes closing for a short moment.

She felt a gently warm hand brushing hair from her sweaty skin. "You did wonderful, princess," Scorpius whispered.

Lily opened her eyes, her entire being absolutely tired. She looked at where Victoire stood with her small team of two, who were cleaning the baby. "Is it a boy or a girl?" she mumbled, her voice a bit breathless.

Victoire looked back and smiled at her cousin, but didn't answer until she had a small bundle in her arms. She brought the baby over to the couple. "Congratulations, Lily, Scorpius. You've got a beautiful baby boy," she said as she laid the baby into Lily's arms.

Lily felt a bit breathless all over again as she looked down at her and Scorpius's newborn son. Another tear fell down her cheek. While the early cry had softened, there was what almost looked like a small scowl in the baby's brow. A bit of hair laid on his head, the same color as Lily's.

"He's beautiful," Scorpius murmured beside her. He carefully brought his hand up, and allowed his thumb to gently stroke his son's cheek. "A son."

Lily took in a short breath. "I told you it was a boy," she said with a small laugh.

Victoire stood by the bed as well, looking at her cousin's newborn son. "What's his name?" she asked, not just as a healer, but because she was also happy and excited at the new addition to their family.

Lily smiled, never in her life as happy, or as tired, as she was then. "Mitchell. Mitchell James Malfoy," she answered proudly.

Victoire smiled too. "I think that's a wonderful name. Shall I get the family in here?" she offered.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. They'll go crazy if they have to wait any longer." Soon it was just her and Scorpius in the room, both admiring their son. Lily held little Mitchell out to his father. "Here. You hold him," she whispered.

Scorpius was very careful as Lily placed their son in his arms. And Lily had never seen Scorpius so amazed as when he held and looked at Mitchell. "He's perfect," he murmured. Then slowly, a smile spread across his face. "My son." Then he chuckled. "I have a son."

Lily did her best to keep from falling asleep right at that moment. But her heart sped a little at the wonderful sight of Scorpius cradling their child. But before she could say anything, their family, their mothers first, hurried into the room. But their parents and her brothers seemed to freeze when they saw the small bundle in Scorpius's arms.

"Victoire said you had a boy," James commented finally as they all came in further into the room. Their mothers were immediately near the baby, tears in their eyes as they looked at their grandson.

Lily nodded as she looked at her older brother. "Yeah. We did."

"What's his name?" Astoria asked, her eyes full of tears.

Scorpius looked at Lily, who smiled gently at him. Scorpius smirked as he moved from the bed, and walked over to where James stood. "Well, brother-in-law, say hello to Mitchell James Malfoy," he told him, holding the baby out to James.

James looked frozen as Scorpius placed his nephew into his arms. He silently looked over his nephew, just as amazed as Scorpius had been earlier. Then he gulped and quickly moved to sit on the edge of the bed. James looked at his sister. "You named him after me?" he whispered hoarsely.

Lily nodded. "Two people who mean the world to us. Best of both worlds, really."

James took in a breath that had a bit of a shudder to it, and Lily thought that her oldest brother, who had always been strong, was going to cry. "He's got your hair, Lil," he mumbled. "Let's hope he doesn't get your quick temper." He smiled a little at his weak joke. Then he held out the baby to Draco. "Here, Mr. Malfoy."

Lily watched as Draco took his grandson, but then looked at her brother. Scorpius took a seat next to where James sat, and took his wife's hand. "Well, Potter, it's finally happened," he said.

James looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Scorpius smirked as he looked at him. "Your good name is mixed in with the Malfoys," he mocked.

And surprisingly, James chuckled honestly, and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. And I can't think of any better way for it to happen."

* * *

"He's a cute kid, cuz," Hugo complimented the next day. The entire family had already been to see Lily and the baby, but Hugo had decided to come by during his lunch break. Now, he held the baby, and sat in the chair next to the bed.

Lily smiled at her cousin. The night before, Lily and Scorpius had named Hugo the godfather to Mitchell. And she was sure that was why Hugo was skipping lunch to come and see her and the baby. "He really is," Lily murmured.

"So, are you really not going to have another one?" he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I don't know. Give me a few years to decide."

"Well are you happy that you ended up pregnant on accident?" Hugo chuckled.

Lily smiled. "I've never been happier," she admitted.

"I can tell," Hugo chuckled. "You're almost glowing, you look so happy. Then again, I thought Scorpius was going to explode from being so happy last night."

"It's a wonderful feeling," she sighed, still smiling as she looked at her son. Her son. The thought still seemed so . . . surreal to her.

"Man . . . the girl I grew up and spent my entire life with, is a mother now," Hugo said in a bit of his own disbelief. "My best friend in the world . . . and she has a kid."

"It is weird," Lily agreed. "Last night, all I could think about was how . . . scary it is. I mean . . . I'm his mum. I'm raising a child now. And all I did was worry that I'll screw it up."

"Ah, you'll do fine. No matter how bad things are, or how low the odds are, you always do fine. We all do," Hugo said with a reassuring smile. "Besides, Scor's there, and I'll always be here, as will the rest of the family."

"I know," she sighed. "It's still a bit daunting."

There was a knock at the door, and it peeked open a bit before bursting open when Candice ran into the room. "Lily, you had the baby!" she cheered with a smile.

Mr. and Mrs. Pritchard walked in after her, Max holding his father's hand. "Sorry to barge in, but Astoria told us about the baby, so we thought we'd come and visit you," Elisa Pritchard explained.

Lily smiled as Candice tried to stand on her tiptoes in order to see the baby in Hugo's arms. "It's fine. I can't stand staying in this hospital without company anyways."

"Hello, Hugo," Mr. Pritchard greeted with a mumbled.

Hugo just smiled as he lowered the baby so that Candice could see him. "Hello, Mr. Pritchard."

"What's his name?" Max asked curiously.

"Mitchell," Lily told him as she watched the young boy look at the baby.

"Like Mitch Avery?" Elisa Pritchard questioned.

Lily nodded. "Yeah."

"Would you like to hold him, Mrs. Pritchard?" Hugo asked politely.

"Oh, I'd love to!" Elisa Pritchard gushed as Hugo handed her the baby. But Lily noticed that as soon as he did, he looked at his watch.

"What's up, cuz?" Lily asked.

Hugo looked at her innocently. "Oh, nothing. I was just checking the time. I feel like something has been planned."

Mr. Pritchard finally grinned as he looked at Hugo. "So you know, do you?"

"I was the one that let them know," Hugo retorted with a laugh.

Lily felt confused. "Let who know what?"

She was answered by a small and quick knock on the door, which opened soon after, and had Lola and Jace walking in, Melody in her father's arms. "Lily!" Lola squealed as she hurried to the bed. "I'm so sorry we couldn't be here yesterday."

Lily hugged her friend. "It's fine. How did you even know it happened?"

"Hugo," Jace said simply. "He flooed us as soon as you went into labor, apparently. But I didn't have spare time until this afternoon. So Lola and her mum made the plans for us all to show up."

Lily smiled at her cousin. "Thank you, Huey."

Hugo shrugged. "That's just what best friends do."

* * *

When Lily was cleared to go home, Scorpius took the entire day off, which was of course approved by his boss as a "good reason." Lily was happy to be out of the hospital and back home, and she was happy to finally have Mitchell at home.

As Lily first set him down in the crib, Scorpius looked around the room. "Do you think we'll need a bigger place?" he asked.

"Not with one child, no. That guest bedroom is pretty big, so it'll be enough for when he gets bigger," Lily replied.

"But what if we have another kid?" Scorpius pointed out.

"We have time before that happens," Lily said with a smile and a roll of her eyes.

"How much?" Scorpius persisted.

Lily looked at him and raised her brow. "Do you really think I'm all that eager to go through that again so quick? Trust me. We have time, as in years."

Scorpius nodded as he came back to look at the baby. "Ok. But I do want another one someday."

Lily smiled. "That's fine. So do I. Just not in the next year or two."

They both heard the distant knock at the front door, and were sure that Tiff would get it. Sure enough, Brandon was soon stepping into their bedroom. "Hey, I heard you were released today," he said with a smile. He came over to stand by the crib with them. Brandon set a stuffed tiger next to Mitchell in the crib. "A gift from Uncle Brandon." Then he looked at Lily. "Also, I've got something for you."

Lily looked at him curiously. "What?"

Brandon pulled what looked like a picture out of his pocket. "According to Mitch and Rex, it comes with a price. You can have this picture if they can have a picture of Mitchell."

Lily laughed. "Of course they can."

"Then here," Brandon said, holding out the picture. "It's Jacoby on his first birthday."

Lily smiled at the picture. Jacoby was Rex's son who was born last year. Lily had forgotten that he was already a year-old now. "He's adorable," she cooed.

Scorpius handed a picture of Mitchell to Brandon. "Here. My mum took dozens already. Give them this one."

Brandon chuckled as he put the photo in his pocket. "Ok, thanks. They've been eager ever since I went to see them a few days ago. They'll be happy to see this. Oh, and I thought Mitch was going to dance when I told them the baby's name."

Lily smiled. "Well it _was_ his idea."

* * *

Lily felt like almost crying when the sound of Mitchell crying woke her up. She opened her eyes, and the clock said that it was two in the morning. She groaned into the pillow.

"I can get him," Scorpius offered.

Lily shook her head as she got up. "It's ok. Go back to sleep," she whispered. "You have work in the morning." Lily walked over to the crib, and gently picked up the wailing infant. "What's wrong, sweetie?" she murmured softly as she held Mitchell to her. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed, and she felt the weight on the mattress shift as Scorpius sat up.

"He's not hungry, is he?" Scorpius asked before yawning.

Lily shook her head. "It hasn't been that long since I last fed him." And although it felt like forever, Mitchell's cries did soon die down, and Lily watched as he began to fade back into sleep.

Scorpius laid back down. "Think he'll do that every night?" he asked.

Lily put Mitchell back in the crib, and then crawled back into bed too. "I don't know. Maybe. All babies are different," she said with a small sigh.

* * *

Lily was careful as she wrapped a towel around Mitchell. He was a little damp from the bath, and Lily was careful as she dried him. A knock sounded on the door, startling Mitchell, although he didn't cry, but just looked surprised, which made Lily laugh softly.

"I've got it, Mistress!" Tiff said quickly as she hurried to the door.

"Thank you, Tiff," Lily replied as she began to dress Mitchell.

She heard the door opened, and then a few footsteps. "Hello, Lily," Harry greeted as he walked over to the counter where she was slipping a shirt over Mitchell's stomach. He smiled. "And hello to you too, Mitchell."

Lily smiled at her father. "Hey, Dad. What are you doing here?" It was only a little past lunch time.

Harry shrugged. "I finished my lunch early, so I thought I'd take time to come and see you."

Lily laughed. "Don't you mean to see Mitch?" she teased.

Harry chuckled too as he picked up his grandson. "In a way, yes. But also, I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?" Lily asked, as she watched as Tiff immediately continued to make lunch.

"How often does Scorpius insist on getting up with Mitchell?" Harry asked.

Lily looked at him with a bit of curiosity. "Um, well he always offers. And then he generally stays up until Mitch has gone back to sleep," she answered. "Why?"

Harry grinned. "Because I caught him asleep at his desk this morning," he mentioned. "And he's been looking quite tired for the past few days."

Lily sighed. "I always tell him to go back to sleep, but he's stubborn."

"Is Mitchell a crier?" Harry inquired.

"Sort of," Lily answered. "He's a bit fussy at night . . . every night."

"Well that's expected for a newborn," Harry assured.

Lily rested her cheek on her palm. "I know. But it's . . ."

"Exhausting?" Harry guessed. "It always is. Make it through, and it'll get better with time."

* * *

As time did begin to pass, it came with ups and downs. Mitchell had begun to make more noises, small laughs, and Lily had never been so excited as when he first smiled. But, he was still waking up at night. It was getting better in only that it was later and later that he was waking up. It had gotten to the point where he was just simply waking them up an hour earlier than they normally got up.

* * *

"Hey, I'm home," Scorpius announced.

"Sor!" Cecilia cheered as she ran over to him, pronouncing his name the best she could.

Mitchell perked up in Lily's arms, and immediately began to attempt to reach behind her to see his father. He had begun to always look for Scorpius as soon as he heard his voice.

Lily turned, making it easier for Mitchell to see Scorpius, and also because she was a bit surprised. "What are you doing home so early?"

Scorpius sighed as he picked up Cecilia, and walked to where Lily stood, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Captain and the boss sent me home. Told me I looked like hell and needed a break and some rest," he grumbled as he set Cecilia on her feet. Then he took Mitchell into his arms.

Lily reached up to brush some hair from his brow. "Then sit down and relax. Have you had lunch?"

"I can make you something, Master Malfoy!" Tiff offered immediately.

Scorpius shook his head as he sat down and kicked off his shoes. "No, I ate. Thanks though."

Lily sat next to him, and pulled Cecilia into her lap when the little girl started to climb on the couch. "You know, we'll have to talk to Lana, because your hair is starting to get long again."

Scorpius smirked. "I'll remember that. But, I've got a better idea for today."

Lily rested her chin on his shoulder. "And what would that be?"

"How about we take the kids, and we go out for the day?" Scorpius suggested. "Maybe go to Diagon Alley . . . hell maybe even get them out to Hogsmeade? What do you say?"

"I think that sounds great," Lily agreed.

* * *

"Scorpius! Lily! Did you bring the baby?" Astoria asked as soon as the two of them walked into the parlor of Malfoy Manor.

Scorpius rolled his eyes as he held Cecilia. "No, we left him at home," he muttered sarcastically.

Lily ignored his attitude as she passed Mitchell off to Astoria. "He might be a bit tired. We've been out all afternoon, and he's really been enjoying taking in so many colors and sights."

"Pitch, start up dinner, won't you?" Astoria commented offhandedly. She looked at the two of them. "You should stay for dinner."

"I don't think we have a choice now," Scorpius said with a laugh.

"We'd love to," Lily replied.

"Hello, Cecilia," Astoria greeted to the sweet little girl.

Cecilia smiled almost bashfully. "Hi," she greeted coyly.

"Will she be able to stay for dinner, or will you need to take her home first?" Astoria asked.

"No, she is spending the night with us," Lily said happily as Scorpius set the little girl down. Cecilia immediately began to walk around. Lily looked at Scorpius. "One of us will need to go back and walk Padfoot. Or at least tell Tiff to."

"Well why not have Tiff bring him here?" Astoria suggested. "He _is_ such a cute dog."

So soon Malfoy Manor was the loudest it ever was on a normal day. Tiff had brought Padfoot, along with some toys for the little ones. Cecilia mostly played with Padfoot, who, as giant next to her, was careful with her. At Astoria's suggestion, Pitch had gone and got Narcissa, who happily came over to see her great-grandson. While she didn't seem too keen to have a dog in the manor, she didn't even mention it.

Draco walked in looking a bit surprised. "I didn't know we were having a family dinner," he commented.

"Well we originally just stopped by for a visit," Scorpius joked as he scratched Padfoot's ear, while Cecilia petted along his side.

"Ah," Draco said with a simple nod. "I understand what happened now. How's work, son?"

Astoria looked at Lily. "On that subject, when do you plan to go back to working, Lily?" she asked.

Lily shrugged, glancing at Mitchell who was in his great-grandmother's arms. "I don't know. At the moment, I'm way too tired to even think about it. But I do know that Brandon is being politely impatient on the matter as well," she said with a laugh. "He's constantly asking me the same question."

"Well you take your time, dear," Narcissa said reassuringly. "There's no need to rush when a baby's in the picture."

"Do you miss it?" Astoria asked curiously.

Lily gave her a slightly sheepish look. "Yeah, a little," she said honestly. "Mostly, I just miss doing something other than always being at home."

"I felt that way after Draco and I got married," Astoria said with a nod. "For the longest time, it felt like I did absolutely nothing but drift around this big manor. It was why I got into fashion, just so I could have something to do with myself."

"I always find myself studying over my potion books whenever Mitch finally goes down for a nap. But that's when time seems to just fly by, and then he's up again," Lily said with a sigh. "I mean, I love spending the day with him. He seems to do something new every day, and I love it."

"But you sometimes wish for the freedom of not being a parent?" Astoria guessed. "Dear, just wait until Mitchell is off to Hogwarts. All you'll do is miss him, and wish he were this size again." Astoria looked at her own son, grown and now a man. "I know I sometimes still do."

* * *

As months started to pass, Lily and Scorpius both delighted in watching all the little milestones that Mitchell passed. Teething was a bit difficult for all three of them. Whenever the small and short periods of irritability in Mitchell's gums came, he was inconsolable. And since he now was always insisting on Scorpius holding him before going to work, he would sometimes leave with drool stains on the shoulder of his shirt where Mitchell had tried to ease his discomfort by gnawing on the fabric.

But there were other ones, good ones. As his body and muscles got stronger, he was now able to support himself better, and had even mastered sitting up. And while he still had trouble crawling, he made up for it by rolling. They found it cute, although a bit scary at times.

And other big changes came, although it had nothing to do with Mitchell. It had more to do with their family, both to be exact. The month of May brought great surprise, and big news for them all.

* * *

"You know, at the rate they were going, I would have never thought that Tanner and Kimberly were ever going to get married," Lily commented at the wedding reception.

Apparently, just a month before, Tanner and Kimberly had finally decided that it was time to get married. It had only been years since they'd gotten together, but that wasn't what made it surprising. It was the relationship itself. The two were constantly arguing, and constantly having little break up periods, where they would finally get back together after at least a week. Apparently, their record was being broken up for two weeks.

"I love my cousin, but I'm amazed that Kimberly puts up with him," Scorpius said in agreement as he fed a small bite of cake to Mitchell, who was getting better with certain foods. He could even eat certain solids now.

"Hey, guys," Will greeted with a bit of a mumble as he joined them at their table.

"Hi, Will," Lily greeted in a more friendly manner.

"What's got you so grumpy?" Scorpius retorted sarcastically.

"I just got done being uncomfortable by having to sit next to my sister, who insisted on snogging her boyfriend every few seconds," Will grumbled with annoyance.

"I thought you couldn't care less if Tamara had a boyfriend?" Scorpius pointed out.

"Not Tamara. Jo," Will muttered.

"Oh, that's right, Jo's graduated now," Lily said as she remembered. "I forgot. Wow, I remember when that girl was just a third year."

"Well now she's eighteen, and thinks she knows all," Will said dryly. "Personally, I could care less if she's been in a relationship for almost a year now."

"What's the guy's name?" Scorpius inquired as he passed Mitchell off to Lily.

Will shook his head. "Believe it or not, it's Bobby Pritchard."

Lily looked at him in mild surprise. "Robbie? Really?" It made Lily happy to hear that Robbie seemed to be moving on from his young-minded feeling for her.

Will nodded. "Yeah. Apparently they started dating a little before they graduated."

Scorpius sighed. "Man, I'm starting to feel really old. I remember that kid when he was scrawny, short, copper hair, and looked like he might puke during his Sorting."

"What are we talking about?" Tanner asked with a loud sigh as he dropped into a seat at the table.

"Hey, congratulations," Will said.

Tanner grinned. "Yeah, thanks. But instead of talking about the lost of my freedom, let's continue with your topic," he joked.

Lily laughed. "Why did you ask her to marry you then?"

Tanner leaned back into his seat. "Well . . . I didn't really ask. Neither of us did."

"Then how did we end up here?" Scorpius questioned with amusement at his younger cousin.

"Well, we'd had a little . . . tiff," Tanner tried to say lightly.

"You broke up," Will stated.

Tanner ignored him. "And, when we were starting to try and patch things up, she said that she was tired of going back-and-forth. And it's not like she was being pushy or anything. But she simply said that she didn't want to do it anymore unless there was a real commitment between us," he explained.

"So you decided to get married? Just so the two of you could fight and make up?" Scorpius replied.

"Yeah, basically," Tanner agreed.

"And from what I hear, you don't even make up the fun way," Will said with a small laugh.

"Hey, let's not laugh at my agony," Tanner quipped. "Let's move on something . . . well anything is better. Like about this little tyke." He reached out and let Mitchell take hold of one of his fingers.

"Is the reason you got married because you're expecting one?" Will joked.

"No!" Tanner said quickly. "No, not for a long time."

"What would be wrong with having a kid?" Lily teased.

Tanner raised a brow. "Really? Can you see me being a father at this point in my life?"

"I can't see that in any point in your life," Scorpius laughed.

"And I agree," Tanner said simply. "Not happening for a long time."

Lily looked at her son. "Yeah, I used to think that too." She grinned at Tanner. "And look where that got me."

* * *

Lily smiled as she watched Mitchell look at the book and the magazines on the floor, as if he were fascinated by all the colors. He'd just gotten done pulling them off the table one-by-one, and was now simply staring at them. Every once in a while, he'd reach out to put his hand on one, but would then pull it back.

Cecilia, who had decided that she was hungry early, was sitting at the table eating a small lunch. Padfoot was following Lily diligently around the room, resting his head against her side whenever she stopped moving. And Salazar was sitting on the top of the couch, watching Mitchell. Ever since they had brought Mitchell home from the hospital, Salazar watched him suspiciously. Lily thought he might be remembering the times Theo used to try and play with him years ago.

A knock on the door stopped Lily from doing the bit of rearranging she was already doing with the books in their bookshelf. She'd sent Tiff to pick up a few things from Diagon Alley, not really wanting to take the two kids with her. Cecilia was always trying to run off and look at everything, and Mitchell was always trying to pull things off the shelves to look at them.

As Lily walked to the door, picking the book up off the floor as she did. After all, she didn't care about the magazines, but the book was one of her potion books. After setting it back on the table, she walked over and answered the door. It was a surprising sight, because there was Louis, holding a little girl, whose face was buried in his shoulder, so all Lily could see was light blonde hair.

"Um, hey, Louis. This is a surprise," Lily commented curiously. "Come in."

Louis, who looked oddly panicked, stepped in, but he didn't put the little girl down. So Lily closed the door, now a bit worried about her cousin. "Lily," Louis said, his voice sounding like he looked, "I need you to keep a secret. This . . . this is like me telling you I was gay all over again!"

Lily nodded her head immediately. "Ok, of course. What is it?"

Louis hesitated, but then he set the little girl on her feet. And when she tried to cling to Louis, he whispered something softly, and Lily was unable to hear it. But then as Louis stood back up, the little girl turned around, and Lily couldn't believe what she was seeing.

The little girl, who couldn't be older than five, had a cute face. Almost strikingly cute. Her eyes were crystal blue, and they seemed to sparkle in the light. And with the light blonde hair added into all of that . . .

"Please tell me that this is Theo, and you two are playing a game," Lily said, now feeling a bit hesitant herself.

Louis gulped. "Lily, this is Dom Kylie Weasley. My . . . daughter."

Words welled in Lily's chest and throat, but she pushed them away as she looked at the little girl, who looked so sad and confused. She choked them down, and instead smiled at the little girl. "Hello, Dom. It's nice to meet you," she said.

The little girl whispered something that Lily again couldn't hear.

"You have to speak louder," Louis urged.

Dom looked at Lily. "I'm hungry," she murmured.

"Oh," Lily said. "Well, how about I make you something, ok?"

That was when Padfoot came up again, and looked at the little girl. He sniffed her, which blew her hair around her face, making her giggle. Louis seemed to notice the opportunity. "Why don't you play with the doggy, and Aunt Lily and I will make you something to eat?" he suggested.

As Dom went to play with Padfoot, Lily took Louis over to the kitchen area, and looked at her cousin in amazement. "Daughter?" she demanded.

Louis let out a large breath. "I know, I know. I just found out about her yesterday!"

"How the hell is this possible?" Lily retorted. "Last time I knew, children did not spawn from gay relationships."

Now Louis almost looked a bit sad. "Remember when told you about how I got drunk at House party, and I woke up next to a girl, Kylie Wright, and I thought that was why Paul was mad at me?"

Hearing that made it click for Lily. "She happened from your one night stand years ago?"

Louis nodded. "Yeah. She's _four_!"

"And you never told anyone?" Lily hissed.

"I didn't know!" Louis insisted. "Like I said, I only found out yesterday. Kylie never said a word, and not even a letter. She said nothing to me about it."

"Then why wait four years?" Lily asked.

Louis's sad look returned. "She died, Lil."

Lily stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "What?"

Louis ran a hand over his face. "She died a week ago. She was an Unspeakable, and . . . she died in a work-related accident."

"Oh," Lily murmured, not really sure what else to say.

"A man came to my place yesterday, and he told me about it. And he said that it was assumed that I would take custody of our child. Imagine my surprise," Louis said with a bit of scoff. "But . . . how could I not? I mean, Kylie named her after my family, and she looks like me! Even Paul said that she was without a doubt my daughter."

Lily continued with lunch. "So . . . when are you going to tell the family?"

"I don't know how," Louis admitted as he helped. "I mean, this isn't like my being gay, where I could just casually say it at the table during dinner. This is huge!"

"So why come to me?" Lily questioned.

Louis shrugged. "I knew I could trust you to give me time. I thought about telling Vic, but she's not home. You two are the best choices." He paused, then sighed. "Lily, I don't know what to do. I mean, this little girl . . . my daughter, is heartbroken that her mother's gone. She's just met me, she's four, and I don't know what to do. I don't know how to take care of her, how to make her feel better, or anything! I was never mentally prepared for the fact that I could one day be a father."

Lily sighed too as she finished the sandwich and small salad. She put the plate on the table and went over to where Dom was still playing with Padfoot. "Here, sweetie, lunch is ready. Pad will happily play with you once you've finished."

Little Dom hurried over to the table, but stopped when she saw Cecilia still eating, not hardly paying attention to anything around her. But then she noticed the slightly older girl near the table. "Hi!" she greeted happily.

Lily smiled. "Dom, this is Cecilia. Cecilia, this is Dom."

"Hi," Dom greeted by shyly as she sat down at the table.

Louis stayed by the counter, but looked at Lily when she joined him. "How do you do it, Lil?"

Lily sighed as she looked at her own son, who was still looking at the magazines in amazement. "It's not easy. It's really hard, and it's really scary. Dealing with the loss of a parent . . . I don't know how I could help you with that. As for taking care of her . . . do what you do for yourself. Feed her, talk to her, spend time with her, make sure she'd happy and comfortable."

Louis scratched at his neck. "You know, a lot of guys who are gay sometimes wish for a kid of their own. I never did, though. I was happy with just Paul and me being together. But now I have what people wish for . . . and I feel so lost on what to do."

Lily nodded as she walked over and picked up Mitchell, who had just torn a page from a magazine. It was an advertisement of some kind. "Well, this is from a new parent, but I always feel a bit lost sometimes. While I've got the basics down, feeding, bathing, etc. . . . some things aren't basic. I know that certain things he does make me happy and excited, and there are things that we've found that make him smile and laugh . . . but I sometimes wonder will it be that easy when he's older. When he's four," she said as an example.

"But my daughter already has a personality, and four years of her life that I missed. Now her whole world has changed, and so has mine. Now . . . it's like she's some secret. And I don't want that. She's my _daughter_. I mean, I already love this little girl, and I don't care that it's only been a day. But some how . . . I've got to tell the family," Louis said.

"You should take her to your parents," Lily suggested. "They should be the first to know they have a grandchild. And Dom should meet them, especially if she's just lost her mother."

"But what about the rest of the family?" Louis questioned.

"Well, you could just tell Grandma Weasley, Uncle Ron, and Uncle George. Then the word would spread like wildfire among the family," Lily said with a bit of a laugh.

Louis finally laughed a little too. "That's not a bad idea," he agreed. "And maybe . . . maybe I'll go to Mum and Dad tonight. After all, with our place only being a one bedroom, we'll need somewhere for her to sleep."

"What _are_ you going to do about that?" Lily asked curiously.

"We told our landlady this morning that we'd be moving. And with the fact that I have to tell Mum and Dad, maybe they'll let us stay there until we find a place," Louis mentioned.

"I'm sure that with a new grandchild, your mother would leap at the idea," Lily assured as she finally took the page from Mitchell, who was beginning to try and chew on it.

"Well, at least I got to skip the whole teething, and baby-stage," he commented lightly. "And I got her before the moody teenage years." Louis let out a dry laugh. "I just got her when she's emotionally distraught and heartbroken. Not to mention scared. I honestly don't know which I would have preferred."

"I wonder why Kylie never told you about her," Lily wondered.

"Me too," Louis agreed. "I mean, doing the math, it would have been just at the end of my sixth year. But I still would have done all I could. And, I would have loved it. I would have loved to be around her when she was born, as she grew up. I mean, pictures at least would have been nice."

"She must have had her reasons," Lily replied.

"Yeah . . . but now I'll never know what they were."


	117. When You're No Longer Hurting

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Quick update, I know. Short chapter, I know. And a lot of time passes in this chapter. A lot. Again, I know. And all of this is necessary. The next few chapters will be like that. A lot of skips in time. We won't see every moment happen, but might brush up on them. A lot of time is going to pass soon.**

**Chapter Note - Out of all the chapters, I find this one to be really emotional and sad at some times, one in particular. So just be ready for it. Anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Seventeen: When You're No Longer Hurting

When word finally did spread around the family about Louis having a daughter, Grandma Weasley immediately set up a big family party one weekend. Lily and Scorpius of course brought Cecilia along, and Padfoot as well. And since Cecilia was turning out to be pretty good friends with little Fleur and Colin, the three of them immediately took off giggling into the backyard where everyone was. Theodore and Gabby were sitting in a small group with Dom, who seemed very shy around her newly found cousins.

"There's my godson!" Hugo said proudly as he and Stacy approached Lily and Scorpius. He held out his arms, so Scorpius passed Mitchell off to his godfather. "Hey, little guy." Mitchell immediately reached up and took his hat, which had become a new fascination for him whenever he saw Hugo.

"He's so cute," Stacy murmured, smiling sweetly.

"I can't tell who he'll look like more," Hugo joked. "Although, he does have a lot of Lily in his looks already, what with the hair and eyes."

"Is he still teething?" Stacy asked curiously.

Scorpius pinched the shoulder of his shirt, which had an obvious and new wet spot. "Yep. A few new ones are coming in." He reached down the rub Padfoot's back playfully. "He drools more than this guy sometimes!" Padfoot just wagged his tail, and playfully rubbed his head against Scorpius's pantleg.

"Is that my nephew?" James questioned as he and Rose walked over to join them. He held out his hands. "Let me see." Hugo passed the baby off. "Hey there, big guy! What's up?" James said excitedly, making Mitchell smile and let out a little laugh.

Rose smiled. "Aw. It almost makes you want one."

"I don't think this is something I want to hear about my sister," Hugo teased.

Rose playfully shoved him. "Oh, don't be a baby. It's not like I was going to go into detail. Besides, I still have a career to think about first."

"Well I know it makes me want one. I feel left out now that both of my siblings have kids of their own," James joked.

"Speaking of kids," Hugo commented, looking a bit uncertain. "Anyone know why Louis's little girl seems so shy?"

Now their whole little group seemed hesitant, because Dom was a bit of a touchy, and yet uncertain topic. No one really knew how to approach the subject or talk about it.

So Lily sighed. "I think she just might be a little upset and scared. I mean, she did just lose her mother a few weeks ago."

"And this is a lot to take in," Rose agreed. "I mean, this is a whole lot of family. I'm sure once she gets comfortable, she'll relax."

"I feel kind of bad," Hugo stated. "I mean, a girl her age should be happy, loud, and full of energy."

"Just give her time," James said. "It's not easy when your life takes a turn for the worst. It can take awhile before it all comes back together again." But then James jumped. "Ah! Oh, oh, Lil, he's drooling everywhere! Is he ok?"

Lily laughed as she took Mitchell, and wiped his chin. "He's teething, James."

"Babies do that when they reach this stage," Scorpius mentioned he dug through the baby bag, and pulled out a small teething ring. "Here, little man. It's cold." Mitchell took it, and immediately began to gnaw on it.

James wiped his shirt a little, but there was still a little wet spot. "I've never had a baby drool that much on me. Took me by surprise."

Rose rolled her eyes. "You're such a dork."

"Aunt Lily!" Theo greeted happily as he and Gabby ran up to them, with Dom following slowly behind them.

Lily smiled at them. "Hey, Theo. How does it feel to be seven?" His birthday has passed last month, and Gabby's was about a week ago now.

"It feels better to be five!" Gabby stated happily.

Theodore rolled his eyes. "I like being seven. It means that I'm closer to going to Hogwarts," he mocked.

Hugo kneeled down so he was their height, and he looked at Dom. "Hey, there, Dom. I'm Hugo," he introduced.

Dom shyly waved. "Hi."

"It's ok, Dom," Gabby said almost reassuringly. "Uncle Hugo's really nice. He's funny."

Hugo grinned. "How old are you?"

Dom came a little closer. "Four."

"Really? When's your birthday?" Hugo inquired.

"March," Dom stated carefully.

"March. Ok, so when March comes around, I'll have to buy a big old stuffed lion just for you," Hugo joked playfully.

Finally, Dom smiled a little.

James then kneeled down and jumped into the attempt. "I'll do better than that! I'll get you a toy dragon that's as big as your room!"

Dom's smile began to grow, and Lily could see her urge to giggle being held back a little.

"Psh, I'll get you a real dragon! As big as your house!" Hugo exclaimed.

Finally, Dom let out what might have been the cutest giggle.

* * *

"She's getting better," Paul commented as he, Lily, Lorcan, and Lucy sat at a table together. They were all watching Hugo play with the group of little kids, and it was obvious that he was favoring Dom in order to keep her smiling.

"It seems like it. I don't think I saw her smile at all when Louis first brought her over," Lily agreed.

"She's talking more," Paul mentioned. "Louis took a couple days off just so he could spend all day with her, and so they could get to know each other better. It's probably a good thing."

"How are you taking this?" Lorcan asked. "I mean, it's not like you'd planned to be a father, right?"

Paul shrugged. "It's kind of weird, still. I mean, while she's not biologically my daughter, she's like a . . . stepdaughter. She . . . she is my daughter now too. And she is Louis's daughter in every sense. Already, I care for her, and I worry about her. At the moment, that's all I can really do."

"So you're not worried?" Lucy said, a bit surprised.

Paul grinned a little. "Well of course I'm scared," he said with a bit of a laugh. "I mean, I'm a parent now. I'm sure I'll have the same fears all parents have. Plus, I'll get to worry about her needing a female figure in her life, and then about how I won't know how to connect with a teenage daughter, and so on. But for now, I'm concerned with just worrying about her feelings," he explained.

"Don't worry, I have more than the normal worries of a parent too," Lucy said with a bit of dry humor to her tone. "After all, I get to worry about Colin finding out the truth about Zack and Tyler."

"It won't slip from any of us," Lorcan promised with a smile.

"What about you, Lorcan?" Lily teased. "When do you think you'll finally be a father?"

Lorcan chuckled. "I don't know. Rose and I have talked about it, and we've both decided that, right now, it wouldn't be practical. Quidditch takes me away from home a lot, and her job is unpredictable, so we'd never know if she would be needed on a mission. We're waiting until we feel like it'll be something we can handle."

"I can't believe that Theo is _seven_ now," Lucy said with disbelief.

"I know!" Lily agreed. "I remember going to the hospital when he was born! It's so . . . weird."

"Think about this. In just four years, he'll be going to Hogwarts," Lorcan pointed out. "That's going to be even weirder. When we have get-togethers like this, he might not be there, but at school instead."

Lily shook her head. "Too weird to think about."

"I can't believe it!" Roxanne grumbled as she came to sit with them, plopping down into a chair, looking irritated.

"What's wrong?" Paul asked.

"My brother. He's such an idiot!" Roxanne complained.

"What did Freddy do?" Lily asked. If it had been like when they were children, they would have all assumed that Freddy had pulled a prank. But with his new . . . style, that seemed unlikely. In fact, it seemed unlikely for him to do anything upsetting.

"He went and got his . . . _wife_ pregnant," Roxanne stated. "Now my niece or nephew will be a spawn of that . . . harpy!"

"Freddy and Janie are having a baby?" Lucy exclaimed. "When did this new come about?"

"They just finally decided to tell the family, me and our parents included," Roxanne said with a roll of her eyes.

Lily looked to where Freddy was standing with their Uncle Bill, his father, and their grandfather. And as she looked at him, Lily noticed that he looked . . . "He seems much happier than he has in the past few years."

"The happiest," Roxanne said in agreement.

"Then why are you so upset if he's happy?" Lorcan asked. "I mean, I know you two have been butting heads a little, but so much that you'd be angry when he's happy?"

"It's not that," Roxanne replied. "I am happy that my brother finally looks happy about something. I just don't like his wife. I can't stand her. That's what makes me angry. That of all people, he had to marry her. Of all people, he had to have a baby with her!"

"What did Janie ever do to you?" Lucy asked.

"I don't like the relationship between her and Fred," Roxanne stated. "I don't trust her, or her intentions."

"Why not sit down and talk with her? I mean, they've been married for years now," Lily pointed out.

"Because if I do that, then I get the feeling that I'll hate her even more, and I'll hex her. I'm avoiding a fight," Roxanne replied with a bit of a grin.

"Probably a goo idea," Paul said with a laugh.

"Aunt Lily?" Theodore addressed as he walked over to their table. He was a bit taller than a normal seven-year-old today, and his hair was as green as the grass. "I have a question, and Dad said that I should ask you."

Lily raised a brow. "Ok. What is it?"

"When I go to Hogwarts, what House do you think I should be in?" Theodore asked.

Lily almost groaned. Of course Teddy would send him to her with that question!

"See, he's already thinking about Hogwarts," Lorcan pointed out, pointing back to their previous conversation.

But Theodore just looked at Lily, waiting for an answer. "Why do you ask?" she questioned, wanting to avoid his own question.

"Well, because Gabby asked me. And . . . I don't know which House I should be in," Theodore explained. "So I can't properly answer her yet."

Lily sighed. "Theo, you should be in the House that you belong in."

"But which one is that?" Theodore asked, not letting her sidestep the question even a little.

Lily looked at the others. "What do you guys think?"

Lucy looked at Theodore. "Hmm . . . I'd say Gryffindor, actually. He's got the personality for it."

"Yeah, I agree," Paul replied.

"I don't know, I could see this little guy being a Slytherin," Lorcan said with a grin. "He's devious when he wants to be."

"That's a common Weasley trait though. After all, look at my dad," Roxanne pointed out with a laugh.

Lily looked at her nephew. "I think Gryffindor too."

Theodore still looked curious. "Why Gryffindor?"

"Because you're a very brave little boy. Loyal. There's a lot of reasons," Lily told him. "_But_, just because we think that, don't believe it. We could be wrong, and maybe you really belong somewhere else."

"You assume we're wrong?" Paul teased.

Lily gave him a dry grin. "The whole world was wrong about me being a Gryffindor. Why take the chance?"

* * *

"I'm glad I came over, but are you sure I'm not imposing?" Elizabeth asked as Lily set a glass of water in front of her on the table.

"Of course not," Lily assured as she sat down. Elizabeth had stopped by, looking hesitant. It had been a surprise, since usually Elizabeth only came over with James, but Lily and Scorpius didn't mind. In fact, Scorpius was too preoccupied with Mitchell.

Elizabeth looked to where Scorpius was playing with Mitchell on the floor in the living room. Now that Mitchell was eight months, he was getting to where he could stand, and even take a few steps if he had the support of surrounding furniture. "Mitchell is really cute," Elizabeth mentioned.

Lily smiled as she watched her husband and son. "Yeah. He gets cuter with each new thing he does it seems."

But oddly, Elizabeth's smile turned a bit sad as she dropped her gaze to her glass. "Lily, can I ask you a question?"

Lily nodded. "Of course."

"I know I shouldn't ask you this, but I feel like, as James's sister, you're the only one that would know," Elizabeth said.

Lily almost hesitated now. What had her brother done? "What is it, Elizabeth?"

"Do you think James . . . loves me? I mean _really_ loves me. That he's serious about me?" Elizabeth asked.

Lily smiled lightly. "Of course he is. I don't think I've ever seen James so committed to anything or anyone as he is with the relationship you two have. Why ask?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "It's like we've reached this . . . stalemate. We've reached this point where nothing is changing. He comes to see me, and then goes back to his place that night, or maybe he'll have me stay the night with him. But . . . that's it. We've been together for over two years, and that's all we've accomplished. And he just seems . . . fine with it. Like it doesn't matter to him."

"James is dense and oblivious," Lily stated easily. "He doesn't get things like that. You have to tell him straight out, because he doesn't do well with urges and hints. Sometimes, he takes them the completely wrong way. The best way is to tell him, otherwise he'll just screw it up."

"I just wish that he were . . . well," Elizabeth hesitated.

"Smart?" Lily guessed with a grin. "Hate to say, but James only has his moments, and they can be rare."

"Hey, has Mitch eaten?" Scorpius asked as he approached the two of them, Mitchell in his arms.

Lily nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Because I think I can get him to actually take a nap. He's starting to yawn," Scorpius mentioned. Naps weren't easy with Mitchell, who now always seemed to want to stay up and see everything there was to see, and look at every possible color.

Lily smiled. "Don't let that chance pass."

Scorpius smirked. "Got it. I'll be back," he said as he made his way down the hall.

Lily sighed as she watched them go. "I think soon we'll have to move the crib into the other room. After all, he hardly cries at night anymore. It's surprisingly rare now."

A knock sounded at the door, and the girls watched as Tiff hurried to get it. "Sad to have Mitchell in another room," Elizabeth mentioned with a bit of a smile.

"I've just grown used to having him in ours. If we do give him his own room, it'll just feel weird," Lily sighed.

It turned out to be Shannon at the door, holding what looked like a wrapped box. "Hey, Lily," Shannon greeted.

"Hey, Shay. This is Elizabeth Peaks, James's girlfriend. Elizabeth, this is my friend, Shannon," Lily introduced.

"Hi," Shannon said in a friendly tone what was normal for her.

"It's nice to meet you," Elizabeth replied.

"What's in the box?" Lily asked curiously.

"Oh." Shannon put the box on the table. "It's a gift for you and Scorpius. Izzy and I got it for you, but she had to work today, so I'm dropping it off."

Lily looked at her with a bit of confusion. "A gift? For what?"

"Well we know it's late, since your wedding anniversary was last week, but we thought you wouldn't care," Shannon joked as she sat down.

Lily looked at her in surprise. "Our what?"

Shannon gave her a warning and exasperated look. "No, no, no, Lily Luna! Do not tell me you two forgot it again! It's been the same day for six years now!"

"What's been the same day for six years?" Scorpius asked as he came back in and reached down to pick up the stuffed tiger that he'd forgotten on the floor.

"Your anniversary!" Shannon exclaimed. "The one you two have practically forgotten throughout your entire relationship!"

"Damn, it's been six years?" Scorpius retorted. "That seems so long, yet like it's been longer."

"You two are impossible!" Shannon said with a shake of her head.

"Hey, you try having a baby in the house and remembering everything," Scorpius defended as he headed back down the hall.

Lily nodded. "He does have a point."

"He would if this were only the first time you forgot. But it's not, so it doesn't," Shannon countered.

Lily gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry. Thanks for the gift though. That was sweet. He didn't get me anything."

Shannon just rolled her eyes.

* * *

Time moved forward for all of them. Soon Mitchell had his first birthday, and Janie gave birth to a daughter, who they named Trinity Marigold Weasley. Louis and Paul finally found a place for their new family, and Dom seemed to settle into having a big family now. And it seemed that, while she still missed her mother, she and Louis were becoming inseparable. For Lily and her friends, the best and probably the funniest news came when they all heard Megan throw the biggest fit about how Hunter had "knocked her up." They all prayed for the unborn child as they laughed.

But it wasn't just good news that was brought to them as the new year got underway. Of all the different careers in the Weasley family, there were some that proved dangerous. James's injury made Quidditch seem like one, and not to mention Hugo being a hit wizard, or all the aurors in the family. But of all the tragedies a job could cause, none of them had expected the one that occurred.

* * *

A silent, and empty hole was what it made. It was left it in all of them. It gave the feeling like they'd never laugh again, even if that wasn't true. They felt as if they'd never pull another joke, or watch one happen without it tearing them apart. Pain and sadness. The hole oozed it.

Lily didn't watch as the casket lowered. She couldn't, and she was sure she wasn't the only one. She instead buried her face into Scorpius's chest, Mitchell asleep in her arms. The sight was too much. The casket, all the people crying, her mother bawling in her father's arms, her grandmother hysterical, James failing to repress tears, and not to mention all the others.

Family dinners at the Burrow, Christmases, other holidays . . . they'd never see him there again. He would always be gone. Never was he coming back. One accident, one simple mistake had taken all of that away. Had taken him away.

Uncle George.

No one knew what had caused it, not even Aunt Angelina. He'd been working alone in the shop, when apparently a test run for a new product had apparently gone awry. By the time Aunt Angelina had gotten to him, and gotten him to St. Mungo's, there was no hope. He'd been dead before anyone could get to the hospital to see him.

Laughter. That's what was missing now. And it made Lily's throat tighten. He had been the first uncle to accept her Sorting, the one to easily joke about it, and not care. He'd always taken to making the kids laugh, often using his lack of one ear as a joke. But now . . . they would never see that again. They would never see _him_ again.

Scorpius held her and Mitchell tight, his hand soothingly rubbing her back, although Lily could feel that his body was tense at his repressed emotions. And his taking her and Mitchell home was a blur, one that she hardly remembered. But she did soon recognize that she was home, sitting on the couch as Scorpius took Mitchell to his crib, which had been finally placed into the guestroom, which was now the nursery.

Stunned. That's how she had been just a few days ago when she'd heard the news. When Hugo had sadly and somberly come over to tell her, she had first been in silent disbelief. Then when it sunk in, she was just stunned. And now that she was no longer frozen, she just felt as if she were silently being torn apart.

Uncle George. The name repeated over and over again in her mind. Images of him appeared in her thoughts. Memories of his jokes, his pranks. The memory of how he'd sat and talked with her about the pain of losing a sibling. He was the one that had really understood her at that time.

Uncle George. The man that, although always looking cheery, had never truly gotten over the loss of his brother. The man that had understood Lily through what had felt like the loss of hers. The man that had not at all judged her when she was Sorted, but had instead joked about it.

Uncle George.

Lily could feel the burn of her eyes, the wetness on her cheeks, the pain in her chest, and the shaking of her shoulders and body. But she couldn't get herself to move or to even calm down. The hole . . . it was almost swallowing her, keeping her from moving.

But then she felt a warm hand cup her cheek, and then brush her tears away. Her blurry vision cleared to see Scorpius kneeling in front of her, looking sad and worried at the same time. "It'll be ok, Lily. I promise you," he whispered as he moved to sit next to her. He pulled her into a tight hug, which Lily appreciated as she cried into his shirt. Soothing fingers ran through her hair, and his low and yet still soft voice murmured gentle words into her ear.

"You have to look at the bright side of this, baby. I know it's hard, but you have to keep it in mind," Scorpius whispered.

Lily took in a small gasp of air. "What bright side is there to this?" she demanded, her voice thick.

"Remember how you once told me that he missed his brother, was hurt by the death of his twin?" Scorpius reminded.

Lily just nodded into his chest.

"Well now, he finally gets to see his brother again. He can stop hurting."

* * *

It was no surprise that the ownership of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes when to both Freddy and Roxanne. But from what Lily could gather from what she'd been told by different family members, Roxanne had given Freddy her half, with a threat to kill him if he closed the shops. Then apparently, a disagreement had broken out between Freddy and Janie, which had led to their divorce. Lily was only able to imagine how happy Roxanne would have been if it'd been another period of time.

* * *

Lily sighed as she looked over Mitchell, who had just fallen asleep for his afternoon nap. He was getting so big. He was walking, and although his attempts at words were a bit sloppy, he was good at getting his point across with certain actions.

Quietly, Lily left the room, softly shutting the door behind her. She walked to the living room to see that Pad was resting quietly on the couch, taking up the whole thing with his size. Cutely enough, Salazar was sleeping on the arm of the couch. Despite Salazar's first hesitance, the two pets had become almost like best friends in the past few years.

The flat had been quiet for the past few days, since Scorpius had left with his entire team on a mission. All she could get from her father was that it was very important, and required all of the team. All that made Lily think was that it was extremely dangerous to need all twelve members of the team Scorpius was on.

Lily decided to make herself a snack before she would go and work on her recent potion project. She was working on her third practical attempt at a potion that would strengthen immune systems. The first two had been too weak, and too short-lasting.

But as Lily had begun to stir in the last two ingredients for the day, she heard the front door open and close. She quickly cast a quick charm to keep the potion stirring, then headed back to the living room. There stood Scorpius, with Pad standing by him, looking excited to see him.

Lily smiled. "You're home," she greeted happily.

But that happiness left when she saw the blank and dull look on Scorpius's face as he slipped off his shoes. "I got back yesterday," Scorpius mumbled, almost dejectedly. "I spent the night in the hospital."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Lily demanded, her happiness pushed away completely now by her worry.

"I wanted to be alone so I could think," Scorpius replied dully as he walked toward the bedroom.

Lily followed him, her worry rising, but no longer for his physical state. "What happened?"

"Just some bruises and burns, really," Scorpius said vaguely as he peeled his shirt off. And Lily could easily see the fading marks on his back and shoulders.

"I meant the mission," Lily countered. "Something happened, otherwise you wouldn't have wanted to be alone."

"How would you know?" Scorpius muttered as he dropped onto his back on the bed.

Lily came to sit next to him. "Because I'm your wife, and I know you all too well. Now I don't care if you're not supposed to talk about your work in detail, do it anyways."

Scorpius just stared at the ceiling for a few moments, but Lily waited patiently. Finally he took in a deep and troubled breath. "Two men died."

"Oh, Scorpius," she sighed. "I'm so sorry."

"One was our captain. He was dead before he fully got inside," Scorpius whispered, his eyes closing. "The other . . ." A scowl marred his face. "The other was Marks. He ran in after we heard the captain fall under the attack. I couldn't stop him fast enough, and they blew him away."

Lily leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on his scrunched brow. "I'm sorry."

"He shouldn't have died," Scorpius hissed. "I was in charge of them. He should not have been the first one inside! I should have, and then maybe he wouldn't have died! Maybe I wouldn't have to explain to his wife what happened."

Lily's heart tightened painfully at his words, and what they could possibly mean. "It may sound cruel, but I'd prefer that over him coming and telling me that . . . something had happened to you," she whispered.

"It doesn't matter. I was his leader. In our line of work, it was my responsibility to look after them. And I failed," Scorpius murmured, finally opening his eyes. "And who knows. Maybe I wouldn't have died. Maybe the rest of us would have lived if I'd gone in first."

Lily moved to lay beside him. "Personally, that's still not something I'd like to risk."

"He had a son, Lil," Scorpius whispered. "He had a little boy, just like me. His was a few years older than Mitch, but he still had a son. And now . . . that little boy has to learn that he no longer has a dad." He closed his eyes again for a brief moment, before opening them with a new determination. "I'm not going to let that happen to my son."

"Good," Lily murmured as she reached forward to brush a bit of his hair from his brow. "Because that's not something I want for him either. And honestly, I don't think I could handle it myself."

Scorpius turned to look at her, then brought his own hand up to twirl a strand of her hair around his finger. "I promise you, that there will never be a mission that I don't come back to you afterwards. I will always come back," he promised.

And even though it wasn't really a promise he could make, because the job of an Auror was so unpredictable and dangerous at times, Lily still felt herself relax a little. "Good. Because if you don't then I'd have to bring you back and kill you again for doing that to me."

Scorpius finally smirked, and let out a small chuckle. "I'll hold you to that." Then he sighed as he let go of her hair. "Is Mitch asleep?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, but he should be up soon. And I know he'll be glad to see you, because he's been asking for you."

"Good. Because the team was given a week off to recover, and I don't want to miss a moment."


	118. Old Life and New Life

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Again, a lot of time skipping in this chapter. From between the last chapter to this one, and from start to finish ****A LOT**** of time passes. While not exactly expressly said, obvious hints and suggestions are said given to show how much time as passed. Again, I just want to remind you guys, because that's going to be a normal thing in these new chapters. But anyways, read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Eighteen: Old Life and New Life

"It's going to be great!" James exclaimed happily as he leaned his back against the counter of the kitchen in the Potter children's childhood home. They had all come to a family dinner, and now the three of them were alone in the kitchen, although Mitchell and Severus made a habit of running through the kitchen with their game.

Mitchell was now two, and was adorable in Lily's eyes. He and Severus were getting along great as cousins, and always played together during these dinners. He was walking and running, and although he was better with talking, he was still sometimes lazy, and wouldn't actually talk, but just do motions for what he wanted.

James and Elizabeth had gotten married about five or six months ago, and were now expecting their first child, which was what James was so excited about. Elizabeth had earlier gone from playing Quidditch to commentating, so it was perfect timing for them. It was all James talked about at times, which Lily and Albus both found a bit amusing, as new parents themselves.

"It's going to be great having a son of my own!" James said with a big smile. "I mean, you two love it, right?"

"I don't love it just because Mitchell turned out to be a boy," Lily retorted with a grin.

"No, I'm with you, James," Albus agreed. "It's nice having a son."

"I mean, all the things I'll get to teach him, and all the things we'll do!" James said with a wistful smile.

"What if it's a girl?" Lily pointed out.

James scoffed. "It won't. Remember, we're Weasleys. Boys are what our genes are famous for," he reminded. "That's why you always said Mitchell was going to be a boy."

"Yeah, but that's also because there's almost never been a female born into the Malfoy line," Lily countered. "So it was the combination of both of our families. There have been plenty of girls in Elizabeth's family."

James just waved her comment off. "It'll be a boy. I've got the gut feeling that it is, so it will be."

"Did your gut say that you would get hit in a match that crippled you for life?" Lily mocked.

James rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha. Make fun of the future father with a limp. That's mature."

It was then that Lily's muggle phone began to ring a bit loudly, startling all of them. Lily hurried to answer it. "Hello, Brandon," she greeted with a sigh.

"Lily!" Brandon greeted happily, although Lily could hear noise from the background on the other side. A few months ago, Lily had finally decided to go back to modeling again, much to Brandon's delight. "I set up that deal, so next Friday's plan is for sure going to happen," Brandon stated.

"Ok, that's fine," Lily said.

But then there was a loud rustle, and muted voices on Brandon's end. But then a new voice came over the phone. "Lily?" Lana's voice greeted.

"Oh, hey, Lana. What are you doing there?" Lily inquired.

"I'm working on the photo shoot that Brandon's at now," Lana mentioned dismissively. "Anyways, I have a question for you. What are you doing tomorrow?"

Lily thought about it. "Nothing. Why?"

"How about a play date? Ali has been asking about playing with Mitchell again," Lana asked.

Lily smiled. With them being born so close together in time, Mitchell and Lana's daughter, Alana, were probably the best of friends. Lily just hoped that they didn't turn out like their parents. After all, Scorpius and Lana still picked on each other. "Sure, that sounds fine. I'll have Cecilia there too, so I'm sure she'd love to have another girl there," she joked.

"Ok, good. Maybe the girl will finally calm down," Lana said with a laugh. Then there was that rustle again.

"I'm back," Brandon said with a huff. "Anyways, Friday, right?"

"Yes, Friday works," Lily assured with a grin. "I'll see you then."

* * *

"I'm glad they're getting along so well," Lana commented as she and Lily watched Mitchell and Alana playing together. Cecilia was drawing a picture, which painfully reminded Lily of Duncan and his talent.

"Yeah, I am too," Lily replied.

"Maybe we should just stick them together every weekend," Lana suggested.

"Just not Saturdays," Lily told her. "Scorpius takes that day off every week to spend time with Mitch."

Lana actually smiled a little. "Really? That's good."

There was a knock on the door, which Tiff was quick to answer. To no surprise, it was Megan who walked in, holding her and Hunter's almost one-year-old baby, Daniella Emilia Baddock.

"Hey, Megan, what's up?" Lily asked curiously.

Megan shrugged as she came to sit with the girls at the table. Daniella seemed to be looking around with interest in her mother's arms, as if she were trying to understand where she was. "My brother mentioned that Lana was coming over here today, so I thought I would too."

"You're getting bored with Hunter being at work, aren't you?" Lana mocked.

"Well when there wasn't a baby, I had a bit more freedom," Megan said with a roll of her eyes. "Sadly, I can't just do what I want anymore if he's not home."

"Well why not do what Hugo does?" Lana suggested. She looked at Lily. "I mean, aren't both him and Stacy still working?"

Hugo and Stacy had gotten married about a year or so ago now, and just months ago, Stacy had given birth to Lily's godson, Jason Scor Weasley. Hugo always brought him over whenever he came to visit Lily.

"Well there's a children's center at the building where Stacy works, so there's someone there that keeps an eye on him while she works," Lily explained. "And she can also drop in and see him when she's between counseling sessions."

"See. Why not stick Daniella in something like that? Or you know, your mother loves babysitting," Lana pointed out. "That's where Alana went yesterday morning."

"Because I don't trust my father," Megan said simply.

"I thought things between you and your parents had cooled down a bit?" Lily inquired.

"A little. My mum's only ecstatic because of Danny. My dad was happy at first, until he found that it was a girl. And the last thing I'll let happen is him being a sexist dick around her," Megan stated firmly.

"Seems like you're screwed then," Lily teased.

"Well I've known that since the test came out positive," Megan muttered.

Lana laughed as she took her niece from Megan. "I know you've never been one for things like this, but even you have to admit that being a mother has turned out to be a great thing."

Megan was obviously repressing a smile as she shrugged again. "Yeah, I guess."

* * *

"How long have we been here?" Scorpius whispered quietly.

"You've been here an hour. I've been here for three, almost four," Lily retorted with a roll of her eyes. Practically all of the family had come to the hospital at the news that Elizabeth's water had broke. Lily and Albus had been here for hours, and had only left the room when it was time for the delivery.

"Mommy," Mitchell yawned from Scorpius's lap, "I'm tired."

Lily brought a hand up to push some of Mitchell's deep red hair from his brow. "Do you want Daddy to take you home?"

But Mitchell shook his head and just buried his face into Scorpius's shirt, looking like he might fall asleep like that. Scorpius chuckled as he cradled their son. "Such a grown up," he joked, smirking at Lily.

It wasn't long until Victoire finally came out, telling the news of how James and Elizabeth were now the parents of a baby girl. Lily almost wanted to laugh at how, again, her brother's "gut instinct" wasn't the best. But with her parents and brother, along with Elizabeth's parents and siblings, Lily had gone into the room to see the couple and newborn. While the rest went to talk to Elizabeth and coo over the baby, who was quite beautiful, Lily and Albus went to where James sat by the door.

"Congratulations, big brother," Albus said, patting James on the shoulder.

"So you're the proud papa of a girl," Lily teased.

James groaned. "This is horrible," he moaned.

Lily and Albus now looked at their brother with worry. "What?" Lily questioned.

James sighed. "This is terrible! I don't know how to raise a girl?"

"What do you mean?" Albus asked.

"Boys are easy!" James insisted. "I mean, I'd understand a boy. I'd know what to teach him, what games to play, and what he'd like to do. Having a girl changes that!"

"In what way?" Lily demanded. "You did fine with me as a kid. And despite certain problems, I'd like to think that I turned out ok."

"Yeah, Lil played Quidditch and rode brooms," Albus said comfortingly. "She hung out and did the same stuff we did."

James ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but look how it turned out once we got older?"

"Ask Dad, no father knows how to truly handle a teenage girl," Lily said as comforting as she could. "It's something you'll just have to let Elizabeth handle when the time comes. I mean, I'm not going to be able to understand Mitchell when he starts maturing and growing up. Those are things that Scorpius will have to take care of. I mean, I already wish that'd I'll be able to, but I know that I really won't."

"I don't want to mess up," James whispered. "I don't want to do something that will make her hate me. I want her to have the best life . . . but I don't think I can give that to her."

"All you can do is give it your all, James," Albus told him. "It's all you can really ever do when it comes to being a parent."

* * *

"Something doesn't make sense," Hugo stated as he walked into the Burrow's kitchen, where Lily and Lucy were helping their grandmother make some snacks, while the other women in the family sat around the table to talk.

"What is it, Hugo?" Rose asked with a sigh and a roll of her eyes.

"Vic is the one that sets this whole family day up, and then they're late," Hugo said simply as he handed his son, Jason, off to his grandmother.

"Hugo, she's pregnant again, and she has five kids to get ready and move around. Give her a break," Lily said with a laugh.

"Something's different," Hugo insisted. "Oh, and, Lucy, Zack said that he thinks Nattie might be hungry."

Lucy sighed now as she hurried off to the living room. Last year, Lucy and Zack had a baby that was truly their own. Natalie Mae Creevey was a doll of a little girl, who had Zack completely wrapped.

"Mommy!" Mitchell exclaimed as he ran into the kitchen.

"Aunt Lily!" Severus was right behind him.

Lily raised a brow at the two little boys. "What?" she asked.

"We wanted a cookie, and Daddy said to tell you," Mitchell said with a cute little smile. It looked too much like his father's.

Lily repressed rolling her eyes as she handed a cookie to each little boy. "Here. But that's it."

"Thank you!" the boys exclaimed as they ran from the room.

"Don't run!" Ginny scolded dismissively.

Lily sighed. "Boys," she mumbled.

"You know, despite having your hair and eyes, he's looking a lot like Scorpius," Audrey commented.

"And I don't know if that's good or bad yet," Lily commented easily.

Suddenly, Teddy's head poked into the room. "Hey, ladies. Mind coming out here? We've got something to show you."

Each of them curious, they all got up and left the kitchen. But there was nothing different or out of place in the living room. It was loud with all the sounds of children playing, but that was normal. And Victoire wasn't there.

"Hi, Aunt Lily," Theo greeted with a small smile. Having just turned ten, he'd be off to Hogwarts in just a year.

"Hey, Theo. How are you?" Lily asked with a smile.

"Surprised," Theodore said simply as he looked at the front door. "You'll see why."

Lily gave the boy a confused and curious look, but then the door opened and Victoire stepped inside. But it was who was behind her that shocked and sent a silence through all the adults in the family.

"Lily! Scor!" Mitch greeted happily as he stood next to Dominique. With his spiky blue hair, he looked no different, not to mention that smile. "I was told I got a nephew with a really cool name."

Lily looked at her cousin, who looked at no one, and not to mention awkward. Well, as awkward as Dominique could look. So Lily did the only thing she could think to do. She walked forward and smiled at her cousin. "For someone who hates big intros, you sure gave a big one," she mocked.

Dominique rolled her eyes, but Lily could see a grin. "I didn't even really want to come. Vic forced me."

"Dominique!" Fleur cried as she then ran and hugged her daughter tightly.

Lily looked over at Mitch. "Have you been taking care of my cousin?"

Mitch laughed as he hugged her. "I have missed you, Lily Lu! So, where's my nephew?"

Scorpius came over with Mitchell in his arms. "This is Mitchell. Mitchell, this is your uncle Mitch."

Mitchell smiled openly. "Hi!" he greeted in a friendly tone.

Mitch laughed. "Damn he looks like you, Scor! Beware, Lil."

"So what are you doing back?" Scorpius asked.

Mitch looked at the rest of the family, who was fussing and occupied with Dominique. So he leaned forward to whisper to the two of them. "You're about to get a nephew too."

Lily smiled. "Are you serious? I thought that was against Dominique's way?"

Mitch chuckled. "It just kind of happened. But yeah, in like seven months or something."

Scorpius smirked. "Excited?"

"Totally," Mitch said with a nod. "It's going to be great. But Dom wanted to come back to her sister, so we all moved back here."

"Yeah, because I think she'd kill you during the pregnancy if you were alone," Scorpius mocked.

"You know, there is a lot more Weasleys and Potters than I remember," Mitch commented as he looked around.

"I think at this rate, Molly is the only one to not have a child yet," Lily told him. "And some of the cousins have two, Vic has five, and so on."

"Wow, even little Huey?" Mitch asked.

Lily nodded. "Yeah. He has a little boy of his own."

Mitch shook his head. "Damn. We missed a lot."

Scorpius clapped him on the shoulder. "We'll catch you up. I promise."

* * *

Lily sighed as she set a bowl of food down for Padfoot, and looked around again to make sure that there wasn't anything she was forgetting.

"Mommy! Can Daddy teach me to tie my shoes?" Mitchell pleaded as he sat on the couch, waiting for Lily to come and tie his shoes for him.

Lily gave Mitchell a smile as she came to kneel in front of him. Coming so close to being four now, Mitchell really was looking like Scorpius. Astoria and Draco were always commenting on it, and Astoria always said that she thought it went well with having Lily's hair and eyes. And now that he was almost four, Mitchell was constantly trying to do things himself, and was always asking to learn how to do things.

Lily began to tie his shoes. "I'd bet if you asked him, Daddy would love to teach you," she told him. "But why do you want to learn? I'll always tie your shoes for you if you need it."

"Because Daddy says that boys have to do things themselves!" Mitchell insisted, his cute little voice messing up some of his words. "And I'm a boy! I'm a big boy!"

Lily shook her head, still smiling. "Yes, you are a big boy. Almost too big." She knew that with Scorpius always spending Saturdays with him, they were going to have a very . . . Malfoy, little boy.

Mitchell smiled. "Daddy says that's good!" He waited patiently as Lily tied the last shoe. "Mommy, where are we going?"

"We are going to the hospital so we can see great-grandpa Lucius," Lily told him. "He's sick, so we're going to meet Daddy there."

"Oh," Mitchell said as he got up from the couch, obviously not grasping the seriousness of the situation.

The Malfoy house elf, Pitch, had come over a few hours ago to tell Lily that Lucius Malfoy was now very ill at St. Mungo's, and that the family was there with him. Lily had sent Tiff to tell Scorpius, and to let him know that she and Mitchell would be there as soon as possible.

"Are you ready?" Lily asked Mitchell. Mitchell didn't really know Lucius. Due to Scorpius's deep-seated anger and dislike for Lucius, he never brought Mitchell around Lucius, at least not willingly. So Mitchell only really saw his great-grandfather during family dinners at the Malfoy Manor.

Mitchell nodded emphatically. "Yeah! I wanna see Grandpa and Grandma Malfoy."

When the two arrived at the hospital, they were led to the room, and Lily was surprised to not see Scorpius already there. She had thought for sure that he would have been able to get there sooner than her. But Astoria, Draco, and Narcissa were there. And Lucius lied on the bed, looking even older and more frail than usual.

"Lily, Mitchell," Draco greeted quietly.

Mitchell was now in Lily's arms, so Lily stepped next to the bed. "Say hi, Mitch," she whispered.

"Hi, great-grandpa," Mitchell greeted just as quietly as his grandfather had.

Lucius looked at the two of them, mainly Mitchell. Then he looked toward the ceiling. "There's an awful lot of Weasley and Potter in that boy," he mumbled.

Mitchell looked at Lily curiously. "Mommy, what's that mean?"

Lily just shook her head. "Nothing, sweetie." She set him down, and he immediately ran over to Astoria, who picked him up and fussed over him. Lily walked over to Draco. "How is he?"

Draco, who seemed to be doing well on repressing his own emotions, whatever they were, just sighed. "He's very ill. And . . . it will be more likely that he will not make it, then that he will. With his age, the illness could easily take him in a month or two."

Lily looked at Lucius sadly. "Has Scorpius been here yet?"

Draco shook his head. "No, he hasn't. I don't imagine that my son will come."

"Surely he would, if at least for a few minutes. I mean, I know they have issues, but that's still his grandfather, and he's deathly ill," Lily retorted.

"I honestly don't think being deathly ill will be enough for Scorpius to come and see him," Draco said honestly.

And it wasn't.

* * *

"I can't believe that you're making me do this," Scorpius muttered. Saturday had come around, and instead of letting Scorpius and Mitchell spend the day together, Lily sent Mitchell to her parents' house, and was dragging Scorpius to see Lucius. "I don't even like the man."

"I do not care. He is your grandfather, and you are going to see him," Lily stated.

"I bet he didn't even say anything about me not being there," Scorpius commented dryly. "I'd bet he'd rather I not be there."

"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy," Lily stopped where they were in the hospital hallway and looked at him firmly, "your grandfather is dying. Chances are that he won't make it two months, possibly not even one month. If this is the only and last time you go to see him, then fine. But you _are_ going to see him."

Scorpius narrowed his eyes and scowled. "I'm not a child."

"Then don't act like one," Lily seethed quietly. "Mitchell was mature enough to go, and he's not even four!"

"Hey, it took two to _make_ such a mature child," Scorpius mocked.

Lily closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, which was not at all calming. Then she looked at her husband again. "Look at it two ways. First off, the rest of your family, who you love, is mourning in there. The least you can do is be there with them and support them. And two, if you decide to turn around and not go see him, you're sleeping in Padfoot's bed on the floor!"

Lily turned and began walking down the hallway again, and she was silently proud when she heard the following footsteps of Scorpius behind her. When they walked in, the rest of the family was there already, and looked a bit surprised to see Scorpius there with her, although Astoria did give Lily a bit of a smile.

"Good afternoon, son," Draco greeted.

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. It was." He looked over at his grandfather, but then looked away without saying anything.

Lucius looked at him with narrow eyes. "It's so _nice_ of you to finally show your face, Scorpius," he spat mildly, mockingly.

"Oh, I'm not a nice man, Lucius, I just married too kind of a woman," Scorpius muttered.

"Such a waste to what could have been a great heir to the Malfoy name," Lucius mumbled.

"No worse an heir than you ever were!" Scorpius hissed.

"Until you married a Weasley!" Lucius seethed.

Scorpius glared at him. "Say one more word about my wife and this illness will be the least of your worries!"

"Boys!" Astoria intervened. "This is not the situation to be arguing like children. Scorpius Malfoy, that is your grandfather."

Scorpius scoffed. "He's a pitiable excuse for a human being." He looked at Lily. "I came, and I'm done now." Then he walked out of the room.

* * *

Lily stayed with the family a bit longer, but then went back home, where she could hear Scorpius in his workout room already. She made her way down the hall to see him lifting a bunch of weights. Leaning against the doorframe, Lily sighed. "Would you just tell me why you dislike that man so much?"

Scorpius did one more rep before stopping. He sat up and looked at her. "It's not like you like the man either."

"I don't dislike him, I pity him," Lily said with a shrug. "I've grown up since I first met him. That doesn't explain your issue."

"I just hate him" Scorpius muttered.

"Why?" Lily demanded.

"Because he doesn't care!" Scorpius finally exclaimed. "He's never cared about me! All he cares about is his precious last name! I was getting my ass kicked all the time when I started school, and he didn't care. When I tried to defend myself, my friends, and my House, I was a mockery to the Malfoy name! And you know why? Because I was fighting like a muggle and not like a wizard! And then he was disappointed that I admitted to losing! Malfoy's don't lose, he said! But I know when I've lost! And I lost every damn day for the first year at school!" In his anger Scorpius glared and stood. "And I realized then that all the time we spent together when I was young, it was not because I was his grandson, and he was my grandfather. It was all about him bringing me up to be a proper heir to _his_ name." His jaw tightened. "I _hate_ that man, and I will _always hate_ him!"

Lily stared at him for a moment. His anger radiated off of him in waves, and his eyes were like a storm. She turned to leave, but stopped to look back at him. "Just remember that the rest of your family doesn't hate him, so ease up a bit around them at least. We both know he'll hide it, but I'm sure that your father isn't taking it as calmly as it seems."

* * *

The news came in a little less than a month, just as they'd all feared. Pitch had Apparated in with a hurry, so Lily quickly took Mitchell to her parents' house, and had then gone back and quickly dragged Scorpius to St. Mungo's. The scene was a sad one. Narcissa was bent over where she sat, her hands covering her face as she cried, sobs wracking her body. Draco held Astoria, and silent tears ran down his cheeks. Lily went to comfort Narcissa, until someone spoke.

"He's dead?" Scorpius questioned. "Pitch didn't say he was dead."

Lily looked at him. "Why do you think Pitch was so urgent?"

"I just . . ." Scorpius gulped. "I just thought he was getting worse."

"He's gone, son," Draco whispered.

Scorpius stared at where Lucius had laid before, but was now gone. An empty bed. Lily personally could only imagine the sadness and horror the others had felt at watching him being carried away. But she still looked at Scorpius, who almost looked frozen with a blank expression. But then he turned and stormed out of the room. Lily followed after him.

"Scorpius! Scorpius, wait!"

But he didn't.

* * *

Lily stayed with the family for hours, especially comforting Narcissa, who was almost inconsolable. But part of her was irritated and angry at Scorpius for just leaving his family like that. It shouldn't have mattered how he felt about Lucius. His family was hurting for Merlin's sake!

So when she came home and found him standing by the counter, looking at the wall, Lily glared at his back in irritation. "Was it necessary to make me yell after you? Was it needed to run off like that?" she demanded.

Scorpius didn't turn to look at her. He kept his hands on the counter and glared at the wall.

Lily sighed, exasperated. "What was the point of running out like that?"

"I'm angry," he said through a tight jaw.

Lily came to stand by him. His eyes were glaring at the wall. "You're angry at him for dying now?"

"I'm angry that I'm not . . . ok," Scorpius hissed, and Lily finally noticed the small tremors running down his arms. It began to worry her. "I hated that man. This should not bother me."

"He was your grandfather. You're allowed to mourn him," Lily said gently, a bit surprised at first by his words.

"I hated him!" Scorpius glared, turning to look at her. He held her arms, his hands shaking. "I should still . . . !"

"Don't let old hate dictate how you feel now," she whispered softly.

Scorpius gulped tightly, and rested his head on her shoulder, his muscles so tight and tense that he was still shaking. "I can't do this!"

Lily did her best to keep from shaking as well. The raw emotion that was running and emitting from him, it struck her hard, and she felt so bad for him. "Scorpius . . ."

He kissed her then, and it was harsh. And while Lily knew that it was his way of distraction, his way to keep from letting it get to him, she let him. Because she didn't want him to hurt. She wouldn't let him tear himself apart.

When their lips parted, his breath was uneven and ragged, and his hold on her was still tight, but Lily didn't mind or pull away. "Why does . . . why does it hurt when someone you hate dies?"

Lily brought a hand up to gently run her fingers through his hair. "Maybe because part of you didn't stop loving him, and still cherished the old memories you had. Even if you think they meant nothing to him, they meant something to you. And it hurts to lose that."

"I hate this feeling," he whispered, a scowl on his brow.

"We could go get Mitch, and the three of us could go out and do something," Lily offered. "It's not much, but it might help a little to get your mind off of it, if that's what you really want."

Scorpius looked down to where he now held her hands in his own. Then almost hesitantly, he looked up at her. "Lily, what would you think about having another baby?"

While surprised initially by the question, Lily didn't let it show. "You mean within the year?"

Scorpius nodded. "Yeah. Mitch is almost four now, and we did say that we'd have at least two."

Lily couldn't stop the small smile from coming to her lips. "So, this is your plan on how to distract yourself from mourning? Another baby?"

"Well when you lose one life, what better than to make another?" Scorpius whispered, his thumb stroking the back of her hand. "But, if you still want to wait, then we can just leave out the baby part."

Lily made a quick decision. And she knew that quick choices probably weren't the best decisions when it came to having another baby, but at this moment, it felt right. It felt like a good choice. "Sure. Maybe another baby will do you some good," she teased gently.

And although she could still feel the tension in his body, Scorpius finally smiled a little. "I hope it's a girl," he whispered just before pressing his lips against hers.

* * *

When the baby was born, it wasn't a girl like Scorpius had hoped. But instead it was a beautiful little boy with tiny wisps of blonde hair. And Lily was the only one that wasn't surprised when he agreed to the name Draco Lucius Malfoy.

* * *

"Do babies always cry?" Mitchell asked curiously as he and Lily watched Scorpius pace around the room, trying to get Draco to calm and stop crying.

"Yes, all babies cry," Lily told him as she stroked their oldest son's hair. "Some more than others."

"Did I cry?" Mitchell asked. He was just starting to learn that he was once the size of Draco.

"Not as much as your brother," Scorpius groaned. He looked at Lily. "He's not calming down, what's wrong? Mitch wasn't like this."

Lily held out her arms. "Here, let me see him."

Scorpius laid Draco into Lily's arms, and Lily softly whispered to the infant. Draco quickly began to quiet, and soon only small coos left his mouth. Scorpius almost glared. "I don't think he likes me."

Lily laughed. "Why do you say that?"

"Because he always cries, and he doesn't stop when I hold him. He only stops if you take him," Scorpius stated.

Lily smiled a little. "Your point?"

"That we've got a boy that loves his mother," Scorpius muttered.

Mitchell looked at his little brother curiously. "How long until he gets bigger?"

"Well how old are you?" Scorpius asked teasingly.

Mitchell smiled a cute four-year-old's smile. "Four!"

"Well then he'll be bigger when he's four," Scorpius told him with a small smile. Then he looked at Lily. "And when he gets bigger, we'll have to set up a room of his own."

Before Lily could speak, there was a knock at the door. And when Tiff answered it, it turned out to be a surprise. Jacob Brown, their old headmaster, walked into their flat.

"Jacob!" Lily exclaimed happily as she stood, careful not to jostle Draco, and thus upset him again.

Jacob smiled happily at his two former students. "Hello, you two. I'm sorry I hadn't visited before, but things have been busy."

"That's fine. This is a surprise," Scorpius commented as he stood up. He took Mitchell's hand, and had him stand up. "Mitch, this is Professor Jacob Brown."

Mitchell waved politely and smiled. "Hi, Mr. Brown."

Jacob kneeled down in front of him. "It's nice to meet you, Mitchell. You look a lot like your parents."

Mitchell smiled. "I know. But I don't have pink in my hair like Mommy."

Scorpius smirked. "When you're older, maybe."

Jacob chuckled as he stood up again, and then looked down at the bundle in Lily's arms. "And who is this little one?"

"This is Draco," Lily told him. "He's only a few months old now."

"Well I can already see that he's looking like his father," Jacob commented.

"He is," Lily said with a small laugh.

"So, not trying to sound like you're a bother, but what brings you about?" Scorpius asked as he walked over to the kitchen counter to grab an apple.

Jacob sat down, patting Padfoot on the head as he came to look at the newcomer personally. "Well, I was hoping that I could ask a favor of Lily, here."

Lily raised a brow as she sat down. "Really? What is it?"

"Well, I was wondering if you would like to come to Hogwarts next week," Jacob said in a simple and casual tone. "Maybe speak to a few classes."

Lily looked at him with confusion. "Speak about what?"

"Your experiences," Jacob replied. "About what you went through while in school, and what you attempted to achieve."

"I think he wants you to talk about House unity," Scorpius said from across the room.

"Is there a problem or something?" Lily asked.

"Not exactly," Jacob replied. "We just want to keep from having a problem. And I thought that you might be perfect for that. Plus, we have another person coming to speak with some classes, so I thought we could just make a day out of it."

"Could I go, Mommy?" Mitchell asked excitedly. "Can I?"

Lily thought about the whole thing. "Well . . . I don't know what I would say, but I guess I could come and talk to them."

"Perfect," Jacob said with a grin. "I'm sure there will be an excitement around the school once word gets around that you'll be around again."

"You plan on telling people?" Lily said with a laugh.

"No, but nothing is ever really a secret at Hogwarts," he said with a chuckle.

* * *

Stepping onto Hogwarts grounds again brought a smile to Lily's face. She hadn't been there since she graduated years ago, but it still felt like another home. With the end of the school year just a little more than a month away, the weather was beautiful. The grounds were quiet in the early morning, as most kids were probably eating breakfast. But Mitchell was eager for it being so early.

"This place is big!" Mitchell commented as he looked all around him, before letting his eyes come back to the castle once again.

"It's really big," Lily said with a smile and a nod. Draco had been left with Astoria for the morning, since Lily personally loved the break, and Astoria loved nothing more than babysitting her grandsons. But Mitchell had insisted on coming, so Lily had finally agreed.

"Will I go here?" Mitchell asked as they finally stepped inside the castle.

"Yep. I went here, and Daddy did, and so did Uncle James and Albus and Hugo. We all came here," Lily told him as she walked him through the castle and to the dungeons, where she knew someone was waiting for her. And of course, Slughorn was sitting at his desk, and looked so happy he could have burst in his old age.

"Lily! It's so good to see you!" Slughorn said happily. "And this must be little Mitchell that I've heard so much about."

"It is. Mitch, this is Professor Slughorn," Lily introduced.

Mitchell smiled. "Hi, Mr. Slughorn."

"You know, Mitchell, your mommy is one of the smartest girls I know," Slughorn commented.

"Daddy says that she's the smartest ever!" Mitchell exclaimed.

Slughorn chuckled. "I'll bet he does say that. And he's not wrong."

Lily rolled her eyes. "So I was told that I'm speaking to your potion classes today."

Slughorn nodded. "Yes, you are. And I have seventh years first this year."

"Well this should be interesting," Lily commented as she brought Mitchell over to a chair, and lifted him into it. "Can you sit here while I talk to the kids?"

Mitchell began to swing his feet. "Sure, Mommy."

"Such a polite and patient young man," Slughorn commented.

Lily nodded. "I know, it's surprising. I've been lucky on the toddler end. I mean, my goddaughter, Cecilia, was really calm too. She still is, even though she's almost seven."

"Lily?"

Lily and Slughorn turned to see Brady and Richard walking in, along with two girls. One girl had dark blonde hair and pretty green eyes. And the other girl was obviously at least a year younger. She too was blonde, although it was a much lighter shade. And from what Lily could see of their ties, the older girl was a Hufflepuff, and the younger a Gryffindor.

"Brady, Richie, you two are in Potions still?" Lily said with a smile.

Richard nodded. "Yeah."

"And what are you doing here, Miss Couldon?" Slughorn asked with a knowing look.

The younger girl blushed. "Oh, um . . . I thought I'd just walk with them."

"I'm surprised to see you here so early, Professor," Richard commented.

"I'm sure you are. I'm not a bit surprised to see you four here, even though you didn't expect to see me," Slughorn stated.

Brady just shrugged as he dropped his bag by a chair. "Eh, then why give that look if you knew?"

"So, what are you doing here, Lily?" Richard asked.

"I was asked to talk to some classes today," Lily said simply.

"So you really are talking to us today?" the young girl said, almost with excitement. "I just thought it was a rumor."

"See, I told you know I knew the celebrity model from Hogwarts," Brady told the girl in a cocky tone.

Lily walked toward them, and smiled at the younger girl. "What's your name?" she inquired.

The girl looked like she was containing excitement. "I'm Maddy Couldon. I'm only a sixth year. I'm a friend of Brady's."

The other girl scoffed. "Yeah, _friend_."

Brady rolled his eyes. "Shove off, Rosaline." He looked at Lily. "That's Richie's girlfriend."

Lily smiled at the other girl. "It's nice to meet you."

Rosaline smiled nicely. "Same here. The twins have talked about you before, and you're like a legend in fashion magazines."

"And ole' Slughorn never shuts up about you," Brady laughed.

"Mommy." Mitchell's voice was clear, catching Lily's attention immediately.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Lily asked.

"Woah! That's Mitchell?" Richard questioned.

"Damn, he got big fast!" Brady commented.

Lily laughed. "You haven't seen him in a few years. He's four."

"Merlin!" Richard whispered with surprise.

Lily shook her head and laughed as she walked back over to her son. "What is it, Mitch?"

"Is Grandpa really coming?" Mitchell asked. Scorpius had openly guessed that her father was going to be the other speaker, as it would probably be very exciting and motivational for students if two from the famous Potter family were to be there.

"Well I don't know yet, sweetie," Lily told him. "If he is here, we'll see him though."

When the class started to fill, and the twins' younger friend went off to her own class, Lily looked curiously at the class in front of her. While Lily vaguely recognized a few faces from the younger siblings of friends or classmates, the majority of the class was made of new faces. And it hit Lily just how long she'd been away from Hogwarts.

"Ok, class," Slughorn began, "we have a guest speaker. She's coming to speak to you today, although not about potions exactly. I just demanded that she be in my classroom, as she is one of my all-time favorite students." He chuckled. "So, without further ado, give your full attention to Lily P- . . . I mean Lily Malfoy."

Lily smiled at them as she stood forward a little, addressing them all. "Hello, guys. I'm really glad to see so many seventh years still in Potions, since it is my speciality. But like Slughorn said, I have other things to talk to you about. But first, why do you think I'm here?"

Hesitantly, one girl raised her hand. "I'll say it."

Lily looked at the girl. "Ok, and what's your name?"

"Ella Wimmer," the Gryffindor girl said.

Lily didn't even recognize that last name. "Ok, Ella. Why do you think I'm here."

"Because of the fight last week," Ella guessed.

Lily gave a nod. And although she didn't know what the fight was about, she knew how to play this game. After all, she was a Slytherin. "And why would the fight prompt my coming? Anyone?"

Now Richard raised his hand. "Because of two fourth years fighting about Houses. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor."

Lily sighed as she leaned against the front desk. Still? Those fights were coming back? She looked at the group. "All the Slytherins in here, raise your hands."

About four kids raised their hands.

"Ok, Ella, you're a Gryffindor right? So do you know Richard?" Lily asked. Ella nodded. "Ok, and do you think Richard is nice?"

Ella nodded again. "Yeah, he's nice."

"But he's a Slytherin," Lily stated. "Shouldn't Gryffindors hate Slytherins? After all, history says that they always have."

"But that shouldn't be a reason to hate someone," another girl spoke.

Lily smiled. "Good. Then you've already learned."

* * *

"Lily!" Candice squealed happily in greeting as the fourth year class walked in. And to no surprise to Lily, it was made up of Slytherins and Gryffindors.

Lily smiled at the young girl, still amazed that this girl, who she'd known since she was an inquisitive child, was now a fourth year, soon to be a fifth year in the coming year. "Hey, Candy."

"Hi, Candy," Mitchell greeted with a small smile.

When the class began to settle, even Lily could see the bit of tension around them. Lily looked at Slughorn. "Horace, would you mind taking Mitchell up to Jacob's office? I'm sure he'd have more fun up there."

Slughorn nodded. "Of course. Good luck," he whispered the last bit to her.

Lily waited until Slughorn had taken Mitchell from the room before looking at the class in front of her. "I'm hearing all about a fight between two of the kids in this room."

"Because Markum's a snake!" one boy hissed. His tie was that of a Gryffindor.

"I'm a snake? You jumped me!" a Slytherin boy yelled back.

"Shut it!" Lily interrupted them sternly. She took in a breath. "I'm supposed to talk to you kids today, but instead I have a story. One that took place years ago. And it starts off with how a girl hated her family, and was hated by her family in return, because she was a Slytherin, and they were Gryffindors. And the girl's brothers hated Slytherins, so she hated Gryffindors. The brothers together made all other Houses hate Slytherin even more. Slytherins would fight others from other Houses and vice versa. And for no reason other than the House they belonged. They would cheat in Quidditch, and bruise and break each other. The girl once was knocked from her broom. Her nose broke, her shoulders, legs, and so on. One brother once took a bat to the face, for no reason other than revenge. It cracked his skull open."

Lily paused to look around at the surprised, hesitant, and almost a bit scared, faces. "You think you kids hate each other? Well that girl and those brothers, were me and my brothers, and my family," she told them. "I hated every House, because I thought they hated me. I would attack them, and they would attack me. But you know what? It was all for nothing! Because our Houses didn't matter in the end! And in my last years of school, the kids in my year did all that we could to stop that from continuing. To stop the hatred flowing through Hogwarts. And pardon my language, but I'll be dammed if two little boys destroy that."

Almost hesitantly, Candice raised her hand. "What was the worst thing that happened?"

Lily sighed. "Because of that fight, that hatred, I lost my brothers, my best friend, my family, and in a way myself. I would hurt every day. Because I would maybe win a fight, or come out of one unscathed, but you know what, it was a hollow victory, and it hurt in the end."

A boy raised his hand. "Is it true that you were really the start of JB Study Group?"

Lily nodded. "In a way, yes. Things got bad and dark with hatred. Things had to change." She ran a hand through her hair. "We were all beginning to hate each other . . . but we didn't really know why. We didn't know each other. We had no reason to hate each other. And if you have no reason to hate, then you only hurt yourself. And not just yourself, but others."

"You mean the person you hate?" a girl guessed.

Lily shook her head. "No. You hurt people who aren't even involved. Through the years I fought with my brothers, we dragged others into our problems. My best friend, my cousin, was dragged back and forth. Our friends, acquaintances, other housemates. We pulled them into our problems, and they got hurt. All because we were angry with no real reason to hate."

"What is a reason to hate someone?" Candice asked a bit suddenly, being as curious as she always had been.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Personally, I'm not sure if there really is a real reason to ever hate anybody. And maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there is a reason. But if that's true, I'm not sure if the reason will ever be worth the consequences."


	119. And Life Goes On

**Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter.**

**Note - Not a long chapter, maybe not overly detailed, but an important one. I don't have much to say now, but I will have a note at the end of the chapter with a lot more to say. Anyways, sorry for any mistakes I missed. So read, enjoy, and let me know what you think.**

Slytherin's Potter

Chapter One Hundred Nineteen: And Life Goes On

Lily sighed as she sat in Jacob's office. Mitchell, demanding to see more of the castle, had been led off by her uncle Neville, to see all he could see. And Lily, now having time to get out of the classroom, had taken the time to come to her old headmaster's office to sit and think.

Perhaps they hadn't changed anything years ago. Maybe you just couldn't change some things and some people. And maybe it wasn't she that had failed. Maybe it was just the failure to pass on what she and those in her year had done.

Lily didn't pay attention as the door to the office opened. "Ah, Lily, you really are here!"

In surprise, Lily turned to see that Johnny Pritchard was walking into the office. Lily stood up and hugged him. "Johnny! I never thought I'd see you here of all places!"

Johnny smiled as they pulled away from the hug. "Well I too was asked to talk to students. Although I made sure to come yesterday and at least have a big look around the school I never got to attend," he joked.

"What did you talk about?" Lily asked, but it hit her as soon as the words left her mouth.

"About Squibs," Johnny said as they both moved to sit down. "Jacob wanted me to come and explain my life after learning of being a Squib. How my family handled it, how I handled it, what my life was like, how it is now, what I went through, and such. I couldn't say no when he asked."

"There aren't kids here that hate Squibs too, are there?" Lily groaned.

Johnny laughed. "No, no, I don't think so. Jacob said that he'd heard me talk at a group counseling session about how to live with being a Squib, and said he thought it'd be great for kids to hear."

"You talked at a counseling session?" Lily questioned.

Johnny nodded. "Yes, that's what I do now. I work in a place that helps people through problems, and being a Squib, or having one in the family, is included in that. Actually, I work with your sister-in-law, Stacy. Her office is not far down the hall from my own."

"But I thought you were going to school to get a muggle job?" Lily asked.

"I still go to school," Johnny assured. "The way I do it is what muggles call unconventional, but I do it. But when I was offered the position to help others that are just coming into my situation, I couldn't say no. So I work most days of the week."

"I thought you weren't sure if you wanted to work within the magical world?" Lily pointed out.

Johnny gave a small grin. "I wasn't sure. But then . . . I finally told my longtime girlfriend about what I am, and what my family is."

"Really? How did that go?"

Johnny sighed. "Well, it was . . . a shock for her. A bit of disbelief. Well, a lot actually. And there was honestly a period where we didn't see each other while she . . . processed what I'd told her. But we're ok now. And when we began to talk about things, honestly and in-depth, she suggested that I stay in the magical world. And when the job opportunity came, she urged me to take it."

Lily smiled. "Well I'm glad it's worked out for you. That doesn't always happen."

"I'm extremely lucky," Johnny said with a nod. "And for that, I'm extremely grateful."

"You know, I still haven't met Cassidee, although I've heard all about her," Lily teased.

Johnny chuckled. "You'll love her. We'll have to have dinner sometime."

"How long have you been dating?" Lily inquired.

"Years," Johnny said simply. "I've lost track. But . . . well don't tell my siblings, but we've planned to get married."

Lily raised a brow. "Are you serious?"

"Once we are both finished with our schooling," Johnny said with a bit of a smile. "Then we'll announce it to our families, and begin the planning of the ceremony."

Lily smiled. "And your sister always worried about you. Looks like she never needed to. You've always seemed to work things out on your own."

"I did my best," Johnny admitted. "And I know I failed at times, but I did my best." He smiled at her. "So, what are you here to talk to them about?"

"House unity," Lily sighed, her old thoughts coming back. "Honestly, it's almost a little disappointing."

"How so?" Johnny asked.

"Because . . . me and the others in my year worked so hard to stop the hatred between Houses from continuing and growing. But . . . apparently we didn't," Lily admitted.

"Lily, not everyone changes," Johnny told her. "And you can't reach everybody. Some people have to learn themselves. Our parents did, you guys did, and now maybe this generation will have to as well."

"It's still so sad," Lily sighed.

"Perhaps your parents thought the same thing." As usual, Johnny sounded much too wise.

* * *

"Never again, Scorpius Malfoy, and I mean it!" Lily hissed as the pain of labor ran through her. She squeezed Scorpius's hand, in her pain and light anger, she hoped she at least cracked it.

"You always said no more than three," Scorpius joked weakly, obviously hiding his own pain that she caused.

"You're doing great, Lily, really," Victoire assured. "Just a little bit more."

"You just had to have another one!" Lily groaned. "You had to have a little girl."

"I'm sorry," Scorpius said lightly.

"I hope it's another boy!" Lily seethed, her pain turning into anger. "Merlin, the other two weren't this painful!"

"Maybe it is a girl then. They always tend to be pain in the asses," Scorpius muttered. Lily responded by squeezing his hand even harder. "Sorry," Scorpius apologized through gritted teeth.

When the familiar sound of an infant's cry entered the room, Lily felt her entire body began to relax as it realized that it was over. Lily relaxed into the pillows behind her and closed her eyes. "You got your wish, Scorpius. It's a girl," Victoire said with amusement.

Lily opened her eyes to see a delighted Scorpius. "Malfoy's are always right," he teased.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she mumbled as Victoire brought a pink bundle. The baby was placed in Lily's arms, and both her and Scorpius were silent. The baby was small, like any baby was when just born. She was quiet, and her eyes were closed. Her breaths were soft in sound.

"What's her name?" Victoire asked.

Scorpius seemed too distracted, so Lily answered. "Cissy Astoria Malfoy."

"Perfect. We'll go let the family know," Victoire assured as her and her team left them alone.

Lily looked at Scorpius. "Want to hold her?" she guessed. Her heart was pounding with the familiar feeling. The overwhelming happiness, joy, and love. But at the same time, her muscles were exhausted, as was the rest of her body.

Scorpius very gently brought their baby girl into his own arms, and looked down at Cissy with amazement. Lily could already see that he was easily wrapped around her tiny finger, and would be wound even tighter as she got older.

"She's beautiful," Scorpius murmured. Then he smirked as he glanced at Lily. "Just like her mum."

Lily couldn't help but to smile. "She is beautiful. And surprisingly quiet."

Scorpius chuckled. "Any infant is quiet after Drake. That boy was a crier for the first four or five months."

"Thankfully he's grown out of that," Lily agreed as she looked at their newborn daughter.

The door opened, and the one to be the first one in was Mitchell this time. He ran to where Scorpius was sitting, and stood there, looking at the bundle. "Aunt Victoire said it's a girl!" Now five, Mitchell had been as excited as Scorpius was at the thought of a little girl.

Scorpius nodded. "It is," he told him and the rest of the family that came in. "Her name's Cissy."

Mitchell moved around to look at the baby properly. "She's really pretty," he complimented. Then he smiled. "I like having a sister."

Lily laughed. "You just got her," she teased.

"But Uncle James says that having a baby sister is the best thing ever! And both he and Daddy say that being a big brother is an important job, especially to sisters," Mitchell said.

"They both still pick on their sisters," Lily joked.

"You ask for it."

"All sisters ask for it."

* * *

"Lily," Cecilia addressed from where she sat at the kitchen table, drawing a picture. Mitchell and Draco were playing around the living room, while Scorpius held and talked to Cissy.

Lily looked up from the modeling pictures she'd been looking over. "What is it, Cece?"

Cecilia looked unsure of exactly what to say. Getting ready to turn nine, Lily could easily notice how much Cecilia looked like her brother. While her hair may be blonde, they had the same face. It always made Lily think of Duncan.

"Well, I was thinking about something when I played with Fleur and Gabby the other day," Cecilia mentioned. "And it's just . . . well you know how Teddy calls you his sister, but you're not related? And how you see him like a brother, and he sees your dad as a father figure?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, I see you as more than a babysitter, but I don't know what to call you," Cecilia stated. "Obviously it's not a mom and daughter thing. But it's still something different. Special. So . . . what is it?"

Lily thought about that. She agreed with Cecilia, that it was something more than just being close and a babysitter, but there really wasn't a word for it. So what to call it? "Well . . . what do you want to call it?"

Cecilia looked down at the picture she had just been drawing. "Well . . . Mum says that big brother Duncan saw you as a big sister. So . . . could I call you that? My big sister?"

Lily smiled. "Sure. Big sister it is."

But then Cecilia looked at Scorpius. "What should I call Scorpius?"

Scorpius looked at her and smirked. "Just called me Uncle. It'll be simpler than thinking about what to call me."

Lily rolled her eyes. "You are simple, sometimes," she mocked.

* * *

"Lily," Scorpius said, gaining her attention. Lily had sent the kids over to the Burrow, where her grandmother had a lot of her great-grandkids gathered for some reason, and then had gone to have lunch with Scorpius on his break.

Lily raised a brow. "What is it?"

"Well, I was thinking," Scorpius mentioned, "that . . . Cissy's getting bigger, and she's not going to need a crib soon. And, I think now might be a good time to discuss getting a bigger place."

Lily sighed. He was right. Cissy was getting bigger and older, and she had never liked being in a crib. Normally she was sleeping with her and Scorpius. But that still meant that she would need a normal bed, and possibly a room of her own. "Well, we could just get rid of my study and give her that room," she suggested.

"No, you love that room," Scorpius argued calmly. "I think we should move. And . . . well I haven't decided anything yet, but I think I might know the perfect place."

"And where would that be?" Lily asked.

"Our summer house in Ireland," Scorpius suggested. "I've talked to my dad about the idea, and he thinks it's great. He'd be happy to give it to us, if that's what we decide on."

Lily smiled at the idea. The house in Ireland. It was her favorite, and it did have many wonderful memories. "I do like the idea," she admitted. "But, are you sure?"

Scorpius grinned and nodded. "Yeah. It'll be perfect for us. I mean, it has more than enough rooms that you can keep your study, I can keep my workout room, and each of the kids can have a room of their own, even Cecilia, for when she spends long periods over. So?"

* * *

"This house is so big!" Mitchell exclaimed as he began to run around. "And it's really light!"

"I like the ocean," Cecilia commented as she looked around. "It's really pretty." Lily knew she was already thinking about drawing it.

"Can I go see my room?" Mitchell asked.

Lily nodded. "Sure. It has your name on it." Lily had gotten the idea from when Draco had given her a room at Malfoy Manor for her birthday. Mitchell immediately ran off, while Cecilia walked up the stairs at a more calm pace to see the room Lily and Scorpius had made up for her.

Scorpius set Draco down, who immediately went over to where Padfoot was sniffing the couch and table. Draco loved having Padfoot as a dog, probably because he was such a big and gentle dog.

Scorpius came over to Lily, who was holding a napping Cissy. "So, good idea?"

Lily nodded with a smile of her own. "It's perfect. And Mitch seems to really love it."

"And Cecilia will have a hundred sceneries to draw, and it's open enough for Pad to run around with the kids. And we both still get our private rooms. Not to mention a much bigger bedroom," he murmured, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

Lily sighed. "It really doesn't seem like it's been more than ten years since you first brought me here to keep you from being bored on vacation," she mentioned.

Scorpius looked around too. "Yeah, I know. But at the same time, it seems like I've known you much longer than just since I was thirteen. It feels like I've known you all my life."

Lily laughed lightly. "So sentimental," she teased.

Scorpius smirked as he placed a gentle and chaste kiss on her lips. "Only for you, princess." Then he looked down at Cissy and smiled. "And for the little angle here."

Lily rolled her eyes, but continued to smile. "This little girl is going to be hell when she's older, because she'll be more spoiled than I was."

Scorpius laughed. "What's your point?"

Lily shrugged. "Nothing more than that. And also to remind you that this little girl will eventually grow up, and then _you're_ going to be hell to handle."

Scorpius raised a brow. "What's that mean?"

"Well, it's just that you always say that you hope she turns out like me. Remember that I developed early and started dating at thirteen," Lily told him.

Scorpius scowled. "It's a little early for that."

Lily grinned. "Yeah. Just remember this when she is that age. Because I'm going to tell you the same thing."

* * *

"Why does Mitchell get to go?" Cissy demanded as the Malfoy family, Cecilia included, walked onto Platform 9 and 3/4. Mitchell was eleven now, and it was September 1st. The time for him to go to Hogwarts. And ever since he'd gotten his letter, Cissy had questioned why only he got to go. No explanation was good enough for her.

"Because he's old enough," Draco answered with a roll of his eyes. He didn't seem to mind being too young to go to Hogwarts. But he did seem to be the most patient of the three children, no matter the circumstance.

Mitchell placed a hand on his little sister's shoulder. "Just be patient, Cissy. I'll be back. And soon, you'll get to go too. Then we'll both be going together." Mitchell had been turning into a much more patient version of his father. And he had taken everything Scorpius and James had said about sisters and how to treat them to heart. He was always watching out for Cissy, and making sure that she was always ok.

"I'll tell you what," Scorpius said as he hoisted the little girl into the air. "When we get home, we'll go out and you can get your own owl, so that way you can write to Mitch whenever you want. How does that sound?"

Cissy giggled. "Can I name him whatever I want?"

"Just don't let it be something ridiculous," Draco muttered as he stood beside Lily.

Lily ruffled her youngest son's hair. "Be nice."

Draco gave a nod. "Yes, Mum," he said politely.

Cecilia looked at Lily. "I see some of my friends, so I'm going to go and catch up with them." Now fourteen, Cecilia was turning into a very beautiful young girl. While she had the same face as Duncan still, her blonde hair fell in waves around and down her shoulders. But she had such an attitude that really made her stand out from Duncan, and really proved why she'd been Sorted into Slytherin years ago.

Lily smiled at her. "Ok. Well have fun this year. Make sure to write and all that."

Cecilia nodded as she hugged her. "I will, sis. And thanks for taking me. Mum and Dad were pretty upset and worried about having to work today instead of taking me." Over the years, Cecilia had really stepped into the idea of seeing Lily as a sister, and Lily personally liked it too.

"It's not a problem," Scorpius assured as he set Cissy down, and hugged Cecilia as well. "Now, take care, take no crap, and stay away from boys, you're only fourteen."

Lily and Cecilia both rolled their eyes. "Whatever you say, Uncle Scorp." Then she looked at Draco and Cissy. "You two behave."

"We will," Draco assured.

Cissy just giggled.

"I'll see you guys during break," Cecilia promised as she took her things and began to move over to a group of her friends.

Lily looked toward Mitchell. "You better write, little boy," she teased lightly, although still serious. "Remember, I can easily come down there any time."

Mitchell smirked, and looked way too much like his father at that moment. "I will, Mum, I promise."

"Make sure to watch out for your cousin. It's Alana's first year too," Scorpius reminded him. "Not to mention Dora."

"I will, Dad," Mitchell said, a bit serious now.

"Make sure you spend a little time with Neville and Hagrid. They're both excited to see you," Lily told him as she straightened out his collar. He really was too much like his father.

"I know, Mum. I already told them I would," Mitchell assured. "So, can I get on the train now?"

Lily looked at her little boy. Eleven-years-old, and he would be twelve in just a few months. She could hardly believe it. Time had moved so fast it seemed. Her little boy was finally going to Hogwarts. No longer would he be at home all the time. He wouldn't be there, reciting things his father or uncles had told him, or begging to go out flying a bit further above the nearby town. It almost made her want to cry, but Lily liked to think that she didn't cry easily.

"Hug your mother and your sister, then you can go," Scorpius told him.

Mitchell immediately hugged his mother. "I'll write. I promise," he told her. "And I'll tell you all about how I'm in an awesome House, and that I love it."

Lily smiled. "I know you'll love it, no matter where you're put."

"And I'll be sure to watch out for and spend time with cousins Alana and Dora," he promised.

Lily leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. "Good. Have fun, but make sure you at least attempt to study."

Mitchell gave a serious nod. "I will, Mum. I'll be on top of my class, you'll see." Then he hugged Cissy.

"Mum," Draco addressed, his soft voice a bit quieter than normal. "What if he's not in Slytherin? What do you think people will think about it?" Draco was usually the one to ask questions with deep meanings and thought. He might be a bit too young to understand certain things, but he always knew how to ask, or to wait for an answer's understanding.

Lily gave his shoulder a squeeze. "A lot of things. But it will never matter. The only thing that will matter will be what Mitch thinks."

And Mitchell's first letter told all about how happy and proud he was to be a Slytherin, just like his parents.

* * *

"So, has Jason written you yet?" Lily asked Hugo curiously as they sat together for lunch. It was Hugo and Stacy's oldest child, Jason's first year at Hogwarts. Mitchell was now a second year, and had been excited to have one of his best friends and favorite cousins to be coming to school with him.

Hugo nodded. "Yeah, I was surprised he wrote so quickly. I didn't write my mum and dad until a good few weeks after I started. He's taking after his mum, which is probably good."

"Does he like his House?" Lily inquired.

Hugo grinned. "He's in Slytherin, and he loves it. Says he gets to hang out with Mitch, Cece, and Alana all the time."

"I'm glad he likes it. I personally think it's a kickass house," Lily joked with a laugh.

Hugo chuckled too. "Yeah." He sighed. "It's so surreal though, having my own son be old enough to start Hogwarts."

"I felt that way when Mitch left last year. It gets a little easier with time," Lily assured.

"I mean, I know there's four other kids in the house, but it seems so much quieter without Jason at home," Hugo commented.

"It's really quiet with only two. And soon it won't be long before Drake goes, and then Cissy too," Lily mentioned.

Suddenly, Hugo began to grin. "You know what makes me really proud though? In my son, and . . . well kind of in what I've done myself?"

Lily looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

"In his letter, Jason told me all about this new friend he'd made, a kid he had just met in class one day. A Gryffindor. And . . . maybe it's stupid, but it makes me proud to think that I might have helped that friendship grow by all the efforts we made years ago. And it makes me proud to know that my son couldn't care less about what House he's in, and which House his friends are in," Hugo said with a smile. "I'm proud to call a boy like that my son."

"I had a moment like that," Lily said with a smile of her own. "It was a little different. When Mitch came home for Christmas last year, I heard him telling Drake all about it. And Drake mentioned that he didn't think he'd be a Slytherin, but in a different House. And without even hesitating or pausing to think, Mitch said it didn't matter, and that they were brothers, and he'd love him no matter what House he belonged to. That is probably one of the proudest moments I've had with Mitch. Because it tells me that he, and maybe the other kids too, is going to be smart enough to not screw up like me and my brothers did."

* * *

**Epilogue Moment:**

Here they were again. The Potter children up in their old childhood treehouse. Each of them sat on the floor, forming a triangle, and each looking at each other. Their eyes were narrowed at each other. James was scowling, Lily was glaring, and Albus was almost pouting.

"Ok, we came to do this calmly and rationally," James said slowly. "So let's talk this problem out, and not fight."

That idea went out the window. "It was my idea, so I get to do it!" Lily jumped in.

"But it would seem better coming from me!" James argued.

"I suck with gift ideas, so I should be able to use a good one!" Albus complained. "You guys had a dozen different ideas before this one! I had nothing!"

"It should go to whoever thought of it first, and that was me!" Lily insisted.

"It'll be easier for me to do. I have the connections," James pointed out.

"I have just as many connections as you do!" Lily countered.

"I have more important connections," Albus threw in. "I could get it done quicker and easier."

"I gave birth to _three_ kids, so I deserve it," Lily stated.

"That has nothing to even do with the idea!" Albus exclaimed.

"No, but it means I've earned it! Let's see you do that!" Lily retorted.

"Hey, princess! Are you guys done up there?" they heard Scorpius yelling.

"Come on, Mum, I want to go home!" they heard Cissy whine.

The three Potter siblings glared at each other still, although now they were silent. Lily moved over to the door. "This is not over," she claimed.

"Fine. We'll continue this another time," James agreed.

"Tomorrow over lunch?" Albus suggested.

"Make it two o'clock, because I have a photo shoot at just before one," Lily told them.

"I'm sure Dad will understand," Albus said with a nod.

"Yeah, that works for me too," James agreed. "So until then, we'll wait to argue about Mum's Christmas gift idea."

"Deal," Lily and Albus said.

Lily pushed past the blanket covering. "See you guys tomorrow," she said with a sigh, then slipped out into the chilly air. Down below, she could see Scorpius and Cissy both waiting for her in the snow. Cissy was leaning against her father, looking tired. Her thick blonde hair was ruffled by the light wind, and her brown eyes were almost shut, they looked so drowsy. "You could have taken her home first," she commented.

Scorpius smirked as she stepped off the ladder and into the snow. "She wanted to wait for you," he replied. "Now, are we ready?"

Lily nodded. "Yes, we are."

That night, after Cissy had been tucked into bed, Padfoot and Salazar had been fed, and Regal had been let out, Lily sat in bed, a potion book in her lap. She read over the pages carefully, until Scorpius came and pulled it away from her. Lily just smiled at him as he put it on the bedside table.

"When are the boys coming home?" Lily asked curiously.

"Three days from now," Scorpius said with a sigh as he came to sit next to her. "It'll be nice to have some noise in here again. Is Cece coming back here the first night?"

Lily shook her head. "No, she said she wanted to go back home for the first few nights. But she'd be here for Christmas Eve, and then part of Christmas day."

"I'm sure Mitch will be thrilled," Scorpius said with a chuckle.

Lily smiled as she brought a hand up to run through his hair softly. "I'm not sure what we'll do in the next few years when Cissy goes to Hogwarts. It will be very quiet here."

Scorpius continued to smirk. "Oh, I know what I'll do," he hinted suggestively, his eyes dark as he looked at her.

"You really think sex will fill that void?" she teased.

"Well I'll do my best," Scorpius laughed before placing a small kiss on her lips. But then he sighed and leaned his forehead against hers, his warm breath fanning across her cheeks.

Lily brushed her lips across his cheek. "I'm sure you will."

Scorpius smirked as he leaned back to lay his head on his pillow. He pulled her with him, so Lily laid next to him, her cheek on her palm. "You are an amazing woman, Lily Luna."

Now Lily smirked. "But of course. I'd have to be. After all, I am Slytherin's Potter."

**Slytherin's Potter: The End**

* * *

**If anything, it's really hard to believe that I've just finished writing this story. It's weird to think that I'll no longer be writing about Lily and her experiences. But I'm proud of myself for finishing this, and making something so well-liked. And on that note, I'm very grateful to of those who read the story, and who stayed with me until the end. Your reviews were sometimes inspiring, just by telling me how much you loved certain moments or characters. So thank you, and I hope that this ending was something you can love too, just like all your other favorite moments.**

**I hope to put out the first chapter of Scorpius's story soon, and also some more outtakes. And when/if I do, I hope you all read and love it too. I love writing for you guys. So I hope you continue to sometimes think of this story, and maybe even read parts again, and when you do, I hope you enjoy it.**

**Thank you.**


	120. Rebel Malfoy

**Hey guys. Everyone wanted me to post a note saying when Rebel Malfoy will be posted. Well here it is, haha.**

**Yes, the first chapter of Rebel Malfoy is now up. Also as a reminder, there will still be outtakes on Slytherin's Potter: The Outtakes. I've got a few more written, and some in the planning stages still. **

**Also to all of those who wanted a family tree, I put one on my profile. There have been some issues with the link, so if it's not working again for some reason, just let me know.**

**Thank you so much, and I'm really happy that you love this so much.**

**Animeaddict56**


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